Chapter 575 - 571: The Fourth House Is Not Strong Enough (Part 1)
Chapter 575 - 571: The Fourth House Is Not Strong Enough (Part 1)
"Old Four, don’t just stand there talking without feeling the pain yourself; we have only so much, if we prepare the travel expenses for the exam, we’ll lose our lives!" Mu Dazhong said.If the old man sells off the rice, who will be hurt the most if not the second branch?
Da Lang still needs to get married, and Gou Dan wants to go to school, who doesn’t need money?
Besides, the eldest is a scholar now, and still wants to suck the blood of these people, isn’t that being a scoundrel?
Mu Dajiang’s face turned red because of Mu Dazhong’s words.
He usually doesn’t speak in such occasions, even if he does, he’s the last one; this time he’s stepped in.
"Alright, it’s not time to discuss this yet, let’s eat! Eldest, you must be tired, eat more!"
Mr. Mu interrupted the people who were ready to argue.
This war without smoke has temporarily stopped.
But Mr. Mu didn’t know, by his intervention, Mu Dade had already taken this to heart.
From the moment Mu Dade returned, the Old Mu Family was no longer peaceful.
...
...
Mu Family’s Third Branch
A table full of good dishes was served; everyone gathered around it, squeezed together, but all with smiles on their faces. Compared to the Old Mu Family, this was more harmonious, with no quarrels at all.
Spicy chicken, braised fish, stewed pork with vermicelli, and a few other small dishes.
These are the kinds of food that rural households only bring out for New Year celebrations, but this time, it all came out for the Mu Family’s Third Branch.
Mu Dashan looked at the people sitting together, full of gratitude in his heart. His first cup of wine, he directly raised it to toast Lu Yuanfeng.
"Fengzi, if it weren’t for your coming and going to take care of us along with your brothers these past few days, perhaps Si Niang and I would have been bullied to death."
Lu Yuanfeng was moved.
"Uncle Dashan, this is what I should do, no need to thank me."
Lu Yuanfeng raised his wine cup and drank it all in one go.
When he turned his head, he saw Shuangshuang holding a cup as well, and just as he hesitated whether to stop her, Mu Shuangshuang playfully winked at him.
At that moment, Lu Yuanfeng understood her meaning.
The glass contained water, not wine.
"Today, I, Mu Dashan, must thank everyone; without your help, Si Niang and I wouldn’t have overcome this crisis so quickly. I have little skill, just one sensible daughter who supports the entire family. Today, we must have a drink!"
Everyone chuckled and raised their cups.
Just then, Mu Dalang walked in from outside.
"Third Uncle, Third Aunt, you’re really back! Am... am I seeing things?"
Mu Dalang had just heard Mr. Mu mention this, he stopped eating and found an excuse to come out.
Mu Dashan and Yu Si Niang hold significant weight in Mu Dalang’s heart, and he had been waiting for this couple to come out; the Old Mu Family was really in a mess, making it particularly uncomfortable to stay.
"Big Cousin, you came just in time, eat here today, Shuangshuang will get you a bowl and chopsticks."
Mu Shuangshuang stood up, gave up her seat to Mu Dalang, and fetched a bowl and chopsticks for him.
A table full of delicious food, steaming with aroma, and with an atmosphere far better than the Old Mu Family, Mu Dalang didn’t refuse and sat down.
These past few days, for the Third Branch’s matters, Mu Dalang had not stopped running around.
In Mu Shuangshuang’s heart, Mu Dalang was the best to the Third Branch in the entire Old Mu Family.
The Fourth Branch is still observing, wondering whether it can stand up against the Old Mu Family; Mu Shuangshuang is also waiting.
In fact, Mu Shuangshuang doesn’t owe anything to the Fourth Branch, but when the Third Branch was in trouble, the Fourth Branch did show care, and they hadn’t harmed the Third Branch either.
In both affection and reason, the human debt must be repaid.
"Dashan, this time you’ve had good fortune, say whatever it is, you must pay attention in the future. When you go for a walk later, call our family along, and we can talk through anything." Zhang Yutou said.
They chatted a bit more privately, and the welcome-back banquet came to an end.
After seeing each guest off, Mu Shuangshuang tidied up the kitchen.
Everyone was tired today, even Lu Yuanfeng didn’t stay to chat with Shuangshuang; it was Mu Dalang who said, after some thought, what he heard while they were eating.
Mu Shuangshuang’s mouth immediately opened wide like an egg.
"You’re saying the eldest uncle still wants to go to the Capital to take the exam?"
Mu Shuangshuang felt her intelligence was being insulted.
It cost a hundred and thirty taels of silver for the scholar exam, and if he wants to go to the Capital, it won’t be less than two hundred taels, right?
What would the Old Mu Family use to support it?
Still sucking the blood from several branches.
With this, Mu Dalang can forget about raising sheep, marrying a wife; even the Fourth Branch, forget about making a mark for life.
"Mm, everyone is arguing now, Fifth Uncle asks the eldest uncle to find a job and see how it goes, after all, everyone has supported the eldest uncle for so many years, being tired is also normal!"
Although Mu Dalang doesn’t like his parents’ ways, the second branch has indeed been exploited.
Mu Dalang also feels sorry!
"Then I guess, given the eldest uncle’s temperament, it might end up with him selling the Old Mu Family’s lands." Mu Shuangshuang said.
Back then, when Mu Dade ran out of silver half-way, it was Mr. Mu who sold land and used up the old savings to settle it.
This time, even Old Mrs. Mu is emptied, aside from selling land, she can’t think of any other way to gather money for Mu Dade unless it’s selling off sons and daughters.
"Sell the land, then what will the Old Mu Family eat?" Mu Dalang asked.
"That depends on how the eldest uncle will say it. Big Cousin, I think your engagement with Miss Huang shouldn’t be delayed, and be cautious of Fifth Uncle. Fifth Uncle shouldn’t accept that Miss Huang proposes a marriage for you!"
Every word Mu Shuangshuang said was true, Mu Dalang admired her while also feeling worry.
"Shuangshuang, thank you, I know what to do. It’s getting late, I’ll head back, you rest early!" After speaking, Mu Dalang left.
Mu Shuangshuang stayed in the kitchen for a while, took a bath, and climbed onto the bed.
She lay on the bed, thinking over the events of the past few days.
Starting with Old Wang Family, they were the instigators of this matter.
Ultimately, the Third Branch was too easy to bully in everyone’s eyes, the Third Branch’s strength wasn’t strong, everyone thought the Third Branch could be manipulated at will.
The Old Mu Family might have been the same before, but now that the Old Mu Family has someone like Mu Dade, people must weigh Mu Dade’s capabilities before bullying the Old Mu Family.
Because they fear that one day Mu Dade would rise.
They think the Third Branch will be mud-legged for a lifetime, so they don’t consider them.
That’s really the case.
Now, the Third Branch is indeed at an awkward edge; her business is gone, she can’t earn money anytime and anywhere, plus the Third Branch has split off from the Old Mu Family...
All these serve as Mu Shuangshuang’s warning, the Third Branch isn’t strong enough.
To not be used as a target, the Third Branch must become strong.
Perhaps, she needs to continue seeking a way out, the business that should be done must continue to be done, only in this way, when the Third Branch has accumulated enough money, with strength, everyone will treat the Third Branch with respect!
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