章節 7: Chapter 3: The 500 Taels of Silver Problem_2
Old Master Lian fell silent for a long while, "No matter what you all are planning, the matter of the Jade Pendant should not be kept from the Song Family. Otherwise, even if the marriage takes place, there will be chaos afterwards."
Lian Huahua lifted her head, "Grandfather, actually, Young Master Song already knows about it."
Everyone turned to look at Lian Huahua.
Lian Huahua's eyes shifted as she spoke, "I sent a message to Young Master Song, and he said he doesn't blame me. Old Madam Song also nodded her approval. However, this matter cannot be brought into the open, and for now, other members of the Song Family must not know."
"When did you speak to Young Master Song, how come I..." Lian Xiuxiu said.
"It was while Dad and Mom went to Prefecture City, I took the opportunity to send the letter." Lian Huahua quickly explained, glancing at Lady Gu with the corner of her eye.
"Yes, it was the day I and the old master met Young Master Song," Lady Gu hurriedly said, "This matter is something we understand without saying between our family and the Song Family, but there are too many talkers in their household, and we fear gossip. Therefore, we need to replace the Jade Pendant first and save face for both families."
"Is that how it is?" Old Master Lian asked Lian Shouren.
"Yes, Father, that's exactly how it is," Lian Shouren said.
"Even if you don't care for your granddaughter, your eldest son has been studying hard for so many years, and he finally can make something of himself, do you have the heart to hinder that?" Lady Zhou said.
"If this causes the marriage to be called off, I won't be able to live either."
Lian Huahua started crying and threatened to seek death, but was naturally stopped by Lian Xiuxiu. Lady Gu, Lian Huahua, Lian Xiuxiu, and Lian Duoduo hugged each other and burst into loud sobs.
"Mom, won't you say something?" Lian Xiuxiu said while crying, looking at Lady Zhou.
"Old man, it has already come to this. They are still your sons and granddaughters, aren't they? Your heart isn't made of stone. If you can bear it, I cannot. If something happens to Huahua, I, an old woman, won't want to live either," Lady Zhou pointed at Old Master Lian and said.
"Why aren't we eating yet, what's with all the crying?" The curtain was lifted and Lian Shouyi, the Lian Family's Second Son, swaggered in from outside. Trailing behind him was a short and plump woman, Lady He, Lian Shouyi's wife, who led their young daughter Lian Yaya, who was just nine years old this year. Mother and daughter were both dressed in brand-new silk-cotton jackets and skirts.
"Why is Huahua crying? She's about to get married, what will you do if your eyes are swollen from crying?" As soon as Lady He entered the room and saw Lian Huahua crying, she started chiding in a thorny tone, "Isn't Manman alive now? Let the Sun Family take her away tomorrow, won't that settle everything!"
The loud voice was exactly what she heard when she had just woken up, the woman who wanted to have her buried, Lian Manman's face turned dark.
"Second sister-in-law, Dad just said that we won't let Manman go," Lady Zhang said, holding Lian Manman tightly.
"What? Did you both not agree earlier? Why go back on your word now?" Lian Shouyi pointed at Lian Shouxin and chastised.
"Manman died once already, we can't do this anymore," Lian Shouxin said with a flushed face and a muffled voice.
Lian Manman surveyed the people in the room. The Lian Family was now divided into two camps, one was for selling Lian Manman to save Lian Huahua, and by doing so, support the Eldest of the Lian Family. This camp included Old Lady Lian Zhou, Lian Xiuxiu, Lian Family Main Wife, and Lian Family Second Wife. The other camp had only Lian Shouxin and Lady He. This was achieved through Lian Manman's threat of death.
The decision maker was Old Master Lian. Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang were Lian Manman's biological parents. She still needed to add fuel to the fire.
The Lian Family Main Wife had made a considerable effort for this matter, as could be seen from the attire of a few people in the room.
"Aunt Xiuxiu's clothes are so pretty, they're new, aren't they?" Lian Manman put on a dumbfounded expression, gazing eagerly at Lian Xiuxiu's embroidered jacket.
Lian Xiuxiu caressed her clothes lovingly, snorted, and couldn't be bothered with Lian Manman.
Lian Manman, of course, didn't take it to heart; she turned again to look at Lady He, "The new clothes of Aunt Xiuxiu and Sister Yaya are also beautiful. Aunt, dressed like this, you truly look like a fairy."
"Really? I must say, you little girl have some taste." Lady He laughed proudly, "All these years, it's only this year that I've gotten these two pieces." Her words seemed to imply a lingering dissatisfaction.
"These two pieces, combined, are still not worth as much as Aunt Xiuxiu's single piece." Lian Manman's mind raced, and she added.
Lady He, Lady Gu, and Lian Huahua all changed expressions.
"Dad, Mom, did Eldest Aunt also buy you new clothes?" Lian Manman turned her head and smiled while looking at Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang. This couple seemed a bit naive; she had to make her point clearer.
Lady Zhang burst into tears with a loud cry, then suddenly fell to her knees on the ground, Lian Shouxin following suit.
"Dad, Mom, Manman is your own granddaughter too!"
"You beast!" Old Master Lian shouted angrily, swinging his dry tobacco pipe towards Lian Shouren.
"Old man, have you gone mad? Why are you hitting your oldest son!" Lady Zhou rushed forward to intervene.
"Why should I hit him? You ask him, what has he done? Has he been fair to Old Fourth?" Old Master Lian pushed Lady Zhou aside and continued to lash out at Lian Shouren.
A cracking sound was heard as the tobacco pipe broke in two. Old Master Lian wanted to hit him again, but Lady Zhou had already shielded Lian Shouren with her body.
"If you want to hit him, you might as well kill me first!"
Old Master Lian, after all, couldn't bring himself to hit his old wife and threw aside the half of the tobacco pipe he was holding, heaving a deep sigh.
"Dad, your son knows his mistake. Please have pity on me, I've occupied the cold bench for twenty years... Things have come to this...," Lian Shouren suddenly knelt down in front of Old Master Lian, clutching at his legs, and crying loudly.
Lady Gu and Lian Huahua also knelt down before Old Master Lian, bowing their heads and quietly wiping tears.
"Bring Old Three and his wife here," Old Master Lian instructed Lian Shouyi after lowering his head in thought, then, turning towards the kang bed, "Old Fourth and his wife, stand up, I won't retract what I said just now."
Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang slowly got to their feet.
"Dad..." Lian Shouren hugged Old Master Lian's leg, crying and calling out again.
"Enough with the tears, I know everything," Old Master Lian, with his eyes closed, gently patted Lian Shouren on the shoulder.
Lian Shouren immediately stopped crying. Lady Gu and Lian Huahua, heads bowed, exchanged glances and inwardly rejoiced.
After a while, Lian Shouli, the third son of the Lian Family, and his wife, Lady Zhao, followed Lian Shouyi into the room.
"You all know what has happened in the family, so I'll spare the details. Now that I have called you all here, let's discuss how we can come up with five hundred taels of silver," he said.
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