Qi Qingyao picked out an outfit for herself as well, and went to change into it.

After some time, she stepped out of the fitting room. The children were amazed by the sight of her in her new clothes. Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin, too, were transfixed. They looked at her with shock and confusion; she looked like she could be a deity.

Qi Qingyao had always been good-looking, but her plain clothes distracted from her beauty.

This outfit she had on now was mainly red and black. The hem of the dress was decorated with black thread, and pale gold peonies were embroidered on the cloth. On her sleeves, in dark gold thread, was a butterfly amid a sea of flowers.

This outfit, together with her red lips, made her look radiant and enchanting. She was like a peony under the rosy clouds of dawn, grand and elegant!

Dabao was the first to react. He could not help clapping with his tiny hands. "Mother, you're so beautiful."

"I was born this way." Qi Qingyao raised her brow smugly.

Jiang Yeqian retracted his gaze with abject difficulty. He then breathed out from his nose. "Hmph."

Erniu blinked hard. Only with that did she manage to regain her senses after the shock of her mother's beauty. Xiaobao stood there woodenly, still unable to come back to himself—his mother was as beautiful as the deities up in Heaven!

"Elder Sister is beautiful. The clothes are pretty, but you're more pretty!" Si Jin said with a sweet smile.

Qi Qingyao chuckled, "Fine feathers make fine birds!"

Xiaobao was quiet, "..."

Where had his mother learned so many idioms from? Why did he feel like his mother was very cultured? Did she manage to learn so much during her time as a fool? Xiaobao was bemused.

After listening to the favorable reactions from her children, Qi Qingyao said generously, "Shopkeeper, we'll buy these!"

The shopkeeper rubbed his eyes and swallowed. He tried his utmost best to retract his gaze from the girl and counted the amount Qi Qingyao needed to pay. He was scared that Qi Qingyao did not have enough money, so he stammered when he gave her the amount.

Qi Qingyao was rich now, though. The wealthy woman tossed all the coins she had to the shopkeeper, and said generously, "Keep the change."

The children were again shocked when they watched their mother spend her money like it was water.

Jiang Yeqian frowned as he looked at Qi Qingyao's actions. He could not help lowering his head to ask Xiaobao, "How did your mom get into this habit of spending money like water?"

Xiaobao, "..."

Jiang Yeqian was silent, too, in reply. "..."

They stared at each other for a moment, bemused.

What Xiaobao did not understand was how they were so poor in the past, but now that they had earned a large amount of money his Mother could spend it like she had been rich for her whole life. She was not anxious or terrified at the slightest when she came into wealth, and was extremely calm instead…

Grandma and the others were so gleeful when they got their hands on ten strings of coins.

Mother had earned ten thousand tael, but she did not go crazy or anything like that!

She spent them calmly instead…

…

Linquan Village.

Several men were repairing a nullah nearby the village's rice fields with shovels. Suddenly, they spotted a grand carriage heading toward the village.

"There's a carriage headed for here," Old Wang said after he raised his gaze.

"A carriage?" Old Yang set down the shovel he was holding and took a look as well. He could not help muttering, "Is it Old Zhou's second son? Did he come back after achieving wealth and power?" He was so envious.

Old Li did not think so. "Or maybe Old Tian's third daughter is back to visit her family."

Old Yang thought about it. "You may be right. Old Tian's third daughter has good looks, and she married a merchant in Qingzhou City as a concubine. She leads an easy life and never needs to worry about what to eat or what to wear. She always comes back decked out in jewelry and some with good food for her family. Ah, I'm so envious. I'll be so happy if my daughter can marry someone living in one of the big cities."

As they chatted, the carriage arrived near them. Suddenly, the window was opened, and an extremely beautiful and radiant young woman stuck her head out and said to them with a sweet smile on her face, "Uncle Yang, you can stop working here. I bought two hundred catty of rice. I'll distribute it at the village chief's house!"

And with a quick "I'll head to the village chief's house to pay him back!", the carriage headed into the village, leaving the men rooted to the spot. They watched as the carriage drove far away.

After a while, Old Yang swallowed. He asked hoarsely, "Who was that just now?"