After a tour of Su Mu's family's village, the women found a shady spot under a tree where no one was around. Several women surrounded Su Shi and began to question her.
Su Mu asked, "What great fortune has the Jiang family stumbled upon? They've built a grand house and have three carriages. Were they secretly wealthy all along and just pretending to be poor?"
Yesterday, they had been shocked by the sight of the Jiang family's single carriage. Today, upon visiting, they discovered two even finer carriages, leaving them stunned for half the day.
In comparison, the new house they were building seemed less impactful.
Su Shi shook her head, "The family has never had much money. Those two horses were found. The other carriage was a reward from an official's wife after my mother-in-law helped deliver her baby."
Though easily swayed, she wasn't foolish. She understood her own family's intentions.
Su Mu didn't believe her, "Such fine horses can be found? Are you trying to fool me?"
Su Shi replied, "The villagers in this small mountain village all know about it. Why would I lie to you?"
Su Jia's second daughter-in-law asked, "Then where did the money for the Jiang family's house come from?"
Su Shi said, "I don't know about that. The family's finances are managed by my parents-in-law. As a daughter-in-law, how can I inquire?"
Su Mu was displeased, "You don't even know about something this important? How can you be the eldest daughter-in-law?"
Su Shi pursed her lips, "Doesn't the eldest sister-in-law know how much money the Su family has?"
Su Mu choked, her expression turning cold, "How are you speaking to me? I see your wings have grown strong!"
Su Shi felt a pang of unease, unsure where she found the courage to say such a thing.
However, she felt a sense of satisfaction.
Su Mu, with a cold face, said, "We have no place to stay at home now. A'luo, as a daughter of this family, you must think of a way to help."
Su Shi's heart tightened, "What way can I? I only have a little over three taels of silver, which I gave to my eldest brother yesterday. I have not a coin left."
Tian Shi immediately interjected, "How can there be no way? Your in-laws are so wealthy, can't you ask them for some? You're carrying the Jiang family's eldest grandson right now, so asking for money shouldn't be difficult!"
Su Jia's second daughter-in-law, Zhang Shi, added, "If you ask me, it would be best if the Jiang family would agree to let us stay. Can we borrow some money? Our family has no place to live. The Jiang family built such a large house, if they shared half of it with us, it would be enough."
"Second daughter-in-law is right. How many people are in the Jiang family? They built such a large house, wouldn't it be empty? It's perfectly suitable for relatives like us to stay for a while. A'luo, you go talk to your parents-in-law about this."
The third daughter-in-law, Li Shi, pushed the matter onto Su Shi with a few words, leaving her somewhat dumbfounded.
She truly couldn't understand how these people could say such things with such conviction!
Su Shi pursed her lips, "I'm afraid I can't do this. My father-in-law's words were quite clear just now; the Jiang family's house is not for others to covet. I can at most try to help you borrow some money, but I cannot promise you anything else."
Su Mu was somewhat angry and pinched her, "You truly favor your husband's family. After marrying, you're no longer united with your maternal family. If I had known you would be like this, I should have drowned you in the privy!"
Tian Shi said, "Mother, why are you saying such angry words? Clearly, you love your youngest sister the most, but you just have a sharp tongue. Little sister also lives under the scrutiny of others in her in-laws' home, aren't you making things difficult for her?"
Su Lian, the youngest daughter of the Su family who had been silent, stepped forward and held Su Shi's hand, appealing to her emotions.
"Sister, Mother loves you the most. You don't know how much she worried about you after we fled home. She mentioned you three times a day. Today, she said these words out of desperation because our family can no longer survive. Who knows how distressed she is right now. You've always been filial and considerate to Mother and Father since you were young, you surely wouldn't bear to see Mother and Father wandering the streets, would you?"
As she spoke, she turned to Su Mu and said, "Mother, you're truly something. You clearly love Sister so much, yet you refuse to speak kindly. When will you change this habit of having a sharp tongue but a soft heart? If Sister didn't care about you, why would she have given you all her money?"
Su Mu's expression softened, and she sighed, "I was also forced into this. There are over a dozen mouths to feed in the family, and now we don't even have a roof over our heads. If the authorities force us to leave, where will we go?"
As she spoke, she turned and took Su Shi's hand, wiping away tears, "A'luo, don't blame your mother for being impatient. Your mother is truly out of options. Your mother is genuinely happy for your good fortune with the Jiang family. If it weren't for being completely desperate, the Su family would never have done something so embarrassing. Please help your family, Mother will remember your kindness forever."
The women of the Su family surrounded Su Shi, some playing the good cop, others the bad cop, leaving Su Shi in a state of confusion.
The Su family eventually left, albeit with lingering resentment.
The Jiang family's house was not yet finished, and the entire family was crammed into makeshift shelters. Even if the Su family wanted to stay, there was no place for them.
Seeing the state of the Su family, it was likely they would be visiting frequently from now on.
Jiang Pan and Chen Yuezhi couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
They called Su Shi over, intending to ask for her thoughts.
Su Shi twisted her handkerchief, unsure how to answer.
Chen Yuezhi said, "In principle, the Su family and our Jiang family are in-laws, and we should help where we can. But how to help, and to what extent, do you have a plan?"
Su Shi stammered, "I... I don't know."
She truly had no ideas. She knew that the words spoken by the women of her family could not be repeated to her parents-in-law, let alone acted upon.
Chen Yuezhi sighed, "A'luo, you know your parents and siblings for who they are. They raised you, and asking you not to care for them is something you cannot do, and our Jiang family will never do such a thing. But you heard what they said today, do you think it was appropriate?"
Su Shi hurriedly shook her head, "Of course not. Father, Mother, I... I never expected them to say such things. Although I am a daughter of the Su family, I am also a daughter-in-law of the Jiang family, and I will never agree to them coveting the Jiang family's possessions."
Jiang Pan's expression finally softened, "Since you know what's right, we won't say anything more. Your mother and I have discussed it, and we will give them twenty taels of silver to help them, no more. You must understand that our small mountain village of over three hundred people relies on a mere five hundred taels of silver to settle down."
Chen Yuezhi continued, "With twenty taels of silver, you can buy a few mu of barren land and register your household. As for housing, it will be like the other villagers. As for food and drink, no matter where you are, as long as you have hands and feet and are willing to work hard, you won't starve, especially here in Jiangnan."
Su Shi had been nervously wondering how to ask her parents-in-law for money, but unexpectedly, they spoke first.
"Father, Mother, I... how can I ever thank you enough."
If this were another family, they would likely have been thrown out on the spot for the things the Su family said today. The Jiang family, out of consideration for her, endured it without reacting. Now, because of her, they were proactively offering to help the Su family. Compared to her own family, Su Shi felt immensely ashamed.