Zhou Zhong was startled when he heard the crying in the yard, especially the crying of his eldest sister and younger sister. He hurriedly rushed into the small yard, opened the door of the main hall and took a look, only to find that Aunt Wang was the only one in the room.

Huo'er, Duo'er, and the three mothers were hugging each other and crying, but Aunt Zhao and the two Aunts Han were nowhere to be seen.

"Auntie, why are you crying? Where are Aunt Zhao and the others?" Zhou Zhong asked a little strangely. At first, he thought that the family was like the previous few days, with a few gangsters seeing the Zhou family's decline and wanting to take over some of the aunts.

They were all cheap, but they were all punched and kicked away by Zhou Zhong. I didn't expect that this would be the case after coming in.

Aunt Wang, who was crying bitterly, saw Zhou Zhong come in. She seemed to have found a backbone. She ran over and pulled his sleeves, crying and saying: "Zhong'er, Aunt Zhao and Aunt Han ran away with their own money."

Even Aunt Zhao doesn’t even want Duo’er anymore, what should we...what should we do?”

"Oh, just run away, Duo'er, come to the big brother!" Unexpectedly, after Zhou Zhong heard the news, he didn't seem surprised. Instead, he walked over very calmly, and Duo'er cried like a little tearful person.

He held her son in his arms and comforted her softly.

In fact, Zhou Chong had already expected this situation after the news came that his cheap father was in a shipwreck. Aunt Zhao and the two aunts Han were not like Aunt Wang. They were still young and had similar looks.

They are quite beautiful, and they are all concubines, so there is no need to accompany the Zhou family to wait for death. Even after that, the three of them have been secretly selling some belongings, packing their luggage and preparing to leave the Zhou Mansion. Zhou Zhong also saw it

In his eyes, the reason why he asked his aunts to sell their gold and silver jewelry was actually to force the three of them to leave as soon as possible.

As expected, Zhou Zhong just asked them to use their private money to tide over the difficulties. As a result, these three ruthless women immediately ran away with their private money. Especially Aunt Zhao, who had always been shrewd, was so cruel that she even gave up her own daughter.

.Poor Duo'er is only four years old and has no father or mother. This makes Zhou Zhong feel more pity and responsibility for Duo'er who is crying in his arms.

But children are children after all, especially Duo'er, who is only four years old. She may not know what her mother's departure means to her, so after she was tired of crying, she added the bracelet next to her.

He stepped forward to comfort her, and the little Loli quickly stopped crying, and her sister took her to play.

"Auntie, please bring the family's account book and let me see how much foreign debt is still unpaid?" Zhou Zhong said with a smile. Most of the foreign debt owed by the family has been paid off, and there is not much left.

It's just that it's winter now, and people are waiting for money to celebrate the New Year, so these people are pressing harder on debt collection.

"Yes!" Aunt Wang agreed while wiping her tears, turned around and took the account book over.

Aunt Wang was only in her early thirties this year. She was originally a maid in the house. Zhou Zhong lost his mother when he was young. Aunt Wang was the maid responsible for taking care of Zhou Zhong. Later, she was taken as a concubine by Zhou Chong's father and gave birth to Zhuoer.

Aunt Wang is not very beautiful, but her skin is very white. The so-called whiteness covers three ugliness. In addition, she lived a worry-free life before, so she looks younger than her actual age. However, during this period, the death of Zhou Zhong's father

The young woman was very worried about her family's foreign debts, and she felt much older in just a few days.

Zhou Zhong opened the account book and looked at it, and found that there were only three debts left on the account, and the amount owed in each debt was not very large. Two were two hundred taels, one was two hundred and fifty taels, plus

Together they total six hundred and fifty taels.

"The rockery stone was sold for three hundred and sixty taels, so there is still a difference of two hundred and ninety taels." Even though Zhou Zhong was optimistic, he couldn't help but feel a little worried now. Two hundred and ninety taels may not seem like much, but

In fact, it is not the case. For ordinary people, this is a huge sum of money. You must know that an ordinary family can spend three or four taels a year, but Zhou Zhong's current situation is that even ordinary people cannot afford it.

Rather, he had almost nothing but a large, empty house.

Seeing Zhou Zhong's troubled look, a trace of hesitation flashed across the face of Aunt Wang next to her, but in the end she still focused her eyes, turned around and entered the back room, quickly took out a small bag, put it gently on the table and said

: "Zhong'er, some of the private money I have saved over the years here was intended to be used as a dowry for Zhuo'er. Since the family is in a hurry to pay off debts, Zhong'er, you should use it first!"

As Aunt Wang spoke, she gently opened the small bag, and inside she saw a fifty-tael banknote, a thirty-tael banknote, and some scattered silver. The total amount barely reached ninety-tael, although it was only

It was only a fraction of the debt repayment, but it was Aunt Wang's entire savings.

However, Zhou Zhong suddenly stood up, looked at Aunt Wang with some embarrassment and said: "Auntie, since these are the dowry you have prepared for my eldest sister, then don't touch them, I will think of a solution later!"

Aunt Wang insisted: "Zhong'er, you don't have to refuse. I also know the situation at home. There is really nothing valuable to sell. Moreover, this house has been mortgaged to Mr. Wang. Although it has been

Due to the relationship between our two families, the Wang family should not take back the house, but there is a contingency in everything. Besides, you sold off all the things in the house. These things were originally decorations in the house, and they were also mortgaged to the Wang family. In case of any eventuality,

If this matter reaches Mr. Wang’s ears, it won’t sound good.”

The name of Mr. Wang in Aunt Wang's mouth is Wang Lun. He also has another identity, that is, Zhou Zhong's future father-in-law. Zhou Zhong and Wang Lun's daughter have been engaged since childhood. They originally planned to get married this year, but unfortunately God's will.

First, Zhou Zhong became seriously ill, and then his family went bankrupt. Now Zhou Zhong has difficulty supporting his family, let alone getting married.

In fact, speaking of it, the house under Zhou Zhong's feet is not his own. It was mortgaged by his father to Wang Lun a long time ago. Now the goods are gone. This house should belong to the Wang family, but Wang Lun is a scholar. In addition,

The relationship between the last two families was unusual, so someone had been sent before to say that he would not take back this house so that Zhou Zhong's family could live in peace of mind.

After Zhou Chong heard this, he thought about it and felt that what Aunt Wang said was reasonable. In the end, he had to accept her private money and said: "Okay, then I will use this money first, and then I will give it to Auntie when I earn money in the future."

Just make it up!”

"Our family's Chong'er has been known as a child prodigy since he was a child. He will definitely be able to revive the family business. As for whether he can make up for it or not, we don't have to say. Zhuo'er and Duo'er are both your sisters. The so-called eldest brother is the father. When they get married,

You won't be able to hide even if you want to." Aunt Wang said with a look of dismay. In her opinion, Zhou Chong became a scholar at a young age. Although his family business has failed now, as long as they grit their teeth and persevere, they will be able to wait until

If you pass the exam again in the next week, everything you have lost now will come back again.

Zhou Zhong could guess a little bit about Aunt Wang's thoughts, but he smiled bitterly in his heart. If he was still the same Zhou Zhong, he would indeed be able to study hard at home for several years and pass the exam, as Aunt Wang hoped.

But it is a pity that he is no longer the original Zhou Chong. He does not have any Four Books and Five Classics in his stomach. Although he has received more than ten years of education, it is obviously of no use in the imperial examination of the Ming Dynasty.

"Master! Master! The debt collector is here!" At this moment, a breathless voice shouted, and then a round figure rolled in from the door of the hall, with sweat on his round and fat face, and sweat on his head.

He was breathing hot white air, and it looked like he was quite tired from the journey.

"Steward Xu, you see that you are already so old. Debt collectors come to your house more than once or twice. Are you so anxious?" Zhou Zhong saw the person clearly and said helplessly.

The person who came in was the old housekeeper of the Zhou Mansion. Speaking of which, this old housekeeper was also very pitiful. He used to be a scholar, but unfortunately he could not even pass the examination. He was in his thirties and suffered from poverty and illness, and almost died on the street.

Fortunately, he was rescued by Zhou Zhong's father, and later he worked in the Zhou Mansion, and he worked for more than ten years, and slowly became the housekeeper of the Zhou Mansion. Because his surname was Xu, Zhou Zhong's father did not let him change his surname.

In addition to his old age, everyone in the mansion generally calls him Uncle Xu or Butler Xu.

Butler Xu is now in his fifties. He has a very rich appearance, with a round head, a round belly, short hands and feet, and a white face without beard. If he shaved his hair, put on a cassock, and painted it with gold paint, he would look like a Maitreya Buddha.

Butler Xu has never gotten married and has no children. In addition, the Zhou mansion has been very kind to him, so he has long regarded the Zhou mansion as his own home. Previously, when Zhou Zhong sent his servants to leave the mansion, Butler Xu swore on the spot,

He was born as a member of the Zhou Mansion and died as a ghost of the Zhou Mansion. Even if Zhou Zhong used a big stick to drive him away, he would not leave. Others praised Butler Xu for his loyalty, but Zhou Zhong suspected that the fat old man was worried that he would not be able to leave after going out.

People support him, so he stays in the house. At least he still has a stutter in the house.

Seeing that Zhou Zhong still looked calm, Butler Xu became even more anxious. He glanced at Aunt Wang first, and then said: "Master, this time the Song family is here to collect debts, and it is Master Song who is leading the Song family."

The second young master came together to collect debts."

"Song family?" Zhou Chong was stunned after hearing this, but he didn't understand what Butler Xu meant. He couldn't help but look at Aunt Wang with some confusion. But what Zhou Zhong didn't expect was that Aunt Wang turned pale when she heard that it was the Song family.

, the whole person was trembling and unsteady, and looked like he might fall down at any time.

This shocked Zhou Zhong, who hurriedly stood up to support her, and finally let Aunt Wang hold the chair and sit down. Then Zhou Zhong asked in confusion: "Auntie, what's wrong with you? Isn't it the Song family?"

A creditor, is there anything special about it?"

Seeing that Zhou Zhong still didn't understand, Butler Xu couldn't help but said: "Master, is the Song family the eldest lady's future husband's family?"

When Zhou Zhong heard this, he suddenly remembered. He remembered that Zhuo'er seemed to be engaged to a family named Song. He probably came to collect debts from this family. But what made him confused was that although the relatives were relatives,

, but the debts still have to be repaid. If he remembers correctly, this is the first time that the Song family has come to ask for debts. This shows that the other party still cares about family ties. Why is Aunt Wang so nervous?
Chapter completed!