Young Master Dou is no fool, and Qin San Lang is certainly not a simpleton. One has detected a clue, while the other feels the timing is not right and does not want the other party to et him prematurely.
However, Young Master Dou does not know that he has already missed, after failing to et anyone at the restaurant, he decided to stay in the town for two days. However, the hostels in town were not very safe, Young Master Dou thus begged Ouyang Hu: "Grandpa Ouyang, can I stay in your residence for a few days?"
Ouyang Hu looked at him and said, "Sure, but I need a ham as the accommodation fee."
Upon hearing this, Young Master Dou almost spat out blood, "A ham? That’s ten thousand taels of silver, you really know how to make a lion’s opening demand."
Gu Dashan was shocked by these words: "That much money? My family sold it to you for just over two thousand taels."
Young Master Dou wanted to bang his head against the wall as he blurted out the price of the ham auctioned in the Capital.
He looked at Gu Dashan and smiled, "Uncle Gu misunderstood, I was just bargaining with Grandpa Ouyang, I need to exaggerate a bit to get the lowest possible accommodation fee."
Gu Dashan responded, "Oh, I see. I thought the ham was really that expensive."
Young Master Dou felt like crying, it really was that expensive. The noble descendants in the Capital were still scrambling to bid, would he personally co to Qingfu Town to auction if it wasn’t worth ten thousand taels?
Young Master Dou gritted his teeth and nodded, "Alright, a ham it is, but I want to stay comfortably."
Ouyang Hu replied, "My house is not an inn, being able to let you stay is already not bad, if you are not satisfied, then forget it."
"No no no, alright, you decide then," Young Master Dou was frustrated. If he wasn’t worried about the safety of the ham in a hostel, he wouldn’t have begged old Ouyang. Now he could only compromise.
Ouyang Hu, having secured a ham, was very pleased and after speaking a few words with Gu Dashan, led Young Master Dou, Brother Cheng, Brother Qing, and the others back ho.
Master Qi, wanting to forge a connection with Master Ouyang, also took the opportunity to visit the Ouyang’s residence.
Boss An and Boss Dong were no fools either, they wanted to curry favor with Ouyang Hu and the Dou Family, so they too followed for a visit.
A large group of people briskly left Yanfu Building for the Ouyang residence in town, chatting along the way. They seed very jovial, a stark contrast to the fierce quarreling during the auction of the ham.
After they left, Gu Jinli then ca to the hall.
Gu Dashan handed her the silver notes, "Take these, this is the auction money for the twenty hams."
Gu Jinli, seeing the silver notes in the box, grinned from ear to ear: "Thank you, Dad."
Gu Dashan laughed, "Thank for what? All I did was sit here and talk with the guests and have a al, I didn’t help much."
Gu Jinli said, "Don’t say that, Dad. You have already helped a lot."
In ancient tis, malice towards won was great, like this kind of public appearance with foreign n, it was not proper for a grown girl to do so. So since the auction of the ham began, it had always been Gu Jin’an and Gu Dashan facing out, with her in charge of counting the silver notes.
Gu Dashan, feeling a bit embarrassed by her praises, laughed, "Alright, stop praising your Dad, lock the silver notes away safely, they must not be lost. Also, have the kitchen prepare a few more banquet dishes, we’ll take them back ho for your mother to enjoy so good food too."
Mrs. Cui did not often co to town, and could only enjoy the dishes from Yanfu Building if they brought them ho.
Gu Jinli laughed, "Dad, you are really good to Mom."
Always showing off their affection.
Gu Dashan, however, shook his head: "It’s not good at all, your mom has suffered her whole life with ... Neither you nor your sister should find soone like dad, find soone who knows martial arts, so they can help you when sothing happens."
Therefore, the sons-in-law he approved of were always Brother Wu and San Lang, both skilled in martial arts. Especially San Lang, not only does he have good skills, but he’s also resourceful. When issues arise, he can withstand and solve them, and he treats Xiao Yu kindly. If Xiao Yu could marry San Lang, he and Mrs. Cui really wouldn’t have to worry anymore.
Gu Dashan looked at Gu Jinli, rembering her fierce deanor, he worried she wouldn’t find anyone else if she missed out on Qin San Lang, and couldn’t help but say: "San Lang is a good kid."
Gu Jinli was counting the silver notes, hearing this, she looked up at her father: "I know."
Gu Dashan: "...Good that you know. Just be more nice to San Lang." Otherwise, it would be bad if San Lang ran away.
Gu Jinli felt wronged to death: "Am I not nice enough to him?"
Gu Dashan nodded: "Indeed pretty good, but... girls should be gentler, young n all like gentle girls."
Gu Jinli: "..."
So dad, are you terribly afraid that I’m not gentle enough and will scare away Brother Qin?
That was indeed Gu Dashan’s intention, but he was a father, there were so things he found difficult to say directly to his daughter, so he stopped there and went to help in the kitchen.
Gu Jinli blinked, then blinked again, asking herself internally, am I really that disliked by my family? Why does my whole family want to marry off to Brother Qin?
But, Brother Qin is indeed very nice.
Gu Jinli carried the box to the restaurant’s accounting room, carefully counting the silver earned from the ham auction.
...
Young Master Dou stayed in the town for two days, during which he visited Yanfu Building daily and also had his n wander around Qingfu Town, but couldn’t find the person he was looking for.
Young Master Dou didn’t know that Qin San Lang had already left and would not return before February.
Young Master Dou, in a rush to go to the Capital for the ham auction, had no ti to stay longer. After not finding the person for two days, he took the hams and his convoy to the Capital.
anwhile, Gu Youlu and three others returned to the Prefecture to see the Vice Magistrate, relaying what they had seen to the Old Gu Family.
"What? Youlu, what are you saying? Gu Dashan isn’t dead? And he’s now the head of the Gu Family, managing the spice business!" Granny Gu shouted out loud upon hearing this, almost fainting from the shock.
She grabbed Elder Gu’s hand and said: "Old man, look at this, I told you he was heartless, worrying that his family might have been killed by villains, but instead, his family is living a life of great wealth and prosperity, making money every day, yet they never thought to look for us. If he had any regard for you as his father, wouldn’t he co to find you?"
Granny Gu covered her face and cried: "Wu wu wu, I know he doesn’t like as his stepmom, and I know I’ve been partial, but which real mother doesn’t favor her own children? Besides, the children I bore are all yours, I protect your children, only neglecting him, but when he beca rich he disregarded us."
Granny Gu was sobbing heartbrokenly, appearing deeply hurt by her stepson Gu Dashan, but inside she was wishing she could kill Gu Dashan and take control of the Gu Family’s business for herself.
Elder Gu’s face was stern and he remained silent. Hearing about Gu Dashan’s family’s prosperity initially made him proud, feeling that his progeny were also capable of building such a significant business.
But after hearing Granny Gu’s words, he beca very angry.
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