After returning from Gongxian Hutong, Shiyi Niang rested at home for a day, and then followed Xu Lingyi to pay New Year's greetings on the fourth day of the New Year. They first went to the residence of Lord Sun in Hongdeng Hutong, then to Prince Shun's Mansion, then to Princess Fucheng's Mansion, Marquis Yongchang's Mansion, Marquis Weibei's Mansion, Duke Dingguo's Mansion, and Wang Li's Mansion...Except for the Marquis Yongchang's Mansion, where the Marquis Yongchang pulled Xu Lingyi into his study and talked for the whole morning, they just greeted the other families, had a meal, and then returned home.

Next came the hundred-day ceremony for Jin Ge'er. After that, Madam Zhou, Grandma Huang San, Grandma Lin and others came to pay New Year's greetings. Eleventh Lady hosted a banquet in the inner courtyard, while Xu Lingyi entertained colleagues, former subordinates and friends who came to pay New Year's greetings in the outer courtyard. If there were women who came with them, they would be entertained in the inner courtyard. They were busy until after the Lantern Festival, when they finally stopped and started making spring clothes again.

Eleventh Lady and Zhen Jie'er gathered together to discuss the styles of spring clothes, and occasionally invited Master Jian to come to the mansion to discuss. Xiulian and Yumei sometimes went to the sewing room four or five times a day to pass on messages or to pass on messages. Influenced by the two, the main courtyard suddenly became lively, and some clever maids and old women also began to work hard on clothes, embroidering patterns on the lapels, or tying a red hairband... As the wind blew on the body, the chill was gone, and everyone's clothes became thinner and thinner. The main courtyard began to be filled with a sense of leisure and prosperity of peace and prosperity.

It was at this time that Amber became pregnant.

"I'm worried about that," Eleventh Lady said with a smile, "If there's no more movement, I won't be able to help but go and ask!"

Bin Ju, who had come with her son Chang'an to greet Eleventh Lady, laughed when she heard this: "I thought you were busy during the New Year, so I didn't come. I didn't expect to hear such good news when I entered the mansion."

Eleventh Lady smiled and touched Chang'an, who was sitting obediently on her mother's lap eating pastry, and told Qiuyu: "Ask Mama Gu to bring the Sixth Young Master to Binju to see."

Binju hurriedly said "I dare not". Qiuyu knew that Binju was different in front of Shiyi Niang, so she smiled and went to call Mother Gu over.

"The Sixth Young Master is so handsome." Bin Ju carefully held Jing'er in her arms and kept praising him.

"When he was born, he was red, and everyone said he looked like the Marquis, but I didn't see that." Eleventh Lady laughed, "He has grown up gradually these days, and his complexion has become fairer. I think he looks quite handsome."

Binju couldn't help laughing.

It woke up Jing'er.

Look with your big round eyes.

Binju was busy and familiarly serving urine to Jing'er.

"In the past, he would eat and sleep, sleep and eat, and I was worried whether he could see or hear." Mother Gu took Jing'er to feed him, and Shiyi Niang said, "Now it's better. He won't sleep when he wakes up, and wakes up after sleeping for a while. I heard from Mother Tian that children of his age need to sleep at least eleven hours a day. I don't know how he has so much energy."

"It doesn't matter if the child is fat or thin, what matters is that he has good energy." When it comes to talking about children, Bin Ju has more experience than her. "If he has good energy, he will be smart in everything he does and he will be smart... The Sixth Young Master will definitely be very smart in the future."

While the two were talking, a little maid ran towards Madam Wen.

"Auntie, auntie, Binju is here!"

Madam Wen was cheered up after hearing this. She asked Donghong to give the maid a few copper coins, and then murmured, "First, Amber is pregnant, and now Binju comes to greet Madam... Madam must be in a good mood!" As she spoke, a trace of determination flashed across her brows, "There is no better opportunity than this! Let's do it today!" Then she stood up, "Donghong, find a red gold hairpin from my mirror case. Let's go to Madam."

Donghong left immediately.

When Madam Wen arrived at the main room, Shiyi Niang and Binju were sitting on the kang, one sitting on the kang, and the other sitting beside the kang, playing with Jing'er.

"Oh!" Aunt Wen laughed, "What a coincidence today! I didn't expect to meet Wan Daxian's family. We haven't seen each other for a while. Are you okay?" She looked at Chang'an who was sitting next to Shiyi Niang, "Is this Chang'an? I didn't expect you to grow up so big!" As she said that, she stepped forward and took the child's hand, "Let me see, who does he look like?" After taking a serious look, she smiled and said to Binju, "Why does he look like you to me!"

"Madam Wen!" Bin Ju hurried forward and bowed, smiling, "Everyone says she looks like me!"

"If the son looks like his mother, there will be food to eat." Madam Wen realized she had said something wrong as soon as she said it - Jing'er looks like Xu Lingyi.

She quickly changed the subject: "I came in a hurry today, I didn't expect you to be here." Then, she took off the red gold hairpin on her head and said, "It's still the first month of the year, this is a reward for you."

Bin Ju was very surprised and glanced at Shiyi Niang.

Since Xu Lingyi had talked to Madam Wen alone on the first day of the new year, although Xu Lingyi had never met Madam Wen alone again, Madam Wen's anxiety became more and more intense. Shiyi Niang had been paying attention to the development of the matter. She even sent someone to find out what the Second Madam did at the Huang family on the first day of the new year. The person who came back said that the Second Madam sent some food to Madam Huang on the orders of the Madam.

Now was not the time to greet people, but Madam Wen came to visit unexpectedly. She had a feeling that Madam Wen's arrival had a lot to do with what happened on Chuyi's day.

Eleventh Lady nodded slightly.

Bin Ju took it with a smile, bowed and thanked him.

Eleventh Lady ordered the maid to bring in a brocade stool and said, "Sit down and talk!"

Madam Wen sat down with a smile, took the tea served by the little maid, and said with a smile: "Our brother Jin is getting more and more energetic!"

While she was talking, Jing'er kept staring at her.

Eleventh Lady smiled and kissed Jing'er on the cheek, then handed him over to Mother Gu: "There's no wind today, take Jing'er for a walk in the yard - if you sit there for too long, he'll start crying again."

Mother Gu responded with a smile, and retreated with Jing'er in her arms. Qiuyu came over and coaxed Chang'an out. Only Shiyi Niang, Madam Wen, and Binju were left in the room, which suddenly became much quieter.

Eleventh Lady asked, "What's the matter, Madam Wen?"

Madam Wen glanced at Binju, then stood up and knelt in front of Eleventh Lady: "Madam, please save me!"

Eleventh Lady was secretly shocked and hurried to take Madam Wen with her: "What happened? Why can't we talk about it calmly? Why do we have to do this?"

Bin Ju watched them and quietly stood up and walked out, helping them close the lattice door.

Madam Wen knew that Eleventh Lady didn't like others kneeling to her, so she stood up, but tears fell down her face.

"The Marquis asked me to sell all the businesses before the 24th day of the first lunar month. Otherwise, he will help me sell the businesses." She took out a handkerchief and wiped the corners of her eyes. "I still have more than 30 employees under me, all of whom followed me from the Wen family. If I sell this business, who will support these people? How will they make a living in the future? How can I be worthy of these people who have followed me for a long time?" She became more and more sad. "At the beginning, when I invested in the Wen family's business, the Marquis didn't say a word. Later, when the emperor ascended the throne, the Marquis said that the Xu family had become an external relative, and if they continued to compete with the people for profits, it would be bad for their reputation. He asked me to buy shares in the Wen family's business. I agreed immediately without saying anything. But after all, I am the daughter of the Wen family, how can I just break off the relationship and break off completely? Besides, when I was doing business with the Wen family in the past, I relied on these guys to argue with the Wen family's manager, so that the annual dividends could be calculated clearly. If we break up, how can the Wen family use these people again? I had to find a way to open a shop to support them. But now, the Marquis wants to sell the shop too... Madam, please help me talk to the Marquis! I won't open the shop. I will sell it to Qiuhong's father. In this way, those guys can still make a living in the shop as before!"

If that's the case, then Xu Lingyi was indeed wrong.

However, would Xu Lingyi act so simply and crudely?

Moreover, after so many years, why did Xu Lingyi suddenly not allow Madam Wen to do business? And he was in such a hurry to talk about this on New Year's Day!

Eleventh Lady felt strange.

She thought for a moment and sat down with Madam Wen: "Have you told the Marquis all these things?"

Madam Wen's expression was a little unnatural, and she whispered, "The Marquis had a stern face, and I didn't dare say much at the time. Afterwards, the more I thought about it, the more I felt it was inappropriate. I was afraid that the Marquis would be angry, so I came to ask Madam for help..." Her voice seemed a little vague.

Eleventh Lady smiled slightly and said softly, "The Marquis is not an unreasonable person. Madam Wen can talk to the Marquis about these concerns. However, since Madam Wen has come to me for help, I have a few questions to ask. I hope Madam Wen can help me solve my doubts!" ​​After that, she did not wait for Madam Wen to nod and said directly, "Tell me, when you first invested in the Wen family's business, how did you, a woman, think of doing business with the Wen family?"

Madam Wen was startled when she heard this and said, "It was after I gave birth to Sister Zhen. My father said that since I was a concubine and had no dowry, it would be better for me to invest in the Wen family and start a business together. My father would help keep the profits from the business. If anything happens in the future, I will have more courage with money on my side."

After hearing this, Eleventh Lady asked again, "I wonder how much money Madam Wen took out?"

Madam Wen said somewhat embarrassedly: "I didn't have much money at the time, so I only recorded the principal. Later, the Wen family's business was getting better and better. When the dividends were distributed that year, I paid back the principal."

"Then how much money did Auntie make back then?"

Madam Wen remained silent.

Eleventh Lady didn't urge her and just sat there quietly drinking tea.

After a long while, Madam Wen whispered, "I made a million taels of silver!"

"She made so much money!" Eleventh Lady asked, "Does the Marquis know? What did Auntie do with the money? Did she deposit it in a bank? Or did she use it as capital to continue doing business with the Wen family?"

Madam Wen's expression became a little uncertain.

Eleventh Lady said softly, "Aunt, if you don't make these words clear, how can I help you speak in front of the Marquis?"

After hearing this, Madam Wen showed a desperate look. She said in a deep voice: "The Marquis knows. In addition to the 10,000 taels of silver I invested, the Marquis took 970,000 taels and left."

The capital of a short position of ten thousand taels is worth one million taels of silver.

Madam Wen, has money gone to your head?

"How many years have you been doing this kind of business?" Eleventh Lady's expression became a little serious. "How much silver did the Marquis take away in total?"

Originally, she was concerned about the Marquis's dignity, but now, the Marquis has no regard for her dignity at all. And the words have been spoken, it would be good for the lady to know what happened that year!

Thinking of this, Madam Wen said, "In the six years of doing business, the Marquis took nearly seven million taels of silver and left."

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Finally got back!

I'll post a draft first and everyone can take a look.

O(∩_∩)O~

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There will be more updates for everyone to read tomorrow morning!