Invitation

Xiao Ge was satisfied, a smile spreading across his face, "Good son. Alright, I'll have someone deliver the deed and the gold to you in a bit."

"Thank you, Father Emperor." Xiao Lingyan bowed and Gao Xing withdrew.

He studied industrial design in modern times and wanted to use his expertise to design and improve some things that could be used in this era for the war two years later, such as vehicles, catapults, crossbows, and even firearms.

Although catapults and crossbows were under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War, that place was too sensitive. Rather than alerting others and making a hasty decision, it was better to secretly develop them within the Ministry of Works.

There were blacksmiths, carpenters, and all sorts of craftsmen there. He would go to different places to make one or two parts, and people would just think he was young and just fooling around. Later, he would find a secluded place to assemble them, and it would become a powerful weapon.

Therefore, his initial goal was to join the Ministry of Works, not the Ministry of War, and certainly not the Ministry of Revenue.

He deliberately feigned an attack, just to get some benefits. He had lost money today, but after giving Xu Xi a shop, he made up for it in less than two hours, and he couldn't be happier.

Xu Xi was unaware that her fellow villager had already begun making plans. Shortly after parting ways with Xiao Lingyan at Gathered Treasures Studio, she alighted from her carriage in front of the Xu Family mansion.

In the courtyard, Xu Yongyi specially canceled the supply of various stalls in preparation for today's banquet. He got up early to prepare the cold dishes needed by the major restaurants, took a bath, and changed into a new silk long gown that Xu Xue had ordered for him from the embroidery shop.

"These clothes are nice, these clothes are nice." Seeing that her husband, son, and daughter had all changed into new clothes and looked completely refreshed, Madam Xie couldn't help but nod and praise them repeatedly.

"Xiaoxue has good taste." Xu Yongyi looked at his daughter with eyes full of relief and joy.

Fortunately, he listened to Xiaoxi's advice and let Xiaoxue go with her to take the entrance exam for the Women's Academy.

His daughter studied at the Women's Academy, where the teachers and classmates she encountered were all from wealthier families and of higher social status than his.

There, Xu Xue not only learned a lot and wrote storybooks that could sell for money, but her whole demeanor changed. She was no longer the timid and self-conscious village girl she used to be. Her confidence and vision broadened considerably.

For example, this time, when she accompanied them to the embroidery shop, she no longer shrank behind her mother as if she were afraid of being eaten up, but calmly stated her requirements, then considered and decided to choose the fabric, color and style that she thought were most suitable for them.

Later, she accompanied her mother to Gathered Treasures Studio to buy jewelry. Her wife said that she seemed to see Xiaoxi's shadow in her daughter. She was generous and confident and could talk fluently with the shopkeeper there.

"Of course! The jewelry Xiaoxue picked out for me is beautiful and inexpensive," Madam Xie said with a smile.

Shopkeeper Wang of Gathered Treasures Studio was very generous. Xu Xue often went to the jewelry store with Zhao Ruxi, so the jewelry sold to them was heavily discounted, almost at cost price.

Although Madam Xie still had to supervise the people picking and washing vegetables every day, she didn't have to work in the fields, exposed to the sun and rain, and her skin became much fairer. She also used some kind of cream that Zhao Ruxi gave her, and her skin became smoother and less rough than before.

Now, after dressing her in the new clothes, Xiaoxue styled her hair into a bun and put on jewelry, making her look ten years younger.

Xu Yongyi's gaze lingered on his wife's face, his eyes filled with tenderness.

He said, "Now that we have so much income every day, my wife, you shouldn't be so frugal. You should go with Xiaoxue to buy more clothes and jewelry. If others can have it, you can have it too. You've suffered with me for so many years, now that life is better, you should eat and dress as you please, don't be stingy."

Madam Xie chided, "You make it sound so easy for you. Money is hard-earned, but you spend it so easily. I work in the workshop all day, why would I need to dress so nicely? This new outfit is enough for when I go out to visit guests. But Chongwen and Xiaoxue, who are studying at school, need more new outfits, lest they be looked down upon."

Xu Yongyi glanced at his two children and nodded, "That's true. But I can still afford to buy you some new clothes."

"Mother, don't be stingy. I'm earning money too. The shopkeeper paid six taels of silver for the stories I write, but my sister, for my own good, signed a long-term contract, so I'll start receiving my share of the money soon. I can earn even more money writing stories in the future. I can manage my own life, so you don't need to save money for me."

Speaking of this, Xu Yongyi and the Madam Xie family were filled with pride.

When they saw Xiaoxi urging Xiaoxue to work on some kind of storybook, they assumed it was just a little girl's game. After all, writing and drawing were considered refined and elegant things, so they didn't interfere. They certainly didn't expect Xiaoxue to write a storybook that could sell for money.

Even so many scholars can't do this. Take Xu Chongwen's private tutor, for example; he can't write storybooks that sell for money. Otherwise, wouldn't spending half a month writing a storybook and earning a few taels of silver be better than working himself to death teaching these kids to read?

Unexpectedly, Xiaoxue not only wrote the storybook, but also actually sold it for money.

When they heard it, they could hardly believe their ears.

Hearing Xu Xue's words, Xu Chongwen felt the most complicated emotions.

He's the one in the family who spends the most money but doesn't earn any. He's almost sixteen this year, and according to his mother, he's about to get married, but he doesn't earn a single penny and still spends so much of the family's money on his education. He feels ashamed and frustrated.

Xu Xue followed the method her sister had taught her, carefully observing everyone.

She was a bright child, and after doing this for a while, she discovered that if a person wasn't intentionally hiding their emotions, she could guess what they were thinking just by looking at their expression.

Although Xu Chongwen tried his best to control his emotions, Xu Xue still saw through his thoughts at a glance.

"Brother, sister said your task now is to study hard and strive for official rank. Although our family is wealthy now, didn't you hear what Father said? Not long ago, someone tried to take advantage of our business, wanting to buy our family's recipes at a low price. If Father hadn't revealed to them that I was studying at the Women's Academy and had connections with the Earl of Suiping's Residence, who knows what underhanded tricks that person would have used."

"If you pass the imperial examinations and become a scholar, a provincial graduate, or even a high-ranking official, would those people dare to covet our family? That's why our family's greatest hope rests on you. That's why my sister went to great lengths to send you to the Zhao Family Clan School. It's better to rely on yourself than on others. How long can we rely on the Earl of Suiping's Residence? Our family can only rely on ourselves."