By the time Lanyin arrived at the shop, half an hour had passed.
Jinxiu Hall had just made a name for itself yesterday. Although today was not as lively as the grand opening, it was still bustling with customers coming and going in an endless stream. The attendants and clerks inside were so busy their feet barely touched the ground. Shopkeeper Sun was also engaged in business discussions. When he spotted Lanyin from afar, he quickly called out, “Owner!”
Seeing that he was occupied, Lanyin did not disturb him much. She simply nodded at him and led Ting Yun upstairs to the private room on the second floor. Then, she had someone bring up the account books from the four shops, covering everything from yesterday until now, to review in detail. Just as she finished reading, Shopkeeper Sun was finally free and came over.
“Owner.”
The slightly stout middle-aged man wiped the sweat from his forehead, gasping for breath as he stood at the doorway to greet Lanyin.
“Come in and sit.” Lanyin set down the account book in her hand and motioned for Ting Yun to serve tea. She did not say much but simply sat quietly, waiting for Shopkeeper Sun to speak.
“Thank you, Owner.” Shopkeeper Sun hastily accepted the tea and expressed his gratitude, but he did not drink it. Instead, he set it aside and got straight to the point. “I asked you to come today for two matters. As for hiring embroiderers, I have already arranged for notices to be posted both in the city and in the outskirts. I expect we will receive responses soon.”
He had always been reliable in handling matters.
Lanyin naturally trusted him. After responding with a light “Mm,” she asked, “What about the other matter?”
“The second matter concerns our fabric supply. The silk we stockpiled in previous years is nearly depleted, but with so many orders, we will run out soon at this rate. In the past, we sourced all our fabric from the Wang family. Due to family ties, the young master and the master-in-law always gave us the lowest prices. However…” Shopkeeper Sun hesitated.
Lanyin understood the hesitation in his words.
“You’ve reminded me.” She set down the teacup in her hand, her expression growing more serious. “It’s a good thing you brought this up. If we continued sourcing from Jinling as usual, we might have stirred up unnecessary trouble.”
In the past, their needs were small, and the low prices were inconsequential.
Now that Jinxiutang’s business was thriving, the amount of fabric required was significantly greater. Continuing to use the previous pricing arrangement was clearly inappropriate.
“In that case, I will write a letter to my cousin and my uncle later, informing them of the situation. We will continue sourcing from them in the future, but as for pricing, whatever they charge others, they should charge us the same. My uncle and elder cousin care for me, but I cannot let them suffer losses for my sake.”
Currently, the Wang family was overseen by her eldest uncle.
However, the true business experts were her elder cousin and younger uncle—together, they managed the majority of the Wang family’s enterprises.
Because her maternal grandmother was still alive, the Wang family had never split their assets. All earnings were considered part of the family’s shared wealth. If Shopkeeper Sun had not reminded her, Lanyin might not have thought of this in time. Of course, to her elder cousin and younger uncle—who were used to handling large sums of money—this amount of silver was negligible. They certainly would not hold it against her.
However, if word spread to the other members of the Wang family, it could cause unnecessary disputes. She feared that if things escalated, it would put her grandmother in a difficult position.
“Thankfully, you reminded me. Otherwise, I might have caused trouble.” Lanyin let out a breath of relief.
Shopkeeper Sun also sighed in relief. “I’m just glad you don’t blame me for speaking out of turn.”
“How could I?” Lanyin said warmly. “I am new to business, and there is much I do not understand. I will need your help in watching over things. If there is anything else in the future, please do not hesitate to tell me so I can avoid making mistakes.”
This term of address—”Uncle Sun”—startled Shopkeeper Sun, making him feel unworthy. He declined a few times, but upon seeing Lanyin’s sincerity, he was deeply moved and finally accepted.
He had been running around tirelessly, and only now did he finally have the chance to take a sip of hot tea. After chatting with Lanyin for a little while longer, he was about to take his leave when she suddenly said, “By the way, Grandmother has arrived. If you have time, Uncle Sun, you should visit the manor to see her.”
“What?”
Shopkeeper Sun was so shocked he jumped to his feet. “The Old Madam is here?! I—I didn’t even know! This is an unforgivable mistake!”
Lanyin knew that the people her grandmother had assigned to her were all trusted confidants who had served her for many years and shared a deep bond. Seeing Shopkeeper Sun so flustered, her voice softened even more.
“Grandmother knew you would react this way, which is why she didn’t let me tell you in advance. Don’t worry, she’ll be staying in Bianjing for a while. Later, be sure to bring your wife and daughter over for a meal at the house.”
Shopkeeper Sun still seemed a bit dazed, responding with several hurried “ayes.” As he left, he nearly tripped over himself.
Fearing he might hurt himself, Lanyin instructed Ting Yun to help him downstairs.
Once Ting Yun returned, Lanyin had her prepare brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, then personally wrote letters to her younger uncle and elder cousin, instructing someone to deliver them.
After finishing these tasks, Ting Yun asked if she wanted to return home or stay at the shop a while longer. Lanyin, since she was already out, decided to visit her other shops as well. She figured it would be best to take care of everything today so that she would have time to accompany her grandmother for a proper outing tomorrow.
Once she made up her mind, she acted immediately. She had a carriage prepared and, with Ting Yun, visited all her other shops. By the time she had finished, it was already mealtime, so she decided to have lunch at Tingquan Tower.
“This dish is quite good. Have some sent to Grandmother and Granny Qi.”
Ting Yun responded with a smile and was about to step out when she heard Lanyin add, “Send a portion to Qi Yubai as well. Go in person.”
“Understood!”
In her heart, Ting Yun had already regarded Lord Qi as the future master, so she was naturally delighted to comply.
Lanyin watched her leave, then lowered her gaze to her own meal. Even though it hadn’t been long since she last saw him, she already missed him a little.
—
Dali Temple.
It was almost mealtime, yet the atmosphere in Qi Yubai’s office remained lively. A group of officials were arguing fervently over a case, their voices rising in heated debate. This was a common occurrence in Dali Temple, so Qi Yubai did nothing to stop them. He simply continued reviewing the documents in his hands, maintaining his composure regardless of how intense the dispute became.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Zhusheng entering with a food container, his steps noticeably light. Qi Yubai did not look up.
Zhusheng was already accustomed to this scene.
The officials of Dali Temple were notoriously hot-tempered. In the past, they had even gotten into shouting matches with the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate, sometimes to the point where their opponents could only curse, “Damnable wretches!”
When his master first took over Dali Temple, Zhusheng had been particularly concerned, even considering whether to eliminate a few troublemakers to establish authority. But to his surprise, despite their fierce arguments, this group was extraordinarily united. They could fight among themselves all they wanted, but the moment an outsider dared to challenge them, they would stand together like an unbreakable fortress.
And they obeyed their master without question.
No matter what Qi Yubai said, they never objected.
Zhusheng skillfully maneuvered around the officials, dodging stray spits of argument-fueled saliva, and placed the food container on Qi Yubai’s desk. “Master, it’s time to eat.”
Qi Yubai acknowledged him with a quiet “Mm” but did not immediately set down his documents. That was, until Zhusheng lowered his voice and added—
“It was sent by the mistress.”
Qi Yubai’s hand paused. He glanced at the open food container and, sure enough, the dishes inside were different from usual.
“What smells so good?”
“That aroma is amazing.”
…
The once-heated debate suddenly came to an abrupt halt. Someone sniffed the air and remarked, “Why does this smell like Tingquan Tower’s dishes?”
The group of officials immediately turned their attention to Qi Yubai’s desk. They had been too engrossed in their argument to notice earlier, but now that the aroma had spread, their stomachs were beginning to protest. One of them even let out an audible growl.
Qi Yubai said calmly, “Share some with the gentlemen here.”
There was more than enough food, and he couldn’t finish it all alone.
Zhusheng quickly responded and arranged for bowls and chopsticks to be prepared.
“Heh, this feels a bit embarrassing.”
A few of the men who had just been arguing so heatedly that their faces had turned red were now awkwardly scratching their heads. But despite their words, once Zhusheng brought the dishes over, they all ate with great enthusiasm.
“This is delicious—too delicious!”
The room was soon filled with the sounds of people eating.
“Master.”
Zhusheng handed over a pair of chopsticks.
Qi Yubai glanced at him. “You’re not eating?”
“Master’s wife prepared a portion for me as well.” Though his voice was light, there was an undeniable pride in his words.
Qi Yubai found this amusing but said nothing. Instead, he asked, “Is the one who delivered the food still here?”
“Yes.”
Zhusheng nodded. “It’s Ting Yun. She thought you might have a message to send back, so she’s waiting outside.”
Qi Yubai gave a small nod.
Setting down his chopsticks, he picked up a brush. Yet when he attempted to write, his mind was filled with so many thoughts that he didn’t know where to begin. There was too much he wanted to say, but in the end, he found himself staring at the blank paper, pondering for a long time before finally writing down just three words.
—
“Master.”
By the time Ting Yun returned, Lanyin had already finished her lunch. She was flipping through the restaurant’s account book. Hearing Ting Yun’s voice, she didn’t look up, simply responding with a light “Mm, you’re back.”
Ting Yun answered softly, then handed her a folded slip of paper.
“What’s this?” Lanyin was momentarily stunned.
Ting Yun pressed her lips together in a smile. “It’s from the Lord.”
Lanyin’s face flushed. Especially when she saw the teasing glint in Ting Yun’s eyes, which she made no effort to hide, her embarrassment deepened. She cleared her throat and feigned calmness, taking the slip of paper with an indifferent expression as if it were nothing special. Just as she was about to open it, she noticed Ting Yun still standing there.
“Leave first,” she instructed.
Ting Yun said nothing, only smiling knowingly before picking up the nearly empty teapot from the table and stepping outside.
Only after Ting Yun had left did Lanyin unfold the slip of paper.
There were just two bold, powerful characters written upon it—
“Thinking of you.”
Yet her heart pounded wildly.
She couldn’t help but press her hands against her burning cheeks, but that didn’t seem to be enough. She got up and opened the window, letting the fresh air wash over her, trying to cool the heat on her face.
She truly felt like she was growing younger instead of older.
She had lived two lifetimes and had even been married before, yet here she was, blushing and feeling her heart race like a young maiden untouched by love, just over simple words.