The beautiful woman's face was flushed with spring, her demeanor understated yet elegant. Before she even opened her mouth, her smile preceded her words: "Miss Su, I greet you."
Su Wanwan could no longer be presumptuous, so she got off the carriage and greeted Madam Yu, saying, "Madam Yu, you are too kind. You flatter me."
Madam Yu's husband, Yang Ting, holds the position of Minister of Revenue in Nanjing and has now been summoned back to the capital to join the cabinet, with a promising future ahead of him.
There's no need to neglect the wife of a high-ranking official like her if you just want to befriend her.
Madam Yu stepped forward and warmly took her small hand: "After our parting in Jinling last time, I never expected to run into you in the capital today."
"To be honest, Miss Su, these days I have been thinking about you day and night, and I just want to find you to settle this case so that I can have peace of mind."
These words made Su Wanwan's heart tighten.
After carefully reviewing the situation, I realized I hadn't done anything to offend her, and I felt a little relieved.
"Madam, please speak frankly. I am all ears."
Madam Yu led her by the hand, her tone witty and humorous:
“How can we talk on the street? Let’s go inside and chat over tea. I don’t want people to think I’m stingy and can’t even offer a cup of tea.”
Su Wanwan hesitated for a moment before going with her.
Madam Yu had no ill intentions towards her, and the two actually got along quite well.
Moreover, this way she could naturally get rid of Lu Xingjian, so why not?
Lu Xingjian's carriage was still parked in the same spot.
He gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, took in the scene, and simply gave the order: "Return to the palace."
The carriage slowly started moving.
A tall, slender young scholar emerged from the entrance of Danyan Tower. He was somewhat surprised to see Madam Yu and bowed deeply, saying, "Mother."
Madam Yu was a little surprised, and smiled as she introduced him simply: "I happen to run into my son, Yang Zhen, here today."
"This is Miss Su, the granddaughter of the former Grand Secretary Su."
When Su Wanwan saw the scholar, she recognized him as the young master who had been called "Brother Yang" and "Young Master" at the pen and ink shop that day.
I returned the greeting with a simple gift.
Yang Zhen was a renowned and talented scholar, and she had heard of him before.
I never expected someone so young to possess such a refined and elegant demeanor, with such outstanding temperament.
Yang Zhen nodded: "Miss Su's generosity in donating her dowry is admirable, but it seems she doesn't prioritize things."
These words, initially praising but then criticizing, were actually meant to accuse Su Wanwan.
Su Wanwan couldn't help but give him a deep look.
To criticize someone the moment you meet them—that person is really quite rude.
However, judging from his serious expression, he wasn't deliberately picking a fight; he genuinely felt that what she did was inappropriate.
Su Wanwan was about to argue when Madam Yu stopped her.
Madam Yu smiled and tried to smooth things over: "Yongxiu, you go ahead and get busy. Miss Su and I still have things to discuss."
Yongxiu was Yang Zhen's courtesy name.
She was just Yang Zhen's stepmother.
Yang Zhen, as an unparalleled genius, held a prominent position in the Yang family and was renowned throughout the capital.
She didn't treat her stepmother very well.
He was probably only twelve or thirteen years old when his biological mother passed away. He thought that his stepmother had taken the place of his biological mother, so he took his anger out on his stepmother and made her suffer a lot.
She was afraid that Yang Zhen would offend Su Wanwan because of his dislike of her, which would be troublesome.
Yang Zhen said politely, "Son, there's no rush. Mother, please go ahead."
He stepped aside to let Madam Yu and Su Wanwan enter Danyan Tower, and then followed them inside.
Lu Xingjian's carriage had already traveled some distance when he lifted the curtain and looked back.
I happened to witness this scene.
"parking."
The coachman was about to turn onto another street when he heard this chilling command and quickly reined in his horse.
Due to inertia, Lu Xingjian's body leaned slightly forward.
"Find out who that person is."
...
Madam Yu's invitation to Su Wanwan was certainly not just for tea; she also ordered some of Danyanlou's signature dishes.
Before the dishes were served, the two chatted about everyday things.
“Miss Su, I’ve come here specifically to thank you.” Madam Yu stopped beating around the bush. “As you know, I’m still managing the dowry of my master’s first wife.”
“Those industries in Yunnan are invisible and intangible, and they have been losing money year after year, which is a huge headache.”
"Thanks to your jade shop needing to restock, which revitalized these businesses, you started to turn a profit and gave me an explanation."
Yang Ting's first wife was surnamed Huang. She was the daughter of Huang Mingshan, the Yunnan Provincial Education Inspector, and most of her dowry was in Yunnan.
Su Wanwan smiled: "Madam Yu is too modest. It is your skillful management of your subordinates that is credited, not my achievement."
Madam Yu gave her a reproachful look:
"To be honest, I've had these businesses for several years, but they were poorly managed in the early years, and the products couldn't be sold. It was only after meeting you that I was able to open up sales channels and sell all the jade artifacts that had been piling up for many years."
She sighed sincerely, "Being a stepmother is difficult. It's no exaggeration to say that you are my benefactor."
My stepson, Yang Zhen, is already twenty-one years old, and he will get married in the next couple of years.
After he gets married, he will have to hand over all these properties.
When the time comes and the books showing years of losses are presented, she, as the stepmother, will have to bear the stigma of "embezzling property," making her a target of public criticism.
Thankfully, Su Wanwan helped her solve this big problem.
Otherwise, her position in the Yang family would be quite awkward.
Su Wanwan naturally accepted the sincere thanks with a smile.
At this point, Madam Yu paused, and said somewhat presumptuously, "If Miss Su doesn't mind, why don't we become sworn sisters despite our age difference?"
"So that some blind fool won't take advantage of you being all alone in Beijing, with no one to back you up."
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