Mr. Mu's words once again circled back to the issue of not dividing the family.
He thought about giving less land to the third branch to keep them from leaving.
An acre and a half of paddy fields, if fully planted with crops, yield only about six hundred jin of grain per year, depending on the fertility of the land.
If the land is too poor, it might only produce three hundred jin, which is not enough for the third branch's family of five, post-tax, as staple food.
As for the dry land, five mu of land, at most, can grow some cotton, and by the next spring, planting rapeseed, it is still uncertain if it will be enough for the third branch to eat.
This time, Mr. Mu was certain that the third branch would not separate because of such strict conditions.
However, whether the family splits is not something he can stop with just these harsh terms.
