After Xie Yushu spoke, Old Madam Xiao, Xiao Yuanhang, and Xie Yujiao were no longer so arrogant.
Xiao Yuanhang even forced a smile, probably trying to force a fake one, but he couldn't manage it, so he could only say in a low voice...
"I'm just being straightforward and don't consider you outsiders, why are you holding a grudge!"
At that time, reputation was of utmost importance. Whether it was the imperial examination or the selection of officials, reputation was highly valued. Reputation was especially important for Xiao Yuanhang, who had no connections or background. Even if you were well-educated and someone wanted to recommend you, they would still thoroughly investigate your family background and character. If you were known for being filial and righteous, you would be given priority in the recruitment process.
The purpose of recommending people for filial piety and integrity is to recommend those who are filial, loyal, honest, upright, and of good character.
Xiao Yuanhang's character is far from good. Although he passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, if he were to make a name for himself by bullying and insulting his elder sister-in-law, his career would be over. In the past, Li Shi and the others did not dare to say anything, but he was used to being arrogant. Now that Xie Yushu has taken it to heart, her tough attitude has awakened him!
However, he really didn't want to spend any money. Now that Qiu Hong was pregnant, he had to support two families. How much money would be enough? Ten taels of silver would be enough to support Qiu Hong for half a year!
So they had no choice but to ask Old Man Xiao and Old Mrs. Xiao for help, hoping they could suppress Xie Yushu.
Old Man Xiao and Old Mrs. Xiao were silent for a while before speaking to Xiao Yi.
"Second brother, our family is counting on the fourth brother to bring honor to the family. It's one thing if you're incompetent, but you also let your wife hold you back. Are you even a man? You can't even manage a household!"
"My son is incompetent. Now he has to rely on Xie Shi for food; he really can't support her family!"
Xiao Yi said without looking up.
"Nothing else matters, just give me the money! Besides, I'm in a bad mood right now and can't take any more insults. If anyone dares to say anything unpleasant, I'm going to report them!"
Xie Yushu urged him without any politeness.
The series of greetings that Old Mrs. Xiao and Xie Yujiao wanted to say were swallowed back, and they glared angrily!
Helpless, Xiao Yuanhang could only complain that he still had a use for his money and asked the old man to lend him some first.
Old Man Xiao had no choice but to ask Old Madam Xiao to give him the money. Old Madam Xiao was reluctant to part with it and didn't want to move for a long time. Xie Yushu stood up and said, "In that case, I can only go back to my parents' home and talk to them!"
"Stop right there! Here you go!"
However, you still need to prepare a dowry for Yanzi, so use this money to settle the debt! It's a perfect match, no more debts!
You all look so beautiful!
"As for how a sister-in-law should give her dowry, there are precedents and precedents. I will compare with other families and give her more, not less. If I don't get the money you owe me today, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Remember this: if I'm not happy, nobody else will be!
"You! Here you go! Give me the money and get out!"
Old Mrs. Xiao reluctantly threw out ten taels of silver and two five-tael silver ingots, which made Xiao Yan and Xie Yujiao's eyes widen. They wished they could rush up and snatch them away, but in the end they didn't dare to move. Xie Yushu quickly put them away and pulled Xiao Yi away!
Seeing Xie Yushu and Xiao Yi leave, Xiao Dayong also stood up and said...
“I’m not capable. Since my parents insist that I pay for the dowry, Li and I can only try our best to earn it. From now on, Li and I will go out and find work, and we’ll earn whatever we can. As for the fourth son’s land, let them take it themselves. We’re busy earning a dowry for Xiao Yan, so we really can’t worry about these things!”
"Brother, I have to go to the county school tomorrow morning. How can I possibly collect the land? You can find work after you've finished collecting it!"
Upon hearing that he was to take over the land himself, Xiao Yuanhang immediately refused.
Xiao Dayong remained unmoved.
"Then let your father-in-law, brother-in-law, and brother-in-law come and help out. Look at other families, don't they all have their brothers-in-law come to help out too?"
What Xiao Dayong said is true, but people there help each other out. Most of the time, the daughter and son-in-law go to the father-in-law's house first, and after they finish their work, the brother-in-law and sister-in-law come back to help. Xiao Yuanhang has never even been to the fields, and he hasn't done any work at his own house. How could he possibly do work for Xie Yujiao's family?
Xiao Dayong ignored all of that, called Li Shi and the three children and left, not even paying attention to the old lady's curses!
Xiao Yuanhang was so angry he could only glare helplessly, and finally threw out a sentence at Xie Yujiao.
"Go back to your parents' house this afternoon and ask your eldest brother, second brother, and third brother to come and help with the harvest!"
He went back to his room in a huff.
Xie Yujiao, upon hearing this, waved her handkerchief and said...
"My older brother and his family don't have the time. My parents still have to harvest the autumn crops themselves!"
Seeing that Xie Yujiao dared to throw a tantrum at her, Old Mrs. Xiao thought to herself that all her exploitation of her eldest and second sons was for their sake, and angrily scolded her.
"So what do you want? Do you want your fourth son to stop studying and stay home with you to harvest the harvest? You don't want him to become a scholar's wife anymore?"
"It's been so many days, your parents should have finished harvesting by now. Go back this afternoon and have your mother come help you with the harvest!"
Xie Yujiao knew that the old man and woman were their support. Even if they couldn't control the eldest and second sons' families for the time being, once the Xiao Yan incident was over, the old woman would definitely still have to keep the eldest and second sons' families in check to support the fourth son and his family. So, she waved her handkerchief, supported her waist, and went back to her parents' home to find someone.
Xie Yujiao cursed as she walked, blaming Xiao Yan for demanding such a large dowry. If it weren't for Xiao Yan's insistence on a grand wedding for her, forcing the eldest and second sons' families to ask for dowries, the two families wouldn't have fallen out. Not only did she have to pay ten taels of silver in compensation, but Xiao Dayong and Li Shi also stopped working for them!
That's right. Although it was Old Man Xiao who repaid the ten taels of silver he borrowed from Xie Yushu, Xie Yujiao believed from the bottom of her heart that in the end, all the money that Old Man Xiao and Old Madam Xiao had was still Xiao Yuanhang and his wife's money. So she felt even more heartache than Old Madam Xiao.
Along the way, she cursed Xiao Yan, then Xie Yushu, then Li Shi, and when she got home, she told her parents what had happened. Her mother, Ma Shi, was naturally unhappy when she heard that her husband and son were to work for the Xiao family, so she urged Xie Yujiao to...
"Your husband will be going back to the county school tomorrow. You'll stay home for a few days. With both of you away, will your in-laws just stand by and watch the grain rot in the fields? They'll definitely find someone to harvest it themselves!"
Your brothers just finished harvesting their own grain and are exhausted. They can't possibly go to work for the Xiao family. We'll send your eldest nephew to the Xiao family later and tell them you've had a miscarriage and aren't feeling well, so you need to rest at home for a few days. We'll take care of you. You can't go anyway; you're carrying the Xiao family's child, what can they do to you?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Yujiao thought it was a good idea, so she sent her nephew to deliver the message and settled down at her parents' home with a clear conscience.
When Old Man Xiao and Old Woman Xiao heard that the Xie family wasn't coming, they knew that Xie Yujiao was up to something. They were furious and raged for a long time. But Xiao Dayong, Li Shi, and their three children were nowhere to be seen all day, and they were reluctant to hire anyone. In the end, Old Man Xiao and Widow Liu had no choice but to go to the fields to harvest the autumn crops.
To earn those two hundred copper coins, Widow Liu had been working like a slave at the Xiao family's house these past few days. From dawn till dusk, she would go to the Xiao family's old house to boil water and cook, then clean the table, wash dishes, feed the chickens and ducks, sweep the yard, clean up chicken droppings, wash everyone's clothes, massage Old Mrs. Xiao, massage Xie Yujiao, cook lunch, clean the table, and in the afternoon, she would massage Old Mrs. Xiao again, and occasionally massage Xie Yujiao and Xiao Yan as well. If Xie Yujiao caused trouble, she had to serve her extra!
She also gets scolded every now and then, and she's had enough of it!
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