How did such immense wealth fall into my family?

Chapter 10 Stepping Over My Dead Body

Her father-in-law said that if Madam Tang couldn't use that two thousand taels of silver to lure the bandits, she would probably come up with another plan. The most likely scenario was that she would lure them to the capital with her and then cause a shipwreck or something.

When Madam Tang saw Granny Tian's eyes light up, she thought Granny Tian was interested. Unexpectedly, just as she was about to say, "Then let's set off as soon as possible," she saw Granny Tian's eyes dim again.

Granny Tian looked at Madam Tang and said, "Thank you, Auntie. I won't go. That old man abandoned us and ran away because he suddenly got two thousand taels of silver. If my son suddenly becomes rich, he might end up like that old man."

“My husband has already run away. If my son runs away too, I won’t be able to live.”

"Auntie knows you mean well, thank you. But Auntie doesn't want too much money all at once."

“If that old man dies and doesn’t come back, Auntie… Auntie will have to lie down in the ground all by herself. The thought of lying down in the ground all alone makes Auntie feel terrible.”

As she spoke, Granny Tian covered her face and began to cry.

Mrs. Tang clenched the handkerchief in her hand. "Auntie, don't cry. It was my oversight."

Grandma Tian choked up and said, "It's not your fault. I was scared by that old man. People say that dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and rats' sons know how to dig holes. I can't let my daughter-in-law be like me, nor can I let my grandchildren be fatherless children. I would rather my sons be poor than have them abandon their wives and children like their father."

Granny Tian sniffed. "You must be laughing at me. Did the county magistrate send men to arrest that old geezer?"

"I'm going." Madam Tang really wanted Granny Tian to tidy up her appearance.

Granny Tian sniffed again. "Then I'll go back. I came here to ask if the county magistrate has sent anyone to arrest that old man? I... I really don't want to lie here all alone."

As she spoke, Granny Tian started to cry again. "Auntie is leaving, you go ahead with your work."

Just as Madam Tang was about to ask if she wanted to wash her face before leaving, she saw Granny Tian raise her arm and wipe her face with her sleeve...

Mrs. Tang had no more to say.

After Granny Tian left, Madam Tang had someone summon the person who was keeping an eye on the Qian family.

The newcomer seems quite capable. "Have you discovered anything?"

"No. When Zhang's mother heard about the Qian family's troubles, she came to visit Zhang. Zhang mentioned something to her mother while they were chatting."

The visitor recounted the story of Zhang's fraudulent land-farming scheme.

"In addition, Granny Tian is now eating alone in the room. Granny Tian said that she can't eat when she sees the faces of the three Qian brothers. The three Qian brothers' eyebrows and eyes are seven or eight parts similar to those of Old Master Qian."

"Grandma Tian eats two eggs with every meal now. She says she wants to outlive Grandpa Qian. She says if she dies before Grandpa Qian, he will definitely bring back some little vixen from outside to live in her house and boss her children and grandchildren around."

"Aside from these, there's nothing else worth mentioning about the Qian family."

Mrs. Tang thought for a moment. "Has Old Mrs. Tian's appetite increased?"

"No. Except for the two eggs, everything else is the same as before."

"Understood, you go down."

"Yes."

After the visitor left, Madam Tang looked at her wet nurse. "It seems that Old Master Qian really did run away with the silver notes."

The wet nurse poured Madam Tang a cup of tea. "We underestimated the significance of two thousand taels of silver in the hearts of ordinary people."

Madam Tang nodded. "Let's start packing. We'll set off in three days."

"Yes. What about Old Master Qian..."

"Keep looking."

"Yes." On the other side, Granny Tian only dared to breathe a sigh of relief after returning home, closing the door, and sitting on the bed. According to her father-in-law, the Tang family should discuss taking Chunhua to the capital with them next.

Sure enough, Madam Tang arrived the next day.

Madam Tang first chatted with Granny Tian, ​​Madam Zhao, Madam Zhang, and Madam Xu about everyday matters. Then she said that she had been out for quite a while and it was time for her to go back.

Having laid the groundwork, Madam Tang looked at Granny Tian and said, "I really like Chunhua. I'd like to take her with me and teach her how to manage a household and how to interact with other ladies. What do you think?"

“Alright!” Granny Tian agreed happily. “I was just worried. To be honest, my Chunhua is good, but… but she’s not good enough for your child. I was thinking of waiting until her father and her two uncles have made some money, then I’ll ask Scholar Tian’s wife to teach her to read a few words.”

Her father-in-law said that if they confronted the Tang family head-on, they wouldn't be able to save Chunhua, and they would end up serving him instead. Their only option now was to go along with the Tang family and then secretly rescue Chunhua when they weren't looking.

Zhao was also happy. Zhao's happiness was genuine. "Mother-in-law, you've thought of everything. Mother-in-law, may I go with Chunhua? Chunhua has never traveled far before, and I'm afraid she'll be scared."

Mrs. Tang: "Of course."

Granny Tian: "What are you going to do? Who will take care of the eldest son if you leave? You stay put." Saving one is difficult enough; if you try to save two, the whole family might be ruined. "If you insist on going, I'll make the eldest son divorce you."

Zhao could hardly believe her ears. "Mother, I was just afraid Chunhua would be scared. You...you..." Did you really have to divorce me?

Granny Tian glared at Zhao. "What's there to be afraid of? Aren't Madam Tang and Miss Tang here? Madam Tang treats Chunhua like her own daughter, and Miss Tang and Chunhua are like sisters. With Madam Tang and Miss Tang around, what does Chunhua have to be afraid of? Do you want to abandon us like that old woman and go off to live a life of luxury?"

"I didn't. I was just afraid Chunhua would be scared." Zhao was wrongfully killed.

"Hmph!" Granny Tian stared at Zhao Shi and said through gritted teeth, "Let me tell you, as long as I live, you can forget about abandoning your wife and children to go off and have fun."

Zhao: "..." Has her mother-in-law gone mad? She doesn't have a wife. She's a woman.

Zhang also felt that her mother-in-law's reaction was a bit off. "Mother, calm down. My sister-in-law is just worried because Chunhua has never traveled far from home. She doesn't want to abandon my brother and the children to go and enjoy a life of luxury, right, sister-in-law?"

Zhao replied with a frustrated "Yes".

Granny Tian glared at Zhao Shi again before looking at Madam Tang and saying, "I'm sorry you had to see this."

Mrs. Tang was at a loss for words. "Auntie, are you really not coming to the capital with me? Business is really good there."

Granny Tian waved her hand. "I'm not going. I'd rather die than leave this family to that old man."

Zhao felt that her mother-in-law was truly possessed.

Zhang felt sorry for her mother-in-law. She had worked so hard to take care of her father-in-law for so many years, only to end up like this.

Madam Xu was afraid that if Madam Tang left, the magistrate would stop helping them find her. "Madam Tang, does the magistrate know you're leaving?"

“I know. Magistrate Hu said he will continue to help you find people.”

Mrs. Xu was relieved. "That's good, that's good. My father-in-law has never traveled far. He should be hiding in our county, he should be hiding in our county."

Ms. Xu didn't know whether she was comforting herself or deceiving herself.
After discussing Chunhua's matter, Madam Tang took her leave.

As soon as Madam Tang left, Zhao told Zhao Dashan about Madam Tang's plan to have Granny Tian take them to the capital to do business. "Tell me, is Mother possessed?"

Granny Tian was packing her things when the three Qian brothers walked in from the doorway.

On behalf of the three brothers, Qian Dashan asked, "Mother, I heard that Madam Tang wants us to go to the capital with her to do business?"

"Hmm." Granny Tian looked at her three sons seriously and said, "If you want to go, you'll have to step over my dead body."

(End of this chapter)