Before long, Old Third, Fourth, and Fifth, having heard the news, also rushed over with their respective wives and children.
With so many people crowded together, no one noticed that Gu Yuanfeng, who was supposed to be living with the old couple, hadn’t appeared.
Ancient Wen Heng saw Li Cuicui pressing for answers, and with his eldest brother and sister-in-law also staring at him with suspicion, he could only briefly recount everything that had happened with Gu Lejia.
Although he had ntioned a few things in his previous letter, everyone was more eager to hear the story straight from him.
But the letter had only said that the boy had been found; there was no ntion of him taking a wife.
"So, this is the wife Gu Lejia married on his own." Li Cuicui’s eyes were fixed on Song Xiuxiang. ’Just what kind of young woman is worth such a large bride price?’ she wondered.
Song Xiuxiang pleadingly tugged on Gu Lejia’s sleeve, but he was too busy sizing up his family and even brushed her hand away.
With nowhere to turn for help, Song Xiuxiang silently gritted her teeth. Forcing a smile, she perford a Fuli for the old matriarch. "Grandmother, I am Gu Lejia’s wife. I’ve co to pay my respects."
Li Cuicui sized her up for a long while before waving a hand dismissively. "Eldest Daughter-in-law, I’m too old to ddle in the affairs of the next generation. You go sort this out yourself."
Xie Ruyi replied, "Yes, Mother," but paid Song Xiuxiang no mind. Instead, she grabbed Gu Lejia’s ear and twisted. "A marriage requires your parents’ blessing and a matchmaker’s word! Did you feed those basic principles to the dogs? Twenty taels for a bride price?! With that much silver, you could have had two fine, unmarried girls from around here!"
"If you have so much silver, then hand it all over to ! It’s clear you’re completely irresponsible with it."
"And you two, his uncle and aunt," she continued, "really! The boy is ignorant, but don’t you, his elders, understand any better? You just let him cause such a ruckus."
Jin Qianqian hadn’t expected the bla to shift to them. "Eldest Sister-in-law, I don’t appreciate that tone. You don’t even understand the full story, so don’t go making wild accusations."
"By the way, I was the one who lent out those twenty taels. If it’s convenient, you can go ahead and pay back now."
Xie Ruyi grew frantic. "What? The silver was borrowed from you? He didn’t earn it himself?"
Jin Qianqian feigned surprise. "Gu Lejia never said he earned it himself. Besides, I haven’t even calculated their travel and lodging expenses for the journey ho. How much would that be? For the two of them, it must be at least ten taels, wouldn’t you say?"
"We’re sisters-in-law, no need to be formal. Just give thirty taels all together, and we’ll call it settled."
’Thirty taels, just like that? This Seventh Wife’s audacity was growing by the second.’ The other Gu wives all secretly gulped. ’How many of their families could possibly co up with that sum?’
"Are you trying to kill ?" Xie Ruyi shrieked. "For a widow, no less! How could you dare to lend him that much silver?"
"Let tell you, we never approved this, so the debt is not our problem."
Even the expressions of Gu Yuanjin and Gu Le Di, standing beside Xie Ruyi, turned grim. Their entire family savings wouldn’t be enough to cover such a sum.
Jin Qianqian said, "But Gu Lejia signed an IOU. He also wrote a promissory note. My husband and I had nothing to do with any of it, from beginning to end."
"If we hadn’t forced him to co back, your son here would have had to take the surna Song."
Recalling their past frictions, Jin Qianqian didn’t mind stirring up a little trouble for the couple. Sure enough, the words had barely left her mouth when Song Xiuxiang’s face went deathly pale.
Seeing Song Xiuxiang’s guilty expression, Xie Ruyi knew there was more to the story. However, this was a family scandal, so she would wait until they were ho to interrogate them at length.
"Gu Lejia is illiterate. How do I know you didn’t deceive him?"
Jin Qianqian looked at her as if she were an idiot. "Your son is standing right next to you. Ask him yourself if I deceived him."
Xie Ruyi whipped her head around and saw Gu Lejia’s shifty eyes. She smacked him hard twice. "What use is a son like you? All grown up, and instead of helping the family, you cause this huge ss! Anyway, whoever owes the debt can be the one to pay it. Your father and I won’t be responsible."
Then she muttered loudly, "Who on earth spends that much silver on a wife? It’s not like he married a golden doll."
"Alright, stop making a scene here over your trivial little matters," Gu Dashishi said, knocking on the low table. "Now that all of you boys are here, shouldn’t we discuss my illness?"
"Father, you’ve already seen so many doctors for this illness," Gu Yuanhuo said, his face full of impatience. "They all said you just need to get up and walk around a bit. Can you please stop making such a fuss? For the past few months, I’ve been serving you, working the fields all day only to co ho and walk on eggshells. What kind of life is this?"
He glanced up at Ancient Wen Heng, then added, "Even if Seventh gives you the silver to see a doctor in the Prefecture City, the rest of us can’t get away right now. There’s a mountain of work in the fields. You can’t drag the whole family down to starve with you, can you?"
Gu Dashishi turned his head and stared directly at Ancient Wen Heng. "Seventh, you haven’t been here to serve your old man these past few months, so it’s only natural that you should contribute more silver."
"Give one hundred taels, and I’ll have soone take there."
The Gu Family Brothers were speechless. ’So all this fuss was just to get silver. But this is just ruthless. He isn’t afraid he’ll choke on it.’
But Ancient Wen Heng just grinned. "Father, do you not rember how much of the family assets I received when the property was divided?"
"I’m living off my wife these days. It’s bad enough that I’m using my wife’s dowry for myself; I can’t be expected to drag the entire family into it!"
The Gu Family Brothers were speechless again. ’Seventh is getting more and more shaless, saying things like that so cheerfully.’
The Gu wives were silent. ’Just how wealthy is this Seventh Wife, anyway?’
The younger Gu generation thought, ’I’d love to find a wife like that, then I’d have no worries about food or drink.’
Gu Dashishi glared directly at Jin Qianqian. "Seventh Wife, are you trying to stop Seventh from being a filial son?"
Before Jin Qianqian could open her mouth, Ancient Wen Heng cut in. "Father, don’t take this out on my wife. I’m thinking of our family’s reputation. Who’s ever heard of a whole family living off a single daughter-in-law’s dowry?"
"I was already terribly embarrassed about lending money to Gu Lejia for his marriage. But at least he wrote an IOU. With you, Father, how could I dare ask for such a thing?"
"Yet I can’t let you take on the disgraceful reputation of borrowing from your son’s wife, nor can I let my brothers be accused of being unfilial. You have several grown sons standing right here; if you still have to rely on a daughter-in-law for silver, our family will beco a laughingstock for the whole world."
Gu Lejia remained silent. ’Seventh Uncle, please, give it a rest. Every ti you ntion it, I get hit with more daggers from everyone’s eyes.’
Gu Yuanjin’s back hunched over. ’It seems I’ll have to shoulder this debt whether I want to or not.’
"This is gross impiety!" Gu Dashishi bellowed, pointing at Ancient Wen Heng. "I’ll report you to the clan! I’ll have you cast out, just like the youngest son!"
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