Seeing that Mr. Zhang was already depressed, County Magistrate Zhang said softly, "I see that it's not easy for you either. How about this, for the sake of our past friendship, I will negotiate for you to get five thousand taels. As the saying goes, 'If someone respects me one foot, I will respect them one yard.' If they agree, you should stop making trouble. How about this, can you give me some face?"

"This..." Mr. Zhang was so cowardly.

But no matter what, it was true that he bought the house for 10,000 taels, and he also bought a large number of antiques and valuables from the Zhao family at a low price. Even if he returned the house to the Zhao family, plus the 5,000 taels that he obviously gave to the county, he would at most break even, and even make a small profit.

This is much better than Mr. Liu's situation...

There is no need to stick your neck out and insist on doing so. That will only offend the officials and become even more unprofitable.

But when he thought of the large house with five entrances and three exits by the Qinhuai River that he had just renovated but had not yet moved in, he felt so distressed that he wanted to cry...

Seeing him hesitate and stammer, Magistrate Zhang slammed the table in displeasure and said, "Don't refuse a toast and drink a forfeit!"

"Okay, I'll return the house and pay the money." Mr. Zhang finally gave in.

"You are doing this voluntarily and not under any coercion from me, right?" County Magistrate Zhang looked at him with a half-smile.

"Yes, I did it voluntarily, no one forced me." Mr. Zhang nodded with a wry smile. This old dog really took everything and left nothing behind.

When you are under someone's roof, you have to bow your head, so he had no choice but to sign and seal the contract.

Just as Mr. Zhang was about to go back to lick his wounds, he heard County Magistrate Zhang say, "Wait, there is one more thing. Return the jade pendant that you took from someone else."

"Ah, seeing that he didn't redeem it, I sold it." Mr. Zhang's face turned pale again.

Even County Magistrate Zhang, who was a greedy person, looked down on him and said, "You are really greedy. You even took the jade pendant worth 20 taels."

"Uh..." Mr. Zhang was choked and speechless. He really couldn't say it out loud. He sold the jade pendant that he had eaten for twenty taels for one thousand taels!

After a while, he said in a muffled voice: "At most, I'll add another 500 taels."

"It's not about money. It's a beloved item that someone specifically requested," Magistrate Zhang waved his hand and said, "I advise you to buy it back as soon as possible, no need to make any unnecessary trouble."

"Oh, okay..." Mr. Zhang was like a lice that wouldn't bite if there were too many of them, so he closed his eyes and nodded, agreeing to everything.

~~

That evening, Zhao Shouzheng had gone out for a drink and had not returned yet, and Zhao Haozheng was having dinner with his uncle and his son in the main hall.

Suddenly, a servant came in and reported, "Mr. Zhang from Deheng has arrived."

"Hey, what is he doing here?" Zhao Shouye's face darkened when he heard this and said, "This guy took advantage of the situation to rob us, and he has the nerve to come to my door today!"

"Uncle, please be patient. Let's see what he is up to." Zhao Hao knew what was going on. He stood up and walked into the yard with a smile.

Zhao Shouye and his son also quickly put down their bowls and chopsticks and followed out.

Then Mr. Zhang came in wearing a green robe and a small hat, holding a wooden box in his hands and with his head lowered.

"Hey, isn't this Brother Zhang Shi?" Zhao Shouye looked at him and said coldly, "Why, you came to our house as soon as our Zhao family got better?"

"Hey, hi..." Mr. Zhang wanted to say a few polite words, but he felt he had no energy. He simply bowed deeply, raised the wooden box with both hands and said, "I, Zhang, have no eyes to recognize a great man. I hope Mr. Zhao, Mr. Zhao, and Mr. Zhao will be kind enough to treat me like a fart and let me go."

"What's going on?" Zhao Shouye took the wooden box curiously, opened it and was stunned.

Inside was a jade pendant and a house deed. The deed clearly stated that it was the Zhao mansion that he had sold!

"Ah..." Zhao Shouye covered his mouth, unable to speak due to excitement.

Zhao Hao picked up the jade pendant and asked uncertainly, "Is it this one?"

"Yes, of course." Mr. Zhang felt bitter and upset. He spent a full two thousand taels to redeem it from the buyer after begging for help from everyone.

Zhao Shouye, who was standing beside him, also confirmed that Zhao Shouzheng did have such a jade pendant. Zhao Hao then put it into his sleeve, looked at Zhang Yuanwai with a smile and said, "What does this mean?"

Mr. Zhang smiled bitterly and said, "Mr. Zhao, I admit defeat this time. Please let me go."

"Stop pretending to be pitiful here." Zhao Hao said with a gloomy face: "Back then, you took advantage of the situation and made more than 30,000 taels from my family. Now I'm just asking you to give up half of it."

As he said that, he sneered and said, "Boss Zhang, if you don't agree, just come over again and see if I can make you spit out the other half!"

"I'm convinced, I'm completely convinced." Zhang Yuanwai was terrified when he heard this. He felt that the resentment he had before coming here was largely dispelled by Zhao Hao's barrage of attacks. He quickly waved his hand and said, "From now on, I will never dare to challenge you again."

Zhao Hao asked his uncle again, is there any problem with the land deed?

Zhao Shouye checked it carefully under the light and saw that it had been transferred back to the original owner, so he nodded to indicate that there was no problem.

"Get out." Zhao Hao then waved his hand, and Mr. Zhang ran away in a hurry as if he had been pardoned.

After Zhang left, Zhao Shouye and his son bowed deeply to Zhao Hao, thanking him for regaining the family's fortune.

"We're family, what's there to thank for?" The first half of Zhao Hao's sentence made the uncle feel warm, but the second half made Zhao Shouye laugh and cry.

"Uncle, please stop selling it at such a low price..."

~~

Returning to his room, Zhao Hao lit the light, then took out the jade pendant and examined it carefully.

Zhao Shouzheng regards money as dirt, but he regards this jade pendant as a treasure, which makes Zhao Hao curious. What is the secret behind it?

It was a semicircular jade pendant carved from a piece of Hetian white jade. The front was decorated with lily and cloud patterns, and there were two seal characters "Ning'an" engraved on it. The back was signed by Lu Zigang.

"Huh?" Zhao Hao couldn't help but feel a little strange, thinking what does 'Ning' mean? Shouldn't it be 'An Ning'?

And this semicircular jade pendant is not common, unless it is a pair...

He was just imagining about the jade pendant when Zhao Shouzheng pushed the door open.

As soon as Zhao Shouzheng saw the jade pendant, his eyes lit up immediately and he snatched it away with agility that was not commensurate with his age.

Then, he caressed the jade pendant lovingly as if he were holding a rare treasure, murmuring, "Baby, my baby, you're finally back..."

Zhao Hao got goosebumps all over his body and asked with a chill, "Where did this jade pendant come from? Why does my father value it so much?"

"This was back when we were in the capital, me and that..." Zhao Shouzheng answered subconsciously, then suddenly realized something, slapped Zhao Hao and said, "Children, don't ask about adult matters."

"I think there must be an affair." Zhao Hao hid away with his head in his hands, and ran out while shouting, "And it's a woman other than my mother!"

"You little brat, how do you know? No, stop right there!" Zhao Shouzheng's face turned red with rage. When he was about to chase after him, he found that Zhao Hao had disappeared long ago.

He stopped, looked at the jade pendant again and again, sighed and said: "I wonder if I can see her again when I go to Beijing this time..."

"How is that possible?" He shook his head in self-mockery and solemnly put the jade pendant into his arms.

ps. This is the fourth update. This update is for the owner of Cuiyun Mountain, the lovely little old Niu Niu Mowang. Please keep going! Please give me your monthly votes and recommendation tickets~~~