Gu Ye went to get Li-jie’s help and made hearty dishes such as braised pork belly, stewed spareribs and potatoes, stewed pork and noodles, twice-cooked pork. The grandpas in the courtyard ate to their hearts’ content and raved about them.

Gu Ye, on the other hand, was not happy with the outcome. Her cooking skill in her past life was at the level of “idiotic”. She could make some common dishes in this life, but their quality was at the level of mediocre, far from “delectable”.

“How could you blame that on me? It was your son and daughter pair! Now that they can make money on their own, they didn’t to be dragged down by their poor, old dad. That was why they had the tie-severing documentation done. How was that my fault? You are right, I did want to get more money from that old crippled. But who was I doing that for? I did that all for Xiao Zhuang! You didn’t object to that either! How is it all my fault now?” Mrs. Gu, sitting down on the ground, covering her head and face with her arms, cried and defended herself.

Listening to how resolute his son was, Gu Qiao felt mixed emotions. He was also filled with hope and excitement when his son was born. He had loved his smart and loving son for 7 years.

When his son was young, they were very close. He loved to run up and threw his arms around his leg and called him “Daddy” in a soft voice; he loved to run up to him as he walked in the door and have him lifted him high up into the air; he loved to be around him and massaged his back and legs…

 “I didn’t see you protecting mei mei back when she was about to starve to deaf. Nor did you protect her when she was being bossed around to cook, do laundry, feed the pigs, chop firewood, go into the fields at a young age. How about the time when she was tricked into town to be sold to the woman human trafficker? So now that she can make money and you see what you can gain from her, you want her back? And said you’d protect her? You are only looking at her as a money-making tool, just like Meizi’s dad in Qianwa Village!!”

“I don’t believe it! You have your stories straight trying to fool me! You unfamilial little fart. You have so much money on you and here your dad and your little brother could barely afford to buy food, but all you care about is yourself. I… I am going to sue, you little ungrateful brat!” With her hands on her waist, she shouted uncontrollably; her fatty body jittered as she talked.

On their way to Gu Xiao’s place, they brought along with them a few elders and figured they’d clarify everything once and for all to stifle Mrs. Gu’s effort to keep on causing troubles with them every 2-3 days.

They didn’t expect that they’d hear Mrs. Gu demanding Gu Xiao to pay her 200 taels of silver to compensate for her raising the two children. Has she lost her mind? Two hundred taels of silver would be more than enough for 20-30 children, let alone two!

“Then what about you? You said there’s not enough food then how did you and Da Zhuang get to that size? Was it all air inside of you?” said Gu Ye as she looked at her chunky body with a look of disdain. “You really didn’t think I know it when you cooked more food for your son and yourself in the middle of the night? I knew everything you’ve done in the middle of the night because I was so hungry that I couldn’t even sleep!”

“Then why are you here? I don’t welcome anyone who goes back on their words!” Gu Xiao looked at him full of contempt. He seemed to be an honest boy before. Whatever have happened? Was it the way that he was raised or this was his nature all along?

Gu Qiao could no longer hold the smile on him. Gu Xiao had to take off in a rush back then and wasn’t able to complete the adoption procedure. It was his fault trying to back out of the deal, so now he didn’t have a leg to stand on no matter what he said.

Gu Qiao was not in a good mood when he was dragged home by his stepson. He snapped at Mrs. Gu as soon as he stepped inside the door, “What do you want? Do you know what everybody was saying about you? Said you can’t be away from your man for even a minute! Hurry up and say what it was that you wanted to tell me so badly. And give me some change so I can go try my luck!”

“You are comparing raw, unprepared herbs with prepared medicinal herbs. They are very different.” Mrs. Wu gave her a what-do-you-know look, “One basket of medicinal herbs from my husband can fetch 2 taels of silver! The better one’s technique in preparing the medicinal herbs, the higher they can sell for. Besides, what good would lying to you do me?”

“You are a woman. What do you know?!” Wu Dongguai gave her a stare. She didn’t think he was hurting as much as she was? But what other choices did he have? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Once he learned all of the old man’s skills and techniques, he could make it all back!

“You were for real? The processed medicinal herbs really worth that much money?” By now, Mrs. Wu had already heard the stories of Crippled Gu and girl Gu selling her medicinal herbs.

“Grandpa, you have seen the emperor?” There were admiration blinking in Gu Ming’s eyes – his grandpa must be very important in the military; how else could he have seen the emperor?

Gu Ye, too, looked at her grandpa full of interest. The emperor! That’s something that only existed in novels and TV shows. She wondered if the emperor of Dongling was a muddleheaded emperor like King Zhou of Shang or a benevolent one like Emperor Taizong of Tang?

“Capital city? Is that bigger than city of Yan? Houses there must be very expansive.” Gu Ming started doing the calculations in his head – what kind of job would he need to have to be able to save up enough to buy a house for his grandpa and sister in Yan.

Gu Xiao looked at his grandson and chuckled, “Capital city is much bigger than Yan. The houses there are much bigger as well. They have gardens, kiosks, gazebos. One after another living quarters…”

“Hey, I said, you two,” Gu Xiao felt that he should chime in at this point. His grandson and granddaughter were so mature that he many times that made him felt like he was just an ornament. “Did you forget about your grandpa again? Xiao Ye-zi, do you really think grandpa can’t afford the money to send your brother to school?”

“Mei mei….” The little silhouette ran toward them. After he approached them, Gu Ming took over the rein from his sister and, pulling the donkey with his sister and the goods, slowly walked toward the village.

He grumbled as he walked, “Didn’t you say you will be back home by the next day at the very latest? How come you are a whole date late? I was worried sick that something had happened to you on the way.

Gu Ye turned around, covered her mouth, and smiled at the big fool, “Remember what you told me today. If I so much as hear about you committing crimes again the next time I am in town, I will make sure you lose an arm. Now get!”

One of the robbers lost his patience and said, “Damn stutter, is this the time to mess around? Hurry up, use that girl to exchange for the money!”

“Who… who’s messing around? My arm…. My arm is going to break. OWWWww…” Gu Ye slightly shook her little hand and the big fool shrieked all over again.

The leader of the robbers was stunned. He didn’t expect the old man to have some skills, no wonder he didn’t seem to be intimidated. Nonetheless, they have more bodies. With a wave of his arm, he shouted, “Everybody, attack!”

The remaining 5 robbers rushed up in a very uncoordinated manner. Gu Xiao twirled the rod in a way that not even wind could pass through. Before the robbers even knew what was going on, their hands went numb and their weapons flew out of them.

“Okay! Our Ye-er is rich now. Grandpa is benefitting from that too!” said Gu Xiao as he followed happily behind Gu Ye walking from one end of the street to the next.

When they returned to the inn, Gu Ye was distressed like a soldier who was just defeated in a battle. The nameless little town was too small, all the shops have very limited selections. And Young Master Ding had already gifted them fabrics, snacks, or pork.

Gu Ye nodded and looking happier, “That’s better! Here’s two bottles of ‘Fast Acting Heart Saver Pills’. Take 3 pills 3 times a day. Each bottle is the quantity for one month. I will bring more for you next time I come to town.”

Young Master Ding carefully took the pills from her and preciously put them away in his chest. He took out a bank note from his sleeve that was for 500 taels and, slightly embarrassed, he asked, “I left in a hurry today and didn’t bring too much money with me. Will these be sufficient? If not, I will have someone go and…”