Housekeeper Qian smiled and said, "To be honest, Madam, my eldest son has taken a liking to Qiujie from the main room. I didn’t dare to ask for her hand before, but now that I’ve been promoted to housekeeper of the inner courtyard, I have some security, just not enough funds."

Qian Duo was confident and assertive, and Housekeeper Qian understood this well.

Qin Yuan smiled and said, "In that case, you can go to Accountant Wan. Once it’s accounted for, he’ll reconcile it with Hong Ye and Cui Ming."

Housekeeper Qian said happily, "Now that we are all together, I don’t feel inferior. Otherwise, they all have a share, and I’m the only one who doesn’t."

Qin Yuan asked in surprise, "Did Accountant Wan also take a share?"

Housekeeper Qian nodded and said, "Of course he did, but just a small portion. He took a share someone else was planning to let go, signed a contract, and transferred it."

He wanted more but was impatient to find everyone to sign contracts individually, so he sought to make a good impression in front of Qin Yuan.

He also knew that Qin Yuan wouldn’t disagree.

Qin Yuan understood this as well, and she smiled, "Now that your mind is at ease, I fear that you’ll be anxious about the pepper price in the future."

"No, that won’t happen," Housekeeper Qian said. "I may lack other skills, but I’m very accurate in judging people. Once I decide, I won’t change my mind. Madam’s foresight and prudence in handling matters, saying that the pepper price will rise, then it certainly will."

This flattery was as if taught by the same master as Hong Mian.

Qin Yuan chuckled, and Housekeeper Qian tactfully excused himself. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Hong Ye said, "Now everyone in the mansion praises Miss highly, which shows how much people have taken to her."

Seeing no outsiders around, Qin Yuan smiled and said, "It’s just that I’m favored now, so they say flattering words to please me, and because it makes me happy, they too feel happy. If I act more generously, more people speak well of me. But you absolutely must not take it seriously; if you do, you’re not far from a big fall."

Hong Ye mulled over this and clicked her tongue, saying, "Miss’s words sound so composed, as if she’s been through countless storms, too steady. The key is that Miss not only says this but can also achieve it, which is extremely difficult. Not to mention, many in Miss’s position would become overconfident."

Qin Yuan clicked her tongue and said, "Even you’re here to flatter me. As the saying goes, ’being close to vermilion makes one red; being close to ink makes one black.’ You should hold back that boisterous nature. I believe you."

"Miss, rest assured, I’ll change right away."

Hong Ye had a determined look on her face.

Qin Yuan pretended not to hear, as it was the same in her past life—always making resolutions but never sticking to them.

After a busy spell, it was already lunchtime when Qiujie came to invite her, "The Old Madam is hosting a guest in the main room, and she’d like Madam to accompany."

Qin Yuan asked curiously, "What guests are in the main room that I’m unaware of?"

Qiujie chuckled lightly and said, "Madam will know once she gets there; they are all familiar faces."

Qin Yuan asked in surprise, "Why can’t you tell me now?"

Qiujie just smiled.

Qin Yuan knew it was under the Old Madam’s orders, so she didn’t ask further and followed her to the main room. On the covered bridge, she could already hear a group of people inside laughing and chatting so loudly it seemed they might lift the roof.

Among them, Gu Baoshu’s voice was the loudest.

Qin Yuan asked in surprise, "What’s going on?"

Qiujie just pursed her lips and smiled, instructing the young maid on the veranda, "Quickly go inside and announce that Madam has arrived."

The young maid darted inside, and soon a crowd rushed out to welcome Qin Yuan.

Gu Baoshu was at the forefront, followed by Qin Heng, Xiao Dong, Brother Kang, Brother Fu, and Sister Lan wobbling behind, with Qin Siyuan at the rear.

Everyone stood in the veranda talking.

"My goodness, how come you’re all here? When did you arrive? I had no idea at all."

Qin Yuan was completely surprised.

Qin Heng’s arrival was understandable, but with Qin Siyuan here, she should have been informed.

Qiujie, standing by, laughed and said, "Isn’t it because the Old Madam said that it’s been a long time since she’d seen the two young masters? She insisted on them having lunch together in the main room and specifically instructed to invite Madam at lunchtime for a surprise."

Qin Yuan covered half her lotus face with a round fan, laughing lightly, "It is indeed a surprise. How come Cousin is here too?"

Qin Siyuan, who should have been busy with his studies, not only came with Qin Heng but without Sixth Master Gu accompanying him, which was indeed a rarity.

Before Qin Siyuan could speak.

Qin Heng said, "The Xu family was causing trouble for Cousin, Sister Baozhu heroically saved the day, helped Cousin out, then went to the Imperial College to pick me up, and here we are at the mansion to talk."

Qin Yuan asked curiously, "How come it’s Baozhu who picked you up? Shouldn’t Cui Ming have sent someone? And why was the Xu family troubling Cousin?"

Gu Baoshu laughed heartily, "Didn’t Cui Ming’s dispatched person happen to run into me? Third Sister-in-law also mentioned having me teach Brother Heng to ride, so I just took up the task. I went to the Imperial College, thinking I’d just see what’s going on, and ended up encountering this. Let’s go in and talk; standing here seems rather silly."

Qin Yuan found this quite amusing.

Qin Heng protested, "Sister Baozhu, you’re just a little over a year older than me, yet I call you Sister Baozhu, but you shouldn’t call me Brother Heng."

Gu Baoshu said, "I call Brother Kang and Brother Fu the same way, and they don’t mind."

Qin Heng blushed, arguing for himself, "They’re your nephews, and much younger than you; I’m different."

Gu Baoshu clicked her tongue twice.

Then the Old Madam Gu’s voice came from inside, "Treasure Bead, don’t speak disrespectfully."

Gu Baoshu finally said, "Alright, otherwise, people would think I’m taking advantage of Third Sister-in-law. From now on, I’ll just call you Brother Heng, alright?"

Qin Siyuan and Qin Yuan merely found it amusing from the side.

Once their discussion about the form of address concluded, the group moved back into the living room.

The Old Madam Gu lay reclining on the couch, with Mrs. Dai and two other elderly female relatives sitting beside her, all of them from the Gu Family clan.

Upon seeing Qin Yuan and the others coming in, they all wore smiles, holding Qin Yuan’s hand, asking her about various things.

The Old Madam Gu said, "You’ve seen for yourselves, the Qin Family members are all of good appearance. When their three children stand together, they are gentle and handsome, a delight to behold."

Both female relatives flattered, "It’s not just their looks; our Marquis Mansion members aren’t lacking either. Marquis Gu was the jade man of Beijing in his youth, and Sixth Master is also a handsome talent, appearing clever and charming. But the Qin family members have talent to match, and that’s the real rarity."

Hearing this, Qin Heng subtly hid behind Qin Siyuan.

One of the older women asked Qin Yuan, "Just now, talking with Mr. Qin, he mentioned he hasn’t yet married. Do you know what kind of marriage his family is planning for him?"

The other woman added, "What, are you hoping to take the advantage of being nearby and snatch him as a son-in-law first?"

"You old thing, doesn’t everyone have some daughters ready for marriage? If they’re destined to be a couple, wouldn’t it be a blessing?"

The Old Madam Gu was about to speak.

Gu Baoshu immediately waved her hands and said, "No, no, that won’t do."