Chapter 496: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 496: Jealousy (1)
Xiao Ruiyuan was born into a marquis household. Despite having a heartless father who had little affection for him, his grandfather, the old Marquis Wei Yuan, adored his eldest grandson. Ignoring his only son and daughter-in-law's objections, the old marquis personally raised Xiao Ruiyuan. If not for this, no matter how exceptionally talented Xiao Ruiyuan was, if he had fallen into the hands of his stepmother, it would have been uncertain if he could even grow up alive, let alone become the celebrated general deeply trusted by those in power.
When Xiao Ruiyuan was twelve, the old Marquis Wei Yuan’s chronic illness flared up again, and it became clear he didn't have much time left. Dragging his weak body, he submitted a memorial to Emperor Hui’an, requesting the title of heir for his eldest grandson. Once granted, regardless of the rules, he forcibly divided the family estate among his children and grandchildren. Only after securing his grandson’s future did he close his eyes with a smile, holding his hand.
As the heir to the Marquis Wei Yuan household and future head of the family, Xiao Ruiyuan received forty percent of the family assets and all of the old marquis’s accumulated private wealth. Combined, even if he was a prodigal son, it would take several lifetimes to squander it all.
Moreover, Xiao Ruiyuan’s mother came from a prestigious family. When she married into the marquis household, she brought a lavish dowry. Before she passed away, she left her son one hundred thousand taels of silver, several shops, and valuable antiques and paintings. His private wealth was considerable, so funding the construction of a winery wouldn't be a problem.
However, when he subtly hinted to his beloved that "what's mine is yours, feel free to use it," Mo Yan firmly refused him:
"Brother Xiao, I've already secured the funds for building the winery. You don’t need to worry! You’re meant for greater things, and those funds are reserved for significant uses, not for this."
Mo Yan looked at Xiao Ruiyuan, her resolve unmistakable.
To achieve success, the Crown Prince would need substantial funds. Training the secret guards alone required a significant investment, and any other hidden forces would cost even more. While she couldn't help much in this area, she certainly didn't want to be a burden.
She was genuinely invested in their relationship and didn’t want it to be tainted by too many material concerns. Additionally, building the winery wasn’t just about money. With Yan Junyu's influence, many complications could be avoided, making their collaboration essential.
Xiao Ruiyuan didn’t know all this. After being rejected, his mood plummeted. Though his face remained expressionless, his star-like eyes stared at his beloved, and Mo Yan could clearly sense his confusion and... frustration!
Building such a large winery would require at least a hundred thousand taels of silver. Even among the wealthy families in the capital, few could muster such a large sum, let alone the Mo family, who were only slightly better off than ordinary households.
Without much thought, Xiao Ruiyuan could guess that the money came from elsewhere. His beloved would rather seek help from outsiders (without realizing he also counted as an outsider) than accept his offer, which inevitably left him feeling frustrated.
Staring at the resolute woman, Xiao Ruiyuan felt a lump in his throat as if stuffed with cotton. He took a deep breath, exhaled to release his frustration, and felt slightly better. But he couldn’t help but start worrying.
Anyone who could easily produce such a large sum to build a winery must be extremely wealthy. Yet, nobody would reject more money. If this person saw the value in the brewing recipe, they could use various means to seize it for themselves. However, this person chose to cooperate genuinely with Yan’er. How could Xiao Ruiyuan not be concerned?
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