Stormy weather in the house 026 Cut your flesh

  Qin Zhong's face turned white and then red, "This... really has nothing to do with my son, it was all done by that scoundrel himself."

  "Hmph." Qin Yu sneered, "You did it yourself? I've heard that you've been in charge of the silk shop for the past two years. Don't the monthly accounts always balance? If the accounts don't balance and you didn't ask about it, then it's your dereliction of duty as the person in charge. You'll be responsible for all the losses! So, you must pay back 100 taels!"

  "How dare you speak to Second Uncle like that?" Madam Lü scolded, unable to hold back any longer.

  "Second uncle? Is there such a second uncle?" Qin Yu was unwilling to let go.

  "As an uncle, one should act like an uncle. Otherwise, what can the younger generation learn from? Or is Master Qin trying to protect Second Uncle? If so, just say it outright. Bullying others should be done openly, otherwise, it would make people look down on us and lose face for the entire Qin Manor." Qin Wan looked at Lu Shi bullying her brother alone and couldn't help but sneer in disdain.

  Qin Songtao had been silent all along, his face didn't look good either. He glanced at Qin Zhongju with dissatisfaction and said, "Alright, since the accounts are clear, Second Brother can just compensate according to the price."

  "How is this possible? Where did Lao Er get so much money?" Mrs. Lü almost shrieked.

  The Second House has no extra income, relying solely on the official allowance from the government. In the past, it was always Lu Shi who secretly took out some money to supplement them. In order not to lose face, Qin Zhongju probably used all the money he brought back to dress up his son and daughter.

  Qin Gongxun furrowed his brow, "One hundred taels indeed..."

  "It's really not enough." Xing Huan, who had been quietly sitting on one side, suddenly spoke up. Her clear and tender voice was particularly distinct, and everyone turned to look at her.

  "What about the loss of those hundreds of pieces of cloth that have all gone moldy? Those were all bought by Father and Mother, using our family's silver. In just two years, they've been wasted to almost nothing." Chen Huan opened her big, bright eyes and pouted with her thin lips, "Brother should quickly go take a look at the tea garden and tea shop, who knows how much will be missing there too."

  Her words made Lv Shi and Qin Zhongju tremble all over. The tea garden plus the teahouse, in a year they could get at least three hundred taels.

  Qin Songtao narrowed his eyes and looked at Chen Huan, she was very good at picking fights.

  "Alright, I'll go check right away!" Qin Yu suddenly realized and said, turning around and leaving.

  "Yu'er." Qin Songtao couldn't help but take a step forward and block Qin Yu, "We're all family, let's talk it out properly."

  Qin Yu was on a roll, "How can you say that? All of you want to take advantage of me being the eldest..."

  "How dare you!" Qin Gongxun was furious, including him in the calculation. The Qin family's business in Yuhang was also considerable, did he need to take advantage of his son and daughter-in-law?

  Chen Huan gently pulled at her brother's sleeve and said softly, "Brother, don't worry, Father and Third Uncle care most about the family's reputation and are also the fairest. Second Uncle has no money, so Third Uncle and Father will definitely help make up for it. They won't let outsiders think that the Qin family is bullying us three orphaned children." She looked at Qin Songtang with a pair of innocent eyes, "Third Uncle, Chen Huan respects you the most. Please take charge of us three children who have no parents."

  Qin Gongxun was choked with anger, Sunzi asked his son to take charge, which means that this grandfather is incompetent.

  The self-righteous Qin Songtao, no matter what, couldn't bring himself to lose face, so he nodded and said, "That's natural." His eyes turned cold as he looked at Qin Zhongju, "I'll lend brother 100 taels, the rest mother will have to make up for."

  He's not a scapegoat, why should his mother help him embezzle the money for his second brother?

  "Ah! I'm out?" Mrs. Lü nearly tore the silk handkerchief in her hand to shreds. However, the tea mountain and tea shop's hole was even bigger, and she hastily stood up, "The eldest son is also my son, what's wrong with the son being filial to his mother? Why does he have to return the money from the tea shop to his mother?"

  "Madam, this statement is clearly biased. If we are to show filial piety, it should be voluntary on our part, at least we would have the reputation of being filial. What's going on now? Are we supposed to say that we respect those who rob us?" Qin Wan's clear and pleasant voice made Shen Huan want to applaud in agreement.

  Lowering her eyelids and hiding her smile, she obediently retreated to one side and sat down, leaving it to her elder sister to take the lead.

  "That's enough!" Qin Gongxun couldn't bear it anymore, and stood up with a loud noise. His face was iron-green as he pointed at Qin Zhongju's nose and said, "You're the one who should be accompanying him to sell pots and pans!"

  "Old Master..."

  "Shut up!" Qin Gongxun pointed at Lü Shi, "You! A doting mother spoils her child. He dug his own hole and he should fill it himself. You're not allowed to take out a single penny to bail him out. If you can't afford it, go to jail!"

  Lü was startled and Qin Gongxun had been in a particularly bad temper recently. Seeing that he was truly angry, she didn't dare to speak again.

  Chen Huan stood up, pulling Qin Wan's hand, and said in a childish but clear voice, "In order not to make Grandpa angry and get sick, Second Uncle will just give some casually. What do you think, brother and sister?"

  Qin Yu and Qin Wan looked down at her, what's the big deal? They were originally forcing themselves to be tough and didn't understand how to calculate this account. Their hearts were racing with drums, and they didn't dare raise their heads, lest they see the confusion in their eyes.

  He reluctantly sighed and said, "Three hundred taels then. To give Second Uncle some face."

  Three hundred taels, is it just a matter of face? This has simply stripped Qin Zhong and the Lü family of one layer of skin.

  Lü Shi and Qin Zhongju were almost fainting.

  "That's it!" Qin Gongxun turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.

  Chen Huan and Qin Yu, Qin Wan walked out of the main house with their heads held high, the three siblings exchanged a glance, all seeing the triumphant smile in each other's eyes.

  When parents are in heaven, they will definitely applaud for them.

  "Look! They're simply here to torment me to death!" Lü cursed through gritted teeth.

  Qin Songtao looked at the three silhouettes, narrowed his eyes, turned around, and looked at Lü Shi and Qin Zhongju, frowning. "Mother, if you want me to have a smooth career and have the opportunity to win an imperial edict for you, then don't oppose Shen Huan and the others. Family property should belong to whoever it belongs to, don't look at short-term gains, think about the long-term!"

  Lü Shi wanted to explain, but Qin Songtao waved his hand. "I'll pay 100 taels, and the remaining 200 taels will be paid by your mother and second brother within three days. I also want Xianhuan to write a letter to Ning Dagu for me, to build a bridge and establish a relationship. You weigh what's important and what's not."

  Lü's family stared blankly as Qin Songtao stormed off in anger, feeling a severe headache coming on, and couldn't help but grab the teacup and smash it to the ground, "Bastard!"

  Qin Zhongju cried with a sad face, "Mother..."

  "Damn it!" Lü's anger made her slap the table and shout, "Call your mother, you stupid egg! Have you made any progress at all?"

  Qin Zhong's eyes widened in fright as he shrunk his head, "Mother..."

  Lü glared at his son, who was as different from Qin Songtao as heaven and earth, and sighed helplessly, "Two hundred taels, it's like cutting my flesh!"

  "My son... My son took the jewelry to pawn, he definitely won't let his mother have a hard time." Qin Zhong wiped away tears.

  Mrs. Lü patted him comfortingly, "Oh, Mother isn't unwilling to help you, it's just that there really isn't that much silver available. I'll give you 50 taels, this is the silver your father had me prepare for your third brother to send as a gift to Governor Su."

  Qin Zhong knelt before her, "Mother, I will definitely make you proud."

  Lü pulled him up, "Alright, get up." Danfeng's eyes suddenly changed and revealed a pair of gloomy eyes, "Qin Yu, he has ruined Lü Daoyi's chance to take over the important task from Qiao Shi, he can't be spared!"

  "Yes, Qin Yu is the oldest, these ideas must be his. With him around, it's hard for us to get our hands on things like the Long House."

  Lü bit her teeth and said, "Don't worry!"