Chapter 87: The Eldest Grandson of the Main House

Chapter 87: The Eldest Grandson of the Main House

The summer moonlit night was tranquil, and the shadows of the two girls were stretched long by the dim oil lamp in the alley.

Chen Jianfang held the cloth bag from the mountain courtyard and, from ten paces away, clearly heard Xianjin's words. He quickened his pace, his face stern, and approached the two. His eyes first fell on Chen Zuo Niang's swollen red eyes before turning to Xianjin.

The young girl's brows were tightly furrowed, showing a hint of anxiety.

Xianjin was outgoing and easygoing, rarely allowing worry to show on her face.

Even when misunderstood or publicly humiliated, she remained composed, never showing embarrassment or anger.

What had happened?

Chen Jianfang's heart tightened, his voice deepening. "What's going on?"

Chen Zuo Niang instinctively grabbed Xianjin's hand, hesitating whether to speak—she was terrified of Chen Jianfang!

To be precise, the entire Chen family revered and feared the main branch.

Especially Chen Jianfang.

Young and accomplished, yet silent and reserved, he had always been seen as the family's shining star, a prodigy among them.

Naturally, there was a barrier between him and ordinary people like them.

This matter was too awkward.

Even her own grandfather did not want to get involved personally; she had little hope for Chen Jianfang...

Chen Zuo Niang lowered her head, her eyes darkening.

Seeing Chen Jianfang, however, Xianjin's eyes lit up!

That's right!

There were still capable people in the Chen family!

Here was someone!

In terms of status, Chen Jianfang was also a juren, equal to the county magistrate!

And he was still studying, with great prospects for advancement!

This lawsuit was difficult for the principal party to handle.

Xianjin took it upon herself to explain the situation briefly and then asked Chen Jianfang, "Is there any precedent in the court regarding the amount of dowry required?"

Chen Jianfang listened without changing his expression, but by the end, his lips and eyebrows were tightly knitted. Instead of directly answering Xianjin, he turned to Chen Zuo Niang, "What did your parents and grandfather say?"

Chen Zuo Niang's eyes darkened like they were covered in a veil, and she shook her head, looking down. "They told me to ask Third Uncle to gather the money... to finalize this marriage as soon as possible..."

Chen Jianfang's frown deepened. "Ridiculous! How can such a major decision about marriage be left to a young girl to handle? How can a few juniors make such a hasty decision?"

He turned to the servant behind him. "Go fetch Seventh Uncle and Fourth Uncle to the old house."

"Now?" Xianjin glanced at the crescent moon in the sky.

Chen Jianfang's voice softened slightly as he spoke to Xianjin. "The sooner, the better."

The servant acknowledged the order.

Chen Zuo Niang hurriedly said, "Grandfather and Father might already be asleep!"

Chen Jianfang took two steps forward, half-turning, his expression icy. "Then wake them up from their beds."

Chen Zuo Niang wiped away a tear. "They... they think it's shameful... They won't come..."

Chen Jianfang walked towards the old house, leaving his words behind. "If they don't come, they might lose their share of the sacrificial fields in the future."

The young man's shadow grew longer under the lamp.

Xianjin suddenly stood there, feeling that the back of this young man was both sharp and angular.

...

Within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Seventh Uncle and Chen Zuo Niang's father arrived, their faces grim, followed by the sobbing Xu Shi.

Chen Jianfang sat at the head of the table, while Chen Fu leaned against the seat beside him.

With someone taking charge, this became a proper family matter.

Xianjin prepared to slip away, but Chen Jianfang's gaze stopped her. "Those who have contributed money should stay and listen."

Alright.

She would act as a senior partner attending a board meeting, also serving as the financial director.

Chen Jianfang turned to invite Seventh Uncle and Zuo Niang's father to sit down, instructing Aunt Zhang to brew tea. "Make it strong. Add a ginseng thread to Seventh Uncle's cup. Tonight will be a long night, and we need him to stay alert."

Seventh Uncle looked at Chen Jianfang.

This seventeen- or eighteen-year-old youth certainly had a commanding presence!

"Your uncle is old and cannot endure much trouble," Seventh Uncle said, leaning on his cane, his voice drawn out, glancing disapprovingly at Chen Zuo Niang sitting below. "A young girl's marriage has already been settled with the exchange of betrothal gifts. It's a done deal. Now, just because the two families can't agree, why must the elders be bothered in the middle of the night?"

Chen Zuo Niang's face flushed red, her eyes downcast, and her hands nervously twisted her handkerchief.

Chen Jianfang took a sip of tea and, lifting her head, asked in a solemn voice with intense eyes, "Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

Seventh Uncle immediately replied, "It's just borrowing five or six hundred taels of silver! Is it worth meeting at midnight? Can't our Chen family afford this amount? Or is the main family being stingy and unwilling to support the collateral branches?"

Chen Jianfang smiled and bowed slightly to Seventh Uncle. "Borrowing? Who will repay it? When? How?" She then turned to Aunt Zhang and said, "Please fetch some writing materials, Aunt Zhang. Since we're all here today, let's write down the loan agreement clearly so that no one can deny it."

"Enough!"

Seventh Uncle slammed his hand on the table, his eyebrows flying up in anger. "You call yourself a scholar! Your sister is in trouble, yet you refuse to help! Disrespectful to your elders, uncaring towards the young—no matter how high you rank, you won't go far or be a good official!"

"Slam!"

Xianjin slapped the table even harder than Seventh Uncle, her voice louder. "If you talk about respect again, I'll show you what disrespect truly looks like!"

She is a scholar!

Filial piety is vital!

If accused of disrespect by the elders, one's path in the imperial examinations could be severed!

What a venomous heart!

Seventh Uncle was so enraged by Xianjin that his hands trembled, ready to stand up and curse.

But Chen Jianfang paused for a moment, lowered her head briefly, then raised her eyes, sighed softly, and softened her tone, stopping Seventh Uncle's tirade. "If possible, compared to Zuo Niang's marriage, what are five or six hundred taels?"

Mrs. Xu stopped crying, covering her face with a handkerchief, and secretly glanced at Chen Jianfang.

Chen Jianfang continued, "Although our Chen family is not wealthy, we have been merchants for decades, and raising a thousand taels is not difficult."

"But if after Zuo Niang marries into their family, they demand two or three thousand taels more, threatening to take another wife otherwise, what would that make us? A piggy bank for the Cui family? Or mere lackeys for Cui Heng's wealth accumulation?"

Cui Heng is the eighth-ranked county magistrate.

Chen Jianfang tapped her knuckles on the table. "This isn't about money; it's about the Cui family taking advantage of us. If we give in, the Chen family will always be inferior to the Cui family."

"What... what should we do?" Mrs. Xu cried. "The engagement has already been confirmed, and the marriage contract exchanged. Should we really break the engagement?"

Zuo Niang's father hastily interjected, "No, no! Cui is now the paramount figure in Jing County. Even if we dissolve this betrothal, could Zuo Niang find a more suitable match? Moreover, if Cui harbors resentment towards us, wouldn't that be even more detrimental?"

Such a good match...

Xianjin silently rolled her eyes.

What a great match.

This match is like a juicer. They'll squeeze every last drop out of you and still complain about its sweetness and clarity.

Chen Jianfang frowned. "Marriage is not enmity. If Fourth Uncle has these concerns, we must handle this better."

"What do you suggest?" Seventh Uncle impatiently put down his ginseng tea bowl. "Tell us! What can we do?"

Chen Jianfang gently lifted her head. "First, the Chen family will not accept the unreasonable demands of the Cui family. Second, this request came from Cui Heng's mother, and we don't know Cui Heng's thoughts. Third, we need to prepare for breaking the engagement and finding another match."

Mrs. Xu gasped at the third point.

Chen Zuo Niang slowly straightened her back.

Seventh Uncle looked at Chen Jianfang with a complicated expression. "Under what circumstances would we break the engagement? Under what circumstances would we not?"

Chen Jianfang calmly replied, "That depends on my negotiations with Cui Heng."

Seventh Uncle narrowed his eyes. "You're willing?"

This is a hot potato.

The simplest solution is to pay the money.

Get the daughter married first, and deal with the rest later.

Even if Zuo Niang suffers some injustice later, there's nothing to be done—what woman doesn't suffer some injustice in marriage?

Once someone takes responsibility, any mistake could offend the officials and harm the clan's daughters' marriages.

He never expected that an eighteen-year-old boy like Chen Jianfang would have the courage to step forward.

Xianjin gently held Chen Zuo Niang's hand, her gaze flickering as she looked at Chen Jianfang.

Chen Jianfang spoke calmly, "I am the eldest grandson of the main branch, with a scholarly title, educated by the clan, and supported by the family. If I cannot protect the younger ones and care for the elders, what right do I have to exist in this world?"