What Luck Could This Shabby Courtyard Possibly Have?

Old Madam Zhou sighed and said:

Why are you so angry, child?

We just wanted to borrow it for a bit! 2000 taels is too much, how about 100 taels?

Zhou Wanwan said with a half-smile, "100 taels? You think you can give that to a beggar? No way."

Old Madam Zhou said, "Alright, then 2000 taels it is."

She was somewhat reluctant, but she took it out anyway.

She turned and went back to the side courtyard. Qian Huihui frowned and said, "Mother, 2,000 taels of silver, isn't that too much? It's enough for us to buy a small courtyard."

Old Madam Zhou snorted coldly:

"What do you know? As long as we borrow her main house, it's the same as borrowing her luck."

2000 taels of silver is indeed a lot, but so what?

Zhou Wanwan has always been lucky, and besides, by paying this money, I've essentially bought the house.

They want me to move? No way!

Zhou Wanwan's lips twitched. This person really had a lot of nerve.

So that's what they were planning.

Zhou Wanwan said helplessly:

"What good is there in this dilapidated courtyard?"

But once they enter my yard, everything there is mine.

Is that right?

Old Madam Zhou only wanted Zhou Wanwan's house; Zhou Wanwan wanted the dowry.

Old Madam Zhou really couldn't come up with any dowry, so it was eventually bestowed upon her by the palace.

He gave 28 cars as a betrothal gift.

Old Madam Zhou brought the betrothal gifts to the Yu Family. Madam Yu made a veiled insult, saying, "You poor, destitute family! 28 taels of silver for betrothal gifts? How pathetic! Who do you think you are?"

Old Madam Zhou retorted, "Twenty-eight taels of betrothal gifts—those were all bestowed by the Empress Dowager! Where's the modesty in that?"

"Is your family really so poor that you can't even afford a proper betrothal gift? Do you really need the palace to send you one? How disgusting!"

Old Madam Zhou snorted coldly and said:

"You think your daughter is so special?"

"I never intended to have your daughter; it was your family who insisted on giving her to us."

Madam Yu was so angry she almost had a heart attack; she had truly become the laughingstock of the entire capital.

The eldest daughter sent eighteen sets of betrothal gifts. When she opened them, she almost fainted.

The betrothal gifts were all tattered cotton wadding and worn-out clothes.

The second daughter was carried directly into the Crown Prince's residence.

The dowry for the third daughter, amounting to 28 taels, was all raised from the imperial palace.

Zhou Wanwan was overjoyed; the Empress Dowager had really shot herself in the foot.

The Empress Dowager was furious after hearing this:

I'm not at the point of being old and blind yet.

What exactly happened with that imperial edict? How could I possibly issue such an edict?

The female official beside her advised:

"Empress Dowager, everyone has seen your imperial edict, and it is indeed your handwriting."

I think it's best not to say anything right now.

This female official is Zhou Wanwan's person!

She naturally sided with her master.

The Empress Dowager was speechless, and the wedding day soon arrived.

When all three daughters got married, many onlookers still came from the capital. After all, the Yu Family was the Empress Dowager's maternal family, so they had to be given face.

Zhou Wanwan naturally received the post as well, and as soon as she received it, Old Madam Zhou started causing trouble.

Old Madam Zhou looked at Liu Su'e and Zhou Fusheng and said, "Your family is the richest. How much money are you planning to contribute this time?"

Zhou Fusheng said, "We've already done this once before; last time I bet several hundred taels."

Old Madam Zhou frowned and said, "What does this mean? Just tell me, how much are you planning to pay?"

Zhou Wanwan said from the side:

"Aren't our two families no longer related now?"

"We've severed ties. Besides, didn't we already give them the main courtyard? What more do they want?"

Old Madam Zhou looked at him and said, "Shut up. Do you even have a place to speak here?"

Zhou Wanwan pouted, and Liu Su'e and Zhou Fusheng beside her remained silent.

Are you all mute? Give me at least some guidelines!

"I won't say much, but as your fourth uncle and aunt, giving 5,000 taels of silver isn't excessive, is it?" Old Madam Zhou said matter-of-factly.

Zhou Fusheng looked at her and said:

"Ah? How much silver? 5000 taels of silver?"

I don't even have five taels of silver on me, this is going to kill me!"

Old Madam Zhou said angrily:

"Don't pretend in front of me. Do you think I don't know whether you have money or not?"

"I'll feed you vegetables and tofu every day. I refuse to believe your family is that poor now."

Honestly, Old Madam Zhou and her family have had a tough time here.

Previously, we ate large amounts of meat, fish, and seafood every day.

But in order to share the joys and sorrows with Old Madam Zhou's family, their family now only has green vegetables, tofu, cabbage, and radishes every day.

After finishing their meal, they retreated to their rooms and had another large meal.

Old Madam Zhou was so hungry every day that she felt dizzy, but there was nothing she could do about it, since the eldest princess also ate these things.

Zhou Fusheng sighed and said, "Business has been bad lately. My daughter's takeout business hasn't been booming for a while, so naturally we don't have money to eat well."

Hearing this, Old Madam Zhou said happily, "Serves you right! Who told you to always eat alone?"

Zhou Fusheng said earnestly, "So my family really doesn't have much money. How much will my eldest and second brothers contribute?"

Old Madam Zhou looked at him and said:

"With your excellent circumstances and so many houses, how can your older brothers compare?"

I heard that your family not only owns houses, but also shops and estates.

How about this? If you really don't want to spend money, then you can provide a shop or estate.

Let's take 10 shops and 10 estates.

Zhou Fusheng was furious. Ten shops and ten estates! That was outrageous!

He waved his hand and said:

"It's not that I'm unwilling to contribute, but the shops and estates in my family don't belong to me; they belong to my children."

Su'e and I have nothing; we just freeload.

Old Madam Zhou roared, "Nonsense! Talking nonsense! You're just spouting gibberish. You two clearly have the money, you just don't want to spend it."

Zhou Fusheng sighed and said:

"The whole capital knows I'm a peasant, and I really am a peasant."

"I spend all day at home reading books. How can someone who farms get money?"

Liu Su'e nodded and said:

"I'm in the same boat. I stay home every day embroidering and doing needlework. Where would I get the money?"

Besides, my family's money didn't grow on trees.

To put it bluntly, all they want is money.

Zhou Fusheng simply admitted that he was incompetent and that he had been quite foolish in the past, always trying to show off.

But now he realizes that these aren't his biological parents at all. Even if he poured his heart out to them, they wouldn't care!

The eldest princess said:

"That's right! We're all living off our grandchildren now, where would we get the money?"

As elderly people, we should think more about our own children, don't you think?

Old Madam Zhou looked at the Princess with a forced smile and said, "Logically speaking, Zhou Fuyu is your own son, so Zhou Qingzhou is your own grandson. Shouldn't the Princess do her best?"

The eldest princess took a sip of tea and said:

"Yes, I do care about them, and I hope that they will be together forever and grow old together."

But I really don't have anything good on hand. Didn't I give all my shops and fertile land to Jing'an and Ningyuan?

My money is all gone. I'm just a princess in name only; I have nothing to show for it.

It's tough on the two children.