Chapter 1535 - 1530: Family Meeting (First Update)
Chapter 1535 - 1530: Family Meeting (First Update)
"Mom, Dad, I heard Xiangxiang and the second and fifth siblings are here, so I came over to see if there’s anything I can help with!"Mu Dade was still at the entrance of the main room when he loudly said affectionately to the people inside.
It’s unclear whether he was afraid others wouldn’t know he was there or feared others might think he didn’t care about his younger siblings.
"Big brother, big brother is here!" Mu Dazhong and Mu Danian were both extremely excited.
As for Mu Xiangxiang, facing a big table of food that Old Mrs. Mu instructed Mrs. Lin to prepare at the last minute, she showed no concern for Mu Dade’s arrival.
Engrossed in eating alone, in a little while, her hands were greasy!
Old Mrs. Mu looked at her daughter, who resembled someone just released from hunger imprisonment, and immediately felt heartache!
"Eat slowly, good girl, don’t choke, or Mom will be worried!"
Mu Xiangxiang, holding ribs in her hand and licking her fingers, replied to Old Mrs. Mu, "Mom, I’m fine!"
"Xiangxiang, whatever you like to eat, just tell your second sister-in-law. Right now in this house, it’s your second sister-in-law who handles cooking and laundry!"
Afraid the food wouldn’t be enough, Old Mrs. Mu fondly patted Mu Shuangshuang’s dirty head while speaking.
Next to her, Mrs. Lin was so angry her mouth twisted and her eyebrows furrowed.
She just couldn’t understand what was so good about this jinx that the old woman valued her more than her own lifeline.
She had never seen her own grandson receive such attention before, yet this woman squatting to urinate garnered so much concern from the old lady.
Mu Dade sat down and insincerely asked Mu Dazhong and Mu Danian questions.
"Second brother, fifth brother, where exactly did you go? Why haven’t you come to the county to find me all this time?
I’ve been worried about whether I’ve done anything to let you down as your big brother!"
Being worried by his big brother, the county magistrate, Mu Dazhong couldn’t help but feel happy, and in that joy, he completely forgot the matter Mu Danian had instructed him about upon returning.
"I went with Danian to do business in Yangcheng County and made quite a bit of money!" Mu Dazhong said proudly.
Just mentioning Yang City reminded him of one thing—the money he had in his pocket that vanished without a trace.
Mu Dazhong looked at Mu Danian with resentful eyes, clearly indicating his money had been stolen by Mu Danian.
Mu Danian looked equally aggrieved; this accusation felt completely unjust!
Not to mention anything else, he and Mu Dazhong worked together, and he was the most familiar with this second brother; he wouldn’t dare steal from him.
"Made quite a bit of money? Then you must have quite a bit of silver now, right? Second brother, your wife and son have been freeloading at the eldest’s house for a long time. As their father, it’s time you paid some board fees, hand over the money!"
Old Mrs. Mu extended her hand with ill-humor and said to Mu Dazhong.
Mrs. Lin, upon hearing Mu Dazhong had money and seeing Old Mrs. Mu ask her husband for it, hastily intervened.
She quickly said, "Mom, it’s better for Daddy Gou Dan to hold onto this money ourselves. Gou Dan is already seven or eight years old and hasn’t started school. I plan to send him to a school in the spring, and it will inevitably cost some money.
If Mom were to take it now, we’d eventually have to ask you for it, so better to leave it with Daddy Gou Dan and me to avoid asking you later!"
After saying this, Mrs. Lin tugged on Mu Dazhong’s sleeve, signaling him to speak up.
Mu Dazhong, however, didn’t follow Mrs. Lin’s words. With a pitiful look, he turned to Old Mrs. Mu, "Mom, I’m willing to give money, but I just don’t have any now!"
"No money?" Old Mrs. Mu raised her voice suddenly.
"Yes, there was an accident on the way, and all the money got stolen!" Mu Dazhong said with his gaze directly upon Mu Danian when mentioning theft.
Old Mrs. Mu instantly understood. She accused Mu Danian, "Fifth brother, was it you who stole your second brother’s money?"
"It’s unfair, Mom. You know how cautious my second brother is.
He hides things well enough that I can’t find them, let alone money!"
Mu Danian exclaimed loudly.
"Then why does he say you stole his money?"
Old Mrs. Mu was now blinded by thoughts of money; she didn’t care about anything else. She only knew that the second brother said he had money; it was just stolen by the fifth brother.
"How would I know? You know my second brother well, don’t you? He grabs onto someone and accuses them regardless of whether he has evidence!"
"Hmph, fifth brother, of course, you’d say that now! But you took my money and don’t expect to have it easy.
Mom, I want to report that the fifth brother has five taels of silver on him, all his private stash, and he doesn’t want to hand it over to you!" Mu Dazhong said.
Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Mu suddenly became furious.
"Well, Mu Danian, you’ve got guts, hand over the money!"
Mu Danian retreated, "Mom, this is unfair. You said you’d find me a wife as soon as I came to the county, and now I’m here, but there’s no wife in sight!
The money I’ve saved is for getting a wife. If I give it to Mom, how will I get a wife in the future?"
Mu Danian was shrewd; he wouldn’t hand over his money to anyone.
Not even his mom would get it from him, and even when he marries, he’ll consider carefully before deciding!
"So, you’re saying you won’t give it?" Old Mrs. Mu raised her voice.
Mu Danian wasn’t so foolish; his mom was angry, so he couldn’t go hard on her.
"Big brother, help me out here! I’m all alone without anyone to warm the bed at night!
After finally saving this money, just waiting for the right time to get a bed-warming wife, if Mom wants it, can I give it?" Mu Danian said.
Since he reached out to him, Mu Dade offered a few words.
"Mom, the fifth brother is right. He’s old enough now to get married! Why not let him choose himself and marry a bride he likes?
If you feel short of funds, tell me, and I’ll find a way to get it for you, ensuring you won’t be wronged!"
Mu Dade started playing the role of a good son again.
Seeking his help was effective with Old Mrs. Mu.
At least after hearing Mu Dade’s words, Old Mrs. Mu stopped talking about money and focused fully on caring for Mu Xiangxiang.
"Second brother, you haven’t finished speaking. What business did you do to make money?" Mu Dade looked curious.
"We were at the dock..."
"We were moving cargo at the dock!" Before Mu Dazhong could speak without reservation, Mu Danian smoothed things over and signaled to Mu Dazhong.
Smuggling private salt was a serious crime in the Da Ning Dynasty. Should this big brother know, it might cause a serious disturbance.
Mu Dazhong then remembered Mu Danian’s instructions, saying, "Yes, yes, moving cargo, moving cargo!"
Mu Dade was an old fox; he naturally didn’t believe their words!
But if what they said was true, Mu Dade believed he definitely had opportunities to make money!
Mu Dade was tight on money now, especially since he had gotten used to spending liberally and couldn’t manage to be frugal!
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