Chapter 646 - 237: Half the Shares of Kangning Fragrance Workshop
Chapter 646: Chapter 237: Half the Shares of Kangning Fragrance Workshop
Setting aside what the two encountered after entering the Imperial College, Chen Wanqing woke up from her afternoon nap to find the courtyard still quiet.
A maid heard the rustle of her getting up and pushed the door open. After helping her wash her face with a wet towel to wake her up, the maid said, "Miss, Dark Aroma Garden has been fully warmed and aired out. When would you like to move over?"
Dark Aroma Garden was the courtyard assigned to her and Zhao Jing. It wasn’t far from Yulan Hall; at most, only three other courtyards separated them. The place was neither too large nor too small, perfectly sized for the couple.
With plenty of free time over the past two days, Chen Wanqing had strolled over there quite often. Every time she visited, she would have the servants rearrange small decorations or add a few trivial items. They weren’t important tasks, but they certainly helped pass the time. Now that she heard the courtyard was ready, Chen Wanqing went straight to her mother to discuss the move.
Xu Su Ying did not stop her.
If there were no room, it would have been fine for the mother and daughter to squeeze in together. However, the Xu family had plenty of courtyards, and it would be rather improper for a mother-in-law and son-in-law to share the same one.
Xu Su Ying immediately said, "If you’re going to move, do it early. Settle in sooner so that if anything is uncomfortable, you can have them fix it before dark."
And so, they moved over.
After the move, before Chen Wanqing even had time to properly tour her new little courtyard, Xu Su Ying arrived with a large stack of account books.
"These are the account books for Kangning Fragrance Workshop. I’m leaving them for you to review from now on. I want you to check the accounts not because I don’t trust Kangning, but primarily because in business, even blood sisters must keep clear accounts. That’s the only way a relationship can last. Furthermore, there’s a great deal of knowledge hidden within these ledgers. Not only can you see which spices are the most popular, but if you look closely enough, you can even discern the climate and the price levels in various regions..."
Dropping this profound remark, Xu Su Ying promptly walked off without another word.
Not long after she left, two younger female cousins from the Xu family came over to visit.
The two were twin sisters. The older was named Xu Changsi, and the younger was Xu Changnian. Together, their names meant "constant longing," which clearly reflected the family’s deep desire for Xu Su Ying’s return.
The Xu family was quite large and prosperous. The three brothers, starting with Xu Shiniang, all had a complete set of children; each family had exactly two sons and two daughters. Xu Yanlin was the eldest legitimate grandson. The second brother, Xu Shizai, had two boys who ranked second and fourth; both were currently living at their parents’ post. Xu Yanhe was the third grandson, while the two sons of Xu Shiling were the youngest, ranking fifth and sixth.
There were also six girls in total. The first and fifth daughters belonged to the second brother, Xu Shizai, while the second and sixth daughters belonged to Xu Shiling. Xu Changsi and Xu Changnian ranked third and fourth among the sisters. The other girls were either already married or still waiting for marriage, but they all lived with their parents at their respective posts.
The old madam was a kind and gentle mother-in-law who did not demand that her daughters-in-law and grandchildren stay constantly by her side. Because of this, the families of the second and third brothers had all moved away. The ancestral home of the Xu family in the Capital City was typically only occupied by Xu Shiniang’s family.
Xu Changsi and Xu Changnian had heard that their older cousin had moved to a new courtyard, so they came to drop by. They even brought gifts. One had a maid carry in a small potted plant bursting with kumquats, while the other brought some handmade pastries for Chen Wanqing to taste.
Between the two cousins, the older sister was poised and dignified, bearing the true demeanor of an eldest sister. The younger sister was playful and clever, talking a mile a minute. She would break into a smile as she spoke, revealing two dimples that made her look incredibly sweet.
As the two cousins talked about the family members with Chen Wanqing, they specifically explained why Xu Yanlin’s wife wasn’t home. Her maternal grandmother was ill. Because she had been raised by her grandmother, they were extremely close. Furthermore, since she had married into the family from far away, even if she knew her aunt had been found, she wouldn’t be able to return for a while.
Chen Wanqing actually already knew about this. After all, they had been at the Xu family estate for several days now. With such an important person missing from the household, how could she not have asked about it? Moreover, to prevent her mother from overthinking, her aunt had explained the situation early on. It wasn’t that the eldest nephew’s wife didn’t want to welcome them personally; she simply wasn’t in the Capital City and physically couldn’t be there.
Speaking of Xu Yanlin’s wife, the girls ended up chatting about her a bit more.
It was only then that Chen Wanqing learned the details. Xu Yanlin’s wife had lost her mother at a young age when her mother died giving birth to a younger sister. Her father had then married a stepmother while still in the mourning period. The stepmother was difficult to get along with, so her grandmother, worried that her granddaughter would be mistreated, took her in and raised her herself.
If her grandmother were to pass away, Xu Yanlin’s wife would likely bring her younger sister over after the funeral. They heard that the girl was only around ten years old, quiet, and introverted. Just thinking about it made one feel incredibly sorry for her.