Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 129

Zhang Laosan naturally trusted Yu Jiao’s character, otherwise, he wouldn’t have rushed over to deliver the news. After all, he was the one who had recommended Yu Jiao to the master and madam in the first place. Now that something like this had happened, he felt deeply guilty.

“Miss Meng, you may not know, but my young lady has long admired Young Master Shen. The master promised two grain shops in the city as her dowry, which finally got the Shen family to agree to the engagement.” 

“Now that they’ve suddenly broken it off and even said such harsh things, my young lady nearly hanged herself in despair. The master and madam, in their panic, wrongfully suspected you.”

Zhang Laosan feared the Zhang family might cause trouble for Yu Jiao, so he sincerely warned her. “The master and madam are furious right now. It’s hard to say they won’t lash out at you, so please be careful, Miss Meng. It’s just a pity… I don’t have much say in the household.”

As a servant, he had little weight with Master Zhang, but he had always remembered Yu Jiao’s kindness in treating Qi’er’s illness. So when he heard what happened, he rushed over to give her a heads-up.

“I shouldn’t stay long, I’ll be going now.” Seeing the displeasure on Yu Jiao’s face and feeling useless, Zhang Laosan stood and took his leave. Yu Jiao stood up as well. Though she was angry that the Zhangs would take their frustrations out on her, she appreciated Zhang Laosan’s effort to warn her, it was a decent thing to do.

“Thank you for coming to inform me about what happened at the Zhang residence,” she said, walking him to the gate.

Back in her room, Yu Jiao couldn’t shake her frustration. She couldn’t focus on teaching embroidery to Yu Fuling and eventually set the materials aside. Yu Fuling stitched for a while longer before setting down her needlework and quietly slipping into Yu Qizhe’s room.

“Zhang Laosan came by just now. I don’t know what he talked to Yu Jiao about, but she seemed upset afterward,” she said in a low voice.

Yu Qizhe paused, his eyes lifting from the book in front of him. “I’ll ask her tonight,” he replied. Yu Fuling had only told him so he’d be a bit more attentive to Yu Jiao. Seeing that he understood, she quietly returned to her room.

Meanwhile, Yu Hanshan had spent the entire day circling around Yu Mengshan, practically singing the praises of opening a pork shop. He and Madam Zhao had assumed that, since Yu Mengshan had a bad leg and a restless nature, he’d be tempted by the idea of running a business. But no matter how hard they tried, Yu Mengshan didn’t budge.

“Big brother’s good at hunting and butchering, he’s a better fit for this than me. I’ll pass,” Yu Mengshan said as he flipped and dried herbs from a basket.

Yu Hanshan thought, If Meng Yujiao were part of the eldest branch, I’d go ask big brother directly, no need to waste time on you. But out loud, he said, “Big Brother may be capable, but you and I are closer. And besides, you’ve got a bum leg, having a business could help support your family. I’m only thinking of you, trying to bring you in on this.”

Yu Mengshan wasn’t the sharpest, but he knew enough about how shameless the third branch couple was. When he broke his leg, the two of them constantly complained about how the second branch was just a bunch of freeloaders burning through money. 

So why the sudden change of heart?

“I’ve never done butchering before, probably wouldn’t be good at it,” Yu Mengshan replied calmly. “You can handle the pork shop yourself. If you’re really overwhelmed later, I’m sure big brother and I can help out.”

Still seeing no sign of interest, Yu Hanshan lost patience and said bluntly, “Fine, if you don’t want to help, then at least fork over some silver. I don’t have enough for the startup, and our parents aren’t exactly rolling in it either. You folks in the second branch have money, so pitch in.”

Only then did Yu Mengshan realize the real reason his younger brother had been pestering him, it was all a ruse to get money. Furious, he said, “You’re starting a business, and somehow you expect the second branch to fund it? We don’t have any private savings.”

He knew full well Yu Hanshan had his eyes on Yu Jiao’s silver. But Yu Jiao wasn’t his biological daughter, he had no right to touch her hard-earned savings.

“Yu Jiao has money. Her money is the second branch’s money,” Yu Hanshan said shamelessly. “She’s just a girl, what’s she need all that silver for? It’d be better to let the family use it.”

Yu Mengshan’s expression darkened. There was no point arguing, he turned and walked toward the east room. But Yu Hanshan wasn’t about to let it go. He rushed up and grabbed Yu Mengshan, shouting, “If you don’t give me the money, I’ll go search your house myself!”

Yu Mengshan’s bad leg gave out, and the rough tug sent him crashing to the ground.

Inside, Song Chun had already heard the commotion and peeked through the curtain. When she saw Yu Mengshan fall, she hurried out to help him up, her face dark with anger.

“What do you think you’re doing, Third Brother? You know full well your brother’s injured. Why would you go shoving him around?”

Madam Zhao had been watching from the window the entire time. Seeing Song Chun scold her husband, she also stepped outside.

“I didn’t shove him!” Yu Hanshan argued hastily. “He fell on his own! Don’t pin it on me!” Then he turned to Song Chun and said, “Second Sister-in-law, I want to start a business but don’t have capital. You second branch folks are well off, help me out.”

“What capital? We don’t have any silver,” Song Chun replied, confused. Yu Mengshan, dusting himself off, explained what Yu Hanshan had said about the pork shop.

Madam Zhao, seeing that her husband had failed to convince Yu Mengshan, dropped her polite act and said coldly, “Second Sister-in-law, how can you say you don’t have money? Yu Jiao is your daughter. Her silver is the second branch’s silver. Your brother wants to start a business, and as his elder brother and sister-in-law, it’s your duty to help!”

Song Chun almost laughed at the shamelessness of it all. When Yu Mengshan was bedridden after breaking his leg, the third branch couple gave her dirty looks every day, always complaining they had to carry the load alone. Where was all that “brotherly love” then?

“You want to start a business, go ahead. If Father and Mother want to give you silver, we won’t say a word. But don’t even think about touching Yu Jiao’s money. She earned it herself, and it’s her private dowry. We, as her foster parents, may not be able to provide her much for marriage, but we’ll never let anyone lay a finger on what she earned on her own.”

Song Chun’s voice was no longer the soft, accommodating tone it once was. And with Madam Zhao being so shameless, she spoke bluntly and made her stance clear.

Madam Zhao, naturally, wasn’t someone to back down so easily. If she didn’t get the money, she wasn’t leaving. Her voice rose, shrill and unreasonable, “I’ve never seen anyone turn against their own like this! You actually want Meng Yujiao to take all her silver with her when she marries out? Dream on! Either hand over her money and let us divide it, or give us the capital for the pork shop, your choice!”

The courtyard was a mess of shouting and accusations when Yu Jiao suddenly lifted the curtain and stepped out from the east room. Her dark eyes glinted coldly as she stared at Madam Zhao and her husband.

With a sarcastic smile on her lips, she said coolly, “You want silver? Then talk to me.”