Chapter 561: Shifting Responsibility 2 (1/2)

Xiyan took out a letter from her sleeves and presented it to Chu Lian. “Third Young Madam, this letter came from the northern border. It’s from Manager Qin.”

Chu Lian opened the letter and skimmed through it quickly.

When she finished reading, she smiled and said, “Manager Qin has finished setting up the simple market, so he and the others are already on the way back to the capital.”

Since everything was going swimmingly, Xiyan was happy as well.

The mood in Songtao Court was harmonious with the sounds of laughter and happy chatter, but it was the complete opposite in the gloomy Qingxi Hall.

The matriarch slammed the letters in her hand on the side table, her complaints bursting out in a furious exclamation. “This is absurd! How can these people be so brazen!”

He Ying stood by her side, dabbing at her tears. “Mother, please don’t be angry. It’s all my fault. I couldn’t find a good chef, causing Guilin Restaurant to get criticised.”

Senior Servant Liu stood behind the matriarch and patted the matriarch’s back. There was a disapproving expression on her face as she looked at He Ying.

“Enough, stop weeping. This isn’t completely your fault; Sanlang’s wife transferred all of the original personnel away, so there’s nothing you could have done about it!”

He Ying wiped away her tears and nodded dejectedly. “Mother, what are we going to do then? Our family still needs funds! We couldn’t possibly go borrowing from others, right?!”

There was only a small amount of funds left in the public accounts in the first place. After they were returned to Matriarch He’s hands, Muxiang and He Ying had both taken their cut, leaving a paltry sum of income. The funds couldn’t cover their estate’s expenses now.

The matriarch’s brows were furrowed tightly together. She hadn’t thought that she would have to worry about their bread and butter even after reaching such a grand old age. She should’ve been happily retired by now.

Seeing the terrible expression on the matriarch’s face, Pan Nianzhen spoke up in a soft tone, “Grandmother, I’ve heard that Aunt’s health has gotten much better. She can get off the bed and walk around now, as well as take care of the management of her courtyard!”

Thanks to Pan Nianzhen’s reminder, a lightbulb went off in He Ying’s head.