Chapter 1056 - 1058: The 5000 Taels Can’t Be Given for Nothing_1
Bai Ruozhu’s eyes flashed with a mocking tinge as she stepped in front of her father and said, "Don’t pressure my dad about this anymore. If you want money, talk to me."
"Mother, how can you be like this? How can you have the nerve to ask for these five thousand taels? Wasn’t the thousand taels given by his biological father enough?" Bai Zhi cried on the side, her voice choked with tears. Had she known all this would happen today, she would never have invited Bai Yihong’s family to visit the old man. She had naively hoped to act as the peacemaker, to reconcile her parents with her second brother’s family. Little did she know that today would reveal such secrets.
"Shut up. Why are you elbowing me out? Did it not cost energy to raise him? Now that he’s going to acknowledge his real family, shouldn’t he compensate me?" Liu Family spoke up, her tone filled with self-righteous indignation.
The light in Bai Yihong’s eyes grew chillier. He hadn’t ruled out giving the Old Master and Liu Family a sum of money, considering it cost for those years of upbringing. However, the very idea that the old lady would start by demanding five thousand taels! Did she really think silver rained from the sky?
Liu Family looked at Bai Ruozhu and said, "What, you’re unwilling to give even five thousand taels? Aren’t you the one who claims to be the most filial to your father? Why won’t you spare these five thousand taels for your father then?"
This time, even the Old Master couldn’t bear to listen any longer. He turned to Bai Fu and said, "Control your wife, has she gone mad with poverty? Demanding five thousand taels just like that; even if one raised a child, one wouldn’t ask for money in such a manner, let alone..."
As soon as he uttered "let alone," Bai Fu knew that the Old Master was already believing it somewhat, and he started trembling. Was the good image he had worked so hard to build in front of the Old Master about to be ruined?
He withdrew his thoughts and said to Liu Family, "Enough. I know you feel wronged, but this isn’t the way to express it. Let it go."
Bai Ruozhu heard this and sneered coldly, observing how the Old Master seemed to suggest that they had raised Bai Yihong, only to be bitten in return, as if they were the wronged party. It was blatantly lying without blushing.
Unfortunately, Liu Family was already blinded by the prospect of five thousand taels. She followed up on Bai Fu’s lead and said, "Yes, I do feel choked with anger. After raising him all these years, I should at least settle this account. With the money their business makes now, five thousand taels is nothing!"
Bai Fu, livid, pointed at Liu Family and said, "Enough, stop making a scene here!"
Bai Ruozhu, however, looked at Liu Family and suddenly said, "Since grandma has already named her price, I can give the five thousand taels."
The room fell silent. Bai Zhi hurried to pull Bai Ruozhu aside, whispering, "She’s being unreasonable. Don’t get angry at her. If you really give her that much silver, she’ll just squander it."
Having said that, Bai Zhi blushed, feeling out of place for having spoken ill of her own mother. It was her first time making such remarks, and only after she had spoken did she realize its impropriety. Yet, it was truly what she was thinking at the moment.
Bai Lu sighed helplessly. Giving those two five thousand taels was nothing short of a waste. It would be better spent sending children from the clan to read and learn.
Liu Family’s eyes gleamed with excitement. She shot up and grabbed Bai Ruozhu’s arm, demanding, "You said it yourself, when will you give me the silver?"
Bai Ruozhu pulled her hand away in disgust and said, "I, Bai Ruozhu, always keep my word. But as you said just before, after I give you the money, we will be even. So, you should return the token my father’s father left for Bai Yuanqing to us. Otherwise, how can it be considered settled?"
Liu Family’s face collapsed in an instant. "That token was pawned long ago, where am I supposed to find it? After all, you still don’t want to give the money."
Bai Ruozhu shrugged her shoulders and turning her head, she asked the Old Master, "Old Master, I am willing to give her five thousand taels. Is it worth exchanging for the token my father’s deceased father left him? Regardless of whether my father acknowledges his lineage in the future, wouldn’t it be nice to have a memento of his biological father?"
The Old Master sighed, "It’s only right. If it was pawned, make an effort to retrieve it."
"How are two old folks like us supposed to find it? You’re just trying to make things difficult for us. You just don’t want to part with the money!" Liu Family shouted.
Bai Ruozhu said directly, "I can draw up a contract, and as soon as you return the token, I’ll immediately give you 5,000 silver taels. I’m willing to formalize the contract, so you can’t say I’m unwilling to pay the money, right?"
In her heart, she sneered. She naturally knew that the Liu Family couldn’t find the token anymore; she just wanted to expose their greed, and sure enough, the Liu Family didn’t let her down. As soon as they opened their mouth, they asked for 5,000 silver taels, which completely lowered their standing in the eyes of the Bo Family.
She really would write the contract, but she was certain she could find the token before the Liu Family, unless the Old Master had never actually sold the token and had hidden it instead.
As she spoke, Bai Ruozhu asked Madame Bo to borrow paper and pen, and wrote down the contract, flowing with impressive handwriting. Of course, she explained the cause and effect clearly to avoid being misinterpreted as unfilial by others.
In the end, she pressed her finger seal in cinnabar ink and handed the contract over to Old Master Bo.
"Old Master Bo is known for his fairness, so I entrust this contract to your keeping to act as the certifying witness for us," said Bai Ruozhu.
Old Master Bo, looking at the beautiful regular script on the paper, formed an even better impression of Bai Ruozhu. Even Bai Fu, who claimed to have studied all his life, couldn’t write as well as Bai Ruozhu. It was said that one’s handwriting could reveal their character; he should have thought of this earlier.
"Alright, I am of the highest seniority, so I will act as the intermediary for you two," said Old Master Bo.
While the Liu Family kept clamoring that they were helpless, Old Master Bo shot them a glare and said, "Enough with the nonsense. You were the ones who pawned someone else’s token in the first place—find a way to get it back on your own!"
The matriarch of the Liu Family started to weep, lamenting that this would be the death of an old wife like her.
Everyone in the room was uninterested in dealing with the Liu Family’s complaints. Bai Fu opened his mouth, wanting to explain to Old Master Bo, but his mouth tasted bitter and he didn’t know what to say, for he could already see the disappointment in the Old Master’s eyes.
Just then, a servant from the Bo Residence rushed in, his face filled with panic as he said, "Old Master, Grande Dame, you better go see—the Marquis was carried back injured, and he’s badly hurt!"
"What?" Madame Bo leaped up. "How did this happen? The Marquis was fine when he went to the early morning court; how could he be injured?"
Old Master Bo also grabbed the servant by the collar urgently, demanding, "Speak up immediately!"
"I saw it at the gatehouse—they carried the Marquis in. He seems to, seems to have encountered an assassin," stammered the terrified servant, his face turning pale.
Madame Bo’s body swayed, but she quickly steadied herself and said to the Old Master, "Father-in-law, don’t upset yourself. I’ll go and check on the situation. You come over more slowly."
After speaking, Madame Bo hurried toward the outer courtyard. Bai Ruozhu glanced at her mother and said, "Mother, stay with father. I’ll go too and see if I can be of any help."
Lin Ping’er and Bai Yihong quickly nodded, telling her to go at once.
Old Master Bo, agitated, also started towards the outer courtyard. Bai Ruozhu hurriedly said to Bai Yixiao, "Uncle, please accompany the Old Master and keep him from rushing."
Bai Yixiao quickly nodded, and Bai Lu followed to assist, leaving only Bai Fu and the Liu Family out on a limb.