The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 121: Private Stash

Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Private Stash

"Pah! That bunch of heartless whelps in our family only think about how they can plunder from us elders for their own benefit every day. Give us money? Don’t dream of it! If it were in the past, I, your mother, might have turned a blind eye, but now with the situation at home, your eldest brother needs silver coin every day just to keep his life, the family’s silver is spent like running water, and you can’t even hear a sound as it goes."

"This is what I found today when I took advantage of the first wife’s room being empty and the door open—I went in and took a look. That cheap wench Lady Lin didn’t hide her jar well, just buried it next to the kang’s hole. Probably too hurried, the soil wasn’t even firmly packed down, and wouldn’t you know, your mother found it?"

Old Granny Zhang still had a touch of smugness.

"Mother—" Wang Yongzhu was speechless. What kind of situation was this?

"Ever since Eldest Brother was injured, we’ve lost so much silver coin. If I hadn’t found this private money jar, there’s no way that cheap wench Lady Lin would have taken it out herself; she’d only think about fishing for the family’s silver coin to spend! Later on, when the family is drained dry, wouldn’t she be the one enjoying the good life with her hidden money? Let her dream on!" Old Granny Zhang curled her lips, as if forking over her own silver was like cutting out her own heart. Why should Lady Lin be allowed to save private money?

"But, mother, what if it’s discovered? It wouldn’t be good to get out, would it? Where is it heard that a mother-in-law takes away her daughter-in-law’s private money? Mother, aren’t you afraid of what others will say?" Wang Yongzhu was truly at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

A mother-in-law digging up her daughter-in-law’s private money and word getting out would become a joke in the village, oh!

"Afraid of what? As long as we have the silver in hand, it’s fine. People’s mouths are on their own faces—they can say what they want, it won’t cost me a piece of flesh. Besides, according to the old traditions of Qilidun, as long as parents are alive, the family does not divide. Unmarried children, apart from the bride’s dowry, are not allowed to accumulate private money! When Lady Lin married over, aside from two worn out pieces of clothing, she had nothing. She had no dowry, so the saved money is all the Wang Family’s! No matter how you argue this point, I am not afraid! Do you think that cheap wench Lady Lin, upon finding out, would dare to argue with me? If she does make a fuss, I’d slap her in the face and ask her, with your father and me still alive, what private wealth is she squirreling away? Her own man is hurt so badly and yet she clings to her private money and doesn’t take it out—is she hoping to wait till her man dies to find another husband?"

"Me confiscating her private money hasn’t been used for anything else, it’s still for your eldest brother’s sake. The meat is still rotting in our pot. With Lady Lin out of money, wouldn’t she have to serve Eldest Brother honestly? This way, there won’t be any trouble from her in the future!"

Old Granny Zhang was self-righteously confident. After her words, it almost seemed wrong of Lady Lin. With Eldest Brother injured, as the eldest sister-in-law, she should naturally spend her own money first before the family chips in.

For Lady Lin to hide her private money and rely entirely on the family’s resources seemed really unreasonable to parents-in-law, didn’t it?

Moreover, from Old Granny Zhang’s perspective, she was guarding against Lady Lin considering Eldest Brother a lost cause, ready to step on him and remarry with her private savings in tow?

Thinking this way, it did seem somewhat reasonable.

Wait—no! That’s not right!

Wang Yongzhu, you need to wake up! Think about the education you received, okay? Even with your own parents, you can’t just take without asking, right?

Wang Yongzhu shook her head, feeling that the Power Pill must be toxic for her brain to be so muddled that Old Granny Zhang almost brainwashed her.

"Mother, I still feel that this is not quite right—" But in the moment, she couldn’t find a convincing reason to persuade Old Granny Zhang.

"Afraid of what? Mother will cover for anything! Look how scared you’ve become! Alright, just pretend you know nothing about this. Let me first see just how much private money that black-hearted Lady Lin has squirreled away behind my back," Old Granny Zhang opened the jar, peeked inside, and then dumped all the copper coin out in one go.

The coins clattered across half of the kang bed.

Old Granny Zhang’s eyebrows immediately shot up, "What a traitor who reaps without sowing, an ungrateful wretch raised in vain! Oh, she enjoys the best our Wang Family has to offer while hiding so much money behind my back? Eldest Brother, that bastard, pays lip service to filial piety towards me, but he drinks from the same bowl as that cheap wench Lady Lin—they’re both false in their filial piety! If he was truly filial, would he hide so much silver from me?"

The more she saw, the angrier she got. At this moment, Old Granny Zhang wished she could go back to the moment Wang Jiafu was born to strangle that unfilial son and be done with it.

While cursing, she kept counting the strings of copper coins in her hand, each one polished to a shine by Lady Lin.

Old Granny Zhang casually grabbed the tunic that Wang Yongzhu had given to Wang Yongping, which hadn’t been mended yet, wrapped up the copper coins, and handed them to Wang Yongzhu, "Keep this for mom first!"

With that, she picked up the jar and headed out the door.

Clutching the bundle of copper coins, Wang Yongzhu felt as if she were holding a pile of explosives – truly unsure where to put her hands or feet.

In her hesitation, she heard Wang Laozhu’s voice coming from outside the courtyard, "Come, come in and have a seat! We owe today’s successful resolution to the Clan Leader and all the helpful folks here. Our family may not have much to offer, but we’ve got some humble wine and, in a while, I’ll have them whip up a few dishes. I’ll have Laosan and Laosi keep everyone company and share a good drink—"

By the sound of it, Wang Laozhu was bringing back those who had helped the Wang Family during the incident, including the Clan Leader, to have a meal as a token of gratitude.

She became even more afraid of letting the bundle in her hands be seen.

Without a choice, Wang Yongzhu stuffed the copper coins into the bottom of the chest and locked it, finally feeling less guilty.

When guests arrived at home, it was customary for the family members to come out to greet them, especially with the Clan Leader paying a visit.

At the moment, there were only Old Granny Zhang, Wang Yongzhu, and Lady Jiang at home while Wang Laozhu and the others were followed by a considerable number, bustling into the courtyard which soon filled up.

Luckily, Wang Yongping had already prepared the wine and cut up two pounds of meat, as well as brought back the half-plate of tofu left over from the tofu stall, just in time to meet them at the entrance.

Hearing the commotion, Old Granny Zhang hurriedly tidied her clothes and emerged from the inner room. She greeted the Clan Leader and a few of the family elders and relatives inviting them to sit in the main hall. The younger members, naturally, did not sit with the elders and casually spread out to chat in various spots around the courtyard.

She then instructed Lady Jiang to serve the guests brown sugar tea and, taking the meat dishes and the wine, she entered the kitchen.

Wang Yongzhu, naturally, couldn’t stay inside anymore; that would be too impolite.

She rushed out and confidently called out greetings, also helping Lady Jiang and Jinhua to serve each person a bowl of brown sugar water.

In the countryside, this already considered treating the guests with the highest regard.

Wang Yongan looked at Wang Yongzhu in astonishment. In the past, whenever there were guests, this little sister of his would never come out to greet them, hiding in the house instead.

Even food and drink had to be brought into her – how had she changed so suddenly today? Especially taking the initiative to serve tea and water?

Caught off-guard, he absently accepted the brown sugar water, took a gulp of the scalding liquid, and his face instantly contorted. It took him a long moment to recover.

Wanting to lash out yet mindful of his image, Wang Yongan could only glower at Jinhua, who had served him the brown sugar water, frightening her so much that she hurriedly slammed the remaining bowl onto the table and scurried out with her head down.

Wang Laozhu felt a distaste at Jinhua’s lack of decorum and couldn’t help but voice a couple of words, "The child at home doesn’t know any better, I apologize for the neglect—"