The mistress is reborn, no one who bullies me can escape

"It seems that the Marquis has already made up his mind. I will not say much about my little sister's affairs to avoid embarrassment." Xue Jinhua's words undoubtedly hit Zhao Yuxuan's soft spot. He wanted the money, but he also didn't want to let Zhao Yuhao go.

You have to know that before this, all the clansmen looked up to him and followed his lead, but now he is no longer the only support of the Zhao family.

This huge gap made him feel a little uncomfortable, but he had no time to care about so many things now. Compared to being angry with Zhao Yuhao here, it would be better to plan more for the future of the Marquis' Mansion.

He said in a deep voice, "My little sister's marriage is indeed important, but this matter cannot be let go like this. At least you have to return double the silver, right?"

Hearing this, the clan leader's face instantly darkened: "Ten thousand taels of silver, it's only been a short time, and you're trying to get back twenty thousand taels of silver? Yuxuan, aren't you going too far?"

He was already over fifty years old, and this was the first time he had seen someone dare to ask for such an exorbitant price. Even if it was a money lender offering usury, it would not be so absurd!

Xue Jinhua lowered her eyebrows and eyes, but was not too surprised. She thought to herself that the patriarch might not realize it yet. Zhao Yuxuan was already quite restrained. Such an insatiable person, even if he was given a mountain of gold and silver, it would be difficult to satisfy his desires.

He had a faint smile on his face and said calmly, "How can it be excessive? This is already the bottom line. If the chieftain thinks it's too much, then I don't care. However, we can make a big deal about this and see who suffers in the end."

His eyes flashed with determination, and he continued, "And what His Majesty hates most is to use connections to bribe officials. If His Majesty knew that you used silver to bribe officials, who would suffer the greatest loss? I think the chief patriarch should know this very well."

Indeed, for Zhao Yuxuan, his reputation had long been ruined, and he didn't care about these things. But Zhao Yuhao was different. He had just graduated from high school, and his career and future had just begun. So, no matter what, Zhao Yuhao couldn't make any mistakes.

So the twenty thousand taels of silver now are really nothing compared to his future.

Zhao Yuhao's face turned very ugly, and the blue veins on his forehead twitched slightly. It was obvious that he was extremely conflicted. He glared at Zhao Yuxuan with gritted teeth, but he couldn't refute.

"Okay, I promise you." After hesitating for a moment, Zhao Yuhao finally gritted his teeth and decided to compromise. Although he was full of reluctance, facing the pressure of reality, he had no choice.

The patriarch stroked his beard and said, "Yuhao, you have to think it over carefully. Considering your family's current situation, these 20,000 taels of silver are definitely not a small sum!"

"Uncle, don't worry! Yuhao knows what's going on and has his own plans."

Zhao Yuhao gritted his teeth, a hint of determination flashed in his eyes. He knew that the amount of money was not small, but compared with his own future, what was money?

Seeing that he had made up his mind, the patriarch said no more.

However, the patriarch knew Zhao Yuxuan very well, so he reminded him, "Since you have already reached an agreement, in order to avoid disputes or regrets in the future, it is better to sign a written agreement. This will ensure that both parties can abide by their promises."

Zhao Yuxuan certainly didn't want to leave any handle on this matter, but if he didn't agree, the patriarch would definitely not agree.

So he agreed without hesitation: "Okay, let's sign a written agreement."

"However, I have to remind you that if I don't see the silver within five days, I am not afraid of making a big fuss about this matter."

After Zhao Yuxuan and Wang left with the document, Zhao Yuhao felt extremely heavy.

He knew that his family had become impoverished because of paying for his studies, and their life was already very difficult. Faced with so much money, he felt immense pressure and anxiety.

He couldn't help but think of his parents and sister at home, who had paid too much to support his studies. But now, he was unable to repay their kindness and instead brought a greater burden to the family.

Zhao Yuhao silently told himself that no matter what, he must find a way to solve this problem. He couldn't let his family down, and he couldn't let his future be ruined.

The patriarch felt sorry for his nephew and secretly vowed to help him through the difficult times. He patted his chest and promised, "Don't worry, Yuhao! Your uncle will find a way for you and raise the money for you no matter what."

However, Xue Jinhua at the side showed a meaningful smile. She shook her head gently and said to the chieftain, "Chief, some bottomless pits can never be filled no matter how hard you try."

Hearing this, the patriarch's face became solemn. He seemed to realize the seriousness of the problem. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "What do you mean..."

Xue Jinhua narrowed her eyes slightly and answered calmly: "I am just a woman, how can I have any opinion? I just feel that...some things are not so glorious to begin with. Even if they are avoided today, there will always be a day when the matter will be exposed. Don't you agree, Great Patriarch?"

After hearing this, the patriarch fell into deep thought and began to re-examine the current situation.

Xue Jinhua continued to smile, with wisdom glittering in her eyes. She continued, "This shameful matter has become a handle. Sooner or later, someone will hold it in their hands. It is better to face it calmly... maybe there is still a glimmer of hope."

"But what if it fails?"

The Zhao family had finally managed to raise such a promising young talent, how could he bear to destroy it like this?

"The flowers in this greenhouse cannot withstand destruction. If they are slightly exposed to the cold, they will not live long... Great Patriarch, don't you worry about the future?"

The patriarch's silence let Xue Jinhua know that he had taken his words to heart.

She smiled slightly and continued, "Great Patriarch, you should understand that although the flowers in the greenhouse are beautiful, they lack the ability to withstand wind and rain. A truly strong person needs to go through hardships and challenges to grow. If we always protect Zhao Yuhao and prevent him from facing any difficulties and setbacks, then when he encounters a real crisis, how should we deal with it?"

The patriarch frowned and narrowed his eyes, as if he was thinking about something important.

After a while, the patriarch slowly spoke: "I know what you are thinking, but I am still a little worried. After all, the Zhao family only has this one hope. If we lose him, our Zhao family may face great difficulties."

Xue Jinhua shook her head gently. Her voice was gentle but firm. "Patriarch, your concerns are justified, but we cannot stop trying just because we are afraid of losing. The future of the Zhao family cannot be decided by Zhao Yuhao alone. It requires the efforts of the entire family."

The patriarch was touched by Xue Jinhua's words. He thought about it and felt that what she said made sense, so he nodded slightly to show that he understood.

Seeing that the patriarch had begun to accept her opinion, Xue Jinhua continued, "Perhaps in another hundred years, the Zhao family will become a family full of culture like the Jiang family, respected and admired by everyone?"

When the patriarch heard these words, he couldn't help but feel a surge of longing in his heart.

He imagined what the Zhao family would be like after becoming a cultural family, and his eyes sparkled with excitement.

This is what he has dreamed of all his life!