The sky was bright, and they had just finished breakfast. Taking advantage of a few people passing by the door, Yu Changhe loudly called out to the Zhao family.
The people originally carrying hoes and passing by were already discussing the affairs between the Yu Family and the Zhao Family. Now seeing Yu Changhe calling at the Zhao family's door, they stopped to see what was going on.
Mrs. Feng was the first to come out, wearing an apron. She came over and opened the gate of the wooden fence, "Brother Yu Er, what's the matter?"
Yu Changhe said, "Call out the old lady of your family and tell her I've come to repay her silver!"
"Alright!" Although Mrs. Feng was curious about where Yu Changhe got the money, she was happy for Yu Changhe and Mrs. Sun, at least they didn't have to give up land to repay debt. How could a farmer live without land?
When old Mrs. Zhao heard that Yu Changhe was there to repay money, she came out in a hurry without even putting on her shoes properly, and had a coat draped over her shoulders that she didn't have time to put on properly.
Yu Changhe first showed the four taels of silver in his hand to the two onlookers leaning on hoes, "Uncle Wang Qi, Uncle Luo Si, could you be my witnesses, that I am repaying these four taels to the Zhao family today."
Old Wang Qi, known for his loud voice and forthright nature, spoke up, "I'll be the witness!"
Old Luo Si was also happy to do Yu Changhe a favor, and chimed in, "It's indeed four taels of silver, you and the Zhao family are clear now."
Yu Changhe handed the silver to old Mrs. Zhao, who counted and weighed it, confirming it was the correct amount, four taels of silver, but said, "Using my family's four taels of silver for several months, yet not even a penny of interest."
Yu Changhe replied bluntly, "I arranged a job for Zhao Kuo back then, and I didn't see any benefits from your side. Today everyone bears witness, we're even now."
Old Mrs. Zhao pursed her lips, "We're even indeed, but in the future, don't ask to borrow money from my family; he might feel embarrassed to refuse, but I won't."
Yu Changhe said, "Don't worry, no matter whom I borrow from, I won't come knocking at your door again."
Curious, old Wang Qi asked, "Changhe, where did you borrow this money?"
Yu Changhe naturally replied as instructed by Mrs. Sun, "My wife borrowed it from my mother-in-law. When what she borrowed wasn't enough, she borrowed from her little brother-in-law's wife's family, piecing it together by borrowing from several families!"
Old Wang Qi nodded, "Nowadays, it's rare for someone to take out several taels of silver at once, your mother-in-law's family must be doing well, you should be filial to them in the future!"
"Of course!" Yu Changhe felt relieved after paying the money, feeling much lighter on his feet.
Yu Ziyi, eavesdropping on their conversation, immediately ran back inside to tell old Mrs. Yu, "Second Uncle's money was borrowed by Second Aunt from her family, saying it was from several families!"
Old Mrs. Yu didn't believe it, "That sister-in-law of Sun is quite greedy, how could she do such a bone-headed thing?"
Old Yu Grandpa smoked from his pipe, "Why not, that's Sun's own brother, blood is thicker than water; how could he not care for his sister and brother-in-law? Besides, hasn't Sun borrowed money several times before!"
"Those were small amounts, but this is four taels of silver. Could she really have such influence to borrow that much? I just can't believe it."
"Believe it or not, it's not for you to pay back. Why care where she borrowed it from? Hurry and prepare the engagement gifts for Old Three and send them to the Qi Family, that's the real business!" Old Yu Grandpa knocked his pipe lightly against the wood edge of the bed, tapping out the ashes.
Old Mrs. Yu also thought that preparing Yu Changyu's engagement was the family's top priority, so she did not argue with Old Yu Grandpa. She dressed, took a candle, and went to the backyard.
Yu Xiaolian, seeing old Mrs. Yu going to the backyard with a candle and locking the wooden door towards the backyard, knew she was going to the vegetable cellar to get the money.
If old Mrs. Yu found the money missing, it would surely cause an uproar, maybe even a full search of the whole house.
Soon enough, indeed, old Mrs. Yu began shouting from the vegetable cellar that the money was gone.
Old Yu Grandpa leaned at the cellar entrance, calling for old Mrs. Yu to come up while he would go down to search.
But old Mrs. Yu said her legs were weak and couldn't climb the ladder.
Old Yu Grandpa had no choice but to call Yu Changfu down to carry old Mrs. Yu out.
Once Yu Changfu went down into the cellar, old Mrs. Yu pointed at the glowing letters saying, "Oldest, these words are glowing, they're glowing, it's frightening!"
Yu Changfu leaned in close for a look, was startled too, and brushed it with his hand, revealing a doll inside, nearly dropping the candle in his hand.
Old Mrs. Yu said with lingering fear, "Move that candle away, don't burn the paper, take it up and let Yige'er see what's written on it?"
Yu Changfu responded, brought the entire jar out from underground, handing it out first then went back to carry old Mrs. Yu.
Yu Ziyi took the piece of paper and stammeringly read: "Deep in the vegetable cellar next to the mouse hole, Land God builds a house.
Sadly, the silver coin ran out, borrowing your silver coins to help."
For these words, Yu Xiaolian was worried Yu Ziyi might not understand, so she wrote them in traditional characters. Thankfully, Yu Ziyi managed to read it out, though stammering.
Old Mrs. Yu was bewildered, "What does it mean?"
Yu Ziyi uncertainly said, "It seems the silver coins were borrowed by the Land God..."
"Nonsense." Old Mrs. Yu slapped Yu Ziyi, "How could the Land God be short of money?"
Yu Ziyi suddenly pointed at Slow Sheep Village Chief and shouted, "Grandma, isn't that the statue of the Land God? It looks just like him, I saw the Land God in the Land God Temple leaning on a cane with a long white beard."
"Hey, speak of it, it does look just like him." Yu Changfu agreed naively.
"But, why does this Land God have two horns?"
Yu Changfu said again, "Mom, were these words written with gold dust, is that why they glow?"
"If the Land God could write with gold dust, why would he need to steal our small amount of money? Something's definitely amiss, someone must have stolen my silver."
Old Mrs. Yu sternly said to her eldest and second daughters-in-law, "Which one of you stole my silver? Hand it over now; if I have to search and find it, I'll break her legs and send her back to her family."
Mrs. Cao, fearing old Mrs. Yu would search her room, quickly spoke up, "Ma'am, yesterday the folks across the street were clamoring for the second to pay up, and today your money is missing. Isn't there a need to suspect anyone else?"
"Yes, you're right; her family couldn't have lent her that much money." Old Mrs. Yu pointed at Yu Changfu, "Go, search in the second room for me. They're bold, daring to steal my money."
Seeing Yu Changfu striding towards their room, Mrs. Sun panicked and hurried to grab Yu Changfu, "Big brother, I didn't take mom's money, I didn't even know she hid the money in the vegetable cellar. How could I steal mom's money?"
"Second Aunt, if you didn't steal, you wouldn't fear a search. The way you're acting, it seems like you're guilty!" Yu Ziyi grabbed Mrs. Sun and pulled her from entering the room.