The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 16: Asking for forgiveness
Tong Huaqiong was not in a hurry at all.

Tong Huaqiong has money.

A total of eighty taels.

This eighty taels of silver was saved up by the stingy, deadbeat husband of the original owner, Tong Dajiao. Before he died, he secretly gave it to Tong Dajiao without telling their children. He forced Tong Dajiao to swear that the silver was for Gu Jingzhe to use when he went to the capital for the imperial examination, and it could not be used for anything else.

What does Tong Dajiao's vow have to do with Tong Huaqiong?

Originally, Tong Huaqiong planned to use this money as capital to start a small business first, and then gradually figure out how to expand her family business.

Now we need to use this money to fill the hole.

As someone with modern civilized thinking, even though she disliked Gu Yaozu, she couldn't bear to watch her four-and-a-half-year-old child be enslaved.

However, she wasn't in a hurry to take out the silver.

People don't cherish things that come easily.

She's going to give her scumbag son and daughter-in-law a good beating over the next five days.

For two consecutive days, apart from Tong Huaqiong and the easygoing, plump, and hearty-eating Gu Taohua, everyone in the Gu family wore a gloomy expression.

Gu Dashu, Gu Jingzhe, and Liu Yue'e, in particular, were so worried that they wished they could steal or rob someone.

But Tong Huaqiong insisted on forcing them to raise money.

It is said that even a hero can be brought down by a single penny, let alone fifty taels of silver.

“Don’t even think about taking any of the land, house, or livestock. If I sell all of these, what will I eat and where will I live? You are all unfilial children. Why don’t you just say you’ll sell your old mother too?”

Gu Dashu, who was really unable to raise the money, was scolded mercilessly by Tong Huaqiong as soon as he expressed the idea of ​​selling land and houses.

Once the label of "filial piety" was attached to him, he dared not covet the land or the house again.

Gu Dashu thought of someone who could come up with the money.

That was her half-sister, Gu Baishuang.

Gu Baishuang's husband's family was in the porcelain business, with shops in both the town and the county. They were among the wealthiest families in Yanguan Town, and naturally had plenty of money.

However, ever since the funeral of the Gu family patriarch, Tong Dajiao made a scene at the funeral hall because of the fact that the Gu family patriarch and his first wife were to be buried together. Gu Dashu even threatened to scatter the first wife's remains. Gu Baishuang was so heartbroken that she cut off all contact with the Gu family.

Now, they don't treat Gu Dashu, Gu Jingzhe, and Gu Taohua as brothers and sisters at all.

It's no wonder that Gu Baishuang is left with a troublesome stepmother and a bunch of wicked people. Who would want to have anything to do with the Gu family?

When Gu Baishuang married Nie Jia, whose stepson was three years older than her, as his second wife, although it was Gu's father who made the decision, Tong Dajiao stirred things up quite a bit.

Gu Baishuang got married in winter. Tong Dajiao accepted the Nie family's money, but didn't even provide a thick coat as part of her dowry.

If his father were still alive, things would be different. But now that his father is gone, Gu Dashu doesn't dare to set foot in the Nie family's house because of the despicable things his mother and he did to his older sister.

"Sister-in-law."

Gu Dashu shamelessly tried to beg Chen Sufen.

As Gu Baishuang's sister-in-law, Chen Sufeng would surely give her some face.

Gu Dashu wanted Chen Sufeng to go to the Nie family to ask Gu Baishuang for help in raising money.

“Su-Fen, you’re so good at this! The dry pancakes you make on the griddle are even more fragrant than the pancakes from Wu Lao-San’s shop in town. They sold out in just half a day after we went to town.”

Tong Huaqiong stepped through the door, interrupting Gu Dashu's attempt to ask Chen Sufeng to raise money from the Nie family.

"That's right, I was thinking of eating the last two, but I didn't expect there wouldn't be any left." Although Gu Taohua was disappointed that she didn't get to eat the dry biscuits, her tone couldn't hide her joy.

“We made eight hundred coins today, Mother said it’s called net profit.”

I never imagined making money would feel so good.

"Really?"

Chen Su-fen could hardly believe it.

It's almost catching up to one or two.

If you get 800 coins every day, you can accumulate quite a bit over a year.

You know, by farming, you can't save more than a few taels of silver all year round.

When my mother-in-law went to the Zheng family in the county town to break off the engagement last time, she brought steamed buns, which sold out. Today, she sold out her baked biscuits in town as well.

Chen Sufeng suddenly realized that her mother-in-law's words about everyone working together to make life better were not just empty words. "It's all thanks to the good methods my mother taught me," Chen Sufeng said with a smile.

My mother-in-law never did any housework, let alone cooking.

I never imagined that after turning over a new leaf, he would have such amazing skills.

I used to only know that griddles were used to make pancakes, but I never imagined that by changing the method, the pancakes could be baked dry and smelled delicious for miles around.

Tong Huaqiong was very happy.

These dry biscuits are slowly baked on a griddle over low heat until they turn golden and crispy, and then sprinkled with sesame seeds and a layer of syrup.

Can it not be delicious?
No matter the era, to win the first battle in building a good reputation for food, you have to be willing to use plenty of ingredients.

Especially for dry bread, if you don't put a lot of sesame seeds in it or sprinkle a layer of sugar on it, you won't be able to attract passersby in the town's crowded pastry shops.

For the Gu family, sugar is a very precious thing. The two bags of sugar in the house were given to Chen Sufeng by Gu Baishuang to nourish her body. Chen Sufeng was reluctant to drink them, but now Tong Huaqiong has used them all to make delicious food.

"Once we make some money, we'll buy you some new clothes. Your clothes are too plain."

Tong Huaqiong frowned.

Chen Sufen's clothes were not only plain, but also dusty and patched.

Chen Sufen was flattered and shook her head repeatedly.

She is content with her life now. Her mother-in-law brought her steamed buns and pastries when she went to the county town last time. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to handle any more.

"Did you wash the mung beans I asked you to wash?" Tong Huaqiong asked.

Chen Sufen said with a smile, "It's almost dry."

Tong Huaqiong nodded, indicating that she was satisfied with Chen Sufeng's execution ability.

She plans to make mung bean cakes.

The last time Gu Jingzhe bought her mung bean cakes from the best shop in town, she didn't find them particularly delicious.

She even tasted the pastries she bought for Man'er in the county and found that they still had room for improvement compared to the delicious pastries of later generations.

"Mom, are you and Taohua hungry? I'll go cook." Chen Sufeng hadn't expected her mother-in-law to come home so soon, so she hadn't prepared a meal.

Tong Huaqiong waved her hand and said, "Don't bother! I ate the flatbread I brought this morning for lunch."

“Mother, I’ll go to Aunt Qin’s house. She hasn’t returned the sieve she borrowed from us last time. I’ll go get it,” Chen Sufeng said.

"Go ahead," Tong Huaqiong waved her hand.

"mother……"

Gu Dashu was very afraid of Tong Huaqiong these past two days. When he saw Tong Huaqiong return home from selling dried cakes in town, he didn't dare to say anything. Only when he saw his sister-in-law leave did he brace himself and approach her.

"What's wrong? If you're not going to raise money, what are you doing at home? Are you really planning to sell your son?" Tong Huaqiong's sharp eyes swept over them, and she said nothing nice.

Gu Dashu thought to himself, "My mother is really heartless. She can change her personality, but she treats everyone equally, yet she still abuses her own children to death."

"You were treating your sister-in-law like she was a god just now. I could tell what you were up to just by looking at her. You want your sister-in-law to borrow money from the Nie family, right?" Tong Huaqiong exposed Gu Dashu's scheme.

“Mother, as you know, only my eldest sister’s family can afford fifty taels of silver.”

Tong Huaqiong sneered, wanting to transform into Rong Momo and use a needle to wake Gu Dashu up.

That "big sister" sounded so affectionate.

Can Gu Baishuang be recognized?
"If you want to go yourself, don't assign work to your sister-in-law. Gu Yaozu is not your sister-in-law's son," Tong Huaqiong said coldly.

Gu Dashu: "..."

Mother really knows how to hit the nail on the head. How could she not know Gu Baishuang's attitude towards her and her children?
I don't care whether I dare or not, I'll just try anything.

There are only three days left; any later and my son will be lost.

"Alright, I'll go and apologize to my elder sister right away."

Gu Dashu stomped his foot in a huff, grabbed a bundle of brambles, tied it to his back, gritted his teeth, and went out the door.

He was going to the Nie family in town to apologize to his elder sister, Gu Baishuang, even if she scolded or beat him. He was willing to do anything as long as Gu Baishuang was kind enough to lend him money.

(End of this chapter)