Second Master Xie sat in the restaurant, looking at the table full of dishes, and felt distressed.
This is eating away silver.
Mr. Dong, who was helping to connect Second Master Xie, said, "Steward Xu has always been working for Second Young Master Song. As long as Steward Xu nods, Second Master Xie will surely have a bright future."
Second Master Xie quickly thanked him.
Mr. Dong continued, "The court has not yet appointed a Military Governor. If there's no mistake, it must be General Song. General Song has three legitimate sons, and he values the second young master the most."
Second Master Xie remembered something: "The eldest master of the Song Family is quite impressive; he is also renowned in the Northern Border."
The storyteller could easily elaborate on that eldest master of the Song Family. Recently, when capturing Dingzhou, Song Xian led the troops to breach the city first.
In this dynasty, military merit is measured by heads taken, and Song Xian's personal attendants always had blood-soaked heads hanging at their waists.
"That was during wartime, when the court needed people to defend against foreign threats," Mr. Dong took a sip of tea, "but think again, how are those people any different from the Liao people who kill without blinking? Even within the Song Family, everyone fears him. The second young master, however, is better, talented in both literature and military, and it takes such a person to govern peacefully."
Just after Mr. Dong finished speaking, Steward Xu's servant came in with a message: "Our master has something urgent and cannot come."
The servant's expression was not good, and he prepared to leave after delivering the message.
Mr. Dong quickly stood up to greet him, "Is there anything we can help with?"
The servant shook his head. Steward Xu was just taken away by the eldest master's people. In such situations, not to mention the merchants, but even if the master personally requested someone, the eldest master may not comply.
Seeing that today's silver was wasted, Second Master Xie felt a pang of heartache; why was it so difficult to meet with someone from the Song Family?
"Good things take time." Mr. Dong was just about to comfort Second Master Xie a few words.
The Xie Family's steward came over: "Master, the eldest young lady wants to return to the Chen Family, and Second Madame requests you to come back once."
Second Master Xie hurried home, and on the way, the steward roughly explained the situation at home.
"Second Madame is at her wits' end and found out the eldest madame's dowry."
If the Su Family is willing to transfer the marriage contract to Ru Lan, it might be worth taking out that dowry, but Second Master Xie still felt uneasy. Today, he had already lost too much silver and it would be best to give less of the sister-in-law's dowry, at least to cover the cost of today's banquet.
Second Master Xie dismounted and went straight into the courtyard. When he saw the Second Old Master Xie warmly speaking with Chen Zigeng, Second Master Xie's brows furrowed, wondering how the patriarch arrived so quickly.
Hearing the commotion, the Xie Family Patriarch also looked at Second Master Xie.
The Xie Family Patriarch's eyes were full of displeasure; Miss Chen wanted to return home with her grandmother, and Mrs. Qiao did not stop her. Without Xie Er's consent, Mrs. Qiao would not have dared such an act. It seemed the second branch had long wanted to drive Miss Chen out of the house.
In that case, there was nothing more to say. The Xie Family Patriarch handed over the dowry list: "These dowries Mrs. Qiao asked someone to find. You can take a look."
Second Master Xie felt a pang in his heart. He didn't expect Mrs. Qiao to start so quickly without waiting for him to return, and in the eyes of the patriarch, it seemed they were eager to marry off Xie Liangchen.
The matter had already come to this, and explaining was useless. Second Master Xie had to endure it.
With the dowry list, the items naturally could not be less, and Second Master Xie's thoughts of muddying the waters could not come true.
Seeing that another sum of silver would have to be spent, Second Master Xie thought about the marriage contract with the Su Family to calm his troubled mind.
The Xie Family Patriarch said, "Old Mrs. Chen mentioned that your elder brother left behind some property. According to the household law of this dynasty, if the main branch has no heirs to inherit, the property will be divided into four parts, with Miss Chen getting three parts, and the remaining part going to the government."
Second Master Xie instinctively said, "When my elder brother and sister-in-law went out to find Liangchen, they sold quite a bit of family assets for travel expenses, and there truly isn't much more…"
"The sky hasn't even darkened, and already you're telling lies," Old Mrs. Chen briskly walked into the house, "Aren't you afraid of divine retribution for seizing the property of your elder brother and sister-in-law?"
Second Master Xie's unfinished words were suddenly choked back.
Old Mrs. Chen, hands on hips: "Before my son-in-law left, he told me clearly that he bought mountainous land and the documents are with you."
Second Master Xie's complexion changed; he didn't expect Old Mrs. Chen to know about the mountainous land.
Old Mrs. Chen stretched out her hand: "Patriarch Xie, look, the guilty conscience is written all over his face, isn't it because they bully Miss Chen for having no one to protect her."
The Xie Family Patriarch looked at Second Master Xie: "Do you know about that mountainous land?"
Second Master Xie tried to steady his mind: "The reason I didn't mention this land earlier is because the elder brother didn't hand over the purchase documents to me. Otherwise, I would send someone to the government office to inquire?" He was acquainted with the people in the government office, and there had been a fire in the office; as long as they claimed the land documents were lost.
Just as Second Master Xie was about to call for the steward, he saw Old Mrs. Chen pull a letter out of her sleeve. Tilting her chin, her face full of triumph: "No need to trouble Second Master Xie; we've already been to the government office, and they helped copy a document. Hereafter, this land belongs to Miss Chen, unrelated to anyone else, and no one should covet it."
Second Master Xie was startled again and again; how did Old Mrs. Chen accomplish so much while he was gone? Though that land was largely barren, it still fetched some silver, and a suffocating sensation filled Second Master Xie's chest, nearly leaving him breathless.
"Since it's like this," the Xie Family Patriarch looked at Second Master Xie, "why don't you handle the paperwork."
Second Master Xie stepped forward, and upon seeing the official seal of the government office on the document, his heart utterly sank.
Seeing everything proceeding smoothly, Chen Zigeng quickly went to inform Xie Liangchen.
"Sister." Chen Zigeng pushed open the door.
Xie Liangchen had already gotten out of bed, sitting on the Jinwu by the Eight Immortals Table, lost in thought.
Chen Zigeng's face was originally full of smiles, but seeing the cold sweat on Xie Liangchen's forehead, his expression immediately changed: "Sister, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Only upon hearing Chen Zigeng's voice did Xie Liangchen return to her senses, shaking her head: "No, I just had a nightmare, dreaming that I was knocked down by a tigress."
"No wonder Sister is scared; a tigress protecting her cubs is the fiercest," Chen Zigeng carefully wiped Xie Liangchen's sweat with a handkerchief. Sister is so formidable; things that scare her are not ordinary.
Xie Liangchen shook her head internally; it was not some protective tigress, but a creditor in her dream. Song Xian, without a word, had stabbed her straight in the chest, the fear of death still clinging to her, refusing to disperse.
She truly feared Song Xian, at least for now, without the means to confront him. In the future, when she's capable, she will find a way to escape from him, never to be found again.
This dream also reminded her that leaving the Xie Family meant she needed to inform the creditor in advance, lest they think she's attempting to flee.
She didn't want to face the blade in Song Xian's hand.
But how to inform him? Xie Liangchen looked outside; there were certainly people arranged by Song Xian here. Tomorrow, she would return to Chen Family Village with her grandmother and younger brother. Tonight, she must find a way to send a message to Song Xian.
Hopefully, Song Xian is in a better mood than before.