Who else could it be but Jia Zhangshi?
At this moment, Jia Zhangshi’s chest was heaving up and down, her teeth bared in a clear expression of dissatisfaction.
“Granny Jia, you disagree? What right do you have to disagree?”
“Did you help at all with the Old Lady’s funeral?”
Yan Fugui said unhappily.
The Jia and Yan Families had had disputes before, and now Yan Fugui had to strike a hard blow at Jia Zhangshi.
“Yan Lao Xi, none of your business.”
Jia Zhangshi only attacked and didn't defend, immediately spewing insults.
“Granny Jia, First Master made it crystal clear.
Only those who helped can get the Old Lady’s inheritance. You didn’t help at all; aren’t you afraid the Old Lady will come looking for you tonight if you go into the room to take things?”
Liu Haizhong helped.
“I neither steal nor rob, what’s there to be afraid of?”
“What’s wrong with what Yi Zhonghai said? His words aren’t imperial edicts. Everyone should have a share of the Old Lady’s inheritance. Why should he decide who gets what?”
Jia Zhangshi said angrily.
Trying to strip Jia of the right to the Old Lady’s inheritance? No way!
“Jia Family Sister-in-law, why are you being unreasonable?”
“There are only so many items the Old Lady left behind. If everyone gets a share, I wouldn’t mind, but what would the other people who helped think?”
Yi Zhonghai looked displeased.
It’s one thing for Chen Jianye to jump out and argue with me, but you’re jumping out too.
Who do you think you are?
With a slight trick, Yi Zhonghai stirred up conflict between the helpers and Jia Zhangshi.
“The Old Lady must have left a lot of money. The funeral only cost a few coppers. I think you want to secretly swallow the Old Lady’s biggest inheritance.”
“Besides, only a few families helped with the Old Lady’s funeral, and she had plenty of usable items in her house. Everyone taking seven or eight items is too many.”
“I propose that the distribution of the Old Lady’s inheritance must be supervised. For someone like Yi Zhonghai, whatever money you put in, you take back that much. The extra money should be divided among everyone.”
“As for the items the Old Lady left, those who helped get to choose three items first, and the rest must also be divided among the Courtyard residents.”
Jia Zhangshi stated her plan.
Seeing that she couldn't enter the Old Lady’s room, Jia Zhangshi had been pondering for most of the day how to get some things back.
What she said was the result of her racking her brains for most of the day.
“What Granny Jia said makes some sense.”
“Speaking of which, when the Old Lady was alive, my family also helped her a lot.”
“If the Deaf Old Lady left a few hundred yuan, it can’t all go to First Master alone.”
As expected, some Courtyard residents quietly discussed, their words implying agreement with Jia Zhangshi’s statement.
As the saying goes, money moves hearts.
Who wouldn’t be happy to get some benefits by saying a few more words?
As for face, only people with status and position care about it.
Living in the Courtyard, everyone is an ordinary person. Who would complain about getting more things for their home?
With Jia Zhangshi stepping forward, there would naturally be a group of supporters standing with her.
Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Fugui exchanged glances.
Soon, the few of them reached a consensus and decided to agree to Jia Zhangshi’s demands.
Jia Zhangshi’s idea was by no means an isolated case.
To maintain the unity of the Courtyard, the opinions of these people had to be considered.
Moreover, if they didn't agree, those who helped with the Old Lady’s funeral might also feel embarrassed to take the inheritance.
Yi Zhonghai would also be burdened with the label of monopolizing the bulk of the inheritance.
For Yi Zhonghai, who cherished his reputation, this was absolutely unacceptable.
“Honestly, when I decided to advance the funeral expenses for the Old Lady, I never thought of taking much money from her.”
“I even prepared to lose money. The Old Lady was our Courtyard’s Old Ancestor. With her passing, it was only right and proper for me to help with her funeral.”
Yi Zhonghai exhaled, his voice deep.
“First Master is truly a man of character.”
Liu Haizhong gave a thumbs up.
“Since Old Woman Jia is unconvinced and has questions, let’s follow Old Woman Jia’s suggestion.”
“How about this: let Old Woman Jia be the representative, overseeing us as we search inside the house. Those who participated in the Old Lady’s funeral work can each choose three items to take, and they still need to be inspected by our wives upon leaving.”
“If there’s really any money or items left, we’ll then distribute them by household. What do you all think?”
Yi Zhonghai decided to compromise.
“Good, First Master is truly an honest person.”
“What First Master does is truly convincing.”
“There’s nothing to fault at all.”
Everyone praised him profusely.
“That’s all my credit. If it weren’t for me, the Old Lady’s inheritance would have been divided up by these people.”
Jia Zhangshi puffed out her chest.
She felt she had done something very remarkable.
“Alright, those who helped with the Old Lady’s burial, and Old Woman Jia, please come in.”
Yi Zhonghai gave Jia Zhangshi a disgusted look, then turned and unlocked the main door.
The main door opened, and Yi Zhonghai was the first to enter.
Followed by Liu Haizhong, Yan Fugui, Sha Zhu, and others.
“You helpers, each of you can only take three items.”
“A quilt and a duvet cover are two items, don’t get it wrong.”
“One chair is one item, a kettle is also one item.”
Jia Zhangshi entered the room and, seeing the helpers choosing items, quickly reminded them.
She was afraid others would take too much.
After saying a few words, Jia Zhangshi’s gaze fell on the Three Great Masters.
She knew very well that an old, solitary person like the Old Lady would definitely hide money in some corner of the house.
If one of the three, Yi Zhonghai, got it, they might pocket that money.
Jia Zhangshi absolutely would not allow such a situation to happen.
Helpers like Sha Zhu, Old Bai, Old Ding, and others.
Quickly selected the items they needed and walked out the main door.
First Aunt, Second Aunt, and Third Aunt were responsible for inspection.
After confirming that no money was mixed in with the items taken out, they were allowed to take them home.
The items they took out were all quite valuable.
For example, quilts, duvet covers, bedsheets, cotton clothes, wardrobes, shoe cabinets, cupboards, and so on.
Of course, under Jia Zhangshi’s supervision, they could only take the empty shells.
The bowls, chopsticks, or clothes inside could not be packed and taken away.
Next were small items like enamel basins, thermos bottles, storage cabinets, and so on.
Soon, the Old Lady’s room was much emptier.
This, in turn, greatly facilitated the search work of the Three Great Masters.
Yan Fugui tapped the wall with a wooden stick, judging whether there were hollow spaces in the wall by the sound.
Bang, bang, bang!
Thump!
The sound changed.
Yan Fugui gripped the wooden stick in his hand, squatted down, and pressed his hand on the brick he had just tapped.
The brick turned, revealing a hollow space inside.
Before Yan Fugui could reach in to grope, Jia Zhangshi had already leaned over: “Let me, let me.”
“What’s the rush?”
Yan Fugui said irritably.
He was very unhappy inside.
He indeed had the thought of pocketing the money if he had the chance.
But Jia Zhangshi didn’t give him any opportunity.
Jia Zhangshi reached into the hollow space and pulled out a gray cloth bag.
Opening it, she saw it was full of scattered bills.
“We’re rich, we’re rich!”
Jia Zhangshi’s eyes gleamed.
“What does that have to do with you?”
Yan Fugui snatched the money bag, raised his hand, and said, “Lao Yi, I found the Old Lady’s savings.”
Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong quickly walked over.
“Let me count it. You all continue searching. Maybe there’s money elsewhere.”
Jia Zhangshi quickly said.
“You?”
Liu Haizhong looked disdainful.
Letting Jia Zhangshi count the savings was like letting a starving dog count meat bones.
It would all end up in her own pocket.