Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Six Hundred Wen Coins
Translator: 549690339
Despite the pressure of filial piety, under the upheaval of the three brothers Fu Ankang, Qiao Qinghe made the final decision: to divide the family.
A separation agreement was produced: each family should contribute one hundred wen each month, half as a token of respect to the elders, and the other half for Sun Junyan’s education.
Now, Qiao Xiaomai was reluctant to give this money. Considering this, Sun Junyan uttered those words.
Qiao Xiaomai sneered, “Uncle Five, you should ask if your brothers and their wives agree.”
It was ridiculous to even suggest such a thing.
Zhu Cuiying, Zhao Shufen, and Wu Yinfeng’s eyes darted around nervously. Zhu Cuiying subtly nudged Qiao Changfu, who softly coughed, trying to mediate, “Junyan, if Xiaomai doesn’t want to give the money, let her be.” Although he was still living with Qiao Qinghe and the Sun family, his small family only had to contribute one hundred wen per month, the rest was theirs. Having tasted the benefits of being the head of a household and having savings, he had no desire to go back to the past.
“Junyan, listen to your elder brother,” Qiao Chang’an also chimed in.
Qiao Changkang nodded in agreement, “Fifty wen, we can scrape it together.”
Sun Junyan tightened his lips and remained silent, his eyes dark and brooding.
Upon hearing the words of the three brothers, Sun’s wife couldn’t help but blurt out, “Bullshit! You make it sound so easy! Xiaowu’s school fees cost ten taels of silver each year. On top of that there are various other expenses. Fifty wen a month totals six hundred wen a year. Where am 1 supposed to find six hundred wen for him?”
The hundred wen each of the four brothers – Qiao Fu, Qiao Shun, Qiao An, and Qiao Kang – contributed every month essentially all went to Sun Junyan.
A hundred wen a month equalled twelve hundred wen a year. The collective contribution of the four brothers was four thousand and eight hundred wen a year, less than five taels of silver.
The remaining five taels were provided by Qiao Qinghe and Sun’s wife.
This was just the annual tuition. Beyond that, they had to provide Sun Junyan with clothes. All the students at the academy were from affluent families; they couldn’t have him wearing hemp, he needed to wear silk.
Furthermore, from time to time, they had to buy books and paper, and entertain his friends. All this required money.
After adding up miscellaneous costs, the total was fifteen taels of silver a year.
Of the fifteen taels, the four thousand and eight hundred wen that the four brothers contributed were deducted, leaving the rest to be provided by her and Qiao Qinghe.
In the past, she could plunder from Qiao Xiaomai’s house, transporting silver and grain to her own home. Now, she could no longer plunder; the remaining ten taels of silver all had to come from her and Qiao Qinghe .
And now Qiao Xiaomai wanted to cut six hundred wen, it was like cutting her flesh!
“Changsun, the fifty wen isn’t charity, it’s a loan! Xiaowu will pay it back one day!” After scolding the three brothers, Sun’s wife turned to Qiao Changsun in hopes of playing the emotional card, “Besides, Xiaowu is your own little brother. Now that you have money, yet refuse to help. What if Xiaowu can’t continue his studies because of this? You’re ruining his whole life!”
With such a heavy accusation, Qiao Changsun hesitated.
Fifty wen was indeed not much for Qiao Xiaomai now. But if Sun Junyan really couldn’t continue his studies because of this fifty wen…
He would have it on his conscience for the rest of his life.
His lips parted as if to speak, “Xiaomai, you see…”
Qiao Xiaomai interrupted him with a cold smile, “I only see my grandmother and aunt overturning our house, 1 only see that because of the fifty taels of silver you found last year, grandmother almost beat my mother half to death, 1 only see my grandmother spreading rumors about my mother’s unfilial behavior.”
“I only see my grandmother trying to sell me off to a brothel, 1 only see Uncle
Five squeezing our family of four dry for the sake of his career..”