Chapter 60 Don’t Expect Me to Bring Honor to My Family
After hearing what his wife said, Chen Zhanliang slapped his forehead in regret. "Wife, you are right. The third brother and his wife asked me to leave first. There must be something fishy going on. The third brother is really a piece of shit. If I had known earlier, I would have waited to see if he really invited the master to dinner."
Old Mrs. Chen curled her lips in displeasure, "Shut up right there! If you don't know, don't talk nonsense. The third son said before he left that he wanted to ask the teacher for help predicting the exam questions. It's just a meal, what a fuss!"
Old Man Chen also nodded and said, "Don't slander the third brother. He is not the kind of person who eats and drinks recklessly. I believe him."
Hearing them say this, Sun gritted her teeth in anger. The partiality of Old Mrs. Chen was like a thorn in her heart.
Just as he was about to explode, he heard voices coming from outside the courtyard, "Dad, Mom, I'm back."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Zhancai walked in without blushing or beating his heart.
"Son, you're back." Old Mrs. Chen came forward with a smile and took Chen Zhancai's arm. "You must be exhausted. Come on, sit down and rest for a while. Mother will go get you some water to quench your thirst."
Seeing that Old Lady Chen's face suddenly changed, and she was serving tea and pouring water, Chen Zhanliang became angry and frowned with an unhappy look on his face.
"Mom, I'm not as biased as you are. I'm also your son. Why do you act like a different person when the third child comes back? You ask about his well-being, serve him tea and water, and treat him differently. If you don't know, you would think the third child is a guest in our house!"
Old Lady Chen glared at him fiercely. "Why are you so troublesome? If you want to drink water, just pour it yourself. Don't you know that the third child has been weak since he was a child? It's more than ten miles from town to home. How can he walk such a long distance?"
Chen Zhanliang was so angry that he was gasping for breath. "Mom, are your eyes okay? Is the third brother still weak? Can't you see that he is the strongest among our family members?"
Sun also chimed in dissatisfiedly, "That's right, he's so big and strong, how can he look weak?"
"Alright, stop talking now," Old Man Chen said sternly, then looked at Chen Zhancai with a smile, "Son, you must be exhausted from the journey, right?"
"Dad, I'm not tired." Chen Zhancai pretended to wipe the sweat off his face, feeling a little uneasy. You know, he didn't walk back, but hired a carriage in the town and took it directly to the village entrance. He got off the carriage and walked home because he was worried about being seen by his family.
Old Man Chen was anxious and asked quickly, "Third Brother, you should know about our family's affairs. Did you bring the silver back?"
"Yes, third brother, hurry up and take out the silver. Mother will see how much you need. Once you have collected all the money, I will send it to Li the Butcher tomorrow." Old Mrs. Chen looked at Chen Zhancai hopefully, waiting for him to take out the silver.
"I, I, I..." Chen Zhancai hesitated for a long time but couldn't make any clear words.
Chen Zhanliang sneered at the side, "Third brother, the situation is very tense now, stop talking nonsense and tell the truth!"
Old Mrs. Chen noticed that something was wrong with Chen Zhancai, and sweat broke out on her forehead. "Old Third, what's going on? Where's the money? How much did you get back? Hurry up and speak!"
"Mom, I, I don't have any money."
"What, no money?" Old Mrs. Chen panicked. "Third brother, don't lie to me. That's fifty taels of silver. How come it's gone in just a few days?"
Old Man Chen also found it incredible. "Yes, our family needs money for emergency now. Don't scare us!"
Chen Zhancai frowned, his tone somewhat dissatisfied, "Are you still going to finish? Why would I cheat you? It's just fifty taels of silver. In this town, it's not like home. You have to spend money everywhere.
After deducting the cost of the academy, rent, and various other living expenses, it cannot be said that there is not a penny left. Feng Jiao still has more than ten taels of silver.
But that money is for several months of living expenses. If I take it back, what will we eat and drink in town?"
Chen Zhanliang frowned and scolded loudly, "Third brother, you are so ignorant. Your family has saved money to support your studies, but you spend more every year. I didn't expect you to spend even more this year. You spent more than half of your money in less than ten days. You are trying to kill your parents!"
Sun was already furious, her face gloomy. "That's right, we're living on coarse food at home, and you're using our family money to eat out and indulge in delicacies. If you were a human being with even a modicum of conscience, you wouldn't do such a wicked thing."
Old Lady Chen's mind nearly collapsed with a clamor. She forced herself to calm herself, "Zhancai, your monthly stipend is only two taels of silver. Even if you eat fine rice every day, two hundred coins are enough for the past ten days. Add to that the two taels of silver for a year's rent, and five taels of silver is more than enough. What did you do with the remaining thirty or so taels? How come you only have a little over ten taels left?"
Old man Chen stood there in a daze as if struck by lightning, his heart sank. Why did the expenses of the third brother's family increase every year? In just a few days, fifty taels of silver were gone.
He flew into a rage, "Zhancai, tell me the truth, what did you do with the silver?"
Chen Zhancai lowered his head, feeling uneasy. He knew that if he didn't tell everyone about his parents, brother and sister-in-law today, they would definitely not let him off easily.
He suddenly raised his head and pretended to be open-minded and fearless. "Dad, Mom, let me tell you the truth. I asked the old teacher to predict the topic for me with the thirty taels of silver. This time he is 80% sure that he can predict it correctly. I am now fully confident that I can get it right.
If you force me to give you money, I will go to the teacher and get the money back.
But all my preparations over the past six months have been completely wasted, and you can't expect me to bring honor to Chen Jiaguang's family."
The arrogance that Old Lady Chen had just shown was extinguished in an instant.
The third brother should not have lied. After all, it would cost a lot of money to bribe a teacher. As long as he passed the imperial examination next year, the Chen family's ancestral grave would be filled with glory. In comparison, his future was more important.
Old man Chen suppressed his anger, hung his head and said nothing.
Seeing his parents remain silent, Chen Zhanliang immediately became angry. "Dad, Mom, please say something. Let Zhancai get the silver back immediately. Let's get past Li the butcher first!"
Sun's eyes were red with anxiety. "That's right, let's focus on the present. If the third brother doesn't want the money, then I can marry his daughter Ruolan to Li the butcher."
Chen Zhancai was so angry that his teeth chattered when he heard this.
Chen Zhancai didn't take his two brothers and sisters-in-law seriously at all. Seeing that they kept talking and didn't allow him to study, and wanted to marry their daughter to Li the butcher, he immediately became angry and stood up suddenly.
"Have you said enough? According to you, I took the money from home and didn't use it to study, but instead used it to eat, drink, and have fun.
Let me tell you, I, Chen Zhancai, am a man of integrity. In this town, I live frugally and I wish I could spend every penny in half, just to save as much as possible.
But some money had to be spent. The old man who predicted the topic knew that my family was not well off, so he took special care of me and only charged me half of the money.
But that also cost thirty taels. Seeing the silver being given to others, I felt heartbroken and really reluctant to part with it.
I know that this is the hard-earned money of my parents, and it is the hope of my whole family for me.
At that time, I secretly vowed in my heart that I would study hard, pass the imperial examination, and bring honor to my family.
Chen Zhancai pretended to be sincere and genuine, and even forced out a few tears when he was moved.
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