Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 754 - 0707: Strange Friend (2)

Before going to Zhen An Prefecture, Li Yuzhu had no impression of Sixth Aunt Wei from the Wei Family.

And she had never met her.

It was only later when she heard Li Yuwen mention it that she learned there was a Sixth Aunt who died young.

Sixth Aunt Wei was sent back to her family after failing to conceive in three years of marriage.

Back at her family home, she was constantly scolded by her mother, Second Madam Wei, for bringing shame to the family.

Under this dual strain, she couldn’t bear the grievance and ended her own life.

The day before her suicide, she gave all her jewelry, saved over many years, to Li Yuwen.

Because of this, Sixth Aunt Wei’s death had a significant impact on Li Yuwen, making her become prideful and tough, just so she wouldn’t be bullied, especially by men.

Li Yuwen felt a similarity between the situations of Liu Da Niu and Sixth Aunt Wei, so she stood up for Liu Da Niu and beat her mother-in-law.

Second Master Wei had one wife and one concubine, with four daughters and one son.

The Sixth Daughter committed suicide at the age of twenty.

The Seventh Daughter ran away from her marriage.

This year, the Eighth Daughter just turned fourteen, but she has already been promised to someone. A marriage exchange would ruin her life.

There was also a daughter born to a concubine, who is only eleven years old this year and too young for marriage. The Yu Wen Family wants a continuation of the marriage but is probably unwilling to wait, and besides, marrying now is even more inappropriate!

Facing criticisms from Li Yuzhu, Second Master Wei hung his head in frustration, saying, "Then what should we do? We can’t afford to provoke the influence of the Yu Wen Family now!"

Li Yuzhu hadn’t thought of a good solution either. It seemed that, just as Second Madam Wei said, Li Yuwen would have to handle this matter with force.

At this moment, the housekeeper of Second Madam Wei came over, standing at the door of the study she said, "Second Master, Second Madam is asking if you have thought of a good solution. The people from the Yu Wen Family refuse to leave."

Second Master Wei anxiously grabbed his hair again, "Stop urging, we’re discussing it now."

Li Yuzhu went over to the housekeeper and said, "Auntie, I have a temporary idea."

The housekeeper happily said, "Please tell, Cousin Lady."

Li Yuzhu said, "Just say that Miss Qi is not feeling well, resting in bed, and we’ll give them a response in two days."

The housekeeper frowned, "This..., will it work?"

Li Yuzhu said again, "Whether it works or not, just reply like this for now. The people from the Yu Wen Family have come not for a person then it’s to take back the betrothal gifts, and now the betrothal silver is gone, and the person is not here, keeping this stalemate is not a solution. I was also caught off guard by the news and didn’t have a plan. Let me go home and discuss with my eldest sister and see if they have a good idea."

"Let’s do that for now, go relay this to Second Madam," Second Master Wei said too.

The housekeeper hesitated for a moment, nodded in agreement, turned around, and left to deliver the message.

Upon receiving such a reply, the housekeepers from the Yu Wen Family said, "Then we’ll follow this agreement. If we still don’t see Miss Wei Qi in two days, the marriage will be called off, and the betrothal gifts will be reclaimed."

Having agreed upon this, the housekeepers from the Yu Wen Family left the Wei Family.

Second Madam Wei let out a long sigh of relief.

Li Yuzhu needed to return and inform Li Yuwen about the matter, so she didn’t linger long and took a carriage back to Pei Shenyan’s new residence.

As soon as she got off the carriage, Li Yuzhu hurried to find Li Yuwen.

Li Yuwen was still sleeping; Li Yuzhu went over and shook her vigorously.

"Stop sleeping, Elder Sister, sleep later tonight, let’s talk about serious matters. Oh dear, why are you so sleepy?"

Li Yuwen woke up, grumbling angrily, "Try staying up all night, and being flipped over and over like a quilt, see if you wouldn’t be tired." Not only tired but also exhausted, the whole body felt drained, as though she had been digging wild vegetables all day.

Li Yuwen yawned wearily.

Li Yuzhu snickered, "How were you flipped?"

Li Yuwen blushed and glared at her, "Go ask your Mu Yuanxiu."

Li Yuzhu held back a laugh, "My Yuanxiu is an honest child, he wouldn’t know."

Li Yuwen pinched her, "You cheeky girl, even if he doesn’t, you must know, don’t pretend with me? You’re so cunning, you’d even know how to deliver a baby, and wouldn’t know about flipping? Good chance your Master Ji has talked to you about it?"

Li Yuzhu smiled, pursing her lips, "Alright, let’s not talk about flipping quilts anymore, let’s talk about the Wei Family matters."

At the mention of the Wei Family, Li Yuzhu stopped laughing.

She recounted the Wei Family affairs to Li Yuwen.

"What? That bastard Second Uncle! How many daughters does he intend to kill?" Li Yuwen angrily sat up, flipping the quilt.

Managing to pull herself together, she grimaced from the pain.

Holding her thigh, she took a deep breath and said, "Yuzhu, remember Sixth Aunt Wei? She was driven to death by Second Uncle and Second Aunt. When she was alive, she often told me that what made her saddest was her parents, she didn’t fear outside mockery, only her parents treating married-out daughters as spilled water. In the month she stayed at home, she lost twelve pounds, just imagine how unhappy she was at home."

"I thought about it, and spoke to Second Uncle, but he can only fret, unable to come up with a solution. I gave them an idea, saying they’d see Seventh Cousin in two days, or else return the betrothal gifts, and that’s when the Yu Wen people left."

"Five thousand taels of silver lost in three days, what went wrong with Second Uncle to get addicted to gambling?" Li Yuwen cursed again in anger, "The Wei Family is struggling now, not having money in the first place, and yet he picked up gambling! That wastrel old man!"

Li Yuzhu said, "Did Second Uncle gamble before?"

Li Yuwen shook her head, "As far as I remember, he never gambled, today was the first time I heard he lost money gambling, lost five thousand taels at that. Though not accomplished, the Wei Family kept their education decent, not gambling, visiting brothels, or keeping mistresses, without any wayward sons, just an honest, simple family."

Li Yuzhu mused aloud, "Was it a momentary foolishness on Second Uncle’s part then?"

"Second Uncle is a miser by nature, losing a couple of silver on the street, he’d search the route eight or ten times to retrieve it." Li Yuwen shook her head, "Him gambling? The old lady despises gamblers, wonder if she’d fall ill knowing of Second Uncle’s doings."

Listening to Li Yuwen recounting Second Master Wei’s past, a hint of doubt slowly rose in Li Yuzhu’s heart.

She voiced her suspicion, "On the day of the marriage agreement between Second Uncle and the Yu Wen Family, he encountered a friend, who led him to drink, and then led him to the gambling den, that friend of Second Uncle is quite suspicious."

Li Yuwen’s eyes brightened, slapping the bed, "Yuzhu, you’re right, this person indeed has issues, you’ll have to make another rundown to ask Second Uncle who that friend is, let Shen Yan closely investigate that person. Hearing you say this, I suspect, in his delight, Second Uncle boasted of his wealth and was tricked out of his money. I’ve heard no shortage of tales about gambling dens, unless it’s a case of splurging or cheating, losing five thousand silver in three days? Something’s fishy, surely a setup!"

The two came to the same conclusion, and Li Yuzhu said, "Alright, I’ll go inquire now."

She hopped back into the carriage, rushing to the Wei Mansion to relay the questions to Second Master Wei.

According to him, it was an old acquaintance from years ago, a man he had once done business with, named Hu De’an.

Li Yuzhu, having gathered this, hastily returned to Pei Mansion.

Li Yuwen frowned, "Hu De’an? Why does that name sound familiar?"

Throwing the book on the bed, she said, "It came to me, he is the brother of a steward in the Xue Mansion! Hu De’an once followed that steward to visit our Prince Mansion to see the Xue Family!"

"He couldn’t have been a money manager, because he’s gone after Second Uncle specifically to gamble and cheated him out of everything. It’s premeditated, only left to scam Second Uncle’s money." Li Yuzhu remarked coldly. She conveyed the address given by Second Master Wei to Li Yuwen, saying, "Second Uncle mentioned that the person called Hu De’an lives in that neighborhood."

During their meal, Li Yuwen and Li Yuzhu talked to Mu Yuanxiu about the Wei Family issue.

Mu Yuanxiu immediately said, his brow furrowed, "Hu De’an, huh? He’s a known con." He paused. "I’ll look into it for you two." he added.

Li Yuwen said, with emphasis in her voice, "He won’t just get away with it. The whole Wei Family might be at stake."