Jackie Chan's Son-in-Law

Chapter 59 The Thin Lover

Having successfully passed the imperial examination and become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), Chen Huan valued the imperial examinations most highly.

However, his three sons were not particularly talented in their studies, or rather, they were far less gifted than he was.

The second son, Chen Cheng, was already the best student, but he only passed the county-level examination. Chen Huan, at his age, had already passed the county-level examination and was preparing to take the provincial-level examination.

Chen Huan sat in his main seat, looking at Madam Li, about to speak, when suddenly a servant from the Chen family ran carefully into the main hall. The servant held a letter in his hand, handed it to Chen Huan with both hands, and said with his head bowed, "Master, someone came to the gate just now and delivered a letter, saying it was for you."

Chen Huan reached out and took the letter, simply saying "I understand," and immediately opened it.

He read the letter quickly, skimming through it in just a few glances. After finishing, Prefect Chen gave a slight sneer, casually tossing the letter aside with a disdainful smile.

"It's short-sighted and despicable that a merchant family would engage in such open and covert struggles."

Madam Li glanced at Chen Huan, then at the letter. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Sir, is this a letter about the Gu family?"

"Ah."

Chen Huan remained calm and said, "Someone sent a message saying that the rebellious son is still in Deqing and has close ties with the Gu family."

"This is someone informing on me."

Master Chen narrowed his eyes.

"I guess the rest of the Gu family also didn't want that unfilial son to stay in the Gu family."

Madam Li picked up the letter, read it through, and then looked at Chen Huan, asking, "Master, this letter also contains the exact address of Dalang in Deqing. Should we send someone to bring Dalang back to Huzhou?"

Chen Huan shook his head: "I have to go back to my post. Otherwise, if the censor impeaches me or someone else reports me, the Ministry of Personnel's performance evaluation will be ruined."

He paused, looked at Madam Li, and continued, "His temper is completely different now. If he really wants to throw a tantrum, who among you can bring him back to Huzhou while I'm not around?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Li looked at her two sons and clenched her fists.

A title still has its uses, at least after Chen Qing himself stopped being cowardly.

Madam Li took a deep breath, her gaze shifting: "How about we ask the Gu family member who delivered the message for help..."

"Forget it."

Chen Huan lowered his head and took a sip of tea. He was silent for a moment before continuing, "Previously in Deqing, I chatted with the magistrate Hong Jing. Although Chen Qing had not been in Deqing for long, he had already brought a member of the Gu family to exile."

"The rest of the Gu family members were also severely punished by Gu Shao."

Chen Huan looked up at Madam Li, then said quietly, "He's not the same as before."

Madam Li nodded: "Eldest son used to be gentle, kind, and frugal, but now he has become much fierce and violent. I wonder if that Gu fellow has been instigating him behind the scenes."

Chen Huan did not respond, but continued, "After I left, you and your son sold off all of the Chen family's property. The entire Chen family was left with only this ancestral home. All the other land and property were sold off."

"Then next year, you and your two children will come with me to the land to cure diseases."

Madam Li stood there, stunned, staring at Chen Huan.

Chen Huan remained calm: "Debts must be repaid. Since the engagement has been broken off, every penny of the money that should have been owed to Gu Jia back then must be returned."

He put down his teacup and continued, "Fifty thousand taels of silver. If we only return the original amount in three years, our Chen family will still owe Gu Shao a favor."

Madam Li's face had already turned quite ugly. She looked at Chen Huan and finally couldn't hold back any longer, gritting her teeth and saying, "Master, these are all ancestral properties, these are all ancestral properties, how can they be sold?"

"Sold it, just what that Gu guy wanted!"

Her gaze fell on the letter on the table, and she exclaimed, "Yes, yes!"

"The engagement is broken off, but the Gu family is still in contact with Dalang. This might be a scheme between Dalang and the Gu family to swindle all of the Chen family's assets!"

"Otherwise, why would you suddenly decide not to take in a son-in-law? And then pretend to marry your daughter off to your eldest son!"

She looked at Chen Huan, her eyes reddening: "Master, we've been tricked!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Huan frowned. After a while, he tapped the table and said, "Since I agreed to Gu Shao's offer, I must return the money to them."

"As for whether they set it up or not."

Chen Huan narrowed his eyes and didn't continue speaking.

Madam Li exclaimed, "Even if our Chen family repays this debt, our eldest son will still marry the Gu family girl in the future!" "Wouldn't that mean our eldest son has completely squandered the Chen family's wealth?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Huan looked up and glanced at Madam Li.

Logically speaking, a large portion of the Chen family's assets originally belonged to Chen Qing.

After a moment of silence, Master Chen said, "If I can make further progress in my duties next year, this fifty thousand taels will not be a large sum, and I will be able to get it back sooner or later. As for the Gu family, if they accept my money, they will still marry that rebellious son."

Master Chen slowly exhaled: "Then I didn't hold this official position for nothing."

Seeing that Madam Li was still indignant, he turned to his two sons and said, "You two go down first."

The Chen brothers, Chen Cheng and Chen Che, bowed and withdrew.

Soon, only the two of them remained in the main hall of the Chen family. Master Chen glanced up at Madam Li, then took out an envelope from his pocket and placed it in front of her.

"This is a letter that Gu Shao gave me; it's the letter you wrote to him."

Madam Li read the letter.

"Sir, what's wrong with this letter?"

"what happened?"

Chen Huan stood up, his finger pointing at the envelope.

"Chen Li Shi?"

Chen Huan's face was gloomy as he angrily said, "Leaving aside the matter that Gu Shao helped me with three years ago, just those three words are enough to ruin my trip to the capital this time!"

"Even if he were to become an official, he might not be able to continue in his position!"

"You short-sighted, foolish woman!"

"Snapped!"

Chen Huan raised his hand and slapped Madam Li across the face!

He struck her with great force, causing Madam Li to stumble. She covered her face with her hands, her cheeks immediately streaked with tears: "Master, you promised me three years ago, you promised me..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Huan took a deep breath and said with a dark face, "I did say a few nice words to you back then, but in the past three years, haven't you actually been the matriarch of the Chen family?"

"And they're even publicizing it everywhere! What kind of glorious thing is this?!"

Promoting a concubine to the status of principal wife is a matter of discretion, but it also carries enormous social risks.

If you don't intend to become an official, then it's possible to succeed, at most you'll be punished by the government, and then you can just live your own life.

However, Chen Huan, being a careerist, would naturally never give up his official position.

The promise made three years ago when I was desperate has naturally become nothing more than a pie in the sky.

Chen Huan walked out with his hands behind his back. When he reached the door, he stopped and turned back to give Madam Li a cold look.

"You can live your life as you please. I'll still let you manage the household from now on. But if you're like Gu Shao and come after me for old scores from three years ago..."

Chen Huan walked away with his hands behind his back.

"If I can repay Gu Shao, then I can also repay your Li family!"

After saying this, Master Chen grunted and left with his hands behind his back.

Madam Li sat alone in the main hall, watching Chen Huan's departing figure, and two lines of tears streamed down her face.

Soon, her crying grew louder and louder, and she squatted on the ground, wailing loudly.

Her two sons were nearby and most likely heard Mrs. Li's heartbroken cries, but the old father's influence was too strong.

Not a single person came forward to offer comfort.

Madam Li wept bitterly. At this moment, she recalled the scene three years ago when she knelt before her father, pleading desperately, and felt a pang of desolation in her heart.

Could it be that a thousand kind words...

Can they just turn their backs on you and deny everything?
(End of this chapter)