The Li family's eldest uncle cared not whether his daughters became concubines or esteemed wives; seeing the mountain of gifts before him, his heart bloomed with joy.
He had once disdained them for being daughters, only to realize at a crucial moment that sometimes, daughters were more useful than sons. The only regret was that his daughters' husbands were rather strict, deeming the Li family greedy and forbidding frequent contact. These daughters, ungrateful wretches, actually complied with their husbands' wishes and cut ties, without considering what would happen if they encountered difficulties in their marital homes without the support of their natal family.
Now, the Li family's eldest uncle valued money above all else. In his eyes, his wife, son, and daughters were all unreliable; only money belonged to him and would not betray him. Thus, he kept the money chests by his bedside or beneath it when he slept, believing this would ensure a smooth future.
In the dead of night, the redeemed Li family's eldest uncle was still lost in pleasant dreams, envisioning presenting these riches to his wife, who would then weep and beg for them back. He, however, would proudly mock her, then kick her away, living a carefree life alone. He couldn't help but grin.
Little did he know that outside his door, a groan was heard, and a soporific smoke was quietly blown in. When he deemed the time right, he beckoned, and two men entered the courtyard. The three of them crept into the room, looted all the gold and silver, and then departed as silently as they had arrived.
The next day, he woke at noon. The Li family's eldest uncle habitually reached for the chest where he kept his silver, only to find it empty. He immediately turned his head to look, but there was no trace of it. He searched his room thoroughly, finding nothing. Opening the door, he discovered a used bamboo tube for the soporific smoke on the ground. He knew this item well; he had often considered using it on his own brother to steal all their family's wealth. Now, it had been used on him. He frantically searched from room to room and discovered his third son was missing. Then, he understood everything.
The weather outside was hot, but his heart was like an ice cave. A sliver of hope lingered. He recalled that a few days ago, his third son had asked him for money. He had brushed him off, claiming the family was short on funds and that they needed to be thrifty. His son had shown his displeasure then, but the Li family's eldest uncle had paid it no mind. After all, his son had often expressed dissatisfaction with the family before, and each time he had urged him to work, the boy would leave without a word. He thought this time would be the same, never expecting him to steal the silver in the middle of the night. Perhaps he had merely gone out for a stroll and would return with the remaining silver. Though he knew this possibility was slim, he dared not consider what would happen if the family lost this wealth.
And so, he sat alone in the living room, from dawn till dusk, and from dusk till dawn. Alas, the person he longed for remained nowhere to be seen.
He was on the verge of tears. As he braced himself on the table to stand, he realized his legs had gone numb at some point.
He had barely managed to walk into the courtyard when his three sons immediately approached him, looking at him with discontent. "Father, we told you yesterday that we needed to use the silver to buy grain. You said we could buy it after the current supply ran out. Now there's no rice left in the house. You must get us the silver quickly, or we won't eat lunch today."
In their eyes, their father was becoming increasingly stingy. In the past, when there was money, he let them spend it freely. But this time, not only was he tight-fisted, but he also often reminded them to be frugal. What was even more infuriating was that they weren't even allowed to take a little money to improve their lives on the streets.
If they had known it would come to this, they would never have agreed. When their younger sisters were unmarried, such chores wouldn't have fallen to them.
Mentioning this only made the Li family's eldest uncle feel as though the sky was about to collapse. He said irritably, "You're all grown men, yet you still expect me to support you every day? What's the point of having sons?"
Since yesterday, he had felt his father was acting strangely, and today his words were so harsh. He was utterly bewildered, scratching his head as he stood there dryly. This situation had occurred before: once when his paternal grandparents passed away, and the family inheritance was passed to his uncle's family; another time was when his mother and father divorced not long ago. Since his sisters had married off and the family had money again, this was the first time he had seen his father so volatile. He had been fine the day before yesterday, sitting alone yesterday with a gloomy expression, refusing to eat or drink, and not explaining his reasons to anyone who asked. Today, he had walked right into the line of fire.
The Li family's eldest uncle quickly left the house. He didn't care what his sons thought; he only knew that his third son was a lost cause. If he couldn't get any silver soon, they would truly be destitute. Although there was still land to sell, he knew it was a last resort. Thus, he hurried to the city to find his daughters. However, each time, he was driven away by the gatekeepers. He heard that the concubine had already given instructions that anyone from the Li family was to be denied entry.
The Li family's eldest uncle was helpless but had to leave. He knew that as a concubine, she couldn't easily leave her residence, and it might take months to see her. His stomach, however, couldn't wait.
The aroma of food wafting from the streets made him swallow his saliva. He ambled back home, but looking at the kitchen, devoid of any sign of cooking, he knew dinner was ruined for the night. Angrily, he went to his sons' room and kicked the door open. Seeing them lying on their beds, he was filled with rage. These sons were more exasperating than his married daughters. After all, his daughters had brought him silver when they married. While that silver was no longer with him, it had brought him joy for a time. Moreover, once they were married, they no longer consumed Li family resources, saving him a lot of trouble. These supposed sons of his looked more like pampered masters, idle all day long.
"Father, you're back! We're starving to death. You must have gotten the silver, right? Hurry and get us some food." His fourth son paid no attention to his father's displeasure. Seeing him, his face lit up with surprise, and he quickly ran to his father, grabbing his sleeve, fearing his father would leave again and leave them hungry.
"You're all grown men, with hands and feet. Can't you go out and work?" The Li family's eldest uncle was truly exasperated. Did they still think they were living in the same Li family as before?
"We are your precious sons. Now that only a few of us are left, can you bear to see us suffer? Besides, we were pampered since childhood. If something serious happens due to hard work, who will be there to see you off in your old age?" At some point, his fifth son also appeared and came to his other side, acting coy. In the past, whenever he acted this way, his father would pat his head to comfort him. This time, he tried the same tactic.