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Chapter 426: You All Have Private Stashes of Silver
Chapter 426: You All Have Private Stashes of Silver
Chapter 426: Chapter 426: You All Have Private Stashes of Silver
“Indeed, Grandpa, we heard that the treasure came from the National Treasury of the previous dynasty. Such a pile of good things, did you not hide away a bit?” Tong Erlang, hearing Zhang’s words, immediately asked with glistening anticipation in his eyes.
At these words, the Qian Family, and eldest of the Tong Family all turned to look at Tong Tiehu.
Well, shouldn’t they be able to keep a bit of the loot given they guarded such a large amount of treasure?
Tong Tiehu looked at the others’ eagerly bright eyes and slowly shook his head. “No, I didn’t hide a single thing. All the items are accounted for in a specific ledger, I didn’t touch any of them, and that ledger has now been handed over to the retired emperor.”
“How is that possible!” Mrs. Zhang leaped up from her chair.
By now it was already nightfall, the sky was dark, but nobody was in the mood to eat.
The family’s vinegar shop had been closed today, and the eldest of the Tong Family had returned to the village with their luggage in a cart drawn by an ox.
The deeds for the family’s farmland had been handed in, as had their savings.
Suddenly being left with nothing, the family sat in the hall to discuss the matter.
“What is all this fuss about?” Tong Xingda reprimanded, “Sit down! If father didn’t take a thing, then I certainly didn’t, and neither did the third son!” “Moreover, even if we had taken something, could we use it at this time? If we dared to use it, the retired emperor would immediately send people to confiscate it.”
“Don’t think I don’t know that you’ve accumulated quite a stash of private silver over the years, enough to live on.”
Upon hearing this, Tong Tiehu nodded, “Exactly, you all have private money, and we can make do.”
Transactions done in private, Tong Sanlang had an amount of 5000 taels.
Part of it was salary from his position as the deputy of Tingfeng Pavilion, the rest was rewards from small to large.
Most of it was rewards, and these rewards were primarily from Tong Liu.
However, Tong Tiehu also contributed significantly. The grandsons of the Tong Family usually received ten taels during the Lunar New Year, while children from other families would be happy with just a few wen.
Ten taels were indeed a large sum in the countryside.
The eldest, second, and third sons of the Tong Family, including the two children of the eldest son, all received ten taels during the Lunar New Year.
This money did not have to be turned over to Tong Xingda or Mrs. Zhang.
Also, if they needed more money for daily expenses, they could always ask Tong Tiehu for more.
In this matter of money, Tong Tiehu never treated his children harshly.
As for managing the vinegar shop at home, while Tong Xingda and Mrs. Zhang were formally in charge of the income, however, they were of a certain age and also had grandkids. Therefore, they should have some money to spend.
Mr. and Mrs. Tong Dalang have to feed a child, taking care of the vinegar shop is hard work. Thus, they too should be paid.
That is to say, the income from the vinegar shop and land all fell to him; however, a portion of it was given to Tong Xingda and Mr. Tong Dalang.
Furthermore, the daily expenditures for the family are generally handled by him; others do not have much to spend.
Thus, it can be inferred that over these years, each one of them must have saved quite an amount of money, and not a small sum.
Now that their primary assets were depleted, still, the house was there, as were the cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens; everyone also had some hidden money tucked away; thus, they were more than capable of making ends meet.
Not only could they survive, but they were also faring better than most of the households in the village!
” What can we do with such a small amount of private savings? It would all go into buying just a few pieces of land…” Mrs. Zhang muttered.
“We don’t need much; if we buy a lot, we won’t be able to handle it. I think, buying ten acres will suffice. The food we reap would be enough to pay the taxes and feed our own house,” Tong Tiehu said.
“Top-grade land costs ten taels per acre. That would be a hundred taels for ten acres. Who’s going to foot the bill?” Zhu Hongyun, who had remained silent till now, instantly chipped in on hearing this.