Dong Zha picked up the purse in the end.

  It's at least 3,000 taels of silver, enough to buy over 1,000 mu of land or a four-section mansion!

  If it's picked up by someone, I'm afraid that in the blink of an eye, both the person and the silver ticket will disappear.

  It's better to give it to her than to others.

  She opened her purse.

  Inside are all one hundred, two hundred or even several tens of yuan denominations, exchangeable on sight.

  My father thought of it quite thoroughly.

  Dong Zha put the silver ticket back into her bag, just as a loud wailing sound came from the flower hall: "Brother, you're forcing me like this, I'd rather have three feet of white silk to hang myself than be tormented like this, it's better to die than live..."

  Then give her three feet of white silk!

  Dòu Zhāo fù chī zhe.

  At first, her mother didn't give her a scarf as she had wished, so how could she still be doing well?

  How did Wang Xingyi give birth to such a shameless thing?

  It's really a shame to his lifelong honor.

  A low voice came from the flower hall, it was Wang Zhi's voice, but it was unclear and could not be heard clearly.

  Dou Zhaoxiang was thinking about whether or not to listen again, when he saw the lattice door of the flower hall move, and his father came out with Wang Zhongshu.

  She hastily hid behind a Taihu stone nearby.

  "Father advised Wang Zhihe: '... You don't have to rush, things came so suddenly, she may not be able to accept it for the time being. No matter how much we talk about it, we can't get a result. Today you go back first, let her sisters-in-law take a look at her and see what ideas she has. We'll sit down and discuss it later. As long as the Duan family can do it, we will definitely try our best to satisfy her.'"

  Wang Zhi's face turned black, and upon hearing this, a few blue veins popped out on his forehead. In a low voice, he said: "What do you mean by that, Duan Qiye? Do you think my sister is trying to extort money from your family?"

  "Don't misunderstand," Father said in a gentle voice. "I just think that although you are her brother, after all, men and women are different, and it's been so many years since you've been separated. If she has any concerns, it's probably not good to tell you about them. Why don't we wait for two days and let her calm down before making plans?" He also said, "If she misses Ming'er, she can come visit her anytime. It's just that Ming'er is young, and I'm afraid that if something gets passed on to Ming'er's ears, it will make the child uncomfortable. If she agrees, we can have Ming'er call her godmother or aunt. When Ming'er grows up, it won't be too late to tell her what happened back then. However, as for how to explain it, whether it should be done this way, I still need your family's help in making a decision. I'll follow whatever you decide."

  One sentence was said appropriately and sincerely, making Wang Zhi's face clear up greatly.

  He carefully looked at his father and said, "I didn't expect you to be so steady and down-to-earth, it seems I underestimated you."

  Father blushed and said, "The sky is not early, I won't keep you any longer. Next time you come over, I'll invite you to have tea - I still have two elder brothers from Fujian who brought back the big red robe, which is worth a try."

  Wang Zhi Bang walked away with satisfaction.

  Father wiped the sweat from his forehead, turned around and shouted towards the Taihu stone where Dou Zhao was hiding: "Don't come out yet? The sun is so big, be careful not to get sunburned!"

  Dong Zhao walked out with a smile and said: "I hid so well, how did Father find me?"

  The father smiled and pointed at the golden hoop on Dou Zhao's head.

  If I had known this earlier, I should have tied a rope around my waist.

  Dong Zhao muttered to himself, thinking of the three thousand taels of silver, and smiled as he held out the handbag: "Father, I picked up a handbag..."

  Don't say she's only five years old now, even if she were fifteen, it wouldn't be easy to secretly stash three thousand silver coins without leaving a trace. The best way is to spread them out and openly claim ownership.

  "Ah, I see it was you who picked it up," said Father with a smile, as he reached out to take the handbag.

  Dong Zhaohand waved his hand and hid the purse behind him: "I picked it up, so it's mine."

  Father was taken aback and laughed: "But this purse is mine. The owner has come to look for it, can you still deny it?"

  "Then you should thank me," said Du Zhao. "You have to share half with me."

  Her father couldn't help but smile, and rubbed her nose: "Who did you learn this from?" Then he opened his wallet, picked out a ten-tael silver note from inside, and gave it to her: "A thank-you gift for you."

  "No way, no way," said Du Shao and his gang, staring at the one or two hundred taels in their hands, "These are all mine..."

  Just then, his grandfather came out.

  His father hastily stuffed all the silver tickets into his envelope.

  "Grandfather frowned and said: 'What is this?' His voice was very cold."

  "It's all right, it's all right," said Father hastily. "Shou Gu's pouch has come undone, I'll help her fasten it."

  Ah!

  Dong Zhaonan couldn't help but curl up his lips and smile.

  This silver note is Father's private money.

  So even grandfather has to be deceived.

  "Grandfather said displeased: 'These maidservants and old women, what are you, a grown man, doing getting mixed up in their affairs?' Then he said, 'Come with me, I have something to say to you.'"

  Father nodded and beckoned Nuan over, pointing at Duan Zhao and saying a few words in a low voice, then left with Grandfather for the Crane Longevity Hall.

  Dong Zhaoli smiled and went towards the main house.

  Tuo Niang kept staring at the purse around her waist all the way, and every time they crossed a bridge or passed through a narrow path, her face would tense up, and she would mutter to herself, "Fourth Miss, be careful, be careful," as if she wanted to hold that purse in her hands.

  Dong Zhao asked her: "Do you know what's inside?"

  The girl nodded in agreement.

  Dong Zhao pulled out a ten-tael silver note from his purse: "A reward for you!"

  "I don't want it, I don't want it." Tuo Niang's face turned pale. "Miss, please put it away quickly? If someone sees it and takes it away, I'll die a hundred times and still can't afford to compensate!" She was so anxious that she almost cried.

  Dong Zhao sighed and handed the bundle to Tuo Niang: "You help me put it away!"

  Tuo Niang responded with a sound, carefully tucked the purse into her bosom, and kept covering the place where she had put the purse all the way back to the main house.

  In the evening, Father came back into the house and asked her: "Where is your purse?"

  Dong Zhao took a small box from under the bed headboard: "It's here."

  Father burst out laughing.

  Dong Zhao took advantage of the opportunity to put the box back.

  Father called Yu Niang to come in: "There are three thousand taels of silver tickets in the room of Fourth Miss, you register on the book."

  Yu's face changed greatly, and she said anxiously: "So much silver, placed in the fourth young lady's room, is it safe?"

  "My father, being a big spender, casually said: 'It's nothing, just three thousand taels of silver.'"

  Yu's mother didn't say anything else, but Du Zhao smiled with her eyes curved.

  This silver will still come in handy!

  The next evening, Wang Yingxue's sisters-in-law arrived.

  The three sisters-in-law were locked in the house talking.

  Mrs. Gao was a serious woman and didn't mince words: "There are no outsiders here, so just say what you have to say!"

  Pang sat on the lacquered, gold-embroidered stool, leisurely sipping tea, but his almond eyes keenly scanned every detail of Wang Yinxue's furnishings.

  Pink rose-colored bedding, Jingtai blue flower-shaped pillow, cinnamon-colored velvet cushion, official green silk mosquito net, and a pair of imperial kiln's pink porcelain tea cups. Without ten thousand taels of silver, it's probably impossible to set up such a luxurious room!

  No wonder she didn't want to leave.

  Pang Yulou smiled slightly with pursed lips, and heard her younger sister choke back a sob: "If I bring Ming'erge back, will Father agree?"

  "If you think it's good, I'll make the decision for your father and agree to it." The years of hard life had transformed Gao from a woman who only knew how to obey into someone who was decisive in her actions. She said in a low voice, "If others ask, just say she's a relative's child, both parents are dead, no one is taking care of her, and I'm adopting her as my foster daughter. All the official documents will be taken care of by your older brother, you don't need to worry."

  The top priority now is to bring Wang Yingshu back.

  Wang Yingshuai did not expect things would turn out this way.

  She couldn't help but bite her lip and said: "But in that case, it's actually the adopted daughter..."

  Gao's heart was pained as if being strangled.

  Where did Wang Yingshuai, who was as pure and kind as a lily, go?

  Is a life of poverty really so terrifying?

  She is also a lady of a thousand gold, after marrying into the Wang family, she takes charge of household chores, serves her mother-in-law, takes care of her younger sister-in-law, and raises her children. Thinking of her father's teachings before she got married, "A gentleman should be content with poverty and enjoy the way, calm in advancement", she can calm down and do her own duty well.

  What about Wang Yingxue?

  When did it start changing?

  Was it when Lei Jia broke off the engagement that she started to make a living and support her family? Or was it when she pitied herself for being temporarily at fault, hiding from her conscience and speaking out for her own sake?

  Mr. Gao didn't know what to say.

  Pang's eyes rolled over as he came from a merchant family.

  She grew up listening to the sound of abacus beads, how could Wang Yingshuo not understand? Moreover, she was most annoyed by this small aunt who looked down on her birth and always compared her with Eldest Sister Gao. Therefore, some people laughed and said: "What you said makes sense. However, our family is different from the past, it's impossible to be a concubine for others. Otherwise, let Father talk to the Duan family and cancel the marriage between the two families, and make you the legitimate wife..."

  "Shut up, or you'll be the laughing stock of the Duan family." Madam Gao snapped, secretly regretting not being able to withstand her mother-in-law's words and bringing Pang Shi to the Duan residence.

  "Big sister, I don't like to hear you say that." Pang Yulou said lazily, "So it seems that you are the daughter-in-law of the Wang family, and I am not? You are from a high-ranking family, and I'm not comparable. But I married into the Wang family when they were in decline, and being poor doesn't necessarily mean I'm not worthy to be on stage."

  Gao's family, being of noble birth, met with Pang Yu Lou, who was from a humble background, giving them somewhat the feeling of a scholar meeting a soldier. Therefore, unless it was something of great principle, Gao would usually yield to Pang in several ways.

  Wang Yingxue showed a reluctance to leave the Dou family, which is a matter of principle.

  Gao's concubine said: "You're not someone who hasn't seen the world, which family would casually promote a concubine to be their legitimate wife?"

  Pang Yulou naturally knew, but didn't want to be overshadowed by the Gao family, so she muttered: "Didn't Tao Xiucan from our town promote his concubine to wife?"

  "That's because Tao Xiuzai's legitimate wife had passed away, and the concubine gave birth to his only son. The brothers of Tao Xiuzai's wife wrote a letter of consent, acknowledging the concubine as their sister," Madam Gao said with a hint of displeasure in her eyes, "Can they be considered the same?"

  "Isn't it just a son?" Pang Yulou winked at Wang Yingshuang.

  Wang Yingshu's face turned red and white in an instant.

  Pang Yulou looked at her with some suspicion and said in a low voice, "What's going on? Ming' sister is already over a year old, and she's still being taken care of by the wet nurse. Is there no movement from you yet?"

  "What's Second Aunt Hu saying?" Wang Yingshuang's face was somewhat discomfited, and she said, "Seventh Master said that we have to guard Zhao Guqiu for three years."

  "Ah!" Pang Yulou opened his mouth wide, staring at Wang Yingsnow's slightly raised corners of her mouth, but in the end, he didn't say anything.

  Gao sighed inwardly.

  Such a good person, but met at the wrong time.

  ※

  Went out today to get a mobile internet card, set up timed posting, but then friends sent me messages asking why I hadn't posted yet, so rushed back...

  ※