The chaos in the second room soon spread to the upper room.

The maidservant stood in front of the screen and whispered, "...... The two doctors invited to the old lady were in the guest room of the outer courtyard, and the second lady ordered someone not to be invited to come to the young master Feng for treatment. ”

The old lady frowned: "How is the situation?" ”

"I don't know, but I heard that it's not very good, people have passed, and I don't know who is going to do it, and I have more air and less air in."

The old lady's frowns were wrinkled in one place, and she patted the table and shook her head: "Evil, evil." That's a ......."

Looking at the old lady Zhu who was leaning on the side with two dark green elastic ink pillows and arms in contemplation, he hesitated and said: "Old lady, how about you say something, where can Brother Feng ......?"

"Is it time to discuss Brother Feng'er?"

Old Lady Zhu glared at the old lady irritably, "Now I only think about how to solve the troubles in front of me, otherwise it is not a death of Brother Feng, but the whole family will be finished together!"

"That unfilial son, it's really useless! If he hadn't done business like this, why would the Zhu family have been forced to a dead end now! I've lost my face for several lifetimes! When I was a child, I looked decent, but now I can't even be as good as a girl! ”

Old lady Zhu's scolding was mixed with resentment, as if she was going to tear Zhu Yanfeng's flesh alive.

The maid was frightened and bowed her head and did not dare to speak, and seeing that the two had no other instructions, she hurriedly lifted the curtain and ran out.

Lao Taijun remembered that Zhu Yanfeng had made such a loser's business, and she was actually angry, but at this time, her life was going to be gone, and if she didn't go to see it, it would be unkind.

The old lady got up and put on her clothes and went to the second room.

Old lady Zhu pondered for a moment, as if she had made some decision, and immediately ordered: "Go, call me the second and third children." ”

The maidservant outside the door answered, "Yes." "Hurriedly trotted to find someone.

**

Zhu Youning got up early in the morning and was shivered by the wet and frozen in the house. The fire in the charcoal basin had been extinguished, she got up in her clothes, looked at the sky that seemed brighter than usual outside the famous paper, slowly pushed open the window, and saw a layer of snow falling in the yard, and Sixteen was stretching out her arms and kicking her legs in the yard, as if to practice boxing.

Sixteen heard the sound, and saw that she was tilting her head by pushing the window open, and immediately laughed: "Sister, you're awake!" ”

Seeing her hair scattered again, she hurriedly strode over: "Don't freeze, don't close the window yet." ”

"Got it!" Zhu Youning smiled at Sixteen before closing the window.

Thrush and lark heard the movement and went to fetch hot water. After washing, the main house also set up a meal, and Zhu Youning and Sixteen hurriedly went to eat.

As a result, as soon as the family sat down around the round table, there was a knock on the courtyard door.

Xiao Zhangzi, who was guarding the door, ran to open the door, and after a while, he ran back with a different look.

"Master, madam, it's the old lady of the house who is here!"

When Bai Shi heard this, he almost dropped the bowl in his hand.

For his mother-in-law, Bai was afraid and resentful, and when he heard that the old lady was coming, he panicked at first.

Zhu Huating stood up with a complicated face, looked down at Zhu Youning, Brother Zhuang'er and Sixteen, and finally gently instructed the Bai family: "Bring the children here, why don't you say hello." ”

There should still be rules of respect and humility in the ancestral rites, so as not to spread and make people talk.

Bai was full of reluctance, but there was no other way, so he had to purse his lips and pull Brother Zhuang'er over, and whispered: "It's your old grandmother who came, and you want to say hello when you meet, do you know?" ”

Brother Zhuang grabbed a small piece of white steamed bun in his hand and nibbled on it, ignoring Bai's. Bai had to say it again.

Zhu Youning had already gone out with Zhu Huating at this time.

Sixteen didn't have a good impression of those people in her family, and she was afraid that Zhu Youning would be bullied, so she followed her closely.

The old lady didn't come by herself, she was accompanied by her third aunt Xu, and her eighth cousin Zhu Youxuan's biological mother, Aunt Lin.

Zhu Youxuan has now made a marriage, the other party is right, and he is still a talent, Aunt Lin's status has risen, and she has always been gentle and good at doing things, today the second aunt Wen refuses to come, and the old lady feels that it is like Xu's mouth is useless, so she also calls Aunt Lin.

"Mother is well." Zhu Huating and the Bai family, who had just walked to the side, saluted the old lady together.

Zhu Youning also took Brother Zhuang'er's little hand, and pulled Sixteen to greet the old lady together.

The old lady's emaciated body was a little rickety, and her black hair was also mixed with silver threads, seeing Zhu Huating, the thin layer of flesh on her emaciated cheeks trembled, the corners of her lips twitched, and she reached out for a moment to help.

"Get up, get up. Let me see, I haven't seen you for so long, and I've lost weight. ”

Zhu Huating nodded in a rather complicated mood, wanted to say something, moved his lips but was speechless for a while.

Zhu Youning stepped forward at the right time and said with a smile: "I haven't seen you for a few days, and the old lady has cleared up." ”

Naturally, the awkward atmosphere between Zhu Huating and the old lady was cut away.

The old lady smiled and held Zhu Youning's hand, and patted the back of her hand lovingly, "It's cold, why didn't you spread more?" ”

"Fortunately, my granddaughter is not cold, please come into the house and talk, right?" Zhu Youning looked at Xu Shi, who was a little embarrassed behind the old lady, and said with a smile, "The third aunt is fine." ”

Xu Shi nodded with a smile, "Okay, okay." But I couldn't find anything to say.

Zhu Youning took the old lady's hand and looked at Zhu Huating.

Zhu Huating and the Bai family both came back to their senses and politely led people into the house.

Bai had already ordered the dining table to be removed, and the room was clean at this time, but there was still a little smell of food in the air.

In winter, the air in the house is poorly ventilated, and the aroma of food does not dissipate.

Brother Zhuang pursed his lips and shook Zhu Youning's hand: "Sister, I'm hungry." ”

As soon as the old lady entered the door and smelled the aroma of the food, she reacted that they had come too early, just in time for breakfast. In this way, they seem to be too eager, and they fall into the disadvantage as soon as they start.

Zhu Youning touched Brother Zhuang'er's head and said with a smile: "Kowtow to grandmother, and my sister will let you go to breakfast first, okay?" ”

"Okay." Brother Zhuang obediently responded, knelt down obediently and kowtowed to the old lady.

The old lady smiled and said, "Hurry up, hurry up, Bai Shi, you lead the children to eat, don't starve the children." ”

"Yes, mother-in-law." Bai Shi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and hurriedly pulled Brother Zhuang out.

Zhu Youning also told Sixteen: "Brother, you should also go to dinner first." ”

Sixteen glanced at the old lady with some defensiveness, nodded for a while, and said, "Then you can call me if you have anything." ”

"Okay."

Sixteen strode to the door, suddenly stopped and looked back. He was already very tall and strong, and his figure was stronger than Li Tuobei, and his eyes were full of warnings without the slightest emotion, which made the old lady feel suffocated, and he felt like his face was being trampled on the ground.

After only Lao Taijun, Xu's family, Aunt Lin and Zhu Huating's father and daughter were left in the house, Zhu Huating got straight to the point and said, "What is my mother here for today?" ”

At the beginning, even their family was about to starve to death, and they didn't see any action from the old lady, but today they suddenly posted it, it must be related to the people who made trouble outside the house. And eighty percent is still coming for Zhu Youning.

Zhu Huating was defensive, and there was alienation between his eyes and words.

The old lady pursed her lips aggrievedly and dipped her sleeve in the corner of her eyes: "Son, are you resentful of being a mother?" When something like that happened, your father was the master, what can you do for your mother? You can only listen to your father's orders. You know best what our home is like. There's really no way to be a mother. ”

As he spoke, he shed a few tears.

Xu and Aunt Lin also sobbed and wiped their tears.

Zhu Youning lowered his eyes and resisted the urge to roll his eyes, the old lady was fooling them as fools.

Zhu Huating looked a little embarrassed, so he could only persuade dryly: "Mother, don't cry." ”

"Hey, can I not cry, son, this time for my mother is here to see you for the last time, you will have no mother in the future, you have to take care of yourself." As she spoke, the old lady came from sorrow, covered her face and cried bitterly.

Zhu Huating heard the old lady say this, and his face was a little ugly.

Aunt Lin sobbed and walked up to Zhu Youning, took her hand and said, "Miss Jiu, the old lady is reluctant to embarrass you, and you have to be a concubine to be this wicked person." The brothers and sisters in the family can be counted, and you are the only one who stands out the most, you are talented and capable, and now you have connections. Not only do you have friends in the Hangzhou Chamber of Commerce, but also your friends in the chambers of commerce around the world. Now that the family is in trouble like this, you can't see death without help! ”

Xu was taken advantage of by his aunt, and not to be outdone, he said: "Fu Ya'er is naturally not that kind of person. I heard my lord say that this time there was an accident at home, and I was able to operate a large amount of silver to plug the deficit of the previous part, thanks to Fu Ya'er's help. ”

"yes." The old lady said, "Your grandfather also said that there are so many children in the family, only you are the most worry-free, and you are the only one who plays the most role in trouble, better than your brothers." ”

"There are so many fierce people outside the old mansion, you can see it. If we can't think of a way, I'm afraid those mobs can really rush into the house, and then our ancestors and grandchildren may really be separated forever. ”

The old lady said, and burst into tears again.

She really cried, because she was so worried and tormented during this time.

Zhu Huating saw the old lady crying like this, so he reluctantly went to twist the handkerchief and handed it over, and said softly: "Mother, don't cry." What's the use of you talking to Fu Ya'er about this? Fu Ya'er is just a young girl's family, and so many people in the family, such as her father, second brother, and third brother, have not come up with a way, what can Fu Ya'er do. ”

"Uncle, you can't say that." Xu said, "It's true that you moved out of the house, but you are also the Zhu family, the ancestor of the Zhu family, even I, a woman, know that every descendant of the Zhu family has to contribute to the family, and everything must be based on the interests of the family." Now we are not here to embarrass Fu Ya'er, Fu Ya'er really has a way. ”

Zhu Youning understood the intention of the old lady and his party, and said with a smile: "Old lady, third aunt, let's tell you the truth, Chang'an Qianzhuang has silver in his hand, but my grandfather has mortgaged most of the Zhu family's houses and shops to Qianzhuang before. I told my grandfather earlier. If my grandfather can find anything else to pledge, I will tell the owner that everything will be negotiated. But the problem is that now the Zhu family has nothing to use as collateral. ”

"It's all my own family, isn't that an outsider? With the relationship between you and Renyibo, as long as you are here, what other mortgage does the Zhu family need? The old lady spoke eagerly.

Zhu Huating listened to it, even though his face sank, his voice was raised a little higher, and he no longer had the gentleness of Fang Cai.

What did Mother say? What is the relationship with benevolence? Why doesn't Fu Yaer need any mortgage as long as Fu Yaer is there? What are you a blessed girl? Goods? What is the relationship between Renyibo and Fu Yaer, should this be said by your grandmother and granddaughter? ”

"You!" The old lady was reprimanded so harshly by Zhu Huating, she was angry, and tears welled up again.

Xu and Aunt Lin hurriedly wiped away the tears of the old lady left and right.

Xu said: "Uncle don't be like this, we really have no choice." You've seen that outside the house. Although I am the daughter-in-law of the Zhu family, I am also dedicated to the Zhu family, to put it mildly, I have no way, if I have a way like the nine girls, I can talk to Renyibo, I would have done everything I could. ”

Zhu Huating was so angry that he almost slammed the chair.

Zhu Youning quickly pressed Zhu Huating's big hand, and said with a smile: "What the third aunt said makes sense. We are all part of the Zhu family, so naturally we have to do our best for the family.

"I still have some private money here, adding up to two taels of silver, and I will collect some more heads and send them to my family later, hoping that one or two people can take them. After all, at this time, it is rare to have one less person to collect debts.

"Since the third aunt wants to do everything, then the third uncle and the third aunt have also had a lot of self-esteem over the years, right? It should be able to support it for a while. ”

Xu Shi was almost out of breath when he was choked, and said sharply: "You know that what I said is not this!" ”

"What's that? The third aunt should not be angry, I am young and ignorant, and the rice I have eaten is not as much salt as the third aunt has eaten. What does the third aunt mean by doing everything? You teach me, and I'll just listen to it. ”

Xu didn't know how to answer, and she followed with some regret. What the old lady can't do with such shrewdness, what's the use of handing it over to these women?

Zhu Youning said with a smile: "Grandmother, don't worry, I'll think about it, but this matter is too difficult to do, even if I need ten days and a half to contact people, how can I allow time to deliver letters on the road." ”

"Ten days and a half months? Do you know that there are four days left before the deadline given by the government! If the charter cannot be produced in these four days, and the gap cannot be closed, the government will intervene. You should all know what the government's involvement represents! The silver that the Zhu family bank lent out will never be recovered! The Zhu family will be confiscated! ”

Zhu Huating frowned worriedly.

Zhu Youning also said worriedly: "Then what should I do?" It's not a way to block the door and force me at this time, it's still my grandfather who has to make up his mind. ”

"Your grandfather can't get up from his illness now, and your cousin Feng is also sick, Fu Ya'er, what do you say you are willing to help?"

The old lady pounced on Zhu Youning and grabbed her hand, "You say, as long as you say it, grandmother will promise you, and you can tell grandmother whatever you want!" ”