Chapter 6 Are you going to arrange a ghost marriage for me?
Although Ye Jingchuan didn't want to starve Ye Chutang to death, it was he who ordered the guards to watch over her.
Seeing that her words were becoming more and more vicious, he quickly interrupted her.
"Chu'er, don't worry, your father will definitely find the person who wants to harm you and avenge you."
After saying that, he changed the subject.
"You have suffered a lot these years. When we return to the Shangshu Mansion, Dad will definitely compensate you."
Ye Chutang's eyes lit up, "No need to wait until we get back to the Shangshu Mansion, let's make it up now."
Ye Jingchuan: “…”
"How does Chu'er want you to compensate your father?"
"First, give me all the valuables you have as compensation interest. When we return home, you can give me another 10,000 taels of silver."
If Ye Jingchuan was drinking water, he would definitely spit it out immediately.
"Ten thousand taels? My monthly salary is only 60 shi, and even if I don't eat or drink for a year, I can only get 1,800 taels!"
(Setting: Officials' salaries are calculated based on refined rice, one stone is worth two taels. If there is a famine, the price will rise)
This was the amount of silver he converted after taking into account all the subsidies issued by the court.
Of course, he had good farmland and shops, could make money from the Ministry of Revenue, and often accepted gifts, so it was not difficult for him to earn ten thousand taels of silver a year.
But why should he give Ye Chutang the money he earned with great efforts?
Ye Chutang didn't care whether Ye Jingchuan was really poor or pretending to be poor.
Anyway, if she is allowed to return to the Shangshu Mansion, something must be done to show her gratitude.
"Master Ye, I have been away from home for fifteen years. Ten thousand taels of silver is only a few hundred taels a year. Not to mention your precious son, just Ye Anling, even if he didn't spend a hundred thousand taels in these years, he must have spent fifty thousand taels, right?"
"You say you miss me, but in reality you are stingy and only know how to make empty promises. You should save those sweet words for Ye Anling. I don't want them. So let's say goodbye now."
After saying that, she picked up the bag on the stone table, stood up and left.
Ye Jingchuan thought of Ye Anling, who was crying because she was favored by Eunuch De, and grabbed Ye Chutang.
"Chu'er, it's not that your father is reluctant to spend money, but he really can't afford that much. How about five thousand taels? This is all the money your father has saved as an official for many years."
Ye Chutang shook off Ye Jingchuan's hand and smiled with a fake smile.
"I didn't expect Lord Ye to be so poor. I'd better not go back to help the poor. Goodbye!"
Ye Jingchuan: “…”
"Without a guide, where can you go?"
"With my looks, it won't be difficult for me to marry into a wealthy local family. It's better than going back to the Shangshu Mansion and eating coarse food."
"Shut up! Marrying someone without your parents' consent is unfilial. Do you want to be caned?"
Seeing that Ye Jingchuan even brought up the law, Ye Chutang guessed that his purpose of bringing her back home was to form an alliance.
She becomes even more fearless because her scumbag father has some ulterior motive.
"Speaking of marriage, Lord Ye is honest and upright, and he certainly didn't touch my mother's 128-carat dowry, right? Otherwise, the Shangshu Mansion, which is so big, wouldn't be so poor that it only has 5,000 taels left."
The original owner's mother, Tang Wanning, was the daughter of the richest man in Jiangnan and was very much loved at home.
When she got married, her father asked a carpenter to customize the largest box to hold the best dowry, which required four people to lift.
There were a total of 128 loads, filling an entire merchant ship, and transported from Jiangnan to the capital by water.
On the wedding day, the ten-mile-long red wedding caused quite a stir in the capital.
The reason why Ye Jingchuan was able to rise so quickly was that he became the Minister of Revenue at such a young age.
One is to use his first wife's dowry to pave the way for his official career.
The second was to help the new emperor seize the Tang family in Jiangnan and fill the national treasury.
He looked at Ye Chutang who was talking and laughing, but the smile did not reach his eyes.
"I, as a father, didn't know Chu'er was so smart and could remember things at the age of one or two."
"Lord Ye thinks highly of me. It was when my grandfather sent someone to visit me in the countryside that he told me about my mother. Only then did I know that any piece of her dowry was worth a fortune."
Hearing this, murderous intent flashed across Ye Jingchuan's eyes.
If a wife dies without leaving any children, her parents' family can take back the dowry.
Therefore, he never thought of taking Ye Chutang's life.
I didn't expect that she would actually covet her mother's sky-high dowry!
It seems that he needs to get the last list of dowry as soon as possible and destroy it before he can feel at ease.
"Don't worry, Chu'er. Your father didn't touch your mother's dowry. But your mother said before she died that the descendants of the Ye family, regardless of whether they were legitimate or illegitimate, would be treated equally. The dowry she left behind will be divided equally among each child."
Ye Chutang didn't believe Ye Jingchuan's lies, but he didn't make any meaningless arguments.
"Okay, I'll go back home with you. It won't be too late to leave after I get my dowry."
Hearing this, Ye Jingchuan suddenly thought of a way to get the dowry list.
"Chu'er, the dowry can only be given to you when you get married. When the time comes, your father will not only give you more, but also give you more dowry."
The cake is too big to be eaten in one bite.
Ye Chutang was about to retort sarcastically when Ye Jingchuan added another sentence.
"You have suffered a lot these years. I will find a way to give you the ten thousand taels you asked for. Just stay in the Shangshu Mansion and learn the rules. Your mother will help you find a suitable marriage."
"Ah? Didn't my mother pass away? Are you going to arrange a ghost marriage for me?"
Ye Jingchuan was so angry that his temples were throbbing.
"Kong Ru is now the mistress of the family. Even if you don't like her, you still have to call her 'mother'."
Ye Chutang's eyes were cold, and the corners of his lips were raised in mockery.
"I don't even recognize you as my father, so how can I recognize her as my second wife? If she wants to be my mother, let her die first."
"No room for negotiation!"
Ye Jingchuan was shocked by the coldness in Ye Chutang's eyes.
He sighed, "Okay, wait until you accept Ru'er, then you can call her that. When you return home, don't be so outspoken, it will make people laugh at you."
"I will not offend others unless they offend me. But if someone offends me, I will never tolerate it. Lord Ye, if you don't want your family to be in turmoil, tell your wives, concubines, and children not to provoke me."
After saying that, she stretched out her hand and said, "Give me the compensation interest first."
Ye Jingchuan was very glad that he was in a hurry to go out this time and did not bring much silver.
He gave Ye Chutang all the change in his purse and the two fifty-liang silver notes in his arms.
Ye Chutang didn't think it was too little. After taking the change and banknotes, he slung the bag over his shoulder.
"Walk……"
Before he could even utter the word "bar", Chen Zhong rushed into the village, sweating profusely.
"Master, something terrible has happened!"
Ye Jingchuan frowned, "What happened to make you so panicked?"
After Chen Zhong took a breath, he said, "Master, the wheat in the warehouse is gone."
After he went to the village to inquire about the eldest lady's affairs, he passed by the warehouse on his way back to the village.
It was rainy a few days ago and he was worried that the wheat would get damp, so he wanted to go and take a look.
As a result, when the door of the warehouse was opened, it was empty, without a single grain of wheat.
After Ye Jingchuan heard Chen Zhong's words, six words emerged in his mind.
Collective embezzlement!
The warehouse had people on duty in shifts, and if everyone hadn't conspired together, it would have been impossible to transport the full warehouse of wheat silently.
How dare he steal from him!
At this time, Uncle Fu, who was guarding the warehouse, also came.
He was sweating and panting, his face was extremely pale, and he staggered over to Ye Jingchuan and knelt down.
"I failed to take good care of the grain. Please punish me, sir."
Ye Jingchuan looked at Uncle Fu coldly, "Two hundred dan of wheat, just gone like that?"
(Assumption: one stone is about 150 jin, and coarse grain can be sold for 1 liang of silver)
Ye Chutang looked at Ye Jingchuan who seemed to want to eat people, and thought to himself.
Fortunately, she had kept a trick up her sleeve and dug a tunnel, otherwise she would have harmed the only member of the Ye family who was nice to the original owner.
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