“You actually borrowed so much money?” Song Yao said incredulously. “Marquis, what on earth did you spend all that money on? Don’t you owe me an explanation?”
Being questioned so publicly by Song Yao, Han Qingfeng felt his dignity had been wounded.
He straightened his posture. “Why do you care what I used the money for? Just hurry up and help me pay it back first!”
Song Yao found this laughable. “I help you repay the money?”
“Marquis, are you not understanding human speech? Where would I get the money to fill your hole?”
“If the shops under my name weren’t suffering such severe losses, the household wouldn’t have to survive on nothing but greens and tofu for every meal.”
“You know perfectly well I have no money now, yet you ask me to repay the debt. Are you planning to sell me off?”
“If you think I’m worth six thousand taels of silver, you can go ahead and sell me right now.”
“With the money from selling your wife, you could immediately repay the debts you owe.”
These blunt words were practically shouted out by Song Yao in one breath.
Every creditor heard Song Yao’s words clearly.
Wang Zhanggui said, “What nonsense is this? He borrows money himself, then demands his wife help repay it, and acts as if it’s only natural. Marquis of Yunzhou, aren’t you utterly shameless?”
Others chimed in: “Exactly! Asking his wife to help pay off debts, yet not even being polite to her—instead, he orders her around with such self-righteousness. I’ve never seen someone with skin as thick as a city wall before!”
Seeing the situation, none of the people in the Marquis Manor dared to speak up lightly.
If the creditors continued pointing fingers, Han Qingfeng’s face would only become more worthless.
Han Qingfeng softened his tone and asked if Song Yao could help think of a solution.
Song Yao: “What solution could I possibly have? The shops are suffering severe losses—you already knew that as soon as you returned yesterday. It’s not like I was putting on an act in front of you on purpose.”
“If you really can’t repay this money to them, then… I think we should do this.”
Song Yao turned to face the group of creditors. “Everyone, I am a businessperson. In business, integrity is paramount.”
“Shopkeepers, what the Marquis Manor owes you, we will definitely repay. But money is a hard constraint.”
“If there’s really no other way… why don’t you see if there’s anything valuable in the Marquis Manor? Just take items instead. Use them to offset the debt the Marquis owes you. How about that?”
The creditors refused. What use was taking items?
Who among them lacked such things in their own homes?
Wang Zhanggui said, “Madam, what we want is silver—silver that can be used for cash flow.”
“Taking your household items would require us to first pawn them for silver—it’s too troublesome. It’s best if you give us ready cash.”
“If the Marquis Manor insists on not repaying the debt, we will all go to the authorities and sue you for refusing to pay.”
Despite the Marquis of Yunzhou holding the title of Marquis.
By Han Qingfeng’s generation, the Marquis of Yunzhou was merely a symbolic, empty title.
The court issued an annual stipend to the Yunzhou Marquis Manor, but Han Qingfeng did not enjoy the benefits of a fiefdom like those marquises with actual power.
The annual stipend the court issued to Han Qingfeng was only eight hundred taels of silver.
To ordinary commoners, this sum was indeed astronomical.
But for the Marquis Manor, eight hundred taels to support a large household—
plus the daily expenses required to maintain the Manor’s dignity—eight hundred taels hardly counted as money at all.
The Yunzhou Marquis Manor was nothing but a beautiful, ornate empty shell.
The Yunzhou Marquis Manor is merely a symbol within the Yunzhou region.
Because it is only a symbol, the Marquis Manor holds no special privileges.
That is why these people dare to speak so loudly, even in the presence of the Marquis of Yunzhou.
Being shouted at like this in public, Marquis Han Qingfeng’s dignity was utterly shattered.
He wanted to straighten his back, but he could no longer muster the strength.
He knew perfectly well that the only person who might help him repay his debts was Song Yao.
Yet, instead of quickly saying something conciliatory, he continued to complain, “Madam, I am your husband after all. You should at least try to think of a way to help me.”
Song Yao did not indulge him in the slightest. “What way should I think of?”
“Since I married you, how much of my dowry have I poured into the Marquis Manor every year? Don’t you have any idea?”
“You’ve incurred debts outside, and even though you know I have no money, you still expect me to repay them for you? How can you even say such a thing?”
The creditors couldn’t help but sigh in disbelief.
“What? The Marquise has been using her own dowry to subsidize the Marquis Manor every year?”
“Isn’t that… living off a woman’s money?! Marquis of Yunzhou, how could you stoop so low?”
“I’ve seen men who rely on women, but one who does it so shamelessly—this is truly the first time I’ve witnessed such a thing!”
Song Yao, filled with grievance, said, “All of you shopkeepers are residents of Yunzhou City. Your families have lived here for generations, so you should understand the situation of the Yunzhou Marquis Manor. I don’t need to say more, do I?”
“When I married into the Marquis Manor, I used my dowry to support my husband’s family, and only then did the Marquis Manor gradually improve.”
“As the daughter-in-law of the Marquis Manor, I never dwelled on these matters. After all, we are one family. If we calculate everything too precisely, life would become unbearable.”
The creditors nodded one after another, each praising the Marquise for her generosity.
Song Yao dabbed the corner of her eye with a handkerchief, wiping away the moisture that had gathered. “All these years, I have had to contribute at least ten thousand taels of silver to the Marquis Manor annually.”
“As a woman who married into this family over a decade ago, I have worked tirelessly for the Marquis Manor. I accept that, for I am the daughter-in-law of the Marquis Manor.”
“But now, my husband owes all of you money. Knowing full well that I have no funds, he still pressures me to repay his debts. Tell me, is this fair? Is this how one should be treated?”
The entire Marquis Manor family exchanged glances, one after another.
Instead of solving the problem, Song Yao was deliberately stirring up emotions. What was she trying to do?
Tears welled up in Song Yao’s eyes. “…If I don’t help my husband repay his debts, it’s my fault? Is there no justice left in this world?”
“All of you shopkeepers, if you have daughters, would you be willing to marry them into such a family?”
The crowd, listening intently, grew increasingly agitated.
Once again, it was the plump Wang Zhanggui who spoke first, “Marquis of Yunzhou, if you couldn’t repay the debt, why did you borrow money from me in the first place? You even used your wife’s name to borrow from me. Have you no shame?”
Another creditor chimed in, “Exactly! If you couldn’t repay, why did you borrow from me? Using your wife’s name to swindle us—did you never intend to repay the money from the start?”
Yet another added, “If you can’t repay, you force your wife to do it for you. You truly have no shame.”
Everyone began talking over each other, directing their accusations at Han Qingfeng and his entire family.
Han Lingyue clutched her grandmother with one hand and her mother with the other, exclaiming, “What should we do now?”
Han Zhang and Han Zhi also turned their pleading eyes toward Madam Jin.
In the past, these two ungrateful wretches would have stepped forward to accuse Song Yao of not helping their father repay his debts.
But now, faced with so many creditors seething with anger, and with the realization that their futures were entirely in Song Yao’s hands, neither of the ungrateful wretches dared to openly criticize their mother.
If Song Yao truly abandoned her responsibilities, their prospects would be ruined.
So now, they could only plead with their grandmother to quickly find a solution for their father.