Chapter 39: Dividing the Family Assets

The next day, the morning light was magnificent. Having slept her fill, Tang Zhao felt fully revitalized and enjoyed a breakfast rich with the local flavors of the Northwest.

Thin-skinned, large-filled mutton buns and fragrant, rich mutton vermicelli soup, paired with perfectly pickled Lanzhou vegetables, left Tang Zhao feeling thoroughly satisfied.

Unlike the exquisite and beautiful dishes of Luoyang, the people of the Northwest emphasized large portions and practicality. Tang Zhao did not have the bad habit of wasting food; after finishing her last sip of soup, she hurried out for a walk to aid her digestion.

Nanny Li remarked with emotion that the County Princess was truly easy to raise and quite the eater.

The Northwest Prince's Mansion could not compare to the Luoyang Prince's Mansion in terms of refinement and wealth, but it had one significant advantage: it was massive.

As Tang Zhao walked through a willow grove, she felt her stomach settle much more comfortably.

The gardeners responsible for pruning the grounds were busy without pause. Tang Zhao thought of her own Bidan Courtyard, where not even a single weed could be found, and felt a surge of dissatisfaction.

She returned to intercept Gu Ci, who was just about to head out. "The persimmon tree you promised me—when are you going to deliver?"

"Wait a bit," Gu Ci said, pivoting his steps to avoid her. "Mother is looking for you. We are going to Minghui Hall."

Tang Zhao jogged after him, pressing for answers. "Wait how long? You have to give me a deadline, Gu Ci!"

The man ignored her, walking steadily forward.

Tang Zhao chased him until she was out of breath, finally catching hold of his sleeve in front of Minghui Hall.

"Huff, puff... You... you think you're so great just because you have long legs, huff," Tang Zhao panted heavily. "I... I can't go on. Wait... wait for me to catch my breath."

Gu Ci tugged at his sleeve, but it wouldn't budge. He turned his head to look at a nearby ginkgo tree.

"Fifth Brother!" a surprised, joyful male voice rang out.

Tang Zhao turned toward the sound and saw a handsome man striding forward, clapping Gu Ci on the shoulder with delight. "It really is you!" He turned to the woman walking toward them. "And you said I was mistaken!"

The woman gave a shy smile. "I have never met Fifth Brother; I have only heard my husband's descriptions. Looking at his back, I thought it was Second Brother."

The man laughed loudly. "Second Brother and Fifth Brother have the most similar backs! I couldn't tell them apart when I was a child, and it only gradually improved as I grew up." He looked at Tang Zhao. "Fifth Brother, is this Fifth Sister-in-law?"

Without waiting for Gu Ci's reply, he bowed respectfully. "Your younger brother, Gu Bai, greets Fifth Sister-in-law. I wish you well!"

The woman standing beside Gu Bai curtsied. "I, Lady Wu, greet Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law."

"There is no need for such formalities among family!" Gu Ci's expression softened upon seeing his brother.

The two brothers walked inside while chatting about family matters, leaving the two sisters-in-law to follow behind in awkward conversation.

Upon entering the main courtyard, the Heir and his wife were already waiting in the main hall, facing a young couple.

Gu Bai first greeted the Heir and his wife. "Brother, Sister-in-law," then turned to the side. "Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law."

Gu Yang ignored him, but Lady Wang responded with a smile, "Sixth Brother."

Tang Zhao sat on the left with Gu Ci, while Gu Bai and his wife sat opposite them.

Gu Yang sized Tang Zhao up for a moment. "So this is Fifth Sister-in-law?"

*I'm your father!* Tang Zhao rolled her eyes at him. "Indeed, it is this County Princess."

*Heh,* Gu Yang sneered, standing up in a casual, slouching manner to salute. "Greetings, Your Highness."

Lady Wang followed suit. "I, Lady Wang, greet Your Highness. I wish you well."

Tang Zhao maintained her dignified air. "Rise."

Gu Yang and his wife sat back down.

Gu Bai and his wife exchanged glances, unsure if they should re-greet everyone. Amidst their hesitation, the Princess Consort of Xuan emerged from the inner chambers.

Everyone rose in unison to salute. "Greetings, Mother."

"Sit, everyone!"

Only after the Princess Consort was seated did the others sit down.

"I have called you all here today because I have something to say," the Princess Consort said, getting straight to the point. "Now that you have all established your own families, and as I am getting older, I truly do not have the energy to manage the vast affairs of this Prince's estate. Therefore, I have discussed with the Prince to divide some of our assets for you to manage."

"Firstly, to share the burden of the estate's affairs, and secondly, so that you may have more financial freedom," the Princess Consort explained. "However, the family rules remain: the men of this house shall not own property. Therefore, the assets will be managed by the wives."

"You will be making a living under your own wives' management, so use your own discretion."

"Rest assured, Mother," everyone said in unison.

The Princess Consort took several deeds out of a box. "There are four deeds here, corresponding to four properties: lands and shops, with roughly equal total value."

A bookstore, a rouge shop, a restaurant, and a manor spanning a full thousand acres.

Tang Zhao could hardly tear her eyes away.

"I will not show favoritism. You shall draw lots to decide the order."

Nanny Zhao brought out the prepared slips of paper. Under everyone's watchful eyes, numbers were written on them, rolled into balls, and tossed into a box. She covered it, shook it vigorously for a while, and then placed it on the table.

The Princess Consort said, "Draw."

Tang Zhao looked left and right. Seeing that no one dared to move, she took the initiative. "Mother, I'll go first!"

Gu Ci stopped her. "There is an order of seniority."

"Seniority my foot!" *Is this the time to be polite?!*

Gu Ci was exasperated.

The Princess Consort smiled. "Then let Zhao Shan draw first."

Tang Zhao scurried forward, looking the slips up and down with deliberation before picking the one hidden at the bottom.

Lady Wang and Lady Wu did not dare to be presumptuous; they waited until the Heir's wife, Lady Ming, had finished before choosing according to seniority.

The Princess Consort said, "Open them and see."

Tang Zhao clasped her hands together, sandwiching the small paper ball between them, and prayed fervently, "Heaven protect me, please let me draw the first one, the first one!"

"Don't bother praying; Heaven is too busy to pay attention to you," Gu Ci said coolly.

Tang Zhao glared at him.

"You are the fourth."

"How do you know?" Tang Zhao asked indignantly.

Gu Ci: "Everyone else has already looked."

Tang Zhao looked at the '3' in Lady Ming's hand, the '2' in Lady Wu's hand, then looked down at her own bloody '4', before looking up at Lady Wang.

Lady Wang was grinning from ear to ear, holding up her slip with a bright '1' on it to flaunt it to her.

Tang Zhao clutched her heart in despair.

The women began whispering with their husbands about which property to choose.

Tang Zhao also pulled on Gu Ci's sleeve and whispered, "Do you think there's a chance they'll suddenly go blind, decide they don't want the manor at all, and let me pick up the leftovers?"

"They don't need to go blind; any sane person wouldn't want the manor," Gu Ci said, pulling his sleeve away, speechless. "Only you would want it."

Tang Zhao:!

Sure enough, Lady Wang chose the restaurant, Lady Wu chose the rouge shop, and Lady Ming glanced at Tang Zhao before turning her hand to the right.

Tang Zhao:!

*Gu Ci, you lied to me again!*

The man widened his eyes. *Who told you to stare so longingly at your sister-in-law and make her misinterpret your intentions?*

"Ahem, Sister-in-law," Gu Ci said, "The County Princess is barely literate and cannot run a bookstore. It is better to leave the manor to her."

Tang Zhao nodded vigorously.

Lady Ming did not know what to do and looked to her husband.

Seeing his brother's wink and his sister-in-law looking at him like he was a savior, Gu Liu didn't know what they were up to, but he didn't care.

Gu Ci nodded.

Lady Ming once again shifted her hand, reaching to the left.

Tang Zhao stepped forward and hugged the long-coveted land deed to her chest.

Everyone felt they had made a good deal.

On the way back to Bidan Courtyard, Gu Ci added a postscript: "It is true that Mingxia Manor covers a thousand acres, but five hundred of those are mountain forest. Of the remaining five hundred acres of land, only fifty are fertile farmland."

Tang Zhao:...

The smile froze on Tang Zhao's face.

*Zhao Zhao: Then I still want the land!*

*Hehe.*

*I am a landowner now, after all.*

(End of Chapter)