Old Yu's words shocked everyone present.
Zhao Shi looked at her mother with a hint of pain in her eyes. She had never imagined that her mother would think this way.
Su Xiaoqi remained silent, only watching Zhao Shi. Shen Yun's eyes also held a fleeting, unreadable emotion. In fact, it wasn't just his mother who was surprised; even he hadn't anticipated his grandmother's thoughts.
"Mother... Mother, what are you saying? We... we wouldn't," Zhao Shi tried to explain, feeling a bit flustered.
But Old Yu took Zhao Shi's words as mere platitudes. She said with a cold expression, "Once I'm better, I'll go back and be with your father."
"Grandmother, Furong Manor is your home. You can stay as long as you wish," Shen Yun said calmly. His words carried great weight, and the bad mood Old Yu had due to many uncertainties vanished instantly.
"Grandmother, we are all happy your legs are better, but you still need to rest well, eat well, and sleep well. When Yun Ge'er makes something of himself in the capital, we'll bring you to the capital," Su Xiaoqi reassured Old Yu.
Old Yu seemed incredulous, "Go to the capital? I've heard the capital is vast, and living there is not easy. Many people there can't afford a house. Where will so many of us live if we go?" Old Yu was thinking far ahead.
Su Xiaoqi chuckled. She told Old Yu not to worry, as they would take her wherever they went in the future. Fearing Su Xiaoqi's words might not hold true, Old Yu looked towards Shen Yun. After all, he was the head of the Shen family.
Shen Yun thought the same, but he hadn't expected Xiaoqi to speak for him. He glanced at Su Xiaoqi, feeling a warmth spread through him, and nodded gently, "What Xiaoqi says is what I say."
Su Xiaoqi then moved closer to Old Yu, a smug expression on her face, as if to say, "See? See? I was right."
In reality, Old Yu didn't take Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun's words too seriously; whether they could live in the capital was not her main concern. However, their words made her feel their filial piety.
The family's earlier somber mood lifted, and they chatted livelily. This continued until Li Shushao, who had been waiting outside, came in to announce that someone from the He family had arrived.
"Who is it?" Shen Yun raised an eyebrow.
"The second young master of the He family," Li Shushao replied.
Shen Yun beckoned Su Xiaoqi to accompany him to the reception hall. After all, He Qiulei had promised to give them an explanation.
In the reception hall, He Qiulei looked at the unadorned surroundings. Having seen many lavish decorations, he found the simplicity somewhat unaccustomed. However, he considered the capabilities of the couple: one was shrewd and bold in business, with good connections, while the other had consecutively placed twice in the imperial examinations. To place again in the metropolitan examination would make it three consecutive top honors. Of course, to win the title of Zhuangyuan would be a true grand triple crown...
"Your arrival honors this humble abode, Second Young Master He. Forgive our lack of proper welcome," Shen Yun greeted him.
He Qiulei's round, plump face broke into a fitting smile, appearing both sincere and solemn. "Brother Shen, you are too kind. Since we are now partners, I dare to call you Brother Shen. Please, feel free to call me by my name."
"Brother Meng." Shen Yun was not a rigid person. Moreover, although the Meng family was a prominent tea merchant, it was only in He Qiulei's generation that his elder brother became an official. His background was not so high that he couldn't associate with him. Besides, Shen Yun had never been one to underestimate himself. It was simply a matter of whether he was willing.
He Qiulei was courteous and, after establishing a rapport with Shen Yun, paid his respects to Su Xiaoqi with great propriety. Su Xiaoqi also curtsied.
Soon, He Qiulei stated the purpose of his visit. "I am here today to give you, the esteemed couple, an explanation."
He Qiulei spoke of the recent events within the He family. Many stewards had been dismissed, and his half-brother had been discovered to have secretly interfered in the family business. The enraged He family patriarch had sent him to the estate. His concubine, relying on her favored status, had pleaded with the patriarch for mercy and was instead placed under house arrest and had her monthly allowance suspended for half a year.
'It's that serious?' Su Xiaoqi, who didn't understand the distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate offspring, hadn't expected such a minor matter to incur such wrath from the He family patriarch. Although Su Xiaoqi didn't say it explicitly, her expression clearly indicated that she felt the He family had made too big a fuss.
He explained, "My father has always placed great importance on the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate offspring. The reason he never allowed them to hold positions was to prevent them from diluting the family business and undermining its foundation." He Qiulei's words were tactful, but Su Xiaoqi immediately understood: he was worried about having too many illegitimate sons. If some were given a share of the assets, and others another share, their loyalties might be divided. When unity was needed to face external challenges, they would falter. Therefore, he completely eliminated their possibility of involvement. For now, they were being provided for. Once the legitimate heir in charge of the family could independently manage affairs, they would be given some money to ensure their well-being, while the majority of the family's assets would naturally belong to the designated heir. Su Xiaoqi indicated her understanding.
He Qiulei also informed them that although this was the first collaboration between their two families, the entire process had been smooth, and the prospects were very good. This was because Su Xiaoqi had already secured a sales channel that could consume thousands of pounds of bitter buckwheat tea monthly. After the Meng family took over, they used Su Xiaoqi's recipes and initially employed personnel from the supermarket courtyard to train new employees. It took about ten days to half a month to train a batch of Meng family employees. Each person received a red packet with two hundred cash.
Seeing that matters were progressing, Su Xiaoqi thought He Qiulei would leave. However, he stood up and then informed Shen Yun that he was also heading to the capital. Su Xiaoqi didn't think much of it, assuming it was for normal business travel. After all, when she had someone investigate He Qiulei earlier, she had heard that he often traveled for business. Shen Yun, however, narrowed his eyes and began to overthink.
"Is it for business, or...?"
"For my elder brother," He Qiulei said, scratching the back of his head with a憨直 smile. His casual remark unexpectedly prompted Shen Yun to respond immediately:
"Indeed, your elder brother has held the position of a fifth-rank supervisor in the Ministry of Revenue for quite some time. It's about time for a change."
He Qiulei's expression stiffened, as if he were about to turn to stone. He truly hadn't expected Shen Yun to know so much. Even Su Xiaoqi found it hard to believe. How could Shen Yun, two thousand li away, know such detailed information about his brother in the capital? However, recalling their conversation in the horse-drawn carriage about returning home, she suddenly had some realization. He had likely put in considerable effort to find this out. He had stated it so plainly in front of He Qiulei, without any attempt to conceal it. 'So impulsive? This doesn't align with Shen Yun's usual calm demeanor.'