Chapter 204
Amidst the chatter of the crowd, the main gate of the Li family residence slowly opened.
Today was the day Yao Qisheng was to return to Qujing. Lady Yao and Li Zhiwei personally saw him off at the gate.
To their surprise, as soon as the door opened, they saw quite a few people gathered outside.
Lady Yao frowned.
"Madam, these people showed up early this morning demanding money from the household. I gave them a few copper coins, but they complained it was too little and refused to leave. They even insisted they are the Second Master of the household."
The gatekeeper, Zhong, quickly stepped forward and pointed at Li Yaozu and the others, explaining to Lady Yao.
Zhong's words were spoken loudly enough for everyone to hear.
At this, the way everyone looked at Li Yaozu and his group changed slightly.
The Li family was a well-known wealthy household in Li'an County, and even in the Kingdom of Lannuo.
There were always people trying to borrow money from the Lis.
The Lis weren't fools. Money lent out was rarely returned, and after all, their wealth wasn't blown in by the wind. So, the Li family usually just gave out some small change to send such people away.
Most people came precisely for that handout.
Who would have thought there were these few with greater ambitions.
The onlookers examined Li Yaozu's party. Their clothes were patched over and over, and they didn't look like they had any real connection to the Li family.
However, people's appetite for gossip is never satisfied, and everyone was curious whether these people truly had some familial tie to the Lis.
Otherwise, why would they claim to be the Second Master of the household right at the gate?
Lady Yao looked at Li Yaozu's group.
Over the years, although her health had not been strong, she was a daughter of the Yao family, raised watching her father and brothers conduct business since childhood. She was no naive fool.
These people came to the Li house for one thing: money.
Especially seeing the two emaciated elderly people on the cart.
"My father-in-law and mother-in-law passed away one after the other in the second year of my marriage to my husband. While they were alive, they never mentioned any other relatives in the family. However, seeing that these two elders seem to be in poor health, why not have them taken to Dr. Liu's Mingyi Hall today. Steward Zhou can settle any subsequent fees."
Lady Yao addressed the crowd, her voice clear and firm, ensuring everyone understood.
These people were not relatives of the Li family, but the Lis were still willing to arrange medical treatment for the two elderly.
This was already a demonstration of the Li family's generosity.
The crowd nodded in approval of Lady Yao's approach, finding her arrangement quite proper.
"Sister-in-law, have you become so prosperous now that you refuse to acknowledge us poor relatives?" Wang Cuihua, displeased with Lady Yao's arrangement, immediately protested.
If they didn't manage to move into the Li residence today, how would she arrange a marriage for her son?
"Goodness, auntie, Madam Li is kindly offering to get medical treatment for your old man and old woman. You should be satisfied with that."
Seeing Wang Cuihua's displeasure, someone quickly tried to persuade her.
"Exactly, you're not actually relatives of the Li family. Don't think they're easy to fool."
"Right, if you can say you're the Second Master of the Li family, I can say I'm the First Master, haha!"
Everyone chimed in, but all were siding with the Li family.
"I recognize this family. Aren't they Li Yaozu's family living at the foot of the eastern mountain?"
"Oh dear, they share the surname Li. Could there really be a connection?"
"There are plenty of people named Li under heaven. Does that mean they're all related?"
"You claim to be my father's brothers, but my grandfather and grandmother only had my father as their child. May I ask, what kind of brothers are you to my father?" Li Zhiwei looked at the group and asked.
In her past life, she had no memory of such a family showing up.
Furthermore, she couldn't see any resemblance between these people and her father.
If there was any relation at all, it was probably extremely distant.
Her mother's offer to have the two elderly treated was already an act of benevolence.
Yao Qisheng stood to the side, looking at the newcomers with great displeasure.
In his view, these people were likely trying to take advantage of the Li family.
Did they think the Lis had no one to stand up for them?
Thinking this, Yao Qisheng also stepped forward, eyeing Li Yaozu and the others with an unfriendly tone. "Since you claim to be my brother-in-law's brother, you need to provide proof. Otherwise, for causing trouble here, we can report you to the authorities and have you arrested."
"That heartless Li Tianyou! Now that he's made it big, he won't acknowledge me, his uncle! When he was little, cough, cough, he even ate at our house! Back then, everyone was starving, but we still shared our food with him. Who would have thought now that I'm old, he won't even let us through his door!"
Li Chengshan, sitting on the cart, coughed and wailed about Li Tianyou's lack of conscience.
Back then, his whole family would rather go hungry to let Li Tianyou eat his fill.
He made it sound utterly pitiful.
Seeing the old man so agitated, it didn't seem like he was lying.
Looking at Lady Yao and Li Zhiwei, whose expressions had turned grim, the crowd was momentarily unsure whose words to believe.
After all, both sides seemed to make some sense.
Li Zhiwei looked at the gaunt Li Chengshan. Was it really a case of the weaker party being right?
If she remembered correctly, her father didn't grow up in Li'an County, did he?
Her father and mother grew up in Qujing because her grandparents had settled there, and her father was born while they still lived there.
Her father only returned to Li'an County later.
Watching the old man grow more animated as he spoke.
"Uncle, if I recall correctly, my father grew up in Qujing when he was little, didn't he?" Li Zhiwei deliberately asked Yao Qisheng with a puzzled expression.
Yao Qisheng was momentarily stunned, then quickly replied, "That's right. Your father and I even attended the same school. Who knew that fellow would later become my brother-in-law."
As soon as Yao Qisheng finished speaking, Li Zhiwei turned to the now fervently gesticulating Li Chengshan and asked with curiosity, "Did your family also move back from Qujing?"
"What nonsense are you talking? Our family has been upstanding citizens of Li'an County for generations!" Li Yaozu retorted without thinking.
"In that case," Li Zhiwei asked, feigning confusion, "since my father did not grow up in Li'an County as a child, exactly whom did your family share its meals with?"
"Haha! Li Yaozu, if you're going to swindle someone, shouldn't you do your homework first?"
The crowd laughed, directing their questions at Li Yaozu.
Li Yaozu was dumbfounded. He looked at Li Chengshan—after all, those were his words just now.
He didn't know how to explain it away.
"Oh dear! Now that big brother is wealthy, he doesn't want to acknowledge us poor relatives anymore! We're right at his doorstep, and he won't even invite us in for a cup of tea!"
Wang Cuihua thought to herself that once they got inside the Li residence, getting them to leave wouldn't be so simple.
