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Chapter 47: Collecting Money

The Shen family also got wind of Shen Zian's killing of a tiger today, so Erlang and Sanlang both went home to deliver the news. However, the two people who went home to deliver the news and their purposes were completely different, and the results were also different.

Erlang was delivering a letter to his parents. He saw that his grandfather and his third aunt were harming his fourth uncle Shen Zi'an, so he wanted to go home and ask his parents to go there to help persuade them to stop fighting. In the end, Shen Zifu went there and arrived before Shen Youfu got angry.

Although Wang was also curious, she still did not go. The third branch of the family had just been separated and good things had happened. If she went to watch the excitement, she didn't know how others would look at her. They would probably think she was jealous. She still had to save face, so she suppressed the itchy feeling in her heart and sat in the house, watching her two equally curious daughters weave knitting and sew shoe soles.

Sanlang was responsible for delivering letters to the principal wife's family. Since his father was not at home, he could only ask his grandmother and his uncle and aunt for help.

Shen Zhang smiled and said, "A tiger that big is rare, but it's also scary. As an old woman, I'd rather not join in the fun."

Shen Ziju still held the book in his hand and said gently, "It's a good thing that Fourth Brother killed the tiger, but I'm not going to go. The exam will be held in the spring next year, so I'd better not go to watch the killing. ... Sanlang, tell your mother not to make a fuss too fiercely. We are all family."

Sanlang responded with a sound like an eggplant hit by frost, and then ran away again.

Shen Zhu just wanted to go, but when she saw that her mother and brother were not going, she had no choice but to not go either. However, the colorful tiger skin kept turning around in her mind. She thought how warm it would be if it could be made into a mattress and she could lie on it. If someone came, she could sit there and look as majestic as a noble lady. It would be great if her father could ask for the tiger skin.

Unfortunately, this wish was not fulfilled. When Shen Youfu and Sun Shi came back, they only had two pieces of meat in their hands, saying they were tiger meat. Sun Shi kept chattering about how stingy and rude Shen Zian was.

The two pieces of meat were not cooked and were put away, saying that they would be cooked at noon the next day.

Before dinner, Shen Ziping came in punctually. When he heard what Sun said, he became anxious. However, Shen Youfu asked them not to talk about it during dinner. Only then did the family have a peaceful dinner. However, the meal was not delicious. Everyone seemed to have something on their mind. Except for the children chattering a few words, everyone was quiet. In the end, even the noisiest children Silang and Wulang stopped making noise.

"Dad, did Fourth Brother really kill two big tigers?"

After finishing the meal, Shen Zhu couldn't help but ask Shen Youfu. She was curious in the first place, and after hearing Sun's description, she became even more curious. However, there was always some water in Sun's words, so she still believed what her father said.

Shen Zhang didn't look up at Shen Youfu, but she was still embroidering flowers with her hands, but a little slower.

Shen Ziju was sitting aside reading a book. He raised his head when he heard this. There was a faint smile on his handsome and fair face. He looked very gentle under the oil lamp. Although he was only fifteen years old, he already looked like a handsome young man. He had captured the hearts of countless girls. He could be said to be the most eye-catching young man in Hebian Village. Even within a ten-mile radius, no one could compare to him. This was exactly why Shen Youfu took a fancy to him.

Shen Youfu smoked a pipe, nodded, and said, "He and Li Shi killed the two tigers together, one for each of them. They sold them to the wine shop in the town for several dozen taels. Tigers are rare, so the skins can be preserved, although the meat is fine. The owner of the wine shop took them all away."

When Shen Zhu heard that the tiger skin was sold, she was extremely disappointed. She pouted and said nothing. However, she blamed Shen Zian in her heart for not thinking about her, her sister. She had a cold body since she was a child. If she had a tiger skin cushion, she would definitely be comfortable. But he actually sold it. This was what happened to the bathtub last time. He really forgot about his sister after getting married!

Shen Ziju smiled and said, "It's good for our family if Fourth Brother lives a good life. I heard that he met a white wolf? The white wolf also gave them ginseng? Is it really that magical? I grew up listening to stories about the holy beast, and I always thought I would never see it in this lifetime. I didn't expect it to appear in Daqing Mountain. It's a pity that I have no chance to see it."

When Shen Zhu heard about the holy beast, he perked up again and said, "This holy beast is just a wolf. Will it really give them ginseng? Is the ginseng really like a white turnip as Third Sister-in-law said?"

Shen Youfu took a puff of his cigarette and said, "I don't know whether the holy beast has seen it or not, but the ginseng is indeed a good thing. It has become a human form, and even the whiskers look like immortals."

Shen Zhu said with sparkling eyes: "Dad, why don't you come back? Ginseng is a great tonic. My brother is going to take the exam soon. It would be great to give him some to nourish his body. When my brother becomes a high-ranking official, he will have a lot of ginseng to buy. Are you afraid that you won't return one to them? In my opinion, they should send it to us personally! Don't even mention the word ginseng!"

Shen Ziju smiled and patted Shen Zhu on the head, saying, "Do you think ginseng is radish? If it is really a hundred-year-old ginseng, it is very valuable."

Shen Zhang said, "Don't give me the whole thing, at least give me some of the whiskers, old man. Didn't Zi'an tell you to give me some? Is it really like what Zi Ping's wife said, that he picked some?"

Shen Youfu frowned and said, "Don't listen to that stupid woman. If it weren't for her, why would I have quarreled with Zi'an? I didn't even bother to talk to him about the ginseng."

"Then go ask Zi'an for some tomorrow and give it to Ziju. He really needs to replenish himself. And Zhu'er is weak and needs to eat something good. Ginseng is the best."

Shen Zhang spoke while her hands were still embroidering flowers.

Shen Zhu also echoed, saying: "Dad, look how thin the little brother is. I heard that he has to take several exams, which is very tiring. Some people will faint in them. You don't want your little brother's talent to be ruined by his body not being able to bear it, right? Then how can our Shen family ever make a name for ourselves? We don't have to dig in the dirt for the rest of our lives!"

Shen Youfu paused, thinking that this was indeed the case. He was counting on Shen Ziju to become an official so that he could be an old lady. The child was not in good health, so he really wanted to ask Shen Zian for the ginseng, and it would be best if he could give it all. They should be satisfied with the money from selling the tiger.

Shen Ziju listened at the side without saying a word. He just listened quietly with a smile on his face. No one knew what he was thinking.

As they were talking, Shen Ziping's grandson and Sanlang came over.

"Mom and Dad, little brothers and sisters, you are busy!"

Shen Ziping greeted them with a smile as soon as he came in. He had no other skills, but he was a master at sneaking and playing tricks, so he naturally developed a playful smile. However, his appearance was determined by his heart, and his smile did not show any good intentions. As soon as Shen Youfu and the other three saw his smile, they knew what was going on, thinking that he must be here for Shen Zian's sudden wealth.

Shen Youfu knocked on the tobacco pipe and asked, "Is your waist feeling better today? I saw you were out for most of the day. Now that you are better, go and do some odd jobs with your second brother tomorrow! You are about to have another child, but you still don't know how to save some money. Do you want your child to starve?!"

Shen Ziping said with a smile: "Dad, my son's waist pain has just stopped. The doctor said that I need to rest for a few more days, otherwise it will come back again, and then it will be really bad. It is also a blessing for you, Dad, that your son has a child. I have many sons, and you have many grandchildren! You can let your son starve to death, and you can also let your tender little grandson starve to death? Maybe he will be a top scholar like me in the future!"

Shen Zhu smiled and said, "Ah, Third Brother, you really know how to talk. Are you praising my younger brother or your son?"

"Praise them all!"

Shen Ziju sat aside, neither happy nor angry because of Shen Ziping's words.

Shen Zhang said, "Okay, okay, let's get down to business. What are you and your family doing here? You're not here to chat, are you?"

"Mother, you are wise!" Shen Ziping flattered Shen Zhang, took a chair and sat down, saying, "We are here for the matter of our fourth brother's family. Father, mother, the fourth brother has made a fortune, so he should be filial to you, right? My illness and the baby's mother's miscarriage are all caused by his wife. When the family was divided, we didn't take their children because we felt sorry for them. Now we should give them some compensation, right? What do you two think?"

Sun said, "He has a ginseng root in his hand, which is the best herb for nourishing the body. It is useless for them to take it. Why don't we take it and use it. The whole family can use it."

Sanlang said at the side: "Those two tigers sold a lot of silver today. I saw it, all the silver was shining. That woman brought bad luck to me, and I ran to her! Let her pay for the silver!"

Shen Ziju frowned as he listened, thinking it was really indecent to hear this person robbing money with one mouth and one mouth closed. He took the book, said goodbye to his parents, and returned to his room.

Shen Zhu found it interesting and sat aside, listening to the excitement and wondering what he should add if he could get some money from them.

"So what do you guys say we should do?"

Shen Youfu had been worrying about Shen Ziju's exam fees, and now that there was some progress, he certainly didn't want to let it go, but he couldn't afford to lose face. He had originally been counting on the couple from the third room to come forward, and now that they had come themselves, of course he had no objection.

When the third family heard this, they knew that the old man had agreed to let them come to ask for money. They became happy and started talking about what to do tomorrow.

***Thanks to Wang Xiaopi and Zihuidy for the amulets, mua.