“Mu’an! Are you alright?” Aunt Li asked.
Xu Mu’an smiled and said, “I’m fine.” Although some unpleasant things happened at Xiao Jinfeng’s wedding, it was finally over.
“Those people yesterday were too excessive. They could have come any other day, but they had to choose that day,” Aunt Li said with full indignation.
Xu Mu’an lowered his head. Although yesterday’s events were somewhat unpleasant, after those people came, Xu Mu’an finally put one worry to rest. Keeping money aside waiting for creditors to come wasn’t a pleasant thing, but those people were too arrogant.
“Qiu Bai got married yesterday. Old Qiu spent the whole day showing off that his son was marrying into a wealthy family, but actually, Qiu Bai went there to become a concubine,” Aunt Li said with full disdain.
Xu Mu’an said with some surprise, “A concubine?”
In this world, concubines had very low status. Once you became a concubine, you belonged to the husband’s family and basically had no relationship with your natal family anymore. The husband’s family could sell concubines.
Actually, when Xu Mu’an married Xiao Jingting, he was also a concubine. Xiao Jingting could sell Xu Mu’an if he wanted to. When the original Xiao Jingting was around, Xu Mu’an made many concessions to Xiao Jingting partly for this reason.
Aunt Li nodded and said, “Yes! Old Qiu kept saying how wealthy the family his son married into was, how good life would be after marrying over. The old guy always likes to put gold on his face, but that family doesn’t seem to think much of Qiu Bai – they only sent a small sedan chair to take him away.”
Xu Mu’an squinted his eyes. For him, as long as Qiu Bai married out and stopped bothering them, everything would be fine. He didn’t care what kind of family the other person married into.
“For Old Qiu to be willing to marry his ger son out as a concubine, did Member Li’s family send some precious betrothal gifts?” Xu Mu’an asked.
Aunt Li said mysteriously, “I heard it was two pieces of spirit jade.”
Xu Mu’an squinted his eyes. No wonder – two pieces of spirit jade were worth quite a bit of silver. “Prepared for Qiu Li, right?”
Aunt Li nodded and said, “Exactly. Old Qiu values his precious son the most. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have rushed to marry Qiu Bai off. I heard that the Young Master Li that Qiu Bai married already has two concubines and one legitimate wife, and that legitimate wife is quite formidable.”
Xu Mu’an smiled and said, “Is that so?” Qiu Bai was also not one to stay quiet. After marrying over, the Li family’s days would probably not be peaceful.
“I didn’t expect abandoning farmland would cost so much silver. The Marquis Manor is really deceptive! If only Master Xiao had come to his senses earlier,” Aunt Li said with full sighs.
“That he could come to his senses – spending some silver isn’t much,” Xu Mu’an said lightly. Xiao Jingting changing into a different person was already something incredibly fortunate – he didn’t dare hope for more.
……
The Xiao household.
“Second Brother, you’re up so early! I thought you’d sleep in later. After all, ‘spring nights are short, rising when the sun is high!'” Xiao Jingting said, looking at the energetic Xiao Jinfeng.
Xiao Jinfeng smiled awkwardly and said, “Shuyu shouldn’t engage in strenuous activities right now.”
Xiao Jingting: “…”
“Little brother, your gift was too valuable,” Xiao Jinfeng said. He hadn’t known what Xiao Jingting had given originally, but after looking yesterday, he was quite shocked.
Xiao Jingting said dismissively, “Between family brothers, what’s valuable or not valuable? Besides, if Second Sister-in-law’s strength increases, it’ll reduce my burden.”
“You!” Xiao Jinfeng punched Xiao Jingting’s chest lightly.
Xiao Jingting folded his arms and said, “Second Sister-in-law isn’t an outsider either. We brothers have fallen to this state – if we don’t help each other, how can we survive?”
Xiao Jinfeng nodded and said, “Well said.”
“I’m going to the fields,” Xiao Jingting said.
“So hardworking? Going so early?” Xiao Jinfeng said with some surprise.
“I have to be hardworking! Yesterday we spent 1,500 taels of silver!” Xiao Jingting shook his head.
Xiao Jinfeng frowned and said, “Those people who came yesterday were really excessive. It should have only required 1,000 taels. The extra 500 taels probably went into the pockets of those who came.”
Yesterday, the people who came announced a fine of 1,500 taels. At the time, the village head casually tried to plead for mercy, and one of the visitors kicked him hard. The leader directly said, “If you have money, pay it. If you don’t have money, go to prison. I don’t care if you’re some Xiao family young master or not. A family like the Xiao family is less than nothing before our Marquis Manor.”
The visitors gave Xiao Jingting no face at all, taking the silver and leaving arrogantly.
After the wedding ended yesterday, Xiao Jingting and Xu Mu’an had gone to the village head’s house and sent a generous gift to express their gratitude.
“When my strength becomes stronger in the future, I’ll definitely give those arrogant people a taste of their own medicine. But for now, I still need to improve my strength,” Xiao Jingting said.
Xiao Jinfeng patted Xiao Jingting’s shoulder and said, “I’ll go to the fields with you and check the traps while we’re at it.”
Xiao Jingting nodded and said, “Great!”
Another little thing: You changed the amount they paid as fine. Previously it was 1k, now it is 1.2k plus the 500 extra.