Madam Shen was startled and said, "Should... should not be able to."
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Shen's face turned cold. "What do you mean 'should not'? Hurry up and send someone to investigate!"
Madam Shen also knew the seriousness of the matter and bowed before hurrying away.
After Madam Shen left, Old Madam Shen sighed, "Who wants to ruin my Shen family?"
"Old Madam, everything will be fine," An Ning said to comfort her.
Old Madam Shen shook her head. "I don't know about the Shen family, but we have indeed made many enemies over the years. I foresaw such a situation years ago, but I didn't expect it to be in this way, cutting off the Shen family's finances."
"Old Madam, would you like to find the mole within the household?" An Ning suddenly asked.
Old Madam Shen was taken aback. She looked at An Ning and asked, "What do you mean?"
An Ning stepped forward and whispered a few words into Old Madam Shen's ear.
News of people being poisoned at the Shen family's Hui Ju Lou spread to every corner of the Shen household. It was said that Master Shen was pacing anxiously.
In the evening, Shen Congwen summoned everyone from the Shen family to Shen Yun Pavilion for the first family meeting. This time, concubines, illegitimate sons, and illegitimate daughters were all present.
Shen Congwen's complexion was not good, even appearing somewhat weary. He had a difficult day. The restaurant owned by the Shen family had an incident where diners were poisoned. Although he was the Prefect of Zhaoping, he couldn't silence the public outcry.
The matter needed to be resolved quickly, as any further escalation could affect his position as Prefect.
After all, the family of the poisoned person had relatives in official positions in the capital, said to be fourth-rank officials who could directly petition the Empress.
If the Empress were to find out, his official career might be over.
The family of the poisoned person had offered two solutions: either compensation or their family would report the matter to the Empress.
Without hesitation, Shen Congwen agreed to the first condition.
However, this family was simply asking for the moon, demanding two hundred thousand taels of silver.
Two hundred thousand taels of silver would practically drain the Shen family dry!
Shen Congwen returned home and asked the housekeeper to calculate the available silver. It was less than a hundred thousand taels.
Madam Shen took out her dowry, barely managing to gather one hundred thousand taels. There was still another hundred thousand taels to go.
Shen Congwen called everyone to Shen Yun Pavilion, hoping that everyone could contribute something.
After Shen Congwen finished speaking, no one replied. Old Madam Shen sighed and said, "The Shen family is facing a disaster. Although it is not your duty, being part of the Shen family means contributing. I will lead by example. Limei, bring it out."
Limei brought out a box and opened it in front of everyone. Old Madam Shen closed her eyes, then opened them again, a hint of shrewdness in her gaze. "The money and jewelry here are worth about thirty thousand taels. This is all I have."
"Mother, how can we let you empty your coffers? As the eldest son, I must also contribute," Shen Congjun said, glancing at Xiao Zhengshi.
Xiao Zhengshi reluctantly took a box from her maid and said, "This three thousand taels is already all that my husband and I have."
"Thank you, elder brother, elder sister-in-law," Shen Congwen said gratefully.
Shen Congjun patted Shen Congwen's shoulder and said, "Third brother, we are family, no need for formalities."
Shen Congbi also stood up and took out a stack of banknotes from his sleeve. "Third brother, you know that second brother never keeps much money on hand; I always use it to buy calligraphy and paintings. It's a pity there's not enough time. This is all the money I could get from selling my calligraphy and paintings. It's a total of twenty thousand taels."
Hearing this, Shen Congwen looked at the banknotes in Shen Congbi's hand and said guiltily, "Second brother, I apologize."
How could he not know what those paintings meant to his second brother?
Shen Congbi heard him and said, "Elder brother is right, we are family, no need for formalities. Besides, paintings are lifeless, but people are alive. The Shen family will get through this."
"Third Uncle, I have five thousand taels here," the eldest young master, Shen Yunlan, said, placing the banknotes on the table.
"Yunlan, that's for your..."
"Mother, the Shen family is in trouble, and I also have a responsibility," Shen Yunlan interrupted Xiao Zhengshi.
Xiao Zhengshi bit her lower lip. Yunlan was about to travel to the capital for his imperial examinations, and this money was his travel expenses. Now, it was all gone.
"Third Uncle, I have a little too, not much," the seventh young lady of the Shen family, Shen Yuexiu, said, taking out banknotes. Because it was a small amount, she seemed a little embarrassed.
Shen Congwen stepped forward and hugged the eight-year-old Shen Yuexiu. "Yuexiu, Third Uncle thanks you first, but Third Uncle cannot take your money. Your father has already contributed on my behalf."
Shen Yuexiu shook her head. "Third Uncle, I am a member of this family, and I also have a responsibility."
Shen Congwen was stunned. Shen Congbi, hearing this, said with some pride, "Third brother, please accept it. This is Yuexiu's heartfelt intention."
"Alright, Third Uncle accepts it. Thank you, Yuexiu," Shen Congwen said solemnly after putting Shen Yuexiu down.
Shen Yuexiu said happily, "Third Uncle, everything will get better."
"It will, everything will get better," Shen Congwen said, looking up with full confidence. His Shen family would surely overcome this hardship.
The other illegitimate sons and daughters also contributed some money. Now there was one hundred and sixty thousand taels, plus Old Madam Shen's thirty thousand taels, making a total of one hundred and ninety thousand taels. There was still ten thousand taels short.
"Uncle, I have ten thousand taels here," Yang Xueling stood up and produced the banknotes.
Upon hearing this, Shen Congwen quickly said, "No, Xueling, you cannot contribute this money."
Madam Shen said, "What is there to not contribute? Xueling is now a member of the Shen family, and it is only reasonable for her to contribute this amount."
Shen Congwen nodded. "Alright."
In the middle of the night, Shen Congwen returned, looking even more exhausted and even angry.
It turned out that after receiving the money, that family had gone back on their word and demanded another hundred thousand taels.
Shen Congwen had nearly gotten into a physical confrontation, but the family had mysteriously gained many guards and drove him out, threatening to report him to the Empress if the hundred thousand taels were not delivered by tomorrow, and to await the Empress's judgment.
Shen Congwen felt utterly overwhelmed.
Even after emptying their coffers, none of the branches could gather the remaining hundred thousand taels.
Shen Congwen sat at the main entrance of the Shen residence. Was this how his Shen family would perish?
"Sir, Old Madam requests your presence," Limei said, bowing behind Shen Congwen.
Shen Congwen got up, looking somewhat unsteady, and went to Shen Yun Pavilion.
Everyone was there.
"Mother, this is..." Shen Congwen was confused as to why Old Madam Shen had gathered everyone.
"Given the current situation, to prevent further entanglement, I have decided to divide the family," Old Madam Shen announced, stunning everyone.
"No, Mother, I disagree." Shen Congjun was the first to protest.
"Mother, I disagree too," Shen Congbi echoed.
Shen Congwen remained silent. Although he disagreed in his heart, he knew that this was the right course of action at this time.
It would prevent the entire family from being implicated.
"Wildfires cannot burn them completely; they grow again with the spring wind. You two understand this principle. If this matter is brought before the Empress, she might not let it go easily, especially since you know that the current favorite of the Empress, Nangong Yue, has ties with the Shen family," Old Madam Shen stated without reservation.