The total amount is 3.8 million taels!
Wei Dongling was counting such a large sum of money for the first time. She was so excited that her whole body trembled slightly.
The Crown Prince runs an underground gambling house. It's incredibly profitable!
Everyone gathered around the table in silence. Luo Xunlong looked at Wei Dongling's trembling hands and asked, "Are we going to get rich?"
Wei Dongling nodded repeatedly. "Not only can we cover the large expenses for supporting Xingshan, but the remaining silver is also enough to buy a large mansion with three courtyards!"
Hearing this, everyone was excited.
Uncle Li sighed softly. "What should we do with you four being so reckless? The Crown Prince's men will definitely not let it go easily."
Luo Xunlong snorted. "The Crown Prince's men have tried to kill the girl both openly and secretly. If we hadn't set up traps and hidden weapons in the room in advance, the girl might have been killed long ago. In broad daylight, they even dared to be so presumptuous on the street and attempt to harm the girl. I can't just sit back and watch the girl suffer such grievances!"
Uncle Li said in a low voice, "Don't I understand your thoughts? But this is the capital city and also close to the northern frontier! Under the feet of the most powerful people, a higher-ranking official can crush us. Making this matter too big will do us no good at all. If we're not careful, we'll all end up in jail! I'm not blaming you, but after weighing the pros and cons, I just feel it's a bit of a loss."
Hearing this, Luo Xunlong lowered his head and thought for a while, then nodded and said, "I originally thought that his underground bank couldn't be exposed, so I guessed he wouldn't dare to report it to the authorities. That's why I went there to cause a ruckus. Thinking carefully, Brother Lang is right. It's my fault for not thinking it through. According to Brother Lang, what should we do to remedy the situation now?"
Uncle Li thought for a while and said in a low voice, "For safety's sake, you all should move into an inn tonight."
So, the four of Wei Dongling, plus Ruan Niang and Old Su, quietly moved into the Yunzhu Courtyard that night, taking away all kinds of weapons and silver hidden in the Tingfeng Tower.
Sure enough, when dawn was approaching, the government officials knocked on the door of the Tingfeng Tower. They said they had received a report that someone had witnessed the people from the Tingfeng Tower killing someone on the street last night.
Hearing this, Lin Baiwan quickly invited the officials in politely to search. After a thorough search for about an hour, the government officials left empty-handed.
Wei Dongling and the others had a great time staying in the inn. Anyway, the four of them were not convenient to go out, so they happily played mahjong in the inn.
Lin Baiwan wasn't idle either. First, he bribed the government officials with a large amount of silver to let the case gradually fade away. Then he rushed to find a large mansion in a quiet place amidst the hustle and bustle. The location was very good, and it was also close to the Prince's Mansion.
When Wei Dongling heard about this while playing mahjong, she had just taught Ruan Niang how to play, but Ruan Niang had won all the silver on her. Wei Dongling was dejected for a long time. She looked up and asked Ah Cheng in confusion, "Why does your Master Lin insist on choosing a mansion near the Prince's Mansion?"
Ah Cheng answered seriously, "Master Lin said that when we were drinking at Lord Shen's house last time, the Young Master Yun and we had already become good friends. In case we encounter any trouble in the future, we can go to the Prince's Mansion in time for help!"
Wei Dongling:...
So, everyone cleaned the mansion before the Mid-Autumn Festival and then rushed to move in.
At first, Wei Dongling had some objections and didn't want to live too close to the Prince's Mansion. But when she saw this antique mansion with rockeries, pavilions, small bridges, and fish ponds, she was quite satisfied.
Lin Baiwan had someone remove the broken plaque on the gate and replace it with the words "Su Mansion" written by himself. He hung it up properly, which made everyone happy. The whole family was in high spirits.
They left the southern courtyard for the female family members. Ruan Niang took Wei Dongling to choose rooms. There were four clean and tidy rooms in the southern courtyard. Wei Dongling, Ruan Niang, and Cui Huan each got one. Cui Huan asked in surprise, "Is there one for me too?"
Wei Dongling and Ruan Niang nodded and said in unison, "Of course."
Cui Huan smiled with her eyes bent. She hugged Wei Dongling's slender waist and said with a smile, "I still want to live with Miss Wei!"
Ruan Niang said with a smile, "You two will get married eventually! You can live together as you like before getting married. After you get married, these two rooms will still be reserved for you!"
Wei Dongling waved her hand and said, "Do we still need to reserve a room for Cui Huan? Isn't she just marrying from the south to the north?"
Cui Huan's face instantly turned red.
Ruan Niang said with a smile, "What do you know! In case the young couple has a quarrel, Cui Huan can still come back here to live!"
Wei Dongling asked in surprise, "Even if the young couple has a quarrel, it should be Uncle Luo who is driven out to live! Why should Cui Huan come back?"
Ruan Niang clapped her hands and laughed, "It should indeed be so!"
Cui Huan's face turned red to the roots of her neck. She stomped her feet and turned around to run away.
On the night of the 15th of the eighth lunar month, the moon was big, round, and bright.
Lin Baiwan booked a family banquet at the Pengcheng Restaurant and planned to celebrate the reunion of his own family first.
Wei Dongling and the others went there early. They ordered a table full of delicious dishes and also asked for two jars of the famous Jiuniang Shao from the Pengcheng Restaurant.
In the private room on the second floor, Uncle Li filled everyone's glasses with wine. He raised his glass and sighed, "It's not easy all the way. Now that we've brought back Old Su, we can finally be a complete family! And we've finally settled down in the capital. We'll surely get better and better in the future!"
"Good!" Everyone raised their glasses one after another.
Cui Huan couldn't hold her liquor at all, so she could only use tea instead of wine to clink glasses with everyone and drank the tea in one gulp.
Lin Baiwan greeted everyone, "Come on! Let's eat! Today's dishes are all the signature dishes of this restaurant! Let's eat while they're hot!"
Everyone picked up their chopsticks.
Wei Dongling picked up a large piece of squirrel-shaped mandarin fish and put it into Old Su's bowl beside her. She said with a big smile, "Grandpa, try this. This dish here tastes really good!"
Old Su held Wei Dongling's hand and nodded repeatedly. "You eat too, girl!"
"Okay." Wei Dongling nodded and went to pick up some dishes. When she looked up, she saw Ruan Niang sitting opposite, staring blankly at the remaining wine in the glass. She couldn't help but ask softly, "What's wrong with Ruan Niang?"
Ruan Niang said with a soft smile, "I've never tasted the famous wine in the capital before. I feel the taste is a bit special."
Uncle Li said with a smile, "I've been in the capital for so many years, and this is the first time I've drunk their Jiuniang Shao. I feel it's not as strong and delicious as the wine from the northern frontier!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Ruan Niang said with a smile, "There's still some fruit wine I brewed myself at home. The taste is okay. Should I go back and get it for everyone to enjoy?"
"Forget it! Don't bother!" Everyone quickly advised her. "This wine is okay to drink." Only then did Ruan Niang sit down again.
The waiter pushed the door open and brought in the dishes. Wei Dongling craned her neck to look at the dishes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar figure walking up from the main hall outside the door.
Dressed in gorgeous brocade robes and with his hair tied up in a jade crown, the figure walked towards the private room surrounded by a group of servants.