The rain kept falling and the atmosphere was not very harmonious.
The situation in the Pei family hall was tense. The creditors were very aggressive and the Pei family was unable to resist. Their status as a noble family was no longer useful.
It is only natural to pay back your debts.
Even the nobles could not escape this rule.
"Manager Chen, please estimate the value of these furniture. Since the Pei family can't pay it back, use these things to pay off the debt."
The owner of the money shop looked at the owner of the pawnshop. He had specially called the owner of the pawnshop to appraise the price in front of the Pei family so that the calculation could be clear.
"How dare you!"
Pei Feng wanted to take action.
"Feng'er." Pei Yanshu said, "Let him estimate."
Shopkeeper Chen then walked towards the set of carved rosewood tables and chairs in the hall and tapped the table with his knuckles, making a dull sound.
"This set of tables and chairs is made of high-quality wood."
"It's a pity that it's old-fashioned. It's worth at most one hundred and fifty taels."
"What?!"
Pei Feng shouted again, "This table and chair are made of the best red sandalwood. The labor cost alone was three hundred taels. Now you tell me it's only worth one hundred and fifty taels?"
Shopkeeper Chen ignored him and walked to the Suzhou embroidery screen beside him. After checking it out, he said, "The embroidery is good, but it's a little faded. It's worth about eighty taels."
Pei Yanshu sat in the main seat with an expressionless face, but his heart was bleeding. He also knew that Manager Chen did not deliberately lower the price.
It’s just that this Suzhou embroidery screen was brought back by him when he went to Jiangnan. It has some commemorative significance to him. Moreover, he spent more than one hundred taels of silver when he bought it, but now it is only worth eighty taels of silver.
After Manager Chen walked around the hall, he went to other rooms. Pei Feng, Pei Li and a group of other managers followed him.
After all the estimates are completed, we have a rough price.
The total value of all the furniture of the Pei family is almost two or three thousand taels. Unfortunately, they owe too much money, and two or three thousand taels of silver is not enough to pay it back.
"Move! Move everyone away!"
The bank owner gave a call and all the employees started moving things. Anything they could get was better than nothing.
Pei Yanshu closed his eyes and didn't watch everyone moving things. Pei Li was breathing heavily, and he felt like a huge rock was pressing on his chest.
Pei Feng's eyes were red and his whole body was trembling.
The huge Pei family was emptied out just like that.
"Oh, it's quite lively."
Just then, a voice was heard outside, and Liu Jingzhi and other nobles walked in.
"What are you doing here? You are not welcome here, get out!"
Pei Li spoke in a cold voice.
He had approached these nobles to borrow money before but they refused to lend him any. Now he came to them, clearly wanting to make fun of himself.
Liu Jingzhi didn't care about Pei Li's attitude. He entered the hall and looked at the mess on the floor. He felt refreshed because he had hired all these shopkeepers.
Otherwise, these shop owners would not be so bold. After all, class concepts are deeply rooted in people's minds. If it weren't for Liu Jingzhi's support behind them, they really wouldn't dare to smash the Pei family's door.
Liu Jingzhi is here to crush the Pei family, and he has also notified Xue Wenju, so he should be here soon.
"Brother Pei, we are all from the noble family. If something happens to your family, we will naturally come to show our concern."
"Care? I don't know what you're thinking. You just came here to laugh at me. Now you've seen enough. Are you satisfied?"
"Brother Pei, what are you talking about? We really want to help the Pei family overcome their difficulties."
Liu Jingzhi took out a contract from his sleeve and said, "As long as Brother Pei is willing to sign this contract and transfer Jinlan Pavilion to me, I can immediately take out three thousand taels of silver, which can at least help the Pei family pay off some of their debts."
"Three thousand taels?" Pei Li laughed in anger, "A shop in that area is worth at least 5,000 taels! You want to buy it for 3,000 taels? Dream on!"
Liu Jingzhi was not annoyed, and said with a smile: "Brother Pei, don't worry. I heard that your father is not in good health recently. If the creditors report him to the government, the disaster of imprisonment..."
Before he finished speaking, there was a commotion outside the door, and Xue Wenjuan came with the officials.
Pei Li's eyes lit up. "Xue County Magistrate, please judge for yourself. These people want to take advantage of others' misfortunes and humiliate our Pei family. Don't you care?"
Xue Wenju said: "This county magistrate is here to deal with the dispute between your Pei family and the merchants."
"This county magistrate has received a joint complaint from merchants, accusing your Pei family of defaulting on payment of 38,000 taels for goods. Is this true?"
Pei Li's face twitched and he nodded slowly.
"If this is true, according to our dynasty's laws, those who fail to repay their debts must use their property to pay off their debts."
Pei Li's face suddenly turned grim. He originally thought that Xue Wenju's arrival could help them delay some time, but he didn't expect the other party to directly use the law to pressure them.
Liu Jingzhi said at this time, "Master Xue, we are here to help the Pei family overcome difficulties. We have just reached an agreement with the Pei family to transfer Jinlan Pavilion to my Liu family for three thousand taels."
"fart!"
Pei Feng cursed angrily, "When did my father agree to sell you?"
Xue Wenju said calmly, "You don't have to sell it. I won't allow forced buying or selling while I'm here. Do you plan to settle the account today, or go to jail and think about it slowly?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the Pei family members changed.
Pei Yanshu said in a trembling voice: "Master Xue, are you really going to do this?"
If Xue Wenju didn't come, they would insist that they had no money to pay back, and these merchants would be helpless. They originally thought that Xue Wenju came to help them, but they didn't expect that he would be the last straw that broke the camel's back.
"Pei Yanshu, I am only handling the case according to the law. Even if your case is reported to the government office or to the palace, I will still make the same judgment."
Pei Yanshu understood. It was not these merchants and nobles who would not let him go, but Pei Yun.
Pei Yun was already a county marquis, so he didn't have to do anything, and someone would take care of the Pei family for him.
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