He Youyou's expression was very calm.
This left Butler Qian somewhat confused.
He asked in confusion, "Madam, don't you feel angry?"
Having eaten too many melon seeds, her mouth felt dry. He Youyou took a sip of tea and said, "What's there to be angry about? They're telling the truth. I have indeed dated single men. Didn't I have dinner with Ma Xiuyuan a few days ago? Don't you remember? Going back further, I also went to Youzhou with Cheng Tingrui. Even earlier, that Young Master Zhao Changqing stayed at our house for more than half a month."
Housekeeper Qian: The mistress actually admitted it.
He Youyou put down her teacup and straightened her sleeves: "It's just gossiping, it's not illegal."
Butler Qian never expected her to have such magnanimity.
I thought she had some trump card, but I didn't expect her to just let it go like that?
With nothing interesting to watch, Butler Qian was about to go out for a stroll when He Youyou called him back.
"Old Qian, go and find that Aunt Guo. I want to talk to her."
The housekeeper's heart skipped a beat: I knew the mistress wasn't that magnanimous; this still needs to be settled.
"yes."
Butler Qian was eager to see a good show... no... he was very eager to do things for his mistress, and his efficiency was astonishing.
Before an incense stick could burn, they found Granny Guo.
He Youyou sat in her small house with carved windows facing the street, waiting.
When Aunt Guo came in, she saw that there was only a folding chair in the very center and at the head of the table.
He Youyou sat on it with her legs crossed, her face exuding the air of someone in a superior position.
This imposing aura made Aunt Guo feel extremely oppressed and inexplicably weak.
But she was a woman who had lived most of her life, and having traveled the streets and alleys, she had seen a bit of the world and knew a few women from high-class families.
After calming herself down a bit, she stepped forward and bowed, saying, "This old woman greets Madam Han."
He Youyou lifted her eyelids and glanced at her: "Aunt Guo, there's no need to stand on ceremony, please sit down."
Aunt Guo looked around and saw only a low stool on the ground, with no other seats in sight.
She hesitated and glanced at He Youyou.
He Youyou said, "We just moved here not long ago, and we haven't even bought all the furniture yet. I'm sorry to have to make things difficult for you, Auntie."
The meaning is clear: this is the stool; take it or leave it.
Aunt Guo was a woman who could bend and stretch. After hearing this, she did not show any sign of grievance. She still smiled and thanked the man for the seat, and went over to sit on the small stool.
The housekeeper, Qian, could see this clearly from the side; the mistress was playing a very skillful game.
As soon as Aunt Guo sat down, she asked, "I wonder what brings Madam Han here today?"
He Youyou used the cup lid to gather the tea leaves on the surface of the water: "I heard that Aunt Guo is spreading rumors that I'm having an affair with a single man?"
Manager Qian: Hey, I'm here!
Upon hearing this, Aunt Guo couldn't help but shudder.
Their line of work is all about gossiping about other people's private affairs behind their backs, all for the sheer pleasure of talking.
He Youyou immediately brought this to light, and she instantly realized it wasn't fun anymore.
"This...no...how could I dare..."
Before she could finish speaking, He Youyou reached out and slapped a piece of silver on the table next to her.
Aunt Guo's eyes lit up.
This is a genuine tael of silver.
(Fun fact: In ancient times, silver was classified according to its purity. Silver with a high purity was called "patented silver," while silver with a low purity was called "precious silver.")
“Aunt Guo, the neighbors say you’re the most important person in this neighborhood. There’s nothing you don’t know. I have a favor to ask you to do.”
As she spoke, He Youyou's gaze turned to the silver: "If things go well, I will certainly not treat you unfairly, Auntie."
"Madam, please rest assured to entrust me with your affairs. If it is within my power, I will not refuse and will ensure that I handle it properly for you."
Aunt Guo was obsessed with money, but her mind was wandering all over the place.
"I know every young man on the main street and every gentleman in the back alley. If you take a fancy to any of them or want to get to know any of them, leave it to me. I'll risk my reputation to make sure you get what you want."
He Youyou: How come this is a stereotype? Just because you see a widow doesn't mean she's trying to cheat on you?
She remained calm and composed, saying, "Aunt Guo, this matter requires quite a bit of walking. I wonder if you can do it?"
Aunt Guo nodded repeatedly and said, "I can do it, I can do it. Even if it's someone from far away, I can go and help you find a match. I'll make sure your happy marriage is successful. Don't worry."
He Youyou: You can't get over stereotypes?
She continued, "Aunt Guo, you've misunderstood. I'm here to talk to you about something else."
"Please speak, Madam."
"I want to know how many cloth shops and silk stores there are in the east of our city, how much of each type of fabric they buy each year, how much they sell, and at what price? Which fabric is the best-selling for each shop? What dyeing and weaving methods do they use? Where do they get their fabric from? Local or from elsewhere? Who are the buyers of this fabric? Who buys the most? Who is the most popular with them?"
After listening to her long explanation, the housekeeper Qian still didn't understand what she meant.
All that could be heard was He Youyou asking Granny Guo, "What I'm telling you is what I want you to find out. Once you've found out everything, the money is yours. Do you understand?"
Aunt Guo truly lives up to her reputation as the central figure in daily information exchange; her brain capacity is remarkable.
With the money as her motivation, she actually remembered everything He Youyou had said and even repeated it.
He Youyou nodded in satisfaction when she saw that the words she repeated had not been omitted.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Auntie. Once you've finished your inquiry, we'll exchange the money for the goods. You'll need to write down the information you've gathered for me. I don't have a memory as good as yours, Auntie; I can't remember what you say."
Aunt Guo readily agreed: "My brother can read, I'll have him write it for me."
Housekeeper Qian: Is this the latest way the mistress has come up with to prank people? It sounds quite exhausting.
He Youyou looked very satisfied: "Very good, I have nothing else to say, you can go back now."
Aunt Guo responded and was about to turn and leave when she glanced at the silver ingot on the table out of the corner of her eye.
She gritted her teeth and turned back.
"Madam, do you only want me to inquire about the east side of the city?"
Seeing that she had turned back, He Youyou smiled and said, "I want the west, south, and north parts of the city too, but the workload is too large, and I'm afraid Aunt Guo won't be able to handle it all at once. So I'll just take the east part for now."
Aunt Guo smiled ingratiatingly, "I can manage, I can manage. If I could find out about everyone in the city, what do you think..."
He Youyou curled her lips into a smile: "If you give me the data for the entire city, I will pay you five taels of silver in one lump sum. However, the data must be accurate. If I find that the data is inaccurate, I will give this kind of work to someone else in the future."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Guo realized that this wasn't a one-off deal but a long-term business, and immediately perked up: "Don't worry, Madam, trust me, I won't make a mistake."
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