Bai Nuo knew that Hu Mingmei was talking about Huang Yi'an. Huang Yi'an had gone back home after the day she was added to the family genealogy and had not returned since.
"You're also my cousin..." Zheng Qing'er said reluctantly.
Hu Mingmei remained noncommittal. Only after seeing Master Zheng scold Zheng Qing'er did he say, "Master Zheng, if you're not leaving, do you expect me to invite you to breakfast?"
"I don't need your invitation," Master Zheng said angrily. "Hu Mingmei, remember this: you're the one who drove me away today. Don't come begging to me again, or I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life!"
Hu Mingmei had heard harsh words since he was a child, and after hearing them so many times, he no longer took them seriously. He said, "Someone, escort Master Zheng and Miss Zheng out."
The two returned to the courtyard, where Granny Wang laid out breakfast. At the table, Bai Nuo asked Hu Mingmei, "What brings Master Zheng here?"
"They came to inquire about our family's situation," Hu Mingmei's face turned cold when she mentioned Master Zheng. "After hearing that I had taken control of the family, they advised me to return everything to my second uncle. When I refused, they told me to marry Zheng Qing'er."
Bai Nuo's face immediately turned cold. She didn't want other women to lay a finger on Hu Mingmei. Let alone lay a finger on him, even just thinking about Hu Mingmei would make Bai Nuo feel uncomfortable.
"Let Zheng Qing'er be a concubine? He's willing to do that?" Bai Nuo asked. Wasn't it said that the Zheng family only had one son and one daughter? Wasn't it said that Zheng Qing'er was very much loved by the family? How could Master Zheng be willing to let Zheng Qing'er be a concubine?
"Not as a concubine, but as an equal wife!" Hu Mingmei said calmly.
"What is he thinking? He's so annoying!" Bai Nuo angrily threw her chopsticks on the table and looked at Hu Mingmei with a cold face. "You agreed?"
"How could that be?" Hu Mingmei said calmly. "I'm already married, how could I possibly take a concubine? Even taking a second wife is still taking a concubine in my eyes."
"So you're saying that if you don't get married, you'll marry Zheng Qing'er?" Bai Nuo looked at Hu Mingmei with an unfriendly expression, clearly intending to deal with him if Hu Mingmei confirmed it.
"I don't like her!" Hu Mingmei said calmly. "Before I met you, I didn't have anyone I liked. After I met you, it's even more impossible for me to marry anyone else."
Hu Mingmei looked up at Bai Nuo and said, "Nuonuo, you are the only woman I have in my life, and I swear on my life."
Bai Nuo's heart pounded wildly under Hu Mingmei's gaze, and she felt somewhat afraid to look at him. However, Bai Nuo was too embarrassed to show such a pathetic side in front of Hu Mingmei, so she calmly changed the subject, "Didn't Master Zheng mention taking Madam Zheng and Huang Haichuan over?"
Hu Mingmei shook her head. "He's just thinking of using the Hu family to strengthen his power. Before, Huang Haichuan was in charge, so he didn't hesitate to marry his sister into the family. Now that I'm in charge, he wants to marry his daughter into the family so that he can be firmly tied to the Hu family. The Hu family will always help him when he needs something because of our marriage ties. Madam Zheng is no longer of any use, so naturally, Master Zheng doesn't want her anymore."
Bai Nuo understood.
After breakfast, Hu Mingmei went out to work on the shop's affairs, while Bai Nuo checked all the accounts and found many inconsistencies.
"Summon all the servants in the manor." Bai Nuo looked at the pile of problematic account books and her face turned cold.
"Call Xia Donglai over too, and have him bring a few people in," Bai Nuo added.
Seeing that she was clearly angry and wanted to call Xia Donglai in, Peony knew that she was going to punish someone, so she didn't dare to delay and quickly split up with Granny Wang. One of them went to call Xia Donglai, and the other went to call the people in the mansion.
Half an hour passed, and Mudan and Xia Donglai had been back for a long time, but there was still no sign of Granny Wang.
In the courtyard, the sun grew stronger and stronger. Bai Nuo's tea got cold and was changed again and again, but only a few people were standing there. Some people hadn't come yet, and those who did were just small fry with no power.
"Madam, should I go and urge them again?" Peony asked cautiously.
"Wait a minute."
After waiting for quite a while, Granny Wang finally returned, but she came back alone.
Where are they?
Granny Wang knelt down with a thud. "Madam, please forgive me. This old servant is incompetent and failed to call everyone."
"What does it have to do with you, Granny? You should get up, Granny," Bai Nuo said calmly.
Those who had come were starting to regret it. They had come and offended their colleagues, but if they left now, it wouldn't be easy to leave after Bai Nuo had said such harsh words.
I should have just stayed like those who didn't come. If I hadn't come, nothing would have happened. There are so many people in the manor anyway; Bai Nuo can't really be blamed.
Granny Wang stood up anxiously and stood behind Bai Nuo. Bai Nuo glanced at the people standing below and said to Mudan, "Go and light an incense stick."
Peony responded and left. She returned shortly with a stick of incense and an incense burner, and lit them in front of Bai Nuo.
Bai Nuo casually pointed to the person closest to the door, "Go and call all the people who haven't come over. I'll only give them the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Tell them that if they still haven't come after that time, they don't need to come anymore."
The man who heard Bai Nuo's words trembled with fear. He bowed and hurried away.
Perhaps that person felt that the time it takes for an incense stick to burn was too short, and he was very nervous, so he moved very quickly. He returned just as the incense stick had been lit for half the time, followed by a large group of people.
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