Daiyu from the Red Mansion is also arguing with people today

Chapter 150 The Xue Family Sells Their Farm Shop

The Xue family has been in a state of panic these past few days: matters such as reissuing household registration are relatively easy and can be settled with a bribe of a hundred or so taels; but what makes them even more worried is that the huge sum of money they brought to Beijing from Jiangnan seems to have gone down the drain, with no trace left at all.

She didn't dare tell Mrs. Wang that they had no intention of returning to Jinling when they came to Shenjing City this time. So the thieves didn't steal a few tens of thousands of taels of silver this time, but most of the Xue family's wealth!

When Aunt Xue thought of the huge fortune of the Xue family, except for some ancestral property and farms left in Jiangnan, there were only a few empty shops and farms left. She felt like her heart was bleeding, not to mention how uncomfortable she was.

The clothes that Xue Baochai was wearing were borrowed from Yingchun. Although they looked no different from what she usually wore outside, the interior was very different.

While she was helping Aunt Xue drink the medicine, she advised, "It will take at least two months to send a message to the manager in Jinling to send money back. We can't rely on Aunt Xue for everything. I think it's better to sell one or two shops first to cover the expenses for the next two months."

Aunt Xue had a headband wrapped around her head, which was specially sent by Jia Mu when she heard that she had fainted, along with a lot of medicinal herbs. She rubbed her forehead weakly and said, "Our family depends on you now!"

"Mom, if you had indulged my brother less, he wouldn't have become like this!" Xue Baochai felt a little depressed, but she didn't know who to vent her anger on.

"Now is not the time to talk about this." Aunt Xue suddenly changed the subject and asked, "How come Lixiangyuan is fine?"

Xue Baochai hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to answer. She was worried that her mother might not be able to bear it if she told the truth.

The rumors about the Xue family in the capital were so ugly that even the servants in the Jia Mansion began to look at them with strange eyes, as if they were some kind of dirty things.

Xue Baochai blinked fiercely and tried to make her voice sound calm: "There are many guards sent by the Lin Mansion in her yard. The people I sent said that they didn't hear anything unusual."

"Are we just going to accept this loss in silence?" Aunt Xue's eyes were filled with tears, and she had no idea what was going on.

"If he refuses to admit it, can we report it to the authorities?" Xue Baochai sighed and patiently advised, "We can only get through this difficult time first, and then let brother study with housekeeper Lai for a while, so as to support the family business."

Aunt Xue's eyes flickered for a moment, and she hesitated: "But your brother still has to go to Jia's school to study..."

Xue Baochai decisively interrupted her, with a rare stern tone: "Mom! Can't you see what the Jia family school is like? They are all just eating and drinking for free! Even if my eldest brother can't help me in the future, he must never become a burden to me!"

She noticed the unwillingness in her mother's eyes, took out the gold lock from her chest and pressed it in her mother's hand.

Aunt Xue held the slightly warm golden lock, her lips trembling a little, "Baochai girl, what do you mean by this?"

"Mom, don't you understand? For the past six months, you have been asking them insinuations, but have they ever given us any response?" Xue Baochai held Aunt Xue's hand tightly. "We are not at the end of our rope yet. Let's melt this gold lock. At least we can get some silver to spend first."

"Your father used his connections to find a master craftsman to make this! It can't be melted!" Aunt Xue put the gold lock back on Xue Baochai's neck and made up her mind, "I'll listen to you. Let's sell the shop!"

There was a hint of bitterness in Xue Baochai's smile. She knew that her mother had not completely given up her obsession with a perfect match.

"Mom, since you have decided to listen to me, then don't mention the golden marriage for now." Xue Baochai looked into her eyes and chose to compromise. "If I can't make the choice, I will consider your proposal."

"If you ask me..." Aunt Xue looked at Xue Baochai's determined eyes and had to swallow the rest of the sentence. She said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

"Miss! The Xue family has spread the news that they want to sell their shop and farm!" Lan Rui learned the news from Lin Ji and immediately came to report to Daiyu.

"What's the price?"

"The shop costs fifty thousand taels!" Lan Rui said, sticking out her tongue.

"Where is Zhuangzi?"

Daiyu simply ignored the shop. Even if she had so much money, she would not buy a shop at this time.

"The farm is much cheaper. Over 200 acres of land is sold for 3,500 taels of silver."

Daiyu pondered for a moment, and finally decided to buy it. She told Lan Rui: "Let Linji find a reliable middleman to see if the price can be lowered, and then pay with the silver bills sent from Yangzhou."

Lan Rui was a little puzzled: "Girl, why is this?"

Daiyu smiled and scratched Lan Rui's nose: "Of course I can't let Xue Baochai know my background! Go quickly!"

The good days didn't last long. Daiyu had been enjoying herself in the Lin residence for another ten days before Nanny Gu brought her some bad news - it was time to return to the Jia residence.

Not only Daiyu, but also the maids were very depressed. After asking, Daiyu found out why. It turned out that they planned to have a big party in the mansion to celebrate Daiyu's birthday.

Daiyu felt a little amused and touched, and comforted them: "Don't be sad, we can still celebrate after we return to Yangzhou!"

After hearing what Daiyu said, Xueyan and the others stopped shedding tears and went to pack Daiyu's things.

Lan Rui walked up to Daiyu and handed her a land deed: "Miss, the red deed is ready."

"Did Lingji's trip go smoothly?"

Speaking of this, Lan Rui was a little dissatisfied: "That housekeeper Lai wanted to swallow up the manor himself. If we hadn't been keeping an eye on the Xue family, we would have thought that the middleman deliberately raised the price. Later, Lin Ji directly asked the middleman to find the Jia family, and then the matter was settled. Later, when we went to the government to exchange the red deed, Xue Pan was a little surprised, but he finally accepted it with a pinch of his nose."

Daiyu didn't think the matter was so easy. She smiled casually, returned to her bedroom, and put the deed away in the warehouse.

The third day of February is a good time to travel.

Early in the morning, a row of carriages were parked neatly at the back corner door of the Lin Mansion.

Daiyu's face was downcast, and she did not have the joy of celebrating her birthday "in advance" the day before. She had a wooden face and let the maids manipulate her. It was not until the time was almost up that she reluctantly got on the carriage.

Lixiangyuan had received the news a long time ago and had started to pack up a few days ago. Nanny Gu had people take Daiyu's bedding apart, wash it, and dry it in the sun. The main rooms were also heated with silver charcoal, as if Daiyu had never left.

Sanchun did not go to the school that day, but stayed in Grandmother Jia's room, waiting for Daiyu to come back.

"My darling! I'm sorry for having wronged you!" As soon as Jia's mother saw Daiyu come in, she immediately stood up and hugged her tightly in her arms.