Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 540 - 474: Fortunately, We Got It Back Early

Chapter 540: Chapter 474: Fortunately, We Got It Back Early

Yu Xiaolian was worried that Sun Manyue wouldn’t be able to travel with her injury on the third day of the Lunar New Year, but Sun Manyue was concerned that if they delayed even a day, her earnings would diminish significantly.

In the end, the two decided to send the Gao Family and Sun Mansheng to work at the Red Sausage Factory on the third of the first month, and they would head to Canghe Village together on the sixth.

With something to look forward to, Sun Manyue’s mood improved considerably.

"But if we openly demand from the Gao Family, and later they come to Yangcheng looking for your mother, then..." Yu Xiaolian wasn’t afraid of the Gao Family; she just feared she couldn’t face Mrs. Gao.

Sun Manyue, full of cunning mischief, suggested, "Then let’s not openly ask. We can use confusing smoke to knock them out at night and then take the money back.

This way, the Gao Family won’t know who stole the money. Even if my mother suspects me, she has no proof, and I won’t admit it, hehe..."

Yu Xiaolian also smiled slyly, "Then why wait until after the new year? I’ll send someone to Canghe Village tomorrow, ensuring you can sit on the kang and count money on New Year’s Eve.

But, where did you, at such a young age, hear about something like confusing smoke?"

Sun Manyue’s face showed slight embarrassment but she still answered honestly, "Sister Xiaolian, do you remember Sister Lianxiang? The one you bought back who later sang at the Immortal Music House."

"Hmm, I vaguely remember. Did she tell you about it?" The girls at the Immortal Music House she might have seen or known, but when it came to names, she couldn’t recall who was who.

"Yes, she was great at telling stories and knew a lot." When Sun Manyue worked in Luocheng, on idle evenings, she and her sisters would visit the Immortal Music House to listen to music and enjoy the buzz. After all, they didn’t need to buy tickets to get in, so why not go?

After numerous visits, she became quite familiar with the girls at the Immortal Music House.

"What kind of stories did she tell you? Share with me..."

Under the faint yellow candlelight, Yu Xiaolian and Sun Manyue conversed back and forth...

The next day, during breakfast, Su Jinghua was surprised to find a beautifully crafted square lantern on the dining table. She sneakily glanced at the handwriting on it, confirmed it was her eldest brother’s, and couldn’t help but almost burst into laughter.

"The lantern is for you. If you want to look at it, look openly; if you want to laugh, laugh openly. Don’t sneak and act all coy." Su Jingchen sipped his porridge.

From the moment Su Jinghua entered, he had been observing her little expressions. Seeing her sneak a glance at the lantern, quickly shift her gaze elsewhere, then look again as if unsure, made Su Jingchen find it amusing.

How had he never noticed how adorable this younger sister was before?

"Is it really for me?" Su Jinghua stopped pretending, jumped off her chair, grabbed the lantern, her eyes brimming with an unstoppable smile, "Did you make this yourself, elder brother?"

Su Jingchen nodded lightly, "Inside, I’ve placed a bracket for candles. You can ask your sister-in-law for candles."

The lantern’s rod even had exquisite carvings, showcasing her elder brother’s effort. Su Jinghua praised unabashedly, "Elder brother, you’re amazing. This lantern is beautiful, way better than the one made by Yu Huanyu’s brother."

Su Jinghua was so taken with the lantern that she carried it with her for days, telling everyone it was handcrafted by her elder brother. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Yu Xiaolian sent Cao Gen to the Gao Family in Canghe Village. After all, Cao Gen had been there with her before, knew the way, and wouldn’t get lost.

Since recovering well from his previous injury, Cao Gen found dealing with an unskilled Gao Family a piece of cake.

On the very day of the new year, Sun Manyue gladly sat on the warm kang counting money.

"How much is missing?" Yu Xiaolian asked.

Sun Manyue replied, "When we left Luocheng, my mother had over two hundred eighty taels of silver. She gave fifty taels to my second brother, ten taels to my eldest sister, so there should be over two hundred twenty taels left. After returning to Canghe Village, my mother bought new clothes for the Gao Family, and some rice, flour, and oil, spending some more. I don’t know the exact amount, but I estimate ten taels should be enough.

Now there’s only one hundred ninety taels here, meaning the Gao Family spent over twenty taels. Hmph, luckily we got it back early, or they would have squandered it all away."

An average household’s annual expenses are only three to four taels of silver, and the Gao Family spent so much in just a few days. They really treated Mrs. Gao like an endless source of money. Were they planning to spend it all and then ask for more from Mrs. Gao?

Recalling the chili seeds she gave to the Gao Family in summer made Yu Xiaolian feel a pang of heartache. Alas, it’s true that you never truly know people’s heart. She used to have a good impression of them, thinking they were simple country folk.

How did these seemingly simple country people change once money became involved?

"Sister Xiaolian, I want to keep this money at your place. Please hold onto it for me." Sun Manyue had a hunch that in time, the Gao Family would surely come knocking.

It’s easy to get used to luxury and hard to go back to frugality. Once the Gao Family tasted the sweet life of luxury only to be thrown back to their old selves, they wouldn’t be content. Knowing the County Magistrate is her daughter’s husband’s relative, they might even come to feign pity and beg for sympathy.

Yu Xiaolian knew Sun Manyue feared her mother discovering the silver, so she didn’t refuse and agreed to keep it for Sun Manyue.

Sun Manyue had already moved to the guest room to sleep, fearing that if the Gao Family came, her mother would search her room. Keeping the silver with Yu Xiaolian was the safest option.

On New Year’s Eve, there was a lantern festival in Yangcheng, and Yu Xiaolian strolled the streets with Su Jinghua. Su Jinghua carried Su Jingchen’s handmade lantern with pride.

The street full of lanterns couldn’t compare to hers!

On the bustling street, Su Jinghua ran into her friend Yu Huanyu and couldn’t wait to flaunt her lantern to Yu Huanyu.

Yu Huanyu was out with her family maid to see the lantern festival. In comparison, Su Jinghua, accompanied by Yu Xiaolian, enjoyed the spoiling she received at the Su Family without doubt from anyone.

Su Jinghua was delighted and skipped joyfully all the way back with Yu Xiaolian.

After the family reunion dinner, Su Jingchen handed over a silver note of one thousand five hundred taels to Yu Xiaolian, settling the money borrowed from her previously.

Since confiscating the assets of corrupt officials, the county government now had ample funds, with no reason for an official to run deficits. When they first arrived and found the county accounts empty and in debt, they had no choice but to use their own money to make ends meet.

Yu Xiaolian gladly accepted, "Do we need to give any festive money to the servants tomorrow?"

Su Jingchen replied nonchalantly, "You decide."

The Su Family never had a tradition of giving festive money to the servants, but now as the lady of the house, Yu Xiaolian’s opinion mattered to him.

The next day, Yu Xiaolian distributed festive money to both the house servants and the officials and government officials at the county government, giving each thirty coins, ensuring not to overlook Mrs. Gao and Sun Manyue.