Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 448 - 411: Getting Promoted Isn’t as Easy as You Think

At the age of sixteen, he passed the Scholar exam and shortly after fell in love at first sight with Wu. Despite her family’s objections, Wu married into his family for a modest dowry. Later, feeling sorry for Wu and the hardships she endured, his father-in-law gave him a large sum of Silver, which he used to open a small bookstore in Luocheng, making a small income while studying.

"Not to mention other things, just from the money earned by that bookstore each year, more than half of it has been subsidizing you all. To put it bluntly, the money I spent from the family has long been repaid, and manifold at that!"

Old Madam Li never expected her son, who had never disobeyed her, would roar at her today, shouting loudly. She got angry too and said even louder than Li Mingtan, "Yes, you married a noblewoman from the Capital. Our entire family has benefited from you. Do you want me, as your mother, to bow to your father-in-law and wife, thanking them for their aid? Without them, your father, your brothers, and I might have had to beg on the streets!"

Li Mingtan, unable to argue clearly with his mother, trembled with anger. His brothers quickly stepped forward to calm him and led the old lady aside to console her.

"Mother, it’s all our fault. If we hadn’t been mooching off Old Four here, Old Four’s wife wouldn’t be quarreling with him every day, and you wouldn’t be stuck in the middle." Old Madam Li held her son’s arm, almost in tears, with a face full of sorrow.

Older Brother Li regretted following Li Mingtan to the Capital. If he had the choice, he would rather stay in Taohua Village farming. But the family had not split up yet, and he had no say; everything was up to their mother.

Upon arriving in the Capital, he realized he was good at nothing but farming. He wanted to buy a few mu of land on the outskirts to build a thatched house, only to find even land on the outskirts was exorbitantly priced. His fourth brother’s salary only sufficed to support the large family, with no extra money for building houses or buying land.

His fourth brother’s father-in-law was willing to continue helping, but his fourth brother, fearing people would say he was living off his in-laws, absolutely refused to spend any more of the Wu family’s money.

Since their large family began renting a place after leaving the Wu family, their mother insisted on being in charge. But after just over half a year, she voluntarily relinquished control. The reason was simple: his brother’s monthly salary, after paying rent, was far from enough to cover the large family’s expenses.

During that half-year, Wu remained calm and composed, waiting for his mother to hand over control, as if she had long anticipated his mother couldn’t manage the household.

Older Brother Li felt some sympathy for Wu. When Wu took over managing the household, within a few months, Li Mingtan received a year-end bonus of a full forty taels of Silver. Seeing the family had a large income, Old Madam Li shamelessly took back control of the household and used this money to buy Li Mingtan a concubine, Huiniang.

It was from that moment that Wu completely broke off relations with her mother-in-law. Until Old Madam Li squandered all the family’s savings, and they couldn’t even afford a meal, Old Madam Li wanted to repeat her old trick, but Wu wouldn’t be the bare commander anymore.

During that period, the Li family went through a long time of not even affording porridge.

Even Concubine Huiniang couldn’t help but complain, "What kind of family is this, so poor yet buying a concubine, and not even letting her eat her fill."

Later, Li Mingtan made a firm decision that Wu would run the household from then on, with no more changes, and only then did the Li family return to normal life.

Old Madam Li cursed harshly, "That unfilial Wu Changxia! To seize the power of managing the household, she deliberately had her brother withhold my son’s salary. Bah, trying to control me? Impossible!"

Old Madam Li had completely forgotten how her son had just yelled at her, placing all her grievances on Wu.

"Who told them to have a brother as an official in the Ministry of Revenue? Ugh, can’t provoke!" Oldest Sister-in-law Li said sarcastically.

This was undoubtedly pouring oil on the fire, causing Old Madam Li to speak recklessly, "That’s her using her brother’s power for personal gain. When my son becomes an official someday, he’ll definitely..."

"Bang!" Li Mingtan couldn’t hit his mother, so he slammed the table hard, "Mother, be careful your words don’t bring disaster!"

Old Madam Li didn’t care. There were no outsiders in the house. Was she afraid of the eavesdropper’s tale?

"Seriously, Mingtan, when you become an official one day, you really need to deal with those brothers-in-law of yours, or else Wu will have someone backing her, and she’ll be out of control!" Old Madam Li seriously advised her youngest son.