Chapter 759 Greed knows no bounds.
As evening fell, Li Dalang, carrying the food he had bought, returned home with Wang Dadan and the others, who were also carrying oil paper packages.
After dinner, everyone talked for less than fifteen minutes before dispersing.
The lights in every room of the Li family's house stayed on all night until past midnight.
Sister-in-law Li took out all the cash in their house and piled it on the table. Stacks of silver ingots were laid out in front of them, a scene that was quite exciting.
Sister-in-law Li smiled at the surprised Li Dalang and the composed Li Erlang and said, "This is all the silver we have in this house."
"What your father and I mean is that Xiao Liu is still young," said Sister-in-law Li, glancing at Xiao Liu Lang who was already fast asleep on the bed. "It'll be at least fifteen years before he grows up and needs to settle down and start a family. So for now, our family will prioritize the well-being of you two brothers."
Upon hearing this, Li Dalang wanted to interrupt Li Dasao.
Sister-in-law Li raised her hand to signal Li Dalang to shut up, "I know you want to say that you want to set aside some for Xiao Liu first, but, Tiger Head, think about it, Xiao Liu is my and your father's son, he is just your brother."
Your father and I are not yet at the point where we need our sons to support us. We can slowly save up for Xiao Liu's share in the years to come.
In the future, when your father and I are both over a hundred years old, if you two are willing to help this little brother, then go ahead and help him out; if you can't, that's fine too.
"Your grandchildren will have their own blessings, and your father and I are both accepting of that."
"Mother and Father will surely live to be a hundred years old. When our son gives birth to an official, we will ask for an imperial decree for Mother!"
It was Li Erlang who said this. Li Dasao really didn't expect it. She never thought that her son, who had been so clever since childhood, would have such a heart.
Sister-in-law Li smiled and replied, "Okay, Mother, we'll wait."
Finally, the family of four decided to keep one-third of the money for emergencies and invest the rest in the business that Xing Yu had suggested.
Their main consideration was that in three or four years, Li Dalang, who would be of marriageable age, might get married and have children.
Li Erlang was three years younger than Li Dalang, even though Li Erlang said, "I'm afraid I'll get married later."
Sister-in-law Li also felt it was time to prepare in advance. In her words, "Erlang is intelligent, and his official position should rise higher and higher in the future."
Who knows, maybe Erlang will marry a noblewoman from the Shangguan family someday?
"If the betrothal gifts are too small, won't people look down on us?"
The eldest branch of the Li family reached a consensus without any disagreement, while the second branch of the Li family was arguing in hushed tones.
"Erlang, what if we lose money?"
“Lan Niang, doing business is inherently full of ups and downs. There are times when you make money and times when you lose money. How can you always make a profit without losing money every time?”
If we want to invest, we have to take on the risk; that's only fair.
Li Ersao sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, draped in her clothes. The dim light shone on her profile, obscuring her expression.
Hearing what Li Erxiong said, Li Ersao recalled what Li's father had said in the main hall. She lowered her head, put the needle in place, put down the cloth sock she was mending, and turned around, turning most of her face toward Li Erxiong, who was sitting at the round table opposite her, his feet burning.
After thinking it over twice, Li Ersao lowered her voice and said to Li Erxiong in a low voice, "But, Erlang, didn't that Xing Langjun tell us that he was capable and could guarantee a profit without any loss?"
Since he himself said it's a sure thing, why should we take the risk of losing money?
Li Erxiong, whose feet were scalding hot, stopped splashing his feet in the water. Why did the water, which had been warm, suddenly feel a little cold?
Li Erxiong slowly raised his head and looked at Li Ersao. Although he could see most of Li Ersao's face from this angle, her face was still hidden in the shadows. In fact, he couldn't see her expression, let alone her eyes. He couldn't see them at all.
After a few moments, Li Ersao did not receive a reply from Li Erxiong. She then turned around, raised her head, and looked in Li Erxiong's direction. She saw Li Erxiong splash the water a couple more times, then pick up a towel from the stool next to him, dry his feet, open the door, and pour the foot-washing water under the tree roots in the courtyard.
Back in the house, Li Erxiong sat down by the bed. Looking at Xiao Wulang sleeping inside, he took Li Ersao's hand and asked, "Erlang?"
After waiting for Li Erxiong to speak, Li Ersao called out to him, and Li Erxiong seemed to wake up from his daze.
“Lan Niang, although I only taught you some commonly used characters according to the medicine recipe, instead of going to the academy like Sanlang and the others and studying the Four Books and Five Classics, I don’t think you are a stupid person.”
What Master Xing meant was simply that if the business lost money, he would use the Xing family's money to make up for it for our family.
The fact that such a wealthy merchant family as the Xing family would personally come to our house to discuss this investment matter is only because, as Father said, it's out of respect for Third Sister, and also because we saved Xing Xiaolang back then.
This is already a great stroke of luck. Others who want to invest in the Xing family's business probably wouldn't even be able to get an audience with Young Master Xing.
Although my Li family is a small and insignificant household, we are not so poor that we need to take advantage of others in this way.
Although Li Erxiong spoke in a low voice, the more he spoke, the more serious his words sounded to Li Ersao.
"Lan Niang," Li Erxiong put his hands on Li Ersao's shoulders, turned her body to face him, and looked into her eyes as he continued to say seriously, word by word, "Although I, Li Wen (Li Erxiong's real name), am just a small doctor in Chang'an City, standing in front of the medicine cabinet all day long, my spine is upright and firm."
Li Ersao was startled by the seriousness in Li Erxiong's words. She stared blankly at Li Erxiong without moving.
Li Erxiong released his grip on Li Ersao's shoulders and turned around. Now, Li Ersao could only see Li Erxiong's face, which was hidden in the shadows.
"If you're worried about losing money, then we shouldn't spend too much money on this house."
All the money in the house is in your hands; you can decide how much to take.
Sanlang and Silang are still young, not to mention Xiaowu. It will take at least five or six years for them to grow up and reach marriageable age. This family fortune can be built up gradually.
After saying this, Brother Li got up and blew out the lamp on the small table beside the bed, plunging the room into darkness.
"Go to sleep."
Feeling for the blanket, Li Erxiong went straight into bed and closed his eyes.
Seeing Li Erxiong's behavior, how could Li Ersao dare to say anything more?
After catching her breath, Li Ersao groped for the quilt and lay down. Something was on her mind, and she tentatively reached under the quilt to touch Li Erxiong.
Brother Li didn't refuse; he stretched out his arm to stop Sister-in-law Li's hand and murmured, "Go to sleep."
Although the Guo brothers, who were still living in the Li family's house, had no lights on, the two brothers were able to chat by the faint moonlight shining through the window.
"Cough cough, cough cough," Guo Sanlang, preoccupied with his own thoughts, was not sleepy at all. All he could hear was Guo Silang telling him how prosperous and large Chang'an was, how many people there were, and how he had seen just as many Hu people as he had in the border towns.
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