Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 225 - 117: Counterplotting_1

Chapter 225: Chapter 117: Counterplotting_1
Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi exchanged a glance, both fixating their eyes on the two strings of money.
"Old Fourth, is the money enough for you to buy the land? There’s no rush for this money, the cash from the peanuts didn’t come this early in previous years," Old Master Lian said.
"Dad, Old Fourth could buy that much land at once, these two strings of money are nothing to him," Lian Shouyi said.
"You don’t run a household, so you don’t know the cost of firewood and rice," Old Master Lian reprimanded Lian Shouyi, "Even one wen money is not easy to save."
"Old Fourth is striking it rich," Lian Shouyi said, "One prescription can sell for eighty taels of silver. Dad, do we have any other prescriptions left? Old Fourth sets up his own household and needs money, Eldest Brother wants to become an official, and we can’t rely on Huahua’s parental family for everything, Erlang needs to get married soon, followed by Sanlang, and all of these require money too."
Lian Shouyi hadn’t gone to the town to drink but knew that the eighty taels of silver for buying the land came from selling the prescription, which must have been told by Lian Shouren. Lian Manman thought so and suddenly felt something amiss in Lian Shouyi’s words.
Lian Shouyi was implying that the prescription was given to Lian Shouxin by Old Master Lian, and he wanted Old Master Lian to take out another prescription to get money for the first and second rooms to spend!
"Second Brother, what are you talking about?" Lian Shouxin spoke up, "That prescription was just a fluke by the kids, it happened to sell for a good price this time. Now we spent it all on buying land, and we ourselves are running tight. But we can’t not buy it; a few more mu of land will ensure our whole family’s bellies are full."
He didn’t like what Lian Shouyi was saying, but he was still very polite when he spoke to Lian Shouyi.
"Second Brother, I get it now," Old Master Lian finally spoke after listening to Lian Shouxin, "You’re suspicious of me, aren’t you? You think I’m favoring Old Fourth, that I’ve given him something extra."
"Dad, that’s not what I meant," Lian Shouyi hastened to say.
Lian Manman could detect the insincerity in Lian Shouyi’s words, and of course, Old Master Lian could too.
"Old Fourth has moved out, and the division of this household was unfair," Old Master Lian slowly said.
Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi both stiffened.
"Dad, if not, let’s divide it again. Out of the fifty-five mu of land, the Old Fourth Family can take eleven mu," Lian Shouyi said.
Everyone in the room had their own thoughts, holding their breath.
"Do you have no shame?" Old Master Lian struck Lian Shouyi on the shoulder with a pipe stem.
"Dad, I was just saying, why are you hitting me?" Lian Shouyi cried out.
"And you even have the face to talk about it," Old Master Lian gasped for air, "No matter how much silver, it was saved by Old Fourth after the division, you better keep your groundless concerns to yourself. If you say such things again, I will hit you on the head."
"Dad..." Lian Shouyi said, his face turning to a nervous smile.
"What I said about being unfair was towards Old Fourth," Old Master Lian, feeling happy about his youngest son buying land and having drunk a bit more because of it, now found old memories surfacing and began to talk more, speaking about how tough the years had been for everyone, how the Shouxin Family had two adult laborers and several small children, with future expenses lying ahead.
"...Eldest, over these years, almost all the family earnings have gone to you. You know this, and you must not lose your conscience," Old Master Lian finally said, "I want to help Old Fourth, but though I have the will, I no longer have the strength."
"Dad, why do you say such things? You’re tough and long-lived. When I make it someday, and I take care of you, that will be helping me," Lian Shouxin, seeing Old Master Lian becoming sad, hurriedly comforted.
"You know you’re filial," Old Master Lian sighed and then turned his head to look at Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi, "If I really had any prescription that could make money, would I have waited until now?"
Lian Shouyi sent a look to Lian Shouren, bidding him to speak up for him, but Lian Shouren pretended not to see.
"In my lifetime, what I’ve always valued most is buying houses and land. Old Fourth, you did right by buying that land; Dad is happy, happy for you," Old Master Lian laughed heartily.
Lian Manman had long guessed that Lian Shouren and Lian Shouyi were harboring thoughts upon seeing their land purchase, and they surely had raised the matter with Old Master Lian. But Old Master Lian was firm in his decision, and with no valid argument, they were suppressed.
This suited Old Master Lian just fine, sparing them from further talk.
"What is that in Manman’s hand?" Lian Shouyi, feeling bored, saw Lian Manman holding a package of pastries and asked, "Did you bring something back for your second uncle since he couldn’t go to town to drink?"
Lian Shouyi reached out to grab the pastries.
"Who doesn’t know that Second Uncle is a capable man? People invite him for drinks daily; he doesn’t care about missing a meal with us," Lian Manman said with a smile, "These pastries are for my auntie."