"You fart!" Xu Bingrong grabbed the tea bowl on the table and threw it at Grandma Guo.
Not only was Grandma Guo hit a big bump on her forehead by a tea cup, but she was also splashed with tea all over her face. Tea leaves were hanging in her hair, making her extremely miserable.
Xu Bingrong originally just wanted to vent his anger, but he didn't expect Grandma Guo to receive this blow without moving, and was stunned for a moment.
Old Mrs. Shen didn't expect that Xu Bingrong would take action directly. She hurriedly called some women into the house and frowned: "Uncle, why are you so angry? It's better to listen to what others have to say first. If you are so rude again, , don’t blame me, old lady, for not being accommodating to guests.”
"What's so nice to hear!" Xu Bingrong came to his senses and gritted his teeth and said, "As the saying goes, marry a man, marry a man, wear clothes and eat. Before coming to Yongzhou Mansion, my sister had always been in the Shen family's old house.
"Didn't the old lady just say that my sister and brother-in-law have been supported by money from my hometown these years?
"In this case, is it possible that before my brother-in-law becomes an official, the Shen family still has to rely on my sister selling her dowry to survive?"
Aunt Guo raised her hand to brush away the tea from her face, and before Mrs. Shen could speak, she answered quickly: "My uncle is so excited, are you afraid that this old slave will say something detrimental to you?"
She was brought here from Mrs. Xu's family, and she knows Xu Bingrong's temper much better than Mrs. Shen.
Sure enough, Xu Bingrong was aroused by these words and immediately slapped the table and said: "What a joke, what am I afraid of! I want to hear what tricks you can come up with today!"
"Old slave, let me first answer the question that my uncle just asked.
"After Madam married into the Shen family, although she had no worries about food and clothing, the old lady has always been in charge of the family's accounts. Apart from some pocket money, Madam has no extra money at all..."
Xu Bingrong couldn't hold back and said: "So what? Why do you need to sell your dowry when you don't have to worry about food and clothing?"
“My mother-in-law wrote letters every day, complaining about her poverty, either because the family couldn’t get rid of the trouble, or because the creditors were blocking the door.
"The letter also said that the reason why the family is in such difficulty is because of the dowry given to the wife. The wife has always been filial, how can she bear to watch her parents suffer for her?
"At that time, the master was focused on studying and had no income at all, and the wife could not talk to the old lady. In order to let my parents live a stable life, I had to secretly sell my dowry.
“The gold and silver jewelry was too eye-catching, and I didn’t dare to touch it for fear of being known, so I had to sell it from the fields and shops.
“Once these things are sold, the income in the second year will naturally decrease. In order to cover daily expenses and fill holes, it becomes a vicious cycle and I have to continue to sell them.
"As the years pass by, my wife has almost nothing left in her hands. Fortunately, the master kept his spirits up and was finally named on the gold list. After that, he quickly selected an official to take office in Yongzhou Mansion.
"The old lady was afraid that they were new here and needed money in many places, so she gave them a lump sum of five thousand taels in silver notes when they went out. Only then did she feel comfortable again.
"When I first arrived in Yongzhou Prefecture, Madam actually didn't dare to mess around. She just followed the businessmen who came to the trading house and invested in some businesses that could protect her capital.
"Later, I saw that it was easy to make money, and I gradually became bolder. I started to make loan sharks outside. The profits started rolling in, and my income was much better than before."
As she talked, Grandma Guo recalled Xu's experiences over the years, feeling sad in her heart. Couldn't help but look up at Xu Bingrong.
Xu Bingrong was holding the armrest of the chair tightly with his hands, with a fierce expression on his face, as if he was ready to explode at any time. When he saw her looking over, he immediately stared back fiercely.
Aunt Guo trembled and looked away and continued: "Madam originally thought that she would save some money to buy back the land and shops that she had sold before. After all, she would keep it for the second girl's dowry in the future.
“But I never expected that my parents’ side would need more and more money.
"One moment my hometown is building a house, the next I want to buy a sacrificial field, the next I want to buy maids and servants, the next I want to ask the young master to go to school, and the next my uncle wants to donate an official position...
"Letters come flying like snowflakes, but I am much more diligent than when I was in my hometown. There must be at least ten times a year, plus various gifts for three birthdays and two birthdays. Please tell me how much money my wife must earn to have enough money. ?
"The money in hand will soon be gone, and the wife dare not tell the master, so she can only find a clever excuse to ask for money from her hometown.
"Since I came to Yongzhou Mansion and took office, the old lady has received at least one or two thousand taels of silver every year, and sometimes three or four thousand taels..."
"You fart!" Xu Bingrong couldn't listen any more. He jumped up from the chair and rushed to hit Grandma Guo.
Several women who had been prepared quickly grabbed him.
Xu Bingrong's arms were held by someone, and his legs were immediately kicked out.
Fortunately, several women dragged him back a few steps, making this unscrupulous kick go to waste.
"When you were in the Xu family, did my family ever treat you badly? Not to mention that my sister has trusted you all these years? Now that her body is still alive, you start to say these things to arrange her?
"How much money did the Shen family give you to say such blind things? You are so unconscionable, aren't you afraid of retribution?"
"Everything I said is true. If there is even half a lie, I will be struck by lightning and die!" Aunt Guo raised her hand and swore, "If you don't believe me, just go back and ask the old man and the old lady." .”
Grandma Guo believed in fate, but she swore this poisonous oath loudly and with full confidence.
Because what she said today is indeed true.
She had been locked up by Mrs. Shen for a long time, but she had food and shelter, so she didn't feel too scared at first.
She firmly believed that Mrs. Shen would not be able to support herself like this for the rest of her life. After the Xu family's matter was settled, she would definitely let her go home.
This mysterious confidence lasted until news of the death of Xu and her two children came.
She refused to believe it at first, thinking it was a lie that Mrs. Shen asked someone to tell to deceive herself.
Until that night, someone took him to see Xu's tragically dead body.
Grandma Guo was so frightened that her legs and feet became weak and she wet her pants on the spot.
She was awakened by nightmares for several days in a row, and she didn't even dare to think about how Xu and her two children died.
This news finally made her realize the reality - Mrs. Shen really dared to kill people.
After figuring this out, Grandma Guo collapsed.
She was crying and yelling in the room.
She didn't want to die, and she was even more afraid that her family would be implicated by her...
After working hard for so many years, she just wanted to enjoy family happiness peacefully in her old age.
After she gradually woke up from the collapse, she finally figured it out.
Mrs. Xu is already dead, but Mrs. Shen still keeps her, and even spends time to scare her, which shows that she has something useful for her.
So Grandma Guo began to look forward to the stars and the moon, waiting for an opportunity to serve Mrs. Shen.
Finally, the day came.
She must seize this opportunity firmly and satisfy Old Mrs. Shen in order to possibly save her own life.
Grandma Guo gritted her teeth and said, "Madam has a secret account, and no one except Madam and the old slave knows it.
"The old slave can go to the main house to find out the secret accounts in public to prove that what he said is true. I hope the old lady will agree."
