Harem Daily Life

Chapter 626 The Wang Family is Short of Money for Business

Mrs. Wang was so stunned by Lord Wang's shout that she forgot to wipe away her tears.

After a while, Mrs. Wang said, "Okay, I'll sell the farm right away, but Master, you have to think carefully. You've been a high-ranking official for half your life. Can you really give up your dignity and go into business?"

Lord Wang was also a little hesitant and said angrily, "Where are those two unfilial sons? Where did they run off to? Let them come back and figure out a solution together. The Wang family still depends on them to support it."

Madam Wang said coldly, "Master, do you still count on them? You usually ask them to study hard, but they refuse to do so. Otherwise, if they had taken the imperial examinations and used your connections to get a government position, things wouldn't have ended up like this."

Lord Wang held his forehead and said, "It's no use talking about this now. Find the person quickly and think of a way out!"

Mrs. Wang had no choice but to send people to look for them, and finally both of them were found in Zuixianlou in the north of the city.

The two were dragged back home reluctantly, where Lord Wang began to scold them: "What a mess our family has become! You two are still sending money to that brothel all day long! Do you know that our family account is almost out of money?"

The eldest son, Wang Yin, said, "We went to the north of the city because we knew we had no money. Otherwise, who would be willing to go to such a dilapidated place? The girl is not pretty and has many illnesses."

Lord Wang was furious: "Wicked son, wicked son, you knew you were sick, yet you still went? Are you trying to save your life?"

Wang Yin glanced at his brother Wang Xian and said, "Ask him. He was the one who took me there."

Wang Xian didn't dare to breathe, and hurriedly said, "Please calm down, father. My eldest brother hasn't found a wife yet, so I... I took him out to have some fun." After saying this, he glanced at his mother and said, "If he hadn't been single, he wouldn't have... wouldn't have had to look for one outside."

Both of them were young men full of vigor and vitality, and their faces were burning after they finished speaking.

Mrs. Wang began to cry again. "It's not a marriage, what can I do? I used to be the wife of a countess, the wife of a high-ranking official at court. I was a distinguished guest in every household I went to. It used to be my turn to choose people, never theirs to choose me. But you all know what's happening now. Without our noble status, every family has distanced themselves from us. How can I find a marriage for you?"

Lord Wang sighed deeply and pondered for a long time before saying, "Well, I don't blame you for what happened today, but you must stop living a life of debauchery. You're both almost twenty years old now, and it's time for you to shoulder your responsibilities and work hard for our Wang family."

The two brothers looked at each other, then at their own father, waiting for his instructions.

Lord Wang said, "Your Majesty has cut off my family's chance of officialdom. I've been begging and pleading for a while now, but it's all in vain. So I thought, let's go into business. I'll have your mother sell the farm and use the money to buy a shop. You two can think of a way to start a business. Once you have the money, won't you still worry about not being able to marry?"

Wang Yin said, "Okay then. Let's go look for a shop first. When Mother gets the money from selling the farm, we'll go buy one."

Wang Xian said, "Mother, my sister returned home to live with you, didn't she bring anything back? Our Wang family has supported her for so many years, and not only has she failed to repay her parents, she has also brought trouble to them by offending His Majesty. Shouldn't we now give you some money to help them through this difficult time?"

Madam Wang and Lord Wang exchanged a glance. Lord Wang nodded. Madam Wang said, "You two go and do your business first. I'll go ask your sister."

At this time, in an inconspicuous room in the backyard, Wang Jiao, who was demoted to a commoner, was sitting at the table writing and drawing without any makeup on.

The drawing paper was covered with Tao Yanyan's name, each name was crossed out, and the whole paper was written in a mess.

Mrs. Wang came over and the maid who served Wang Jiao paid her respects, and was then sent away by Mrs. Wang.

"Jiaojiao, it's been a while since you came back. Today, your mother came to ask you what you really think and how you want to live the rest of your life?" Mrs. Wang sat opposite her daughter and asked with a frown.

Wang Jiao put down her pen and glanced at her mother. "Mom, feel free to tell me what you're planning."

Ever since her mother converted her previous yard into her eldest brother's wedding room, she has been dissatisfied with her mother and her face has become cold, no longer as intimate as before.

Madam Wang coughed lightly. "Your father and I have been trying to find connections to get him reinstated, but unfortunately, we don't have any. Your father's idea is to buy a shop for your two younger brothers to run. You see, you were once the queen, so you should have some savings. Now that our family is in financial difficulty, why don't you invest some of it and we start the business? You can't remarry now, and you'll still have to rely on your father and brothers at home."

Wang Jiao's eyes turned cold. "My daughter has only been home for over a month, and you're already coveting my wealth? Hahahaha, to be honest, I didn't bring any of my family's wealth with me. It's all in the palace. The two princesses will need dowries in the future, and I've left it all to them."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang was furious. "How could you be so foolish! Those two children each have their own adoptive mothers, and they have a conflict with you. Even if you gave them all the money, they wouldn't think anything good of you. Besides, you don't know what's going on in the palace, so how could you know if the things you left behind would be taken by those two adoptive mothers?"

After Mrs. Wang finished speaking, she stormed off in anger: "No, these are all yours, you must get them back!"

Wang Jiao was a little irritated. Deep down, she trusted Empress Tao and Consort Xian. Although she hated them both, she didn't think they would take the property she left behind. Especially Tao Yanyan. Since she had been managing the imperial estate, her income was shockingly high, and she didn't even care about her own tens of thousands of taels.

In addition, she could see that Tao Yanyan really treated Yue'er well and would definitely not treat Yue'er unfairly.

But her mother's words reminded her that she was now living in her mother's home, and if she had no money, she would hardly be treated well.

As the former queen, the possibility of her remarrying is almost zero. How will she survive the rest of her life?

Seeing that her expression had softened somewhat, Mrs. Wang advised, "Think of a way to get it back. Even if you don't give it to us for business, you still need some money to keep yourself safe, right?"

Wang Jiao thought for a moment and whispered, "I still have several thousand taels on me." This was the money he had swindled at Jingci Temple.

Mrs. Wang's face lit up with joy. "Then take out two thousand taels first, and I'll pay the down payment for the shop. Don't worry, when you make money in the future, I'll have your brothers share the profits with you."

Wang Jiao sighed and had to get up and go inside to get the banknotes.

Mrs. Wang took the banknote and said, "Think about it, how can we go to the palace to ask for the silver? Such a large sum of money cannot be given away for nothing!"

Wang Jiao thought for a moment and said, "Li, the steward of the Imperial Household Department, often travels outside the palace. I'll go find him and ask him to pass on a message. I can't guarantee whether it will work or not."

Madam Wang said anxiously, "Why can't we do this? We're trying to get our things back, how can they keep them? Just be careful! Even a woman getting a divorce can take her dowry with her. You've been demoted to a commoner, no longer connected to the royal family, so why can't you take it with you? Go find Li the steward today, give him some silver, and tell him to make sure this message is delivered."

Li Zongguan, who was about to leave the palace and go to the imperial farm, was stopped on the way. Seeing the former queen stopping the carriage, Li Zongguan thought for a moment and finally got out and bowed: "I wonder what you want?"

Although Wang Jiao had lost her position, she still had a dignified demeanor. She said, "Please take a message to Queen Tao. Tell her... I want to get back the belongings I left in Fengyi Palace."

Manager Li was stunned, thinking that Fengyi Palace had long been razed to the ground by the fire. Fortunately, the gold and silver jewelry had been counted and sealed by Empress Tao when the former empress was demoted to Jingci Temple, saying that they would be used as dowries for the two princesses in the future, so they were intact.

Now that the former queen has come to ask for her property back, although there is no precedent, it seems unreasonable not to bring this up.

"Okay, I'll definitely pass on this message. Once summoned, I'll send someone to the palace to invite you."