Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 27 It's you! It really is you!

"Sister-in-law, that's an insult! This is clearly our Zhang family's financial ledger. The accounting format, the dates of buying and selling real estate, and the income and expenditure dates of major assets all match the main ledger. Not only do you deny it, but you also accuse us of fabricating it. Is this a clear attempt to seize the old man's inheritance for yourself?!"

The one speaking was the second son, Zhang Tai.

The three brothers usually get along quite well, at least they don't have the kind of relationship that sisters-in-law have, where they can tear each other apart anytime, anywhere.

But after Mrs. He said that, how could the second and third sons hold back?
When the old man decided to divide the family property, he laid out all the assets, giving the eldest son 50% and the two brothers 50% together.

Originally, everyone had nothing to say to each other, but suddenly another account book from the six months before the old man divided the family property appeared. Moreover, all the items that hadn't been shown before were gold, silver, and valuables that didn't require written contracts and were easy to move. Wasn't this obvious that the eldest son's family had already taken advantage of the old man's serious illness to move and hide these items?
That won't do!
When it comes to interests, even blood ties can be thrown aside! Let alone brothers who have separated from their families?

"Where's the boss? Tell him to bring out the warehouse keys! We need to recount everything!"

The one making the fuss was the third son. He was spoiled by his mother since childhood and did nothing but eat, drink and have fun. After the family split up, the shop was handed over to the eldest son's family to manage, and he reaped the profits without doing anything productive. He had long been in debt.

How could he possibly let such an opportunity slip by?

This situation was beyond what the He family could withstand.

She could only hurriedly order someone to call Zhang Qi.

……

Lu Jia inquired about the relationship between the Zhang and He families over the past two days. To her surprise, the two families had already reached the point of considering marriage between their children.

Of course, it was the Zhang family who paid for it.

Xie Yi suggested that he write a petition and submit it to the imperial envoy, accusing He Qing of colluding with officials and merchants.

With this threat to He Qing's career, he will certainly no longer associate with the Zhang family.

If the imperial envoy were to question him, He Qing might even become enemies with Zhang Qi.

The idea was not unreasonable, but Lu Jia remembered that the imperial envoy named Zhang He from the capital was from the Yan family.

Anyone associated with the surname Yan is no good. If the complaint is handed to Zhang He, they might end up fighting each other.

This is a risk we can't take.

Just as they were pondering what to do, news came from the Zhang family.

Lu Jia stood at the base of the wall for a while, then looked at Xie Yi and said, "Go to the yamen in Zhang Qi's name and report to the authorities that the second and third branches of the family are causing trouble and ask the government to send someone to handle it. In particular, make it clear that you must ask Lord He to come to the scene no matter what."

"Whether Zhang Qi wants to quell the dispute or verify the authenticity of this ledger, He Qing will naturally benefit from taking his side. So as long as he comes, he has no reason not to help him."

"okay!"

Xie Yi, like a soldier receiving an order, immediately withdrew.

Lu Jia glanced at it again, then went back inside.

With He Qing's arrival, Zhang Qi had a powerful backer, and the second and third wives could not gain any advantage. They could only leave with a belly full of anger.

To completely reverse the current situation, we need to strike at the Zhang family's power and accumulate the resources to fight back as soon as possible.

Neither of these two things can be done overnight.

Although Qiu Niang's idea wasn't very good, it reminded Lu Jia that the three Zhang brothers all had their own ulterior motives.

Putting aside other matters, if the second and third wives become enemies with Zhang Qi, then the Zhang family's shops will certainly no longer be able to operate jointly.

Based on their respective shares in the family business, Zhangqi Heshi can only own 50% of the current assets. Although they can still make money, it's nowhere near as much as the combined profits from multiple shops.
Their substantial wealth is the source of their current arrogance and bullying.

What if we lose this family fortune?

What if the Zhang family can no longer satisfy He Qing's appetite?
Since there's no chance to crush them right now, let's just dismantle their business first!
……

Investigating a dock merchant is incredibly easy for a guard from the Grand Commandant's office.

The afternoon after Shen Qingzhou returned to the yamen, He Qu dug up all the grudges and feuds of the Zhang family for five generations, listing all the branches, from Zhang Qi's great-grandfather down, clearly and presenting them to Shen Qingzhou.

Of course, the entanglement between Zhang Qi and Qiu Niang's family was also clarified.

Shen Qingzhou's usually calm face gradually turned frosty. They'd seized the property of an orphan and widow, and now they wanted to take away their livelihood?
No wonder she even wanted to hit He Qing.

Things were much more serious than he had imagined.

He only knew that Lu Jia was not living a very comfortable life here, but he did not expect that she would have trouble even making ends meet.

So, as the legitimate daughter of the first wife of the Minister of Rites, she was bullied by her stepmother, Madam Jiang, in the Lu family, and then by the Zhang family after arriving in Tanzhou. Finally, she married into the Yan family, where she was beaten so badly...

Having witnessed her life firsthand, I realized that she had never had a good life.

"Where is He Qing?" he asked.

He Qu pondered and said, "He Qing did indeed have many collusions with Zhang Qi, but if we say that he abused his power for personal gain, apart from occasionally accepting some money from the Zhang family, there is no significant evidence to support this claim."

"At present, it seems that the Zhang family is not necessarily trying to get him to do anything by giving him money, but rather it seems like they are looking for a protective umbrella for themselves."

Shen Qingzhou slowly walked to the window, her gaze as cold as the passing winter: "Accepting bribes is illegal."

He Qu paused for a moment, then immediately nodded: "What you say is true, young master. I will go and tell Lord Guo right away."

"Wait two more days."

Shen Qingzhou picked up the files on the table and spoke up again: "Wait two days, let her think it over carefully, and then we'll talk about how to vent her anger."

……

After Xie Yi reported the matter to the authorities to the Zhang family, He Qing indeed arrived with the constables and police officers.

The common people cannot fight with the officials, especially since the second and third wives all knew that He Qing and Zhang Qi were so close that they were practically inseparable. After arguing twice and failing to win, they had no choice but to leave dejectedly.

The next day, news came that the second and third wives had barged into the Zhang family's storefront to check the accounts, which caused another commotion at the storefront.

This is certainly something Lu Jia would like to see.

But this was not enough to cause the three brothers to completely break up and never speak to each other again.

She needs to add fuel to the fire.

As the sun set, she looked at the bustling streets and sighed inwardly.

The three-day appointment with Qin Zhou had arrived, but he still hadn't shown up.

This江湖人 (jianghu person) may not be as reliable as she hoped.

That being said, it was indeed wrong of me to have such high hopes for him after only meeting him once.

Forget it.

Even if he doesn't come, she and Xie Yi will have to bite the bullet and go.

In both of her lifetimes, didn't she rely on her own grit and determination to get through it all?

……

As the sun set, Shen Qingzhou sat at the intersection where Lu Jia usually walked home.

Not long after, I saw her hurriedly turn into the street corner.

The girl was as graceful as if she were flying, her whole body brimming with vitality.

He called out, "Hey."

Lu Jia stopped and turned back in confusion.

Then she exclaimed "Oh!" and jumped up with delight, then ran over, lifting her skirt: "It's you! It really is you!"

Shen Qingzhou looked at her smiling face: "It's me."

(End of this chapter)