Chapter 17 Even a hero can be brought down by a penny.
Xie Ming was even angrier. He never expected that this young woman would threaten him again and again.
Just as I was about to say something, she interrupted me.
"I will definitely pay back all the money by tomorrow, or at the latest by tomorrow night!"
Tao Tao looked at him, her face serious, her gaze calm and firm.
Xie Ming frowned, looking at her suspiciously, wondering how much of what she said could be believed.
"You won't lose anything by waiting one more day."
"You guys aren't trying to run away, are you?!"
"If we wanted to run, we would have run long ago. Why wait until now?"
After much deliberation, he finally nodded: "Fine, if you dare to lie to me, I'll definitely sell you into a brothel. You know what happens when you're in a brothel!"
After they left, there was no more excitement to watch, and the busybodies at the door scattered like birds and beasts.
Tao Tao quickly helped her mother up, but her mother stubbornly insisted on picking up everything, ignoring even her crying younger brother.
"We absolutely cannot give them this shop! Your father will come back!"
She knelt on the ground to tidy up, her face looking extremely pale.
Seeing how determined she was, Tao Tao had no choice but to comfort her younger brother first.
"Don't cry, look, there's a sugar painting. It's very sweet, you should try it."
She knelt down in front of the seven-year-old child and wiped the tears from his cheeks with her sleeve.
Tao Liang pursed his lips, his face covered in tears and snot. She couldn't bear it and used his own clothes to wipe his snot.
"Alright, alright, let's go inside."
He nodded, took the sugar painting figure, and ran inside.
Tao Tao stood with her hands on her hips, looking at the mess on the ground, and immediately felt a headache coming on. The paper figures and horses were tattered and torn, the gold and silver ingots were scattered on the ground and crushed, and even the paper toy guns she made in her spare time were broken.
I really hope this thing becomes real so I can shoot them all.
"Mom, go and rest, I'll take care of it."
Tao's mother did not respond. She turned to look at her and noticed drops of water on the ground.
She slowly squatted down. "What's wrong, Mother? It's alright, everything will pass, I'll handle it."
“Your father said he would come back. He wouldn’t abandon us. He’s not that kind of person…”
Tao's mother choked with sobs, tears streaming down her face.
Her mother was a typical submissive and virtuous woman who obeyed her husband in everything and lacked her own opinions and independent thinking ability, which led to her father's gambling addiction.
Tao's mother couldn't stop them, nor could she leave. She desperately tried to keep this broken home together. She could only plead with those who came to collect debts, and she could only try to please those who deliberately made things difficult for her.
She didn't know what to do, and no one taught her what to do.
It's really tough for an orphan and a widow to run a funeral parlor that everyone hates.
Since Tao's father passed away, the shop has not received a single funeral order and relies entirely on selling small paper offerings to make a living.
She saved all the good food for her siblings, while she herself became malnourished, thin, and frequently ill.
The tears she shed in front of her daughter today are enough to show that her inner strength has reached its limit, and she is very helpless.
Tao Tao leaned over and hugged her tightly: "Mom, it's okay. If he doesn't come back, he doesn't have to. I can take care of you. I'm all grown up now. I can support this family. You won't have to work so hard anymore."
Tao's mother couldn't help but lean on her shoulder and sob quietly.
It took almost an hour and a half to barely get it sorted out.
Tao Tao sat at the doorway, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes glazed over as she pondered a problem, occasionally passing by on foot.
She took out a jade pendant with a crouching beast head from her bosom. It was milky white with a touch of light blue, with a warm and smooth texture and an elegant and unique design. It was extremely beautiful.
Having made up her mind, she held the jade pendant in her hand, stood up, and walked forward.
Fifteen minutes later, she looked up at the familiar yet unfamiliar black building, hesitated for a while, and then sat down on the steps next to it, curling up alone.
I was too hasty at the time. I should have made them pay a portion of the money first, and I didn't even negotiate the price with them.
Now that the body isn't here, we don't know if they'll admit to it.
Just as she finally made up her mind to get up and walk into the Privy Council, a carriage slowly stopped at the entrance. As if sensing something, she turned around to look.
The man wore a deep crimson robe embroidered with gold unicorns. His pace was unhurried, with a hint of laziness. Under the moonlight and the crimson robe, his face was even more beautiful.
His senses were very sharp; he noticed at a glance that someone was looking down at her from above on those steps.
Her face was somewhat blank, and her body was thin; she stood there like a frail sheet.
She didn't speak, but his gaze was so sharp that she couldn't help but look away.
Duan Gan stopped in front of the carriage and suddenly raised his hand to signal Chen Jinghe behind him to come forward.
"Fourth Master."
"Go ask."
After saying that, he got into the carriage without noticing Chen Jinghe's astonished expression.
When did Fourth Master change his ways? He's started caring about people now?
He scratched his head, puzzled.
Then he turned and walked towards Tao Tao.
Tao Tao smiled instinctively when she saw him approach.
What brings you to the Privy Council?
"Sir, didn't I take your business two weeks ago...?"
"Hmm, what's wrong? Did something happen to the Qiu family?"
He nodded and asked, puzzled.
“It’s not the Qiu family, it’s me.” She pointed to herself.
"you?!"
"Although your envoy has not yet been buried, could you please pay my fee first?"
"I'm so sorry, I really need this money."
She clenched her hands tightly behind her back, looking somewhat uneasy.
"How much?" he asked.
She silently made a gesture for the number three.
Then she heard a very surprised voice.
Three thousand taels?!
Chen Jinghe stared at her with wide eyes, thinking to himself that this young lady really knew how to ask for an exorbitant amount.
Upon hearing this, Tao Tao quickly waved her hand and hurriedly explained, "No, no! It's three hundred taels!"
He took a breath and said, "How could that be? Besides, Qiu Yanling isn't worth three thousand taels."
He then took out three silver notes from his sleeve.
"Here, exactly three hundred taels."
Tao Tao accepted it, saying, "Thank you, sir."
"No need to thank me, thank him instead."
Chen Jinghe smiled, turned around, mounted his horse, and the group rode away.
"This part about killing people is actually pretty good..."
It's obvious who he's referring to; the highest-ranking official in the Privy Council right now is Duan Gan.
The Privy Council's carriage headed towards the Imperial City. After showing his token and passing through the Lizheng Gate, Chen Jinghe boarded the carriage, the wheels creaking and echoing through the quiet underground palace road.
About fifteen minutes later, the Chongzheng Hall was just ahead, and the carriage slowly came to a stop at the intersection of the palace road.
Chen Jinghe got off the carriage first, followed by Duan Gan.
"Fourth Master, I'll wait here then."
He grunted in agreement and strode forward.
Someone encountered him while he was going up the steps.
It was He Congshu, the Minister of Justice.
The middle-aged man bowed to him and said, "Lord Duan, it's been a long time."
Duan Gan smiled slightly and nodded. "Why didn't I see you at the envoy's funeral half a month ago?"
The two walked and talked.
He sighed: "It's He's problem. There's a very troublesome case of smuggling government salt in Suizhou, and He had no choice but to go and handle it."
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