Chapter 209: Afang is still too thorough!

Unthinkable.

Simply unthinkable.

This really left Du Shanü feeling vexed.

She endured and endured, but still couldn't hold back the urge to scold someone:

"I was wondering why he was sneaking around earlier......"

"If he really has such a peculiar habit, even three thousand taels would be too little."

The Ruan family, proud of their scholarly status, and with Ruansizong currently holding the post of prefectural judge, are all the more concerned with saving face.

After all, this is shocking to hear; not to mention Ruan Jintian needing face, even if Ruansizong himself came, if he truly had to protect this grandson, he'd probably end up swallowing his broken teeth.

In that case, not giving them a good squeeze would hardly be enough.

After all, they readily agreed to fork out three thousand taels at once, so they surely have more......

Du Shanü's stark change in attitude is genuinely amusing, so Chen Weifang couldn't help but say:

"Wise Lord, since ancient times, even extortion has its own ways."

"If you quote an unacceptable price right at the first hurdle, the other side will find it hard to accept, and under pressure they might just give up completely."

"Either give nothing at all, or go back and have Ruansizong decide......"

"In any case, whatever they could obtain would definitely not be better than what they have now."

"Moreover, the future is long; we can take our time."

"Now that they have already parted with three thousand taels, if they are later squeezed for a bit more, they will surely think, 'They've already given three thousand; what if this is the last installment?'"

"Keeping them hanging by a thread, as long as Ruan Jintian remains valued by the clan, this could turn into a steady source of income......"

Chen Weifang smiled and explained each point in turn.

Du Shanü listened, eyes wide and mouth agape, and unconsciously muttered:

"You lot who play intrigue and scheming have such dirty hearts......"

"What 'take our time'—she hadn't even thought of that before!"

"Is that assuming they know exactly how much silver Ruan Jintian has in his pocket?"

"This clearly sees through human nature—first giving Ruan Jintian a seemingly lucky opportunity, then repeatedly squeezing him!"

"Under such sunk costs, they will of course only endure the pain again and again, being fleeced time and time again!"

"No wonder he used to be a poison strategist......"

"This tactic is dirty."

"Really dirty."

"But......"

"I like it!"

Du Shanü gave her own Afang a thumbs‑up:

"This person is genuinely odd—before, neither soft nor hard approaches worked on him, yet I didn't expect Afang to be the one to settle him!"

"After this lesson, he surely won't sneak around again...... huh? Afang, why does your face look like that?"

The more Chen Weifang listened, the stranger her expression became; hearing this, she set down her small cup and sighed:

"I think the lesson was indeed learned, but not sneaking around again...... is not certain."

Chinu: "......"

Du Shanü: "......"

Du Shanü was so dumbfounded she trembled all over, and instinctively even pulled her hand back from holding Chinu's:

"Not certain? How could it be uncertain?"

"Surely he won't get caught today and offend again tomorrow?"

"This, this is simply too absurd!"

"Ruan Jintian surely won't think the money he paid is just an admission fee?!"

"These three thousand taels aren't even enough for her mental loss!"

Chen Weifang shook her head slightly:

"I'm only guessing, after all, that brat walked away with a stubborn, unwilling look......"

"Moreover, Chen Weifang has heard a saying before——"

"In great clans, if the youngsters are disciplined too strictly, once the elders pass and they take charge of the household, they invariably stir up all sorts of commotion."

"The more stiff and orthodox Ruan Jintian appears on the surface, the likelier it is that he was restrained for a long time at home."

"People like that, once they develop a peculiar habit in their hearts, are hard to change......"

Du Shanü's face turned livid, her temples throbbing; she endured and endured, but she simply couldn't bear it any longer:

"I can't take it anymore, never mind face...... I'm going to go beat him up first."

Chinu, who never wants to be apart from her, immediately responded:

"Then I'll go too."

Chen Weifang got a headache from these two singing in tandem:

"I've just taken the money, and you're going to go beat him—doesn't that make it obvious I leaked the info?"

"If everyone knows right now, who would still be willing to pay them later?"

"That statement is actually true."

Thus, the "poor‑spirited" Du Shanü, feeling utterly lacking in backbone, slowly sat back down.

Chen Weifang looked at the Wise Lord in that state, her eyes went dark, and she sighed again:

"Furthermore, I've already made plans for the two of you."

I am preparing to select and appoint this person as a miscellaneous official.... First, I'll tentatively assign him a Chief Clerk position; nowadays there are few usable people in my hands, seeing as the year-end will pass, then immediately it will be spring—I'll have him go to the fields to oversee purchasing seeds for spring plowing, take on some miscellaneous duties; that would also be not bad.

Chief Clerk, petty officials of various departments—they are actually all miscellaneous officials.

No need for special imperial examination screening; they are usually selected and appointed through recommendation and selection.

This person, being of the Ruan lineage, has read widely the poetry and books, has perused the Five Classics; surely he won't be too stupid.

Give him a Chief Clerk position for training; not only will it be acceptable to Ruansizong, but it will also allow us to make use of the few people we have on hand.

Most importantly, the spring plowing work is important, but it often requires going out to inspect, far from the Xian Xie where no secrets can be heard, and even farther from the Wise Lord and Chinu....

This Ruan Jintian himself is rather strange.

Never mind that he was originally biased; even if he weren't, his fortune and life are now tightly bound together with Saner's on the same boat, so he inevitably cannot stand by and do nothing, letting this person run wild.

With him around, whatever Ruan Jintian, it's utterly impossible for him to disturb the two of them.

The young couple had best be inseparable, even more clingy; soon they'll have a child, and by then it'll be hard for the Cang Cheng side not to acknowledge them....

Of course, those last few sentences, Chen Weifang would not dare say them to their faces.

Thus Du Shanü could only hear her own Afang sighing on one side, while arranging things clearly for her.

Du Shanü once again secretly rejoiced at having met Chinu and Afang:

Good, then I'll leave everything to Afang.

I want to free up some time today to go have a look at the tin mine...... Speaking of which, can I go today?

It's not that she's being hesitant and overcautious.

But rather, these two people at home......

Scolding people is truly too fierce!

Before there is Chinu, behind there is Afang; both of them, with just a flip of their lips, can poison someone to death!

Not to mention the Wise Lord; even if the Heavenly Lord came, he'd have to run away with his pants full of feces and urine.

But Du Shanü, despite her deep affection, not only cannot bear to blame them, even when scolded she can't help but want to laugh......

Simply, just ask, ask.

Earlier, when no mineral vein was found, Afang said this wasn't something the Wise Lord should do.

If Afang still feels capable of settling everything and doesn't need her, then she is also willing to hear Afang's opinion once more.

If Afang lacks confidence, then naturally——

No need, then, this isn't something the Wise Lord should do......

Chen Weifang unconsciously muttered a sentence, then seemed to think of something else, swallowed the latter half back, and asked:

If I'm not mistaken, those drawings the Wise Lord previously made seem different from the usual method of refining tin.

Du Shanü saw that the other party finally reacted, and smiled again:

Not just the method of refining tin......

As long as I want, wherever I go in this world, that place will surely be vastly different!

?? Chinu's dowry, which she brings herself, is increasing in gold content......!