flstandardbreds Chapter 169 Downfall
Chapter 169 Downfall
"It's hard to say. I have to go to the county town and ask Jiaojiao to see if she knows about this." It was at this moment that Old Man Li realized that he didn't even have anyone to give orders when the situation occurred, so he had to go by himself.
When Jiang came back, she found out that her silver had been confiscated by the yamen runners. She was so angry that she sat on the ground and cried. The silver she had saved with great difficulty was taken away by those bastards. But no matter how much she cried and shouted, she could not get the silver back.
When Old Man Li arrived at the county government office, Li Jiaojiao was looking anxious and wanted to go out. Seeing Old Man Li Cai, she hurriedly asked him if any government officials had come to their house. Old Man Li told her what happened.
"I also heard about this. I was just about to go out to find Wenbin to see what's going on and see if there's any way to save my father."
Seeing that there was no news from her, Old Man Li had to return to Qinghe Village.
Zhang Wenbin actually knew this a long time ago but just didn't say it. His father and Li Dajiang were both county magistrates. Li Dajiang had amassed huge wealth in Chengyang County and the important positions in the county government had a fixed price. As long as one could afford the money, anyone could come. It was an open secret.
The entire Chengyang County was in an uproar. His downfall was only a matter of time, but no one expected it to happen so soon.
I had originally wanted to use my father-in-law to find a job in Chengyang County, but now all my efforts have been in vain.
Two days later, Liu, Li Chengcai and Li Laosi came back, looking exhausted and in a disheveled state.
However, there was no sign of Li Dajiang. It turned out that Li Dajiang was temporarily detained in Chengyang County Jail for corruption. The final judgment would be made after the prefect had conducted a thorough investigation.
The prefect confiscated all their silver. When Liu and her companions returned, they were penniless. Liu thought of looking for those women she was on good terms with, but they all turned her down as they said they were not at home.
When a tree falls, monkeys scatter; when a person falls, everyone pushes him down. After borrowing money from everyone, Liu and his friends didn't borrow a single copper coin, so they had to walk back.
They had never walked such a long distance before. Their legs were almost lame and they were tired and hungry. They finally met a caravan coming to Nujiu County. After they flattered them, they finally agreed to take them for a ride.
"Dad, the bailiffs didn't confiscate the silver in our house, did they?" Li Laosi suddenly asked with mud all over his face.
Before Old Man Li could speak, Zhao Lanlan said, "A few days ago, the bailiffs came and took away all the silver in our house. Fortunately, we have some food left, otherwise we would have starved."
Old man Li looked at Zhao Lanlan in surprise, but finally opened his mouth and said nothing. At that time, the silver was hidden by Zhao Lanlan, and he was the only one who knew about it.
Li Laosi subconsciously looked at Jiang again, and Jiang burst into tears out of grievance: "Laosi, it's gone, all the money is gone."
Hearing this, Li Laosi felt like a deflated ball. Everyone looked at each other in confusion. How would they live in the future without money?
They started arguing during dinner because there were only two white flour buns left at home. They were used to eating good food in Chengyang County, so they couldn't eat multi-grain pancakes with wild vegetable soup.
Li Chengcai grabbed one directly, and Li Laosi grabbed another. Li Laotou originally thought that he and Lanlan should each grab one, but when he saw their expressions, he scolded them, "That's for your mistress, Chengcai, put it down."
What mistress, what a vain woman! Li Chengcai bit off half of the bun in one bite. Li Laosi followed suit and watched them eat the bun. He was so angry that he blew his beard and glared, and almost overturned the table in a rage.
It is said that it is easy to go from simple to luxurious, but difficult to go from luxurious to simple. This is really the case. Liu could not argue with them. Although she was very hungry, she only ate two bites and could not eat any more.
Zhao Lanlan held the silver in her hand and refused to spend it. Old Man Li was reluctant to give it to her, but the family could not go without food. The harvest this year was not good. The family had silver before, but it wasted it excessively, so that all the food stored in the family was gone.
Since he couldn't ask Zhao Lanlan for money, he had to think of other ways. The first person he thought of was Li Dahai. He heard from others that Li Xiaoxiao's shop was doing very well and was making a fortune every day.
The family is in a really difficult situation now. No matter how bad it is, he is still his own son. He can't just watch them starve to death.
Thinking of this, he called Li Laosi over. When Li Laosi heard that he was going to the county town to borrow money from his second brother, he immediately became excited.
When they arrived at the county town, it was not yet noon. Li Laosi knew where Li Xiaoxiao's shop was, so he took Old Man Li to the tofu shop. Now the shop was mainly taken care of by Sun and Li Ruolan, mother and daughter. Li Dahai officially worked as an accountant in a restaurant and would only come here when he was free.
Mrs. Sun was busy weighing tofu for the customers. When she looked up, she saw Old Man Li and Li Laosi. She suddenly remembered what Li Xiaoxiao had said to her two days ago.
"Mom, if someone from my grandfather's side comes to borrow money from us, you should say we don't have any, or ask them to come to me to borrow. You must not lend it to them." Li Xiaoxiao's words seemed to be right in her ears. Judging from their expressions, they were probably here to borrow money.
"Dad, why are you here? Come in and sit down." Sun stood up hurriedly.
Li Ruolan glanced at them calmly and continued with what she was doing, but her ears were perked up, listening to what they were saying all the time.
"Where is the sea?" Old man Li said impatiently with his hands behind his back and a sullen face.
"He went to the restaurant. Dad, do you need anything from him? Or should I go and call him?" Sun asked tentatively.
"It's nothing. Money is a bit tight at home. Give me twenty taels of silver." Old man Li ordered directly.
Sun was stunned. Old man Li came up and asked for twenty taels of silver. How could she have so much money?
"Master, we don't have any money at home. Why don't you ask Sister Jiaojiao for it? She is the county magistrate's daughter-in-law now. She has plenty of money." Before Sun could speak, Li Ruolan spoke first.
Old man Li looked at his granddaughter suspiciously. In his impression, she was always taciturn, always kept her head down, and didn't say a word for a long time. Why was she so talkative today?
Meeting the old man Li's gaze, Li Ruolan felt a little timid, but she still bravely met his gaze.
"We are adults talking, what does a little girl like you have to do with it?" Li Laosi did not expect that Li Ruolan would dare to refuse them. After his second brother separated from the family, the family's tempers have improved a lot. The little girl who had always been submissive now knows how to resist.
"Uncle, I am telling the truth. We have no money and we won't lend you any." Although Li Ruolan was afraid in her heart, she thought of what Xiaoxiao had taught her and said it out loud. She must not scare them.
Old Man Li glared at Li Ruolan impatiently, and then looked at Sun with a warning in his eyes: "My family is really in trouble now, are you really not going to lend it to me?"