Inside the Treasure Pavilion, Miss Player stared at the three options, her little face slowly scrunching into a frown.
Options A and B—Sun Wanhang, the shipping magnate, and the court musician from the Bureau of Entertainment—were both people she had encountered in her previous run. One could be called a half-acquaintance, the other a familiar figure.
The task requirement was clear: choose a target and obtain ten thousand gold.
In the empire, the exchange rate between silver and copper coins was 1:1000. Ten thousand taels of silver weighed roughly 312,500 grams—enough to fill a medium wooden chest used by an ordinary household for storage. If converted into copper coins, it would require more than three thousand such chests.
In short, it was an enormous sum.
If one judged purely by wealth, Miss Player should have chosen A without hesitation. Sun Wanhang truly possessed ten thousand taels of silver. In an upper-tier county like this, such wealth placed him among the very richest households.
By comparison, Madam Qian’s assets were far too modest.
Her main wealth lay in her dowry: one thousand taels of silver in cash, along with gold jewelry and full sets of ornaments worth roughly another three hundred taels. She owned one cloth shop—Qian Embroidery—spanning two floors, valued at about eight hundred taels. In addition, she had eight hundred mu of mid-grade farmland, rented out for only a few dozen taels of silver per year—negligible income, but worth about eight hundred taels in capital.
In total: two thousand nine hundred taels.
For a dowry, this was already considered substantial. Miss Player’s maternal grandfather, Qian Dayou, had been exceedingly generous. To secure a promising son-in-law, he had spared no expense.
When Qian Yuanyuan married Jiang Yan, he had only been a provincial graduate. Within a few years, he became the second-ranking official in the county. Despite facing suppression, he worked diligently. In the future, with his relentless ambition, he would rise from a county official to a position within a prefectural administration. Given his background, this was already the peak of his career.
Qian Dayou’s foresight and judgment had been exceptional.
Yet the two thousand nine hundred taels of dowry were not truly Qian Yuanyuan’s private wealth—it was an investment from father-in-law to son-in-law.
From provincial graduate to county official, every step required money. By now, most of that sum had likely been converted into fixed assets—land and the shop.
The Jiang family’s additional expenses were sustained entirely by their yields.
Jiang Yan’s salary alone was far from enough to support such a large household.
Miss Player had managed the household in her previous run. She knew the family’s assets and income clearly.
If she had been ten years old, she would not hesitate—she would choose A, Sun Wanhang.
But she was only three years and eight months old. She could not even go out alone, let alone approach Sun Wanhang. Completing the task through him was impossible.
As for option B—the court musician—this woman was a master of the zither and had been one of Miss Player’s teachers in her previous run. It would be easy to create opportunities to meet her.
But as an official courtesan, she was forbidden by law from owning private property. How could she possibly give ten thousand taels of silver?
Miss Player had only one choice.
C.
Qian Yuanyuan was balanced in all attributes. Choosing her offered the highest probability of success.
The moment the selection was made, the task panel changed. A familiar progress bar appeared, currently at 0%.
Now, it was time for a simple test.
Miss Wang leaned against Qian Yuanyuan, wiping her tears behind the screen. Outside the screen, the two maidservants standing at the door could neither see clearly nor hear the deliberately lowered voices.
Miss Player climbed down from the rosewood chair and began wandering around the room.
Once she started moving, even Miss Wang’s speech slowed unconsciously, her attention drifting toward the child.
Everyone else’s gaze followed her as well.
Aside from a table, chairs, and a floral screen, the room was filled with jewelry display cabinets.
When she pointed at one compartment and said, “I want that,” the two maidservants immediately entered. One opened the compartment, while the other presented the jeweled necklace within to Miss Player.
They did not treat her lightly simply because she was a child.
Miss Player moved back to Madam Qian’s side and climbed onto the chair.
Madam Qian glanced at the necklace, surprised. “This one still hasn’t been sold?”
The maidservant recalled briefly and answered, “The necklace you purchased seven years ago was originally part of a pair with this one. Both pieces are crafted with the highest skill—still fashionable even today. Most precious of all is the pair of purple jade pendants, cut from the same stone, with fine texture and deep color.”
“You purchased one at a high price—truly remarkable insight. Our shopkeeper parted with it reluctantly. Having lost one treasure, he refuses to sell the remaining piece and keeps it as the store’s prized exhibit, only for display.”
Madam Qian smiled faintly.
The words were pleasant to hear, flattering—but she did not believe a single word about its supposed priceless value.
Anything displayed in a shop had a price. If it remained unsold, it simply meant the price was too high.
Miss Player pointed at the necklace. “Mother, I want this. Buy it.”
Madam Qian: “…”
The maidservant said with a smile, “Other customers would never be able to purchase it, but Madam Jiang is different. You already own its pair. If they can be reunited, it would be a wonderful thing.”
Madam Qian waved her hand. “A child’s whim. No need to take it seriously.”
Miss Player widened her eyes in disbelief. “You buy things for Jiang Jingxing, but not for me?”
Madam Qian: “…”
Ancestor, do you even know how much that costs?
Taking a deep breath, she corrected, “Youyou, I’ve told you many times—you cannot call your brother by his name directly.”
“Isn’t a name meant to be called?”
Madam Qian: “…”
“In any case, for fairness, you have to buy me this necklace…”
Miss Player’s voice gradually trailed off.
Outside the window, a silver glow flared. A pair of silver exclamation marks flickered, moving closer.
Two SR characters had appeared in Cuixi County at the same time.
This was a development she had never encountered in her previous run.
Without hesitation, Miss Player jumped down from the chair and ran downstairs.
“Careful!”
Miss Wang turned pale in fright.
Madam Qian, knowing her daughter was far more agile than she appeared, was not worried about her falling. She followed a few steps and called out, “Where are you going?”
A crisp voice came from below.
“Across the street.”
Madam Qian stood by the window, glanced down briefly, then returned to her seat.
Miss Wang pulled at her sleeve. “The necklace is priced at seventy taels…”
The price was actually lower than the one she had previously purchased, but Madam Qian still shook her head. “I won’t buy it. Have them bring out what you’ve chosen. I’ll take a look.”
“…Alright.”
By rights, she should not press further. But after hesitating, Miss Wang could not help asking, “If you don’t buy it… will Youyou be upset?”
The two maidservants exchanged a glance. One gritted her teeth and said, “We shouldn’t let Miss be upset. The price can still be negotiated.”
Madam Qian: “…”
The moment Miss Player stepped out of the Treasure Pavilion, a veiled hat was placed on her head.
Taozi stood beside her, adjusting the gauze. Two Yamen Runners followed several paces behind.
She had already seen the two SR characters clearly and was no longer in a hurry.
They were an old beggar and a young beggar, crouching beneath the wall across the street.
The young beggar had his eyes closed, as if in meditation, his lips moving silently in recitation.
The old beggar’s eyes swept over passersby like searchlights in the night.
Miss Player stood beneath a tree, observing them quietly.
Before the two could act, a man in his twenties wearing a long robe stepped out from the doorway and moved to drive them away.
Miss Player recognized him.
The shop across from the Treasure Pavilion was called Hexing Brokerage. This man was a broker.
A brokerage was equivalent to a modern intermediary firm, and those who worked there were brokers.
The empire required brokers to be officially registered and prohibited independent operation.
Cuixi County had many types of brokerages—grain, cloth, salt, shipping, medicine—even temporary market stalls in villages.
This particular one dealt in the buying and selling of people.
The old beggar said something to the broker. Instead of driving them away, the broker returned inside and brought out a sheet of paper, spreading it before them.
Four words were written on it:
Selling oneself.
Miss Player stepped closer, just in time to hear the young beggar open his eyes and say,
“If you shout to attract attention, you violate the rule that others must come to us of their own accord. The wager will be void.”
The old beggar shut his mouth, showing no disappointment. The fact that the paper was allowed was already a concession.
A passerby approached, intrigued.
“What price are you selling for?”
The old beggar replied, “No gold, no silver—not even a single copper coin. If you can answer my son’s two questions, I will sign a life contract and serve you like an ox or a horse for the rest of my days.”
The passerby squatted down, curious. “Let’s hear it.”
The young beggar studied him briefly and posed the question:
“In a cage, there are chickens and rabbits. Counting heads, there are thirty. Counting legs, there are eighty-eight. Each chicken has two legs, each rabbit four. How many chickens and rabbits are there?”
The passerby: “…”
What chickens, what rabbits—this is dizzying.
The young beggar clasped his hands. “A monk does not speak falsehoods. Did you notice—you asked for our price, but the old beggar replied about answering questions and signing a life contract?”
The passerby stared at the old man, then quickly backed away.
“You’re trying to trick a fool into taking care of you in old age, aren’t you? Bah!”
The old beggar glared at the fleeing man, then turned to the young beggar angrily.
“I’m old and sick—I might die any day. Can’t you show some pity and fulfill my wish?”
The young beggar said seriously, “On the battlefield, there are no brothers. In a wager, there are no fathers and sons. Playing the victim is useless.”
The old beggar… lifted his head and snapped at Miss Player, who stood blocking the light.
“Little girl, go play somewhere else!”
She did not move.
He turned to Taozi instead. “You, maid—can’t you see how filthy and foul we are? Why aren’t you taking your young mistress away? Waiting to be scolded?”
Taozi stood still, making no move to comply.
The old beggar let out a surprised “Hm.”
Amid his uncertainty, Miss Player tilted her head beneath the veil and said to the young beggar,
“I want to answer.”
The young beggar remained calm, his expression unmoved. He pointed ahead.
“There is a hungry beggar there. He has just received a steamed bun, still in his bowl. Without coercion or bribery, if you can make him give you the bun to eat, you pass the first question.”
Miss Player’s voice was light.
“Alright.”
It was not an easy task, and he had not gone easy on her.
The young beggar asked patiently, “Little sister, did you understand what I said?”
Miss Player did not answer.
She walked straight toward the real beggar.