The Challenge of a Farmhouse Son-in-Law

Gu Lao San's mouth twitched with anger, thinking that they should never have expected Gu Lao Er to say anything sensible. He said to Gu Feng, "Dad, don't be angry. It's not what the second brother and his wife meant—they just feel sorry for the children. If anyone is to blame, it's because second brother and I are incompetent and haven't earned much money. We can only hope to arrange a decent marriage for the kids by relying on the little that big brother and his wife left behind."

Before Gu Feng could respond, he quickly turned to his wife, "Qiuju, come with me to the city this afternoon."

His words seemingly calmed Gu Feng a bit, and his expression softened.

Glaring fiercely at his second son and daughter-in-law, he said, "Alright, go." He paused, feeling a debt owed to his other grandchildren and added, "Buy two more blankets. Don't bother with satin, whatever's at home will have to do."

With Gu Feng huffing off, the Huang Family's daughter-in-law pulled Gu Lao Er into her own room and started whispering.

"Head of the household, dad has given all the good stuff to that damned girl. Are you content with this?"

Of course, Gu Lao Er was not content, and hearing what his wife said, he became even angrier. He blustered, "That's just how dad is, he's favored my dead big brother since we were kids, and now he's playing favorites with that damned girl. What are we supposed to do?"

The Huang Family's daughter-in-law's squinty eyes spun like pinwheels as she continued, "And I bet that's not all she's getting for her dowry. That Jin hunter is so poor his thatched roof leaks rain. Dad will probably have us supplement their house with who knows how much more. It's like pouring money into a bottomless pit. I think we made a mistake agreeing to marry that damned girl off. If she stayed, her uncle's side would still send us some money for the herbal remedies every year. Even if she were to die, all we'd need is a coffin, but all her belongings would be ours.

"Once she's married off, we won't know how much dad will give her, and we certainly won't get a penny from her uncle's side for the herbal remedies."

After hearing his wife's analysis, Gu Lao Er slapped his thigh, wailing, "Oh my, that's right, we can't let that girl get married off." He started to walk out while shouting, "No, no, I'll talk to dad about it right now."

"Wait, come back here, Gu Wen…" Huang Family's daughter-in-law hurriedly pulled him back.

Gu Lao Er, impatient, said, "If you have something to say, say it quick. I need to go and find dad."

"Go find dad? As if you could change what the old master has set his mind on. Forget it, we need to think of something else."

"Something else? What else can we do?"

Huang Family's daughter-in-law leaned in close to Gu Lao Er's ear and whispered something fiercely. Her voice was so low that Youyou in the back yard stretched her neck, but couldn't make out what was being said. Nonetheless, she knew it was some wicked scheme to harm her.

Gu Lao Er, shocked to his core, exclaimed, "Have you gone mad, woman? A life for a life. It's not worth losing our own lives over a doomed wretch."

Youyou gasped in shock; were they actually plotting to kill her just for her dowry?

The modern Youyou had been harmed by her aunt and uncle for the immense wealth of the Gu Family, which made sense because everyone was envious. But for this family to plot over a simple dowry?

Hmph, no wonder the original owner managed to live this long; surviving with such 'relatives' was indeed no easy feat.

Huang Family's daughter-in-law quickly covered his mouth, whispering, "Why are you so loud? You said it yourself, she's a doomed wretch who could die at any time. So what if she dies? Rest assured, I'll put it in her medicine tomorrow morning, and if she's to die, she'll die on the road. By the time they carry her body to the Jin Family and find a corpse without having done the wedding ceremony, we can just bring all her things back."