I started out with seven husbands, and I worked hard to support my family while crying.

Chapter 137: 52?

Fang Xiaoxiao stood beside the crowd, listening to the wealthy businessmen and officials express their regret.

"How boring. I don't care about being a concubine. Let whoever wants to be one be one."

She muttered something to herself and ignored the group.

He then walked towards Pei Zuo, a playful smile on his face.

Pei Zuo saw that the man was walking towards him and wanted to go up and greet him, but the man completely ignored him.

As soon as Fang Xiaoxiao stepped onto the stage, she turned around and looked at the crowd.

She cleared her throat and spoke in a loud voice.

"Everyone, please listen to me."

"!!!"

Before anyone could react, she continued.

"Just now, I made a bet with the Crown Prince. He didn't say anything about me becoming his concubine just because I lost."

"If that's what the Crown Prince says, then I'll definitely increase my bet. I can't do a losing business!"

"..."

She just finished speaking.

The audience immediately erupted in chaos.

"What? Did I hear that right? She actually wants to bargain with the First Prince!"

"She must be insane. Doesn't she know her own place? Daring to negotiate prices with a prince in public, she's practically courting death!"

"I think she's just arrogant because she thinks she's pretty. The fact that the First Prince even looks at her is already a blessing she's accumulated over eight lifetimes. If it were me, I'd kneel down and thank him even if I had to pay him."

Many people in the crowd thought she was crazy or not thinking straight.

Some were even anticipating the Crown Prince's wrath, eager to see how Fang Xiaoxiao would be dealt with.

Never thought about it.

Pei Zuo not only didn't care about being ignored by Fang Xiaoxiao, but also said with a smile.

"What do you mean by that, Madam Fang? How should I add this annotation?"

Fang Xiaoxiao didn't waste any time. She stretched out a hand, a playful smile on her face, and said in a soft voice.

"Your Highness, I don't actually want much. Since we're going to play this big game, if I lose, I'll have to become your concubine, so I don't suffer too much of a loss."

As she spoke, she paused deliberately, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

Her actions once again drew criticism, with some even directly questioning her.

"Madam Fang, what do you mean by that? Are you trying to say that being a prince's concubine is a disservice to you?"

"I think that's exactly what she meant. All that talk about suffering too many losses is just nonsense. Being able to enter the royal family is a blessing that many people can't attain in several lifetimes."

"Tell me then, what did you lose? Are you trying to get more money from the Crown Prince? I think you're just a spendthrift who's obsessed with money, just like before, a complete waste!"

Many people began to feel dissatisfied, believing that Fang Xiaoxiao was a spendthrift who was obsessed with money.

A spendthrift son who spends his days eating, drinking, and gambling, immediately raised his price when he saw that the prince wanted to take her as a concubine.

People's words became increasingly harsh, and some even started insulting her entire family.

These words were so offensive that even Zhou Wenjian, who was usually gentle and never argued with anyone, couldn't help but stand up for his wife.

"What do you mean? My wife can do whatever she wants, that's her business. What right do you have to judge and insult her!"

"I think you people are just jealous. You're a bunch of useless trash who have no ability and all you do is bark like idiots!"

Good heavens, I never expected that the young master of the Shangshu family, who is usually so gentle and speaks in classical Chinese, would be like a shrew.

Fang Xiao couldn't help but admire her husband from the bottom of her heart.

However, Zhou Wenjian's words were like a bombshell dropped into the water, instantly creating a huge wave.

Those wealthy and powerful merchants and nobles who were already prominent could not tolerate being insulted like this.

They attacked him en masse, some grabbing his arms, others hurling insults. In short, the once quiet hall instantly erupted into chaos and noise.

"You little brat, who do you think you are? Do you have any right to speak here? Tell me who you are, and I'll make sure your family pays the price!"

"I am an old official, and yet I am being insulted here. Do you know that insulting an official of the imperial court is a capital offense?"

Officials and businessmen alike began to attack him, wanting nothing more than to kill him.

At this moment, Pei Zuo on the stage, with his hawk-like eyes, first scanned the crowd, then spoke coldly.

"Shut up. If anyone dares to lay a hand on me in front of me, I will not hesitate to exterminate their entire family."

"!!!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it sent shivers down people's spines, and no one dared to say anything more.

Some even shrank back, afraid of being seen.

After everyone quieted down, Pei Zuo calmed down, regained his usual expression, and smiled.

"Please refrain from further discussion. Since this is a bet between me and Lady Fang, there is no need for you to worry about it."

He paused for a moment, then looked at the person in front of him and said softly.

"I agree with what you said. I would like to ask Lady Fang how much you would like to add? Do those five fingers refer to five hundred taels?"

Fang Xiaoxiao shook her head upon hearing this, and then replied.

"Not five hundred taels, but fifty little goldfish!"

Fifty little goldfish!!!

She is crazy!

What the hell? These fifty little goldfish are worth five thousand two hundred taels of silver!

The audience looked at her like she was a fool or a madwoman, thinking she had something wrong with her head and was incredibly shameless.

Just as everyone was discussing this, Pei Zuo smiled strangely.

"I thought my wife wanted five hundred taels of gold, but it turns out she only wanted fifty little goldfish. Sigh!"

The regret he expressed in his words made one want to slap themselves hard.

If I had known earlier that fifty goldfish would only amount to 150 taels of gold, or 5,000 taels of silver, I would have known that they were worth only 150 taels of gold.

Five hundred taels of gold, if converted to silver, would be a whopping seventeen thousand taels of silver!

The disparity is so great that it's simply outrageous.

Fang Xiaoxiao felt a pang of regret upon hearing Pei Zuo's words.

"I should have let him talk."

Regret!

However, her regret quickly turned into excitement and joy.

Pei Zuo said with a smile.

"However, I don't care about these gold and silver items. If my wife likes them, then let's calculate it as five hundred taels of gold."

"what!"

"Why, don't you want to?"

"No, no, no, since the Crown Prince is so generous, then this humble woman will humbly accept!"

Fang Xiaoxiao kept shaking her hands, afraid that the other party would change their mind.

Her head, in particular, shook like a rattle-drum, which was quite amusing to watch.