Chapter 3 The Problem of Five Hundred Taels of Silver

  Lian Wan'er slowly sat back beside Zhang Shi, turned her head to look, and saw Lian Xiu'er hugging Lian Hua'er, staring fiercely at her and Zhang Shi.

  "Fourth brother, fourth sister-in-law, why are you so selfish, only thinking of yourselves?" Lian Xiuer said with a glare.

  Lian Man'er touched her ear, she wouldn't have any hearing problems, would she? How could there be such a topsy-turvy person, and that person was Lian Man'er's aunt. What's even stranger is that Lian Shouxin and Zhang Shi, who were mentioned by name, didn't utter a word.

  "Mother, help Lian Hua'er." Lian Xiuer whispered in Zhou Shi's ear.

  Zhou looked at Lian with some hesitation.

  "Dad, this matter... it's related to our son... no, it's the future of our whole family..." Lian Shouren begged with a sorrowful face.

  Even Lao Yezi was just smoking a dry cigarette, with his face hidden in the smoke, making it impossible to discern what expression he had.

  "Big brother, the matter of Yu Pei, you didn't discuss with me and went to do it yourself. If not for the matter of Man Er, I'm afraid you wouldn't have told me." Lao Yezi said.

  "Dad, wasn't it because we didn't want you to worry at that time?" Lian Shouren said.

  "So I don't have to worry about it now?"

  "Father......" Lian Shouren was speechless after being rebuked by Old Master Lian.

  "Older brother, you were wrong from the start." Even Old Master put down his pipe and sighed, "That jade pendant was the Song family's heirloom. When Hua broke it, she should have told them. If Hua was at fault, we could have apologized or compensated in some way. But instead, you all went and found another piece of jade to deceive them. This isn't something our family should be doing."

  It turned out that even Lao Yezi didn't know about this matter at the time, and it was Lian Jia's eldest son who acted first and reported later.

  "Dad, I...I have no choice either."

  Lian Xiuer gently pushed Lian Old Lady Zhou again.

  "Hey, what's going on here? Didn't we already pay a similar price for that jade?!" Zhou finally spoke up. "The girl has finally settled on such a good marriage arrangement, how can it be ruined because of this small matter? According to your logic, we would also have to compensate for the money, and the marriage wouldn't work out either. Isn't this just making a big deal out of nothing? You've been in charge for so many years, how could you not even calculate this little account?"

  "What does a woman like you know about running a business? When I was in charge, I never cheated anyone, young or old." Lao Ye scolded angrily.

  "What, you say I'm cheating?!" Even the old lady was furious. "I've spent my whole life with you, bearing children for you, working myself to death, and now that I'm old, you're actually suspecting me of being a cheat?"

  "You're talking nonsense, I won't talk to you." Even the old man's beard was trembling with anger.

  The atmosphere suddenly froze.

  "It's not for myself, it's for Father and our whole family." Lian Hua'er said with a sob, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

  "Yes, the flower is not a selfish child." Gu said, "Parents work hard all their lives, just hoping that the eldest son can win honors and bring glory to the ancestors. Not only does the eldest son dare not forget his father's instructions, but also the flower always remembers it in her heart. The eldest son has talent, but these years have been unlucky, and he has failed to pass the imperial examination several times."

  Mr. Gu said, also wiping his eyes.

  "That Song family's uncle told Hua'er that he could help find a way, spend some money to bribe the grandmaster, and directly submit his name to the emperor, and immediately get an official position."

  "Yes, father, currently the imperial court has many vacancies, and monitor students can be directly appointed as officials. However, this opportunity will only last for one or two years, if missed, there won't be another chance like this." Lian Shouren said.

  "As long as the grandfather can take in the surveillance, it will be a stable county magistrate. Doing so for two or three years, he will become a prefect, bringing glory to our family's gate. And also earn a pair of honorary certificates for Father and Mother each, then our Xiuer will be an official's young lady, enjoying good days without end." Gu said, looking at Lian Shouzhong and Zhang again, "The grandfather's several brothers, nephews, and nieces will all become officials' masters, young masters, and misses too."

  Mr. Gu would say one sentence and Mrs. Zhou would nod along with him.

  "That's the reason." said Zhou.

  "Dad, this isn't a trivial matter like flowers; it's a big deal that affects the honor of our family and ancestors." Lian Shouren said.

  Lian Man'er was stunned, this couple really could twist the concept. It was obvious that their daughter had ruined the engagement gift, and they were afraid that the other family would not want her because of this, so they made a big deal out of it. But after they said that, Lian Hua'er became glorious and great.

  The old man remained silent for a long time, "No matter what you plan to do, the matter of the jade pendant should not be hidden from the Song family. Otherwise, even if we become relatives in the future, there will still be trouble."

  Lian Hua'er raised her head and said, "Grandfather, actually, Song Gongzi already knows about this matter."

  Everyone looked at Lianhua'er.

  Lian Hua'er's eyes rolled around and said, "It was I who delivered the message to Song Gongzi. Song Gongzi said he didn't blame me. Old Lady Song also nodded in agreement. However, this matter cannot be brought up openly for now, and it also can't be let known by other members of the Song family."

  "When did you talk to Song Gongzi about it? How could I..." Lian Xiuer said.

  "It was when Father and Mother went to the prefectural city that they brought this letter along the way." Lian Hua'er hastily said, glancing at Gu Shi with the corner of her eye.

  "That's right, I and the old master met Young Master Song that day." Gu Shi hastily said, "This matter, we'll keep it confidential with the Song family, but since they have many mouths to feed, they're afraid of rumors. So, we need to first use a jade pendant to make up for it and save face for both families."

  "Is that so?" asked Lao Lao Ye of Lian Shou Ren.

  "Yes, father, it's like this." Lian Shouren said.

  "Even if you don't care about your granddaughter, your eldest son has been studying hard all these years and finally has a chance to make a name for himself. Can you bear to stop him?" said Madame Zhou.

  "If it's because of this matter that I'm rejected as a suitor, then I won't be able to live on."

  Lian Hua'er cried and wanted to take her own life, but was stopped by Lian Xiu'er. Gu Shi, Lian Hua'er, Lian Xiu'er, and Lian Duo'er hugged each other and burst into loud sobs.

  "Mother, you should say something." Lian Xiuer said to Zhou Shi while crying.

  "Old man, things have already come to this. These are still your own sons and granddaughters, aren't they? If you don't have a heart of flesh, I won't be able to bear it. If anything happens to Hua'er, my wife will also die." Madam Zhou pointed at Lian Laoye.

  "What's wrong, why aren't you eating? Why are you crying?" The door curtain was lifted, and Lian Jia'er and Lian Shouyi walked in from outside. Behind them followed a short and plump woman, He Shi, who was Lian Shouyi's wife, holding the hand of their nine-year-old daughter, Lian Rou'er. Both mother and daughter were wearing brand new cotton-padded jackets and skirts.

  "Hua'er is crying again, she's getting married tomorrow and her eyes are all swollen, what can be done?" As soon as He Shi entered the room, she saw Lian Hua'er crying and scolded loudly. "Isn't Mian'er still alive? Tomorrow let the Sun family take her away, isn't everything settled?"

  This loud voice was exactly what she heard when she just woke up, the woman who wanted to bury her, even Cang Er's face turned black.

  "Second sister-in-law, Father just said that we can't let Lian'er go." Zhang Shi hugged Lian'er tightly.

  "What's going on? Didn't you two agree already? How can you go back on your word now?" Lian Shouyi scolded, pointing at Lian Shouxin.

  "Man'er has died once, this matter cannot be done." Lian Shouxin's face turned red as he said in a low voice.

  Lian Man'er sized up the people in the house. The Lian family was now divided into two camps, one camp wanted to sell Lian Man'er off, to fulfill Lian Hua'er's wishes and thereby fulfill the wishes of the head of the Lian household. This camp included Lian Old Lady Zhou Shi, Lian Xiu'er, the first wife of the Lian family, and the second wife of the Lian family. The other camp consisted only of Lian Shou Xin and He Shi. This was still something that Lian Man'er had fought for with her life.

  The decision-maker is Lian Lao Ye Zi. Lian Shou Xin and Zhang Shi are the biological parents of Lian Man Er. She also needs to add some firewood.

  The whole Lian family had put in a lot of effort for this matter, which could be seen from the clothes on just a few people in the house.

  "Xiu Er's auntie's clothes are so beautiful, newly made?" Lian Man'er put on a silly expression, staring at Lian Xiu Er's embroidered jacket with wide eyes.

  Lian Xiuer gently stroked her own clothes, hummed a tune, and was too lazy to bother with Lian Maner.

  Lian Man'er naturally wouldn't take it to heart, and she turned her face to look at He Shi, "Second Aunt's and Yu'er's new clothes are also beautiful, Second Aunt looks like a fairy when wearing this."

  "Really? Don't mention it, this little girl still has some insight." He smiled complacently, "So many years, and only got these two things this year." The tone of the words seemed to imply that there was still something lacking.

  "These two pieces put together are still not as valuable as that one piece of Xiu Er's." Lian Man Er's heart moved, and she said again.

  He, Gu and Lianhua all changed their faces

  "Father, mother, did Eldest Brother's wife also buy new clothes for you?" Lian Man'er turned her head and smiled at Lian Shouzheng and Zhang Shi. These two seemed a bit foolish, she had to make it clearer.

  Zhang's wife burst into tears and then knelt down with a thud, followed by Shou Xin also kneeling down.

  "Father, mother, Man Er is also your own granddaughter!"

  "You beast!" Even the old man shouted, waving his tobacco pipe at Lian Shouren's body.

  "Old man, you're crazy! Why are you hitting your eldest son?" Zhou Shi rushed forward to intervene.

  "Why should I hit him? Ask him what he's done. Does he deserve to be treated like this by Lao Si?" The old man pushed Zhou Shi aside and continued to beat Lian Shouren.

  All that was heard was a loud crack, and the tobacco pipe broke into two segments. Even Old Master wanted to hit again, but Madame Zhou had already rushed over to protect her son Lian Shouren.

  "You want to hit him? Well, you'd better kill me first!"

  Even Lao Yezi couldn't bring himself to hit his old wife, so he threw down the half-smoked tobacco pipe in his hand and let out a long sigh.

  "Dad, I know I was wrong. Just have mercy on me, I've been sitting on the cold bench for twenty years... Things are already like this..." Lian Shouren suddenly knelt down in front of Old Master Lian, hugged his legs and burst into tears.

  Gu and Lianhua also knelt down in front of Old Master Lian, lowering their heads to wipe away tears.

  "Go and call Lao San and his wife over." After a while, Lao Yezi lowered his head and instructed Lian Shouyi, then said to the people below the kang, "Both of you, Lao Si and your wife, get up. My previous words will not be changed."

  Lian Shouxin and Zhang slowly stood up together.

  "Dad......" Lian Shouren hugged Lian Laoye's body and cried out.

  "Don't cry anymore, I know everything." Lao Ye closed his eyes and gently patted Lian Shouren's shoulder twice.

  Lian Shouren immediately stopped crying. Gu Shi and Lian Hua'er both lowered their heads, exchanged a glance with each other, and secretly rejoiced.

  After a while, Lian Jiaolao San, Lian Shouli and his wife Zhao Shi followed Lian Shouyi in from outside.

  "You all know what happened at home, so I won't say it. Now that you're all here, let's discuss how we can come up with 500 taels of silver."