"Tao Wanniang, did you poison this?" Upon entering the Tao family's main hall, Liang Laifu threw the silver notes wrapped in oilcloth in front of Tao Wanniang.

"What, is this how you beg for help?" Tao Wanniang sat down and sized up Liang Laifu and his wife. "You really are a couple who've been through thick and thin together, even sharing the stolen money?"

"Tao Wanniang, how could you be so cruel?" Liang Laifu said, clutching his chest.

Holding the child, Qiao Ma Zi didn't know what was going on, but the only thing she was sure of was that her young mistress and son-in-law were in this state because of Tao Wan Niang.

"Fine, you vicious woman! You've ruined our young lady and son-in-law like this. You'd better give us the antidote right away, or I'll report you to the authorities!" Qiao Mazi said fiercely to Tao Wanniang.

"Report to the authorities, huh? Fine, should I go?" Tao Wanniang scoffed, and had Zhang Liang fetch a basin of water. She then soaked the 150 silver notes in the oilcloth into the water, causing it to shimmer.

Liang Laifu and Zhang Xinlan stared in shock at the silver notes soaked in water belonging to Tao Wanniang, realizing that their poisoning must have been caused by touching this substance.

Zhang Xinlan angrily slammed into Liang Laifu, shouting, "Liang Laifu, you idiot! You were tricked and you're still gloating! You've ruined my life!"

Liang Laifu stumbled from the impact, and Tao Wanniang asked Zhang Liang to call Xiao Qiao'er over.

"I put a bone-corroding poison on this banknote. I originally thought that someone as selfish and heartless as Liang Laifu would never give her this cheaply obtained money, but I didn't expect you to actually share the spoils." Tao Wanniang sneered, "What should we do? There's only one antidote. Who should we give it to?"

After Tao Wanniang finished speaking, Liang Laifu and Zhang Xinlan exchanged a glance, and then Zhang Xinlan began to berate Liang Laifu: "Liang Laifu, how could you do this to my mother? You eat my food, use my things, and yet you've harmed me like this. Even if you die seventeen or eighteen times, it won't be enough to quell the hatred in my heart!"

“Zhang Xinlan, shut up! If you hadn’t been so clinging to your dowry, would I be in this situation?” Liang Laifu said painfully. “Tao Wanniang, give it to me! Give me the antidote! I’m Xiao Qiao’er’s father! You wouldn’t want to kill me and be hated by Xiao Qiao’er, would you?”

Qiao Mazi, who was standing to the side, understood what was going on. She immediately put the child aside and went to protect Zhang Xinlan.

“Young master, you can’t be so heartless! If it weren’t for my young lady, you’d still be a yamen runner!” Qiao Ma said, supporting Zhang Xinlan with heartache. “Miss, please don’t frighten this old servant. Tao Wan Niang, give our young lady the antidote. Our young lady hasn’t done anything to you.”

Xiao Qiao'er saw the arguing from afar, and when she saw Liang Laifu's ferocious expression, she stopped in her tracks in fright.

"What's wrong, little Qiao'er? Don't be afraid, we're here." Zhang Liang immediately reassured her upon seeing her condition.

"What...is he doing?" Xiao Qiao'er asked in a trembling voice.

"Oh, so your father kidnapped you and demanded 1,500 taels of silver from Sister Tao. Sister Tao gave it to you, but she sprinkled some poison on the silver notes. After Liang Laifu took it back, he and his wife divided the loot, and both of them were poisoned."

Xiao Qiao'er knew her father would definitely ask for an exorbitant sum, but she was still stunned when she heard it was 1,500 taels of silver. She paused for a few steps, then quickly walked up.

"Mother, you called me." Xiao Qiao'er came to Tao Wan's mother's side.

"Qiao'er, do you know what happened?" Tao Wanniang asked, looking at Xiao Qiao'er. Before she could continue, Liang Laifu knelt down in front of Xiao Qiao'er.

"Qiao'er, Daddy, look at Daddy, Daddy is in so much pain, Daddy's whole body hurts. Please ask your mother to give me the antidote, I'm your own father!"

Xiao Qiao was startled. Her father kneeling before her was a sign that he would shorten his lifespan.

"Father..." Before Xiao Qiao'er could finish speaking, Qiao Mazi stepped forward and shoved Liang Laifu aside. "You heartless wretch! How can you be so selfish! Little girl, your father is a scoundrel. How can you bear to let such a young child be without a mother?"

"I..." Little Qiao'er couldn't stand this situation and immediately hid behind Tao Wan's mother.

Tao Wanniang repeated the story of how there was only one antidote.

"Qiao'er, tell me, should I save your father?" In the end, Tao Wan's mother left this question to her child.

"Qiao'er, I am your own father. If you kill me, your dead mother and grandmother will never let you go." Liang Laifu was pushed away by Qiao Mazi and fell to the ground. He didn't have the strength to stand up and was in so much pain that his whole body was bent over.

Ling Yunzhou arrived suddenly at this moment. Seeing Liang Laifu and Zhang Xinlan howling like ghosts, and a child placed on the ground, he felt that the scene was somewhat eerie.

"What happened?" Ling Yunzhou asked in a deep voice.

How did this person arrive so quickly? Tao Wanniang glanced at Ling Yunzhou, but then she remembered that there was Gao Cuiniang at home, and there might be spies outside, so it wasn't too unexpected.

"Look, the government officials have come too. What, you want to report to the authorities? Go ahead and report!" Tao Wanniang sneered. "Two people and one antidote. You can decide what to do."

"Mother~" Little Qiao'er timidly tugged at Tao Wan's mother's sleeve, "I don't want to watch anymore."

"Qiao'er, who do you think should receive this antidote?" Tao Wanniang asked. "It costs 1,500 taels of silver. I don't know if he thinks you're worth the money, or if he thinks I'm willing to spend it."

Liang Laifu is like a time bomb; if he's not dealt with, he'll always affect Xiao Qiao'er. Tao Wan's mother deliberately acted ruthlessly, letting Xiao Qiao'er see for herself what kind of father she truly is.

"Qiao'er, give it to me. Are you going to just watch your own father die? You'll be struck by lightning!" Liang Laifu was still saying harsh words to little Qiao'er.

"Heavens above! Open your eyes and see! My young lady has suffered so much! How could she have married such an ungrateful wretch?" Qiao Mama cried out, her cries mingling with the sobbing of her children, creating a chaotic scene.

Tao Wanniang glanced at Ling Yunzhou and simply took out the antidote and gave it to him.

"Since you're here, you make the decision. Who gets the only antidote?" Tao Wanniang said readily. "Qiao'er, let's go back to Master Shen's place. I don't know who will get the antidote in the end."

Upon hearing Tao Wanniang's words, Xiao Qiao'er immediately pulled Tao Wanniang away quickly.

"Mother, I...I..." Xiao Qiao'er murmured as she entered the west wing, "I don't know what will happen in the end."

"I don't know either, Qiao'er. Tell your mother the truth, will you resent your mother in the end?" Tao Wan's mother pulled little Qiao'er aside and asked seriously.

Xiao Qiao shook her head and choked out, "Mother, although I still think about Father, I just want us all to never see each other again. He sold me out!"

"But think about it, isn't he still your father?" Tao Wan's mother looked at Xiao Qiao'er, who was crying sadly.

"I...I'll just pretend he's dead. How could he kidnap me and demand money from my mother? He doesn't care about his daughter at all," Xiao Qiao'er said bitterly. "I really, really will just pretend he's dead!"