Xie Xiuying knocked on the door and entered Gu Changfeng's room, mysteriously taking out three large red envelopes.

"Mother, what are you doing?"

Gu Changfeng had just finished acupuncture and gotten dressed when he saw his mother acting like a thief.

"This is for Ruan Yatou; it was given to her by those leaders."

The amount in the red envelope was quite substantial, so Xie Xiuying was worried she'd be acting like a thief. She was afraid someone would find out the amount and become envious.

“My dear daughter-in-law, this is a gift from your family. I can’t accept it.”

She accepted the money gifts from her relatives and friends in the village. Those small amounts, only a few cents, weren't even enough to cover the cost of today's banquet.

"Oh, right, I have something for you. Changfeng, you can go out for a bit."

Xie Xiuying chased Gu Changfeng out of the room, locked the door, and mysteriously dragged out a wooden box from under the bed.

"mother?"

The wooden box, about 1.5 meters long, revealed a 1-meter-wide opening after being dragged out.

What's going on?

"Come inside with Mother."

After the fumes inside had dissipated, Xie Xiuying picked up the kerosene lamp on the table, lit it, and went inside first.

After climbing a flight of stairs about two meters deep, Xie Xiuying and Ruan Qiushui successfully reached the cellar.

Against the wall in the cellar were three large, knee-high trunks.

By the light of the lamp, Ruan Qiushui observed that it was made of the finest sandalwood.

This box alone would be worth a fortune in later generations. I really want to know what's inside.

"My dear daughter-in-law, quickly open it and take a look."

Xie Xiuying encouraged her and, to satisfy her curiosity, stepped aside to let Ruan Qiushui step forward.

"Mother, then I'll open it."

The host has spoken; if she continues to be reserved, she'll be overdoing it.

"Mother, this, this, this."

Ruan Qiushui almost stammered.

A large box was filled with gold bars, each as wide as a forearm. A rough estimate puts it at least a hundred pounds. This must have been a robbery of a gold vault!

"Keep going."

Xie Xiuying had seen and touched it countless times, so she had become more composed.

Fearing that she might find something even more astonishing and suffer two more shocks, Ruan Qiushui simply opened the remaining two boxes in one go.

One box is full of pearls, jade, and agate; the other box is full of calligraphy and famous paintings.

Ruan Qiushui gasped, almost unable to catch her breath.

"Mother, what exactly does our family do?"

With such a substantial fortune, yet living such a low-key and unassuming life, that's truly impressive.

"This is my dowry that I brought from my family home."

Gu Guangrong knew what was inside those three boxes, but he didn't press the matter and chose to cover it up together.

Xie Xiuying thought about how her once glorious family had fallen overnight, with some dying and others fleeing.

She was separated from her parents and relatives, and with only two servants by her side and three boxes of belongings, she came to the Red Flag Brigade incognito.

After her servant died, she married Gu Guangrong, a poor farmer from eight generations, who was able to protect her and treat her with all his heart, and thus survived.

"I'm giving you everything from these three boxes."

She's getting old, and I doubt she'll ever leave the Red Flag Brigade again, so these three boxes are no longer of any use.

The third daughter-in-law was different; she could see that she would not stop there and would definitely achieve great things in the future.

Rather than letting it bury in the cellar, it's better to let her use it to make something of herself, so that this whole thing won't have been in vain.

"Mother, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

She and Gu Changfeng have given it all to her. What will happen if the three Gu brothers find out? Won't they think their mother is biased? The brothers will fight each other to the death.

"Giving you these things is the best decision your mother made. If we gave them to us, we wouldn't be able to keep them."

Having raised my son for decades, how could I not know his worth?

The eldest and second eldest are simple-minded and will probably spend their lives toiling in the fields. As for the fourth eldest, he is quite clever, but his greatest achievement will probably be a stable, secure job as a factory worker.

If they were to obtain this considerable fortune, it would likely lead to disaster, with the villains draining their wealth and implicating them as well.

"You don't need to tell the three of them about these things. I only hope that if you have the means in the future, you can help them out. If they don't live up to your expectations, just make sure they have enough to eat and wear."

She didn't have the face to do that, but she wanted to use these three boxes of things to get Ruan Yatou to promote her sons to higher official ranks.

A person's fate is predetermined. She doesn't ask for them to be rich and powerful, she only asks for their peace and safety.

"Don't worry, Mother, I will."

Whether it's out of respect for Gu Changfeng or for the sake of these three boxes of things, helping Gu Changshu and the others is just a convenient thing to do.

"Alright, alright, then Mother can rest assured."

Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them.

Xie Xiuying patted Ruan Qiushui's hand with satisfaction and led her out of the cellar.

As soon as he stepped outside, he heard Gu Guangrong yelling at the top of his lungs. He responded impatiently, turned around, and walked out of the room.

"Wife, what are you whispering to me, Mother?"

Gu Changfeng felt uneasy, as he felt that his mother and wife were closer to him than he was to himself.

"Go down and see for yourself."

She hadn't even pushed the suitcase back yet, and she didn't want to go back again.

"Oh, those three boxes."

Gu Changfeng calmly said something.

There's a cellar in this house; he discovered it a long time ago.

Later, when my family wasn't home, I went down to take a look. Knowing it was something that couldn't be exposed to the light, I didn't say anything.

"Did your mother give it to you?"

Since he specifically let his wife know, he must have other plans.

"Um."

Ruan Qiushui nodded and relayed Xie Xiuying's words to Gu Changfeng.

"Your mother is so good to you."

He's entrusted all the family's wealth to his wife; it seems he trusts her completely.

"My mother is indeed very good to me."

Nguyen Thu Thu expressed his agreement.

Compared to a mother-in-law who favors sons over daughters and constantly berates and abuses them, she is a million times better.

Outside the courtyard, Gu Xianjin walked away happily, while Gu Guangrong covered his ears as he went back into the house.

By the time Gu Changfeng finished his medicinal bath, Xie Xiuying had also prepared the meal.

"Third son's wife, come and try your mother's braised pork intestines."

At the dinner table, Xie Xiuying, as usual, served food to Ruan Qiushui.

"Mom, your cooking is absolutely amazing."

"This pig intestine is bright yellow in color, has a rich and mellow flavor, and is tender and delicious. It is truly unforgettable."

Ruan Qiushui savored it carefully, then gave a thumbs up.

Gu Zhengming and Gu Zhengyang, who were standing to the side, stared at Ruan Qiushui's mouth and kept swallowing.

"You two gluttons."

Xie Xiuying found it amusing to see her two grandsons' actions, so she quickly put a piece of pig intestine on each of their plates.

After dinner, He Chunhua and Zhou Lan went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, while Xie Xiuying pulled Ruan Qiushui aside for a private chat.

"Third daughter-in-law, Mother has a little sketchbook here, would you like to take a look?"

Even someone as straightforward as Xie Xiuying was speaking haltingly at this moment.

"What kind of picture book?"

Hmm? Ruan Qiushui took the sketchbook and looked at the title "Thirty-Six Strategies of Love" with a puzzled expression.