Chapter 5: Usury - The Contract

  "Besides Lao Jin, who else can come up with so much silver?" Lian Shouren said disapprovingly.

  "That's usury." Lian Shouli said in a low voice, his head still hung down.

  It turns out that Lao Jin was a usurer! Heaven, no matter in what era, the three words "usury" are always stained with blood and tears. Borrowing from usurers is simply drinking poison to quench thirst.

  If it's about borrowing money to save a life, there's no way to borrow from loan sharks, so be it. But now even the reason for borrowing from loan sharks at home is unacceptable to Lian Man Er.

  "Dad, you always say that we can't get involved with usury. You've also told us many stories about families being ruined because of borrowing from loan sharks." Lian Shouyi said, "We still have this big family to support, Dad, we can't afford to borrow from loan sharks."

  Even someone as honest and reliable as Lian Shouxin could say such a resolute thing, which made Lian Man'er have some new understanding of him.

  Even Lao Yezi was silent and didn't say a word. He also didn't want to lend usury, but...

  Lian Shouren was afraid that Lian Laoye would change his mind due to the words of his two younger brothers, so he hastily said, "That's a family that can't afford to repay us, we're different, this is just borrowing to save the situation. Once Hua'er marries into the Song family, we'll be able to return the money immediately. After Hua'er marries into the Song family, she'll be able to make some decent matches for her younger brothers and sisters in the future. In the future, I'll become an official again, and I can bring you all along as the masters of an official's household. Five hundred taels of silver are nothing, five thousand or fifty thousand are just small change. Don't learn from the narrow-mindedness of those rural families, don't just look at the present, we need to have a broader vision."

  Lian Shouren said, stretching out one arm and gesturing vaguely into the distance.

  "Five hundred taels is a small amount for Big Brother, but even if our family sells the house and land, we can't get five hundred taels of silver." Lian Shouli said.

  Lian Man'er nodded, Lian Shouli was too polite, he should ask Lian Shourén, since 500 taels is a small amount, why didn't he take it out directly, but instead borrowed from usury.

  "Will you be able to pay back this borrowed money in the future?" Lian Shouyi asked. He didn't care about borrowing money, as long as he didn't have to pay it back himself.

  "Grandfather, grandmother, Second Uncle, I guarantee I'll pay back this money." Lian Hua said hastily.

  "That's settled then, might as well borrow a few hundred more, Erlang is also going to get married." Lian Shouyi said.

  "Shut up, Second Brother." Even Old Master was furious upon hearing this. "Five hundred is already a huge sum, and you still want to borrow two or three hundred more? Do you think money grows on trees?"

  Lian Shouyi was scolded but didn't get angry, and smiled as he sat down beside them.

  "Dad, this money needs to be used tomorrow, and I need to go see Old Jin early," Lian Shouren said.

  The old man sighed.

  "Dad, I'll go find Old Jin now." Lian Shouren looked at Lian Lao's face and saw that he didn't object, so he quickly put on his shoes, got down from the kang, and went out to find Old Jin in the east of the village.

  Lian Hua'er said she wanted to wash her face and also got down from the kang. She went with Gu Shi and Lian Duo'er to the west room.

  "Vines, mother heated up some mantou for you to eat?" Zhang asked Lian Vines.

  Lian Man'er indeed felt hungry, so she nodded. Zhang Shi carried Lian Man'er back to the west wing and quickly heated up some mantou, serving them to her.

  "Man Er, eat slowly, mother still needs to cook dinner." Zhang said, "Xiao Qi, your brother and sister need to help mother cook, you take good care of your second sister."

  Zhang said, and then took Lian Jia Wu Lang and Lian Zhi Er to the upper house to prepare dinner.

  Lian Man'er picked up her bowl of noodles. Although the noodles were a bit coarse and there was less oil, they still emitted a natural wheat fragrance.

  "Xiao Qi, come and eat with me." Lian Menger took a bite, only to find Xiao Qi standing there staring at her, his big eyes blinking rapidly.

  "Second sister, I'm not hungry," said Lian Xiaoqi, "I don't like eating wontons."

  Lian Man'er looked at Lian Xiaoqi's obviously insincere expression and found it somewhat amusing.

  "There's too much for me to finish alone, let's eat it together, I won't tell mom." said Lian Man Er.

  Lian Xiaoqi thought for a moment and shook his head.

  "Second sister, you're hurt. You can eat wontons now."

  Lian Xiaoqi finished speaking and was afraid that Lian Man'er would make him eat noodles again, so he hurriedly ran out.

  Lian Wan'er finished eating her noodles and couldn't shake off the thought of Lian's family borrowing money at high interest, so she came out from the west wing.

  "Second sister." Lian Xiaoqi was crouching on the ground playing with pebbles, and when he saw Lian Man'er come out, he quickly ran over, wiped his hands on his pants, and then grabbed Lian Man'er's hand. "Mother told me to accompany you."

  "Good." Lian Man'er lifted her head and saw He Shi leaning against the door of the east wing, eating melon seeds and spitting out the shells everywhere.

  Lian Man'er thought for a moment, then walked towards He Shi.

  "Second sister." Lian Xiaoqi pulled Lian Man'er's hand, He Shi was a straightforward and unreasonable person, and Second Sister was usually afraid of her, so why did she take the initiative to get close to He Shi today.

  "Second Aunt." Lian Man'er walked over to He Shi's side. Because Lian Xiao Qi was holding her hand and wouldn't let go, she was also pulled along.

  He didn't even lift an eyebrow and responded casually with a "yeah".

  "Just now in your house I was talking, how come you didn't understand? Later borrowing money, Hua Er sister said she would pay back." Lian Man'er said to He Shi when she saw no one around.

  "Who else but her?" Mrs. He said irritably, "It's all because of what she did."

  "But Sister Hua married into the Song family, so she's a member of the Song family now. If we need to borrow money today, it's the Lian family borrowing. But when Sister Hua leaves and lives in the big house, what if the Song family says they won't pay back the debt? Our family's houses and land are all here, so who will they come looking for - us or Sister Hua?"

  He's eyes rolled around.

  "Great Aunt is good at fooling people, she never loses out herself, always lets others lose." Lian Man Er said again.

  "It's not, but we really need to guard against that little villain turning his face and denying the account." He's face suddenly lengthened, turned his head and went upstairs to pull Lian Shouyi out, the couple entered the east wing room, closed the door and talked.

  The goal is achieved, and when the time comes, we'll take action. We can't just enter this world and lose our place of belonging. Moreover, selling her out is a mistake even for a loyal couple, but several children are in the same situation as her, without any right to speak, and we can't watch them being sold or wandering the streets begging for food.

  Even Lao Yezi, your property and land, let me help you guard them. Lian Man'er secretly clenched her fists.

  "Second sister..." Lian Jiaxiao looked up at Lian Man'er with her head tilted back, as if she had something to say.

  "Shh..." Lian Manger immediately made a silencing gesture towards Xiao Qi.

  "Second sister, I understand, I won't say anything." Little Seven said immediately.

  Lian Man'er carefully sized up Xiao Qi, who looked clever and alert, but it was unclear how much he had understood.

  After a brief moment, Lian Shouren led Old Jin back.

  Lian Man'er hastily followed him into the upper house.

  "Xiucai young master said that older brother wants to borrow money, I hurriedly came to listen to older brother's instructions." Old Jin, wearing a brown cotton-padded jacket and with a big belly, looking like he was only in his early fifties, smiled as soon as he entered the door and said to Lian Laoyezi.

  A smiling face, a gentle attitude, a usurer! Lian Man'er thought to herself, I wonder if he still has this expression when he's collecting debts.

  Even Lao Yezi let Old Jin sit on the kang.

  Xiucai said, "Elder brother plans to borrow 500 taels of silver. Coincidentally, I just received a payment and have exactly this amount on hand. Since it's for urgent use, I'll exchange the silver and bring it over to elder brother right away?"

  "Old Jin, I've never borrowed money from you before. I'm asking you, how did you calculate this interest?" Lao Yezi asked.

  "I have several IOUs here, let's see how long you want to borrow for. They're all one-month loans with interest rates ranging from 3% to 5%. We're fellow villagers, and I've never asked you for a higher rate before. I'll only charge you 2% interest, which is unprecedented." Old Jin said with a smile, "If it's more than a month, the interest will roll over, that's the rule of the trade, and I have no choice. However, if you borrow for a longer period, say one year, then it's sheepskin interest, borrowing one and repaying two."

  What Lian Wan'er heard was a bit tongue-tied. The so-called "sitting on the ground and drawing one" means that if you borrow 500 taels of silver, at most, the Lian family can only get 450 taels at the time. By the end of the month, it is calculated as 500 taels for principal and interest. With an interest rate of 2%, when repaying in a month, you have to repay a full 600 taels. If you don't repay on time, by the beginning of the second month, it will be calculated as 600 taels for principal and interest, which is 720 taels of silver. This is how it works, with interest rolling over, like a snowball effect. The "sheep's wool" loan borrowed in the previous year, when borrowed, got 450 taels, but when repaying, had to repay 1,000 taels of silver.

  "Brother, this five hundred taels is not a small amount. For others, I would only lend it to them for one month and they would have to mortgage their house and land. But for you, brother, it's no problem, I trust you completely. One year or two years is fine too. Brother, what do you plan to do?" Old Jin said with a smile.

  This account can be calculated by Lian Miao, even the old master who has been in charge for decades is clear in his heart, and his face naturally cannot look good.

  "Shouren, how many months will it take to pay back this money?" Lian Laoyezi asked Lian Shouren.

  "After autumn harvest is over, the Song family will come to welcome the marriage in September. It won't be until after New Year's that we can repay it. Dad, let's just borrow for a year."

  It's August now, and there are only four months left until the end of the year. At that time, I will have to pay back the money, which is over 1,000 yuan per month, so it's better to consider it as a whole year.

  "Three months, is that all?" asked Lao Ye. He was also a meticulous person, if it were three months, then he would only need to repay more than 800 taels of silver.

  "Father, it's better to give him a few more months," Lian Shouren said.

  Lao Laozi saw Lian Shouren say this and didn't speak again.

  Lao Jin observed his words and facial expressions, then pulled out two copies of a contract from his bosom.

  "The meaning of this contract is six hundred taels, elder brother, you take a look."

  Lao Lao Ye took the contract and examined it carefully.

  "Looks like everything is in order, let's sign and seal it. You can also come with me to exchange the silver, Mr. Xiūcái." said Old Jin.

  "No problem, no problem." Lian Shouren hastily said.

  Lao Jin took out a box of ink again, smiling and handed it over. Because he was next to Lian Shouren, the ink box first arrived in front of Lian Shouren, who saw it as if it were a snake's skin, his body hastily leaning back, but stretched out his hand to grasp Lao Jin's hand and present it to Master Lian.

  Lian Man'er watched coldly from the side, warning herself in her heart that Lian Shouren was absolutely not trustworthy. Waiting for Lian Shouren or Lian Hua to return the money was a very uncertain matter.

  How annoying, why hasn't there been any news from He's side yet?

  "Wait, father." Just then, the door curtain was lifted and He Shouyi and Madame He rushed in from outside.

  "What's going on?" The old man asked, his finger already stained with ink.

  "Dad, this IOU needs Lian Hua to sign her name on it."

  Lian Man'er pursed her lips and slightly narrowed her eyes.