Since her own younger brother had said so much, Shen Shi naturally couldn't refuse any longer. "Then how much silver do Mother and Father need? Let me see if I have enough on hand."
"It's not much, Sister. You can just take out fifteen thousand taels of silver first. At least it can tide us over this period."
When Shen Shi heard the amount of silver from Shen Feng's mouth, she couldn't help raising her voice and shouting, "How much? Fifteen thousand taels?"
Seeing Shen Shi's surprised look, Shen Feng said indifferently, "I don't even know if this much silver will be enough. We've invited craftsmen to take a look at our mansion. The houses are all burned beyond recognition and need to be torn down and rebuilt. Moreover, the garden in our mansion is too small and needs to be expanded."
After a moment of pondering, Shen Feng continued, "All these will cost at least thirty thousand taels of silver."
As Shen Shi listened to his words, her eyebrows knitted tighter and tighter. Why did it seem to her that her younger brother was implying that she should pay for all of this?
"The expansion of the garden doesn't have to be done right away. Now that we're short on money, we should first repair the courtyard and then talk about other things."
Shen Feng looked at Shen Shi seriously and said, "Sister, starting construction is a major event. It's better to expand the garden together with the reconstruction of the courtyard. This way, we can save the trouble of doing it again later."
"I understand what you mean, but we don't have enough silver at the moment. So, let's put the matter of the garden aside for now." Shen Shi said to Shen Feng with a straight face.
Hearing her words, Shen Feng got a bit anxious and said, "Sister, that's why I came to you because there's not enough silver at home. I know you've saved a lot of money over the years. At this moment, you should take out some to repair the courtyard of our mansion."
Shen Shi's eyelids twitched. She knew she had been targeted by Shen Feng. Today, she would definitely have to take out some money. "Brother, to be honest with you, the business of some of my shops has declined a lot recently, and there's much less income. Moreover, you know that I no longer have the right to manage the mansion, so I can't touch the silver in the Shen Mansion. How can I gather so much silver for you all at once?"
Regardless of whether Shen Shi's words were true or not, seeing her keep shirking, Shen Feng directly asked, "Sister, how much silver can you take out for me now?"
Shen Shi quickly calculated in her mind, then stretched out a palm and said to Shen Feng, "Five thousand taels!"
"Five thousand taels? Sister, are you trying to send me away like a beggar? I need fifteen thousand taels, but you only give me a fraction of it. You're really disappointing Mother and Father. Don't you remember why the courtyard of our mansion caught fire? Isn't it because you offended someone and were counterattacked?"
"Now, it's good for you. You just walk away, leaving us with a mess!" Shen Feng half - accused and half - complained.
Shen Feng secretly sneered in his heart, thinking that his older sister Shen Shi was really stingy.
"Shen Feng? Think carefully before you speak. Did I set the fire? Do you think I wanted it to burn? Why are you blaming everything on me now?"
Originally, because of her own reasons, Shen Shi felt apologetic about the fire in the Shen Mansion. So when Shen Feng first asked her for money to repair the courtyard, she originally intended to take out the money.
But now, Shen Feng's words made her back down. She was afraid that her parents and younger brother would think that since she had money, they would count all the costs of repairing the courtyard on her.
She did have thirty thousand taels, but she wanted to save more money as a dowry for Shen Miao.
So she had to grit her teeth and not let them think that she was a source of profit.
At this time, Shen Feng also had his own plan. He secretly sighed that Liang Shi's plan was right. His sister might very well renege on her promise. So he was asked to come to the Shen Mansion secretly to ask for some money first, hiding it from their parents.
"Sister, although you didn't set the fire, it's somehow related to you. If Mother hadn't come up with strategies for you to deal with the troublemaker in the big branch, would our mansion be in this state now? Father has been worrying a lot about the mansion these days, and Mother has been sighing all day long."
"Do you just watch them worry about these things at their old age?"
Shen Feng brought up Shen Zhuo and Old Lady Zhu. Shen Shi had no choice but to loosen up. "I don't have fifteen thousand taels on hand. The five thousand taels just now is all the silver I have on me. In addition, I'll also give you the three thousand taels that I've prepared as a dowry for Miao'er first. I really can't take out any more."
Shen Shi turned around, sat upright, and moved a bit farther away from Shen Feng to show her attitude.
"That's fine. I'll take this eight thousand taels first. As for the remaining seven thousand taels, wait for a few more days. When you're ready, Sister, I'll come to get it."
Hearing Shen Feng's words, Shen Shi had already clenched her fists. "Isn't eight thousand taels enough? This is all my savings. Where can I gather another seven thousand taels for you? Anyway, I have no more money."
Although she said so, she encouraged herself in her heart that no matter what, she couldn't give in today. Otherwise, it wouldn't just be a matter of a few thousand taels of silver. There might be tens of thousands of taels waiting for her to pay later.
Shen Feng directly sneered, "No more money? I don't believe that after holding the power to manage the Shen Mansion for so many years, you've only embezzled so little money."
"Shen Feng, what do you mean?"
"What do I mean? With the people from the big branch away, you've embezzled a lot of benefits over the years. I'm afraid their family property is now in your hands! And you still say you have no money? You can only deceive those outsiders who don't know the truth."
Suddenly, Shen Shi stood up from her seat and walked quickly towards the door. When she walked out and saw Nanny Hu standing outside, while the other maids and servants were standing far away, she finally felt relieved.
Now her courtyard was no longer as well - guarded as before. Except for her dowry servants, the maids and servants in the courtyard might all be spies sent by Shen Li. If the words just now reached Shen Li's ears, I'm afraid Shen Li wouldn't let it go easily.
After coming back from outside the door, Shen Shi had a cold face. Seeing her younger brother's calculating look, she also hardened her heart and directly said, "Besides the eight thousand taels, I don't have a single extra penny. If you want it, I'll go get it for you now. If you don't want it, then forget it!"
"Humph! Eight thousand taels! Of course I want it!"
Just as Shen Shi was about to breathe a sigh of relief after hearing Shen Feng's words, she heard Shen Feng change his tone and continue, "I not only want the eight thousand taels, but also the remaining seven thousand taels. This fifteen thousand taels is not a single penny less."
"You..." Shen Shi was extremely angry. She never expected that her own younger brother would bargain with her like this.
"Sister, I have no other choice. After all, our mansion is short of money! Sister, aren't you worried that Shen Li from the big branch will find out that you've taken the shops and property of the big branch? I guarantee that as long as you give me the fifteen thousand taels, I'll definitely keep this secret. But if not..."
"After all, we're siblings. I really don't want to see you in trouble. Anyway, that money was taken from the big branch of the Shen Mansion by you. Instead of letting them take it back, you might as well give it to your younger brother."