The peasant girl has a private space, and her husband is handsome.

Luo Shilang aged many years overnight.

He had served as an official for decades and was always extremely confident, believing himself to be incredibly resourceful. He never imagined that he would be deceived by a mere scholar.

They swindled a huge sum of 50,000 taels of silver in one fell swoop, and this happened when the Luo family was facing a severe shortage of money.

How dare that guy surnamed Fang? Vice Minister Luo really couldn't understand it.

The man surnamed Fang is already a scholar who has passed the county-level imperial examination. He is very talented and it is not impossible for him to become an official through the imperial examination in the future.

Once the man surnamed Fang becomes an official, he can easily obtain 80,000 taels of silver.

So why would someone surnamed Fang ruin his future and swindle 80,000 taels of silver?

It was precisely because of Fang's status as a scholar and his exceptional talent that he dared to lend out such a large sum of money, never expecting to be cheated.

The key is that you can't tell anyone if you've been scammed.

If His Majesty finds out that he gave so much money to a swindler but didn't donate it to the soldiers on the frontier, he will surely be furious.

But I just couldn't swallow this insult.

Luo, the Vice Minister, got out of bed and looked at the pair of sheepskin boots that were almost worn out in front of him. He was filled with regret.

If only I hadn't been swindled out of those 50,000 taels!

With those 50,000 taels, he could buy a whole house full of new boots and also have money to pay his servants their monthly wages.

Mingfang is such a filial girl, so with money we can buy her more new clothes and jewelry.

After much thought, Vice Minister Luo concluded that everything was Su Qianqian's fault.

Prime Minister Feng wanted to deal with Su Qianqian, and because Fang Xiucai was Su Qianqian's mortal enemy, he had Fang Xiucai take in the Luo family.

Without Su Qianqian, he would never have been fooled by Scholar Fang and cheated out of a full 50,000 taels of silver!

The ministers took a day off on the first and fifteenth of each month.

Today happens to be the fifteenth, so there's no need to attend court.

Minister Luo was in a bad mood, so he lay back down on the bed and stared at the torn bed curtains for a long time, his mind filled with many thoughts.

Birds outside the window were chirping incessantly.

Vice Minister Luo usually found the birds’ calls pleasant to hear, but today he found the sounds unusually noisy.

It's so annoying, I can't even have peace and quiet when I'm in bed.

After getting up and washing up, Vice Minister Luo had no appetite because he was in a bad mood.

He couldn't eat breakfast, and looking at the chipped plate in front of him, he felt even more aggrieved.

If that 50,000 taels hadn't been lent to Fang Xiucai, the family wouldn't have needed to keep those broken plates and bowls anymore; they could have all been replaced with new ones.

Even if all 50,000 taels were exchanged for gold plates and bowls, it would be enough.

His family was so poor, yet he still kindly helped Scholar Fang. Shouldn't Scholar Fang be grateful? How could he bear to lie to him! It's all Su Qianqian's fault.

Vice Minister Luo had someone summon Fan Dajiang.

"Dajiang, take ten men and go out of the city to pursue them. Make sure to capture them alive. This Vice Minister wants to know why Fang Shusheng did all this?"

It's truly baffling that Scholar Fang would give up such a promising future for a mere 80,000 taels of silver.

"Furthermore, Dajiang, you must instruct everyone in the manor to never spread the news that I, the Vice Minister, have been swindled out of 50,000 taels. Also, have someone keep an eye on my capable granddaughter, and if they find any weaknesses in her, immediately have someone notify me."

"Yes, sir."

Fan Dajiang walked out of the house, uttering two words lightly, "Idiot—"

The old man still can't distinguish friend from foe, and he's even thinking of dealing with his own granddaughter. He's truly stupid and doesn't even realize it.

The Luo family is doomed sooner or later; he needs to find a way out for himself as soon as possible.

Luo, the Vice Minister, had no appetite for breakfast and went straight out the door, taking a carriage to the Prime Minister's residence to complain to Prime Minister Feng.

Because Prime Minister Feng was also cheated out of his money, he was in the same boat as him.

The carriage moved very quickly.

Listening to the hawkers' cries from the roadside vendors, Minister Luo felt his head was spinning even more.

The thought of those 50,000 taels of silver caused her immense heartache, but she could not confide in anyone else. All she could do was weep bitterly with the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister's residence was bustling with activity, especially in Prime Minister Feng's bedroom.

To take care of Prime Minister Feng, who was unable to walk, the whole family specially placed the dining table in front of his bed.

The whole family sat together to eat breakfast, which created a nice atmosphere.

Prime Minister Feng ate quite a lot.

He was comforted by Fang Cheng yesterday and was in a very good mood.

Because Fang Cheng was living in the Luo residence, Prime Minister Feng was unaware that Fang Cheng had absconded with the money.

If they knew, they would probably lose their appetite just like Minister Luo.

Feng Yuanxi is actually quite filial. When he saw that his father couldn't pick up the scrambled eggs with scallions, he quickly brought the plate of eggs to his father.

"Father, last night when I went out of the manor I saw you lend 30,000 taels to that boy surnamed Fang. That boy surnamed Fang is particularly wicked. He is Miss Su's enemy. Father, please don't be fooled by that boy."

Feng Yuanxi went out to check on his father last night because he was worried about him.

He particularly disliked Fang Cheng because he admired Su Qianqian.

Prime Minister Feng was furious that his youngest son had spied on him. He shouted, "Anyone who is Miss Su's enemy is my friend! You brat, mind your own business!"

When Prime Minister Feng thought of Fang Xiucai's thoughtfulness, he felt even more disappointed in his youngest son.

I wonder when this youngest son will be as understanding as Scholar Fang.

"Yuanxi, can't you learn from Scholar Fang? He's so sensible!"

Feng Yuanxi put down his chopsticks and stood up. "I'm done eating. Father, don't be so smug. Miss Su is so good and so capable. If you go against Miss Su, you'll regret it sooner or later."

After saying that, he left without looking back.

Prime Minister Feng was furious. His most beloved youngest son had actually sided with outsiders, favoring that young girl surnamed Su.

He fawns over outsiders while belittling his own father; what an unfilial son!

In comparison, Fang Shusheng, being an outsider, understood him better.

Feng Xiaoshuang also said, "Dad, my brother is right. How could you lend 30,000 taels to a stranger! You wouldn't even let me spend a few thousand taels to buy paintings from Wang's shop."

"Father, you treat outsiders better than your daughter. Could that Fang guy be your illegitimate child? Waaaaah—"

Feng Xiaoshuang also put down her chopsticks, stomped her feet, stood up, and ran away crying.

Prime Minister Feng was so angry at his daughter's words that he almost vomited blood.

It's utterly ridiculous that he actually suspects Fang Shusheng is his illegitimate son.

The Prime Minister's wife, feeling sorry for her children, complained, "My lord, why do you have to talk to the children like that? You've made Yuanxi so angry, and Xiaoshuang is crying too."

Prime Minister Feng was furious. "Shut up! If you don't want to eat, get out!"

The Prime Minister's wife, her eldest son, and her eldest daughter-in-law all put down their chopsticks and left.

Prime Minister Feng was left alone to eat by the bedside.

Suddenly, the food didn't taste good anymore.

Prime Minister Feng was heartbroken, as no one in his family could understand him. He thought Fang Shusheng was much better.

If Fang Shusheng were there, he would definitely say a lot of nice things to comfort him.

With things escalating like this, Prime Minister Feng lost his appetite and ordered his servants to remove the table.

"My lord, Vice Minister Luo requests an audience."

"Let him in."

As soon as Vice Minister Luo entered the room, he rushed over and hugged Prime Minister Feng, bursting into tears.

This was the first time Prime Minister Feng had ever seen Vice Minister Luo so out of control.

"What's wrong? Crying and sobbing like a woman, what kind of behavior is that?"

Luo, the Vice Minister, thought to himself: Your Excellency, you will be crying and sobbing just like me in a moment.

Vice Minister Luo looked at the maid in the room and gestured for Prime Minister Feng to send her away.

After the servants left, Vice Minister Luo closed all the doors and windows and burst into tears again.

"Your Excellency, that man surnamed Fang actually ran off with our money? How dare he?"

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Feng spat out a mouthful of blood, which landed on the snow-white bed curtains, as if drawing a picture of white plum blossoms on them.

How dare that poor scholar!

He had just been praising Scholar Fang in front of his youngest son, but he was proven wrong so quickly.

Thirty thousand taels was not much to Prime Minister Feng, but for a prime minister of a country to be tricked by a mere scholar was an utter disgrace!

Moreover, because of his surname Fang, he broke the hearts of his entire family, which is really not worth it.

The two brothers, who were in the same boat, hugged each other and wept bitterly.

After Prime Minister Feng finished crying, he began to shirk responsibility.

"Minister Luo, this is all your fault! Who told you to lend 50,000 taels to that Fang fellow? I only fell for it because you lent him 50,000 taels; otherwise, why would I have given him 30,000 taels!"

Minister Luo feigned innocence, saying, "Hey, Mr. Feng, I was actually blaming you! You were the one who told me to take that scholar surnamed Fang in at the Luo residence. Otherwise, how could I have been swindled out of 50,000 taels of silver!"

The two men cursed at each other inside the house, bringing up old grievances from decades ago.