Chapter 693 - 471: Yun Zhao Was Startled

Chapter 693: Chapter 471: Yun Zhao Was Startled

Yun Zhao hadn’t seen Xie Linlang in a long time, and seeing each other again so suddenly left them both feeling a bit dazed.

Song Yunzhao was surprised to see Xie Linlang; she had filled out a little since before her marriage.

Xie Linlang, however, frowned a little when she saw Yun Zhao. She was thinner, and it seemed this pregnancy had been taking a toll on her.

The moment they met, it was as if they had endless things to talk about, especially as Xie Linlang began to tell her in detail about the business side of the Treasure Pearl Building, which Xie Jinshu was in charge of.

The Treasure Pearl Building, unlike the Baozhuang Building, catered to the common people, so its customer base was extremely broad. Furthermore, Yun Zhao had set the prices very clearly, so the Xie family’s profit margin was fixed.

This was slightly different from the arrangement with the Ling Family. In general, the profits from this venture were not as considerable as those from Ling Yunhe’s, but Xie Jinshu still worked for her with great diligence, a fact Yun Zhao was well aware of.

Song Yunzhao looked at Xie Linlang and said with a smile, "In another year, I want to give your brother the Baozhuang Building’s business in the few cities near Beiming. In addition, I will probably use the Treasure Pearl Building’s shops to get into the grain trade, and I’ll need your brother to handle that for me as well."

Xie Linlang was stunned to hear this, but she didn’t ask why. She only said, "If Your Highness trusts him, my brother is of course willing."

As for her brother’s profits being lower than Ling Yunhe’s, neither she nor her brother minded. What was truly priceless was Ming Fei’s trust and esteem for him; that was worth a fortune.

In that respect, Ling Yunhe couldn’t hope to compare.

After discussing business, the conversation shifted to Ji Yunting’s trip south, and a hint of worry inevitably appeared on Xie Linlang’s face.

Song Yunzhao also knew the journey was extremely dangerous. She offered no empty words of comfort, only saying, "Serving the Imperial Family has always meant seeking wealth and honor through peril. I believe you know the current situation at court. The Left and Right Ministers’ conservative policies are no longer to His Majesty’s liking."

Since she first resolved to join one of the wealthy families, Xie Linlang’s lofty ambitions had driven her to pay close attention to the court. She knew Yun Zhao was speaking the truth, so she said with a bitter smile, "It’s precisely because of that. My father-in-law wasn’t happy about my husband going south. The two of them had a huge argument, but I am very supportive. Nothing can be established without tearing down the old; without hardship, there is no opportunity."

Song Yunzhao and Xie Linlang got along so well precisely because they shared this fundamental aspect of their nature.

"It’s not surprising that the Left Minister tried to stop him. As long as Lord Ji’s resolve is firm, that is enough."

"He is single-mindedly devoted to serving the country and His Majesty, so of course he is willing."

After she said this, their eyes met, and they couldn’t help but laugh.

Xie Linlang then told Yun Zhao, "I’ve already had my brother spend a fortune to hire guards to accompany him, which gives me some peace of mind. That incident with the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was truly terrifying. Thank goodness he survived."

He’s still recovering and hasn’t returned to his post, which shows just how close he was to losing his life.

"That’s good. When my brother went south, Princess Fuke also sent her own personal guards to follow him," Yun Zhao said with a smile. "Lord Ji has always been a steady and cautious man; I imagine he will be fine."

"I hope so."

"I hear that Madam Ji treats you like a treasure now. Is that true?" Song Yunzhao asked with a laugh.

Xie Linlang pursed her lips in a smile. "Of course, it’s true. For the past few years, I was unwilling to get pregnant, and my mother-in-law became convinced that my husband was unable to have children. Now that I’ve finally given birth, she thinks it’s all my doing. After all, I never stopped giving my husband body-strengthening medicinal soups all these years."

Song Yunzhao roared with laughter. Xie Linlang truly had incredible patience; someone else might not have been able to endure for so long. But she had clearly put her heart into completely winning over Madam Ji.

"That’s wonderful. You’ll truly have a secure footing in the Ji Family from now on." Song Yunzhao was happy for her.

Xie Linlang nodded slightly. "There’s not much to say about my affairs; you probably guessed this day would come when I married into the family. But what you went through last year frightened us all. The Duchess of Qin was so angry she was practically beside herself. I never thought Qin Xiyue could do such a thing. There’s something you don’t know yet—Grand Tutor Qin has passed away."

Song Yunzhao truly didn’t know. "Because of what Qin Xiyue did?" she asked.

Xie Linlang nodded. "The news wasn’t supposed to have reached him, but someone deliberately sent it. After Grand Tutor Qin found out, he collapsed that very day. He was bedridden for over a month before he finally passed."

Song Yunzhao was silent for a moment, then said, "Let the father and daughter reunite in the afterlife, then. They can sort out right and wrong there."

"I’m afraid that will be difficult," Xie Linlang sneered. "For Qin Xiyue to have such a temperament and do such a thing, it clearly had something to do with her family’s upbringing."

Song Yunzhao gave a wry laugh. "That has nothing to do with me anymore. They’re dead, so the slate is wiped clean."

The remaining members of the Qin Family can’t stir up any big waves. Not one of them is ambitious.

Xie Linlang agreed. A family’s legacy is what’s most important. Grand Tutor Qin spent his entire life as a teacher, even an imperial one, yet he couldn’t even teach his own children properly. It was a joke. ℴ

"There’s one more thing. Princess Ming’an had wanted to come to the palace to see you, but her sister-in-law, Lady Ding, has returned to the capital, so she couldn’t get away." Xie Linlang passed on He Lan Yun’s message. "She asked me to send her greetings and pay her respects to you."

Song Yunzhao smiled, then added, "I remember her sister-in-law is married to the Governor of Huizhou, isn’t that right?"

"That’s right. Huizhou is by the sea. He was injured before the year’s end when he encountered sea bandits during a patrol. Lady Ding had wanted to return to the capital to spend the New Year with her family, but her trip was delayed."

Song Yunzhao asked in surprise, "Why haven’t I heard anything about this?"

"Encountering sea bandits on patrol is a common occurrence, and this conflict wasn’t a major one. That Mr. Ding is a pragmatic man and didn’t want to claim credit for a minor incident. He also caught the sea bandits, so he didn’t report it up the chain."

Song Yunzhao was at a loss for words. She looked at Xie Linlang and said, "I didn’t expect this Governor Ding to be such a good official."

"Whether he’s good or not, we wouldn’t know, but Lady Ding is a good person. She even brought her stepdaughter back to the capital. From what He Lan Yun said, it seems she intends to arrange a match for her."

"Governor Ding’s eldest daughter is already of marriageable age?"

"Yes." Saying this, Xie Linlang gave a light cough. "He Lan Yun asked me to tell you quietly... it seems she has her eye on Ning’an Bo’s second son."

Song Yunzhao was stunned.

’She’s interested in Song Buchang?’

This time, she was truly shocked.

"Miss Ding is Governor Ding’s legitimate eldest daughter, but my second cousin is just an illegitimate son," Song Yunzhao asked directly.

Although he was an illegitimate son of the Uncle Mansion, Ding Xian was a governor, a position of a completely different weight. Back then, Cao Jitong’s sister had been willing to become his second wife precisely because she valued Ding Xian’s official position and his ability to protect her mother and brother.

So, for the eldest daughter of the Ding family to take an interest in Song Buchang was tantamount to marrying down.

Xie Linlang remembered what He Lan Yun had asked her to say. "Originally, Ming An wanted to come to the palace to tell you herself. When she found out I was coming to see you, she asked me to give you a heads-up first. Never mind whether it will work out or not; the main thing is to ask your opinion on the matter."