Old Mrs. Zhu fixed her scrutinizing gaze on Shen Feng's face, not missing the slightest change in his expression. Under her intense stare, Shen Feng gave in after just a short while.
"Mother, what are you doing? It's true that I took that money, but it was my sister who voluntarily gave it to me! Come on, isn't it okay for an elder sister to help out her younger brother?"
After saying this, Shen Feng turned to his elder sister Shen Shi sitting opposite him and complained, "Sister, you're really something. You've already given me the money, but now you've gone to mother to complain. It makes mother think I've swindled your money!"
Hearing this, Shen Shi immediately felt aggrieved. "Shen Feng, it's true that I gave you the money. You're my younger brother. When you asked me for money, I managed to scrape it together for you. But why don't you tell mother what you said when you asked me for the money?"
When Shen Feng heard Shen Shi mention that she had scraped the money together, he showed a look of disdain on his face. But when Shen Shi questioned him later, he put on a look of innocence. "What did I say? What could I say? I just said at that time that the money was for renovating the burned - down courtyard in our mansion."
"Humph! I guess you've been so busy with important things lately that you've forgotten what happened then. You said at that time that mother and father had sent you to borrow money from me. It's true that you mentioned it was for renovating the courtyard, but why hasn't the renovation of our mansion started yet? Where has the fifteen thousand taels of silver I lent you gone?"
"Feng'er, your father and I did send you to borrow silver from your sister. Since you've already got the money, why didn't you bring it home? Your father has been worried about this for quite a while and now he doesn't even dare to invite guests to our home!" Old Mrs. Zhu complained about Shen Feng's actions.
"Shen Feng, where is the fifteen thousand taels of silver?"
Facing the double interrogation from Old Mrs. Zhu and Shen Shi, Shen Feng scratched his head impatiently. "Oh, mother, sister, just trust me! I haven't wasted a single tael of that fifteen thousand taels. In a while, I'll be able to bring back thirty thousand taels, no, fifty thousand taels of silver!"
Old Mrs. Zhu and Shen Shi exchanged a quick look, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes. Old Mrs. Zhu was the first to ask, "Fifty thousand taels of silver? Where will you get so much money?"
"Don't worry about that. Just wait and see! In at most half a month or at most a month, I'll be able to bring back several times the original amount of silver!"
"Several times more? That's impossible!" Shen Shi said, clearly disbelieving.
"Why is it impossible? You don't believe it because you're a woman who never goes out and has no experience! I used to think it was impossible too, but recently I've met a big boss. By investing some money with him in business, it's guaranteed to be highly profitable and a sure - fire deal!"
"Humph! If there really were such a sure - fire business in this world, there would be plenty of people doing it. How could it be your turn?" Just as Shen Feng was feeling proud of himself, Old Mrs. Zhu poured cold water on him.
"Right, brother, be careful. Maybe someone is trying to deceive you."
"Oh, what are you thinking? That Boss Du is a well - known figure in the whole Dongling Kingdom. He really doesn't care about the little bit of silver I have! So stop overthinking!"
At this moment, Shen Feng was smiling and waving his folding fan, not taking what Old Mrs. Zhu and Shen Shi said to heart at all.
"Alright, now there's an opportunity for you to just sit at home and wait for the money to roll in! Recently, Boss Du has transported a new batch of goods from the south and is going to give me a share. But I... I'm just a bit... "
Here, he rubbed his fingers. "A bit short on funds! So, you can also invest some money in the goods. Consider it that I'm sharing this money - making opportunity with you!"
"This is a once - in - a - lifetime opportunity, sister. You can't miss such an easy way to make money! If you miss it, you'll surely regret it for the rest of your life!"
After saying this, Shen Feng waved his folding fan proudly again.
"I think what Feng'er said doesn't sound very reliable," Old Mrs. Zhu pondered for a moment and said to Shen Shi beside her.
"Mother, I also think this matter is a bit fishy. We'd better investigate it thoroughly!"
"Oh! Why don't you believe me? If you want to investigate, go ahead. But keep it low - key. Don't let too many people know, or this great money - making opportunity will slip away!"
Hearing this, Shen Shi became even more curious. "Brother, what kind of business are you talking about?"
Shen Feng stopped waving his folding fan. He looked around the room, then waved at the maids standing in the room. After the maids had left, he rushed in front of Old Mrs. Zhu and Shen Shi and whispered, "This business is selling salt!"
"Ah! Smuggled salt!"
Old Mrs. Zhu was so shocked that she exclaimed.
"Shh! My dear mother, keep your voice down!" Shen Feng covered Old Mrs. Zhu's mouth and winked at her, looking extremely flustered.
"Brother, smuggling salt is illegal!" Shen Shi touched her neck nervously. "If we're caught, we'll most likely be beheaded! This is no small matter!"
"Feng'er, listen to your mother and sister. Don't get involved in this. Our family doesn't lack that little bit of money!" Old Mrs. Zhu looked at Shen Feng with disapproval and wariness in her eyes.
"Mother! It's not a big deal. Don't be so scared talking about beheading! There are so many people doing this now. I haven't seen anything happen to them. Don't scare yourselves!"
"Are there really a lot of people doing this?" Shen Shi caught the key point in Shen Feng's words and quickly asked.
"Yes, there are! The salt fields have always been under the control of the imperial court. But when the salt is produced in the south and sold to our capital, it has to pass through so many checkpoints and so many hands. If they hadn't bribed the officials along the way, how could this salt have been smuggled out?"
"So, this salt is just what those officials let slip," Shen Feng said, stretching out his palm and opening his fingers wide, showing the gaps between them as he demonstrated to Old Mrs. Zhu and Shen Shi.
Seeing that Old Mrs. Zhu and Shen Shi remained silent after listening to him, Shen Feng added quickly, "Well, I'm not afraid to tell you. From salt production and boiling to water transportation and the Ministry of Revenue in the capital, there are connections all along the way!"