Yun Chu sat inside the carriage, sipping hot tea. Before long, she heard a man’s voice from outside the carriage: “Madam Xie, I am the proprietor of the Dou Family Trading Company. Might I have a moment to speak with you?”

That haunted estate had originally been sold by the Wu family to the Zou family, and the Zou family later sold it at a loss to the Dou Family Trading Company, where it then sat unsold in the Dou family’s hands.

She remembered that in her previous life, after that fire, this estate of the Dou family had been directly taken by the family of an imperial consort from the palace. Merchants occupied the lowest social stratum, ranking even below ordinary farmers, so how would they dare oppose the imperial family? In the end, they had handed the estate over to the consort’s family.

Yun Chu lifted the carriage curtain.

Two people stood below the carriage—the Dou family patriarch and Madam Dou, both in their forties.

She took Tingshuang’s hand and stepped down, saying: “Three nights ago, I took people to your Dou family’s estate. It was presumptuous of us to intrude, and I should have called at your door to apologize, but I’ve been too busy these past few days…”

“Young Master Xie is taking the imperial examinations, so Madam Xie would naturally be quite busy,” Madam Dou said hastily. “That estate has been abandoned anyway. It was that estate’s good fortune to provide Madam Xie a place to rest. I only wonder if it frightened Madam Xie?”

Yun Chu sighed: “Actually, I was interested in buying a large estate. I heard that estate had both mountains and water, so I went specifically to scout it out. Who would have thought…”

She shook her head and didn’t continue.

A look of delight appeared on Madam Dou’s face.

After all these years, no one had shown interest in this estate. Finally, there was a fool with money to spare.

However, she had also heard that Madam Xie had brought a group of people in, and in the end they had carried three or four people out, which showed they had been thoroughly frightened.

To persuade Madam Xie to buy the estate would still require considerable effort.

Madam Dou paused, then spoke: “Madam Xie, you may not know—people outside all say the estate is haunted, but that’s not actually the case. The neighboring farmers were jealous of the estate’s fertile land, so they deliberately pretended to be ghosts and made up false stories. Back when our Dou family moved in, those farmers constantly came to cause trouble. We are merchants—the ‘merchant’ in the four social classes of scholar-farmer-artisan-merchant—so how would we dare oppose farmers? In any case, the Dou family doesn’t lack this bit of money, so we let the estate fall into disuse.”

Yun Chu smiled.

If they truly didn’t lack money, they wouldn’t have actively sought her out.

In these times, a farming household earned only two taels of silver a year. This estate had cost at least ten thousand taels. Anyone would feel the pain of that sum.

The Dou family patriarch added: “Originally our Dou family paid twelve thousand taels of silver to purchase this estate from the Zou family. If Madam Xie truly wants it, we can let it go for eight thousand taels.”

Yun Chu shook her head.

This Dou family was truly greedy.

The estate had been abandoned for over twenty years, yet they still wanted to sell it for eight thousand taels. If it had been maintained over the years, she would have been willing to pay even ten thousand.

Starting with eight thousand—weren’t they just assuming that as the legitimate daughter of the Yun family, she didn’t understand business, and seeing that she had already gone to that estate, they wanted to deliberately swindle her?

“Eight thousand taels is indeed very cheap, but—” Yun Chu lowered her voice, “my husband doesn’t agree to me buying that estate. He says it’s inauspicious and might affect his career prospects. Even though I truly like it, there’s nothing I can do.”

Tingshuang standing beside her added: “Our madam really likes that estate’s mountain. She previously considered using her private savings to buy it, but her private funds aren’t enough…”

Madam Dou quickly asked: “May I inquire how much in private savings Madam Xie has?”

Yun Chu held up three fingers.

Madam Dou’s smile froze on her face. She had thought Madam Xie was a fool with money to spare, but didn’t expect her to bargain so ruthlessly.

Business hadn’t been good recently. The Dou Family Trading Company had closed several branches and urgently needed silver for operations. Otherwise, the couple wouldn’t have specifically come here to intercept Madam Xie.

The Dou family patriarch was a merchant, and what he excelled at most was haggling. He immediately said: “Final price—five thousand taels of silver. We can draw up the deed right now.”

Yun Chu shook her head: “This is all I have.”

This estate had been abandoned for over twenty years and was said to be haunted. Even if she acquired it, not to mention the at least ten thousand taels needed for future repairs, just changing the perception of those who knew about it wouldn’t be a simple matter.

Most importantly, she didn’t have much silver on hand.

Just as the Dou couple hesitated, Yun Chu’s expression changed: “My husband is coming over. Never mind, I won’t buy it. You should leave quickly.”

The Dou family patriarch and Madam Dou: “…”

They had originally thought three thousand taels was too little, but now it seemed they wouldn’t even get the three thousand taels.

But Xie Jingyu was already walking over with Xie Shi’an, so despite their unwillingness, the Dou couple could only step aside and wait to find another opportunity later.

Xie Jingyu looked curiously at the retreating figures of the Dou couple: “Who were those two?”

Yun Chu smiled and said: “Merchants who have done business with the Yun family. They came over to pay their respects to me.”

She turned to look at Xie Shi’an: “An’ge, how did the examination go?”

A smile appeared on Xie Shi’an’s face: “Top three shouldn’t be much of a problem.”

When they returned home, seeing Xie Shi’an’s triumphant expression, the Old Madam knew this great-grandson would definitely pass and become a scholar. To become a scholar at only twelve years old—he was even more outstanding than Jingyu had been back then.

Xie Ping sat beside them and asked: “If Shi’an becomes the top candidate, will our Xie family hold a banquet?”

Xie Jingyu took a sip of wine: “Of course we will.”

The Old Madam felt the same way: “The youngest top candidate in the entire capital—this is something worth praising. Why wouldn’t we hold one? Chu’er, what do you think?”

Although the Old Madam didn’t like Yun Chu now, on such major matters, she was still accustomed to listening to Yun Chu’s suggestions.

“Many children carefully cultivated by the great clans of the capital aren’t as excellent as An’ge. If An’ge truly takes first place this time, it will bring glory to the Xie family. Besides, there’s been quite a bit of criticism about our Xie family outside. Once we hold this banquet, those voices will naturally disappear.” Yun Chu smiled and said, “If the Old Madam trusts me, let me arrange the banquet, all right?”

The Old Madam was naturally more than willing: “Then I’ll trouble you, Chu’er.”

Xie Ping looked at Yun Chu and said: “Mother, may I learn alongside you?”

After the incident at the birthday banquet last time, she had stopped learning household management from her mother. She had avoided it for so long; it was time to face it.

This top candidate banquet would naturally be even livelier than an old madam’s birthday banquet. She had to use this banquet to clear her tarnished reputation.

Although the results of the provincial examination hadn’t been announced yet, in the Old Madam’s heart she had already decided that Xie Shi’an would be this round’s top candidate. In her joy, she couldn’t help but sigh: “Ah, if only Wei’ge could be this studious…”

After Xie Shi’an returned from the examination grounds, he heard about what had happened in the residence. Wei’ge had been whipped over ten times by their father and had lain in bed for two days. Today he had gone to attend school.

“An’ge, go check on your younger brother,” Yuan Shi said. “Seeing how accomplished you are now, Wei’ge might start studying diligently from now on.”

Xie Shi’an nodded, turned around, and walked toward Xie Shiwei’s courtyard.

All the servants in the courtyard had been replaced with sturdy old women. One old woman guarding the door was brewing medicine. Seeing him approach, she was about to bow in respect.

He made a silencing gesture, gently pushed the door open, and saw Xie Shiwei lying on the bed reading a book.

As an older brother, seeing his full younger brother becoming diligent made him feel gratified, and he deeply felt that those few lashes from their father had been very worthwhile.

But when he walked closer and looked, his expression immediately darkened. He snatched the book from Xie Shiwei’s hands: “You spend all day looking at this trash?”

The book was filled with crude drawings, various bloody scenes forming a story.

“Elder Brother…” Xie Shiwei was frightened. “Don’t tell Father and Mother. Please, Elder Brother.”

Xie Shi’an threw the picture book onto the candle holder on the table, and before long it caught fire.

He suppressed his anger and said: “Father punished you so severely, yet you still haven’t reformed. It seems you truly are beyond saving!”

“Elder Brother, I didn’t—the homework the tutor assigned was too difficult…” Xie Shiwei racked his brains for an excuse. “I wrote for a while and wanted to relax, so I picked up this book to look at. I really have changed, I’ve reformed…”

Xie Shi’an looked at the few crooked characters on the table.