Haitang and Haijiao sat outside and could clearly hear the conversation in the room.
Perhaps it was because Zhou Ma and Ma were both very excited that they didn't notice the volume of their conversation for a while, but this actually helped the Hai brothers and sisters understand the content of their conversation.
The brother and sister looked at each other and couldn't imagine how someone in the world could tell such a lie.
If the northwest frontier army is really at the end of its rope, and the generals spend their own money to buy food and grass to ensure that their soldiers will not starve to death, that is normal. After all, this is related to the vital interests of the generals.
But the Northwest Frontier Army has not yet reached that point!
It is true that the imperial court withheld military expenditures, but the northwest frontier army still had many years of accumulation, as well as the money earned from the caravans organized by the Zhou family and other guards, and financial experts like Hai Xiya were making and saving money. The frontier troops were short of food, horses, and weapons, but they were far from starving to death. They were at least half full. Since they are not in a desperate situation, even if the generals of the Zhou family know how to pay, they will not consume all their property, let alone do it in secret, and no one except their wives knows about it?
Does this mean that all the border troops are regarded as deaf and blind? How much food and grass was appropriated from above and how much was consumed below were clearly recorded in the accounts. At each level, more than one person was responsible for counting and checking. How could the old man from the third house of the Zhou family cheat with money without telling everyone else? Did you buy food out of your own pocket and stuff it in? There are so many people inside and outside, so you don’t notice the difference in physical quantity? Besides, where did this food come from? Could the old man still go to the grain store to buy it in person? After buying the grain, you have to personally transport it to the military granary, and no one helps you during this process?
If the old man from the third room had called for help, the news would have been leaked long ago. How could it be possible that only his wife knew about it? This is not some shady secret, why should everyone who handles it shut up?
And if such a large-scale grain trade happened in Chang'an, it is impossible that local officials and businessmen would not hear about it at all. As long as Chang'an merchants can get such a large amount of food, does Shaanxi Dusi still need to worry about food and grass? Just buy it directly with money, there is no need for the old man from the third house to act quietly. As long as they don't trade at a low price below cost, will Chang'an grain merchants still refuse the army? Then I really don’t want to hang out in this world! As for the food money, if you can't get it all at once, you can also pay it on credit. The northwest frontier army is here and cannot escape. Sooner or later the money will be paid back. As for the money to repay the debt... Haixi Ya must be worried about it, there is no way he knows anything about it.
If you think about it carefully, this lie cannot stand up to scrutiny at all. Only a nerd like Zhou Shigong who doesn't understand common affairs would be deceived, right? Although Zhou Ma is a housewife with little experience, she can intuitively feel that lies are not credible because she has a certain amount of common sense and experience in housekeeping and financial management. As for Mrs. Ma, she knew immediately that Mrs. Ma was lying.
Why would Mrs. Ma tell such a lie? To explain why the Zhou family is short of money for the third house? In order to find a reasonable excuse for her plan to secretly poach border army craftsmen and build a private glass workshop?
Because the third family of the Zhou family once exhausted their family wealth to subsidize the border army, so if they take advantage of the border army today, they can only recover some interest. The border army is not qualified to accuse the third family of the Zhou family?
But since it is false that the old man of Sanfang spent his family wealth to support the border troops, then where did Sanfang's property go?
Was it consumed by Mrs. Ma's luxurious life and wealth and ostentation over the years, or was it that her daughter Zhou Shuyi was married off in a glamorous wedding?
Anyway, it won’t be Zhou Ma’s flower. She was so poor that she could only live on her monthly salary and the income from her dowry to Zhuangzi. From time to time, she was picked off by Mrs. Ma, and she was laughed at by the female family members for being too shabby. How does she look like a wealthy person?
So, what exactly is the money spent on the three-bedroom apartment? Mrs. Ma would rather tell a bad lie and use her dead husband as a shield. What secret is she hiding?
Haitang secretly kept this doubt in her mind, turned to look at her brother Hai Jiao, and found that he was also frowning and thinking, wondering if he had recalled more clues from his previous life.
She turned to look at Caijuan and Cailuo again, and saw that the former looked angry and happy at the same time. She had also heard the whole story from Zhou Ma in the past two days, and was now lying to Madam Ma about the truth. Angry, but obviously not thinking about going deeper. As for the latter, she still had a look of confusion on her face, and she probably had no idea what the conversation between the Ma sisters meant.
At this moment, in the inner room, Mrs. Ma also began to ask Mrs. Zhou some key questions: "Your old lady has been presiding over the middle school for fifty years, so she doesn't look like an idiot. Why would she tell such a lie? If you ask someone outside, , it was easily exposed. Isn’t she afraid that she won’t be able to explain herself after her lies are exposed? She has been in charge of the house for decades, and she is the first to blame for problems with the family’s livelihood!”
Zhou Ma was obviously upset: "I don't know... I didn't even know that the family had no money! She told me not to tell anyone, and he also told me not to tell anyone. Who can I ask?! But since there is no Money, why doesn't she want to save some money?! She even said a few days ago that she would make new clothes for the New Year. She and Dafang would spend a lot of money to make clothes and use good leather. There are many fashionable styles in Beijing. My aunt didn’t send anyone back for the materials, so they went to the store to buy ready-made ones, and they were willing to spend any amount of money. Zhou Jinpu’s daughter-in-law also wanted to buy new jewelry, and also bought new jewelry for her daughter, saying that the child would be married next year. , both mother and daughter must be decent and uphold the grandeur of the General’s Palace, so that they won’t be looked down upon by others… They are still so lavish in spending money, who can tell that the family has no money?!”
She held her sister's hand tightly: "Yumei, the eldest sister has not enjoyed any serious blessings in the decades since she married into the Zhou family. She only thinks about her family and everything being prosperous, and that her children and grandchildren can be safe, so there is no need. What's the point of arguing with others? But if because of a few lies from that woman, my own flesh and blood will be affected, my future will be lost, and my life will be in danger, I will never agree! My dear sister, you must help my eldest sister. Let us gentlemen wake up! That woman is a scourge. Today she is just lying at home. What if tomorrow she goes out and talks nonsense?!"
Ma held her hand and said, "Don't worry, she is going to be stupid. There are so many members of the Zhou family who are not stupid, and there is no way that the old marshal will let her ruin the reputation of your old master! I think, if you and your wife want to understand However, due to filial piety, I can't do anything to her, so I simply report it to the clan and ask the clan leader to take care of it for you. Although the old marshal wants to call your old lady aunt, isn't there anyone of her generation in the Zhou clan? The youngest member of the clan? As long as these old people are willing to come forward, you don’t have to worry about your reputation being damaged, you can safely keep her at home, and she will not be allowed to take care of things anymore, and she will not be allowed to see outsiders again!"
After Mrs. Ma is trapped and Zhou Shigong and Zhou Ma take over the power of the family, it will not be too late to slowly find out the truth about the past. It is estimated that the property that has been lost will never be recovered, but at least there is still a chance to make amends. There is still a farm industry in the three-bedroom house. We cannot build a glass workshop to generate income. We can also reduce expenses and live frugally, so we can survive.
In this regard, Mrs. Ma had to remind Mr. Zhou: "Sister, if you really get the power of middle-income family, remember not to spend money lavishly like your stepmother-in-law. She has a generous dowry. , you have a second-grade imperial title, and the support of a daughter who married into a high school, but you have nothing, so you have to live within your means. Your family is only a fifth-grade family now, but you really don’t need to pay attention to those ostentation!"
Zhou Ma nodded blankly, her mind was in chaos, she had no idea, she just wanted to go to her husband to discuss the future.
(End of chapter)
