As Gu Jin said, Eldest Brother Gu Yantao was indeed probing.

  Although he wanted that batch of gold very much, he didn't dare to take action rashly either.

  The three houses were worried about the Song family.

  Lao San is a weak and obedient person, naturally following Gu Yan's orders; Lao San's daughter, although she has the ability to save the Empress Dowager in the palace, is a quiet and gentle person, young and thin-faced, how dare she disobey her elders?

  Just Song Shi, a shrew from the countryside, the most difficult to deal with.

  At that time, Lao San was just a concubine who had opened up branches and scattered leaves, but she didn't care about her face and even risked being divorced due to jealousy, forcing Lao San to get rid of the mother and son.

  She's a reckless woman who would stop at nothing and sacrifice everything for her own satisfaction, including her reputation and dignity.

  If she didn't want to, it would definitely be quarreled out. If it reached the ears of the Emperor and Empress Dowager, Guo Yanwang was afraid that he would offend the Empress Dowager.

  The emperor was also a filial person.

  His future prospects will be hindered.

  At this critical moment, the empress dowager was someone who couldn't be provoked. The empress dowager's illness had just been cured thanks to Gu Jin'er, and now Gu Jin'er was even more revered by her than a Bodhisattva.

  Gu Yan thought that this jade was unwilling to collide with the tile of the Song family, so he returned to the inner courtyard and discussed it with his wife.

  The madam listened and immediately shook her head: "No, no! Song Shi is clever in every way, she doesn't even calculate others, how can she let others calculate for her? You saw that day, she splashed a cup of hot tea on Ye Shi of the second house. Do you want to be splashed too? If this gets out, how will you walk in the imperial court in the future? She's not like the women in our mansion, gentle and virtuous."

  Gu Yanwu didn't know?

  Although he is now a close minister and the most favored by the emperor, his power in the court is still very thin. He dare not offend the emperor.

  "Our family's estate and shops, in a year, the profit is only around 20-30 thousand taels of silver, not even enough for me to spend on one thing!" Gu Yanwu said. "If it weren't for Master insisting on closing down the medicine shop, just the internal use of medicine alone would be tens of millions of taels in profit every year, and we wouldn't know how to spend it all! How could we be so strapped?"

  It added another layer of hatred towards Lao Ye Zi.

  The old man himself was unwilling to take care of them as his own sons, and instead often caused trouble for them.

  If it were that pharmacy...

  Gu Yanwu felt heartache and mouth pain when he thought of this.

  He paused for a moment, then said: "Without money to grease the wheels, who would be willing to work for me? Our family doesn't have any lucrative business. That's 500 kilograms of gold! Give me 100 kilograms. That's enough for me to get started and use as capital. In ten years, I'll earn more than that.

  "If Miss Song really disagrees, then tell her so."

  The madam shook her head directly.

  She said: "Song's family is strong, but not as foolishly strong as Ye's family in the second house! She is clever! Now that Ji Niang has cured the Empress Dowager and was conferred as Luoyang Princess, their family's prestige is at its peak, would she be afraid of you?

  She has no backing at all. She also dares to make a big fuss in the heavenly palace, let alone now that she has these things? In my opinion, it's better not to provoke her, and send this Buddha away early."

  Gu Yan Tao snorted, saying: "You also overestimate her! She's from a rural area, what insight can she have? You just intimidate her and she'll yield to everything. Your courage is getting smaller and smaller, I still hoped you'd be a virtuous helper..."

  The big lady's temper is neither here nor there, and her smile is also not quite right.

  “…Don't you believe me? It won't take half an hour. Third Brother will go back and tell her, and Song Shi will definitely come to our door. Do you believe it? When the time comes, I'll talk to her, and you can listen from inside the room. You look down on women too much.” The old lady retorted.

  Gu Yanwu naturally did not believe it.

  Is Dafang now the master of the house? Isn't Songshi afraid of even the household rules?

  Just then, Yatou Baozhu came in and said: "Master, madam. The third madam has brought the seventh young lady to pay her respects to you both."

  Gu Yanwu glanced at Madame Wang.

  The madam smiled slightly and pursed her lips.

  Gu Yanwu naturally wouldn't lower himself to speak directly with Song Taner, so he got up and entered the inner chamber.

  Madam Zhao adjusted her collar and sat up straight, allowing Baozhu to invite Song Danfeng and her daughter in.

  The eastern room hung thick curtains to keep out the cold, burned a bronze tripod, and warm air flowed freely. The floor was covered with a heated kang, making it as warm as spring. A narcissus flower swayed gently in the warmth.

  Gu Jinzi supported his mother with her arm and smiled as they entered to pay their respects to Madame.

  The madam smiled and asked the mother and daughter to sit down.

  The maid brought tea.

  The madam smiled and said, "You're pregnant, the first three months are when the fetus is unstable, outside the snow has melted and it's slippery, what's so important that you had to come yourself instead of sending a servant?"

  Song Pan'er's face didn't look very good, and the madam had already guessed her intention.

  She had been a sister-in-law for seven or eight years, and the big madam was also good at identifying people. She had long since figured out Song Wan'er's temperament.

  Song Pan'er forced a smile and said straightforwardly, "Elder sister-in-law, Third Master said that the gold awarded to Rong Jie by the Emperor has been retrieved. It's said that the accountant is busy and hasn't entered it into the account yet."

  I thought so too, in two days it will be Qing Ge's good day, you are busy here, how can we trouble you again? San Ye is also confused, should have taken him back to the house directly.

  "I'll tell Sister-in-law, those gold pieces I brought over, the steward will come to collect them later, first take them back to our courtyard, and then deposit them in the money house when it's convenient, so as not to trouble Sister-in-law."

  She didn't hesitate at all and pulled Jinzi back into the yard.

  The lady knew that the old master was listening in the inner chamber, and if she didn't insist on it, the old master would turn around and blame her for being afraid of Song Duan'er, saying that she wasn't virtuous enough.

  She smiled and said, "Your yard is small in size. The gold and silver warehouses at home are all well-arranged, why put them in a money house? Wan'er, don't you trust your brother and sister-in-law?"

  Song Pan'er's fingers clenched into fists, almost shouting out loud.

  The elder sister-in-law was originally a straightforward and generous person.

  It's just a few years, how did you become like your uncle? The good son from before can't be seen anymore!

  She Song Paner certainly didn't trust them. It's money, why should it be entrusted to you?

  "Great Aunt!" The silent Gu Jinzhi suddenly spoke up, saying, "At home we have gold and silver mountains, we don't lack this kind of money. We're also afraid that if we give it to the accountants in the warehouse, they'll curse us behind our backs for being meddlesome."

  Moreover, this money is a reward for the emperor's kindness. Entrusting it to others, the emperor would only fear that in his heart he would blame us for treating the sacred grace lightly, and would certainly not dare to take advantage of it greatly, pushing all the reasons onto Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law."

  She spoke as if she were considering the interests of the first wife, and then brought up the emperor to intimidate others.

  The madam was slightly surprised: It's hard to believe that the third master, who is so introverted and stubborn, and Song Shi, who is so outspoken and domineering, would have a daughter as clever and eloquent as this.

  Few words, but every word counts.

  The madam took another look inside the room.

  Since there was no movement inside the room, she smiled and said to Song Xiang'er: "The emperor's reward should be respected. Sister Jin's concerns are indeed valid. It's just that I was too careless. I only thought that you were guests and my third brother and sister were pregnant, so I wanted to help you out. Since it's like this, I'll have someone send it to the Quiet Garden now."

  The madam finished speaking and glanced at the inner chamber.

  Inside the palace, it was quiet again. The old master was also carried out by Gu Jinzhi and calmed down by the emperor.

  Song Paner was overjoyed. A hint of a smile finally appeared on her face.

  She said: "I don't dare trouble you, elder sister, I'll send someone to fetch it myself." Then she didn't make any more small talk, stood up and bid farewell, letting others go get the money back.

  The madam didn't keep them long either, smiling as she saw them off to the gate of the courtyard, reminding Song Dang'er to walk slowly and be careful not to slip.

  Song Pan'er thanked him and left quickly, wishing he could fly back to the Jingyuan Garden immediately. He told his partner to hurry up and get the money back.

  The madam looked at the mother and daughter's back, her eyes fell on Gu Jin. The tall and slender girl, usually looking quiet and taciturn, was actually extremely shrewd inside.

  This child is even more talented than Song Duaner.

  Saw off the mother and daughter of the third house. The old master came out from the inner room.

  The madam also turned back to the eastern wing.

  "Did you hear that?" said the madam to the old master, "Song Shi and Jin Jie. They are very clear in their hearts. With the support of the empress dowager and the emperor, how could they be controlled by you?"

  The old man's face was gloomy.

  Money has always passed in front of his eyes, he must have taken half of it.

  Nowadays, all the bright gold coins have to be returned to Sanfang. The old master's heart is tight and he can't breathe.

  The lady didn't think much of it and consoled her husband: "A gentleman acquires wealth in a proper way, that thing wasn't ours to begin with, taking it would only cause trouble, why bother thinking about it?"

  The old man slowly let out a breath.

  "...If I had to say, Sister Jin is really formidable, her strength lies in her mind. You heard what she just said, as soon as she opened her mouth, she used the Emperor to pressure us. If we have any unusual behavior, I'm afraid she'll use the Empress Dowager to pressure us again. If that doesn't work, I reckon she'll go into the palace to seek help." The lady of the house said to the old master.

  "Don't offend her, just keep a low profile for now. If she's really favored, we'll have a chance to curry favor with her later."

  The old master thought carefully, there were many.

  Gu Jinzhi isn't the queen of Luoyang Palace? Although there wasn't a formal ceremony, it's been half a year now. If the empress dowager not only appreciates her for curing her illness but also genuinely likes this daughter-in-law and relies on her, in the future, even the master can win over the empress dowager!

  It was all because of those gold treasures that were too enticing, and the big house was too cramped, that the old master's eyes were suddenly blinded.

  Now it seems that I almost lost a watermelon while picking up sesame seeds.

  If both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager liked him, he would undoubtedly become the first assistant in the future.

  At such a critical moment, he is only thinking of making money and getting rich.

  What else does he need to hit?

  "You're even more perceptive than I am!" The old master exclaimed to the old mistress, "With a virtuous wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?"

  The madam smiled.

  As expected, in this world, the big shots only love money and power.

  He loves both of them to the extreme, and as soon as he touches them, he becomes infatuated.

  On the other side, Song Pan'er took Gu Jinzhi for a walk and said on the way: "You're right, mother has seen through it! That Luoyang Wang, even if he's not capable, is still the son of the empress dowager, better than those more cunning and flattering men. If there were no emperor and empress dowager, could we get back those gold pieces?

  King Louyang himself may not be so good, but he has the Empress Dowager backing him!

  Song Pan'er was also foolish and actually disliked him.

  How many people's eyes turned red and almost bled?

  It wasn't until then that she realized that Zhen Zhen couldn't lose her power.

  Without power and influence, no matter how much money you have, it's impossible to hide!

  ——*——*——*——

  Thanks for the rewards from friends like Singing Song, yh_yh1166, baiyishang and others.