Chapter 52: Meeting with the Official
After this slap, everyone in the audience was stunned for a moment.
After all, it was Liu Xiaoru who hit people, so this is reasonable.
Of course, even if it was Zhang Yunniang who beat the person, they would most likely just think it was justified.
As the influential figures in this house, Liu Xiaoru and Zhang Yunniang, in the eyes of everyone, are like half-sisters. They are both fierce and aggressive, and can be described in one word: reckless.
As for Xiao Cai, she had only lived in this house for a few days, and others were unwilling to take her out to play, so she had no idea that Liu Xiaoru was once a woman who beat her mother-in-law and husband until they cried for their parents.
"You hit me, how dare you hit me? Who gave you the courage..."
Little Cai hadn't finished speaking yet.
With a "pop" sound.
Another slap landed hard on her face.
Two red slap marks were visible on Xiao Cai's face.
She didn’t know if it was Xiao Cai’s illusion, but she always felt that Liu Xiaoru’s slap seemed to be stronger than Zhang Guangzong’s, and it hurt more.
"I can fight if I want to. I don't need anyone to give me the courage!"
Liu Xiaoru still didn't feel satisfied after the fight. She always felt like something was missing.
Whatever you think will come true.
Six-year-old Gu Zhao dragged a broom over and shouted, "Aunt Liu, you didn't take your things."
After getting the broom, Liu Xiaoru was like Sun Wukong who got the golden cudgel. She was obviously even more powerful. She chased Xiao Cai around the yard with the broom.
Liu Xiaoru finally had the chance to deal with this evil woman. If she didn't give her a good beating, how could she avenge her for abusing Niuniu?
Zhang Yuniang acted as if she didn't notice the chaos in the yard. In front of everyone, she said righteously:
"Although my sister-in-law has bad intentions and has not been very respectful to me, her eldest sister-in-law, in the past, Guangzong is my half brother after all. Even if his mother has never treated me well, even if he has never treated me as his own sister, I cannot ignore him. After all, an elder sister is like a mother, and this is what I should do."
Zhang Yunniang had no intention of hiding anything for Zhang Guangzong and his wife. Little Cai had made a fuss to this extent and had made her intention of asking for money clear, so of course she had to make clear the grudges between the two families.
Zhang Yunniang deliberately concealed the fact that Niu Niu had been adopted by Xiao Cai. Even though Xiao Cai and Zhang Guangzong had never treated Niu Niu well, they had raised Niu Niu for five years after all. Outsiders did not know how hard Niu Niu's life was during those five years, and they would only morally blackmail Niu Niu today, thinking that the child should be grateful.
Zhang Yunniang didn't want her precious daughter to be blamed at all.
Fortunately, all of Xiao Cai's attention was now occupied by Liu Xiaoru, and she couldn't distract herself to interrupt.
Zhang Yunniang turned her head and looked at Mrs. Qian tenderly, and said politely, "Mother-in-law, you are a local. Please help my brother find a doctor. Don't worry about the money."
Mrs. Qian glanced at Gu Mingda, and when she saw him nod, she stopped hesitating and turned to walk out the door.
Madam Qi came over and took advantage of their good relationship and said, "Madam Gu, since your sister-in-law is unwilling to borrow money from the bank, why don't you give me this opportunity to get half the interest? I promise to be grateful to you."
Paying interest for three and a half months is equivalent to borrowing one hundred taels of silver. After three months, you only need to pay back one hundred and five taels of silver.
Five taels of silver may seem like a lot, but in fact, most money houses on the market charge an interest rate of 2% per month for lending money, and a loan of three months requires a repayment of at least one hundred and sixty taels, which is no different from robbery. Ordinary people would not borrow money from money houses unless they have absolutely no other choice.
Not to mention the provincial capital, even in the counties and towns below, they had never heard of a money shop that paid interest every three and a half months. It just so happened that Madam Qi's family was in urgent need of money, so they wanted to take advantage of this opportunity.
Zhang Yunniang smiled bitterly and said, "Madam Qi, it's not that I won't help you, but my brother has to borrow the money. I'm going to ask Granny Qian to go out and get a doctor, and my husband will ask the banker to come over soon. My brother is ill, but it won't affect him from pressing his fingerprints."
Madam Qi immediately realized that she was going to force the Zhang couple to borrow money, so she didn't want to mention her own affairs anymore.
After handing the child to Zhang Yuniang, Gu Mingda hurried out. After the doctor prescribed some medicine, he walked in with a middle-aged man with a mustache.
The man was wearing a blue gown and a black hat. Gu Mingda called him Manager Zheng.
Shopkeeper Zheng acted arrogantly towards others and was always indifferent when they greeted him. Some people came up to him and asked to borrow money with half the interest, but he rejected them all with a cold face.
Only when facing Gu Mingda would Manager Zheng smile a little.
"My brother is sick, please help me to press his fingerprints." Gu Mingda said.
Shopkeeper Zheng didn't think there was anything wrong with this. After taking the silver, he pressed Zhang Guangzong's finger on the IOU.
Xiao Cai was beaten to a pulp by Liu Xiaoru. If the doctor had not arrived in time, Liu Xiaoru would have continued to beat her.
While the doctor was treating Zhang Guangzong, little Cai hid in the corner of the room. When Manager Zheng came in, she wanted to run away, but the door was blocked, so she could only stay in the corner like a quail.
"I won't lend you money, even if the interest is only half a cent!" Little Cai shouted.
Liu Xiaoru's voice was even louder than hers: "Your man is dying and you didn't save him. You are the one who really wants him dead!"
The sound was so loud that even Zhang Guangzong, who was dizzy from the fever, heard it. He struggled to raise his hand, as if he wanted to say something.
Liu Xiaoru took a look and immediately continued to shout through the loud speaker: "Look, your man has been pissed off by you!"
Mrs. Cai was very angry, but she still hid herself and refused to put her fingerprint on the IOU.
Zhang Yunniang gave Liu Xiaoru a look, and the two of them, one on the left and one on the right, held Xiao Cai down and forced her hands to press fingerprints.
The IOU now has the fingerprints of both the husband and wife, so they can't deny it even if they want to.
The doctor collected the medical fees, and Gu Mingda asked the doctor to write a receipt for the money.
The money was actually spent, so the doctor naturally did not refuse.
There were many people watching the fun in the yard. In front of everyone, Zhang Yuniang handed the IOU from the money house, the receipt for medical expenses, and the remaining silver to Xiao Cai, and then calculated the account again in front of everyone.
The medical treatment cost three taels of silver, and a total of ten taels of silver were borrowed. The extra seven taels of silver now are for the couple to spend in the capital.
Little Cai held the silver in her hand, but she still refused to pay: "This account is wrong, the couple teamed up to take my money!"
But today's accounts are crystal clear, and the bank owner and the doctor haven't left yet.
"Madam Zhang, what do you think is wrong? Is it the medical expenses or the money I lent you? If you really can't figure it out, I'll calculate it for you again." Manager Zheng said with narrowed eyes.
Little Cai said, "No, none of it is right! You and Gu Mingda are in the same group, so of course you are helping him! You forced me to press my fingerprints, and you have no good intentions!"
Before Manager Zheng could say anything, the doctor's face turned cold and he said, "Madam Zhang, your husband is so seriously ill, and you keep asking for good medicine. I have been practicing medicine in this area for more than ten years, and my reputation is well-known among the neighbors. Three taels of silver is already the lowest price. If you think I am cheating you, you don't have to treat him!"
The doctor said this and turned into the room to get the medicine back.
Xiao Cai hurriedly tried to stop them and said a lot of nice things before finally calming the man down.
After the doctor had coaxed her, Manager Zheng spoke again: "Madam Zhang, the amount of money I lent out is clearly written in black and white. You are talking nonsense and tarnishing my innocent reputation. Let's go to the officials now and let the officials in the yamen judge the case!"
My darlings, I have a lot to do today, so this is the only update. I will update twice a day next month!
(End of this chapter)
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