Without Su Xuan asking, Li explained the purpose of the money, "We want to give more praises. Yu Lu is engaged and needs to save more dowry, and Ming Yun also needs to save betrothal gifts. Your elder brother and I don't have any special abilities, and this opportunity is rare, so we borrowed the money. Your elder brother said we will pay interest. Brothers don't settle accounts, so interest must be paid."
Su Xuan had already signaled the maid to take the banknote, "Sister-in-law, this is two thousand taels. As for the interest, I'll give you the lowest rate. Just give it to me whenever you have it."
Su Xuan didn't think about getting involved in buying a shop. She didn't like waiting for a long time.
Li happily took the silver and said, "I'll send the IOU over later. You know my handwriting is not good."
Su Xuan blushed. Her handwriting was not good either.
Li returned to the courtyard, "You came back faster than me. What did the second and third brothers say?"
Zhou Laodao said, "The second brother felt that the wait was too long, so he wanted to buy a farm. The third brother didn't have that much money, and by the end of the year, he had spent most of it, so he didn't get involved."
Li counted on her fingers, "I was chatting with my second brother's wife a few days ago, and she told me about our family's wealth. The second brother's family's wealth is more than three times that of ours. The second brother has bought a shop in the capital, but there is no sign of our shop in the capital!"
Li paused and continued, "My third brother will be an official in the future. The third branch's financial situation was not bad to begin with. Moreover, the third branch's children are young, and they only have one daughter. They can save money slowly in the future. The fourth branch is even easier to manage. Now it seems that only our eldest branch is struggling."
Boss Zhou bent his back and said, "Continue saving money."
The eldest wife is now not even as good as the eldest sister, and the eldest sister's dowry is also very generous!
The next day, more than a dozen horse-drawn carriages left from the Zhou Mansion. Because there was dowry, the Zhou Mansion hired two pairs of bodyguards to escort them.
Just after Boss Zhou left, Wu Ning and He Shu arrived. Zhu Lan happily took Wu Ning's hand and said, "Let me take a look. You've gained a lot of weight. It seems that you're doing well. Auntie can rest assured now."
Wu Ning lived a comfortable life after getting married. She ate more and gained weight. "My aunt and aunt are very nice to me, and I can get along well with my cousins. I teach my niece and cousin to read and play the piano when I have nothing to do at home. Aunt, I am living a good life."
Xue Han said jokingly: "Sister, please don't say anything. Brother-in-law is very good to you!"
Wu Ning blushed. Her husband was indeed a very good person. He would chat with her every day when he came back and teach her how to copy calligraphy. During breaks, he would take her for walks and draw eyebrows for her.
Zhulan patted her daughter and said, "Your sister Wu just came back and you're bullying her."
The heat on Wu Ning's face faded, "Sister, congratulations to my sister, Rongchuan is the third place winner in the imperial examination!"
Xue Han stood up and said, "I'll go to the kitchen and take a look."
Wu Ning, "You're running away so fast! I haven't even finished the rest of my words yet!"
Zhulan smiled and said, "I have teased her a lot these days. She is really scared. Have you been back to the Wu Mansion to check?"
Wu Ning replied, "We arrived in Jinzhou yesterday afternoon, and returned to the Wu residence first. We came here today. Aunt, I would like to ask you to find a marriage partner for my second brother."
"I remember Wu Yong was engaged, why is he still looking for a match?"
Wu Ning got angry when she mentioned this. "I just received a letter saying that the girl's family has moved to the south, so the engagement has been cancelled."
Zhulan really didn't know, "I met Wu Yong a few days ago, and he didn't say anything. I even joked that he was going to get married soon, and this guy was also going to get married soon, and he agreed at that time."
Wu Ning felt sorry for his second brother and said, "That's just the way his second brother is. He keeps everything to himself."
Zhulan, "Wu Yong's personality is really similar to yours."
Wu Ning felt a little embarrassed when she thought of her past self. Indeed, she had kept everything to herself at the beginning. "Second brother didn't want to cause more trouble for Aunt."
Because the Wu family already owed the Zhou family a lot, she wanted to introduce someone to her second brother, but she was only a younger sister, and this matter still required the intervention of an elder. The Wu family had no elders, so they could only continue to owe the Zhou family.
Zhulan kept Wu Yong's matter in mind. This child has a soft personality and needs a wife who can take care of things.
Wu Ning stayed in Jinzhou for three days, two days at Zhou's residence and one day at Wu's residence.
Because He Shu had to go back to teach, Wu Ning had to leave reluctantly. She was no longer as free after getting married.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it’s been a month. The leaves have spread out, and the breath of spring is everywhere.
Zhulan had already received Xuemei's second letter and learned about the disappearance of Zhang Datie's family. She discussed it with Zhou Shuren and concluded that they should have been captured and put under custody.
Zhulan was holding a small shovel and digging wild vegetables in the garden. After a while, she had dug a small basket. If she hadn't been with her son today, she wouldn't have squatted to dig wild vegetables. "It's enough to eat, no need to dig anymore."
Changzhong's hands were covered in mud. "Mom, I want to play for a while."
Zhulan couldn't stay there any longer, "Then you play by yourself, mom will go back first."
Changzhong waved his chubby hand, "Okay."
Zhulan bent her waist, then took the handkerchief and wiped her hands, and walked back while saying: "According to the time, the boss should arrive in Zhoujia Village."
“It should be here.”
Zhu Lan added, "It's been more than a month in the blink of an eye. In a few more days, Rongchuan and Changlian will go to the capital."
Mrs. Song hesitated to speak, and Zhulan looked at her, "Do you want to say something?"
Mrs. Song said, "Madam, when Master Rongchuan goes to the capital, don't you worry about his background?"
Zhulan has nothing to worry about. The emperor has no reason to admit it now. "I'm not worried. What is coming will come. It's useless to hide. Just let it go."
Mrs. Song thought to herself that the mistress really had a good attitude.
Zhoujia Village, the Zhou family’s convoy entered the village. It was a long team, and the villagers followed it from the entrance of the village all the way to the Jiang family.
Xuemei heard the noise and ran out, and saw her eldest and second brothers getting off the carriage, "Eldest brother, second brother, you're back."
Boss Zhou looked at his sister, who had gained a lot of weight and looked more and more prosperous. "We came back to offer sacrifices to our ancestors on behalf of our parents."
Xuemei saw that no one got off the carriage, "Chang Lian and Rong Chuan haven't come back yet!"
Zhou Laodao said: "Ah, they haven't come back yet, let's go inside and talk."
Zhou Laoer signaled the servant to watch over the unloading of the boxes, and then followed his elder brother and sister in.
Xuemei went into the house to pour water for her two brothers, then clapped her head and said, "Look, I was so happy that I forgot to ask Jiang Sheng to come back."
Zhou Laoer hurriedly pulled his sister's sleeve and said, "We made quite a noise when we entered the village. The clan school should have heard the news. You don't need to inform them. Jiang Sheng will be back soon."
Xuemei then sat down and asked, "Brother, why did you bring back so many boxes?"
At this time, the old couple of the Jiang family also came in, and Mr. Jiang said stiffly: "Uncle Jiang Du and Uncle Jiang Du are back."
Boss Zhou called out politely, "Uncle, long time no see, how are you?"