Chapter 465 Resistance
What a great way to shirk responsibility.
Wang Yueyao felt resentful when she saw Shen's mother, who had just said one sentence to get rid of herself and pushed everything onto Shen Changhuai.
However, Shen Changhuai was born out of wedlock, and now was an extraordinary period, so it was not good to argue with Shen's mother, otherwise it would be wrong.
Wang Yueyao held back her anger, and after returning to her own courtyard, her eyes instantly turned red and she burst into tears.
"What's wrong?" Aunt Liu asked in confusion.
Wang Yueyao choked up and spoke, roughly telling the story.
"My mother clearly bullied my husband's honesty and forced us to make up for it, but we don't have money." Wang Yueyao wiped her tears in grievance.
Shen Changhuai sat aside with his lips pursed, his brows knitted.
Seeing how difficult it was for them, Aunt Liu also started to worry: "I have saved a little over the years, but it is still far from three thousand taels."
Aunt Liu was born in an ordinary family and was a concubine. When she entered the Marquis's mansion, she had almost no dowry. She relied on the monthly allowance and rewards over the years to save up little by little.
When the old Marquis was alive, he treated her very well and often gave her some. After the old Marquis passed away, only the monthly allowance was left, which was almost all used to subsidize Shen Changhuai's studies, and there were also gifts for the old lady and Shen's mother's birthdays every year.
Aunt Liu calculated carefully and said with shame: "I only have two hundred taels of cash, and some jewelry to sell. Changhuai, you can use it to exchange for some silver in an emergency."
In the past few years, she lived with Shen Changhuai, and the Marquis's mansion no longer gave her a monthly allowance, and all of it was old savings.
"Auntie..." Wang Yueyao felt distressed and wronged, and hesitated, "If it's really not possible, take it from my dowry..."
"No need." Shen Changhuai suddenly spoke.
Wang Yueyao and Auntie Liu looked at him in astonishment, not understanding what he meant.
"What can we do if we don't? Madam has thrown everything to you." Auntie Liu sighed helplessly.
She had never been educated, and it was a great fortune for her to be able to enter the Marquis' Mansion. For many years, she was used to accepting everything and dared not disobey.
Fortunately, Shen Changhuai worked hard and gave birth to such a son. She had no regrets in this life.
But people living in the world cannot be self-sufficient. If you want to rely on the Marquis' Mansion, you have to support it.
Shen Changhuai said: "Since mother has entrusted the matter to me, I will handle it. Auntie, just give me two hundred taels of silver."
Adding up to one thousand five hundred taels was his biggest concession. Of course, this concession was not to the Marquis' Mansion, but to the court.
He was among the hundreds of officials, and he should do his best to contribute.
Wang Yueyao said anxiously: "Will the Marquis' Mansion be accused of being a joke if it only offers this?"
Shen Changhuai said calmly: "People live in the world and act according to their hearts. As long as we have a clear conscience, it's fine. As for other people's opinions, we don't care."
"What about the lady?" Auntie Liu was a little worried.
After all, they are a family, and it's not good to make things too ugly.
Shen Changhuai said fearlessly: "This is all I can do. I have to let mother see clearly."
Otherwise, after doing it this time, there will be a next time. Anything they couldn't solve or didn't want to solve would be pushed to him.
Shen Changhuai didn't forget his roots, he just didn't want to be a puppet controlled by others.
"I support my husband." Wang Yueyao wiped away her tears with a firm face.
This time they have already taken out all their savings, but Shen's mother thought it was not enough, and it was obvious that she was deliberately forcing them.
If they didn't resist, even if they put all their dowry in, it wouldn't be enough.
"I'm sorry for wronging you." Shen Changhuai reached out and held Wang Yueyao's hand.
Wang Yueyao covered the back of Shen Changhuai's hand with her other hand and shook it back, and the couple were of one mind.
Seeing this, although Aunt Liu was worried, she didn't say anything.
After the husband's death, she followed the son, and now Shen Changhuai was her heaven.
The next day, Shen Changhuai came back from court, and after breakfast, he personally delivered the silver to the palace gate.
Although they were reluctant, each family still sent silver, and a long queue formed in front of the palace.
Some offered five thousand taels, some offered three thousand taels, and some offered one thousand or two thousand taels. Each family did what they could according to their own financial strength.
When it was Shen Changhuai's turn, he was neither humble nor arrogant. He reported the number and asked someone to count it and then handed it to the official of the Ministry of Revenue.
"Marquis Jing'an Mansion, one thousand five hundred taels." The official of the Ministry of Revenue recorded it truthfully.
When the people around heard this number, they cast surprised eyes and then whispered.
"A dignified marquisate only gave this little."
"I heard that the Marquis Jing'an Mansion has long been vacant. In the past few years, it relied on the marquis' wife's dowry to support the family..." "
What a pity, the Marquis Jing's Mansion does not know how to cherish such a virtuous woman like Princess Jing."
Shen Changhuai listened to these words and felt that they were right.
The loss of Jiang Shu was the biggest loss for the Marquis of Jing'an Mansion. All the consequences today are what the Marquis of Jing'an Mansion deserves.
Shen Changhuai did not argue with anyone and left silently.
In two days, the Ministry of Revenue collected all the silver and reported it to the emperor after compiling it.
Seven hundred and sixty-four thousand taels. Seeing this number, the emperor felt mixed emotions.
After a moment of silence, the emperor ordered the Minister of War: "Immediately start recruiting new soldiers. If there are not enough, transfer more silver from the national treasury."
"I obey your order." The Minister of War took the order and went to do it immediately.
The next day, the public notice and the conscription notice were posted all over the streets and alleys of Shangjing, attracting thousands of people to watch and discuss.
After hearing the report from the servant, Shen's mother was shocked and unbelievable.
"What did you say? The Marquis' Mansion only paid 1,500 taels?"
"Yes, I saw it clearly, there is no mistake." The servant said in a low voice.
Shen's mother slammed the table in anger: "Go and call the second young master."
The servant did not dare to delay and hurried away.
After a while, Shen Changhuai came.
"Mother." Shen Changhuai greeted her respectfully.
Shen's mother snorted angrily: "You still think I am your mother, I give you such an important matter, and you do it like this?"
"You know that it is not good for you to damage the reputation of the Marquis' Mansion."
Shen Changhuai said calmly: "Son knows, but son has tried his best, even took out the pension of aunt, there is really no other way."
Shen's mother blurted out: "Husband and wife are one body, such a big thing, Yueyao just sits and does nothing?"
Shen Changhuai's eyes darkened when he heard this, and his voice was slightly cold: "Yueyao lives with me outside, and has never received the monthly allowance of the Marquis' Mansion in these years, how can there be private savings?"
"You..." Shen's mother clenched her fist in anger, and said angrily: "Are you blaming me?" "
Humph, you have only been an official for a few years, and you think you have grown wings? Or have you forgotten the rules after leaving Beijing for a few years!"
"My son has no such intention, mother, don't worry." Shen Changhuai said coldly.
Shen's mother stared at Shen Changhuai closely, wanting to continue scolding him, but after staring carefully, she found that Shen Changhuai's face was calm and stern, his eyes were calm and fearless, and he exuded a bit of majesty. When the two people's eyes met, Shen's mother was actually frightened for no reason.
It was really strange, a bastard who grew up watching her face would actually scare her. If this got out, it would be a joke.
Shen's mother avoided the sight, clenched her hands to calm her mind, and said sternly in the posture of a legitimate mother: "You have read so many books of sages, and have been an official for a long time. You should understand that you and the Marquis's mansion are in the same honor and disgrace, and you cannot stay out of it."
"It's difficult to support yourself. You and Changze can support each other to go more steadily and further. The Marquis's mansion is always your backer."
Shen's mother used Shen Changze to warn Shen Changhuai of his weight and warned him not to forget his roots.