Since there was no way to coax the dowry for the time being, Lu Shangxuan thought about how to save some more from the food and drink on weekdays.

However, the biggest expense in Fuzhong now is Dong Ge'er.

The cost of raising two children requires at least forty taels of silver a month, not to mention that Dong Ge'er has to use everything better than Fu Qing, and even the gentleman who is invited to teach must have one more than Fu Qing, otherwise he will have to roll around every day, saying that he is sick and refuses to study.

"Even Mr. said that Brother Dong'er's young master is not a material for studying, even if he invites a few more, it is useless, but it is a waste of those money."

Bai Zhi had secretly complained to Dou Lianyi when there was no one around, but Dou Lianyi just lightly replied to let him go, and didn't pay attention to it at all.

After all, what she lacks most now is money, not to mention for a few gentlemen, as long as she asks Dong Ge'er not to cause trouble for herself.

But other people in the county king's mansion didn't know, and when Dou Lianyi was frugal every day, he was only for Dong Ge'er, especially Lu Lianzhi, and he was a little uneasy in his heart.

She was afraid that Dou Lianyi would take the opportunity to snatch her son, in case the biological mother was really not as old as the adoptive mother.

However, when Lu Lianzhi complained to Lu Shangxuan again, it only attracted an impatient reprimand from Lu Shangxuan, who was looking through the account book.

"If you hadn't acted casually without consulting me at the time, where would you have ended up like this!"

Lu Lianzhi was so fierce that she burst into tears, and explained aggrievedly: "Sister-in-law is still the young lady of the county prince's mansion, but she always has intimate contacts with strange men in private. ”

Lu Shangxuan was upset when he saw Lu Lianzhi crying, he simply turned around, out of sight and out of mind.

However, Lu Lianzhi was still chattering to herself: "I was in a hurry, and I wanted to expose my sister-in-law in front of everyone, but I didn't expect it to be just a misunderstanding, I really know it's wrong, brother, don't be angry with me anymore." ”

Hearing this, Lu Shangxuan sneered, slapped the tea cup in his hand on the table, and scolded: "Misunderstanding? Then why didn't you investigate it before? Do you know who you offended the county king's mansion this time? I don't know how many silver taels I lost this breach of contract! ”

"That's eight hundred taels of silver!"

These heavy words made Lu Lianzhi's face pale, especially the amount of silver compensated in the end, which made her eyes round in disbelief, and she didn't dare to speak again for a while.

"If there is nothing else to do, you can go out first, I still have to think of a solution to the matter of no money in the account, I really don't have time to comfort you."

In the past few days, it has been raining overnight, not only has there been no business with Fengxue Pavilion, but also received news that the shopkeepers of several shops are no longer renewing their leases, saying that business is sluggish and they want to go back to their hometown to change their ways.

There were more and more lease surrender deeds piled up on the table, and Lu Shangxuan was so worried that he couldn't sleep all night, and the subordinates who were sent out to ask the truth said the same thing when they came back.

Those shopkeepers would rather pay liquidated damages than continue to do business with the Junwang Mansion, how could Lu Shangxuan believe that this was a coincidence?

Seeing that the money in the account is getting less and less day by day, and the door of Dou Lianyi's courtyard is closed, since the last time he broke in once, now he said that he would not show up again, if he didn't care about getting those dowries, Lu Shangxuan would have torn his face with her.

Early in the morning, Mrs. Lu's room came from her angry voice scolding her subordinates, and the abruptly raised tone sounded a little harsh.

"What do you mean that even ordinary bird's nest is gone?"

"Back to the old lady's words, the young lady said that the money in the account is not enough, and the bird's nest every day will be canceled, otherwise the expenses will be too great."

Natsukusa shrank her head in fear and whispered.

"Good, good!"

Old Madam Lu was so angry that she patted the mattress and said repeatedly, and then suddenly remembered something, and asked Xia Cao: "Young lady, haven't you been sick for the past few days?" Why didn't you come to see me once! ”

"The young lady contracted the cold, and the doctor said that it was not appropriate to go out, so as not to aggravate the condition, so the young lady never went out of the yard during this time."

"That's it!" Old Madam Lu raised her hand irritably, telling Xia Cao to retreat and stop being an eyesore in front of her.

It's just that after the room calmed down, the more Mrs. Lu thought about it, the more unpleasant it became, and after only a few days, she was already not used to it.

The medicinal herbs used to replenish the body are astringent and unpalatable, and the bird's nest per day has also been canceled.

At this time, Xia Cao's timid voice sounded outside.

"Old lady, the second lady is asking to see you outside, saying that she wants to visit you."

Old Madam Lu refused coldly without thinking about it, "No! ”

"Yes, old lady."

With the sound of Xia Cao's footsteps walking away, Old Madam Lu got up from the bed, and the disgust for Lu Lianzhi in her heart became a little deeper.

Originally, everything was fine, if it weren't for this unworthy adopted daughter looking for her everywhere, how could the life of the county king's mansion be so tight.

Now all the hopes of Old Madam Lu are pressed on Lu Shangxuan, as long as he can coax the ripple dowry into his hands, this day will be able to return to the way it used to be.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Lu couldn't care about anything else, and in distress she divided half of the thousand-year-old ginseng that she had hidden for a long time, and then summoned Xia Cao and asked her to bring the contents of this wooden box to Dou Ripple.

"It must be delivered to the young lady in person," Old Madam Lu paused, and then whispered to Xia Cao, "In addition, you also have to ask carefully about the young lady's health and come back and tell me one by one, remember?" ”

"Remember, old lady."

Although Xia Cao didn't know why, she nodded and retreated.

When she came to the young lady's courtyard with the wooden box, she was still blocked by Yuzhu.

"The young lady is gone, Xia Cao, you better go back."

"But the old lady said that she must give the contents of this wooden box to the young lady," Xia Cao handed the wooden box in her hand to Yuzhu, and said with some embarrassment: "And the old lady also wants me to see the young lady and explain the young lady's condition to her clearly." ”

"I'll give the things to the young lady, as for the old lady......"

After Yuzhu took the wooden box, she saw that Xia Cao looked like she was afraid of being scolded and drooping her head, so she paused, and still said in a low voice: "You told the old lady that you have already met the young lady, just like the doctor said, the young lady is so sick that she can't get out of bed, and she coughs all day long, so she can't blow the slightest wind anymore." ”

(End of chapter)