CHAPTER 340: CHAPTER 317: THREAT

The Xun family was enraged by Qi Dalian’s words and began banging on the door while cursing, "You unfilial daughter, I raised you with great difficulty, is this how you repay me?

Now that you’ve married into a wealthy family, you don’t recognize your own mother anymore, do you?

You heartless little thing, your big brother even told me that after the Autumn Examination next year, when he becomes a Scholar, he’ll host a banquet to thank you. Tell me, do you think you deserve your brother’s good will towards you?"

Qi Dalian held her belly with both hands and sneered coldly, "My big brother is already thirty-seven, and after twenty years of trying, he hasn’t even passed the Scholar exam. I advise you not to hold any hope for him.

Even if, by a miracle, he does become a Scholar, I won’t attend any banquet. And even if he invites me, I wouldn’t go!"

Ha, calling it a banquet to show gratitude, when in truth it’s just to collect gift money. She knew her own mother too well.

Thinking about how Sun Fengshou always wore coarse cloth clothes while her brother was extravagant enough to spend seven taels of silver on one outfit made Qi Dalian furious.

She was determined not to give a single penny to her mother; she meant what she said.

Even if they called the Village Chief or the Clan Leader, Qi Dalian believed no one would side with her mother.

"How can you not go? If your brother becomes a Scholar, our family must host a village-wide banquet; it’s a huge event, celebrating for three days and nights is a must.

You need to organize that feast," shouted Xun in a loud voice.

Qi Dalian sneered, "Are you daydreaming in broad daylight?

If my brother becomes a Scholar, pigs would fly.

You should go back, it’s freezing, and I don’t have time to waste words with you, I’m heading inside."

Finished speaking, Qi Dalian turned and went inside without waiting for her mother to respond.

Sun Fengshou saw some snow sticking to her shoes and quickly supported her, fearing she might slip.

Sun Hongmei hurriedly said, "Master, I’ve only swept half the courtyard; I haven’t finished yet."

Sun Fengshou told Sun Hongmei, "Leave it, I’ll sweep later. You go to the kitchen and make some of your specialty dishes and snacks, so Xiaolian can eat here later."

Not waiting for Sun Hongmei to agree, Yu Xiaolian hastily said, "Uncle, don’t bother, I won’t eat here.

I’m just here to see my aunt; I’ll head back soon."

"Xiaolian, why don’t you eat here?" Qi Dalian grabbed Yu Xiaolian’s hand.

Yu Xiaolian shook her head, "When I left, my mother reminded me to go back to eat!"

As Yu Xiaolian exited the Sun family courtyard, Xun was contemplating climbing over the wall into the Sun family courtyard; Yu Xiaolian called her to stop.

"If you don’t want to jeopardize Qi Shanhe’s future in the imperial exams, you better not bother my uncle anymore; otherwise, your son shouldn’t dream of becoming a Scholar in his lifetime."

Xun had heard of Yu Xiaolian before. Not only had she heard of her, but she also knew that her son Qi Shanhe was quite afraid of this young girl.

She didn’t understand why anyone would fear such a girl.

"Humph... who do you think you are? You think you can threaten me with my son’s future? Do you even know who I am before saying such things?

I, Xun, am not someone anyone dares to mess with in Taohua Village. You naive girl, think about your own standings before crossing me." Xun stood with her hands on her hips, ready to confront Yu Xiaolian.

Yu Xiaolian remained calm, saying slowly, "Do you know that I’m a teacher at Shuren Academy?"

"So what?"

Xun snorted, "Can you control my son’s exams? Don’t think I don’t know, you’re just teaching arithmetic, right?

The official exams only have a couple of arithmetic questions; do you really think you’re that important?"

"Oh, you know that." Yu Xiaolian chuckled, "That makes things easier.

I guess you’re desperately trying to get money because Qi Shanhe owes money outside, right?

I heard that recently Qi Shanhe was at Qianselou finding pleasure, boasting after getting drunk, generously tipping the woman there ten taels of silver, then going gambling with friends at the Zhao Family Gambling House. He lost sixty taels of silver altogether, lost everything he had, and even wrote an IOU for fifty taels.

Do you think someone with such conduct is fit to study the classics?"

Xun was taken aback.

How did Yu Xiaolian know about these things?

Gambling and brothels, how did a young girl know such seedy information?

Xun had been quiet for a period because all the money at home had been squandered by her precious son.

Not just squandered but left owing money outside.

Qi Shanhe had cried and repented to Xun, saying he couldn’t remember what he did that day because he was drunk.

He claimed he was deceived.

Though deceived, the Zhao family was influential and powerful, and he dared not not pay back the money he owed them.

Xun felt sorry for her son, but with her own savings and some trinkets at home, she couldn’t gather enough to repay the fifty-tael gambling debt; she naturally thought of turning to Qi Dalian for help.

Her daughter married into a wealthy family; since they were related by marriage to the Sun family, it seemed reasonable they should help in her family’s time of need.

"How... how did you know?" Xun’s voice faltered, even lowering her voice considerably.

Yu Xiaolian sneered, "I know more than that. Anyway, I’m not interested in your family’s affairs, but if you don’t back off, I can guarantee the debt collectors from Zhao Family Gambling House will break your son’s legs."

Xun almost stumbled, barely keeping her balance, "Girl, girl, after all, we’re relatives, right? By relation, my eldest son would be your uncle, your family is big, can’t you just have mercy on us and help us out with even a little bit?"

When Xun got the fifty-tael bridal dowry from Qi Dalian, she thought that since her only son Qi Shanhe was her only surviving male, she couldn’t let anyone take advantage of him. After Qi Dalian’s marriage, Xun gave all fifty taels to Qi Shanhe to use in the city.

Later, she borrowed twenty taels from Sun Fengshou, keeping only three taels for the household and giving the rest to her son.

She thought this money would suffice for her son’s expenses for several years, yet in just over a year, he spent it all and still owed fifty taels.

Xun regretted it, but remorse was useless; she had to find a way to fill this financial void.

Xun initially planned if Qi Dalian refused to lend them money, she would threaten her with selling Xiaosui’er for marriage; Qi Dalian always doted on her little niece before marrying, and Xun thought this threat would make Qi Dalian comply.

Unexpectedly, her daughter was determined not to meet, and she couldn’t shout about selling her granddaughter outside the main door.

Seeing Yu Xiaolian approach, Xun thought maybe she could manipulate this young girl, thinking she might be easier to fool because of her age.

Who would’ve thought that this young girl would start with threats?