Gui Shi carried the lamp and left.
Ye Man sat on the pile of firewood, wanting to eat noodles.
In the Front Area, Little Gui Shi stepped out of the door, was hit by the cold wind, and saw that her sister had not come out.
Little Gui Shi called out, "What are you doing?"
Gui Shi took out two mooncakes for her, "Eat a little more, wait for me here."
Little Gui Shi was a little excited; it was rare for her sister to be so generous, but she spoke plainly, "It's cold outside."
Gui Shi frowned, "You wait here!"
Little Gui Shi saw that her sister was about to scheme again and didn't want her to know.
However, Little Gui Shi thought about it and sneered. What else could she scheme about besides Silver?
Little Gui Shi was not that kind of person! For example, when she was young, she didn't try to get close to her brother-in-law even when she saw him. Her daughter was also the most well-behaved.
If it weren't for her own sister, and if she only had one son, Little Gui Shi wouldn't bother waiting here in the cold wind.
She even knew of several women who had tried to climb into her brother-in-law's bed. If they had succeeded, so be it.
Especially since her sister hadn't had a child for ten years, and finally gave birth to Tan Xianglin.
If Little Gui Shi had come over many years earlier, there wouldn't have been any issues. If she had given birth to a son then, what say would her sister and that widow have?
Inside the room, the light was dim, with clanking sounds.
Little Gui Shi ate while sneering, it tasted quite good.
Her sister wasn't poor, just stingy; she begrudged lighting an extra lamp, wishing the wick could be thinner than hair.
It was fine when she was usually busy working, but when she was anxious and couldn't see clearly, she would bump into something.
Little Gui Shi heard footsteps going toward the back; what else didn't she understand? However, it seemed her brother-in-law didn't enter the Kitchen, saying something about avoiding the Kitchen?
If he avoided the Kitchen, what would he eat?
Wouldn't he just be avoiding her sister and going to the widow?
However, her sister didn't give birth before, but then she had a Lin'er, which was a big deal.
Especially since he entered school last year, her sister thought she was better than everyone else. No one was good enough for her.
Little Gui Shi listened to her sister fussing, and finally, Gui Shi returned carrying the lamp. She had eaten the mooncakes but was still shivering from the cold.
When she was usually working non-stop, she didn't feel it; it wasn't that she had a life of toil, anyone would feel this way if they stopped.
On Gui Shi's face, her anger hadn't subsided; instead, it grew stronger.
She looked at her sister with resentment; she knew exactly what her sister was thinking—wasn't she just watching her make a fool of herself?
Hmph! What was there for her to laugh at? She only cared about her Lin'er!
Men were all unreliable!
Her Lin'er was different; even if others gave birth to his biological younger brother, no one could surpass her as his Birth Mother.
Gui Shi was angry now; there was at least Five Hundred Liang of Silver outside, and she didn't know how much Tan Wo had earned and given to that widow.
She was going to see!
Nothing else mattered, but she couldn't lose a single bit of Silver!
If that widow had the ability, she could keep a Man!
Little Gui Shi entered the room and saw that her sister was dressed up, even wearing a Gold Hairpin on her head.
Little Gui Shi didn't even have a Silver Hairpin. Her sister's silver-gilt Phoenix Hairpin was large, showing the demeanor of a Family Head's wife, worth at least ten taels of silver!
So, her sister wasn't poor; she had quite a few pieces of jewelry like this.
She was wearing gold bracelets on her hands; even if they weren't heavy, they were still gold!
Little Gui Shi looked at the half-worn apron in her sister's hand, and her face darkened!
Gui Shi didn't feel anything was wrong and casually tossed it to her sister, speaking very generously, "It's yours."
Little Gui Shi jumped up in anger! She saw her sister wearing a green silk Cloak herself, while she was worse off than a Maidservant, and shouted angrily, "You're giving me this?"
Gui Shi, wearing a gold-inlaid gemstone ring on her hand, calmly adjusted herself, her imposing aura reaching its peak, then looked at her sister as if she were dust, "What, you don't need it?"
Little Gui Shi was truly furious, "I'm not going."
She took the apron and turned to go home; she still had a lot to do there.
Besides, she had just come to deliver a message; as for her sister and brother-in-law's affairs, even that widow was part of the Tan Family's business.
What benefit was there for others to interfere? Did Little Gui Shi expect any favors from her sister?
Gui Shi was almost exploding with anger, "Fine, you go back!"
Little Gui Shi walked into the darkness; although other houses had lights, few were as wealthy as her sister's, and their lights were unlikely to be very bright.
However, there were a few idle men who came out after eating to wander around.
Gui Shi's tone was sinister, colder than the night wind.
Little Gui Shi was startled; she hoped her sister wouldn't take out her frustrations on others after being slighted by her brother-in-law.
Little Gui Shi's scalp tingled as she tied the apron while looking around cautiously.
Gui Shi had to give her a way out, so she went inside and took out a Silver Hairpin.
Little Gui Shi looked at the thin Silver Hairpin; it was worse than a piece of firewood. She weighed it in her hand—did it weigh two qian?
It wasn't worth even one tael of silver; the ones sold in shops were only worth three to five qian of silver.
Gui Shi saw her pocket it, "Why aren't you wearing it?"
Little Gui Shi was quite calm, "I'm afraid I'll lose it at night." It was Silver after all, so she quickly and cleanly changed the subject, "What does Sister plan to do?"
Gui Shi handed her the lantern, adopting the manner of a Family Head's wife.
Little Gui Shi took the lantern and then offered advice to her sister, "If you ask me, you should bring him back. It is only right for a concubine to serve the main wife. That child is also your son; you can teach him however you want. Make him herd cattle or farm. And Brother-in-law won't need to spend his Silver outside."
Gui Shi nodded; this idea was correct!
He should be kept right under her nose! How could they be allowed to run wild outside?
Moreover, as the main wife, she had the Lin'er; who would dare oppose her?
Even if they bought Ye Cao of the Rong Family, one more person wouldn't be too many; they could raise more chickens to sell Eggs.
Behind the house, on the pile of firewood.
Old Ancestor Yeman came down into the Kitchen as soon as she saw the Gui sisters walk away.
The door was open, letting in a little light.
Underneath the cupboard, there were several jars.
Ye Man moved one of the jars aside.
It was estimated that no one would think this was where Gui Shi kept her Silver.
She took out a small box, opened it, and the Silver inside was glowing.
They were all small ingots of five taels; sixty in total, Three Hundred Taels of Silver.
The Tan Family had over a hundred mu of land, worth about One Thousand Taels of Silver; they had about Five Hundred taels out in Money Lending. In total, their Family Fortune was about Two Thousand taels.
The Tan Family's greatest wealth was Tan Xianglin; Three Hundred taels of silver was a small matter.
Ye Man put the Silver into her Spatial Dimension, placed the jar back, closed the Kitchen door, and vanished.
She flashed to the side of a large residence and saw someone holding a lantern searching for someone.
This was the only Old Juren in Longshan Township, a Three-courtyard complex whose Foundation was evident.
A villager holding a lantern spoke to a servant at the door, "The child is still young; what can he do away from home?"
The servant replied with perfunctory words.
The villager pleaded, "If you see him, please let us know."
The servant closed the door and went to the Main Courtyard.
The Three Main Rooms had bright lights inside, and lanterns hung under the eaves, giving it an imposing air.
It was getting late, but the Old Juren had not yet rested.
His Descendants were accompanying him.
Hearing the servant's report, one Grandson said, "The Tan Family is in for a spectacle this time."
The Old Juren was nearly seventy, with a thin, refined face and a long Hu Zi, speaking slowly, "Tan Jiwen merely entered school..."
The Grandson quickly interjected, "I thought he had achieved the top rank in the imperial examination."
The Old Juren shook his head, "Even Enfeoffment as Marquis and achieving high office is no more than this."
A Young Lady suddenly became excited, "Can Young Master Tan achieve Enfeoffment as Marquis?"
The Old Juren looked at his Granddaughter, helpless yet stern, "Tan Jiwen's ambition is too high; he is not a good match. Don't think about him in the future!"