Zhongbo originally intended to put Rong Er's matter aside and not make any arrangements himself, but to leave it to Rong Dayou to handle!

Unexpectedly, before Rong Dayou could even make a move, the two cooks couldn't tolerate his poisonous mushroom. A few days later, the poisonous mushroom sent a message back to the Marquis's mansion in the capital.

Actually, it was just a small flower that accidentally got mixed in, and it wasn't that poisonous.

Rong Dayou took this opportunity to transfer Rong Er back and keep him under his watchful eye.

Rong Er left dejectedly. Although the villa was not as prosperous as the capital, his position was high; he was, in fact, the second-in-command.

He probably won't even be able to become a minor steward in the outer courtyard when he goes back this time. His uncle only transferred him back because he made a mistake.

However, once the transfer order came down, he dared not delay at all. After bidding farewell to everyone, he immediately returned to the capital.

In August, the meals at the manor have been mainly light and simple these past two days.

But the second master and Uncle Zhong were used to eating strong-flavored food, and they were getting tired of eating only plain porridge and side dishes every day.

So he sent a servant to the main kitchen to order some strongly flavored dishes to be sent up.

The message came at noon, and I didn't dare to cook anything too oily or greasy for dinner.

Wang Yan, the little cook, tidied herself up and made her appearance, starting with making savory pancakes with chili sauce.

Mix flour, salt, and half boiling water until it forms clumps, then add the other half cold water and knead into a smooth dough.

Let the dough rest for half an hour. Pour hot oil into a small bowl of flour and stir well to make an oil paste.

After the dough has risen, roll it into a round disc, spread oil paste on it, cut it into several pieces, divide it into several portions, fold them towards the center to wrap them up, and finally roll it into a large, thin disc.

Pour a layer of fried dough into the pan, cover it with the pan lid, and fry until both sides are golden brown and the crust is crispy.

Then spread on the previously prepared sauce, which is homemade by Aunt Xia. She put oil in a pot, poured in the sauce, added cornstarch, sugar, and chili powder, and stir-fried it until fragrant and thickened. Then she added roasted sesame seeds.

Spread the sauce on the pancake while it's still hot, then scoop it out and cut it into pieces. It's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a rich sauce flavor and a slightly spicy taste.

Pair it with a bowl of properly cooked perilla porridge. Soak the perilla leaves in water, then grind them into juice with water and filter out the residue with cheesecloth.

Put rice in a pot and cook until it's about 80% done. Then add perilla juice for a bright green and fragrant porridge that's refreshing and thirst-quenching.

Eating it with savory pancakes is not a bad idea, as it can cause internal heat. The two old men, Grandpa and Uncle Zhong, were very satisfied with the meal of porridge and pancakes.

"Zhongzi, this pancake is really delicious! It's even more flavorful than the spicy vegetable pancakes we had before, it's so pungent it makes your nose tingle!"

Uncle Zhong had his mouth full of biscuits and didn't have time to reply. He could only nod repeatedly after hearing the two old ladies' comments.

The Marquis's reply arrived quickly, but Rong Da didn't reply to Rong Er at all.

However, in his reply to Zhongbo, Rong Da thanked him for helping to find the worm.

To the surprise of the two old men, Gu Xiao also wrote a letter of greeting and sent it with the carriage, and also sent someone to transport a box of things.

The two old masters were speechless. What was going on? Had Old Madam Hou failed to control them?

He sent another letter to the Marquis's residence, along with a large cartload of gifts. Zhongbo went ahead and personally escorted the cart back.

Anyway, they would be returning to their residence in about half a month. Uncle Zhong, carrying three large bags of savory biscuits, sat in the carriage, drinking tea and munching on the biscuits, leisurely returning to the capital.

Upon arriving at the Marquis's residence, Zhongbo led the two men in a swaggering, conspicuous manner to the second branch of the household.

Upon seeing Gu Xiao, he expressed his gratitude, saying, "The Second Master specially instructed me to send two boxes of Shu brocade as a return gift to Second Master."

The second master's filial piety is a great joy to our old master. We accept his kindness, but we can't let the younger generation spend so much money searching for those celadon cups and vases.”

She paused, then continued, "Our second master even smiled and asked me to give the second master a scolding."

To be honest, we have a small brick kiln of our own, though it's a small business that can be managed by one or two people.

But we have no shortage of these utensils. I thank the Second Master for his thoughtfulness, but what difference does the quality of porcelain make? This wasted money should not and need not be spent again in the future!

Gu Xiao also had his pride; to say such things so brazenly in front of everyone made him feel incredibly embarrassed.

"Second Uncle, what are you saying? I only went to find this celadon porcelain because I heard that you liked it. Did I offend you? It was my fault."

Zhongbo chuckled lightly, neither arguing nor responding. He simply clasped his hands in a fist salute and took his leave.

After hearing the farce staged by the second branch of the family at Ronghua Garden, Madam Hou sent someone to summon Gu Xiao.

The old lady's impression of the little pug wasn't so good anymore, mainly because lending him money had crossed a line. She couldn't be so considerate of his feelings anymore; she started to speak bluntly.

"We've already separated from your second uncle's family, so don't disturb their peace and quiet so easily."

Besides, his family's business wasn't large, and they no longer had any connection with the shipping company! They had simply gotten involved with a small shipping line, which their own family could manage.

Moreover, your second uncle is a good man; whatever he wants, he earns it through his own abilities and doesn't burden the rest of the family.

Gu Xiao's face burned with embarrassment upon hearing this. He realized that it was his blatant attempts to get closer to her that had annoyed the old lady.

"Yes, son remembers. It was really by chance that we came across celadon this time. We thought it was a rare opportunity. We heard that Second Uncle also likes it, so we presented it to him."

The old lady chuckled again, "The steward reports that Nan Chu, who serves you, accidentally fell off the carriage?"

How about this, let Zhou Hou go with you. After Nan Chu's fall, you don't have anyone you can rely on, making arrangements quite troublesome.

Zhou Hou was quick-witted; let him hold the fort for a while.

Gu Xiao's face darkened upon hearing this. "Very well then. Thank you, Mother."

After they finished speaking, neither of them seemed inclined to engage in any further pleasantries or expressions of concern.

Gu Xiaofu took his leave, and as soon as he stepped out of Ronghua Garden, he couldn't help but chuckle.

They're so careful around him, they even sent people to keep an eye on him!

Gu Xiao was furious, but he would have to put things aside for now regarding the second patriarch.

After pondering for a while, he turned around and went to find Gu Ting. He had to find a way to get some money back, otherwise Gu Ting would soon be looking for connections.

He didn't care how much money Gu Ting would spend on gifts and connections, but he couldn't afford to pay for them himself!

Especially now that there's no interest income, we need to hold onto the money we have carefully.

He wanted his son to succeed and climb higher, but he didn't want to follow the right path. He wanted to take the unorthodox route, but he was unwilling to spend money on it!

Gu Xiao's scheme is truly beyond words!

Gu Ting has been rather listless these past two days. After Aunt Yang left, he realized that things weren't going well and no one was offering any advice or suggestions, so he felt quite uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Gu Xiao came to see him today after going out to have fun for a few days.

With someone to discuss things with, Gu Ting felt more confident and started figuring out how to scheme against Xu Shaoqing, whose dowry included shops, silver, and jewelry—it was quite substantial!

Gu Ting didn't have much money. The second wife's assets and property hadn't been divided yet, so they were all in her hands. Even if they were divided, he wouldn't get much.

Gu Xiao has only spent his money on extravagance and debauchery over the years. He only owns a small shop he bought a few years ago, which brings in about 30 taels of silver a year.

Because this small shop is rented out, and the owner doesn't run the business themselves.

Gu Ting currently has only 7,000 taels of silver in hand. Aunt Yang's private savings were taken by Gu Xiao. The jewelry is worth a bit of money, but as I said before, he can't just pawn all the jewelry, can he?