Arduous task

  It's said that the wealthy family of Jin and Yu still has some thin assets, and Yuan Zhanggui is also considered an acquaintance. The crowd nodded in agreement, giving Liu Yuan a bit of face, and ran to another table to start registering.

  In Liu Yuan's words, "no proof of death" means that even if you return the money, it must be verified one by one.

  Everyone agreed with this statement, and they all handed over the borrowed documents, IOUs, and paintings to Liu Yuan for verification, and then registered them one by one as evidence.

  Chen's Store 150 Taels

  Chen Li's Tea Shop 36 ounces

  Butcher Boss Niu Dachun 3 strings of zeros and 18 cents

  Fifty taels outside of Zhou Yuan

  Sun Lao Cai 30 taels

  .......

  .......

  These numbers added up to a total, and Liu Yuan was shocked. The scattered amounts added up to nearly 500 taels of silver that his "good master" and the good father of his daughter-in-law owed him.

  Five hundred taels is a concept, roadside small tea stalls, sugar water shops, small restaurants, and small wine houses have an income of about 10 taels per month. Working as a waiter in a medium-sized inn, the monthly salary is about 2 taels, but it requires being clever and capable; A family of four living comfortably spends only about 5 taels of silver per month, while buying a pretty little maid costs around 12 taels.

  Five hundred taels, that's how much Liu Yuan and Xiao Niang went to work as servants, not eating or drinking for over ten years just to pay off the debt. In between, they couldn't eat or drink, get sick, or have their wages deducted. The once prosperous and wealthy family turned out to be a hollow shell, because Liu Yuan had investigated before that Zhao Yuan and Li Fang had embezzled things worth around four hundred taels.

  No wonder Mr. Yuan has been in a bad mood lately, it turns out that he was insolvent from an early stage and has been making ends meet by robbing Peter to pay Paul.

  What's most hateful is that he still indulges in luxuries, eating the finest food, wearing the best clothes, and even his tea leaves are of the highest quality, not a single cheap one. And among them, there are many IOUs with exorbitant interest rates, as if he had been preparing to abscond for a long time.

  Liu Yuan glanced at the coffin placed in the center of the shop, thinking to himself: You're really something, dying and leaving everything behind. Do you know that your good daughter, Xiaoniang, will have a hard time dealing with this mess?

  No one knew how much money that Yuan Zhanggui owed in total. When the result came out, everyone gasped and was shocked.

  "Alright, kid, you've counted the money and checked the receipts one by one. No problems, right? Then let's settle up." Zhang Lao Cai, who was holding the money, tapped on the table and gave a gloomy stare.

  He looks like he can't get the money, and immediately grabs the person and sells him off.

  "Yes, now it's clear after checking, can I return the money?"

  "Pay your rent already, if not then get out immediately."

  "My money will be returned with interest, it's also beneficial for you if I return it early."

  "If you don't return the money, I'll get someone to move everything here, whatever can be moved."

  After checking one by one, they started asking for money.

  The little girl beside him had already closed her eyes, five hundred taels, for himself, that was an absolutely huge sum of money, let alone five hundred taels, even fifty taels or five taels were hard to take out now.

  Five hundred taels is enough for a family of four to live comfortably for about ten years, how can two children who are only twelve or thirteen years old take it out?

  No matter how beautifully you talk, if you can't produce any money, everything is fake.

  Money is the most honest thing.

  Everyone is mixed here, most of them know each other, the bottom line of a noble family has long been figured out by these people. When it comes to paying back money, there's no room for negotiation.

  If it were someone else, they would have panicked long ago, but Liu Yuan said calmly:

  "Mr. Chen, our family, the Golden Jade Family, owes your Chen's Store 150 taels, right?"

  Sharp-mouthed Monkey Chen stroked his chin whiskers, nodded and said: "That's right, it's one hundred and fifty taels. What, young fellow, are you preparing to pay back now?"

  Liu Yuan smiled and said, "That's not it, but I remember Master mentioning that this is the end of the month settlement. Now there are still seven or eight days before the end of the month, and you're chasing after money right away, which doesn't seem quite right."

  "But..."

  "We, the Jin family, have also experienced many hardships. But to all of you present here, have we ever lost your trust? No, right? In the past, my father had helped you through a difficult time, otherwise, I'm not sure if there would still be a Chen's store today. Don't worry, Mr. Chen, when the time comes, I will settle accounts with you." Liu Yuan interrupted him, speaking solemnly and resolutely.

  In the face of death, he thought again about the little kindness in the past. Chen Zhanggui bit his lip and finally nodded: "Alright, considering that little incense relationship in the past, I'll pretend to be deceived by you this time. If you don't repay me on time, I'll report it to the official immediately, and you'd better beware of being sued for silver."

  Having said that, he walked away directly.

  The young woman's face lit up with joy, and her biggest creditor left first.

  When Zhou saw the outsider about to speak, Liu immediately interrupted: "Zhou, Sun Lao, I know my family's shopkeeper borrowed money from you, repaying debts is a matter of course, and I have nothing to say. However, I've seen the loan documents, and the repayment date hasn't arrived yet. Since the founding of the Great Tang Dynasty, the country has been prosperous and the people at peace, with precedents and laws to follow. This written agreement clearly states that the repayment date hasn't arrived, so your visit today not only disrespects the deceased but also disregards the law. Can you still claim to have propriety and righteousness in your hearts? Is there a king's decree?"

  Liu Yuan's words scared the two men who were holding the silver ingots, turning their faces white. Isn't it just urging you to return the silver? Why bring up the emperor? That's a serious offense that can lead to confiscation of property and extermination of one's clan.

  "Don't say it so seriously, actually we just came to see off Yuan today." Zhou Yuwai hurriedly said with a smile.

  "It's all right, we are famous for our credit. Since it hasn't expired yet, let's talk about it when it does. My part is due in three days, and I won't be late by a single day. I'll wait until after Brother Yuan's seventh day of mourning, then I'll give you four more days. I'll come again seven days later." Old Zhang said generously.

  Zhou Yuan nodded and said: "Me too, let's wait until after the seventh day of mourning, then we'll visit again. See you later!"

  After finishing speaking, the two of them went through the motions and bowed in the direction of the mourning hall before leaving together.

  As the local snake in the area, anyone who doesn't have a group of thugs under their control would just send two people to guard them. Anyway, they're usually idle and bored, two little kids, where can they run to? Better to do less than more, might as well leave first.

  Liu let out a sigh of relief, two fewer people were coming after him for debt.

  "Hey kid, those ones just now weren't due yet, what about mine? Can I settle up now?" The speaker was a man with a long mustache, Liu Yuan recognized him as Zhang the shopkeeper from Zhang's store.

  "My flesh debt, you said it yourself, can be settled at any time, now is the time, right?"

  Even the tea shop owner, Chen Li, shouted: "Where's my tea money? Everyone knows that our family's boss is a medicine jar, he can't get rid of medicine all year round, don't bully me, a weak woman!"

  "That's it, I can pay back now"

  "When you were in trouble, you asked us to lend you money, and we didn't hesitate. Now that you've got the money back, can't you be a bit more considerate?"

  .......

  .......

  Everyone says one word, I say one sentence, and it seems that if you don't pay back the money, you won't give up.

  Liu Yuan knew that these were not easy to get rid of, because the IOUs of these people did not have a date on them, which meant they could demand payment at any time.

  In total, about 500 taels of silver were owed. Three debt collectors who took the largest share left, with debts of 150 taels, 50 taels and 30 taels respectively, adding up to 230 taels. This means that more than half of the debt still remains unresolved.

  For the wealthy families who are now struggling to take out even five taels of silver, they have yet to fundamentally alleviate their crisis.

  Liu Yuan waved his hand repeatedly, calling out "stop" several times. After everyone stopped discussing, he said with a sincere face: "Uncles, elders, and bosses, thank you for your support to the Jin Yu family all along. I represent the Jin Yu family in thanking you."

  He bowed deeply to the people present, then continued: "A wise man doesn't speak in riddles. This time I'm really sorry to everyone because today we can't scrape together the money. But don't worry, a debt is not cancelled even if someone dies. We won't shortchange anyone a single penny. Fortunately, a camel that's starved to death is still bigger than a horse. The Golden Jade family still has some assets, but selling them will take some time. So here's the deal: after the seventh day of mourning, within five days, we'll sell everything, including myself and my sister-in-law, and we won't shortchange anyone on their silver. Death is more important than anything else; let's just save face for our ancestors' sake and give us a few more days. Who hasn't had a difficult time?"

  It has been three days now, after the seventh day of the death, even if we sell our property, it will take some time to operate, that is, wait for another seven days.

  Liu Yuan's words were sincere, and everyone looked at each other in dismay, for a moment they didn't know what to do.

  "Let's wait for seven days then, it's still a funeral now, Yuan Zhanggui's bones are not yet cold, can't rush the two children to death." They say that women's hearts are made of water, seeing Liu Yuan and Xiao Niang like this, looking at the mourning hall again, Chen Li, who runs the tea shop, shook her head and didn't care about others' reactions, turned around and left.

  "Alright, since it's come to this, let's just get through these seven days."

  "Although I don't quite believe you can raise so much money by then, since it's come to this point, I'll wait for seven days."

  "It's still within the seven-day mourning period, it's indeed a bit excessive, I'll wait too."

  "Come back, come back, leave a thread for all things, and meet again in the future."

  "Others can wait for so many things, mine is just a few dollars, I'll wait too."

  .......

  .......

  At last, the crowd of people who came to collect debts dispersed one by one, and a disaster that seemed imminent was temporarily resolved.

  The young woman's face turned bitter, it was clear that Liu Yuan had exhausted his words, now the funeral of the old man who had passed away could be completed smoothly, at least he could rest in peace. But what about seven days later? Her own situation she knew herself, even if she sold all her pots and pans, she would be lucky to get 100 taels, let alone 400 taels.

  The father's debt is repaid by the son, and if it can't be repaid, even selling oneself is a matter of course. But what about Liu Yuan? This statement has dragged him into the water as well, and he won't be able to escape either.

  "Sorry to trouble you, brother." The young woman pulled on Liu Yuan's sleeve and burst into tears with a complicated expression.

  In her opinion, Liu Yuan was just a temporary measure to let his old man rest in peace first, what's meant to come will still come.

  Liu Yuan stroked her head and said, "Foolish girl, what's this about being implicated or not? Didn't you say you'd cook for me for the rest of my life? We're a family, sooner or later, so what's all this talk about being implicated?"

  "But so much silver"

  .......”

  "Don't worry!" Liu Yuan said calmly: "Leave the money to me, you just take care of the mourning hall, because I have something to do these few days."

  "Ah, doing something?" The little girl looked around in a panic and then lowered her voice to say: "Big brother, are we... going to run away?"

  Five hundred taels, even if they squeezed out all the oil from both of them, it still wouldn't be enough. Borrowing from relatives? That's even more impossible. They didn't have any contact to begin with, not even basic condolences, let alone help in times of need. Besides running away, there really was no other choice.

  But when the time comes, where can the two little guys run to?

  "Run?" Liu Yuan said curiously: "Who says I want to run?"

  "Uh-huh..."

  Liu Yuan said confidently, "I will fill up all the debts within these seven days. I want to make Jinyu World a top-notch gold store in the Great Tang Dynasty within seven years."

  What? Earning over 400 yuan in seven days? Being the industry leader for seven years? Xiaoniang listened to Liu Yuan's words as if they were heavenly scriptures.

  However, Liu Yuan did not respond to Xiaoniang's surprised look, but instead muttered to himself: "Hmm, seven days, the time is a bit tight, the task is a bit daunting, hurry up, should be enough, right."

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