Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity
Chapter 132 - 57 Won’t Ignore

Chapter 132: Chapter 57 Won’t Ignore

"Dad!" Gu Xi slightly parted her lips, not sure what to say. Before coming, she had told her husband that it would be better for both of them to come together! But her husband insisted on begging his mother and refused to come to the Gu Family. She knew he couldn’t bring himself to ask her parents for money, but what good would it do to beg his mother? Even if his mother had money, would she really pool together eighteen taels for him? Not to mention, his mother wouldn’t give it to him at all.

"Elder sister! Dad is right. For such a big matter like borrowing money, shouldn’t brother-in-law come along? It’s getting dark, and he lets you, a woman, walk back to your maternal home alone. How does he feel assured?" This time Gu Chengyi also agreed with his father. Eighteen taels of silver! Brother-in-law just let elder sister come back alone to borrow it? Is this not bowing his head?

Is there such a good deal in the world? His elder sister coming back to borrow money, are they even planning to pay it back? But this tax is the Old Wang Family’s responsibility; it’s unreasonable for the Gu Family to pay for the Old Wang Family, right? The Gu Family doesn’t have just this one in-law; if both daughters-in-law’s families come to borrow, do they lend or not? How can they have so much money to lend?

Gu Chengyu thought it over carefully; the money would certainly have to be lent, but how to lend it, the Wang Family would have to provide a plan, right? Although Gu Chengyu didn’t care much about that amount of money, it didn’t hurt to give it out. However, the Gu Family didn’t have much money, and they had several in-laws. If they all came to borrow, how would it be handled? Moreover, after all, this isn’t just brother-in-law’s matter; does the Wang Family intend not to contribute even a single tael?

"Elder sister! When you came out, did your father-in-law and mother-in-law know?" Gu Chengyu planned to ask clearly, fearing that the Wang Family really intended to have the Gu Family pay.

"Ah? They know! Your brother-in-law dragged me to plead with the in-laws; they wouldn’t relent, so I came back to borrow money." In fact, Gu Xi didn’t mention that her in-laws directly yelled for her to come back and ask, claiming her maternal family got rich but didn’t care for her at all, not gaining any benefits. Her mother-in-law stubbornly insisted she had no money and told her to come back and ask.

Hearing this, Gu Chengyu knew the Wang Family probably noticed that the Gu Family had bought land in Xialing Village recently and thought they had money, hence wouldn’t part with a single coin. Even if they emptied their savings, they still couldn’t gather enough, but whether they gave anything was a matter of attitude; could they really rely on his family instead?

"Xi Zi, you can’t make this decision. Stay home tonight, and first thing in the morning, I’ll take you back, bringing your eldest brother and them, to see what your in-laws have to say. Although you split from the family, the corvée duty isn’t just your family’s responsibility; your in-laws are clearly scheming against the Gu Family! You have to know, the Gu Family doesn’t have just your in-laws; if we readily provide, and others come to borrow, it wouldn’t be right to refuse. But, the Gu Family doesn’t have so much money! The money from selling ginseng, after buying land and needing to build a house, combined with the family’s taxes, leaves very little.

Mr. Gu thought for a while and still felt he couldn’t let the Wang Family take advantage for free. His eldest daughter was part of the Wang Family, not of the Gu Family. Tomorrow he planned to go back with Gu Xi; he would provide the money, but the Wang Family wouldn’t get away without pitching in a single coin.

"Dad! The money..." Gu Xi was still worried that her father wouldn’t be willing to give the money.

"Don’t worry about the money. The son-in-law won’t go for corvée duty, that’s for sure, so you just stay home at ease. Eldest, tonight let your wife and Xi Zi squeeze together for a night. You go squeeze with the third and Fourth. Tomorrow morning, I’ll have Old Wang take Xiao Bao to town for school, and you and the second will go with me to take Xi Zi back. Xi Zi, back when you split from the family, no one called us to be present. After you came back that year, you didn’t appear to want us to stand up for you, so I didn’t bring it up. But you must remember, you are still a daughter who left the Gu Family; I won’t leave you alone, not to mention the many brothers in our family.

Mr. Gu knew that ever since he married Mrs. Lv, the previous children became distant from him. He admitted he had been partial at times, but he never neglected these children. Back when the family was poor, he also arranged marriages for the eldest and second daughters-in-law. During Gu Xi’s wedding, he didn’t demand a large dowry because he saw that the Old Wang Family had fewer siblings, and Wang Quanshou was quite honest; that’s why Gu Xi was married off.

"Yes! Dad!" Gu Chengli replied. He wasn’t one to say pretty things; at home, Dad managed everything, and he believed Dad wouldn’t ignore Xi Zi.

"Yes, elder sister! We don’t care what kind of schemes the Wang Family is playing. If they ask the elder of the Wang Family to go, that’s their business. But you are linked to the Gu Family by blood; a daughter from the Gu Family is no pushover." Gu Chengyi also persuaded Gu Xi, believing that their Dad would definitely provide the money. Dad just wanted to go to the Wang Family to get an explanation and also show everyone that the Gu Family didn’t have much money, so they should stop eyeing their silver.

"You make it sound so easy. That’s a lot of money, eighteen taels! Once again, wanting the Gu Family to pay! Even if we have substantial assets, it wouldn’t be enough for everyone to take. If you give it to Xi Zi today, what if all the relatives come asking tomorrow?"

Mrs. Lv was a bit angry seeing Mr. Gu and the others took up the matter again; Xiao Bao, no matter how many ideas he had, wouldn’t earn enough money for this family to keep splurging. The family was currently relying on Xiao Bao to make ends meet, having no money apart from what Xiao Bao earned. If it continued like this, the entire family assets would be depleted.

"I have a plan for this matter. Alright! Everyone is tired. Let’s all go and rest!" Mr. Gu had to deal with Mrs. Lv later, so he sent the others away first.

"Sister-in-law, stay at our place tonight! Come on!" Mrs. Fang, usually low-key, stepped forward to take Gu Xi back to rest when the discussion concluded.

Gu Xi, though still a bit uneasy, knew her Dad had an idea and could only follow Mrs. Fang to rest, leaving the rest to be discussed the next day. But not having borrowed the silver yet, she still felt unsettled.

Gu Chengyi and his wife returned to the west wing; He closed the door and saw the two sons playing on the kang, and then sat by the edge.

"Dad of the kids? Why do you think Dad is so generous this time, agreeing as soon as elder sister came to borrow?" He was a bit perplexed; with so much money, Dad agreed to lend it?

"Elder sister is his daughter; Dad couldn’t possibly watch brother-in-law go to his death, right? If brother-in-law really got in trouble, would the Wang Family care for the orphaned and widowed? Dad certainly wouldn’t just sit and watch." Gu Chengyi had already washed up earlier, and now, taking off his shoes, he lay on the kang.

"Do you think if all the money is lent to elder sister, our family might not have money to build the house?" Mrs. Lv was worried that the beautiful green brick big-tiled house would not be built, and they wouldn’t live in such a nice house in the future.

"Why worry about things like that, woman? The house will surely be built." Gu Chengyi estimated there should still be some surplus money to build the house. After all, even though he wanted to build two courtyards, they weren’t as big as those in the town or county, with fewer rooms as well.

"Oh dear! Just the thought of the bright, spacious tiled house makes anyone loath to live in the cramped and hot small rooms. Hey, the kid’s dad, you see, the money left should be enough, but what about my elder brother? He too will have to serve corvee duty, and my mother only has him as a son."