The eldest aunt and uncle walked in from outside at this moment. The eldest aunt looked at Lin Chen and smiled, "Our Chen'Er has grown quite handsome, he can find a good wife."
"Sister-in-law, my Chen'Er didn't come back because he failed. He passed the Martial Hall's assessment and came back to share this good news with everyone."
Mrs. Lin came out of the kitchen, listening to her sister-in-law's words, feeling displeased. What does she mean, it's a pity that Ming'Er wants to study martial arts? My son can also continue with martial arts.
After Mrs. Lin spoke, the main hall fell silent.
The eldest aunt and second aunt opened their mouths wide in surprise. It took a while before the second aunt reacted, "I remember the family didn't give you money, and you still passed the assessment? Back then, Lin Ming had a strength of two hundred jin, and it cost three taels of silver."
"That's why I say Chen'Er has a talent for martial arts and will surely succeed in martial arts in the future."
The second aunt's instinctive words made Mrs. Lin beam with joy, while Lin Chen noticed the eldest aunt's face darkened immediately.
"That's not how you say it. My Ming'Er reached a strength of two hundred jin in the fourth month at the Martial Hall. Chen'Er just came back now, which means he only reached it this month, so there's still a gap."
The eldest aunt's words made Lin Chen's mouth twitch slightly. If he were given three taels of silver, he could also achieve two hundred jin strength in four months.
"Besides, even if father didn't give money, sister-in-law might have given some. And these past few months, Liang'Er caught fewer and fewer eels."
The implication being that Mrs. Lin had secretly given money.
"Sister-in-law, what do you mean by that?" Mrs. Lin was not having it, putting her hands on her hips, "What do you mean I gave money! Every month's money is handed over to father, where would I get the money from? The few cents Liang'Er makes from catching eels can't compare to what the family spends on Lin Ming."
"I'm just afraid some people secretly earn money and don't turn it in. I didn't name names, why so guilty."
"You didn't name names, you're clearly talking about our family."
"Enough, stop arguing. What's the point of quarreling in front of the younger generation?"
Grandfather spoke sternly, his gaze falling on Lin Chen. Lin Chen didn't hesitate, speaking directly, "Grandfather, you said before that if I pass the Martial Hall's assessment, the family would support me in learning martial arts."
"The family has to support a second person learning martial arts?"
Before grandfather could respond, the second aunt's words were full of concern. Her Hui'Er didn't study martial arts. All the family money was spent on Lin Ming. If Lin Chen were added, wouldn't their family just be working for the eldest and younger uncle's family?
"Second sister-in-law, this was something father promised Chen'Er back then, and none of you opposed it at the time." Mrs. Lin immediately retorted.
"I'm not against Chen'Er learning martial arts." The second aunt explained, "I'm saying our family really doesn't have that much money. Chen'Er can learn martial arts, sure, but we should allocate monthly from what's given to Lin Ming to also give some to Chen'Er."
After all, the family has just this amount of money. Whether it's for Lin Ming or Lin Chen, her family doesn't mind.
"No way!" The eldest aunt immediately rejected, "It's a critical time for Ming'Er in martial arts, he's about to cultivate Essence Qi. This is the time to spend money, and I've heard from Ming'Er that his fellow students' families give four or five taels a month. Ming'Er understands our family doesn't have that much, so he hasn't asked for more."
"Five taels of silver? Even if he dares to ask for that, our family can't afford it." Mrs. Lin snorted softly, "There are others in the village who don't practice martial arts for more than two years without achieving Essence Qi and they give up. Yet our family continues to support it, and we'd be mocked by other families."
"How is that mockable? When Ming'Er succeeds, he'll be the first in the village in these three years to cultivate Essence Qi. The fortune teller also said Ming'Er is the Lin Family's prodigy."
"I can give the fortune teller ten cents, and he would immediately change his tune and say Chen'Er is the Lin Family's prodigy."
"Stop arguing." Grandfather interrupted the quarrel between the two sisters-in-law with a stern face, looking at Father Lin, "Youngest, tomorrow take Chen'Er to see Master Zhang. I'll give half a tael to buy some gifts for apprenticeship, to learn bamboo weaving from Master Zhang."
Lin Chen's eyes contracted, he didn't expect grandfather to disagree.
"Grandfather, I wish to study martial arts, not bamboo weaving." Lin Chen's attitude was also firm.
"Silly child, even if you passed the Martial Hall's assessment, what's the use? Learning martial arts costs more and more as you progress. Your elder brother has spent more than forty taels, even if you spent less, it'd still be about twenty taels. The family has already drained its resources for your elder brother's martial arts training, we can't even borrow more money."
"Grandfather, I won't need that much money."
Grandfather Lin Chaoyang shook his head. The expenses of learning martial arts aren't something that can be easily predicted with words.
Ming'Er initially said he only needed twenty taels, but it's already cost forty taels so far.
Three days ago, Ming'Er came back from the county and said there's a kind of Secret Medicine in the city. Once taken, he'd be able to cultivate Essence Qi, but it's very expensive, requiring ten taels for a set.
The last of the family's money has already been taken by Ming'Er.
Once Ming'Er cultivates Essence Qi, the family will still need to gather tuition for the Martial Hall. At that time, they might even need to mortgage the family's land deeds to the Money Shop for borrowing money.
Ming'Er's martial arts training has cost this much already. Can't let him cultivate Essence Qi and end up having no money for Martial Hall tuition.
"Father, did Lin Ming use an excuse to ask for more money last time he was home?" Mrs. Lin seemed to realize something, her eyes glancing between grandfather and the eldest aunt, but the eldest aunt didn't dare look Mrs. Lin in the eye.
Mrs. Lin understood, afraid all the family money had been taken by Lin Ming. Immediately she spoke coldly, "If father doesn't want to give money, then I'll go and borrow."
"Sister-in-law, don't be impulsive. Borrowed money needs to be repaid." The second aunt immediately objected, as the Lin Family hasn't separated yet, and if the third sister-in-law borrows money, their family would also have to acknowledge a share.