Triumph in Her Rise and Love-Chapter 152 - 150

In the Song Family’s accounting room, Song Jiyun sat in the Taishi Chair beside him, smiling as Steward Wu and the accountant counted the silver notes: "Forty-one thousand taels, Forty-one thousand one hundred taels, Forty-one thousand two hundred taels..."

Sitting next to Song Jiyun, Zheng Quan revealed an incredulous expression and said, "Wasn’t it said that it would be good to sell for thirty-three thousand, four thousand taels? How did it sell for so much silver?"

Before Song Jiyun could speak, Steward Wu excitedly said, "You’re not looking at who made the move! Our Miss Song is truly like a child under Guanyin, able to turn stone into gold."

Song Jiyun felt embarrassed.

A child under Guanyin has nothing to do with turning stone into gold!

But Steward Wu was too happy to argue with.

He lamented to Zheng Quan, "It’s a pity you weren’t there to see their faces. Not to mention others, just take Li Zixiu for example. He used to look at our Old Master with slanted eyes and never had a good word to say. But today, when he met our Miss Song, didn’t he humbly beg our Miss Song to sell him those shops on Back Street!"

"Our Miss Song didn’t go easy on him at all, doubling the original price on the spot.

"He wasn’t convinced and wanted to question Miss Song as to why she was selling to him at such a high price. Miss Song simply told him that with the relationship between our two families, she shouldn’t be selling the shops to the Li Family in the first place, but considering that they would have to deal with each other in the future, she wanted to make peace, hence her willingness to sell him the shops.

"After all the trouble he caused our family, he should at least make some gesture of goodwill!

"Miss Song even asked Li Zixiu if he was willing to let bygones be bygones from then on.

"Li Zixiu’s face turned beet red, but with so many people around, if he didn’t agree, others would definitely think he was petty, lacking magnanimity, and not a man for great things.

"He agreed with such reluctance!"

Possibly recalling the scene, Steward Wu couldn’t help but laugh heartily for a moment, then went on, "And then there’s Mr. Wen, who was afraid people would find out he wanted to buy a shop and quietly asked Old Master Wang from Yan Ji to help out.

"Old Master Wang is an honest man. Afraid of offending Miss Song, he pulled her aside quietly and spilled the beans.

"Our Miss Song is quite resourceful. She told Old Master Wang to tell Mr. Wen that he came too late and that Old Master Yan had already bought the shops, suggesting he offer more silver to buy them back from Old Master Yan. Mr. Wen, not sure if he misheard or what, actually offered five hundred taels more on the spot.

"Old Master Wang wanted to give the extra silver to Miss Song, but she didn’t accept it. Instead, she split it evenly, giving half to Old Master Wang and half to Old Master Yan, saying she had borrowed Old Master Yan’s name and couldn’t let him suffer a loss; Old Master Wang also worked hard and shouldn’t be left empty-handed. In the end, Old Master Yan didn’t refuse and happily pocketed the silver. Still, for the forests at Chaotian dock, he offered Miss Song an extra one thousand taels.

"Old Master Wang, however, refused to accept any of it.

"How could we not earn so much silver?"

After he had finished, seeing the accountant’s abacus stop moving, he inquired, "How much in total?"

The accountant was also excited, his face flushed as he said, "A total of forty-nine thousand six hundred fifty taels."

In other words, Song Jiyun had nearly made twenty thousand taels just by turning these deals around.

Zheng Quan listened, dumbfounded.

Song Jiyun was also very satisfied with this outcome.

She said with a smile, "That this transaction could gild the lily is also because everyone helped out. Our family’s fortunes are blooming like sesame flowers, one after another; they won’t easily offend us."

"We are just following Miss Song’s instructions," Steward Wu said admiringly.

If before he was worried that Song Jiyun couldn’t hold up the family, now he wished Song Jiyun would find a son-in-law to stay at home and support the Song Family’s entrance.

The two of them took turns complimenting each other.

Song Jiyun, seeing the atmosphere so good, simply raised her arm and declared, "Tonight we’ll have a feast. Invite the chefs from The Eight Immortals Nunnery to prepare the meal at home. It’s a good opportunity to welcome He Dazhi and the others."

They were the major patrons of all the big Taoist temples, monasteries, and nunneries in Liang County, and they were all very willing to deal with the Song Family, let alone come to their home to prepare a vegetarian feast.

Steward Wu replied with a beaming smile and happily went down to make preparations.

By the time Yuan Yunzhong received the message, it was already evening, and the maids and servants had set up the tables in the Water Pavilion, just waiting for everyone to tidy up and take their seats.

Yuan Yunzhong looked at the third-class young maidservant in front of him and said, "She’s quite generous!"

Shao Qing really wanted to join the lively atmosphere at the Water Pavilion, and said dismissively, "With fine food and good wine, what more could you complain about?"

He was also afraid that Yuan Yunzhong wouldn’t go and encouraged him, "Today is Miss Song’s day of great joy—ordinary families can’t earn twenty thousand taels of silver in a lifetime, and she made such a large sum with a single transaction, you must allow people to celebrate!"

Yuan Yunzhong didn’t reply. Although he maintained a stern expression, he still went to the Water Pavilion with Shao Qing in the end.

Laughter and chatter filled the Water Pavilion. Upon seeing Yuan Yunzhong, everyone respectfully greeted him, and Song Jiyun even came up to greet him personally.

Only then did Yuan Yunzhong’s complexion brighten slightly, and he took a seat at the main table.

"Today is a family gathering; we’re not standing on ceremony, so please make yourself comfortable," Song Jiyun said as she personally poured him a cup of honey pomelo tea and handed it to him. "This is a fruit tea I made myself. Do you like the taste?"

Yuan Yunzhong’s mood improved further. Though he didn’t particularly like the fruit tea, he still nodded slightly and took the opportunity to ask Song Jiyun, "Hasn’t your mother arrived yet?"

"Someone has gone to hasten her," Song Jiyun replied with a smile, moving the matcha egg cake on the table closer to him and laughing. "This fruit tea goes well with the pastry to cut through the greasiness."

Yuan Yunzhong took a piece.

Song Jiyu arrived with Song Jixue.

Before Song Jixue could steady herself, she started complaining breathlessly to Song Jiyun, "Mother will come later. Your aunt has arrived and said there are urgent matters to discuss with her. Mother was worried you’d be anxious, so she sent me and my second sister here first."

Song Jiyu blushed as she gave Yuan Yunzhong a bow.

Yuan Yunzhong was quite magnanimous, not only accepting Song Jiyu’s greeting but also giving several Gold Lockets as gifts to both Song Jiyu and Song Jixue.

Song Jixue, in her innocent and childish manner, loudly thanked him. "Thank you, brother-in-law!"

Song Jiyun was embarrassed and hurriedly turned to look at Yuan Yunzhong.

Yuan Yunzhong remained as cool and distant as the moon, nodding to Song Jiyun without showing the slightest change in expression.

Song Jiyun coughed lightly, feeling somewhat uneasy and was about to divert the conversation when loud laughter erupted from beneath the osmanthus tree adjacent to the Water Pavilion.

Shao Qing had somehow ended up with He Dazhi and others, sitting at the stone table beneath the osmanthus tree, embroiled in an arm-wrestling match.

Some were cheering for Shao Qing, others for He Dazhi, all of them giving their support and encouragement.

Ever since Song Daliang’s death, the household hadn’t been this lively in a long time.

Song Jiyun couldn’t help but smile, the bit of discomfort she’d felt earlier now cast to the winds.

She stood at the railing of the Water Pavilion and loudly cheered them on. "I bet ten taels of silver on the winner!"

The crowd roared even louder upon hearing this, and the atmosphere instantly became more heated.

Song Jiyun laughed and clapped for them.

In the glow of the setting sun, her smile was even more radiant than the evening clouds.

Yuan Yunzhong was momentarily lost in a trance.