Transmigrated Into an Ancient Filial Piety Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Ji Huan nodded her head, stepped toward Ji Mantun’s small courtyard, and brewed her emotions as she walked. When she entered the dining hall, she already wore a deeply pained expression.

Second Aunt Feng Mei saw the two enter one after the other. Although Ji Sen was covered in dirt, Second Aunt Feng Mei instinctively thought that the honest Ji Huan had been bullied. She hurriedly asked, “What happened? Did Ji Sen make things difficult for you?”

Ji Huan gave a bitter smile, shook her head, and said with red eyes, “Second Aunt, I won’t hide it from you. This time, he came to give me and Jiang Yubai money. When Jiang Yubai married into the Ji family, she brought two taels of silver as her dowry. That money stayed with my parents, and I don’t know who they spent it on. Now, my parents couldn’t gather that much money at once, so they scraped together one tael to send to us. But Ji Sen wanted to keep it for himself. He owes gambling debts outside and wants to use my wife’s dowry money to pay them off. Is there such logic under heaven? Is there such a brother?”

Second Aunt Feng Mei angrily pointed at Ji Sen and scolded loudly, “Are you even human? You covet someone else’s dowry money? What kind of people are your family, except for Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai? I’m done with you. Get out, get out, you gambling ghost! Don’t come into our courtyard again; I find you filthy.”

Ji Sen’s forehead veins throbbed from the scolding. He saw Ji Huan looking at him and immediately got so scared that his legs weakened, and he dared not move. He could only say dejectedly, “Second Uncle, Second Aunt, it’s not what you think.”

Ji Sen saw Ji Huan looking at him again and got so frightened that he didn’t dare speak.

Ji Sen saw no one wanted to deal with him, so he left dejectedly. On this trip, he didn’t get any money, his body ached from being thrown, and Second Uncle’s family now despised him. Ji Sen sighed deeply, recalling the words Ji Huan said while grabbing his collar. He still felt terrified. It seemed that even if Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai returned, he needed to stay far away and avoid provoking Ji Huan.

When Ji Sen returned to the Ji family, he looked completely spiritless. The Ji family members anxiously waited for him. Ji Mantun saw him looking like a frostbitten eggplant and immediately asked, “What happened to you? You were fine when you left. Why do you look like this now? Not only are your clothes dirty, but why is your face swollen?”

“Yes, did Ji Huan hit you?” Liu Fengmei hurriedly approached Ji Sen to ask.

Ji Sen initially didn’t dare complain, but then he thought that since he was home, even if Ji Huan returned later, she wouldn’t dare hit him directly at home. So, he exaggerated and said, “Yes, Mother, you didn’t see Ji Huan’s attitude. She was so arrogant, almost swallowing me alive. I was so scared. She threw me far away. My legs hurt, and my face hurts. Father, Mother, you must stand up for me.”

“Outrageous, truly outrageous! How could Ji Huan hit you? She’s defying heaven! How can we live like this?” Liu Fengmei anxiously looked at Ji Mantun.

Ji Mantun’s face darkened. He never expected Ji Huan to hit anyone. After all, the old Ji Huan was honest, never saying much even when wronged. How could she act like this now?

He asked with a stern face, “What did she say about that one tael of silver?”

“Ji Huan said next time we need to pay four taels of silver, and the time after that, six taels, and so on. Only when the money is ready will she and Jiang Yubai return,” Ji Sen hurriedly said.

Ji Mantun angrily grabbed a porcelain bowl from the table and smashed it, saying, “Ji Huan, this unfilial daughter! Why doesn’t she just come and rob us? Four taels of silver? She dares to open her mouth so wide? We can’t give it to her just like that.”

Ji Yuan saw Ji Mantun’s reluctance to give Ji Huan the money and grew anxious. The family could be shameless, but he couldn’t bear it. Ji Huan’s actions clearly showed she wanted to cut ties with the family. If Ji Huan really took Jiang Yubai and begged with a bowl at the academy gate, how could he ever face entering the academy again?

Ji Yuan hurriedly persuaded, “Father, the best plan now is to prepare three more taels of silver for Ji Huan. This time, she’s serious. If Ji Huan really goes out begging with a bowl, our family will never hold our heads up in the village.”

“That’s four taels of silver! If I had known she was so stubborn, I would’ve had Ji Sen bring two taels earlier, and that would’ve been enough. Now, four taels of silver could cover your academy fees and daily expenses for a year in town,” Ji Mantun said, his heart aching as if it were bleeding. It was as if giving money to Ji Yuan was justified, but giving it to Ji Huan was pure waste.

Ji Yuan saw Ji Mantun’s reluctance and persuaded again, “Father, the four taels of silver can be dealt with. As long as Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai return home first, everything will be fine. We have plenty of ways to get the money back. The main issue now is that Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai are staying at Second Uncle’s house, and we can’t watch them. Once they return, things will be different.”

Ji Mantun still felt unwilling, but Ji Yuan was his most valued child. Although the eldest son gave him two grandsons, Ji Mantun subconsciously believed that Ji Yuan, who studied from a young age, would achieve great things and let him live a city life. So, he always trusted Ji Yuan’s words. Seeing Ji Yuan speak so confidently, Ji Mantun still asked uneasily, “Is there really a way to get the money back?”

Ji Yuan nodded and said, “Really, Father. I haven’t studied all these years for nothing. You must trust me. This time, I’ll deliver the money. After Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai return, everyone should treat them kindly and wait a few days to see what happens.”

Liu Fengmei joyfully patted Ji Yuan’s shoulder and said with a smile, “It’s still our third son who’s capable. A scholar is different, full of ideas. Be careful when you go. Your mother and father are counting on you to bring us a good life.”

Ji Yuan patted Liu Fengmei’s hand and said with a smile, “Mother, Father, don’t worry. Next spring, I’ll prepare well for the child examination, aiming to pass the county and prefecture exams and bring back a scholar title to make you proud.”

“Good, Mother is waiting for you,” Liu Fengmei said with a face full of smiles.

Ji Ming glared at Ji Yuan from the side and muttered softly, “You say this every year. It’s been four years, and you still haven’t passed the scholar exam. It’s a waste of money.”

Ji Yuan heard Ji Ming’s words and looked at him, saying, “Big Brother, why do you say that about me?”

Ji Ming was full of anger. First, the villagers isolated him, then he got rebuffed when looking for Ji Huan. Now, he had nowhere to vent, so he said, “Why can’t I say it? Ji Yuan, if you’re not cut out for studying, give up early. You spend so much money every year, and it all goes down the drain with no results. Are you capable or not?”

“Short-sighted! I won’t bother talking to you,” Ji Yuan said, glaring at Ji Ming, his hands trembling with anger.

Ji Mantun heavily tapped the table with his pipe and sternly shouted, “Enough! I’m not dead yet. Eldest son, this family isn’t yours to run. Ji Yuan studies so hard for the Ji family, doesn’t he? If he becomes an official someday, he can help your two sons.”

Ji Ming snorted and said no more.

Ji Yuan turned to Ji Mantun and said, “Father, give me the three taels of silver. Today, Big Brother and Fourth Brother went, and it likely annoyed Second Uncle’s family. I’ll go tomorrow morning to persuade Ji Huan to return.”

“Good, you think things through. You’re your mother’s backbone,” Liu Fengmei said, her eyes squinting with a smile.

Ji Sen, from behind, rolled his eyes at Ji Yuan, thinking his third brother was clever, studying and avoiding household chores.

As Ji Yuan and Liu Fengmei chatted happily, Li Yulan seemed to remember something and said, “If Ji Yuan goes to persuade Ji Huan tomorrow morning, whose turn is it to do the chores? By rule, since Ji Huan isn’t here, it should be Ji Yuan’s turn.”

After Li Yulan spoke, the dining hall fell silent for a moment. The next moment, it erupted into arguments like a pot boiling over.

“It’s just daily chores. Ji Yuan has important business tomorrow morning. Can’t you people understand and help with cooking? You’re so petty about small things,” Liu Fengmei said, pulling a face at Li Yulan, her tone full of dissatisfaction.

“Mother, it’s not that we don’t want to do it. It’s just that Father set the rules, and we can’t break them. If Ji Yuan doesn’t do the chores, it can only fall to Fourth Brother and his family,” Li Yulan said defiantly. Everyone else worked, so why did the third son do nothing? Was studying so precious? Did studying mean he could be lazy?