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Lanqin listened and smiled, "Good, it's good that everyone at home is doing well. Qiu Fu is now a third-rank official. Qin Shi, I have a set of jewelry to give you."
After saying that, Lanqin gestured for Baoqin to go inside and get something.
"What virtue or ability do I possess to deserve this?" Qin Shi rose and bowed to Lan Qin.
"Qiu Fu's rise to the position of Right Censor-in-Chief is entirely due to his own diligence and dedication, and it also owes much to your virtuous assistance. The honor bestowed upon you is well-deserved; there's no need for modesty," Lanqin said with a smile.
When Baoqin came out carrying a set of gilded and gem-encrusted headdress, Qin Shi bowed to Lanqin again to express her gratitude before accepting the reward.
"Seeking wealth is truly an ability!" Shi couldn't help but praise with envy.
Lanqin overheard this and smiled, "My elder brother is a scholar, and the leisurely life in the Hanlin Academy suits him well. He is now a fourth-rank Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet."
Lanqin knew that Shi was jealous of Qin. After all, the Right Censor-in-Chief was a capable official, while the Grand Secretary was just a scholar with little real power.
"Yu Xiao, go and get the things I gave to my sister-in-law," Lan Qin said with a smile. "We have to do it one thing at a time, don't you think, sister-in-law?"
In truth, Lanqin didn't intend to discriminate; it's just that Qiu Fu was indeed very useful. He was now one of the few most trusted and reliable ministers of the Fourth Prince in the court. It would be impossible for the Fourth Prince not to have his own people in the court. Tasks need to be done, and battles need weapons.
Seeing that she had been too hasty and short-sighted, Shi quickly apologized, saying, "Oh dear, look at me, we're all family. My brother's current official position is the result of his own hard work."
"Sister-in-law, what are you saying? Father and Mother are so well taken care of by you, how can I be at ease!" Qin said hurriedly.
“Yes, sister-in-law has worked the hardest,” Ma Shushi chimed in. Her husband was the son of Liu, another concubine of Lingzhu, and now Ayinda was Lanqin’s right-hand woman in managing the Daqing Hot Pot business. She was actually more familiar with Lanqin; Lanqin would see her whenever she went to inspect the shop.
Seeing the harmonious relationship between the sisters-in-law, Lanqin smiled and said, "I have certainly seen how hard my sister-in-law has worked. So the gift I am giving her today is to thank her for taking care of my father and mother all these years."
Shi felt even more embarrassed and quickly bowed to Lanqin. Then, Yuxiao and two maids carried out a large brocade box.
"Look what's in here!" Lanqin said with a smile. She had given away countless nice things, all based on her own preferences and the recipients' feelings.
When the brocade box was opened, inside was a large jade cabbage, which looked priceless, leaving Madam Shi dumbfounded. As a fourth-rank lady, she had naturally seen many fine things, but she had never seen such a large jade cabbage before.
“This jade cabbage is extremely precious. I was thinking about how hard my sister-in-law works every year, worrying about her parents and taking care of the household chores for her brothers and nephews. The name ‘jade cabbage’ sounds like ‘encountering abundant wealth,’ so I wanted to wish my sister-in-law peace, health, kindness, and good fortune,” Lanqin explained.
Shi was originally from a prominent family and had managed the Ling household for decades. Now she was a shrewd and calculating lady of the house. Lanqin knew that she was more greedy for money than before, so she specially gave her this cabbage, which symbolized abundant wealth, and it suited her wishes perfectly.
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