Chapter 1553 - 1548: Old Tales (19th Update)

Old Mu Family in the county—

Although the evening meal is not the new year’s reunion dinner, to the people of Old Mu Family, there’s no difference between the two.

Mr. Mu gave three taels of silver for Mu Dade to order some good dishes from Jiu Si Xuan.

However, from home, a few decent side dishes must be made, otherwise with so many mouths, if everyone only eats the restaurant’s packed dishes, it wouldn’t be good.

Though it was still early, the chimney of Old Mu Family has already started emitting wisps of smoke.

Mrs. Lin and Qin Xianglan were in the kitchen, busy preparing the evening meal.

Since it’s like the new year’s reunion dinner, dumplings are indispensable, as are five-flavor pork and fish.

These materials were all bought by Mr. Mu at the market, following Mrs. Jin’s request.

The flour was eight coins per pound of fine flour, the meat was the best five-flavor pork from the pig, and the fish was a big osmanthus fish without a single bone.

This trip cost quite a lot of money.

Before seeing anyone from Old Mu Family, the old man’s face showed a slightly pained expression.

Especially when he was alone without Old Mu Family, he covered his chest with every spending, feeling pain!

Though, when someone was around, he wouldn’t act this way!

After all, keeping a decent face is still necessary!

In the main room, Mr. Mu and several men were warming by the fire, chatting.

The fourth branch’s family hadn’t arrived yet, but according to Mrs. Jin, Mu Dajiang found a job and would return by dinner time.

Mr. Mu sat in the main seat, occasionally glancing at the door, showing concern about when the fourth branch would come.

"These days pass so quickly, before you know it, it’s the new year again! Last year, our whole family was still celebrating in the big main room in the village!"

Mr. Mu remarked.

"Yes, I also thought I’d be a country bumpkin my whole life, who knew, I suddenly became a city man!"

Mu Dazhong chuckled a few times, his face ruddy, showing his good mood.

"In previous years, during this time, our whole family would sit together and talk about the harvest! The yield per acre, now the fields are sold, we can’t discuss the harvest!"

Mr. Mu suddenly sighed.

After all, having farmed for most of his life, now the fields are sold, the lands are sold, and only an old house remains.

Mr. Mu felt a pang of pain in his heart.

But then he felt thankful, luckily they didn’t sell the house at that time, otherwise, he and the old lady wouldn’t have a place to live in the countryside.

"Dad, this is a good thing, isn’t it? How much could those broken things in the fields be worth anyway?

Besides, we initially leased so much land for big brother to take the imperial exams.

Now that big brother has made a name for himself, if we still cling to that heap of land, isn’t that being stubborn?" Mu Dazhong spoke loudly, disregarding everything.

Mr. Mu felt uncomfortable hearing these words.

He originally intended to glare at Mu Dazhong, but considering it was the new year, he decided not to say anything.

"Dad, second brother is right! We need to look ahead, we can’t just stay stagnant!

Those lands, sold are sold, when you and mom go to the countryside this time, don’t think about buying more land again.

Just enjoy the peace at home. You and mom have worked hard all your life, time to rest!"

The words from Mu Dade’s mouth were extremely polite.

But hearing them, they also sounded somewhat insincere.

If he truly cared about the old man and old lady, he wouldn’t be thinking of ways to drive them away.

"Actually, I think it’s a good thing for dad and mom to go to the countryside!" Mu Danian said.

"Exactly, after all, old third is in the countryside, he’s rich now, his daughter runs a tavern, he himself is a steward at an academy.

He even bought so many of our family’s lands, would he not give dad and mom a bite to eat?" Mu Dazhong said dismissively.

When mentioning their family lands being bought by the third branch, Mu Danian spoke up again, "About selling lands, selling fields, I’ve always felt it was a conspiracy between third brother and that Fu Wu!

Probably, he also pressured our price down! That Fu Wu’s daughter has such a good relationship with that damn girl, always following her around.

With their good relationship, who knows if Fu Wu wouldn’t have exploited our family for her? I say, we sold our lands too cheap!"

Mr. Mu, listening to this, almost couldn’t hold his pipe steadily in anger.

He hadn’t suspected any tricks before.

Now he felt there were many complexities.

Why did their lands end up sold to the third branch?

Why didn’t Fu Wu mention it was the third branch buying lands?

The more he thought about it, the more furious he became!

"Speaking of which, among this bunch of siblings of ours, it’s still old third who’s the most scheming! Saying he won’t follow big brother to the city to enjoy life, but really, isn’t it just to prevent us from gaining any advantage from him?

Has he mentioned the tavern’s profits? Whenever I ask, he’ll brush it off saying the tavern isn’t his, who doesn’t know that damn girl would protect old third and old third’s wife as fiercely as anything.

Those who know would think they’re filial, those who don’t might think old third and his family were the real sons, that damn girl would be the family’s elder!"

Mu Dazhong mumbled, expressing his dissatisfaction with the third branch and Mu Dashan.

Originally, this reunion dinner was meant for family chit-chat, but unknowingly, it turned into a critique session against the third branch, against Mu Dashan.

Several became more and more agitated, even Mu Dashan, far in Er Gui Village, heavily sneezed.

"Dad, listen to us, once you go to the countryside, just stay put at third brother’s house! Who let them swindle dad and mom’s money from selling lands?

Not until you get those money back should you think about returning to our own big house!"

Mu Danian suggested.

Mu Dazhong showed his full support.

"However, speaking of third brother having money, our family should be poorest in the fourth branch right now?" Mu Danian added.

"You know, how could this change so fast? Clearly, back then, the third branch was poorest, when that damn girl went crazy, old third’s family didn’t even have a decent cotton-padded jacket!"

Everyone recalled the times when the third branch was poor.

At that time, Yu Si Niang’s family was also not doing well, so naturally, she didn’t bring much dowry with her.

Moreover because old third married Yu Si Niang without spending a coin, so the third branch was truly impoverished, empty home.

Mu Dazhong still remembered Yu Si Niang holding Mu Shuangshuang, still in swaddling clothes, to his house asking for some old cloth.

At that time, his own wife drove them away.

He thought the third branch would be begging forever.

Later, when that damn girl suddenly became an idiot, Mu Dazhong thought even more along those lines.

Who knew the third branch would turn things around!

Not only made money, but became the most well-off in the family.

Mu Dazhong got angry just thinking about it!

"By the way, dad, you haven’t mentioned how fourth brother’s family would just leave?"

Mu Dazhong curiously asked.

Which brother doesn’t know they must closely follow big brother’s footsteps, how come only fourth brother is so foolish?

"Who knows? Probably the fourth branch wants to imitate the third branch and see if they can strike it rich too?" Mu Danian snorted.