From Folly to Fortune：I Rewrite My Life After Rebirth!-Chapter 1105 - 1101: The Plan for Sudden Success Falls Through (Third Update)
"Don’t worry, at this time, my granny doesn’t have the energy to go and trouble Fourth Aunt!" Mu Shuangshuang continued.
Upon hearing Mu Shuangshuang’s words, Mu Dajiang felt slightly relieved, but wasn’t completely at ease!
"Shuangshuang, I should still go plead with them!" Mu Dajiang said.
After saying that, he went to the people guarding Mu Shuangshuang’s courtyard, bowing and pleading for mercy.
But it was of no use at all!
Mu Shuangshuang looked at Mu Dajiang, feeling a sense of disappointment in him.
Earlier in the year, she had taught Mu Dajiang how to make rice wine, and even prepared the rice for him in advance.
During the New Year, Mu Dajiang had gone out to make rice wine, earning some money.
But when Mu Xiangxiang got married, all the money was spent, leaving not a penny.
Now, since he hadn’t made rice wine in a long time, the whole fourth house could only be described as impoverished.
At this rate, there’s no way they could actively split from the family. Even if Mr. Mu forced them out, they’d still be unable to survive.
Why?
They had no skills or resources to sustain their lives.
Whether farming or doing business, both required capital and time.
Even Mu Dalang, who was raising pigs in Tie Dao Village, couldn’t make big money quickly.
They needed to wait for the piglets to grow and be slaughtered for money to improve their lives.
"Go, go, hurry up and leave. I’ve told you people of the Old Mu Family owe our boss money. Our boss instructed not to let anyone casually enter and exit!" The guard pushed Mu Dajiang away once more.
Mu Shuangshuang sighed deeply.
She walked up to the guard. "Uncle, this is my fourth uncle, and he’s so agitated because my granny is calling for him.
It might be something important, possibly related to your boss’s money, or maybe... your young lady’s marriage. Why don’t you help by checking it out?"
Although these guards had suffered a lot from Mu Shuangshuang,
they didn’t dislike her.
After all, she was just a child, and she had given each of them a bowl of water and a large bowl of dumplings to satisfy their cravings earlier.
When you eat someone’s food, you owe them. So, they’d help with this small favor.
"Alright, I’ll go ask. If that old lady is willing to talk, I’ll pass it on. If not, he has to leave quickly!" said one guard, with a drooping mustache impatiently.
"Thank you!" Mu Shuangshuang nodded.
She fetched a bucket of water from the house and offered it to the guards.
It was getting close to the summer harvest, and the weather was considerably hotter.
The guards standing under the sun quickly became parched.
They drank the water and shared it with their brothers watching elsewhere.
When the small wooden bucket returned, it was entirely empty.
Sweating profusely, the guard came back and relayed Old Mrs. Mu’s words to Mu Dajiang.
"That old lady wants you to find out if your elder brother became the top scorer! Once you’ve confirmed, then come back."
Mu Dajiang thanked the guard gratefully.
He was actually preparing to head to town.
Mu Shuangshuang followed him, as some things weren’t suitable for discussing in front of outsiders.
Out of the Old Mu Family’s courtyard, Mu Shuangshuang called out to Mu Dajiang.
"Fourth Uncle, are you sure you want to go to town in this hot weather to find out some news?"
Mu Dajiang didn’t have a cart, nor the money to rent a bullock cart. To go to town, he had to rely on his legs.
And to this point, he hadn’t even had breakfast...
"Shuangshuang, go back home. Fourth Uncle knows you’re doing this for my good, but the Old Mu Family’s issue needs resolving, otherwise, we’ll all be driven to our deaths!"
When Mu Dajiang left, there was only half a barrel of water in the tank, enough at most until tomorrow morning.
If the family bathed or anything, it might be used up by night.
"You’d better not go; the elder brother didn’t become the top scorer!" Mu Shuangshuang said.
"He didn’t make it?" Mu Dajiang was stunned instantly.
"How... how is that possible?? Wasn’t it said he’d definitely make it?" Mu Dajiang found it hard to believe.
"Fourth Uncle, the imperial examination isn’t like street vendors selling sweet potatoes, where anyone can partake! In that examination, talented scholars from all over the Da Ning Dynasty participated. Do you think the elder brother could outshine these people?"
Mu Shuangshuang really didn’t understand where these people got their confidence, believing Mu Dade could become the top scorer.
Someone who could spend over a decade trying for the scholar exam likely didn’t have the academic brilliance to become the Champion Scholar.
"Shuangshuang... is this information reliable? Where did you hear it from? Could it be a mistake? Your elder brother... he passed the scholar exam!"
Mu Dajiang still couldn’t fully believe it.
Since Mu Dajiang was sensible, the family had just one goal: to send Mu Dade to study.
Once Mu Dade achieved scholarly success, he’d pull these mud-covered brothers up from the mire one by one.
But now, they weren’t young anymore.
They had spent over one hundred taels of silver sending big brother to the Capital, and came back empty-handed???
Emotionally, Mu Dajiang couldn’t accept it.
"It’s not wrong. A rich family’s son in town told me. He studies at the town school, and his teacher is a particularly famous tutor. He said the top scorer is the son of a high official in the Capital."
For Mu Dajiang, Mu Shuangshuang’s words were like a bolt from the blue.
Mu Dajiang felt unsteady, even muttering to himself, "Didn’t pass... so, the Old Mu Family’s debts can’t be... repaid?"
The chance to change their fate was gone.
And they were left with a heap of debt.
It was a blow to anyone.
"It won’t be, Fourth Uncle. You’ve forgotten, elder brother mentioned before that he had found a job in the county. He should still be able to repay this money."
Fifty taels of silver might be a lot to ordinary people.
But for Mu Dade, it shouldn’t be much.
Once he had an official position, people rushing to curry favor with him might even form a long queue.
By then, with gifts from everyone, they could probably gain considerable profit!
Mu Dajiang’s plan was disrupted, leaving him clueless about what to do next.
"Fourth Uncle, why don’t you spend a day at Brother Dalang’s place and return at dusk, just say you didn’t find anything.
The men with Gao Tiezhu only said not to let them out; they won’t actually harm them." Mu Shuangshuang suggested.
Mu Dajiang thought about it, then nodded.
The news was true, so there was no need to make a pointless trip into town.
Mu Shuangshuang’s words were entirely for Mu Dajiang’s sake.
The matter of Mu Dade not passing could only be disclosed by outsiders, not the Old Mu Family themselves.
This was why, even with the truth, Mu Shuangshuang didn’t speak a word, even to her own parents!
"Shuangshuang, Fourth Uncle... thank you! I’ll go find Dalang first, and when I get the chance, I’ll repay you!"
After saying that, Mu Dajiang headed towards the village entrance.
Old Mrs. Mu waited at home all day, never stepping out of the courtyard.
No one visited throughout the day.
Just as dusk approached, Mu Dajiang returned.
But he only called out from outside the courtyard, saying he hadn’t found anything.
At night, Mu Dajiang went to a good neighbor in the village to stay over, while the rest of the Old Mu Family could only guard those three acres of land, waiting for a so-called miracle...
