Chapter 59: Helping in Times of Need
But their wish did not come true. Not only did the weather not warm up at all, but it became colder and colder, so cold that it penetrated into the bones. Even if they were wrapped in thick cotton clothes, their teeth were still chattering.
The price of charcoal fluctuated daily, with wooden charcoal soaring to fifty wen, a tenfold increase. Silver charcoal was even more outrageous, reaching twenty taels of silver per tael of charcoal.
When Fang heard the price, she took a deep breath.
She suppressed the sourness that was welling up in her heart and asked her confidant, "Hasn't she made a move yet?"
The confidant replied, "The young lady is very patient and doesn't seem to have any intention of taking action."
Fang's eyes darkened. "Is she not satisfied with this yet and still waiting for a higher price? She's quite ambitious!"
Lu Yingxi felt quite unhappy. "If God is kind, the weather should warm up immediately, and the price of coal will drop, so that her efforts will be in vain."
But would God listen to them? The weather remained cold, even to the point where water would freeze, and the price of charcoal remained high.
One day, Lu Guanxuan returned home feeling cold and went straight to Zhichun Garden.
As I stepped in, the coldness on my body was dispelled by the warm air in the room, and most of the fatigue of the day disappeared in an instant.
Lu Guanxuan has always been steady, but today he was impulsive and rushed. He started urging, "There is something important. Send someone to deliver a few baskets of silver charcoal to the Xing family."
Fang was stunned. "Why would you send charcoal for no reason?"
Now she can't stand hearing the word "charcoal" the most. She feels uncomfortable when she hears it.
Lu Guanxuan patiently explained, "It's cold right now, and the price of charcoal has skyrocketed. Ordinary charcoal is fine, but silver charcoal is a scarce commodity that can't be bought even with money. I heard that the Xing family didn't stock up too much this year, and now it's not enough."
"Old Master Xing has just been ill and can't stand the cold. The Xing family is looking for ways to buy silver-thread charcoal. If we send them a few baskets of silver-thread charcoal at this time, wouldn't that be a timely help?"
"With the favor of recommending the miracle doctor last time, and the kindness of sending charcoal this time, even if Lord Xing has a heart of stone, he will definitely be won over. Then I will have hope of promotion."
Fang was also happy when she heard this.
She was also proud of her husband's promotion.
She immediately ordered her confidant to go and make arrangements.
Lu Yingxi had just walked in and only heard the latter part. She smiled and said, "Daddy, are you getting a promotion? That's great!"
Lu Guanxuan seemed determined to succeed in this matter, but since the matter was still uncertain, he pretended to be serious and gave the warning.
"Don't talk nonsense about something that hasn't happened yet."
Fang knew Lu Guanxuan well, and whenever she spoke, she would tell him what he wanted to hear. "Master, you are too modest. This time we are here to help you in your time of need. This matter will definitely be a sure thing."
Lu Guanxuan stroked his beard, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.
Lu Yingxi has always been sweet-mouthed, so she followed suit in flattering him, and surrounded Lu Guanxuan, asking him about his well-being, her eyes full of admiration, which made Lu Guanxuan feel very comfortable.
I couldn't help but think of Lu Zhiran, and made comparisons in my heart.
"Has Sister Ran come to you to show her filial piety recently?"
Fang smiled softly, "Sister Ran is inevitably feeling down after her divorce and return home. Master, there's no need to be so harsh on her."
These words sounded like an excuse for Lu Zhiran, but in fact they were just a subtle way of flattering her. Lu Guanxuan immediately felt displeased.
Lu Yingxi's eyes rolled, and she smiled and suggested calling Lu Zhiran to have dinner together. Fang immediately sent someone to invite her.
The mother and daughter have been in a bad mood recently, and this is a good opportunity to vent their anger.
When the family was enjoying themselves, the confidant who had gone to get the charcoal came in to report.
"Madam, there is something..."
Fang was displeased. "If you have something to say, just say it directly. Why are you hesitating like this?"
The confidant then spoke, "Mrs. Zhang, who manages the charcoal, said that there are only two baskets of silver charcoal left in the mansion's storehouse. If we send it to the Xing family, we will have nothing left."
Fang was stunned, and Lu Guanxuan was even more shocked.
Lu Yingxi's expression changed subtly.
Lu Guanxuan asked, "Didn't you say you had already purchased and stocked up? How come it's gone now?"
Fang also didn't believe it. "I did buy according to the usual practice in previous years. In previous years, there was enough. How could it be used up so quickly this year? Where is that old woman Zhang? Bring her here!"
Mrs. Zhang crawled in, knelt down and kowtowed.
Fang cast a fierce glance at the person below her, "Did you steal from the mansion and resell the silver charcoal?"
Mrs. Zhang cried out in injustice, "Madam, please understand. Even if I had ten courages, I wouldn't dare to do that."
Fang felt that she had lost face in front of Lu Guanxuan, and her anger grew even more.
"Where did all the silver charcoal in the warehouse go? It's impossible for it to disappear for no reason!"
Mrs. Zhang replied carefully, "This year's weather is colder than in previous years. More charcoal is used in all areas of the mansion, and the silver charcoal is depleting much faster than before."
"There's no way it's going to be used up so quickly!"
Mrs. Zhang looked up and glanced at Lu Yingxi.
Lu Yingxi stood up from her seat, her eyes evasive and her voice stumbling.
"Mother, yesterday several of my good friends came to visit us. They said they were short of silver charcoal, so I took the initiative and gave them two baskets each..."
Lu Yingxi has always had a very good reputation outside. She is kind to others and generous in her actions.
Yesterday, several young ladies came to her house. She thought they came for her, but unexpectedly they came to inquire about Lu Zhiran. They were very curious about her divorce ordered by the emperor.
Lu Yingxi felt depressed for a long time.
Later, a young lady lamented, "The price of silver charcoal has skyrocketed. I've replaced all the charcoal in my house with ordinary charcoal. But Xi'er still uses silver charcoal, and she still has enough of it. The Lu family must have a deep foundation."
Everyone agreed, and their words were full of envy.
Lu Yingxi had regained her face and was quite proud of it. To save face, she generously gave each family two baskets of silver charcoal on the spot, and now she gave away more than ten baskets.
She didn't take it seriously, thinking that if there wasn't enough silver charcoal, she could just buy more.
Little did they know that yesterday's heroic feat was severely slapped in the face today.
Just now, when she heard her parents talking about sending charcoal in the snow, she thought that this charcoal was not that charcoal. Who would have thought that the charcoal they were talking about was actually charcoal.
She also didn't expect that silver charcoal is now out of stock and cannot be bought even with money.
Lu Guanxuan's face instantly turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
Fang never thought that her daughter had also contributed to this matter, but she had to protect her own daughter, so she could only vent her anger on Mrs. Zhang.
"The Second Miss is ignorant, aren't you ignorant too? With such a huge discrepancy in the amount, you didn't even bother to report it to me?"
Mrs. Zhang immediately kowtowed.
"Madam, please understand. When the maidservant next to the Second Young Lady sent someone to fetch charcoal yesterday, I asked a few more questions, but she said the Second Young Lady would report the matter to Madam herself. When I asked more, the maidservant pointed at my nose and scolded me for not knowing the difference between high and low and for even daring to disobey the Second Young Lady's orders..."
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