Chapter 6: Wedding Gift
He Tongsheng was furious!
Ever since he was young, he had always been the smartest and proudest person in the village. When had he ever been suppressed and humiliated like this?
Was this still the fatty from the Su family who only knew how to slash at people?
When did she become so eloquent?
The two classmates and the passersby surrounded them. Su Xiaoxiao's words were clear and logical. Even if they didn't know beforehand, they understood the cause and effect.
It turned out that this scholar had been deceived by the matchmaker. Then, on the day of the wedding, he broke off the engagement. Now, he was not returning the betrothal gift.
"Miss, how much money does he owe you?"
"Twenty taels!"
Gasps sounded all around!
Taking a wife only cost two taels of silver. Although it was a little expensive to take a lived-in son-in-law, it would not exceed six taels. On account that he was a scholar and was handsome, one would give ten taels at most.
Still…
Everyone looked at Su Xiaoxiao's fat body and roughly understood why she had offered such a high price.
This appearance in the countryside… was indeed unwanted.
"Fatty Su! Look at yourself!" He Tongsheng said angrily.
Su Xiaoxiao said calmly, "What kind of person am I? Did I delay you from owing my family a betrothal gift?"
Everyone couldn't help but nod secretly. This fat girl's logic was very outstanding. She had never been led by the nose by that scholar.
She spoke logically. On the other hand, the scholar was so agitated that he actually scolded a little girl on the street.
The difference in intelligence between the two was obvious.
At this moment, even the two classmates could not help but frown at He Tongsheng.
There were more and more strange gazes around.
He Tongsheng said angrily, "S-S-Maybe you guys colluded with the matchmaker to trick me! Yes! That must be it!"
Su Xiaoxiao nodded. "In that case, I'll see you in court."
With that, she turned around and walked towards the government office.
If He Tongsheng thought she was threatening him, he was right.
There was a man of unknown origin at home. How could she let the government officials turn their attention to the Su family without establishing the other party's true identity?
However, from the conversation just now, He Tongsheng did not know that she already had a husband.
Otherwise, with his attitude, he would have scolded her for being shameless.
He Tongsheng was a scholar. If this matter tainted him, he would very likely lose the chance to obtain an academic title.
"Stop!"
He Tongsheng threatened, "Your Su family is tyrannical in the village and has done many shameful things. Can you really come out after entering the government office?"
Su Xiaoxiao ignored him.
In terms of psychological warfare, a stupid scholar was not enough to fill the gaps between her teeth.
As expected, when they reached the corner, He Tongsheng gritted his teeth and forced himself to chase after them.
"Fatty Su!"
Su Xiaoxiao smiled. "Have you decided to return the money?"
She was still the same person, but for some reason, this smile made He Tongsheng fall into a trance for a moment, giving him the illusion that Fatty Su was attractive.
He turned around and said in a charitable tone, "I can return you half of the silver. Let's forget about this matter."
"You dropped something." Su Xiaoxiao looked at his feet.
"What?" He looked down to find it.
"Face."
He Tongsheng was speechless
"Officer." Su Xiaoxiao walked towards the constable who was patrolling the wine shop opposite.
He Tongsheng's eyebrows twitched. "Ten, fifteen taels! Fifteen taels should be enough!"
Su Xiaoxiao didn't seem to hear him and continued walking toward the constable.
"Eighteen taels!"
Su Xiaoxiao came to the constable.
"Anything?" the constable asked.
"I'll give it to you!"
He Tongsheng stomped his feet!
Su Xiaoxiao smiled. "I want to ask Brother Officer how to get to Jin Ji."
… .
Su Xiaoxiao took five taels of silver from He Tongsheng and asked him to write an IOU for the remaining fifteen taels. He would have to pay it off within three days.
Then, Su Xiaoxiao went to the boutique.
Buying clothes was not in the original plan. After all, 200 copper coins were not much.
Now that she had money, she wanted to get Wei Ting and the three children to change into some countryside clothes.
"For your husband and child?" The lady boss was very enthusiastic.
Su Xiaoxiao smiled.
After coming out of the ready-made clothes shop, she still had four taels of silver left.
She went to the grain shop and bought 20 catties of cornmeal, 10 catties of white flour, and 10 catties of rice.
When she went to buy meat, the stall was almost closed.
"How much is the cured meat?" she asked.
The butcher was a young man. He said, "50 copper coins a catty. It's all good meat!"
"That's expensive."
"I have the cheapest here! Go ask someone else. It's at least sixty copper coins!"
"Where's the fresh meat?" Su Xiaoxiao asked.
The butcher said, "The business is closed. If you want, I'll sell it to you for ten copper coins a catty."
In ancient times, salt was expensive. The cost of cured meat was high, so the price was naturally high.
Su Xiaoxiao decided to buy fresh ribs and pork belly and cook them herself.
Seeing that she had bought dozens of catties in one go, the butcher smiled and asked, "Miss, there's still a bowl of pig offal here. If you don't mind, you can take it. Anyway, I'm closing the stall."
Pig offal was a good thing in her previous life, but it was not so popular in ancient times. The main reason was that no one knew how to prepare it.
Of course, it was not so bad that no one would buy it even if it was thrown away. After all, poor commoners could not eat much meat in a year. At least, there was some meat in the offal.
"Thanks."
To make cured meat, salt and spices were indispensable.
It was almost afternoon when Su Xiaoxiao finished buying.
Su Xiaoxiao couldn't move so many things back herself.
She was lucky to meet Old Li at the entrance of the market.
Old Li had just sold two old hens and bought two catties of brown sugar for his grandson and pregnant daughter-in-law. He also brought some New Year goods for the villagers.
"Grandpa Li." Su Xiaoxiao greeted him.
Old Li pulled the ox cart and ran!
Su Xiaoxiao blocked his way.
"Grandpa Li, I'm going back to the village. Please give me a ride."
In the past, Fat Lass Su was not so polite. She always called him Old Li and did not greet him before sitting down in the cart.
If he was lucky, Fatty Su would just not give him the fare.
If he was unlucky, Fatty Su would extort some money from Old Li.
Old Li cursed himself for being unlucky. He had just been extorted of money yesterday, and now he had encountered it again!
He did not think that Fatty Su would be magnanimous just because she was polite to him.
Old Li was about to cry, but what could he do?
If he made this little bully unhappy, the Su family still had two bullies with stronger fists!
Old Li pulled a long face and let Su Xiaoxiao get into the ox cart with the goods.
Halfway back to the village, the ox cart was stopped.
They were three hoodlums in town. The leader was called Brother Dao, who was a few years younger than Su Cheng. He had just been released from the government office not long ago.
He spun the knife in his hand and glanced at Su Xiaoxiao with a surprised smile. "Yo? Isn't this Brother Su's daughter? What a coincidence."
Old Li's expression changed.
It was over. He was going to lose everything in this ox cart!
Unless Fatty Su helped him—
But Fat Lass Su would never help him!
It was impossible…