Chapter 33

Chapter 33

In the past, every meal of his was delicacies from land and sea, and the food and wine were never the same in a day, so why would he be interested in a piece of braised beef in soy sauce? But a few days ago, he went to Gyeongju, slept in the open, and ate dry buns for several days. He dreamed about the delicious food and wine in Fengcheng. As a result, when he came back, his family suddenly went bankrupt. The old days were gone forever. There were food and wine in the restaurant, but he could not afford it. At this moment, the aroma of meat wafted into his nose, and his stomach tightened. He would be lying if he didn't feel greedy.

Looking at the young lady again, she brought the braised meat in her hand to him, but her eyes could not take it away.

He had also heard about the situation of the Wen family. The second master of the Wen family was responsible for making money, and the first master was responsible for being an official. The situation of his Xie family was the same. The first wife was also a person who only took in money but never spent it. The Wen family was not spared from the bankruptcy this time. What benefits could she get by going back to the Wen family to borrow money today?

Compared with the previous incident with the eldest wife of the Xie family, the piece of meat that the young lady handed over seemed particularly affectionate and loyal.

He is a spendthrift, but at least he is not an ungrateful person who eats all the money for himself.

A friend in need is a friend indeed; this is a small consolation in misfortune.

How could a grown man like him compete with a young lady for food? Xie Shao took a deep breath, trying to block the tempting smell from his nose, but his expression suddenly paused. He felt that the fragrance was inexplicably familiar. He stared at the paper bag in her hand again, with a look of doubt on his face, "Where did you buy this?"

The young lady did not hide anything and looked at him with bright eyes, "Zuixianglou."

Xie Shao's eyelids twitched.

The young lady continued, "I heard from Madam Fang that my husband likes to go to Zui Xiang Lou the most. So today I pawned all my jewelry and went to Zui Xiang Lou to buy braised beef in soy sauce for my husband. Oh, and some wine." The young lady was so excited that she lowered her head and took out two pots of wine from under her wide sleeves as if performing a magic trick. She waved the exquisite wine pot made of white porcelain in front of his eyes and smiled at him, "My husband, do you know what kind of wine this is? The waiter at Zui Xiang Lou said that it is the best wine in their restaurant, called 'Zui Xian'. I tasted it and it is indeed fragrant, but the price is a little bit expensive, one pot costs one hundred taels of silver, but the money I pawned today is just enough..."

Xie Shao's legs were weak from all the stress he had endured in the past two days.

Last night he wandered the streets all night with two or three taels of silver in his arms, and she bought the fine wine that he had no money to buy.

Two hundred taels of silver.

Plus a piece of braised beef.

It really means using as much as you have.

How blind was he to think that she could manage the household? Compared with this young lady's ability to ruin the family, he was afraid that he was inferior to her.

But after all, she was selling her own jewelry, so he had no right to make a comment. "You eat, I'm going to go out for a while."

This is not a solution. I should go find Cui Nian first and see if I can find a job there.

But the young lady insisted on sharing the good and bad times with him. After everyone left, she still said stubbornly to his back, "If you don't want to eat, I won't eat either. I'll wait for you to come back."

Not knowing what his master was thinking, Min Zhang was moved. He turned his head to look at Xie Shao and said his first comment about the new lady, "Master, grandma is a person of affection and righteousness."

He just spends money lavishly, even more cruelly than his master.

More than two hundred taels of silver, but the master only has less than one tael...

Xie Shao no longer had the heart to talk. The familiar aroma of wine and meat made him dizzy and his limbs weak.

The figures of the master and servant disappeared, and Xiangyun hurriedly took two steps back, pinching her nose and covering her abdomen, looking up and rolling her eyes, "Madam, please wrap it up quickly. I can't stand it anymore. I'm too full and can't stand the smell of oil."

Wen Shuse did return to the Wen family today, and just as she said, she didn't have a single meal in the Wen family.

When the news of the bankruptcy of the second branch of the Xie family came out, Mrs. An, the eldest wife of the Wen family, was dumbfounded.

She knew about Wen Shuse's purchase of grain a few days ago, and she also knew that Wen Shuse mortgaged several teahouses of Master Wen Erye to the Cui family. After the grain price went up, An's reaction was the same as that of the eldest lady of the Xie family. Every day she was calculating how much money she should ask the old lady for to buy a property in Dongdu. She wanted to find another opportunity to meet the eldest lady of the Xie family and ask about her plans, but before she could make an appointment, one night passed, and all the teahouses and shops of the Wen family were gone, and even the coffin money that the old lady Wen originally intended to give her was gone.

So much food was taken away by the prodigal son and donated to the battlefield.

Madam An was so angry that her eyes turned black. She scolded Wen Shuse for two days. Today, when she saw him coming back, she didn't have time to question her, but she asked me to borrow money first. Madam An was already holding back her anger. After hearing this, she was so angry that she didn't have a good face. She ignored the presence of Madam Wen and scolded people with a stern face, "I knew that our second lady was generous. She had spent all the dowry of the first lady before. Mother was worried about her extravagant nature and was afraid that she would not be able to marry a good family in the future, so she snatched the marriage of the first lady away. As a result, she made mother feel distressed for nothing. It's been less than a month since she got married. Not only did she spend all the money of her husband's family, she also had the ability to ruin her own family. I don't know where to find a way to pay for the expenses of the old lady and the mansion in the future. What money can I lend you? If the second lady still cares about her family, please be kind and don't drag us down."

I don't know how much money my father and third brother have spent over the years to raise a group of ungrateful people.

Now that I'm in trouble, all I get in return is a burden.

Although I already knew what kind of people they were, it still hurts to hear these words with my own ears.

Wen Shuse became more and more convinced that his choice was correct. He said calmly, "Aunt must have made a mistake. How can the things my father gave me when he came back be the eldest lady's dowry? The eldest lady has a father and a mother, and it is not the uncle's obligation to prepare a dowry for her. Even if I squandered the money, it was the money earned by my father. My father scolded me and I shouldn't have the aunt to feel sorry for me. I came back to ask you to borrow money today because I felt that my father and third brother had raised you all these years. Now that his daughter is in trouble, you should help her. But obviously I thought too simply. Not everyone is as kind as my father and third brother, who really treats us as family."

Disappointed and sad, Wen Shuse didn't want to stay for a moment, "Don't worry, aunt, I won't ask you for a penny today. I have bought an official position for father and third brother. From now on, we will each be our own official and earn our own money. It's best to divide it clearly..."

Before the eldest lady of the Wen family could react, Wen Shuse got up and left the Wen family after finishing his words.

Behind her, An came to her senses, looking confused and angry. She turned around and complained to Madam Wen, "See, she ruined the family, and she thinks she's right."

Madam Wen looked indifferent, "Since you didn't lend her a penny, don't you feel guilty for saying so much?"

Madam Wen does feel guilty. The money that the Second Lady squandered was only the Second Master's assets in Fengcheng. The Second Master also has assets in Fuzhou, and the fishing moratorium is about to begin, so he must have made a lot of money.

But the eldest lady of the Wen family could not afford to pay the money no matter what.

Hasn’t she already married into the Xie family?

Even if the second master of the Xie family is not at home, there is still the eldest master of the Xie family. He is the deputy envoy of Fengcheng, and his annual salary is several thousand taels of silver. It is enough to support everyone in the mansion. How can he let a new bride go hungry?

Little did she know that the first wife of Xie family was of the same kind as her own first wife of Wen family. Wen Shuse had been starving with Xie San for two days.

There is a dull feeling in my mouth and stomach, and even my dreams are filled with the smell of meat.

I really couldn't help myself this morning, and I used the excuse of going back to the Wen family, but in fact I wanted to go to Zui Xiang Lou.

Wen's teahouse was mortgaged to Cui's, and now the owner is Cui's eldest son Cui Nien, so she can never go in again. Among the several teahouses in Fengcheng, Zui Xiang Lou is the most crowded with people, and there are many strangers, so no one will pay special attention to it.

The master and servant put on their veils and went into the building. His wife ordered almost all the dishes of Zui Xiang Lou today, such as braised beef with soy sauce and shabu-shabu mutton. After two days of vegetarianism, the two of them wanted to eat a whole cow at first, but their throats were full and they couldn't eat any more. Then his wife asked someone to pack up the remaining piece of braised beef with soy sauce. Wen Shuse paid extra money to buy two pots of Zuixian wine.

I wasn't lying. The two pots of wine were indeed worth two hundred taels of silver.

After all the trouble today, I pawned my jewelry and only got two hundred taels in exchange. Now I bought two pots of wine and I have no money left.

Now that he had found a way to start a new kitchen, he no longer had to worry about it. He wrapped the braised beef in paper and stuffed it into Xiangyun's mouth. "I can't finish it either. I'll save it for him tonight."

On the third day after bankruptcy, Xie Shao approached Cui Nian again.

Compared to the excitement when he was hit last time, he has calmed down now, and he looks a little more miserable. Cui Nian showed sympathy, "Brother Xie, don't worry. Although I can't help you with money, three meals a day shouldn't be a problem. If you have nowhere to go, come to my teahouse to eat, and you can pay me after you finish eating."

Xie Shao didn't appreciate it, "Do I look like a beggar?"

Although this man was so poor that he couldn't even afford to eat, his arrogant and noble aura still weighed down on him. Cui Nian shook his head, "Not like that."

Xie Shao asked directly, "Are there any jobs?"

Cui Nian was stunned, "What kind of work does Brother Xie want?" He seemed to understand, his eyes lit up, and he leaned closer and said, "I said that in Fengcheng, who else can have Brother Xie's ability? It is impossible for him to fail once and be defeated." He hurriedly asked him, "Brother Xie, what kind of business do you want to do? Do you want to borrow money? We are brothers, and I will only charge you half a guan of interest a month."

Xie Shao:.......

Just as Min Zhang expected, he was indeed asked to go into debt.

Obviously he was an unreliable person. People with different ideas cannot work together. After having a free meal, he just came out of Cui Nian's teahouse when he ran into Zhou Kuang and Pei Qing.

Compared to Cui Nian, Zhou Kuang was much more straightforward. He handed him a bag of silver money as soon as he came up and said, "I was just about to go to your house to look for you. Brother Xie went to Qingzhou for me last time. This is the travel fee."

There was only one or two taels of silver left in my purse, and I really needed it.

Xie Shao took it.

Zhou Kuang stood shoulder to shoulder with him, not giving up, "Brother Xie, when do you plan to take up your post?" The silver money in the bag was not much, just ten taels, which was a drop in the bucket and could not solve his current predicament. He added, "As for the salary, we can still discuss it."

Xie Shao still said the same thing, "I have no interest in being an official."

Zhou Kuang did not force him, "Okay then, Brother Xie, if you have any difficulties, please tell me anytime." After speaking, he glanced at him, leaned his shoulder over and whispered, "I heard that my sister-in-law went back to the Wen family today, and she seemed to come out crying. I guess she was desperate and even pawned her jewelry."

Xie Shao: ...

"Brother Xie, if you have any difficulties, please don't be polite to me. If this young lady is missing a pearl hairpin, wouldn't it be shameful for her husband?"

He didn't even have time to come up with an idea and was stabbed again.

In the end, Pei Qing was more reliable. "Brother Xie, you have a good handwriting. I thought it was wasted in the past, but it can be put to good use this time. Brother Xie, why don't you copy books to earn some money and get through the current difficulties first."

His family was bankrupt and he had no mood to stay any longer. When the sun was falling, Xie Shao returned to the garden. As soon as he stepped through the door, he heard the voices of two young ladies.

Ming Wanrou, the eldest lady of the Ming family, is here.

He had just arrived and was standing in front of the house, looking Wen Shuse left and right. "You don't look thinner." Then he complained, "Such a big thing, why didn't you tell me? If I didn't know that you went back to the Wen family to borrow money today, I really wouldn't believe that you went bankrupt." He didn't have eyes behind him and didn't know someone was coming. "Last time you told me that Xie San was a prodigal son, but now I don't think so. It's obvious that you squandered his money."

Wen Shuse didn't seem to notice the man coming in. She looked distressed, "Please don't say anything. I already regret it. I've been hungry for two days. I regret it so much. What should I do in the future?"

Ming Wanrou puffed out her chest and said with great loyalty, "Don't worry, as long as I have something to eat, I won't let you starve. I will support you."

"It's easy for you to say that. How are you going to support me? I am no longer just a mouth. You support me, but what about Xie San? Do you have to support him too..."

Ming Wanrou didn't even think about it and said, "Sure, it's just three meals and one more mouth to feed."

Wen Shuse shook his head, "I know you really want to help me, but please don't say this in front of Xie San. What man in the world doesn't care about face? It's bad enough that he can't support his wife, but he can't even support himself and has to rely on friends for help. What's the difference between him and a beggar? Isn't it clearly saying that he is useless and slapping him in the face?"

Woohoo, I'm in Beijing these days, so I can't update regularly. I'll start updating on the 15th! (Xie San takes office in the next chapter)