Lanyin quickly learned about the conversation between Madam Xiao and Jinglan. When Madam Xiao spoke earlier, she did not avoid others, and Dan Xi happened to be standing near the gatehouse. Being a sharp person, as soon as Madam Xiao left, he immediately relayed what he had heard to Lanyin…
At that time, Ting Yun and the others had already returned. Upon hearing the news, the four maidservants’ expressions instantly changed.
Compared to the maidservants whose faces were dark with displeasure, Lanyin remained calm.
It was as if she had long anticipated this outcome.
In such a large Earl Manor, it was impossible for there to be no mistress for an extended period. Even if Xiao Ye was willing, Madam Xiao would never allow it.
Lanyin did not feel particularly distressed about it. She had already moved past the stage of feeling hurt. In fact, she was in such a leisurely mood that she even speculated on who the next mistress of the Earl Manor would be.
If it were before, she would have assumed it would be Gu Qing. After all, Gu Qing and Xiao Ye had a love as strong as gold. Even though Gu Qing lacked much ability in household management, with Xiao Ye and her mother supporting her, she would not face any difficulties.
It had always been this way.
Although the inner residence was the domain of women, a favored woman would always find it easier to win people over than one who was not.
But now, facing a Xiao Ye completely different from the one in her past life, Lanyin was momentarily unsure whether his feelings for Gu Qing were truly as unwavering as before.
Shaking her head, Lanyin was too lazy to waste her thoughts on these two people or to speculate on whether Xiao Ye would agree. These were not matters she needed to worry about. If anything was a pity, it was Chengbi’s situation.
If the Xiao family had no mistress, as a concubine with a child, even if she could not be elevated to the position of the main wife, she would at least not suffer grievances. However, if the Xiao family had a new mistress, whether Chengbi’s future would be good depended on the temperament of this new woman. If she was kind-hearted, things might still be fine; otherwise, with Chengbi’s current situation, her days ahead would likely be difficult.
But these matters were not for Lanyin to concern herself with.
She shook her head.
Catching a glimpse of the maidservants around her who were upset on her behalf, Lanyin felt slightly cheered. She smiled but did not say anything. Instead, remembering Qi Yubai’s instructions when she entered the residence earlier, she told Shi Yu, “Go find Song Yue and have him run to the Qi residence. Tell Qi’s guard that I am fine so that Master and Grandmother Qi need not worry about me.”
Shi Yu acknowledged the order and left to deliver the message.
Seeing that Lanyin’s expression remained unchanged, Ting Yun did not continue the conversation about this matter but instead began discussing the arrangements for lunch.
—
Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching.
Since that day at the Ministry of Revenue, no matter how widely rumors spread throughout the city, Lanyin still maintained her routine of traveling between the Qi residence and home, leading a comfortable and carefree life. She showed none of the downfall and misery described in the rumors.
During this period, Shopkeeper Sun brought her some news.
Because her original silk shop was to be converted into a ready-made clothing store, Lanyin had previously ordered the closure of four silk shops. She also hired renowned craftsmen from the city to renovate them, planning to reopen them together in mid-May.
Closing a shop for renovations was not an unusual event.
There were plenty of shops in Bianjing, and who would pay attention to a few ordinary silk stores? However, given Lanyin’s current fame, any action she took—whether she appeared in person or not—would inevitably attract public attention.
As a result, many people had been inquiring about the purpose behind the closures.
Shopkeeper Sun was a shrewd man and saw this as an excellent opportunity for publicity. Naturally, he was not going to let it slip by. However, to avoid the news spreading too soon and diminishing the sense of novelty, he only told those who asked:
“May 15, the grand opening of the new stores. We welcome all esteemed guests to visit.”
He even cleverly posted public notices outside the shops.
With these words spreading, the news quickly circulated throughout the streets and alleys of Bianjing. Now, many people in the city were well aware that Lanyin’s four silk shops would be reopening on May 15.
Even though no one knew how things would turn out, many people still paid attention. Everyone wanted to see what would become of the former heir’s wife of the Earl Manor, who had just recently divorced.
As a result, the revenue of Lanyin’s other shops also saw a significant increase during this time.
At this moment, in Lanyin’s study, Ting Yun and Shi Yu were busy—one holding the account book, the other working the abacus. As they tallied the final numbers, they couldn’t help but smile, exclaiming, “This truly is an unexpected surprise.”
“If only business could be this good every day.”
Lanyin took the account book from Ting Yun and glanced at the figures. Even she was slightly surprised. She had not expected that such a scandalous divorce could actually bring such positive effects. Perhaps people naturally enjoyed a spectacle.
However, she was not someone to be blinded by such fleeting profits. Remaining calm, she reminded them, “A bustling crowd is good, but this is precisely the time to be cautious, especially with those three food establishments. We must ensure strict quality control.”
“No matter how busy we get, we must never compromise on honesty with our customers.” Integrity was the most important aspect of doing business.
The two maidservants naturally understood this and immediately agreed.
Lanyin then added, “But there’s no need to be afraid of trouble either. If anyone comes looking for trouble out of jealousy, simply report it to the authorities.”
After they both answered affirmatively, Lanyin turned to Shi Yu, “Last time, I asked you to deliver some new recipes to the restaurant. How did that turn out?”
She had been idle lately and had written a few recipes to be sent to the restaurant—mostly snacks that would become popular in the future but had yet to make a name for themselves in Bianjing.
Hearing this, Shi Yu’s smile deepened.
“I was just about to tell you! The recipes you sent over have been very well received, especially the honey-glazed plum preserves—they sell out every day. The three shopkeepers even sent people to ask if they should prepare more daily, otherwise, they truly won’t have enough.”
“No need,” Lanyin shook her head. “If it’s always readily available, people won’t anticipate it as much. If we satisfy them too quickly, their enthusiasm will gradually wane, and they won’t be as eager in the future.”
It was amusing, really. Only now did Lanyin realize that whether in business or relationships, the same principles applied. Especially in love—one must hold something back. If you give everything all at once, there’s no mystery left, no curiosity to explore.
A blank sheet of paper filled with colors all at once might look beautiful, but people would tire of it quickly. However, if a single stroke was added each day, even if it wasn’t perfect at first, it would still entice people to keep looking forward to what came next.
Some things could only be understood after escaping the prison one had been trapped in.
But Lanyin knew herself well.
Even though she could analyze things so rationally now, she knew that if she ever fell into a relationship again, she wouldn’t be able to remain this clear-headed.
Perhaps some people could come and go freely in love.
But she was not one of them.
So, the best choice was not to step into it at all.
If she didn’t enter, she wouldn’t get hurt.
Lanyin didn’t dwell on the thought any longer. She set the account book aside and instructed Ting Yun, “Remember to send a small jar of honey-glazed plum preserves to Siyu. She always loved these kinds of treats.”
Before Ting Yun could respond, Shi Yu frowned and muttered unhappily, “Master, you’ve already cut ties with the Xiao family. Siyu hasn’t even reached out to you. Who knows? She might even resent you for what happened to the Xiao family. Why should you still send her food?”
After everything with Xiao Ye and Madam Xiao, she naturally didn’t want her mistress to have any further contact with the Xiao family, even if Xiao Siyu was different from the rest.
Ting Yun said nothing, but her expression clearly showed she shared the same sentiment as Shi Yu.
Lanyin, however, simply shook her head and replied without hesitation, “She doesn’t resent me. She’s just afraid to face me.”
She believed in Siyu’s character.
In her past life, when she had been framed and fell out of Xiao Ye’s favor, when she was imprisoned, it was Siyu who had argued with Xiao Ye on her behalf. When Xiao Ye finally cast her out with a divorce letter, it was Siyu and her husband who protected her as she left.
That was on New Year’s Eve—the only warmth she had felt that entire year.
Her resolve was firm, so the two maidservants had no choice but to drop the matter and comply.
“Send some to Grandmother as well. Jinling is far away. Although preserved fruits can last a long time, the weather is hot now, so have the messenger hurry on the road,” Lanyin added.
Ting Yun suddenly spoke up, “I was just about to mention this to you.”
“Hm?”
Lanyin paused her writing and looked up. “What is it?”
Ting Yun looked at her and said, “Didn’t you ask me earlier to find out about Mama Sheng’s whereabouts?”
“Yes.”
That was something Lanyin had instructed some time ago.
By right, Mama Sheng should have arrived days ago. However, so much time had passed, and Lanyin had yet to see any trace of her. Worried that something might have happened on the road, she had Song Yue instruct the guards to go search for her. Now, seeing Ting Yun’s expression, Lanyin unconsciously tightened her grip on the wolf-hair brush, her expression tensing. She asked in a low voice, “Did something happen to Mama Sheng?”
“…No.”
Ting Yun shook her head. “Mama Sheng is fine. She sent someone to deliver a message—she met the Old Madam on the way and decided to travel with her. She told you not to worry, but since the Old Madam is elderly, the journey is taking longer than expected. It might still be some time before they arrive.”
Lanyin, who was always composed, suddenly changed expression. She pushed herself up from the table, causing ink from the brush to spill and smear across the white paper, but she didn’t care. Instead, she stared at Ting Yun in shock. “What did you say?”
Ting Yun quickly repeated herself. Seeing the urgency and guilt on Lanyin’s face, she tried to comfort her. “The Old Madam is worried about you. She’s afraid you’re being mistreated here alone. Besides, she has plenty of attendants with her—she’ll be fine.”
Shi Yu chimed in as well.
Lanyin muttered to herself, “If I had known Grandmother would do this, I shouldn’t have sent her that letter.”
But she knew.
Even if she hadn’t sent a message, once Grandmother learned about her situation with Xiao Ye, she wouldn’t have been able to sit still.
Why had she endured Xiao Ye for so long in her past life?
Aside from society’s expectations, part of it was because she didn’t want to worry her grandmother. She knew very well that no matter what decision she made, Grandmother would always support her. But thinking about how someone of her grandmother’s age had to travel such a long way just for her, Lanyin felt uncomfortable.
Seeing her expression, Ting Yun and Shi Yu continued trying to reassure her.
Lanyin didn’t dwell in self-blame for too long. After confirming with Ting Yun the route her grandmother had taken from Jinling, she instructed them, “Have someone keep an eye on the docks these days. As soon as Grandmother’s boat arrives, report to me immediately.”
The two maidservants quickly acknowledged the order.
—
At the Dali Temple Office.
Tu Yici had come to the Dali Temple today to complete some work handovers. Having nothing better to do afterward, he casually wandered over to Qi Yubai’s office. He was a regular visitor here, so the clerks at the entrance didn’t even bother to announce him. They merely cupped their hands in greeting and let him pass.
Inside, Qi Yubai was reviewing official documents.
Tu Yici entered and immediately saw him sitting upright, his posture as straight as a bamboo stalk. Holding a document in one hand, he would occasionally reach into an oil-paper package to pick up some dried fruit and eat it slowly.
Curious, Tu Yici asked, “What are you eating?”
He walked closer and found that it was candied olives.
Surprised, he remarked, “Didn’t you dislike these things before?”
Tu Yici had never been one to sit properly. When out in public, he managed to keep some semblance of dignity, but in private, he was as relaxed as ever. He now leaned lazily against the long table, without any sense of restraint, and grabbed a piece of the candied fruit to try for himself.
Unexpectedly, it was quite good. Although it was candied, the balance of sweetness and tartness was just right.
“This tastes pretty good. Where did you buy it?” He thought about getting some for his wife to try.
Tu Yici’s wife had been in low spirits for the past few days because of troubles at her family’s home. She had even lost her appetite. Since the candied olives tasted good, they might help stimulate her appetite.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but recall Gu Lanyin. And as soon as he did, his gaze fell back on the preserved fruit in front of him.
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind…
He had heard that his sister-in-law’s restaurants had recently launched several new dishes, one of which was a candied fruit delicacy.
Could it be?