"This... these three taels of silver are what I brought from home!" Kong Shuan thought for a moment and said immediately.
"Of these three taels, two were given by Mrs. Li who sells furniture, one was given by Mrs. Mei, and the one you handed over was given by Mrs. Zheng." Zheng Ding repeated expressionlessly.
Kong Shuan's face suddenly turned red.
"You're talking nonsense!"
"Whether it's nonsense or not, I'll ask a few ladies tomorrow and we'll know." Tang Li said.
Kong Shuan's expression immediately changed, and he forced a flattering smile: "Sister-in-law, these three taels of silver were indeed earned from selling things. Aren't we relatives? I just want to use some money to buy some things for your sister and your two nieces. You won't be so reluctant to spend it, right?"
How shameless!
Tang Li said with a fake smile: "Brothers should settle accounts clearly, brother-in-law, no matter what, you are stealing, and if you steal, you should be prosecuted."
Ordinary villagers like Kong Shuan have a natural fear of officials and are terrified when they hear about meeting an official.
"Sister-in-law, we are relatives, are you trying to tear us apart?!"
"Falling out? Weren't you the ones who broke up first? You wouldn't let my sister go back to her parents' home. Now that Wei Qing has become successful, you're trying to get close to me. I did it for my sister's sake, but I didn't expect you to be so shameless as to steal money from the store. Stop talking, and go to the authorities tomorrow."
Seeing Tangli's firm attitude, Kong Shuan was afraid: "Sister-in-law, please don't. I know I was wrong. Don't send me to see the official."
She rubbed her chin. "According to the laws of the Great Zhou, what's the punishment for stealing? Thirty strokes of the cane?"
"It is said that the wooden stick is as thick as a bowl, and one hit will hurt your butt!" Zheng Ding echoed.
Kong Shuan was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat.
"Sister-in-law, for Xiaotao's sake, please forgive me this time!"
"Brother-in-law, do you really know that you are wrong?" Tang Li said.
Kong Shuan nodded repeatedly: "I know I was wrong."
"But my brother-in-law did something like this, so I don't dare to keep you in this shop anymore."
"I don't want to do this anymore. I want to go home." He wants to go home!
Kong Shuan turned around and tried to run, but Tang Li gave Chang Lu a look and Chang Lu immediately grabbed him.
"Brother-in-law, I haven't finished what I'm saying yet. Why are you so anxious? I'm not sending you to the authorities for my sister's sake. You have to be nice to my sister so that I don't think about this again."
"Yes, yes, I will definitely treat Xiao Tao well."
"For a man like you who is ugly and has no ability, it is your blessing to marry such a good person as my sister. You must cherish her." Such a blindly confident man needs to be hit more often to make him recognize himself.
"Yes, yes, of course, sister-in-law. I'll go back then."
Only then did Tang Li let Chang Lu let him go.
Kong Shuan ran away dejectedly, as if there was a dog running behind him.
Tangli watched his back disappear with a mocking smile.
How could Wei Xiaotao marry such a man?
This Kong Shuan is a weakling who fears hardship. If he were a little tougher, life might be a little easier. But if he was soft, he would bully her to death. But Wei Xiaotao just happened to have that kind of personality.
However, even a judge cannot judge family affairs, and outsiders cannot interfere in the affairs between the couple.
This was all she could do, to scare Kong Shuan and make him treat Wei Xiaotao nicer.
"Okay, you guys go back." Tang Li said.
Zheng Ding walked out of the shop and Chang Lu followed him.
"Thank you, little brother." Chang Lu put his hand on his shoulder.
"Why are you giving in to that scoundrel?" Zheng Ding stared at him with his dark eyes.
"Isn't that the Madam's brother-in-law? I'm a servant, how can I make trouble with the master?" Chang Lu scratched his hair.
"Shopkeeper Tang is a man who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment." Zheng Ding said.
In other words, they will not cover up for someone just because he is their relative.
Besides, what kind of relative is Kong Shuan to the shopkeeper?
"I know. This is just my old habit. You don't know that in the old masters' houses, servants' lives were not worth living. It's my blessing to meet a master like Madam." Chang Lu patted Zheng Ding's shoulder. "Little brother, how did you notice who Kong Shuan sold his things to?"
Chang Lu originally thought he was smart enough, but compared with Zheng Ding, Zheng Ding was smarter.
"It was Manager Tang who asked me to look after him," Zheng Ding said.
"What?"
"The shopkeeper has long seen that Kong Shuan has evil intentions." Zheng Ding said.
"Our shopkeeper is really like this," Chang Lu gave a thumbs up, "Thank you very much, little brother. I'll treat you to wontons."
Zheng Ding's eyes fluctuated, and he looked at Chang Lu: "I want to eat three bowls."
"Okay, three bowls is three bowls. How come you can eat so much? You have such a small belly, but you can eat so much." He patted Zheng Ding's belly as he said that.
Zheng Ding dodged away, and the two half-grown boys went to the market together, playing and joking.
As for Kong Shuan, he didn't dare to stay in the town for a moment and hurried to Kongjia Village.
He arrived home late at night and bumped into Old Man Kong who was out peeing. Old Man Kong was so scared that he screamed.
Zhao was a light sleeper and was also awakened by the noise.
"Thief! Is there a thief in the house?!"
"Don't make a noise, it's Shuan'er!" said old man Kong with a fierce face.
"Shuan'er!" Zhao saw Kong Shuan and said with concern, "Shuan'er, oh, how come your shoes are torn! You've walked so far, your feet must be hurt. You should have waited until tomorrow to come back by ox cart! Why are you coming back so late at night?"
As soon as Kong Shuan got home, he acted like a big boss and sat down.
"Mom, I'm hungry!"
Zhao immediately kicked Wei Xiaotao's door several times.
"Sleep, still sleeping! Wake up! Your man is back, get up and cook for him!"
Wei Xiaotao was already somewhat awake, but Zhao's loud yells woke her up completely and she quickly stood up.
No matter how Zhao asked, Kong Shuan didn't say anything.
Old Man Kong saw the problem: "Shuan'er, what's going on? Did you get wronged by Xiaotao's sister-in-law?"
Kong Shuan nodded: "I won't do that job anymore!"
"What's going on?"
"I work so hard all day long and just take a little money to spend, and her sister-in-law actually accused me of stealing!"
"How can this be called stealing? We're all family, so what's wrong with taking some silver?"
"Shuan'er is her brother-in-law, shouldn't she take the initiative to give the money? She actually asked Shuan'er to get it!"
"Yes, the Wei family is really a stingy family! What does this little whore do with all the money she earns? She doesn't even help her relatives! She should keep the money for her grave!" Zhao cursed and said all kinds of nasty things.
Wei Xiaotao was working in the kitchen wearing only a single layer of clothing. She heard everything clearly and became angrier the more she listened.
"Mom, my sister-in-law gave the boss a job out of my kindness. The boss took the money directly, which is stealing. It was wrong of the boss. Why are you still scolding my sister-in-law?" Wei Xiaotao threw away the fire tongs and rushed to the door.
"You bitch, your husband has been wronged, but you still turn your elbow outward and speak for outsiders! I'm so mad at you! I'm going to beat you to death!" Zhao said angrily, and was about to tear Wei Xiaotao apart.
"The head of the family was wrong in the first place. My sister-in-law has already given me enough face. She did nothing wrong!"
Wei Xiaotao often did farm work and was very strong. She pushed Zhao away, rushed into the room, slammed the door shut, and didn't even bother cooking!
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