Chapter 1054 - 1056: Report a Number, and From Then On We’re Even_1
"What? That’s the proof of a child being reunited with their kin, how could you just sell it like that?" Bai Lu stamped her foot in anger.
Bai Fu’s face changed, and he said with a stiff neck, "That’s not true. You believe her nonsense, yet you don’t believe me, the head of the main room and a legitimate Scholar?"
"We don’t believe it. There’s no need for Ruozhu to lie to us about this," Bai Lu said bluntly.
Pointing his finger at Bai Lu, Bai Fu said, "You, you’ve always been against me since you were young, and now you’re old you still want to pin a crime on me. No matter what, I’m still your elder brother!"
Bai Ruozhu knew that if the Old Master stubbornly refused to acknowledge his actions, the matter could become unclear without evidence. She thought for a moment and said, "It doesn’t matter if the Old Master doesn’t recognize it. I’ve already contacted Bai Yuanqing’s kin. They have Bai Yuanqing’s handwritten letters, and even though they didn’t know where you wore all these years, they are very certain about this matter."
"Furthermore..." Bai Ruozhu’s voice trailed off, "Every Money House keeps records of accounts. Although it was decades ago, it is still possible to find the records of the Old Master exchanging silver."
Bai Fu’s face turned exceedingly ugly. Seeing the confidence with which Bai Ruozhu spoke, he began to believe her allegations. Plus, considering that Bai Ruozhu could uncover such a secret, he had to believe in her means.
For a moment, Bai Fu sank despondently back into his chair, his gaze unfocused, wondering what to do next.
Bai Yihong’s eyes were red with tears that had already wet his entire face. He was unable to accept it all at once – it was bad enough not to be his parents’ biological child, but thinking of their partiality, he could understand it now; he had always been a naive and honest person. He had harbored some minor resentment, feeling his parents were unfair, but having learned he was not their biological son, he now felt he’d been too greedy.
His parents raising him was a great kindness in itself. He wasn’t their biological child, so why should he expect them to treat him as well as they treated Bai Yibo?
That’s why he meant it when he said he didn’t blame Bai Fu and his wife.
However, he hadn’t expected there to be such hidden circumstances. For a peasant family, five hundred silver coins were enough to send a child to school. He’d also longed to study, but his parents always said the family was struggling and they could only afford to send his elder brother. He was told to study at home first. As time went on, he had to work the fields more and more, and the prospect of schooling became a distant dream.
He had never wanted to blame anyone; he could consider the silver as repayment for their raising him. But every time he remembered being looked down upon by Bai Yibo for not being educated, a piercing pain assaulted his heart.
Lin Ping er, feeling sorry for her husband, supported Bai Yihong and said, "Father, don’t think too much. You’ve got us. Let’s forget the past, and look forward to enjoying our children’s blessings in the future."
"Dad, I didn’t want to say too much, but I spoke up today so you won’t be left in the dark. Let bygones be bygones if you don’t hold them accountable; you don’t owe them anything," Bai Ruozhu also urged.
However, upon hearing this, Madam Liu grew anxious and said, "How can you say he doesn’t owe us anything? Did we raise him for free? The grace of birth isn’t greater than the grace of upbringing, and he caused my son to be exiled. He owes us for a lifetime!"
Madam Liu’s words were unreasonable and simultaneously admitted Bai Yihong’s identity.
Bai Ruozhu took a deep breath, fearing she wouldn’t be able to restrain herself from charging over and slapping Madam Liu. That old witch was too shameless!
"Aunt, enough!" This time it was Bai Yixiao who shouted out. He couldn’t stand it anymore, "Don’t keep saying your son was exiled because of Yihong. Bai Yibo took part in fraud himself. Not only did he cheat by buying exam answers, but he sold them for profit, too. His sentence was the result of his own doing, and he almost implicated the entire Bai Family. How can you have the gall to say it was Yihong’s fault? Did Yihong tell him to buy the answers?"
"Hmph, you two have spoiled Bai Yibo since he was a child. As if your son was the only treasure, you’ve twisted him. After decades of study, he’s still just a Scholar, idling away instead of farming or studying properly, always taking shortcuts. In the end, he still blames others for his own failures—why can’t you see his problems?" Bai Lu said, slamming his hand down on the table.
Even Bai Zhi couldn’t help but start crying, looking at her mother and saying, "Mother, I never thought you were this kind of person. You’ve disappointed me so much!"
Liu Family’s complexion changed but she ignored Bai Zhi; although her daughter’s words made her uncomfortable, what was that compared to the lure of shiny silver?
Bai Ruozhu released her father’s arm and stepped towards Liu Family, "All your talk, isn’t it just because you want my father to repay you? Just say it directly, how much silver will it take to settle the debt? Name your price, and from then on, we can be clear of each other."
"Ruozhu..." Bai Yixiao called out reluctantly, but he saw Ruozhu give him a reassuring smile. In a flash, he understood. Ruozhu wanted to draw clear boundaries with Bai Fu and the Liu Family, but she would still consider them family.
Liu Family’s eyes began to move rapidly. With things having escalated to this point, it might be the last time to take advantage of Bai Yihong’s household, and she couldn’t let this opportunity slip.
"I raised him and helped him marry and have children. Counting everything together, it would be several thousand taels," Liu Family said without batting an eyelid.
Even Mrs. Bo, an aristocrat unfamiliar with the expenses of a peasant household, frowned upon hearing this. Liu Family was clearly extorting them!
Bai Ruozhu wasn’t angry, fixating her gaze on Liu Family and asking, "Fine, calculate it clearly—how many thousand taels exactly? Think it through before you speak; there’s no turning back on this."
Excitement flashed in Liu Family’s eyes. "I won’t make it difficult for you, let’s just say five thousand taels."
Bai Yihong’s face turned pale. Five thousand taels was far too much—did his mother really have no affection for him at all? In that moment, Bai Yihong’s heart went cold.
"Five thousand taels? You have the nerve to ask for that? Your family hasn’t made five thousand taels in an entire lifetime. The thousand taels for living expenses all these years have come from his own father, and you even embezzled the money he left for studying—how can you have the face to ask for more?" Bai Lu said angrily.
Just then, a maid came from outside to report: "Madam, the Old Master has arrived."
Mrs. Bo had been silent, thinking it was a Bai Family matter, but she hadn’t expected the Old Master to come. She hurried out to meet him, as Bo Gaozhuo also walked in.
"Paying respects to my father-in-law. You’re not well, how could you come here by yourself?" Mrs. Bo asked worriedly.
Bo Gaozhuo waved his hand, saying, "I heard there was a serious quarrel here, so I came to see. I’m not familiar with Bai Family affairs, but I can’t just watch my niece be wronged."
Liu Family’s eyes lit up, as if she had found a backer, rushing over and saying, "Little uncle, you must stand up for us. Look, our head of the household is not taking it lightly; he’s practically out of breath from anger."
Bo Gaozhuo looked over at Bai Ruozhu’s family with displeasure and said, "Whenever you come, there’s always a commotion. No matter what, Bai Fu is your father and the head of your household. Even if he wants to save Yibo, there’s nothing wrong with that. As his children, what do you mean by causing such a ruckus?"