Chapter 193 All depends on you

Old Mrs. Chen smiled and waved her hand, "Don't worry, Zhancai, I've collected all the money for you. Apart from the money for your studies, I promise not to waste a single cent."

"Mom, it's not that we don't trust you, but it's more reassuring to keep the money in our own hands. If Ruolan needs it urgently in the future, we can take it out immediately."

When Old Mrs. Chen heard this, her heart sank. This was the money she had earned with great difficulty.

She had already planned to use the money to eat out for a big meal and build a two-courtyard house for her family in the future.

If she really gave it to the third child, she would just be braiding a bald head, and all her work would be in vain.

She was furious, her expression becoming extremely ugly. "Zhancai, you don't trust me and are afraid that I'll waste money?"

Liu Fengjiao quickly smiled and tried to smooth things over, "Mom, what are you thinking? Zhancai didn't mean that. It's just that we really want to manage the betrothal money ourselves.

After all, Ruolan is our only precious daughter. If she doesn't have a good life in the Fan family, this money can be used as a way out for her.

After all, she was a concubine when she married in, so I had to consider everything for her.

If she needs my help in the future, I can still give her the money.

So, we should keep this money. When Zhancai passes the imperial examination and obtains a degree, we will use the money to honor you two. Don't save it then, spend it freely and buy whatever you want."

Mrs. Chen was speechless for a moment and had nothing to refute.

She wanted to refuse, but she was afraid that Chen Zhancai and his wife would make a scene. After careful consideration, she smiled awkwardly.

He turned his back and groped in his crotch for a long time, then took out the two hundred taels of silver note and handed it over.

"Here's a note for two hundred taels of silver. Keep it safe."

Chen Zhancai's eyes suddenly lit up. He took it with both hands, looked at it carefully, and handed it to Liu Fengjiao. He then asked, "Mom, this is not right. Didn't you say 250 taels? How come there is still 50 taels short?"

"Zhancai, all the money from our family and the money from selling grain was used to support your studies."

Old Mrs. Chen sighed helplessly and said in a negotiating tone,

"Our family is about to run out of food. If we give you all the silver, we will starve. So, the remaining fifty taels of silver should be kept to supplement the family expenses. What do you think?"

Liu Fengjiao pulled the corner of her mouth with a smile, "Mom, it's not as serious as you say. The crops in the fields are already ripe, and the autumn harvest will be ready in a few days. How can we starve?

You should also know that wealthy families have many rules. If Ruolan wants to gain a foothold after marrying into a wealthy family, she will have to make arrangements everywhere and spend money to win people's hearts. Not a penny of these 250 taels of silver can be lost. All of it must be kept for Ruolan."

Old Mrs. Chen widened her eyes and raised her voice a few notches.

"Third daughter-in-law, you should know that in order to support Zhancai's studies, we sold everything we should and shouldn't sell.

The crops from the land, minus the taxes, were only enough to feed the family for a year.

If we give you all the silver, we will starve sooner or later!"

Liu Fengjiao snorted disapprovingly, "Mom, I don't like to hear you say that. What do you mean by supporting the third child? The third child also worked very hard to study.

Why is he working so hard? To bring honor to you and to bring glory to the Chen family. If you don't want to support him, we won't read this book anymore."

"You are trying to kill me!"

"Mom, don't say that, we have no choice.

Whether Ruolan's position in her husband's family can be stable in the future depends on the size of our dowry.

Besides, isn't Dabao from my second brother's family able to earn money now? It shouldn't be too much to ask him to use the money to buy some food!"

Chen Zhancai chimed in, "Fengjiao is right. The second branch of the family has never split up. No matter who makes the money, it should be handed over to you to manage.

Even if I become successful in the future, my salary will be handed over to you, the head of the family.

But we have to keep Ruolan's betrothal gift ourselves. This is the way out I left for her.

If you really have no rice at home, I still have thirty coins. You can buy some corn to get by. It will be harvest time in a few days, so you can get by anyway."

After he said that, he gave Liu Fengjiao a look.

Liu Fengjiao understood what she meant and quickly took out thirty coins from her pocket and handed them to Old Lady Chen.

"Mom, Zhan Cai is right. You can use this little money first. Ruolan's betrothal gift must not be touched."

"This, this, this, what is going on?" Old Mrs. Chen was so angry that her whole body was shaking.

Chen Zhancai looked determined and threatened, "Mom, if you don't agree, we'll have to reconsider Ruolan's marriage."

Old Man Chen couldn't stand it any longer and angrily said, "You only care about money! You really don't care about our life or death!"

Chen Zhancai shook his head and smiled, "Dad, you can't say that. We are also thinking about Ruolan's future."

Old man Chen sighed helplessly, "Old woman, you can handle this matter as you wish!"

Old Mrs. Chen frowned and thought to herself that if she didn't agree to the third son's request, their relationship would be strained over this little money. If he passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, she wouldn't be able to benefit from it. Now that things had come to this, she had no choice but to compromise.

She took out another fifty taels of silver with great reluctance.

"Zhancai, I've given you all the money. I'm counting on you to live a good life in the future."

Chen Zhancai looked at the white silver ingots and almost jumped up with joy. He nodded quickly and said, "Don't worry, mother. When I pass the imperial examination in the future, I will definitely build you a large house with three courtyards. Just wait and enjoy a peaceful life with me!"

Liu Fengjiao took the silver with shining eyes, and smiled so much that the corners of her mouth stretched to the back of her ears, and she also started to draw big cakes.

"Mother, when Zhan Cai becomes successful and famous, our family will be a wealthy family. Then we will give you a few maids and servants, and you will have people to serve you with food and daily necessities. Then you will become a rich old lady that everyone envies."

Old Mrs. Chen forced a smile and said, "Okay, okay, your father and I are looking forward to enjoying life with you. Just don't let us down."

Old man Chen was furious and suffocated when he heard this. He hadn't even had time to warm his money when it was snatched away. He thought he could live a comfortable life with the money, but in the end, it was all in vain.

He curled his lips, feeling that the couple seemed to have bad intentions. In recent years, whenever there was a little extra money in the family, they would take it away no matter what method they used.

Each time they spoke, they sounded more beautiful, and each time they made more tempting wishes, but now the family was almost out of food, and they only left them thirty cents.

She said that the betrothal gift would be left to Chen Ruolan, but why didn't he believe it? With a son like that, could he really enjoy the happiness with him?

Old man Chen was full of worries, and his faith was shaken at this moment.

He looked up at the two of them and saw that they looked sincere. He shook his head and cleared the thoughts from his mind.

He sighed deeply, "Alright, I've given you two the money, so let's discuss when to send Ruolan to the Fan family!"

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