After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 888 Dispelling Doubts
Fang thought Hai Baozhu was trustworthy. She didn't think his biological mother was someone with hidden agenda.

When she allowed her husband Hai Dingkun to take a concubine, it was not because she followed his wishes, but because she carefully investigated and selected an honest and beautiful girl to take into the family. Otherwise, if Hai Dingkun had taken the little singer he liked, the family would have been in chaos based on the girl's temperament. How could she have taken over the household before her parents-in-law passed away?
Moreover, the people in the Hai family who attempted to seize power had colluded with the Jiang family to harm Hai Baozhu, the only remaining male in the Hai family's eldest house, and secretly assassinated him. At that time, Hai Baozhu was still a baby, and those who wanted to kill him naturally could not let go of Aunt Qiu who was holding him. Hai Baozhu may have forgotten what happened at that time, but Aunt Qiu was really scared and injured at that time. Fang not only had someone treat her injuries, but also arranged for her to escape quietly with her son. After arriving in Yongping City, she has been supporting the lives of the mother and son. Fang has been very kind to Hai Baozhu and Aunt Qiu, and has no intention of competing for the inheritance of the Hai family's eldest house. Whether it is Aunt Qiu or Hai Baozhu, what reason do they have to plot against her?
Fang trusted both the illegitimate son and the concubine. However, she also understood that it was normal for her second aunt Ma not to trust them since she had never seen the mother and son. She tried to explain to Ma, hoping that Ma could understand that Hai Baozhu and Aunt Qiu were unwilling to break off their relationship with her because they sincerely wanted to repay her kindness and had no intention of hurting her and Hai Baozhu.

Fang said, "When I took Baozhu away from my hometown and lived in Yongping City, Baozhu said that he would sell all the property in his hometown and give the money to Baozhu as a dowry. He has a master to rely on in the city, and he has enough food and clothing, so he doesn't need to spend the ancestral property. Besides, the ancestral property was severely damaged by the clan members and the Jiang family. He didn't want to go back to his hometown to deal with those ungrateful people, so he simply sold it all. He didn't want to go back again in his life. I advised him not to say such disrespectful words to the ancestors because of the words and deeds of the clan members. The clan members can ignore it, but the ancestral tombs, ancestral houses and ancestral property must be preserved. His father and grandfather have never treated him badly, so he changed his mind."

Hai Baozhu left his hometown when he was still young and grew up outside. The people closest to him were his biological mother, stepmother, step-sister, his teachers, and his classmates. He had never gotten along with his family members in his hometown and had no feelings for them. He only hated them for forcing him and his step-mother away. It was normal for him not to want to go back to his hometown. However, he was willing to sell all the ancestral property that should have been inherited by him and exchange it for money to give to his step-sister as a dowry, which proved that he really had no greed for this property and was really close to his step-mother and step-sister.

Fang judged that he had no bad intentions. Aunt Qiu never opposed her son's decision from beginning to end, and actively helped to find wealthy families willing to take over Jianghaitun's property, which also showed her sincerity.

Hai Baozhu and Aunt Qiu may not have thought that their insistence on staying and serving Fang might do more harm than good to her and Hai Baozhu, but they both sincerely wanted to repay Fang's kindness and had no other ideas.

After hearing what Fang said, Ma's suspicion towards Hai Baozhu and Aunt Qiu was finally mostly gone, but she was still dissatisfied: "Although they have no bad intentions, they can't understand your difficulties, and they insist on linking you to the Hai family. They are not smart people. With Baozhu like this, can he really pass the imperial examination in the future?"

Fang said a little embarrassedly: "His teacher and his wife both praised him for his intelligence and said that he would definitely pass the exam in the future. I guess he is just still young and has little contact with outsiders, so it is inevitable that he lacks in social skills..."

Haitang interrupted and said, "I guess my cousin must not have told him clearly that you don't want to have anything to do with the Hai family anymore. Why didn't you tell him all your concerns? If he knew what you were worried about and was really willing to be filial to you, he wouldn't ignore your thoughts, right?"

Fang said hurriedly: "He is a scholar. If he really ignores me, his stepmother, I am afraid that everyone will despise him for being unfilial. His master also knows about me and has repeatedly advised him to be filial to me. How can I tell him not to care about me anymore? I have hinted before... that the Hai family is difficult to deal with, but he doesn't care about the people in the family at all..."

Hai Baozhu did not grow up in his hometown and did not deal with his old family members. Therefore, he had no concept of his family, and he harbored resentment towards his family members. He did not think they could achieve anything - if these family members were capable, they would not be helpless under the coercion of the Jiang family, and could only rely on the young widow of the eldest house to remarry into the rival family to support the overall situation!
Hai Baozhu originally disdained the ancestral property and wanted to sell it for his eldest sister's dowry, but he also didn't want to let the clan members get away with it. Fang persuaded him again and again before he agreed to return to his hometown to inherit the ancestral property, but he still had no intention of getting close to the clan members. He believed that the eldest branch had made enough contributions to the family, and that the clan members were not living well because of his incompetence, not because of the eldest branch's dereliction of duty. Since the clan members did not take the eldest branch seriously and were disrespectful to Fang, who had worked hard and made great contributions, there was no need for the eldest branch to be responsible for the family anymore, and each family should live their own lives. The eldest branch would worship its own ancestors, but would not interfere with the clan members' way of life, and the clan members were not qualified to ask about the affairs of the eldest branch.

Hai Baozhu plans to live in Yongping Prefecture for a long time in the future. After passing the imperial examination, he may move to the capital. He will send people back to sweep the ancestral tombs in his hometown every year. He will be filial to his mother and arrange a marriage for his sister. No one in the family has the right to control him.

If the senior people in the clan think they are qualified to discipline the heir of the eldest house, then when Hai Baozhu passes the imperial examination or even becomes an official, these powerless and incompetent clan members in the old house should behave themselves. They can be as obedient as sheep in front of the Jiang family, but they can't be arrogant in front of the more powerful patriarch of the eldest house, right?

Fang just wanted to smile bitterly: "Baozhu is still too young and thinks too simply. But he is a good child, his teacher and senior brothers will teach him well. If I stop him, he will not dare to openly offend the elders of the family. Now I have persuaded him to return to Yongping Prefecture, and asked Aunt Qiu to persuade him well. When he is two years older, he will definitely understand the importance of the family and will not dare to say such stupid things..."

Ma sneered, "It's not that stupid. Aren't those people in the clan the ones who love to bully the weak and fear the strong? But Baozhu really shouldn't have said that. If he really becomes an official, he should take care of his own reputation and future, and can't really turn against the clan. Besides, by the time he gets promoted to a position that can shock the whole clan, I don't know how many years it will take, and I'm afraid it will be too late! This matter should be left to me and the master. We have old grudges with the clan, and the master is an official in Beijing, so he has enough confidence to be a villain. I don't believe that they dare to yell at us?!"

Ma took Fang's hand and said, "Good boy, don't worry. When the New Year comes and the school is closed, you can ask Baozhu and his aunt to come to the capital, and I will talk to him. You and Baozhu have the elders around, so it's not his turn as a junior to worry. He just needs to study hard! As for the clan, our master will scold and beat those who deserve to be scolded, and he can just hide behind and follow orders. If anyone dares to disturb your peaceful life and interfere with Baozhu and Zhu's marriage, I will definitely let them know. How many eyes does Prince Ma have!"