Chapter 192: Grandmother sends another generous gift, leaving a dowry for Luo'er!

Leng Dian met Prince Su's eyes that suddenly turned cold, and his heart shuddered violently.

How could he blurt that out without thinking!?

Zhui Yu is in danger!

But at this moment, if Zhui Yu isn't in danger, then I should be!

Leng Dian gave a "gulping" sound, then without hesitation continued honestly: "Miss told Zhui Yu not to forget, he still owes Miss ……"

Duan Rongshi: "What does she want to do?"

Leng Dian shouted in his heart: How does he know!!!???

Duan Rongshi lightly snorted: "If so, let Zhui Yu go see her."

Leng Dian was stunned.

Your Highness, are you serious?

Really let Zhui Yu go see the miss?

Moreover, Zhui Yu just took fifty lashes, still lying in bed unable to turn over—really have him go see the miss now?

Li Qingluo worked until dusk, seeing that no one came out to cause trouble in the whole tavern, and everything proceeded orderly, she finally relaxed completely.

Shuang Xue repeatedly told her: "Master, just rest assured. If we encounter a difficulty we cannot resolve, we will immediately send someone to the manor to report and inquire. Tonight is deep, the weather freezing; miss, you should go back early, don't stay here suffering."

Li Qingluo looked at her, relieved, and nodded: "Then thank you all for your trouble."

She left the tavern, about to board the carriage, when someone shouted to stop her.

"Little Master Li, please stay!"

Li Qingluo turned back, and saw it was Cui Jiuniang?

Cui Jiuniang's carriage was parked nearby, and she stood outside it, wrapped in a bright red cloak, especially conspicuous.

Li Qingluo's heart jumped: How is she still here?

"You…… haven't you gone home yet? It's freezing out here; if you're looking for me, why not wait inside the tavern?"

Cui Jiuniang walked over: "I feared disturbing your business. I haven't been waiting here all along; I wandered around many places before coming back, fortunately I didn't miss you."

Li Qingluo stared at her; Cui Jiuniang no longer beat around the bush, got straight to the point: "Can you help me call off the engagement with your older brother?"

Li Qingluo had just rested a moment after returning to the manor when she was summoned again to Jingci Tang.

Pei Lao Furen saw her, heart aching, and pulled her to sit beside her.

"Are you hungry, tired? Seeing you busy all day, I fear you haven't had a few hot bites."

"Quick, bring the fish slice porridge that's been kept hot in the small kitchen up to the miss!"

Zhang Mama came in smiling, holding the tray: "Old Lady, I saw the miss arrive and hurriedly fetched it. Now that the miss is back, you can relax, right?"

"Miss, you faced the tavern scene alone today, surely you worried the old lady sick at home."

Li Qingluo acted coquettish, leaning on Pei Lao Furen's shoulder: "Grandmother. You still love me the most; you're the one who loves Luo'er the most in this world."

Pei Lao Furen naturally found it very pleasing.

Li Qingluo didn't spoil the mood either, eating a big bowl of fish slice porridge.

"Grandmother, the food from your small kitchen is still the best!"

Pei Lao Furen chuckled: "You, you just know how to coax me."

Zhang Mama: "Old Lady, you never say, but this fish slice porridge is what you personally supervised cooking today. You've rendered the rice oil—something even the old general never enjoyed."

Pei Lao Furen rolled her eyes: "Why bring him up? It's a mood killer!"

Zhang Mama tapped her own mouth.

Pei Lao Furen didn't argue with her, but pulled Li Qingluo and said: "After I left, Grandmother knows everything that happened at your tavern. You handled it well, Luo'er."

"Grandmother hasn't misjudged you; in the future you can achieve even greater things. Grandmother has high hopes for you—do you understand?"

Li Qingluo hadn't spoken yet when Zhang Mama couldn't hold back.

"Old Lady, you're just praising the miss for being like you in your youth. She has both a talent for business and the bearing of a female general. In this whole household, I think only the miss resembles you."

Li Qingluo affectionately hugged Pei Lao Furen's arm tighter.

"I am Grandmother's dear little heart, naturally I'm the most like her."

Pei Lao Furen chuckled, pulling her into her embrace: "I see you, you're my little mischievous monkey! Playful and troublesome, you never let me rest easy all day!"

"However, Old Zhang's words today are not wrong; you really are most like me in my youth. Grandmother used to love wielding swords and spears, loved opening shops to make money……"

After the grandmother and grandchild chatted heart-to-heart for a while, seeing Li Qingluo tired, Pei Lao Furen asked: "But Luo'er, have you found out who wanted to trip you up today?"

Li Qingluo: "I only traced it to Fortune Full Pavilion."

Pei Lao Furen: "Fortune Full Pavilion? That tavern has been in Jinling City for nearly ten years. It's practically an old establishment; its business is only slightly worse than Bright Pavilion's. Why would such a big tavern target your newly opened tavern, whose future is still unknown?"

Li Qingluo shook her head: "Granddaughter hasn't yet cleared this matter. Grandmother, do you know who the mastermind behind Fortune Full Pavilion is?"

Pei Lao Furen shook her head: "This matter, Grandmother truly doesn't know either. But we can have someone investigate."

After saying that, Pei Lao Furen recalled something.

"Luo'er, Grandmother today will give you another gift, as a congratulatory present for opening your new tavern. Do you want it?"

Li Qingluo's eyes lit up instantly: "Grandmother, Luo'er wants it!"

Her desire was clear; she usually never asked Pei Lao Furen for anything.

If she didn't want it, Pei Lao Furen would feel uneasy inside.

She felt Luo'er didn't need her.

This girl likes to stubbornly hold on, but when she can't endure, she somehow manages to turn danger into safety, which even impresses Pei Lao Furen.

But today, it's Grandmother giving it to her; she accepted it so readily, making Pei Lao Furen also very happy.

Zhang Mama presented a box.

"Inside are several deeds of sale. This person has followed Grandmother for decades; you can call him Uncle De. He's someone you can completely trust."

His sons, his grandsons, and even the women of his household are all experts at tracking investigations and gathering intelligence.

From now on, Grandmother will entrust this whole household to you, so they will serve you. If you treat them well, they will be as loyal to you as they are to Grandmother.

In the future, they will also find it more convenient to handle affairs outside than Deng Mama does.

Luo'er, go do what you want to do, go.

Li Qingluo never expected this gift to be so heavy.

This moves her more than money and silk, more than power and influence.

What she lacks most now is connections.

Although she could rely on Prince Su, go to South Screen, or even now seek the Cui and Pei families.

What one obtains by seeking help from others is never truly one's own.

She refuses to be a dodder vine clinging to the mountains and forests; she wants to be herself, to possess what she holds in her own hands, so she will never again be cast aside by this world.

Luo'er, thank Grandmother for her great kindness.

She accepted it openly and generously.

She does not covet what she ought not to have, yet she peacefully accepts everything Grandmother wishes to bestow upon her.

After Li Qingluo lifted the box and left, Zhang Mama then went to Pei Lao Furen's side and said, 'Old Lady, should we give the Hall of Abundant Blessings a good beating?'

Pei Lao Furen's face darkened: 'Hmph, do you really think I, Pei Xiuzhen, am a vegetarian? How dare you move against my people, my obedient grandson's tavern!'

If that Hall of Abundant Blessings really had any skill, how come these years it hasn't managed to ride over the head of my Bright Tower?

I, the old one, have been staying at the Daoist temple these years, not really just to eat vegetarian!

Pei Lao Furen slapped the table with one palm, and the precious redwood table instantly split open a crack.

Zhang Mama wiped the sweat from her forehead, thinking: Old Lady is truly angry.

Zhang Mama dared not let Old Lady's health suffer from anger, so she hurriedly urged: 'Old Lady, don't get angry first. At worst, we'll give him a good beating.'

Back then, when the Hall of Abundant Blessings was itching to provoke our Bright Tower, wasn't it you who gave him a good beating, after which he obediently remained beneath our Bright Tower?

Old servant thinks he's just itching for a fight; we just need to give him a strong dose of medicine.

But Old Lady, you've given the entire Lao De family to the young lady; yet do you intend to also give her your Heavenly Wind Trading House and Bright Tower in the future?

Pei Lao Furen gave Zhang Mama a sideways glance.

You old fogey, now you dare to guess my thoughts?

Hmph, I won't give it to her; could I possibly give it to anyone else in this household? Except for my Luo'er, naturally no one is worthy.

Zhang Mama smiled: 'Yes, you dote on the young lady the most! Since she returned and gained your approval, you have always been carefully cultivating her so that she may someday take charge of these things of yours.'

But if the old master knew, he might not be willing.

Pei Lao Furen said: 'What gives him the right to be unwilling? He even dares to covet an old woman's belongings.'

Back then, the Heavenly Wind Trading House was established by me after marrying his father, relying solely on my own strength. The Li family initially looked down on it, didn't they?

Moreover, all the funds I used to establish the Heavenly Wind Trading House came from my own dowry; I didn't spend a single penny from the Li family.

Later, when their household faced financial difficulties, did they consume less of my provisions?

Now what gives them the right to want my things again?

Zhang Mama said: 'You only have this one father; he would naturally think that your possessions will someday be his, and that is only right.'

Pei Lao Furen gave a cold laugh, gazing indifferently at the darkness outside the window: 'He is not worthy. These are all the dowry I have left for Luo'er; no one dare lay a hand on them.'

At this moment, the Liu family.

Liu Jinzhi raised her finger and swore: 'It's really that brat Cao Er! Dad, brothers and sisters-in-law, I truly saw that the newly opened tavern, Cao Er is the owner inside!'

People have died in her shop, yet there isn't the slightest effect; it remains bustling, filled with guests until curfew.

How wonderfully is she living?

As the head of the household said, a tavern's daily income can be dozens or even hundreds of taels, possibly up to a thousand taels! Now that our family's life is so difficult, her tavern is open—just a little leakage from our fingers, a sprinkle here and there, couldn't we all live well?

Everyone in the room heard this and their faces flushed red, filled with excitement.

Is this true? Cao Er really opened a tavern?

Good heavens, dozens or even hundreds of taels of silver a day, even up to a thousand! How much is that?