In the following days, María even went to Lucía's house to chat less frequently, she was busy at home spinning like a top all day. Some people in the village felt jealous when they saw him. They saw Joseph carrying a heavy load to sell goods every day, and he even ran back and forth several times a day. Suddenly several families also thought of selling goods.
So, several women from the village who had plans came to Selena's house to chat and find out what José was selling on weekdays, and then asked their men to buy some products to sell.
Because Maria and Selena had been making blush and foundation in the cabin behind the greenhouse, no one paid attention to it, even if they smelled the fragrance, they thought it was the smell of a blush and foundation that José sells, and don't take it seriously. Leo and Lucía knew a little, but they were not loose-lipped, so the matter did not spread.
Of course, Mary would not deliberately talk nonsense, and she would tell the things Joseph was selling. After all, they would know what the street vendor usually sells. There was nothing to hide. The normal blusher and other scattered pieces don't really make much money, but they just make some money to make ends meet.
In the blink of an eye, another month has passed and it's time to give the pension money to Carmen. José is now determined not to enter their house, every time he enters he stands at the door and waits for the people inside to come out and gets the money.
At first, they deliberately asked Joseph to wait outside for a long time. After waiting a long time, Joseph went directly to his house when no one came out to take the money. If they want the money? Then come get it themself. After doing this twice, the group of people quickly took the money every time Joseph came.
When he returned from Carmen's house one day, José had an angry expression on his face. Maria and Selena, who were cooking, saw this and quickly prepared the food and entered the house to ask carefully. After learning of the family's unreasonable demands, Maria became so angry that she beat her chest: "They are really too greedy, one silver coin a month! Why don't they steal?"
At that time, an ordinary farmer's family of three could live a normal life by saving only 1 silver coins a month.
After the separation, Pablo recommended that each of his two sons give their stepmother 2 silver coins a month to cover living expenses, which were already very high. Although Joseph felt heavy, he still gritted his teeth and accepted, thinking of her instructions from his father before his death.
In a few months, he increased from 2 to 5. God knows how many people in ordinary families can earn 5 silver coins a month. Even the grocery store owned by Pablo only earns about 10 silver coins when business is good, silver coins, not even 5 silver coins can be earned when business is bad.
Of course, José would not agree to anything else, but providing pension money to his parents is a legal provision, not a business agreement that can be negotiated. If he doesn't give it, he may be falsely accused of violating pension rules.
Selena thought about it and felt that this matter was difficult. Uncle Pablo's request seemed reasonable and well founded. He can say: the amount she set before was because Carmen asked for 2 silver coins when she saw that your family was in trouble. Now it's different. Since your family, if you can afford to build a new house, that means you have money. If you have money, you should have more filial piety and honor our mother more. Now I, as an older brother, give the same pension money as you and there is no difference.
This way, even if his father knew that he could not agree, he would not be able to refute his suggestions. Now the annoying ones can take advantage of this. Looking at Mary and Joseph with a frown, Selena thought for a moment and said, "Dad, can we give them whatever they want? If in the future, when we have a store in the city and make more money, will they want more? We must resolve this matter once and for all."
"Dad, go to the town tomorrow to buy some gifts for the town judge Benicio Machado Pérez. And kindly ask him to write a notarial deed..."
No matter what, this is the ultimate concession: they will never find excuses to ask for more money in the future!
José couldn't sleep all night and in the end he could only do what his daughter told him. José and Selena prepared the gifts early in the morning.
The gifts include a bottle of essential oil for the judge's wife, a box of jasmine foundation, and a box of blush. The bottles containing essential oils are made of exquisite ceramics and you can see their value just by looking at them. And then they went to buy fresh fruits and some nuts, as well as a specially prepared small bag containing 3 silver coins.
José did not understand why his daughter was so generous. Asking a judge to be fair does not require such an expensive gift. Maria next to her helped wrap the gift and said: "My daughter is more thoughtful. I heard that the judge loves his wife. It is more useful to please his wife than to please him..."
At that time they threw the family out and they did not receive any inheritance from them. It was the judge who did Pablo a favor. At that time his family was so poor that they couldn't even have something to eat and they didn't have money to give gifts.
Then José went to Judge Benicio's house with the gifts prepared by Selena. It's true that money can make things work. Once the gifts are in place, things will be much easier to handle. José has just finished briefly explaining the matter.
Judge Benicio's wife began to scold Pablo and Carmen for being greedy. A pension of two copper coins a month was very good, but she suddenly wanted to increase it to 500 copper coins (that is, 5 silver coins). Isn't this harassment of an honest person? So, she asked Judge Benicio to take José to Carmen's house for notarization immediately.
When Joseph returned in the evening, he happily brought the notarial certificate. After María asked carefully, José took out the deed paper, which had the signatures and fingerprints of José, Pablo, Carme and Judge Benicio. From now on, Carmen and the others can no longer threaten José's family with their pension.