As Zhen Meili, a person who loved to show off and cared about her reputation, would she refuse Xiao Xitian's request?
Besides, this golden walnut was clearly solid. To expect a gem from it was simply wishful thinking...
"Fine, it's just six hundred taels of silver, this madam can afford it!" Zhen Meili counted out six hundred taels of silver notes and placed them on the counter.
So money was this easy to earn. It seemed her trip to Dashui Village was quite worthwhile.
Xiao Cui frowned slightly, feeling uneasy...
Why did she feel like there was a trap here?
Especially the confident expressions of the mother and daughter. They clearly knew there was something peculiar about the golden walnut from the start. Otherwise, why would they mention a gem inside the walnut and make a bet with Madam?
"M-Madam, please reconsider. Your servant feels there's no need to argue with them. It's just a golden walnut, why not give it to them..." Xiao Cui persuaded softly.
If General Gu found out you spent six hundred taels of silver on a bet, wouldn't he be furious?
Although the General's mansion was wealthy, they couldn't squander money like this.
"You shut up!" Zhen Meili rebuked, rolling her eyes. "You don't help with anything all day and only cause me trouble and ruin my mood!"
Xiao Cui: "..."
Fine, you play by yourself. Don't cry when you lose later.
I really can't be bothered with your messes.
"Hey, little one, can we start?" Zhen Meili looked at Xiao Xitian, impatient.
Xiao Xitian couldn't hold back her laughter and looked at the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper, can you get me a hammer?"
She hoped her mother hadn't misjudged.
If the golden walnut was smashed and there was nothing inside, she would be utterly embarrassed...
The shopkeeper was stunned and asked weakly, "No, are you really going to smash this walnut? I must remind you, if it's smashed into small pieces, it won't be worth much!"
My goodness, in all her years of running this shop, she had never seen such a prodigal person.
Smashing a perfectly good golden walnut into smithereens just to find a ruby inside.
Wasn't this like having a child and then killing it, just for fun?
"Oh, shopkeeper, why are you so slow?" Zhen Meili lost her patience. "It's just a piece of broken gold, my mansion has as much as you want!"
Gu Shi: "..."
She could see it now. As long as there were such spendthrifts in the General's mansion, even mountains of gold and silver wouldn't be enough for her to squander.
The shopkeeper mumbled a few words and went to the back to get a hammer.
Zhen Meili rubbed her hands excitedly, urging Xiao Xitian, "Hurry up and smash it! I'm telling you, it's too late to regret it now..."
Hmph, this little child was simply spoiled by her family. Such wastefulness and extravagant spending. Their whole family would be begging for food in the future!
Gu Shi patted her daughter's shoulder, "Daughter, do you want Mom to help you smash it?"
Shopkeeper: "..."
Are you people from the countryside or not?
Where did you learn this habit of throwing money around like dirt?
Xiao Xitian smiled and said, "No need, Mother. Xitian can smash it open!"
As she spoke, Xiao Xitian confirmed with Zhen Meili again, "A bet is a bet, no backing out..."
Zhen Meili patted her chest and guaranteed, "Don't worry, this madam keeps her word. If you're still not reassured, we can sign a contract!"
Xiao Xitian thought this was a good idea.
After all, people nowadays were not very reliable. They said things like "children's words are innocent" and "don't take children's words seriously."
So she asked the shopkeeper for paper and a pen, wrote a guarantee, and she and Zhen Meili both signed and pressed their handprints on it...
With everything ready, Xiao Xitian took a few deep breaths, gripped the hammer, and stared intently at the golden walnut on the ground.
Smashing this required careful control of strength, not too much force, to avoid damaging the ruby inside.
Just a small crack was needed, and then other tools could be used to pry the walnut open...
"Bang!"
"Crack!~"
With one strike from Xiao Xitian, the golden walnut indeed split open with a gap. The naked eye might not be able to see what was inside, but through the light, it was not difficult to see that this golden walnut was indeed hollow...
Zhen Meili: "???"
What was going on? Who was so bored as to make a hollow golden walnut?
Could there really be a gem hidden inside?
Xiao Cui put her hand to her forehead and sighed, looking helplessly at Zhen Meili: Madam, Madam, it's come to this, and you still won't admit your foolishness?
You're simply incorrigible...
Those two, mother and daughter, dug a big pit and clearly intended for you to jump in. But you, on the other hand, got hot-headed and made a bet with them, signing a contract, and wouldn't listen to anything.
The shopkeeper was also full of curiosity. He leaned over to take a closer look and exclaimed, "Wow, there really seems to be something inside this golden walnut! Wait a moment, I'll go find something to pry it open..."
Xiao Xitian pursed her lips and smiled, "Shopkeeper, be careful not to damage the gem inside!"
"Haha, don't worry, I won't!"
The shopkeeper was completely unaware of how much money he had lost today. The walnut shell was worthless, but the gem inside was extremely valuable...
Xiao Xitian had only bought the golden walnut for sixty taels of silver. If she sold the gem, plus Zhen Meili's six hundred taels, she had made a fortune today.
A moment later, the shopkeeper pried open the walnut with a "crack" and carefully used tweezers to take out a water-drop-sized ruby.
As the sunlight shone, the ruby emitted a brilliant glow, crystal clear and flawless, like the brightest star in the night sky...
Zhen Meili cried out in surprise, clutching her chest and stepping back several paces, her expression filled with terror.
"H-How is this possible? How did you know there was a ruby inside the walnut? Were you deliberately tricking this madam?!" Zhen Meili shrieked.
Xiao Cui's face was so awkward it turned dark.
Madam, you're only realizing this now? It's too late...
I told you from the beginning it was a trap, but you refused to listen. You deserve to be tricked.
The shopkeeper was also dumbfounded. He placed the ruby on the counter and looked at it repeatedly, finding it extremely pleasing.
He felt very remorseful. He was too incompetent as a shopkeeper. He didn't know there was such a precious treasure in his shop.
He thought he had made a profit by selling it for sixty taels of silver, but he didn't expect there to be something even more valuable hidden inside the walnut...
Xiao Xitian stretched out her small hand, "Shopkeeper, please give me back the ruby!"
"Little girl, are you selling this gem? I, I'll give you five hundred taels of silver!" The shopkeeper was somewhat reluctant to part with it.
Xiao Xitian pouted, "Not selling!"
This was a treasure discovered by her mother, so it naturally had to be given to her mother.
The shopkeeper sighed deeply, returned the ruby to Xiao Xitian, and at the same time picked up the golden token and Zhen Meili's six hundred taels of silver, stuffing them all into Xiao Xitian's hands, "Take it, these silver notes are all yours from winning the bet!"
Zhen Meili: "..."