I Crossed Over with My Enemy, Only to Find Him Running the Empire - Chapter 58

Chapter 58: The Tally

Zhexun, Peilan, and Xianghe were all struck dumb with shock before bursting into a deafening cheer: “So much silver! We dug up treasure! We’re rich!”

Li Qiaoqiao deliberately covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide with feigned disbelief as she stared at the jar of silver. “It… it really is silver! Oh my god… Could it be that the Heavens saw how tight things have been for our family and sent this down? It’s destiny! Pure destiny!”

The cries from the backyard were like an explosion, instantly echoing through the entire Wu family front courtyard.

Mrs. Wei held the heavy ceramic jar, her hands shaking and her heart racing. The glitter of the bright white silver dazzled her eyes and muddled her mind even further.

She was genuinely happy, but within that joy was a sliver of inexplicable annoyance.

Why couldn’t I have found this alone?

If she had dug it up secretly, even if she only hid a tiny bit…

The thought burrowed into her mind like an itch she couldn’t scratch. She instinctively pulled the jar closer to her chest, her eyes darting around. She was already calculating whether she could snatch a few small pieces and stuff them into her pocket in the chaos of counting.

“Oh my! Good Heavens! Did we really dig up treasure? Where is it? Where is it!”

A cry of shock and delight erupted from the backyard gate.

Zhang Jinhua, who had been bedridden and sickly just moments ago, came rushing in like a whirlwind. Her face was flushed with an excited glow; there wasn’t a trace of illness left in her.

Standing to the side, Li Qiaoqiao nearly failed to stifle a laugh. Silver really is more effective than any miracle medicine!

Zhang Jinhua’s gaze locked onto the mud-stained ceramic jar in Mrs. Wei’s arms and the glint of silver peeking from the mouth.

She took a sharp breath, looking as if she had aged backward by ten years. She lunged forward in three strides and snatched the jar right out of Mrs. Wei’s hands.

“Dear God! It really is silver! It’s silver!” her voice trembled. She looked down into the jar, her eyes practically glowing.

Immediately, clutching the jar tightly, she swept her gaze over every child present. Her voice suddenly turned stern: “All of you, shut your mouths tight! Qinglin! Zhexun! Peilan! Xianghe! Do you hear me? Not a word of this to anyone outside! This silver was bestowed upon the Wu family by the Heavens and our ancestors! If anyone lets a word slip and attracts thieves, I’ll skin them alive!”

The children were startled by her intensity and fell silent, nodding like little chicks pecking for grain.

Zhang Jinhua immediately issued a string of commands: “Qinglin! Run to the south slope fields and get your grandfather back! Tell him there’s a massive emergency at home and he needs to return instantly! Run fast!”

Wu Qinglin grunted an “Aye” and sprinted out like a madman.

“Peilan!” Zhang Jinhua shouted to her granddaughter. “Go to the cellar and bring out that cured pig trotter we saved from the New Year! We’re having a feast tonight! To celebrate!”

Peilan gave a joyful cheer and ran off as well.

With everything arranged in a few sentences, Zhang Jinhua didn’t linger. Clutching the treasure jar, she walked toward the main house with wind at her heels. “Everyone, get back to work! Pull the rest of those radishes! We’ll discuss the silver once your grandfather returns!”

Mrs. Wei opened her mouth to follow, but seeing that her mother-in-law hadn’t given her even a chance to interfere, she could only stomp her foot in frustration.

With her little schemes thwarted, her heart felt even more stifled.

Li Qiaoqiao, meanwhile, bent down to pick up the empty jug and the scattered radishes, looking perfectly submissive. This demeanor made the fretful, anxious Mrs. Wei look even more restless by comparison.

…

Zhang Jinhua returned to the main room and bolted the door shut.

She placed the jar on the kàng table and sat beside it like a sentry, staring at it without blinking. From time to time, she reached out to stroke the jar, muttering “Ancestors protect us” and “The Bodhisattva has appeared.”

Before long, hurried footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate.

Wu Duofu returned, carrying his hoe and following the breathless Qinglin.

The old man managed to keep a straight face, appearing relatively calm, but his pace—much faster than usual and the way he nearly tripped over the threshold betrayed his inner urgency.

“What’s happened? Qinglin said there’s a huge matter at home?” Wu Duofu called out as soon as he entered the yard.

Hearing his voice, Zhang Jinhua immediately opened the door and leaned out, her face filled with irrepressible ecstasy: “Old man! Get in here! Quick! Get in here! It’s a wonderful thing!”

Wu Duofu hurried inside, and Zhang Jinhua instantly bolted the door again.

Mrs. Wei, the children, and the members of the Second and Third branches who had emerged upon hearing the noise all gathered in the courtyard, staring longingly at the door of the main house.

Li Qiaoqiao also stood under the eaves, watching quietly.

Mrs. Wei felt as if a cat were scratching at her heart. She edged toward the window to eavesdrop, but the voices inside were low and muffled. She tried to peek through a crack in the window, but the thick window paper blocked her view entirely.

Inside the main room, Wu Duofu’s gaze locked onto the ceramic jar on the table the moment he entered.

“Is it really silver?” he asked, his voice a bit dry.

“Would I lie about this? A whole jar full!” Zhang Jinhua patted the jar excitedly. “The Eldest and Fourth daughters-in-law dug it up by the radish patch in the backyard! My god, if this isn’t the ancestors showing themselves, what is? They knew our family was in a tough spot—this is truly charcoal in a blizzard!”

Wu Duofu, being the head of the household, was more composed.

He carefully asked about the discovery process. Zhang Jinhua poured out the details like beans from a tube, emphasizing how she appeared just in time to stabilize the situation.

After listening, Wu Duofu pondered for a moment, walked to the door, opened it, and waved his hand at the family members craned toward him in the courtyard. “Everyone disperse. Get back to your chores. What do you think you’re doing, crowding around here? Fourth Daughter-in-law, go to the kitchen and help prepare dinner. Eldest Daughter-in-law, go finish watering the manure in the backyard.”

This was a clear signal that no one else was allowed to participate in the tallying of the silver.

Mrs. Wei looked utterly unwilling, her feet seemingly rooted to the ground. She tried to negotiate: “Father, let us have a look too. I’ve never seen so much silver in my life…”

“What is there to look at? You’ll get your share! Go to work!” Wu Duofu’s face darkened, his tone brook no refusal.

Mrs. Wei was forced to leave sheepishly, looking back with every step.

Li Qiaoqiao, however, responded crisply: “Understood, Father.”

She immediately turned toward the kitchen, appearing incredibly obedient. This contrast earned the Fourth Daughter-in-law another point of favor in Wu Duofu’s heart.

With the onlookers cleared out, Wu Duofu bolted the door again.

The old couple looked at each other, seeing the same excitement in their eyes.

“Shall we count it?” Zhang Jinhua’s voice trembled.

Wu Duofu took a deep breath, walked to the edge of the kàng, and picked up the ceramic jar with shaking hands. He poured the contents onto a cloth he had laid out beforehand.

Clatter—clatter—

A pile of silver.

“Oh my… oh my…” Zhang Jinhua clutched her chest, nearly losing her breath from excitement.

Wu Duofu’s eyes went glazed as he extended a finger and began to tally the pieces one by one. He used a steelyard to weigh the broken silver and carefully checked the weight of the whole ingots.

The room was silent, save for the faint clinking of metal and the heavy breathing of the couple.

After a long while, Wu Duofu finally looked up, his Adam’s apple bobbing. His voice was hoarse: “Exactly two hundred and two taels.”

“How… how much?” Zhang Jinhua feared she had misheard.

“Two hundred and two taels!” Wu Duofu repeated, his voice thick with emotion.