Chapter 1681 - 1676: Seeking a New Path

"Are... are you crazy?" Mr. Mu trembled with rage, pointing at Mu Dade and cursing loudly.

"That’s right, I am crazy! I’ve been providing for all of you with good food and drinks, and you want me dead. Since that’s the case, I won’t tolerate you any longer!

If anyone doesn’t want to stay in this house, get out now!" Mu Dade shouted, pointing at the door.

"You... you..." Mr. Mu’s vision went dark and he fainted.

"Oh no, Father... Father fainted!" Mrs. Lin shouted from the side.

Old Mrs. Mu panicked too, rushing over to Mr. Mu, shouting shrilly, "Old man, wake up! Old man, wake up! Don’t you scare me like that, old man..."

"Shuangshuang, what do we do... what do we do..." Mu Dajiang was like an ant on a hot pan, anxious and restless.

"Get a doctor! Go get a doctor!" Mu Shuangshuang said.

"I’ll go!" Mu Dajiang dashed out.

Mu Shuangshuang followed Mrs. Lin to support Mr. Mu while Mu Dade watched coldly from the side.

The whole household was in chaos.

Mrs. Lin kept shouting and calling out, making quite a scene!

But she was only making the already chaotic situation even more chaotic.

Seizing the moment when everyone was flustered, she slipped away quietly, found a carriage, and headed toward the dock!

At the dock, Mrs. Lin found Mu Dazhong and Mu Danian, calling them over to one side, and said to the two, "Daddy Gou Dan, Fifth, we’re in big trouble!"

"What do you mean big trouble? Explain clearly!" Mu Dazhong said.

"Big Brother... Big Brother wants to kick us out! He says he’s the one in charge of this house, and if he wants us gone, we have to leave!" Mrs. Lin said.

"Why would he say such things?" Mu Danian asked.

"Today, that brat from the third branch came over, saying that Big Brother still has contact with that woman Mrs. Jin! She even said that woman Mrs. Jin has been hidden by Big Brother in the golden house!

Big Brother denied it, saying the brat was framing him, and insisted on having her leave! The brat took our father to find evidence! They were gone for more than half an hour and brought back the whole family of the fourth branch!

Big Brother’s lie was exposed, he was furious with shame, and said we were all bloodsuckers and even made Father sick with anger!

I reckon, from now on, Big Brother won’t give us any good things anymore!"

Mrs. Lin told Mu Dazhong and Mu Danian everything that happened in the Old Mu Family.

Hearing this, both of their expressions turned grim.

"I always knew, Big Brother is no good! Now he’s doing well as the steward of the dock and has the County Magistrate’s trust!

It’s a shame that back then, we all scrimped and saved to support him in his studies, others would take the scholar exam once!

He took it from age fifteen to over thirty! More than ten years of time, it was all of us supporting their whole branch’s living expenses!

Back then, if he hadn’t taken so many exams, maybe we brothers would have had the chance to study too! Perhaps we’d have become scholars long ago, and this good life would definitely be ours!

He gained so much, yet he still doesn’t treat us well! I can’t tolerate this any more than anyone else!" Mu Dazhong said angrily.

His words immediately received a response from Mu Danian.

"Exactly! If it weren’t for him using up all the family money, why would I be at this age and still not have a wife?"

"Not just that, back then it was agreed to send Gou Dan to school, and yet even now, he hasn’t gone! If we delay any longer, our family’s Gou Dan will end up just like a country bumpkin, won’t he?" Mrs. Lin said, looking frustrated.

"Sigh, when it boils down to it, there’s nothing we can do to him! He’s a county official, while what are we? Just ordinary folks!" Mu Dazhong said with some despair.

"Who says ordinary folks can’t do anything to him? Have you forgotten my and Second Brother’s current status?" Mu Danian suddenly said.

"Fifth, what do you mean? I don’t understand!" Mu Dazhong looked bewildered.

"I mean, we should seize the opportunity now to make a lot of money, and once we have enough, we split from the family! We won’t care about Father and Mother!" Mu Danian said.

"At that time, with money, you can send Xiao Chu to school yourself! Buy a house, invest in land, and our days will be just as wonderful!"

Mu Danian’s words were filled with irresistible temptation for Mu Dazhong.

Indeed, what is most important at this moment?

Isn’t it money!

Since it’s about money, he should get as much as he can!

Once he gets it, he can run away, leaving all the responsibility to his Big Brother!

Who told him to say he wouldn’t care about the other branches?

"Fifth, we can’t wait anymore, we need to pull off a few big scores and then run away!" Mu Dazhong said.

Talking about big scores, Mrs. Lin had something to say, "Daddy Gou Dan, Fifth, don’t you always say there’s a big profit in smuggling salt? Why don’t we do that too?

We won’t do it too much, just once or twice to save up money, and then run as soon as we have it. What do you think?"

"Of course not! That stuff is life-threatening!" Mu Danian was the first to deny.

"Exactly! You woman, always causing trouble! If we got caught smuggling salt, it would cost us our lives!"

Mu Dazhong scolded Mrs. Lin thoroughly.

Mrs. Lin pouted her lips in grievance, "I’m just thinking about getting us more money. With enough money saved, we can split from the family!"

"Making more money doesn’t mean seeking death!" Mu Danian said.

"Exactly! Life-threatening matters shouldn’t be pursued, and even if they should, only Big Brother should do it!" Mu Dazhong said.

That unintentional remark, however, sparked an idea in Mu Danian.

"That’s right, Second Brother is correct! This matter can only be done by Big Brother!" Mu Danian said.

"What do you mean?" Mu Dazhong was puzzled again.

"I know, among the people Big Brother lets pass, there are quite a few smuggling small amounts of goods. If caught, it can be claimed as personal purchases!

If we secretly approach them, saying Big Brother needs a lot of money and can let them bring more, they would certainly be willing to pay!

By then, Big Brother takes the fall! The money will be in our hands! Once we have the money, we leave immediately!" Mu Danian said.

"Alright, that’s settled then!" Mu Dazhong said.

Mrs. Lin, although not fully understanding, realized they were about to earn money!

And since money was involved, leaving the Old Mu Family was nothing to fear!

"From today on, we should grab whatever we can! Also, we can’t offend Big Brother! At least not for now!" Mu Danian said.

His words quickly gained the full support of Mu Dazhong and Mrs. Lin!

It was the first time for the two brothers to have such a clear objective!

And for the first time, they had no intention of betraying each other!