Chapter 18 I Can’t Afford to Eat Bird’s Nest
"How much surplus?" Lu Changqing's heart tightened.
He had some idea of the situation at home, so there wouldn't be much left.
"What surplus? It's a debt! After all the calculations, she has been the head of the household for five years, and in the end we still owe her three hundred taels of silver!"
"How is that possible?" Lu Changqing gritted his teeth, recalling Fang Qianxue's smile when she faced him just now, and suddenly realized the sarcasm behind that smile.
A surge of hatred rose up in the man, and he clenched his fists tightly.
He felt that he owed her feelings, so he bought sugar-roasted chestnuts to please her, but what was the result?
This loser woman had the heart to set him up! How despicable!
After Lu Wanrou finished speaking, Lu Changqing grabbed his elbow tightly and said, "Second brother, you have to take care of Fang. Where did she squander our family's money?"
"I understand. You go back and rest. I'll go see mother by myself." Lu Changqing thought that his sister should not be worried about money, so he sent Lu Wanrou back to the house and walked into the main hall of Songshengju.
Chen was holding a bowl of corn porridge and eating with pickled vegetables. When she saw him coming, she laughed bitterly, "Changqing, you're here?"
"Mother, haven't you had dinner yet?" The man bowed to Chen.
"Alas!" Chen shook her head. "I've had severe stomach pain lately. The doctor said I should drink bird's nest to go with the medicine. I wanted to save some money, so I asked someone to replace the bird's nest with corn. It's the same thing anyway."
"Bird's nest and corn, how can they be the same?" Lu Changqing couldn't help but feel distressed, "Let's switch to bird's nest tomorrow."
"Changqing, I know you are filial, but I'm afraid our Lu family won't be able to afford bird's nest in the future." Chen choked up as she looked at the account book on the table.
Lu Changqing picked up the account book on the table and took a look: "Wanrou told me that mother is confused. Why did you take this account book? Why did you let Fang split the account with us?"
The Lu family came from other places and had very few properties in Beijing. The old man once said that the Lu family was a scholarly family and they only cared about studying and not doing business.
On the contrary, the Fang family gave Fang Qianxue quite a few farms and shops as a dowry. It would be a shame not to take advantage of such a good deal. Only a fool like Lu Wanrou would ask for a share of the profits!
"I have no choice. Fang is very aggressive. She said that if I don't take over the account book, she will have to pay for your elder brother's funeral and the medicine I have taken over the years. That is not a small amount. If it is reported to the censor, I am afraid it will affect your reputation." Chen put down the small bowl and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. "I can only take over this account book. If I don't take over this family, will Wanrou or Miaoyan be the head of the family?"
"Forget it," Lu Changqing also knew that Lu Wanrou and Xu Miaoyan would not be able to succeed, "Let's save money and wait for Miaoyan and I to get our salary, and then life will be better."
His monthly salary was eight stone, or ten taels of silver, plus twenty taels of silver from the court as a pension for his elder brother. Now that Xu Miaoyan had become a sixth-rank female official, he must have at least several dozen taels of silver coming into his account every month.
He had already made up his mind that since Fang Qianxue wanted to split the profits with him, he would not give any of his salary to her and her son.
"Changqing," Chen looked at her son and hesitated for a while before saying, "I'm afraid I won't be able to wait until then. Something has happened right now."
"What's the hurry?"
"Didn't I ask Jinxiuzhai to make some new clothes for Xu a few days ago?" Chen whispered, "It was on credit. I have to pay it back as soon as possible."
"How much do you owe?" Lu Changqing looked impatient.
In order to marry Xu Miaoyan, he was already heavily in debt, so why was there another debt?
"Five thousand taels."
"How much?!" Lu Changqing was shocked.
Five thousand taels might not be a big deal for a wealthy family, but for the Lu family, they wouldn't even use that much clothing in a year!
"Five thousand taels," Chen explained hastily when she saw her son's expression change. "The guests of Jinxiuzhai are either rich or noble. It's normal for a piece of clothing to cost over a thousand taels. I haven't even bought one for myself yet. I only bought a few sets of clothes and jewelry for Xu and Wanrou..."
"Mother!" Lu Changqing felt dizzy and almost lost his balance. "My monthly salary is only ten taels. How can you ask me to pay back five thousand taels?"
"Changli has been an official for so long, shouldn't he have some relics? When you went to Jiangning, I told you to bring back his small treasury!" Chen frowned and said, "This money was spent on Xu, so it's just right to pay it back with his money."
"..." Lu Changqing covered his chest with his hands, "Big brother had already squandered most of his money when he was alive! How could there be anything left?"
Although Lu Changli has not married, he prides himself on being elegant and often attends poetry gatherings in the capital. Such gatherings are always attended by beautiful women, and he will spend a fortune on any one he likes.
"How could there be nothing?" Chen stood up anxiously. "He is an inspector. He should give some gifts to local officials every time he goes back to inspect them. How could he have saved several thousand taels over the years?"
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