Shuse Jinjia

"Hello, Aunt Hong!"

Xie Zhaotang smiled.

Aunt Hong nodded with a forced smile, saying, "Look at Fourth Miss, her skin is so delicate, her family must be very well-off! Unlike us, we have to work in the fields every day, our hands are so rough they're cracked."

"The fourth daughter is so beautiful; she was born to live a good life. Even if she becomes a concubine and doesn't have to toil in the fields, she'll still live a more comfortable life than us!"

Xie Zhaotang's face darkened. Was this a mockery, implying that she was not good enough for Zhu Feng and was only fit to be a concubine?

"Aunt Hong, come and move the stones. Don't try to cheat or slack off, or I won't care who introduced you to this job, you'll be fired."

With guests at home, Madam Tao stayed behind to manage things, so she asked Uncle Tao to help her watch the construction site.

Uncle Tao was instructed by Madam Tao to take care of Xie Zhaotang. When he saw Aunt Hong talking nonsense, he started shouting at the top of his lungs.

Aunt Hong added, still unwilling to give up, "Fourth Miss, our Zhu Feng is a military general with a bright future. He can't afford to support a pampered girl like you. For your own good, you should find another way out!"

After saying that, she deliberately tugged at her faded coarse cloth dress, showing the patches to Xie Zhaotang, before picking up her basket and leaving.

Huo Ling also heard what Aunt Hong said, and after a moment of surprise, she felt a little disappointed.

Yesterday, after watching Xie Zhaotang and her elder brother interact, she was still thinking about bringing her elder brother and Xie Zhaotang together.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Feng and Xie Zhaotang had already been destined for each other. Does that mean Xie Zhaotang can't be his sister-in-law?

"Sister Tangtang, don't listen to her nonsense. She's just deliberately trying to avoid congratulating Big Brother on his marriage!"

Huo Ling comforted him, "My older brother told me before that Brother Zhu shouldn't keep sending money home. Brother Zhu also said that once they get married, they'll separate the household..."

"Don't worry, Brother Zhu isn't someone who can't distinguish right from wrong. If you really marry him, he'll protect you!"

Xie Zhaotang gave an awkward smile.

If there were a more suitable candidate, she would not choose Zhu Feng.

The two were watching the villagers' infrastructure construction when a few people approached from a distance.

Huo Ling, with her sharp eyes, recognized Madam Duan and Miss Pei, and led Xie Zhaotang to greet them.

When Steward Huang saw his master arrive, he came over to greet him.

"Manager Huang, is this the pharmaceutical factory that Bei Yu and Cheng Yu jointly own?"

Madam Duan asked with a smile, "I just heard him say that he came over to check on things since he had nothing to do at the estate."

Manager Huang smiled and said, "Yes, we'll start building the factory today. It should be completed in about twenty days, after which we can begin operations."

When Pei Yun saw Huo Ling and Xie Zhaotang, her heart tightened. What was Xie Zhaotang doing here for no reason?

Does she want to get involved in the pharmaceutical industry too?

"Are Xiaoling and Fourth Sister also coming to be managers?" she asked, feigning curiosity.

Manager Huang laughed and said, "That's right. Miss Ling will be in charge of the pharmaceutical factory's production from now on, and I will be in charge of sales. Fourth Miss is clever and quick-witted, so we'll hire her to give the pharmaceutical factory some advice."

This was the title that Duan Chengyu and Huo Beiyu gave Xie Zhaotang after discussing it, so that she could have access to the pharmaceutical factory and no one would suspect that she was a partner.

Pei Yun was even more furious upon hearing this. She had only learned about Duan Chengyu and Huo Beiyu's joint venture in opening a pharmaceutical factory from Madam Duan's mention of it today.

Duan Chengyu hadn't given him any hints about such a big matter beforehand.

Not to mention asking Xie Zhaotang for advice!

How exactly did Xie Zhaotang bewitch Duan Chengyu?

Madam Duan didn't think much of it. It was Xie Zhaotang's idea that had revived Juxiangzhai's business, so she certainly deserved the reputation of being clever and resourceful.

"Fourth Miss, what advice did you give the Young Master and the Young Marquis? Could you tell me so I can learn from it?"

Pei Yun tentatively asked.

Xie Zhaotang disliked Pei Yun ever since the first time she was made difficult by her sisters.

Seeing that she sensed hostility from her, she said calmly, "Miss Yun, you can't say this. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I signed a confidentiality agreement with Prince Duan and the others... If this gets out, the Prince and the young marquis will hold me accountable."

Manager Huang, fearing that the future young mistress would be angry, quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, what the fourth young lady said is a secret of the pharmaceutical factory. There are too many people here, and if it gets out, it will affect the factory's business."

Madam Duan laughed and said, "Alright, we were just curious to come and take a look. It's just a bunch of rocks now, we can't really see anything. Yun'er, it's too sunny, let's go back!"

Pei Yun glanced at Xie Zhaotang, then affectionately took Madam Duan's hand: "Auntie is right, let's come and see it again after the pharmaceutical factory is built!"

"Miss Ling, Fourth Miss, you're busy, we'll head back now."

After the group left, Xie Zhaotang and Huo Kantao saw that Uncle Tao was managing things very well and didn't have a chance to interfere, so they stayed for a while and then went back.

Xie Zhaotang didn't go back to the Huo family. Li Qin and the others would go for dinner, so she didn't need to go so early to accompany them.

Back home, Xie Zhaotang wrote down a list and asked Aunt Xia to buy medicinal herbs for him to make toothpaste and toothbrushes.

After Aunt Xia left, she wrote down the articles of association for the paper mill. The infrastructure could be referenced from the pharmaceutical factory. Her main task was to write down the employment and allocation.

She suggested to Huo Beiyu that the skilled workers in the paper mill could be given shares and wages, so that the paper mill could also be considered their business, which would retain people and motivate them.

If business is good, they can share in the profits, and even if they don't manage the business, they can still guarantee an income.

With this approach, Old Liang wouldn't need to insist on making Liang Zhong the head manager.

……

At Shenshi (3-5 PM), Huo Ling sent a carriage to pick up Xie Zhaotang and the other two. The driver also brought several dishes prepared by the kitchen, which Xie Zhaotang knew were specially sent by Huo Ling to Aunt Shen and Tian Tian.

She carried the food into the courtyard, asked Aunt Xia to find a bowl to put it in, and washed the bowl clean before taking it onto the carriage.

"Tangtang, Sister Jintong can speak again! Last night, before Chief Physician Luo left, he gave her acupuncture, and she was able to speak this morning!"

Li Qin was excited when she saw Xie Zhaotang.

"So fast?"

Xie Zhaotang was also happy for Xue Jintong.

Xue Jintong smiled and said, "This is all thanks to Tangtang and Dean Luo. You are my second parents."

She was able to speak, but her voice was hoarse; her vocal cords were injured and needed time to recover.

But this is already a great improvement.

Xie Zhaotang comforted him, "Take it slow. After a month or two of rest, you'll be back to normal."

Xue Jintong held Xie Zhaotang's hand and whispered, "I don't want to reveal my ability to speak for the time being, lest my family find out and have other ideas. Remember to keep this a secret, Tangtang."

Xie Zhaotang nodded, thinking of the Xue family and Xue Jintong's marriage.

Everyone has their own difficulties, and she will cooperate with Xue Jintong.

When they arrived at the Huo family's estate, Huo Ling was already waiting at the entrance. Upon seeing Xie Zhaotang and the others arrive, she quickly came to greet them.

"My dear sisters, we'll have to wait a while before we eat. Let's go inside and have some tea first..."

Xie Zhaotang and the other two followed Huo Ling inside.

Not far away, Old Madam Huo watched the group walk past and said to Huo Beiyu standing beside her.

"Xiaoyu, Miss Li told your Grandma Pei this morning that Miss Xue can speak again and her health is improving day by day."

"Grandma has observed her over this period of time; she's a good person with good education, and she's very patient with your younger siblings. What do you think?"