Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

"Two hundred and eighty-five taels and five mace!"

Unable to contain his excitement, Yu Wenbin clenched his fists and rubbed them hard against the table. He needed pain to bring him back to his senses and make him realize that he wasn't dreaming.

"Mother, Third Sister is really amazing!"

"Plop!"

Ji Chunhua tried to stand up, forgetting that she was now disabled, and without putting in the effort, she rolled off the stool.

Yu Man and the others frantically tried to pull her away, but Zhu Xiaozhen was the only one who forgot to move for a moment.

She was also stunned by this unexpected windfall!

They had never seen so much money in their entire lives! The most money they had ever seen was the few taels of silver they received when the family divided their property. However, most of that silver was quickly deducted for taxes.

Two hundred taels of silver—that's enough for the Yu family to pay taxes for years! No, that doesn't seem to be how you calculate expenses…

Zhu Xiaozhen silently pinched her fingers until they hurt.

The money was earned by my third aunt, it belongs to my third aunt! They only helped with a little bit, what right do they have to share a drop of the pie? My third aunt has already done so much by thinking of buying clothes and food for the family!

One must never be greedy.

Ji Chunhua sat back down on the stool, her expression seemingly calmer. Clearly, she had also thought of this.

Looking at Yu Wanran, his eyes held a complex yet gratified emotion.

"Ranran, you're so capable... You've earned more wealth than your family could in several lifetimes just by coming home!"

The thought of feeling guilty towards the Duke's mansion flashed through my mind.

She failed to raise Yao Yao well, turning her into an arrogant and domineering person. Meanwhile, the Duke's mansion nurtured her Ran Ran so exceptionally well!

The Duke's mansion will definitely regret it in the future and take Ranran back, won't they?

She dared not think any further and held Yu Wanran's hand tightly.

“Your father and I were worried that we wouldn’t be able to raise enough for your dowry. This two hundred taels of silver is enough for you to stand tall in your husband’s family and live a stable life without being easily bullied.”

Ranran was no ordinary farm girl who had never suffered hardship before; this money completely dispelled her worries.

With such a generous dowry, Ji Chunhua planned to find a matchmaker the next day to introduce her to several talented young men. Only such men were worthy of her Ranran!

Yu Wanran had no idea what her mother was thinking at that moment. But judging from her family's reactions, it seemed they had no intention of getting their hands on the money?

This deeply moved her.

She always knew her family members were of simple and honest character. Otherwise, why would Yu Man and Yu Wenbin have never given up on her, even though she was so troublesome in her previous life, and ultimately even died because of her?

But that's over two hundred taels of silver!

In any other family, this situation would likely have escalated into a major conflict. Brothers would be at odds, sisters would be at odds, and parents and children would become enemies…

However, because of her, her family managed to suppress their greed. They sincerely wished her well!

Before returning home, she had thought that if her family fought over the money, she would give it all to them. After all, this was what she owed them in her previous life.

Of course, if you can't control your feelings, you'll drift apart.

When she felt Ji Chunhua's cold, rough hand gently stroking her cheek, she was surprised to find that she was crying, tears streaming down her face!

"Ranran, why are you crying?"

Yu Man was immediately at a loss. Yu Wenrong scratched his head, exchanged a glance with his elder brother, and both looked bewildered.

Zhu Xiaozhen took out her handkerchief, but hesitated to hand it over, worried that her third sister-in-law would find it offensive.

Yu Xiaoxiang ran over from the doorway and stood close to Yu Wanran, gazing longingly at her third aunt.

"Ranran, don't cry."

Ji Chunhua roughly understood what her daughter was thinking. She gently wiped away her daughter's tears and smiled warmly.

"You were born, and your parents couldn't protect you; for sixteen years, your parents didn't raise you! Your parents have no right to demand your filial piety."

She paused, looked at her family members who were silently bowing their heads, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"We may not be able to give you the kind of life the Duke's mansion offers, but at least we can ensure that we won't hold you back in the future..."

Yu Wanran hugged her mother tightly, burying her head in her mother's arms, and the emotions that had been pent up for two lifetimes surged forth.

"mother!"

Ji Chunhua held her, stroking her hair repeatedly, tears streaming down her face. No one knew that at that moment, she was actually thinking of someone else.

Yao Yao, that little girl, used to be very close to her. The mother and daughter often squeezed into one small bed. Yao Yao liked to act spoiled, and she loved listening to that little girl's absurd daydreams.

Now it seems that all of Yao Yao's dreams have come true, but she no longer wants to acknowledge her.

Ji Chunhua was heartbroken and couldn't express it. Caught in this inescapable emotion, she felt increasingly guilty towards her own daughter.

The others scrambled to help, handing out handkerchiefs and fetching water to wash their faces. They finally managed to separate the mother and daughter and calm them down.

Having money is a good thing, so why are you crying even more sadly than when you didn't have money?

Zhu Xiaozhen pushed open the door and went out, splashing the dirty water against the wall and returning the basin to the kitchen. She noticed a figure flash by on the other side of the fence and went over to look, puzzled.

Su Li was squatting under the eaves, sorting through a pile of old baskets and tattered sieves. When she saw her coming, a half-smile appeared on her face.

"Sister-in-law, what's all this howling about during the New Year? At least you sold the herbs and got a few chickens, so there's hope for the future. You should be happy!"

Zhu Xiaozhen gave her a strange look, ignored her, and went straight back into the house to close the door.

Su Li spat into the air and followed them back into the house. What a gloomy holiday! She'd braved the freezing cold to eavesdrop for so long, only to find out the neighbors next door were probably having a really tough time, with all this wailing and howling.

Zhu Xiaozhen sat back down at the table, and Ji Chunhua had calmed down. Yu Wanran, her eyes red and swollen, revealed the plan she had been keeping in mind for a long time.

"Father, Mother, keep these seventy-odd taels of silver for household expenses."

She waved her hand, stopping Yu Man and his wife from saying anything.

"I'm looking for a plot of land in the village to buy a few new houses. These houses don't need to be too nice, just thatched ones will do, so as not to attract attention."

She doesn't plan to stay in Qingping Village anymore, and Tongcheng is also a place of trouble. When the time is right, it would be best to move her family to another stable county and start over.

After all, too many people here know the Yu family's background, and flaunting their wealth would only bring trouble. Xiao Yao, the Duke's Mansion, and even Wei Baifeng are all unstable factors; they might cause trouble at any time, so it's best to stay away.

How can an ordinary person fight against an official? Before she accumulates enough power, one should avoid her sharp edge.

Yu Man hesitated, her lips twitching slightly. Thinking about her family's current predicament, and considering that building just a few thatched huts wouldn't cost much, she decided to choose the cheapest, most worthless wasteland…

But this means I have to use my daughter's money.

"Ranran, buying an acre of land to build a house will only cost a few taels of silver, you..."

"Father, please let me finish."

Yu Wanran shook her head and took the two hundred taels of silver notes in her hand.

"I plan to use the remaining two hundred taels to start a business. We'll never get rich by just sitting around doing nothing. Only by making money work for us can our Yu family change our fortunes and no longer be so easily controlled by others!"

Everyone was stunned.

Yu Wenbin stammered, "Third Sister, you mean running a trading business?"

How could you dare? That's a huge risk, almost certain death, and many strong men wouldn't dare to go out and try it!