Zhan Laotou looked at his dejected eldest son, then at Li shi and Zhan Feiyu who were watching coldly, and tried to smooth things over, "Second child's wife, five hundred taels is too much. Your elder brother can't afford that much money."
The Zhan family had not divided their property. Whether it was the eldest son or the third son studying, getting married, or anything else, the money came from the common fund. The second son was injured and needed care, and the family would naturally provide money. Xiao Yao shi dared to ask for five hundred taels, but Zhan Laotou dared not even hear it.
If this got out, how would the eldest son and the others find wives in the future? The second son's wife was asking for an exorbitant amount from her own elder brother-in-law. With such a mother-in-law, what girl would dare to marry into the family?
"Father, I'm not unreasonable." Xiao Yao shi cast a displeased glance at Zhan Laotou. What the head of the household said was right. Father was now siding with the eldest branch. Who knew how he would be biased in the future.
Thinking this, Xiao Yao shi became even more determined to get the money. "Elder brother and sister-in-law signed an IOU. If they pay a little each year, they can pay it off. Father, my husband was almost killed by Xiao Yu. Isn't a life worth five hundred taels?"
Seeing the speechless look of the old doctor, Zhan Laotou, who was being questioned by his daughter-in-law, felt extremely embarrassed. But he also knew Xiao Yao shi's nature and could only put on the airs of a father-in-law and make a final decision.
"Second child's wife, this matter does not allow you to make a scene. Five hundred taels is too much. As your father, I decree that the eldest son will compensate you with one hundred taels of silver."
One hundred taels of silver was not a small amount. The Zhan family had not divided their property. The eldest son worked the land. Over the years, he had saved at most ten to twenty taels of private savings. Because Zhan Feiyu was studying, this private savings was likely almost used up.
Zhan Laotou favored the second branch and was also angry that Zhan Feiyu had caused the second son to be seriously injured. Moreover, compared to the unreasonable Xiao Yao shi, the elder branch couple were honest people. This was why Zhan Laotou dared to say this, always picking on the softest persimmons to squeeze.
Although one hundred taels was a lot, the eldest son Zhan thought that as long as he reclaimed a few more acres of barren land, found some odd jobs in the county in his spare time, and Li shi wove more cloth and dug herbs in the mountains.
When Xiao Yu's handwriting improved next year, she could also copy books. The family could save up money after a few years. His second brother was also a reasonable person and would not force him to repay the money immediately. If not in three to five years, then in seven to eight years.
"Father, I'll listen to you. It's one hundred taels." The eldest son Zhan nodded gratefully. Father was still on his side.
Zhan Feiyu rolled her eyes speechlessly. Father was still so grateful, as if one hundred taels had floated in from nowhere.
"I disagree. Whoever is willing to give this money can give it. Neither I nor Xiao Yu will agree," Li shi said coldly.
Seeing Zhan Laotou's expression change from shock to anger, Li shi sneered. After many years of marriage, she knew Zhan Laotou's nature of considering losses as gains.
"The second son was harmed by Xiao Yu. Li shi, how dare you disagree?" Zhan Laotai, who had not spoken, glared fiercely at Li shi, her eyes as sharp as if she wanted to devour someone.
From the day Li shi entered the family, she disliked her eldest daughter-in-law. She looked kind and gentle, but in reality, she was cunning and treacherous. Zhan Laotai's old face was grim, and she hated Li shi and Zhan Feiyu bitterly. In the entire Zhan family, only these two mother and daughter were the most disobedient.
Li shi stroked Zhan Feiyu's head, looking at the sinister-faced Zhan Laotai and the displeased Zhan Laotou, who also had a stern face. "Father, Mother, go and ask the village. See if the village chief and the old clan elder will agree?"
The village chief had already rushed back to the village in the Hu family's carriage yesterday evening. It was likely that the village knew about the second son Zhan's injury. Xiao Yu saving people was a good deed, and the second son Zhan's injury was an accident. If they insisted on blaming her, the village chief and the old clan elder would not agree.
This was the confidence Li shi had in refusing. Few good seedlings for studying had emerged in the village in recent years.
Seeing his parents' displeased expressions and his sister-in-law's angry face, the eldest son Zhan could only yell at Li shi in frustration, "Can't you just be quiet? The second son is still lying inside! I said one hundred taels, and it's one hundred taels!"
"Father." Zhan Feiyu was about to speak, but Li shi stopped her.
Although Li shi had not studied, she knew how important the reputation of scholars was. Some things should not be said by Xiao Yu. "Shouldn't Xiao Yu have saved people?"
Li shi looked at Zhan Laotou mockingly and sneered, "If you want to be a good person, you go be one. If you don't want the family to be in turmoil, then we'll divorce. I'll take Xiao Yu and live separately. You'll use all the money you earn in the future to compensate the second son. You'll be a slave to the second branch, and your two nephews will take care of you in your old age, smash the urn, and hold the banner."
Li shi's voice was as cold as a knife, stripping Zhan Laotou's face and stepping on it. He didn't want the family to be in turmoil, so he backed down and suffered losses, but why! Li shi had endured enough over the years. She could tolerate it herself, but she would never let her daughter suffer in silence.
"Mother, the old clan elder said I could be adopted into Fifth Grandfather's branch." Zhan Feiyu, unable to bear it any longer, added a blow without politeness, successfully seeing Zhan Laotou and Zhan Laotai's furious expressions.
As for her father, Zhan Feiyu turned her head away. If you don't cut decisively, you will be plagued by chaos!
Xiao Yao shi had stayed up all night talking to the second son Zhan and had expected her sister-in-law not to agree. However, she had already gotten a strategy from the second son Zhan.
"Elder brother, raising a daughter is not as good as raising a dog. At least Da Huang can guard the house." Xiao Yao shi curled her lips disdainfully, mocking the grim-faced and pained Zhan Laotou.
"Elder brother, it's not that I, as your sister-in-law, speak harshly, but Xiao Yu, relying on her ability to read, doesn't put the elders of the family in her eyes. If I were you, elder brother, I would report her to the yamen for being disobedient and unfilial. At such a young age, she is already so vicious. If she is not corrected now, who knows what great disaster she will cause in the future. It will be too late to regret it when she harms the whole family."
Before Zhan Laotou could speak, Li shi turned her spearhead towards Li shi. "Sister-in-law, Xiao Yu is so vicious because you taught her, right? They say a hundred days of grace between husband and wife. Sister-in-law always talks about divorce. The second son is so seriously injured, so should I also learn from sister-in-law and divorce?"
"Second child's wife, what nonsense are you talking about!" Zhan Laotai shouted sternly, glaring warningly at the garrulous Xiao Yao shi. If she dared to wrong the second son, Zhan Laotai would kill her.
For the sake of five hundred taels of silver, Xiao Yao shi dared to break the sky. Moreover, her husband supported her, so Xiao Yao shi was not afraid of her mother-in-law Zhan Laotai.
"Mother, I'll say it here. If elder brother doesn't compensate, I'll immediately pack my things and go back to my maiden home. The husband has become like this, and the eldest branch has done nothing. All the suffering and hardship have fallen on me!" Xiao Yao shi raised her chin and forcefully declared.
Zhan Laotou's old face was gloomy, and he was even more displeased with Li shi. The eldest son had agreed to give one hundred taels, but Li shi was still making trouble.
Looking at Xiao Yao shi, who was about to divorce, Zhan Laotou was also somewhat displeased, but he did not dare to speak harshly to her. Although divorce caused more harm to women, given the second son's current condition, he was so seriously injured, needed medicine and care, and had two sons. If they really divorced, the family would not have the money to find another wife for the second son.
"Li shi, I shouldn't have let the eldest son marry you in the first place!" Zhan Laotai squeezed the words out from between her teeth, wishing she could tear Li shi and her daughter apart.
But looking at the indifferent eldest daughter-in-law, Zhan Laotai looked at Zhan Laotou and choked out with tears, "Eldest son, Mother has wronged you, letting you marry such a troublemaker. She didn't give birth to a son for you, and she's also causing the second son to lose his wife and children. What face do I have to see the ancestors of the Zhan family?"
"Mother..." The eldest son Zhan quickly supported his mother, who was weeping mournfully.
Not having a son made Zhan Laotou unable to hold his head up in the village. He didn't blame Li shi, and his parents didn't say anything. But what about Li shi? She didn't understand the family's situation at all. Instead, she was always strong and made the family restless.
"It's Mother who wronged you, it's Mother who is bad." Zhan Laotai hugged her eldest son and cried bitterly, making Zhan Laotou also feel sad and even more displeased with Li shi.