Lu Yunfeng pondered for a moment, calculating the time, "Early autumn next year, I guess."

Although Cui Yanqing was from a collateral branch of the Cui family, he was still a prominent and influential family.

With such generous betrothal gifts in the courtyard, the Lu family must prepare a corresponding dowry so as not to be looked down upon and so that Lu Yan's status in her husband's family can be higher in the future.

“Alright, both our families have time to prepare for the wedding. The girl is still young, so it’s only right that she stays at home for a couple more years.” Madam Cui put away the betrothal gift list.

With an apologetic tone, she said, "We came in a hurry this time. Yanqing wanted to use a goose as a betrothal gift, but he couldn't find one anywhere. He was disappointed that the betrothal gifts were incomplete. Now we have time to make up for it slowly."

With so many betrothal gifts in the inner courtyard, how come they are still not all complete?

Zhao Fang was stunned, her heart pounding. How much would that betrothal gift cost?

Zhao Qianxun was completely stunned.

Outside the mansion, many people rushed to watch the spectacle, craning their necks to peer into the courtyard. "Look at those betrothal gifts! I've never seen so many things in my life. Just what kind of wealthy family has the Lu family climbed into?"

Who knows?

"Who says it must be the Lu family climbing the social ladder? Maybe it's even a marriage down? The second son of the Lu family is now a scholar who has passed the imperial examination. The eldest son of the Lu family and Manager Qin make a fortune every day, with countless gold, silver and valuables."

"I wonder who these people are betrothed to? Is it the third daughter of the Lu family or the second daughter of the Qin family?"

"I don't know, but speaking of which, the second daughter of the Qin family really had a stroke of good luck. She was abandoned by her stepfather when she was ten years old, and in the blink of an eye, she was adopted by Manager Qin and became the second daughter of the Qin family."

"Hey, Qin Fu must be regretting it to the core now."

Qin Fu was filled with deep regret. His third wife had given birth yesterday, and it was another daughter.

He was dead drunk and slumped on the steps at the door, being pointed at and gossiped about by passersby.

"This Qin Fu is really going to be childless."

"I heard it's another girl this time."

"You know what, he's really good at bringing good fortune to his daughters. His eldest daughter is now the richest woman in Fenggu County!"

"He's not the richest man in Fenggu County, he's the richest man in several nearby counties."

"I just came back from the county town. Two large ships came to the county town today, which is not surprising. What is surprising is that dozens of loads of betrothal gifts were carried down from the ships and headed towards the Qin residence."

"They've gone to the Qin family to propose marriage. I wonder which family it is? Could it be Qin Fu's second daughter?"

Startled, Qin Fu got up, kicked aside the wine jar, and stumbled into the house.

He picked up his one-day-old baby and headed towards the county town. He originally intended to find an opportunity to kill the child by throwing him, but then he suddenly remembered Qin Xiaozhou and decided to let the poor child go.

As evening fell, Qin Fu put the baby in swaddling clothes down at the back gate of the Qin residence.

He took two steps, then turned back and knocked on the back door.

Qiu Shi had just returned from the kitchen with the food when she heard a knock at the door. She ran to open it and saw a middle-aged man and a child on the floor. She demanded sharply, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Qin Fu was surprised that the people inside arrived so quickly. He ran away nervously, but returned a while later, reeking of alcohol. "I am your manager Qin's father. This is her sister. I sold her to her for ten taels of silver."

Qiu Shi snorted. He lived in the county town, so he naturally knew how the Second and Third Miss Qin came to be.

He said disdainfully, "Oh, here to sell your daughter again?"

Qin Fu's eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed the baby in the swaddling clothes and said, "Let Qin Xiaozhou out and give me the money, or I'll strangle her."

Qiu Shi was startled and hurriedly said, "Don't be impulsive, I'll go right now, I'll go right now. If you strangle the child to death, you won't be able to get away either. Put the child down quickly."

Qin Fu laughed maniacally, "I can't have a son, I have no son, I might as well be dead."

After twenty years of obsession, he is now forty-two years old and still has no son!

There were distinguished guests at the manor today, so Qiu Shi didn't dare to go in rashly. He found a maid in the front yard who served tea and water and asked her to whisper something to Qin Xiaozhou while she was serving tea.

Qin Xiaozhou quickly came out of the main hall, ran to the back door, and saw Qin Fu, whom she hadn't seen for many years.

In order to have a son, Qin Fu has stopped drinking and fooling around in recent years, and he has taken good care of himself, looking younger than the men in their forties in the village.

Five years ago, he married a widow because she had given birth to three sons in her ex-husband's family. He valued her ability to produce sons and specially spent fifteen taels of silver as a betrothal gift to marry her.

She was pregnant three years ago, but unfortunately she lost the baby at two months. She got pregnant again last year and gave birth to a girl yesterday, which made Qin Fu so angry that he almost fainted.

For the first time in five years, he drank alcohol and was already incoherent.

Qin Xiaozhou frowned, waved his hand to dispel some of the smell of alcohol, and wanted to say something sarcastic, but considering the child in his arms, he softened his tone, "Give me the child, and I'll give you ten taels of silver."

Qin Fu chuckled and held up five fingers. "I want fifty taels."

"Fifty taels?" Qiu Shi's eyes widened, and he cursed Qin Fu, "Are you robbing me? This is a baby whose baby hair hasn't even fallen off yet. Seven or eight years ago, nobody would have wanted him if he was just left on the roadside. And now you want fifty taels?"

A baby needs to be fed and cared for; its needs for eating, drinking, and toileting must be taken care of. Who would buy such a useless baby?

Qin Xiaozhou snorted coldly, "Five taels, take it or leave it, if you don't want it, get lost!"

After saying that, he turned to leave.

Qin Fu panicked, "Twenty taels! This is your sister!"

Qin Xiaozhou had already walked back several steps. "Three ounces."

"You! You!" Seeing that Qin Xiaozhou was about to disappear behind the door, Qin Fu gritted his teeth, "Ten taels."

Qin Xiaozhou rolled her eyes and continued walking.

Qin Fu couldn't take it anymore, "Three taels it is!"

Qin Xiaozhou turned around and said, "Qiushi, give them the money and take the child back."

Qiu Shi sighed, gave the money, and followed Qin Xiaozhou with the child in his arms.

Qin Fu left laughing, staggering about. As he laughed, tears welled up in his eyes, and he covered his face, squatting by the roadside and crying.

The Qin residence has many rooms, and all those who were betrothed today are staying there.

After Lu Yan and Qin Jinxiu settled their accommodations, they came to report to Qin Xiaozhou and saw the child.

Qin Xiaozhou didn't hide anything and beckoned Qin Jinxiu over, "This is... this is Qin Fu's daughter. He sold this child to me this evening."

Lu Yan was taken aback and looked at Qin Jinxiu beside her with some heartache.

A cool night breeze stirred the shadows of the trees outside the window.

Qin Jinxiu stood a few steps away, motionless. After a long while, she finally responded softly, "Mm."

Then he turned to leave, then stopped and said, “I happen to know a wet nurse. She’s honest, twenty-eight years old, and her son is eight months old. She can come to the manor to take care of her…”

After saying that, he walked out of the main building.

Lu Yan watched her retreating figure and said, "Sister-in-law, she seems very lonely."

Of all the members of the Lu family, only Qin Jinxiu has no blood relation to anyone else.