Chapter 35035: Lure with Benefits
Zhu and Yuan Ping looked at each other, seemingly unable to react for a moment.
After a long while, Zhu finally spoke: "You mean, let her have a ghost marriage with the deceased Hu family member?"
Yuan Sheng nodded: "That's right, the betrothal gift can solve the immediate problem and teach Du Qingtang a lesson at the same time."
He hadn't seen Xie Guang for a long time. Judging from Xie Guang's methods, Du Qingtang must have a hard time in Qingyuan Academy.
But this was far from enough and could not vent his hatred.
He wanted to use his own method to retaliate, making Du Qingtang infamous and leaving him with no place to stand in the entire Qingyuan County.
Not only that, he also wants to destroy Du Qingtang's family.
Yuan Shi married a dead man, and he would not let Du Qingtang's sisters go. He would squeeze out all their value and then send them to the west.
This was his revenge on Du Qingtang.
He wanted to make Du Qingtang regret what he had done.
Zhu's eyes lit up, but then she shook her head: "This won't work. She's a widow, half buried in the ground. The Hu family is not stupid. Why would they want her?"
Yuan Sheng said calmly, "They have no other choice."
Zhu agreed. Since no virgin girl wanted to marry into the Hu family and become a widow, she could only settle for the next best thing and find a widow.
Yuanshi was born beautiful, and more than ten years of suffering had only made her look a little haggard. If she tidied herself up a little, she would look no more than thirty years old.
Zhu felt relieved and hurried out: "I'm going to the Hu family now."
We have to settle this matter quickly. The betrothal gift is a full one hundred taels, and we can't let others get it for free.
Yuan Ping didn't say whether this was a good idea or not. He only asked, "When will your aunt marry him? One hundred taels is not enough. What should we do if we need two hundred taels?"
Zhu was worried and paused to ponder for a long time: "Why not marry Yuan Xue off and get a betrothal gift?"
"No, Yuanxue, I have other arrangements." Yuan Sheng said in a firm tone, not allowing any objection.
Xie Guang's third uncle had no sons, and all his wives and concubines gave birth to daughters. His wife was bedridden all year round and would not live for more than two years.
When that woman dies, let Yuan Xue marry him.
He once saved Xie Guang's life, and just based on this life-saving grace, the Xie family would definitely agree.
As long as Yuan Xue gave birth to the only son of the third branch, after Uncle Xie Guang died a hundred years later, wouldn't everything in the third branch belong to him, Yuan Sheng?
Yuan Sheng took out the banknote Xie Guang had given him from his bookcase and said, "I have a hundred taels here. Dad, use it to pay off your debt."
Yuan Ping was overjoyed and took the banknote in a hurry: "You are worthy of being my good son. My love for you is not in vain!"
Yuan Sheng sneered in his heart and would be thankful if it didn't cause him any trouble.
Unfortunately, things went against his wishes. His parents only held him back and made him lose face.
"As for the remaining one hundred taels, please ask around to see which family wants to buy a concubine. The Du family's concubines are all very pretty, so it's no problem for them to raise one hundred taels."
In this way, the gambling debt can be paid off without any effort!
Zhu's spirits brightened. "We don't need to intervene in this matter. Just let your aunt do it. It's the parents' order and the matchmaker's words. Even if the villagers want to scold, they will only scold your aunt."
Yuan Sheng was thinking this: "It's still early, mother, you should go to the Hu family now and ask for news tomorrow."
"Yeah, okay!"
After settling the gambling debt, Zhu was overjoyed and no longer cared about Yuan Ping hiding his private money. He went out in a hurry and came back in less than half an hour.
"It worked! At first, Mrs. Hu disliked your aunt's age and her wicked youngest son didn't like her. I tried my best to persuade her and promised her that if your aunt married him, she could have a baby with the eldest and second Hu brothers, and the baby would be registered under the name of the third Hu brother. Only then did Mrs. Hu agree."
Although Yuanshi is nearly forty years old, she is not without her share of misfortunes. Last year, a woman in her fifties in the neighboring village gave birth to a baby. Her daughter was five or six years younger than her youngest grandson. Countless people said behind her back that she was shameless.
Even if she couldn't have children, Old Lady Hu would only blame Yuanshi, not her, Zhu Cuihua, and would just cheat the money first.
Yuan Sheng sat under the lamp, half of his face submerged in shadow, looking eerie and strange. "It's settled. You two will go back tomorrow and persuade my aunt to marry you as soon as possible."
"good."
"Don't worry, just leave this matter to us. We guarantee that your aunt will marry him obediently!"
......
The next day, Zhu went out at dawn and actually found out about buying a concubine.
There was a wealthy man named Wang in Dahe Town. His only son drowned a while ago. His wife was old and unable to have children, so he spread the news that he wanted to take a concubine to have more children.
However, the Wang family had some rules for taking concubines, to prevent the concubine from disrespecting the mistress after giving birth to a boy. Before entering the family, the concubine had to sign a contract to sell herself.
In other words, it was called taking a concubine, but in fact it was buying a maid who could give birth to children.
The Wang family’s request was exactly what Zhu wanted, so she went back to the village without even having breakfast.
Yuan happened to be working in the old house of the Yuan family. When Zhu saw her, she changed her usual frown and greeted her warmly: "Sister, you have worked hard recently. From now on, you don't have to do anything, just rest."
Yuan was flattered: "It's not hard at all. You take care of Sheng'er over there, and I'll take care of Ping'er at home."
Zhu was disgusted by her calling Yuan "Brother Ping" and wanted to push her away, but business was more important, so she endured the nausea and pulled Yuan into the house.
"Mother Sheng, why are you back?"
Zhu held Yuan's hand affectionately, squeezing out two tears with great difficulty: "Sister, Yuan Ping owes the gambling house three hundred taels. The gambling house said that if Yuan Ping can't pay it back within five days, they will chop off Yuan Ping's hand."
Yuan was horrified: "Three hundred taels? Why did Brother Ping go out to gamble? Why did he even chop off his hand?"
Zhu covered her face and sobbed, "Sister, I really have no other choice. You must save Yuanping."
"Ping'er is my brother. I certainly won't ignore him. But even if I sell everything I have, I can't even come up with three hundred taels!" Yuan was furious and anxious, tears welling up in her eyes. "Ping'er is really... What should I do?"
Seeing that she knew only crying, Zhu secretly cursed her as a waste, lowered her head and sobbed, "It's not that there is no other way."
Yuan was delighted: "What method? Tell me quickly!"
Zhu then told Yuan about the ghost marriage of Hu Lao San. Yuan was shocked and shrank back, shaking her head: "This won't do. I am a member of the Du family in life and a ghost of the Du family in death..."
Zhu held Yuan's hand tightly, not letting her retreat: "Sister, can you bear to see Yuan Ping's hand chopped off and become a disabled person?"
Of course Yuanshi couldn't bear it, but she had already made up her mind to guard Boss Du for the rest of her life. Otherwise, how would she face Boss Du and the ancestors of the Du family when she went to the underworld a hundred years later?
Zhu gritted her teeth and slapped Yuan in the face, "Wake up! That damned girl Du Qingtang is disobedient and unfilial. The five girls have also been instigated by Du Qingtang to disown you as their own mother. Do you still expect them to take care of you in your old age and see you to the end of your life?"
"Sister!" Zhu grabbed Yuan's shoulders and shook her vigorously. "They say raising a son is a way to support you in your old age. You haven't had a son in all these years, and you've been feeling uneasy. You're still young, so you can definitely have another one. Old Lady Hu said, if you sleep with the eldest and second Hu brothers, give birth to a child of the Hu family, and put the name of the third Hu brother in your name, the Hu family will support you for the rest of your life."
A disobedient and unfilial daughter and a son who could provide for her in her old age and see her to the end...
It has to be said that what Zhu said touched Yuan's heart.
Her heart gradually shifted, and she blushed and stammered, "But I'm marrying Hu Lao San, how can I be with..."
Zhu waved her hand and said, "Who cares who he is? As long as you have a son, isn't that enough?"
Yuan Ping followed suit and said, "Sister, before my parents died, you promised them that you would take good care of me. If I get my hands chopped off by the gambling den guys, I might as well die now and reunite with my parents in the underworld!"
As he said this, Yuanping pretended to bang his head against the wall.
"Ping'er!" Yuan was frightened and rushed over to hold him.
Yuan Ping covered his face and howled, "Sister, please save me! I don't want my hands to be chopped off. I don't want to die!"
Yuan looked at the brother she had protected since childhood, and finally softened her heart.
"Okay, I promise."
If I can save Ping'er and have my own son, I will have to arrange a ghost marriage with a dead person and have children with my eldest and second uncles. I will just have to endure it and it will be over.
......
After persuading Yuan to arrange a ghost marriage for Hu Lao San, Zhu sent him away in a gentle tone and smiled at Yuan Ping.
"It's done!"
"One hundred taels!"
Yuan Ping paced back and forth excitedly, twirling his mustache. "My nieces are all incredibly beautiful. I must sell them for a good price."
Zhu nodded in agreement. She glanced out casually and saw Du Qiya passing by carrying a bamboo basket. Her eyes rolled and she ran out quickly: "Qiya! Qiya!"
Du Qiya had just returned from the city. She sold the embroidery and wood carvings she had saved for half a month. The money she earned was so heavy in her pocket that her heart felt like a feather, floating up to the sky.
She wants to make money.
Make a lot of money and buy beautiful clothes and beautiful jewelry.
She wanted to dress well and eat well, so that no one would dare to say that she was a money-loser.
Just when she was happy, she heard Zhu calling her.
They say a weasel visiting a chicken during the New Year has no good intentions. Du Qiya secretly became alert: "What's going on?"
Zhu glanced at Du Qiya's delicate round face. She looked like Yuanshi. She had been eating well recently, and her complexion had improved. She looked fair and pretty with a rosy complexion.
This kind of high-end stuff will definitely sell for a good price!
Zhu's abacus clattered loudly as she leaned forward and whispered, "Qiya, I have a good marriage proposal for you. Do you want one?"
Du Qiya: "Can I have a chance to marry?"
Zhu choked and pretended not to hear. "It's the wealthy Wang from Dahe Town. He wants to take a concubine and have a son. I got the news yesterday and I thought of you."
Du Qiya loves money the most, so she will definitely be tempted.
"The wealthy Wang family is very wealthy. They live in a large courtyard with three entrances and more than a dozen maids and servants. If you give birth to a son for him, you will become the wife of the Wang family and enjoy all kinds of delicacies, gold, silver and treasures."
Du Qiya clutched the bamboo basket's shoulder straps. "Rich Master Wang should have a wife, right? How can a concubine become the old lady of the Wang family?"
"Rich Master Wang does have a wife, but her only son died, and she's too old to have another child. When your child inherits the Wang family, won't you have the final say over such a large house?"
"Qiya, your aunt is doing this for your own good. Instead of marrying a random farmer, it's better for you to be a concubine to the wealthy Wang. Although your status is a little unfair, you will be rich and secure for the rest of your life."
Zhu winked at her and walked away with a smile.
Du Qiya walked home at full speed, but her mind was wandering far away.
She was not stupid, of course she knew that Zhu had bad intentions.
But what Zhu said was too tempting.
Du Qiya looked down at the clothes that were patched up with patches. She couldn't refuse, nor did she want to refuse.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
