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Su Zhi stopped Sun Shi, saying, “Third Sister, where are you going? Father said it’s time to cook. Hurry up and get to work! Didn’t Father also mention preparing for the ancestral worship? We’re quite busy. Father didn’t ask us daughters-in-law to go over there, so you should focus on this task!”
Wang Shi added, “Get to work quickly! Remember, we’re just helping out. You’re still under Father’s punishment.”
Sun Shi replied, “I’ll be back in a moment. You all can start.”
Su Zhi said, “Third Sister, no matter what you have to do, finish cutting those potatoes first. Our New Year’s meal and tomorrow’s ancestral worship are crucial!”
Sun Shi looked at Su Zhi, contemplating her interference. She wanted to push Su Zhi aside but hesitated when she saw the smile on Su Zhi’s face. The current Su Zhi was no longer the sickly girl from before. Sun Shi didn’t want to offend Su Zhi; she still hoped to gain some advantage from her in the future.
“Fourth Sister, I really have something important to discuss with our parents. Let me go and inform them, and I’ll be right back,” Sun Shi politely requested, seeking an opportunity to slip past Su Zhi. If she delayed any longer, it might be too late to counter the theft accusations with the excuse of searching for the second branch’s hidden money.
Wang Shi, slicing vegetables, muttered, “Be right back? I know you always vanish in the blink of an eye, disappearing who knows where! Stay here and work honestly. Today, with the theft incident involving the fourth son, there’s no point in trying to smooth things over.”
Sun Shi frowned and said, “Elder Sister, stop labeling one person after another as a thief. He’s your nephew. By constantly calling him a thief, how does that reflect on your reputation? Father called them inside to prevent others from overhearing. You always say that if I hear any bad rumors about my son being a thief elsewhere, I’ll blame you for spreading them!”
Wang Shi forcefully chopped with the knife on the cutting board and retorted, “Are you afraid of being talked about after what he did? This is within the family, not outside! And do you think I’m afraid of what you say? It’s not me spreading rumors; others already know about your mischievous sons. Remember when Hua Shi accused your son of stealing eggs from her hen? You even had a fight over it. Then there’s Zhang and Song shi. If you forget, I’ll remember for you. It’s embarrassing for me, as part of the Shen family, to witness that nephew’s misdeeds. Do you still dare accuse me of spreading gossip? It’s unnecessary; everyone already knows!”
Su Zhi stood nearby, realizing that not only did the third and fourth grandsons steal within the family, but they also dared to steal outside. If Wang Shi was aware of these incidents, then surely others in the household were as well. It seemed like today, the fourth grandson was in for a significant punishment. Shen Youfu valued his reputation highly, and he would need to address the issue to prevent Shen Ziju from being labeled as a thief’s uncle.
Sun Shi, after being scolded by Wang Shi, felt a bit deflated but was eager to head upstairs. She thought that even if she couldn’t absolve the fourth grandson of stealing, she could still make Shen Youfu aware that the second branch had been saving private funds. Perhaps, during the division of assets, the second branch could receive a smaller share, leading to more benefits for their own branch. Additionally, the silver coins the fourth son took might end up becoming part of the common fund. With more silver in the common fund, even if they didn’t receive a share, they could use this as a reason to refuse giving money when Shen Ziju needed funds for his exams.
Sun Shi’s spirits lifted with these thoughts.
“Elder Sister, I misspoke. Please don’t bring up this matter again. I’m feeling unwell; let me step out for a moment. I promise to be back in no time! Fourth Sister, please move aside!” Sun Shi pretended to have stomach pain, covering her abdomen, planning to head to the upper room where they wouldn’t be able to stop her.
“Third Sister, your stomach pains come and go so quickly. As soon as we stop you from going upstairs, suddenly you have stomach pain?” Li Shi paused her work, gazing sternly at Sun Shi, and said, “Are you pretending? Do you want to go upstairs and tell Father and Mother about us saving private funds?”
Su Zhi noticed that Li Shi had indeed guessed Sun Shi’s intentions. With this unfolding drama between the two branches, she opted to see how they would handle the situation without intervening too much.
Sun Shi, feeling embarrassed by Li Shi’s insight into her plans, maintained her composure despite the awkward moment. She decided not to rush upstairs, as she believed the fourth grandson likely had already confessed to stealing by now. Therefore, delaying the discussion about the second branch’s hidden funds seemed feasible. Initially, she had planned to expose the secret, but with the second branch bringing it up proactively, she saw an opportunity to shift the blame onto them, claiming that their guilty conscience led them to confess voluntarily.
“Oh, Second Sister, I never intended to bring up that matter. You’ve misjudged me so unfairly, it truly saddens me!” Sun Shi feigned wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, though no tears were shed, making her act appear insincere. She swiftly dropped her hand, her expression turning sour.
“However, Second Sister, your words have indeed shed light on a significant matter! The weight of that money bag was substantial, and it seemed to contain large silver pieces! It’s only been a few days since the split, yet you already have so much silver on hand? If this isn’t private funds, then what is it?!”
“Elder Sister, don’t you think I make sense? Second Sister is hiding money from our parents and us. How long have they been hoarding all that silver? It’s ironic that our parents praise them as the most honest and filial, claiming they wouldn’t hide any funds. It seems they are experts at concealing money! Elder Sister, let’s inform our parents about this matter!” suggested Sun Shi.
Li Shi, pointing at Sun Shi, retorted angrily, “Stop spreading falsehoods! That silver was hard-earned by our family after the split, not as you claim!”
“You don’t have the ability to accumulate so much silver in such a short time! Don’t try to deceive me. If you have such lies, go tell our parents!” fired back Li Shi.
Sun Shi grunted, intending to leave, but found Su Zhi still blocking her path. Immediately, she insisted, “Fourth Sister, move aside. I need to expose to our parents about Second Brother and Second sister hoarding money. This is a serious matter!”
Su Zhi, smiling, observed Sun Shi’s sudden recovery, saying, “Third Sister, is your stomach pain gone? It seems to come and go quickly, just like your claims.”
Sun Shi, realizing she had forgotten to continue feigning stomach pain and allowed Su Zhi to mock her, scolded herself internally but maintained her composure externally, grunting without a hint of embarrassment.
“Fourth Sister, let’s drop that topic. Please let me pass,” Sun Shi said abruptly, then proceeded to push her way past Su Zhi, who surprisingly didn’t stop her.
As Sun Shi barged out, Li Shi, feeling a sense of urgency, followed suit, determined not to let Sun Shi spread falsehoods in the upper room.
Su Zhi comforted Li Shi, saying, “Second sister, don’t worry. Let her say what she wants. Your funds are legitimate, and her words won’t affect you.”
Li Shi replied, “I understand, but Sun Shi’s words are infuriating. I fear Father and Mother might still believe her.”
Su Zhi reassured Li Shi, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. Can you confirm if that’s all your silver coins?”
Li Shi shook her head, explaining, “It’s only half. Inside, there are fifty-wen coins and some small pieces of silver. Since the chest wasn’t locked, I didn’t dare keep them there. I hid them in the corner of the kang, never expecting that the fourth son would find them!”
Wang Shi commented, “Perhaps he saw someone hide things there before, prompting him to search there. It’s fortunate you didn’t store all your silver in one place. Since it’s less than four taels, we can easily explain it. Just say it’s an advance payment for helping the fourth brother’s family with work. Since our business dealings are somewhat known, we can use this explanation.”
Su Zhi nodded in agreement, suggesting, “Let’s go with that. Say you were helping me with making flower designs, and I paid you in advance. Coupled with previous transactions, this amount of silver shouldn’t raise suspicions.”
Feeling more at ease, Li Shi expressed gratitude to Su Zhi and Wang Shi. The three then left the kitchen and headed to the upper room together.
In the upper room, everyone was gathered in the main hall. Apart from Shen Youfu and Shen Zhang Shi, who were seated, the rest stood on either side, with the children positioned furthest from the center.
Upon entering, Su Zhi noticed Little Black running around inside, with Chunyun crouched on the floor, playfully calling the animal over. The lighthearted scene clashed with the seriousness in the room, yet no one seemed inclined to shoo Little Black away, especially with White Wolf standing nearby. Su Zhi understood that Little Black wanted to come in, and in the end, the family had no choice but to let it in. She hadn’t witnessed the ferocity of their sacred beast, but she was certain about its affection for her family. Despite Little Black’s mischievous nature, as long as there was no danger, it would behave.
Su Zhi bent down to pick up Little Black, feeling its increased weight recently. Cradling the warm creature, she cherished these moments with it.
Observing Su Zhi holding Little Black, Chunyun looked on enviously. As Su Zhi approached, Chunyun reached out to touch the animal’s tail.
Shen Zi’an took Little Black from Su Zhi’s arms to prevent her from getting tired.
Su Zhi smiled and then surveyed the room. Initially blocked by a group of children upon entering, she now stood to the side, finally getting a clear view of the scene. Shen Ziping, fourth grandson, and Sun Shi were all kneeling. Su Zhi noted that Sun Shi wasn’t one to kneel readily, implying that upon her arrival, she had likely incurred someone’s displeasure.