Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 616 - 573: Dare Not Refuse (1)

This Old Mrs. Zhao is merely Sister-in-law Chai’s cousin once removed. Chai Eying accompanied Sister-in-law Chai to visit her once, but Old Mrs. Zhao remembered her.

As for the people from the same village, even more of them came.

Mid-March, the weather was clear.

Both inside the main hall and in the courtyard of the Li Family, there were banquets set up.

Halfway through the feast, it was time for the little birthday star to appear.

Chai Eying, dressed in new attire, accompanied by Princess Consort Luling and Sister-in-law Chai, held her son in his birthday outfit to greet the guests one by one.

The little baby had features resembling Li Xingmao, yet from the side, he looked like Chai Eying.

Because he was still young, he couldn’t laugh or respond to sounds; he just adorably looked around naively.

The little black melon peel cap on his head made his face appear as white as jade.

Sister-in-law Chai held a tray, and the guests tossed congratulatory money into it.

Li Lixing and the people sent by Old Mrs. Zhao each tossed a pair of little silver locks onto the tray.

The three sisters of Li Yuzhu also contributed generously, not giving silver necklaces or pendants, but silver bracelets and anklets instead.

Princess Consort Luling gave a pair of golden Qilins.

Li Xing’an and Li Xingsheng, the two brothers, gave a small jade pendant with a fan attached.

Finally, Aunt Sister-in-law Chai presented her gift by taking out a golden necklace from her pocket and placing it on the tray.

The golden necklace was as thick as a baby’s finger and shimmered brightly in the sunlight.

Everyone praised Sister-in-law Chai for her generosity.

They also praised Chai Eying for her good fortune to have a sister-in-law who cared for her so much.

Just as the courtyard was lively, Second Master Chai and his servant arrived.

Everyone in the village knew that the Chai siblings were always at odds with Second Master Chai due to the issues concerning Chai Eying’s parents and her marriage.

Second Master Chai didn’t even attend Chai Eying’s wedding, but suddenly showed up today. It was feared that something had happened.

Everyone stopped eating and looked at Second Master Chai.

Prince Luling paused his drinking and asked his sons with a serious face, "Why is he here?"

"Dad, let’s go take a look," Li Xing’an and Li Xingsheng stood up together.

Li Xingmao and Eldest Young Master Chai walked over to Second Master Chai.

"Second Master Chai," Li Xingmao saluted with a gesture, "Did you bring the items?"

Eldest Young Master Chai simply called him "Second Uncle" and said nothing more.

Li Xing’an and Li Xingsheng exchanged a glance; was this pre-arranged?

Suppressing his anger, Second Master Chai nodded and said, "Of course, I brought them."

He received a cloth bundle from his servant’s hand, pulled out a few land deeds.

Seeing this, everyone began to whisper together.

Only to hear Second Master Chai say, "These are the properties of the Chai family’s main branch, I’ve organized them for Dalang to manage. Also, please take care of your second sister; we’re all family, no need for formalities, right?"

Eldest Young Master Chai glanced at him and took the estate contracts, flipping through them one by one.

Li Xingmao stood by his side, assisting in the inspection.

Five deeds in total, amounting to only about ninety acres.

Missing more than half.

Eldest Young Master Chai shook the contracts and said coldly, "Second Uncle, the estates left by my father and mother cannot be this few. It would be best if you checked again at home."

Second Master Chai was struck by fear, was Chai Dalang aware?

"The deeds your mother entrusted to me before her death are these, they are not wrong." Second Master Chai refused to admit to withholding any.

Eldest Young Master Chai said, "What about the fields in Taohua River Village? And those in Qingshui River Village?"

Second Master Chai replied, "All fields are in Huang Village; there are none in those two villages."

Chai Dalang turned around and supported an old man drinking, "Uncle Tian, why don’t you tell us, the fields left by my parents, do they include Taohua River Village and Qingshui River Village?"

Uncle Tian’s daughter-in-law, Lady Tian, due to the drowning of her maternal brother, sought help from the Chen family’s father and son for retrieving the body but had no money to pay, thus offending the Chen family.

The Chen family’s father and four sons caused a ruckus at the Tian family, trying to seize people for debt repayment and confiscate fields, leading to chaos. Thanks to Li Yuzhu’s intervention, the Chen family did not trouble the Tian family anymore.

The entire Tian family was grateful to the Li Family.

Uncle Tian’s son not only taught Li Yuzhu and Li Xing’an the printing technique, allowing Li Xing’an to start a printing house and earn some money, but Uncle Tian and his son also frequently came to the Li Family to help Li Xingmao manage the fields.

Uncle Tian was formerly a servant of the main household of the Chai Family and had received favors from Old Master Chai. The old house of the Tian Family was given by Old Master Chai back in the day. The Tian Family has always been grateful to Chai Eying and her siblings.

The Eldest Young Master Chai anticipated that the Second Master Chai would embezzle the land, so he invited the former servant, Uncle Tian, to help.

Uncle Tian, grateful to Chai Eying and her siblings and even more grateful to the Li Family, readily agreed to help speak up.

He said, "Second Master, you are incorrect. The land holdings of Old Master were far more than this."

Then, he listed out the other pieces of land.

He also said that if everyone didn’t believe him, they could go to these places and ask; those from these two villages, whoever they are, have been old tenants for years.

He mentioned that these families have been renting land to farm since the time Old Master Chai was alive. The lease documents in the tenants’ possession were originally signed with Old Master Chai or Madam Chai.

As soon as Uncle Tian spoke up, a person drinking in the village said, "Oh, yes, my family’s land was signed with Old Master Chai."

Another said, "My family’s land was signed with Madam Chai, six months after Old Master Chai’s passing, and the document is still with us."

These people from Taohua River Village spoke up, and three people from Qingshui River Village also voiced that the documents in their homes were signed with Old Master Chai.

The Eldest Young Master Chai looked at the Second Master Chai, "Second Uncle, you say that there are no lands left by my father in Taohua River Village and Qingshui River Village, but where do these people’s lands come from? The family’s documents are not faked, are they?"

"We signed documents with the main house of the Chai Family, but the rent goes to Second Master Chai." These people said.

Several people stood up and spoke on behalf of the Eldest Young Master Chai.

The Pavilion Chief from the area also came over and said, "Perhaps Second Master Chai has forgotten? The Chai Family’s main house lands are far more than what you mentioned?"

Exposed publicly, the Second Master Chai dared not conceal anymore.

Following the Pavilion Chief’s suggestion, he said, "Yes, yes, with the passing years, perhaps I remembered incorrectly. Dalang, wait a moment, and I shall retrieve them."

He took his attendant, slunk away shamefacedly.

The people drinking were all talking about the wrongdoings of Second Master Chai, saying he bullied the Eldest Young Master Chai, who had lost his parents.

The Eldest Young Master Chai just smiled it away.

Li Xing’an and Li Xingsheng exchanged a glance, worried that the Second Master Chai would run away and not come back, and they rode horses to follow him.

Where would the Second Master Chai dare not to come? The family of his second daughter’s maternal grandparents came again, waiting at home for news.

If he didn’t settle his second daughter’s issue, there would be no peaceful days for him.

Seeing the two who followed, Second Master Chai felt immensely annoyed.

Returning home, Old Mrs. Chai immediately asked Second Master Chai, "Did the matter get resolved?"

Ninety-odd mu of land, given away for nothing, made Old Mrs. Chai upset all morning.

Second Master Chai shook his head, "It was discovered by Dalang, he said it was less."

Old Mrs. Chai was very surprised, "What? How did he know it was less?"

"He found the old servant from back then and had the villagers speak for him." Second Master Chai said resentfully, "I underestimated him."

"At this point, we can only give it." Old Mrs. Chai angrily slapped her leg.

With witnesses and tenant lease documents, Second Master Chai couldn’t even forge it if he wanted to and could only honestly return the fields.

He found all the land deeds of the main house and went again to the Li Family.

Li Xing’an and Li Xingsheng blocked his way mid-route and asked, "Has Second Master Chai gathered all the deeds? Our family is quite busy and doesn’t have time to discuss matters with Second Master Chai repeatedly."

Suppressing his anger, Second Master Chai pointed to his sleeve, "They’re all here."

"That’s good then."

Second Master Chai went to the Li Family again, and the feast at the Li Family was still ongoing.

The guests were playing games and drinking, having a great time.

The Eldest Young Master Chai saw him coming, and asked indifferently, "Have you gathered all the land deeds, Second Uncle?"

"In my memory, these are it, if you want more, I don’t have them." Second Master Chai handed over the other deeds.

The Eldest Young Master Chai leafed through them one by one, while Li Xingmao helped him tally, and Chai Eying and Sister-in-law Chai also assisted in checking.

The total land deeds added up to two hundred and sixty-eight mu, matching the result of the Eldest Young Master Chai’s investigation.

He collected the deeds, "Thank you, Second Uncle, for safeguarding my parents’ land deeds, and let the harvests from those land be Second Uncle’s reward."

"That’s quite a reward, Second Master must have made a lot in these years, huh?" Someone said with a sarcastic tone.

Second Master Chai’s face darkened, he asked the Eldest Young Master Chai, "I’ve given you all the deeds, when will you save your second sister?"

In front of all these guests, he must get the Eldest Young Master Chai to promise it verbally.