Chapter 31

Chapter 31

He hurried back to the garden, only to see two unfamiliar faces standing at the door of the east wing. They looked like people from the clothing shop.

Without waiting for someone to pass the message, Xie Shao stepped straight into the house. As soon as he rushed outside the bead curtain, he heard voices from inside.

"I have never worn these, they are brand new, why can't I return them?"

"According to the shop's rules, we cannot return or exchange clothes unless they have quality issues. Third Madam is also our old customer, so you should know the rules. If you are not satisfied with the clothes, we can take them back for modification, but we have to refund you. I am really sorry..."

Xie Shao lifted the curtain and entered, and saw two lacquered wooden boxes in the room, with a pile of silks and satins inside.

The colors are bright, they are all ready-made clothes, and they look like brand new.

Wen Shuse frowned, as if at a loss. Seeing Xie Shao coming back, she stood up and called out, "My dear." Then she turned around and pleaded with the owner of the clothing shop, "Aunt, if you don't want a full refund, half of it will do. Everyone knows that I donated all the food to the battlefield this time. The Xie and Wen families have already emptied their coffers. We really don't have any money left."

The boss of the adult shop naturally knew about it. Who doesn't know about it? This morning, the news was all over the place. Second Lady Wen used nearly 10,000 dan of grain to buy three official positions.

The second master and the third son of the Wen family, as well as the third son of the Xie family, are now all Yuanwailang, and each of them has also held the position of Tuiguan. Although it is the ninth rank, they are also real officials within the establishment. Others may not be able to achieve such achievements after ten years of hard study, but it is different for rich families. They can buy an official position with a wave of their hands.

The shop owner pursed his lips and smiled, "Third Madam, you really make me feel bad. Everyone in Fengcheng knows that the Xie and Wen families are wealthy. It's just a few pieces of clothes, but Third Madam said that you can't afford them. Aren't you teasing me?" He turned his head and looked at Xie Shao who had just come in, "Our Mr. Xie is very rich. Third Madam, marrying into the Xie family, how can you let me be wronged?" Fearing that she would come to pester him again, he took two steps back, "Third Madam, your time is precious, I won't delay you, I'll take my leave first."

He rushed out of the house, led his two servants, and hurried out of the garden.

There were only two masters left in the house.

After being interrupted by her, and looking at the colorful clothes in the lacquered wooden box, the energy that Xie Shao had rushed in with just now was like a drop of water splashing out of a teacup, surging at first, rolling halfway, and then flowing slower and slower.

It wasn't hard to see what she was doing.

I am so poor that I have to give away my clothes.

Xie Shao woke up today after two consecutive collisions. Nothing seemed to surprise him now. With the last glimmer of hope, he asked her, "Has it really come to this?"

Wen Shuse said nothing.

After running for half a day, she not only felt dizzy but also had weak legs. Xie Shao walked over and sat down in her reclining chair.

Before he could ask, the young lady, with a sad face, started to complain to him, "The clothes are in good condition, I have never worn them, they cost ten taels of silver each, and she refused to give me eight taels back when I asked her to. Isn't she a dishonest merchant?"

Xie Shao: ...

Both of them were spoiled masters. When have they ever been so petty? Let alone ten taels of silver, a piece of clothing worth a hundred taels would be something they would not even blink an eye in the past.

The more this happened, the more Xie Shao's heart sank to the bottom. He might as well give him a quick death. He turned around and motioned for her to sit over to him, "I have something to ask you. Please sit down."

Compared to the beginning, he was calmer now.

Wen Shuse obediently sat on the round stool opposite him, "My dear, you ask."

He turned his head away, not wanting to look at her innocent yet annoying face, and tried to be calm and asked, "You're gone too?"

"Um."

Although he already knew the answer, getting confirmation from her was not as easy as he had thought, and he stroked his face with his hand.

She is Wen Er, and she is quite capable.

He pinched his confused head again to cheer himself up, "Tell me how it was all gone." With so much property, two gold mountains of the Xie and Wen families, how on earth did she spend it all?

Wen Shuse thought for a moment and said introspectively, "It's my fault for being too greedy." She moved her butt forward, swallowed, and looked at the man in front of her with a pale face. She planned to tell him in detail, "My man doesn't know how tempting the price of food was in those days. I closed my eyes and opened them again. The price changed again. One tael of silver became two taels, then three taels, and four taels. I admit that I am a vulgar person and could not resist the temptation. In addition to rice, I saw that the price kept rising sharply, so I went to buy wheat and soybeans, and..." Thinking back, it was simply painful, "The price was a bit high when I bought it."

So much silver was suddenly gone, she was also very sad, she shrugged her shoulders and started to cry, "I wanted to keep it all for myself, but I didn't expect that someone would take it all away. When the soldiers came to ask for food, we were the only one in Fengcheng with food, what could I do..."

She covered her face and sobbed, heartbroken, and her expression truly showed that she regretted it to the core.

Xie Shao had suffered a few losses on this point of hers and had completely understood it.

I'm afraid this means I spent a high price to buy half a warehouse.

Without any hope, he asked her, "How much is left?"

I thought the young lady would just shake her head, but she wiped her tears and said, "My dear, wait a moment." She suddenly stood up and went behind the screen. After groping for a while, she came out with a bunch of gold and jade hairpins and various gold, silver and jade jewelry in her arms. She poured them on the wooden table in front of him with a clang, "And these."

She had just swept it off the dressing table. After a closer look, it seemed to be quite a lot. The young lady looked up and looked at them in surprise, "My dear, we should be able to hold on for a while."

Xie Shao: ...

He turned his head away, too lazy to look, his heart was numb.

"But just now Madam said that the batch of ice we ordered must be moved to the cellar tomorrow. Summer is coming soon, and we have to pay several dozen taels of silver..." Seeing that the man opposite her looked really ugly, Wen Shuse couldn't bear to say anything more. She shut up and asked him with concern, "Did you eat today, man?"

It would have been better if I hadn’t asked, but as soon as I asked I suddenly felt an emptiness in my stomach.

He slept until 9:00 in the morning, and before he had time to eat, he was hit on the head by the young lady. After he went out, Cui Nian prepared wine and food, but before he had time to eat, he was stabbed with a knife again. What time was it? There was no hourglass in the room, and he tilted his head to look at the sun outside through the half-closed curtain. It was at least 5:00.

Seeing him like this, the young lady understood and turned to tell Nanny Fang, "Go prepare food for the young master."

No matter how angry a person is, he will still feel hungry and need to eat.

Let’s fill our stomach first.

Good wine and delicious food were placed in front of him. Wen Shuse sat opposite him, holding her face and watching him eat, occasionally picking up food and adding wine for him, and her attitude of admitting mistakes was very correct.

Although the wine and food could not heal the trauma in his heart, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. As a result, when he put down his chopsticks, the young lady opposite him looked at him eagerly, "My dear, the food bill for this month has not been paid yet..."

"Don't worry my dear. I will pawn those hairpins later. As for the clothes, if I can't return them, I will sell them at a low price..." She fell silent at the end.

The food I just swallowed feels like a lump in my throat.

Why are you settling accounts with her? She is the one settling accounts with herself.

He finally understood that arguing with her was just like rubbing salt into his heart. He stood up and went out, calling Min Zhang to him, "How much more silver do you have?"

Min Zhang said, "More than fifty taels."

Last time, he took five hundred taels from Third Grandma. That day, he went to Zui Xiang Lou and spent one hundred taels on food and drink. Later, on the way to Gyeongju, he rescued several groups of refugees. Now, he only has more than fifty taels left in his pocket.

Xie Shao said irritably, "Give it to her."

Min Zhang had been with him for so many years, and never asked him the reason, nor did he doubt it. But today, he hesitated for the first time, "All, all?"

If you give it all away, you will be truly penniless from now on.

Xie Shao: ...

After a moment, Xie Shao stretched out his hand to him, and Min Zhang quickly placed the purse in his palm.

He untied the purse's straps and dug around for a while before finally pulling out a few lumps of silver, about ten taels. He gave the rest to Min Zhang and said, "Give it to her."

Min Zhang turned around and went back to the house. He stood alone under the pear tree. A breeze blew, and his long wide sleeves fluttered. The silver pieces in his hands had never felt so real.

Nan Zhi came over to invite someone as the old lady instructed, and saw Xie Shao standing there stupidly, not moving at all. His look made people feel distressed.

But what Third Grandma said was right.

The reason why the second house is like this is not due to others, but the problem lies with the third young master. As long as he does not change his habit of spending money lavishly, the family's money will be squandered sooner or later.

The accounting office had been withdrawn before, and a bunch of people in the first house had thought of various ways to squeeze money from him.

It’s good to have no money, because if you have no money, there is no hope.

Nan Zhi calmed down, walked down the corridor with a smile, and greeted, "Third Young Master, are you back? The old lady was just thinking about you."

Such a big thing happened, the old lady must have known about it. Seeing the old lady lying on the bed, Xie Shao could not care about his own mood, and could only comfort her first, "The money is gone, it's gone, you can earn it again, the old ancestor's health is more important."

The old lady suddenly asked him, "Do you blame that girl?"

In the morning, there was already a commotion in the mansion. After the eldest lady made a fuss, a group of younger generations followed.

During the days when Wen Shuse was hoarding grain, everyone was excited, hoping to get some of it. Now that something has happened, they all point the finger at Wen Shuse.

"She donated all that money. She was so protective of us before. She argued with us about every penny, and then she threw the money into the fire. She came here specifically to defeat our Xie family."

"If I were the third brother, I would divorce her when I got back."

Several people gathered around the old lady's bed, and they all agreed that she should divorce him.

She wanted to hear what the third brother thought.

Xie Shao frowned, "My grandson took the initiative to give her the account office. Even if she made a mistake, I should bear half of the responsibility. Besides, she didn't gamble or get greedy. She just donated the grain to the battlefield. It was a noble act and brought honor to our Xie family. She should be praised. How can I blame her? But for me, the word 'spendthrift' does not wrongly accuse her."

Old Madam Xie took a look at his gritting teeth expression, turned her head and held back her laughter, and felt relieved, knowing that her grandson was a man of good character and sensible.

"We are bankrupt this time. Have you thought about what to do in the future?" Old Madam Xie glanced at him, "Shu Se bought you an official position..."

Xie Shao interrupted, "My grandson can't be an official."

"Why?"

"When Xie Pushe resigned, he said that his grandson could not serve as an official in the court. He gave birth to his grandson, and his life and future path must be arranged by him. He even gave his grandson a mountain of gold with a wave of his hand, and all he had to do in his life was spend money."

Mrs. Xie: ...

I still remember it.

"Isn't this the end of the Jinshan?" Old Madam Xie advised, "It was just a rant. There is no grudge between father and son. If he dares to say that again, I will beat him up."

I'm afraid it's not something said in anger.

Although Pei Yuanqiu's words that day had an obvious purpose, they were not without reason.

Why did Xie Pushe suddenly resign and return to Fengcheng? And why has Fengcheng remained safe despite several upheavals in recent years?

The princes of the two northwestern continents were successively stripped of their fiefdoms, leaving only Prince Jing.

It's obvious that someone was behind the armory incident this time, but it was finally revealed so easily. I'm afraid it's not a good thing.

It's too obvious.

Even though Xie Pushe is determined not to care about the affairs of the world and no matter how well he hides himself, he will eventually be suspected. It remains to be seen how long he can get away with it.

Xie Shao still looked lazy, "Then call him back and make more money."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to wait for him to come back. When the grain price went up a few days ago, not to mention your wife, I was tempted. On impulse, I took out all my savings and asked her to help me invest. Now I have no food to eat. Your father and mother just left without a word and haven't sent any news for several months. I'm afraid it's too late for me to wait for him to come back for help."

Xie Shao looked at the old lady in astonishment.

The old lady turned her head away from his gaze, her face embarrassed. "It's not that your eldest aunt kept nagging me to go to Dongdu to buy a house. I thought if I made money this time, I would pay for it for them. I couldn't resist the temptation. Now I'm old, and I can't guarantee my old age. It's just like the saying that if you try to steal a chicken, you lose the rice..."

Xie Shao: ...

Before leaving, Xie Shao finally reached into his sleeve again, rummaged around for a while, and took out seven or eight taels of silver, which he handed to Nan Zhi, "Leave it to the old lady. If you have any difficulties, tell me and I'll find a way."

Mrs. Xie: Granddaughter-in-law, he still has money on him!

Wen Er: Hey! How many more?

Xie Shao: Just kill me.