Chapter 414 Cao Hong's Background

At midday, when the sun was high in the sky, the Cao family's carriage slowly drove into Dahe Village.

Instead of going directly to Cao's Mulberry Garden, we first went to the entrance of Cheng Wanwan's courtyard.

"Mother-in-law, it's me, Old Cao, who's here to bother you!" Cao Defu jumped out of the car. "What are you busy with?"

He walked into the courtyard, looking around curiously. There was a drying area for bamboo strips set up on a bench, covered with dried bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and wood ear fungus. He picked some up, smelled them, and even tasted them.

"The things in the village aren't clean, don't put them in your mouth." Madam Qi followed from the car with her youngest son, her gaze falling on Cheng Wanwan who was busy at work, a fake smile on her face. "Madam Sui is now a seventh-rank official, why is she still doing these chores herself?"

Cheng Wanwan poured the last basket of mushrooms onto the bamboo strips, wiped her hands, and said with a smile, "People in our village work all year round without ever taking a break. In-laws, please don't stand there, come in and sit down. Hongying, pour some tea."

Qi looked at the mud-brick house with a hint of disdain and immediately shook her head: "We came here this time to visit the mulberry garden. Where is Yingying? Why isn't she here?"

Early in the morning, Kong Xiuniang went to the Cao family to borrow money. She asked for 10,000 taels of silver right off the bat. It was simply wishful thinking for a married daughter to try to get money from her own family. However, as a stepmother, she couldn't refuse directly. So she suggested that she come and see the situation first. A newly established mulberry orchard must have problems and oversights everywhere. She could just find a reason to refuse.

“Yingying has been busy at the mulberry orchard since early this morning. I was just about to bring her some food.” Cheng Wanwan picked up a bamboo basket. “Let’s go, I’ll take you to the mulberry orchard.”

Cao Defu said repeatedly, "Then I'll have to trouble you, my dear in-laws."

It was still quite a distance from here to the mulberry orchard. Cheng Wanwan led the group along a shortcut on the ridges of the fields. The ridges were bustling with activity, filled with people planting rice seedlings, fertilizing, and weeding. Everyone who saw Cheng Wanwan would look up and greet her.

"Grandma, we have guests at home."

"Grandma, the kids just picked some raspberries, they're quite sweet, take some and eat them."

"Thank you, Zhao Sanniang." Cheng Wanwan took it and asked Cao Hong behind her, "Hong'er, do you want some?"

Just as Cao Hong was about to reach for it, Qi Shi tugged at him, saying, "Who knows how many insects and ants have crawled over it? Be careful, you might get a stomachache if you eat it."

"How dare you speak to Lady Sui like that!" Cao Defu said displeasedly. "No one asked you to come, but you insisted on coming. Now you're complaining about this and that, and you're even corrupting Hong'er! Come here, Hong'er, let Daddy hold your hand. Open your mouth, and Daddy will feed you a raspberry."

Seeing her son eat a handful of unclean wild fruits, Qi was furious. Just then, her skirt got caught on a tree branch by the roadside. She yanked hard, tearing a large hole in her skirt. She was so angry that her face turned ashen.

Cheng Wanwan smiled. "You're angry now? You'll be even angrier later."

I could see the mulberry orchard in the distance. It was late spring, and the mulberry trees were growing very well. The large, lush green mulberry grove was a delightful sight.

A row of houses built nearby housed many silkworms. The white silkworms were munching on mulberry leaves, creating a spectacular scene.

"Father, Mother!" Cao Yingying came out of the house, lifting her skirt, her face full of joy. "Why did you come without telling me beforehand?"

"Let me come and see what's going on with your mulberry orchard," Cao Defu said, getting straight to the point. "Kong Xiuniang said you planned to spend 40,000 taels of silver to purchase a loom from Jiangnan. Is that true?"

Cao Yingying nodded: "I have 30,000 taels of silver as dowry, but I'm still short 10,000 taels, which is why I asked Kong Xiuniang to go back and borrow the money. Father, don't worry, this mulberry orchard will definitely make money. In less than two years, we'll earn back this money."

"You're far too naive," Madam Qi said bluntly, pouring cold water on his naiveté. "Forty thousand taels of silver—do you even know how much that is? Using it all to buy a loom is child's play! The Cao family has its own weaving mill. Once the silk is produced, it can all be transported there. You don't need to go through all this trouble..."

She paused mid-sentence, suddenly stunned.

Because she saw a familiar figure appear under the shadow of a tree nearby.

Cao Ping!

This bastard, how did he end up in Dahe Village!

Cao Yingying seemed not to notice her unusual behavior. After thinking for a while, she said, "What Mother said seems to make sense. I was indeed too naive."

"It's good that you think that way." Madam Qi quickly ended the topic. "May I ask where the outhouse is?"

Cao Yingying pointed outside: "Go straight and then turn right. There's a bamboo grove over there, and behind the bamboo grove is an adobe house. Mother, do you need me to take you there?"

"No."

Qi lifted her skirt and hurriedly walked out.

Cao Yingying and Cheng Wanwan exchanged a glance, both with smiles on their lips.

Cao Defu, completely oblivious to the impropriety, said, "Yingying, tell your father about your future plans..."

Cao Yingying nodded and led Cao Defu on a tour of the mulberry orchard.

Few people pass by the bamboo grove on the southeast side of the mulberry garden; the bamboo leaves rustle in the wind.

As soon as Qi walked over, her wrist was grabbed and she was pulled to a more secluded place.

"Cao Ping, are you insane!" Madam Qi glared at him angrily. "I've already sent you the two thousand taels of silver, why are you still haunting me like this?"

"You only gave me three thousand taels in total. Am I that cheap?" Cao Ping gritted his teeth. "You've been trying to avoid me all month. It's not easy for me to see you. Today you must promise to raise ten thousand taels of silver for me. Otherwise, I'll go find Cao Defu right now and tell him about Hong'er's background!"

"You, you are shameless!"

Qi was furious; her chest heaved violently.

Cao Ping chuckled and hooked her hair: "Heh, isn't it shameless of you to cuckold Cao Defu? Isn't it shameless of you to confuse the Cao family's bloodline? Isn't it shameless of you to try and seize all of the Cao family's assets by switching the prince with a cat? Tell me, between the two of us, who is more shameless..."

"Enough!!"

Qi shouted in a low voice, clenching his fists tightly.

She took a deep breath: "Ten thousand taels of silver, I agree. Now, leave Dahe Village immediately and never appear in front of Cao Defu again!"

"You'd better keep your word!" Cao Ping said coldly. "If the money isn't in place within three days, I'll have no choice but to visit Cao Defu at his residence."

Watching his departing figure, a fierce light flashed in Qi's eyes. This Cao Ping could not be allowed to live.

Cao Ping was in a wonderful mood. He had just stepped out of the bamboo forest when suddenly two shadows attacked him from behind. A large sack was put over his head, and with a blow, he collapsed to the ground before he could even cry out.

Wei Xiaohai kicked the sack, and seeing that he didn't react, he said, "Throw it in your aunt's woodshed and keep a close eye on it."

After Cao Ping was carried away, Wei Xiaohai immediately went to Cheng Wanwan to report what he had heard, repeating it word for word.

After hearing this, Cheng Wanwan's face was filled with disbelief.

She thought Cao Ping had evidence that Qi had transferred the Cao family's assets, but she never expected the truth to be so absurd.

The child is eight years old this year, which means that Cao Defu has been wearing a green hat for at least eight or nine years, his head is already completely covered in green, and he was completely unaware of it...