"The old man and the clan leader keep saying that my presence outside affects the marriage prospects of our Gu Family girls."

Tong Huaqiong stood up and looked at the respected elders of the Gu Family.

Several of the elders, convinced by the old man, lowered their heads, avoiding Tong Huaqiong’s gaze.

"Second Uncle."

Tong Huaqiong singled out the old man’s own brother.

"Second Uncle, which family is your granddaughter engaged to?"

Second Uncle Gu’s old face twitched, and Second Aunt gave him a meaningful look from across the room.

Second Uncle Gu said, "It’s the Chen Family, who runs the sesame oil business in town."

After speaking, a slight look of shame appeared on his face.

Tong Huaqiong said, "Your granddaughter..."

Second Aunt interrupted Tong Huaqiong directly, saying, "Let me put it this way. In the past, my granddaughter couldn’t have married into town. Look around our Qinghe Bay; who has a daughter that married into town? The best-matched was Yue Er’s sister, Yue Chang, and she only went to Moon Bay, which is just a bit better than our village. The Chen Family, despite being a small sesame oil business, has a proper shop and can earn twenty to thirty taels of silver a year, living comfortably with meat for every meal, better than farming. They only have one son, so future family assets will be his and our granddaughter’s. Why could our granddaughter become engaged to the Chen Family? It’s all because niece-in-law opened a shop in town, and people say that a girl from Manager Tong’s family must be capable. She must be very competent."

Second Uncle Gu was red-faced from Second Aunt’s words.

Initially, when the old man and Gu Youtian persuaded him, he wasn’t fully on board with his elder brother and nephew.

Though the eldest niece-in-law had a bad temper and they didn’t interact much before or now, Tong Huaqiong had been very courteous to him since she became successful.

Gifts were never forgotten during holidays and new year celebrations.

He saw villagers working in Tong Huaqiong’s shop and field and wanted to arrange a job for his own son, but couldn’t lose face.

The old man told him it wasn’t about taking over Tong Huaqiong’s assets but about letting Youtian shoulder some responsibility. When the time comes, wouldn’t Youtian help his relatives get wealthy?

So, in a hot-headed moment, Second Uncle Gu agreed to side with the old man.

His wife, pointing at his nose, made him feel quite ashamed, unable to face Tong Huaqiong, and he said to the old man, "Niece-in-law... niece-in-law is good... brother, perhaps let it go..."

The old man’s face turned livid; his own brother was such a disappointment.

He compromised over a granddaughter’s marriage.

And the sister-in-law, in the presence of clan men, when could she have the floor?

Second Uncle Gu didn’t dare speak further after the old man glared at him.

But Second Aunt didn’t pay attention to this elder brother-in-law and continued, "Clan Leader, can your youngest daughter marry into a family with twenty acres of good land at Black Dragon Pond because you are the Gu Family clan leader? Why didn’t they come to propose earlier? When Dashi’s mother was titled Sui Feng Village Lady, they couldn’t wait to form the marriage bond? Third Brother, your granddaughter privately betrothed herself, but the boy’s family disliked her, unwilling to set the engagement. Without Dashi’s mother speaking some fair words, could your granddaughter have married over there?"

"Without Dashi’s mother, if our Gu Family girls get bullied at their husband’s homes, where can they seek justice? You guys are just using the girls as an excuse, pulling a cover to hide your shame. Today is Dashi’s father’s memorial day, and you’re not here to pay respects but to bully his orphan and widow. Heaven is watching your actions, and what benefits do you expect by following Youtian in taking Dashi’s shop? Dashi’s mother has already promised benefits for everyone right before your eyes, can’t you see? Let’s not talk about anything else, just the private school. Can any of you claim without conscience that our Gu Family children could all study without this school?"

The crowd felt embarrassed by Second Aunt’s words.

Especially when mentioning the school; although the school charged a minor fee for Gu Family children, it was affordable for everyone.

Occasionally, the school even provided paper and pens, saving them a lot of money.

If they offended Tong Dajiao and she angrily closed the school, their children wouldn’t have a place to study.

Tong Dajiao had money now to hire a private teacher for her own children, but what about them?

They couldn’t afford it.

Moreover, didn’t everyone envy, even hate, the old man for having two grandsons good at studying, while their descendants had to toil on the land?

Though Gu Jingzhe and Gu Ruinian were indeed clan members, their academic excellence illuminated only the old man’s lineage, how much benefit did other branches get?

So, they must rely on their offspring studying to bring greater benefits to their own families.

Second Aunt finished speaking and sat down with a stern face.

Great, no need for Tong Huaqiong to fight with words; Second Aunt was her best mouthpiece.

Tong Huaqiong sneered inside; these clan men, slightly incited by the old man and Gu Youtian, turned against her, yet swayed again by Second Aunt’s words.

It was clear they were a band of rabble.

However, precisely because of this, she could break them apart, scattering the clan’s strength completely.

"Second sister-in-law, aren’t you saying... men are more suited for business than women, Youtian taking over the business is the best way." The clan leader said.

The clan leader stopped talking about the Gu Family girls, steering the conversation elsewhere.

The old man promised him that once Gu Youtian took over the shop, he’d get some shares and let his grandson, Gu Dahu, manage the shop.

Such tempting conditions were irresistible, and even if Tong Huaqiong typically didn’t acknowledge him, he had to side with the old man and Gu Youtian.

Tong Huaqiong didn’t even look at the clan leader and said, "Third Uncle, isn’t your boy seventeen this year? It’s a bit late to start studying now. I’ve noticed he’s hardworking and diligent in other tasks; Dashi’s shop in the county town needs a reliable assistant. If you’re willing, let him go."

The third uncle, so-called by Tong Huaqiong, shed tears of excitement.

His grandson could find a job in town, which was something to be thankful for, and now he could even go to the county town.

Tong Huaqiong could easily hire people in the county town; this offer was a gesture for his grandson.

"Willing, willing, of course, willing. Dashi, when you return to the county town, take him with you. Whether you scold or beat him, I have no complaints, as long as he can make a living with you," the third uncle said excitedly.

"Fourth brother, your eldest son has a slight limp; I remember he went to school for a few years when he was young. If a stone hadn’t injured his leg, he might have been our village’s first scholar." Tong Huaqiong said.

This fourth brother is the old man’s cousin, who, thinking of his unfortunate eldest son, had red eyes.

"At the foot of the West Mountain, I plan to plant cotton soon. I need someone who knows writing and math to manage the hires. I see that the eldest nephew can write and do math, so I was thinking of having him help. Does that sound okay to you?"

The old man’s cousin was dumbfounded.

Ever since his eldest son became crippled and couldn’t study or work hard, he could only weave baskets at home to earn pocket change.

This son had been his lingering worry.

Now that Aunt Tong was willing to lend a helping hand, it was as if she was his child’s lifesaver.