Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 348 - 347: Picking a Quarrel

Chapter 348: Chapter 347: Picking a Quarrel

Hu Laowu sneered, "The old man is right, raising sons to guard against old age. You have your eldest son back, and another at home. Your two sons should ideally care for you in your old age. My older brother’s family should no longer have to provide living for you."

Wang Laohan was in a panic, cried out, "That won’t do!"

Hu Laowu huffed, "You mentioned raising sons to fend off old age. Your sons should thus take care of you. Once your daughter is married, she becomes part of another family."

Luo Yuan also added, "Uncle Wang’s monthly army stipend is only one or two taels of silver. He needs to take care of his wife and children. Even so, he can give you at most, 200 cents a month."

Wang Laohan disbelievingly retorted, "What? Wang Cheng only gets one or two taels of silver a month?"

Wang Cheng coldly replied, "I’m just a stable boy. It’s due to my age and officer’s consideration that I receive such an army stipend. Other soldiers can’t even get as much as I do. If you don’t believe me, go ask the army yourself."

Wang Laohan considered if he accepted Wang Cheng’s pension, his daughter may indeed abandon him. How could 200 cents compare to two taels of silver? He immediately burst into tears and said, "I didn’t come here to ask Cheng for money. He is having a hard time, so he doesn’t need to give me any. I just came to see him. I’ve missed him for more than twenty years, and finally got to see him today."

Seeing this display, any lingering sympathy that Wang Cheng initially had for him utterly cooled down.

Hu Laowu frowned and urged, "Old man, let’s go. Wang Da Ge needs to pack, he’s leaving early tomorrow."

Luo Yuan also chimed in, "Old man, you’ve had your fill of food and wine, you should leave."

Wang Laohan looked at Wang Cheng and said, "Cheng Zi, I don’t want your pension money. I don’t have other hobbies, just like to have a sip of wine..."

Wang Cheng pulled out a tael of silver with a deadpan expression and handed it to him, "Take this to buy some wine."

Wang Laohan joyfully accepted the silver and said, "I don’t need you to provide for me every month, but occasionally give me some money to buy wine. It sounds nice when other people hear about it and also brings you some praises." He then turned to Mrs. Wang and chuckled, "Daughter, I haven’t paid for the ox cart outside yet."

After seeing Wang Laohan off and covering for his cart fare, Hu Laowu returned to the village.

Luo Yuan went back to Lu Garden and gave Wang Cheng 100 taels of silver as farewell gift. Sixty taels were from Marquis Chu, thirty was from Chen Afu, and the other ten taels were from the Luo family.

Wang Cheng and his party were leaving at the break of dawn tomorrow before Chen Afu wakes up, so Luo Yuan delivered the farewell gift in advance.

The Chus were offering such courtesies to Wang Cheng not only because he was Chen Afu’s uncle, but also because he was a hero to the court. He was wronged for more than a decade because his military merits had been usurped by treacherous officials.

Wang Cheng was immensely grateful, "Please thank the Old Marquis for me, Mr. Luo. When I left the Capital city, Third Lady Chu and Madam Lin had already offered me a farewell gift of 100 taels of silver. Now the Old Marquis has gifted me yet again. Our family will never forget the kindness the Chu family has showered us with. I will remember the favors that my nephew showed me for the rest of my life."

Seeing her daughter’s family treating Wang Cheng generously, Mrs. Wang was beaming with joy. This also saves her face as well.

Mrs. Chen had been worried about her son being blackmailed by Wang Laohan, so she did not leave. Instead, she stayed in the east room.

From the room window, she watched as Luo Yuan gave Wang Cheng a hefty sum of silver. She widened her eyes in shock. Good heavens, the Chu family just handed over 160 taels to Wang Cheng.

Remembering what Wang Cheng and Mrs. Wu had vaguely mentioned a couple of days earlier, about Chen Afu buying them a small courtyard in Dingzhou, Old Lady Chen initially thought she had misheard. This uncle had never offered any assistance to Afu and the Chen family took Afu in until he was fifteen years old. Not once did Afu had bought a property for herself, it’s impossible that he would buy one for the Wangs. However, considering what happened today, it was certain that he did purchase the property.

Considering that a small courtyard in Dingzhou would cost nearly 100 taels, plus the silver given by her and the Chus, as well as probably more undisclosed parts, this could amount to 300 taels, or even more.

If Afu has given Wang Cheng so much, then wouldn’t Mrs. Wu, Afu’s own sister, give even more?

Looking at her second son who was simply grinning foolishly at the side, Old Lady Chen’s eyes reddened with sadness.

She did not think poorly of Afu’s treatment towards her and her eldest son without comparison. But upon making this comparison, it appeared as if Afu’s kindness was misdirected. Or perhaps, Mrs. Wang deceived Afu into doing this, keeping it a secret from her own husband.

After Luo Yuan left, Wang Cheng and Mrs. Wu went to the east wing to sort out their things, while Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang returned to the main room. Upon seeing Old Lady Chen sobbing into a handkerchief, they both didn’t inquire.

Chen Ming was shocked and asked, "Mother, what’s wrong? Who upset you?"

Old Lady Chen sobbed, "Who else could it be, but your wife."

Mrs. Wang was startled and hurriedly asked, "Mother, what are you talking about? If there’s anything inappropriate about your daughter-in-law, please tell me."

Old Lady Chen said, "You belong to the Chen family, not the Wangs. Why are you elbowing outwards, desiring Afu’s affection to sway towards the Wangs? The heart of Afu, a daughter married from our Chen family, should be biased towards us, not the Wang family that is a generation apart. How did all the silver and property end up in the Wangs’ possession?"

Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang realized that Old Lady Chen had caught their conversation with Luo Yuan handing over the silver to Wang Cheng.

Chen Ming helped Old Lady Chen sit down and said to Mrs. Wang, "Ji Niang and I will talk properly about this. Why don’t you go help Cheng Organize his things?"

After Mrs. Wang left, Chen Ming said, "Mother, how could Ji Niang and Afu possibly favour the Wang family over our own?"

Then, recounting on his fingers the great amount of support Chen Afu had given to the main household. That 10% stake in the Xinglong wine shop, yielding a few dozen taels of silver last year and is expected to continue indefinitely. Ayu had also said, once they opened a head office in the Capital City, they would receive even more. The seeds that Afu gave to the main house; the western melon crop alone returned several dozen taels of silver last year. The upcoming winter wheat harvest was also due to Afu giving them imported, high-quality seeds. In their store, the Chen family received cost price from Fuyunlai Trading Company. Alongside with the usual gifts they receive..."

All of these amounted to what sort of sum?

Furthermore, what about the third branch? The recipes given by Afu had brought in how much profit for them?

Old Lady Chen scoffed, "Those were earned by our own labour, unlike Wang Cheng who is directly handed silver and properties."

Chen Ming explained, "Wang Cheng is disabled and his wife is incapable of work due to her severe illness. They also have two young children..." Then, helplessly, "Mother, naturally, as your birth son, I will always back you and elder brother. I’ll ensure that you won’t be disadvantaged. With all that Afu’s already given to the Chen family, any notion of repayment is done with. After all, she doesn’t directly belong to us Chens. If we truly break her spirit, we won’t be able to coax her back. Please do not purposely find faults and try to strengthen her bond with elder brother and sister-in-law. This will only be beneficial to us all."

After thinking it through, Old Lady Chen found Chen Ming’s words to be true. Particularly his last few sentences which unsettled her.

She dried her tears and instructed Chen Ming, "I understand. I will also speak to your elder brother more often. However, the issue of Afu giving Wang Cheng silver and properties should be kept from them."