The Red Mansion Big Liar

These words made Aunt Xue's heart beat fast again. She unconsciously huddled the big man in front of her into a ball and looked at Zhang Yunyi with eyes full of trepidation.

"Yi... If Brother Yi has any requests, we can discuss it slowly..."

Zhang Yunyi referred to the emperor when he spoke and the prince when he closed his mouth, which made her imagine a lot.

Naturally, she was unwilling to make sacrifices for the title of imperial merchant.

But if Xue Pan's identity problem could be solved once and for all, not only could those industries be preserved.

Moreover, by climbing up the big tree of Zhang Yunyi, she would definitely be able to obtain a larger quota in the future output of Tiangong Institute, which would allow her own business to reach a higher level. How could she not be tempted?

At this moment, she couldn't help but think of Baochai's words yesterday.

The best outcome, of course, is to marry the daughter into the Zhang family. This way, not only will it avoid gossip, but it will also strengthen the bond.

However, before Zhang Yunyi said this, she wished that Youshi would confront her in person, but now she couldn't bring herself to do it.

The so-called slow talk naturally meant that they hoped to avoid Youshi and then discuss it with Zhang Yun逸.

However, Zhang Yunyi was obviously going to disappoint her. He raised his hand and said without question, "There is no need to discuss this matter. If the concubine does not agree, there is no need to discuss it further."

"Don't worry, Brother Yi! We can talk about it, we can talk about it!"

Aunt Xue didn't expect him to be so aggressive, so she had to compromise and said, "Although this is not a secret, can I ask Brother Zhen's daughter-in-law to..."

Before the word "convenient" came out, Zhang Yunyi grabbed Youshi who had stood up and said, "This is originally about my sister-in-law, why should we be shy about it?"

Hearing that it was related to Youshi, Aunt Xue was shocked and confused, and did not care whether his action of holding Youshi was appropriate.

When Youshi saw that he held her hand without any hesitation, she was surprised and happy.

Aunt Xue didn't know the inside story, but she thought about the share she had agreed to at the beginning. She thought it was just a small subsidy, but she didn't expect it to be as much as 10%.

The earlier resentment suddenly vanished, and turned into full of spring love.

Seeing that the bargaining was almost over, Zhang Yunyi said bluntly: "Although the auntie can sell the 10% share, the profit must be handed over to my sister-in-law intact, and she must also be used to subsidize the wages and other expenses. If the auntie has no objection, we can continue the discussion."

"This……"

Aunt Xue, who had originally been determined to let others take advantage of her, did not expect it to be so simple. She said in disbelief, "This is Yi Ge'er's share. We are already taking a huge advantage by helping him sell it. We naturally cannot be ungrateful and still think about making a profit from it."

Her words were not entirely flattering.

Exclusive projects like this can bring in a fixed source of customers and drive other businesses of the store.

When You sat down again, her eyes were already shimmering. Using the cover of the table, she grabbed Zhang Yunyi's hand and placed it on her legs, and they knelt for a while.

Seeing that he couldn't sit up straight because of Youshi's pulling, Zhang Yunyi quickly stopped her with his eyes and turned to Aunt Xue and said, "Since Auntie doesn't object, you can discuss the future handover with your sister-in-law in detail. Let's talk about the next business first."

When she heard that there was another business deal, Aunt Xue sat up straight and acted as if she was listening attentively.

"There's no rush for this. Madam, go back and ask your own shopkeeper if there are any clerks who have been to Kubuqi Salt Lake. If there are, we can discuss it in detail later."

Aunt Xue said hurriedly, "Hey! Hey! I'll ask when I get back and give Brother Yi a reply as soon as possible."

Zhang Yunyi nodded and said meaningfully, "I have already negotiated with the Guangchusi. If it is inconvenient for the concubine to go, you can send someone else. They should not embarrass the Xue family."

"Oh! That's great!" Aunt Xue said with a smile, "It's not convenient for us mother and daughter to show up in public, and Wenlong is a naive person. It would be best if we don't ask him to show up, otherwise I'm afraid that he will ruin the good thing."

"Well!" Zhang Yunyi saw that the matter had been discussed. He was afraid that if he let Youshi go any further, he would not be able to hold the chopsticks. He calmly withdrew his hand, picked up the bowl and chopsticks, and said, "Then please forgive me for my poor hospitality. I have to go to the government office soon. Do you want to talk with my concubine and sister-in-law here, or should we find another place?"

"Let's not disturb Brother Yi from eating. Let's go to the garden to talk!"

……

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 45 Baochai's Analysis

It was almost noon when Aunt Xue and Youshi came out of Doufengxuan.

Unlike when I came here, the gloom in my heart was swept away, and I felt refreshed and happy.

The spring is bright and sunny, with bits of sunshine scattered on the branches, like bright gems, setting off the green leaves.

The breeze blows gently, bringing a hint of warmth across my cheeks, making me feel indescribably comfortable and it feels like I am walking with the wind.

She has a plump figure and a slender waist. Although she is not as slender as Qin Keqing, her proud upper and lower body shape outlines perfect curves.

Yu Shi didn't know the trick and thought that she was getting an advantage by letting the Xue family sell on her behalf. Not only was she respectful in her words, she was also very considerate and sent someone in advance to inform them that the carriage was waiting at the back door.

After refusing Youshi's invitation to stay for dinner again, Aunt Xue got in the carriage and returned to Lixiangyuan.

"Where did you go, Mom, so early in the morning?"

As soon as she got off the car, her daughter Xue Baochai came up to her and complained: "I came to consult with my mother early in the morning, but I couldn't find anyone. I asked Tongxi and Tonggui, but they didn't know where they were either!"

Because of some concerns, she did not dare to tell her daughter when Ning Mansion sent someone to invite her yesterday. Now that all her doubts were gone, she explained, "Brother Yi sent someone to invite you last night, but I didn't tell you because it was too late. I just came back from the East Mansion."

"Brother Yi?" Xue Baochai looked at Aunt Xue's expression and asked happily, "Could it be that he agreed to help?"

"More than that! I haven't even opened my mouth yet and they've already taken care of the matter."

Having said this, she immediately ordered her servants, "Go and invite all our shopkeepers in the capital."

Xue Baochai frowned slightly when she heard this and asked, "Could it be that he wants to invest in our business?"

Aunt Xue shook her head, took Xue Baochai's hand, and walked towards the main house.

On the way, he briefly recounted what had happened.

"That's all? No other requests?"

"That's not true! We really did blame him wrongly yesterday." Aunt Xue couldn't help but regret it when she talked about yesterday. "Yesterday we sent people to look for Xiangling's relatives with great fanfare. If we couldn't find anyone, wouldn't he be angry and embarrassed?"

"Mom, you're worrying too much!" Xue Baochai said calmly, "This is what he meant. Besides, even if there's a lot of noise when they're sent out, they can come back quietly, right? Who among the old lady and my aunt would remember this?"

"That's true!" Aunt Xue's worry turned into relief.

"When the time comes, we will just quietly tell him, who knows, he might even appreciate it!"

"Yes! Yes! This Brother Yi is really capable. He got the job done before we even told him."

Aunt Xue echoed, then hugged her daughter in her arms and sighed, "It's a pity that we are so far away from him. Otherwise, your brother's problem might not be completely solved. Look at that Zhen brother's daughter-in-law, she just got 10% of the profit for nothing."

Seeing her daughter lost in thought, she continued, "Although he is a bit lustful, any promising man is the same. As long as he is not a heartless and unlucky person, it can be a good marriage."

At first, facing Zhang Yunyi's dominance, she was more than happy to be able to keep the title of imperial merchant.

But afterwards, the attitude shown by Youshi made her think about something else.

Aunt Xue has been a widow for many years, and her son is not very ambitious. Most of the family business has to go through her hands. Her daughter Baochai was still young in her early years, and only started to help in recent years.

It is businessmen’s nature to pursue profits, so it is inevitable that they will develop some bad habits.

Although the price given by the imperial court and the selling price could not be too different, the family not only did not make a single cent, but also had to help pay for the occupied shop space and labor costs.

Moreover, this will take a long time, and I don’t know how many years it will take. Looking back, it is not as cost-effective as a one-time deal.

However, if she went to Zhang Yunyi to bargain, she was worried that she would displease him, so she had to find another way.

Since Zhang Yunyi did not make any excessive demands, I was obviously overthinking it before.

If Baochai could be married to him, not to mention the profits from the snowflake candy, their share of the subsequent output from Tiangong Institute would not be reduced.

"Although what mother said makes sense, now that I think about it, I'm afraid we were wrong before." Xue Baochai said thoughtfully.

"Are you thinking about something else?" Aunt Xue lowered her head and looked at her daughter in confusion.

"Mom, think about it, the day before yesterday was the first time I saw him, and if mother hadn't asked the old lady to call him, we might not have seen him. We didn't ask him to come, so how did he know about our family's difficulties?"

"Could it be that your aunt said that?"

Xue Baochai shook her head and said, "If it was Auntie who helped, there's no reason for her to hide it from us."

"Could it be that he really has the ability to predict the future?"

Xue Baochai sneered and said, "Mother, why do you still believe these nonsense? He has already taken Xiangling as his concubine. Doesn't that prove what brother said? In my opinion, he must have known about our family's situation for a long time."

"Why is that?" Aunt Xue asked in doubt, "Could it be that he has set his sights on our family's property?"

Xue Baochai shook her head and said, "He has only been employed by the Imperial Household for a month. Even if he has the Emperor's favor, how could he extend his hand to the Ministry of Grain and Oil? In my opinion, the Imperial Household has probably already decided that the snowflake cotton candy will be sold by the Emperor's merchants. He just took advantage of the situation and that's why all this happened."

She did not wait for Aunt Xue to give her opinion and continued to talk: "Although he is not clear about our family's situation, Brother Zhen of the East Mansion knows everything. Didn't mother say that Sister Zhen had no idea about the share of the snowflake candy before?"

"Hiss!" Aunt Xue gasped, "Are you saying that Zhen Ge'er teamed up with him to plot against us?"

"It's not really a calculation, but haven't we also preserved our title as an imperial merchant?"

Having said that, Aunt Xue was not very happy.

"I thought he was a good person, but he was so calculating. Not only did he take advantage of me, but he also tricked Xiangling away."

Seeing this, Xue Baochai hurriedly explained: "She is just a maid. Mother, you don't have to take it to heart. I think it may not be a bad thing."

"How to say?"

"Didn't mom say before that he is not a heartless person? I think there is some truth in that."

Xue Baochai explained, "He has just arrived, how could he know about our family's affairs? Most likely it was Brother Zhen who came up with the plan. Mother, you know, he is alone and helpless, and he will naturally be grateful to be taken into the East Palace. There is nothing wrong with helping the East Palace to make more money."

Aunt Xue sneered and said, "What kind of good thing is this?"

"Don't worry, mom. I think this sale was most likely instigated by big brother Zhen, but to cheat Xiangling away, I'm afraid he listened to his brother and made a sudden decision."

She paused and said, "First, I feel guilty and want to give our family some compensation. Second, I am afraid that it will be embarrassing for my aunt. I am worried that my brother will come back and confront us, which will not end well."

"That's very possible." Aunt Xue agreed. "I wonder why he wants to know if there are any friends in our family who have been to Kubuqi Salt Lake."

"That's right! If not, why would he go to such a far place and look for us instead of Brother Zhen?"

……

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 46: The Concubine's Rubbing Method

Zhang Yun逸 was not aware of the Xue mother and daughter's imagination.

However, even if we knew, we would probably just laugh it off.

As the saying goes, God laughs when humans think. As he is well-versed in Dream of the Red Chamber and works in the inner court, it is not an exaggeration to call him the sky above the Xue family's heads.

Whether he will slowly take control of the Xue family's omissions or help plug them is a matter for the future. For now, he has to improve himself.

With the outsourcing of the service to the Xue family, he did not plan to delay the glass manufacturing, and on the same day, he arranged the construction of the furnace and the recruitment of related personnel.

After a busy day, he returned to Ning Mansion after finishing his work, and Youshi was already looking forward to it.

As soon as he came over, Zhang Yunyi smelled the fragrance, which was obviously carefully prepared.

"I've already said hello to Ruizhu. Let's eat in my room today. We haven't had a drink in a while!"

Although the weather is getting warmer and there is some wildness in the garden, it is okay to have it occasionally, but it will be just so-so if it is too much. In addition, mosquitoes are starting to increase in number, and Mrs. You also hopes to improve the environment.

Since she had Jia Zhen's tacit approval, she simply stopped looking for a personal maid. Although this made her daily life more inconvenient, it made things easier for her.

However, she also knew that Zhang Yunyi did not want to be exposed, so she quickly added, "He has made an appointment to go to Jinxiang Courtyard tonight, and he will not be back for a while. I have sent all the maids and servants back to their rooms."

"Well! Let's go!"

Yu Shi has made so many preparations, and it would be disheartening for her to hesitate any longer.

Passing through the corridor and the hall, the evening sunlight shone on Youshi's pretty face, as if it was covered with a layer of rosy glow, making her look even more charming.

The two of them did not cross each other's path and came to You's courtyard side by side.

Sure enough, the courtyard was silent and there was no one in sight.

Ever since she hooked up with Zhang Yun逸, Jia Zhen's attitude towards her has changed. The servants in Ning Mansion are used to observing people's words and expressions and taking advantage of the weak. They are no longer as hypocritical towards Youshi as before.

Youshi did not place the wine and food in the side hall, but arranged them directly on the kang table in the inner room.

Leading Zhang Yunyi into the main room, she bolted the door and couldn't hold back any longer before moving closer.

"My Lord, you are already satisfied as long as I am in your heart. Why do you give me so much?"

Although she said that she had given too much, her body was very honest. Her soft hands skillfully pulled off the belt around Zhang Yunyi's waist.

"No matter how much I give to my sister-in-law, Yun Yi will be willing to do it." Zhang Yun Yi straightened You's body, and the two of them got on the kang with difficulty like conjoined twins.

You threw herself into his arms, and said with some uneasiness: "Isn't it too much for the concubine to ask her to help with the financial support? Besides, you haven't married yet, so you should leave some for yourself."

"Don't worry about that. They won't agree if there's no benefit." Zhang Yunyi didn't explain much, but half-jokingly said, "If my sister-in-law has it, it's the same as mine, right? From now on, Yunyi will rely on my sister-in-law to support me."