The bedroom felt bustling under the lamplight before dawn. Remember the website address to read: \(¨Completed¨Book¨God¨Station¨) Read high-quality literature for free.

"...Ever since the news arrived, it's been noisy everywhere these past few days, especially among those scholars, making quite a stir..."

Wrapped in her quilt, Su Tan'er propped herself up in bed, reaching out to straighten her husband's clothes. It wasn't even the end of the first month yet, and it was still freezing outside. Though the room had been heated warmly the night before, the temperature had dropped slightly. Su Tan'er, wearing only a light undergarment, poked out of the quilt for a moment before quickly retreating back in, only her head remaining exposed as she spoke with Ning Yi.

Although she was already a leading figure in a large business, having managed various ventures for years, she had only consummated her marriage with her husband at the end of the previous year. While she was usually poised and confident, she appeared endearingly innocent and girlish at this moment, wrapped in her quilt and speaking to her husband. This was simply the way of the times; despite her extensive experience in the business world, Su Tan'er still seemed like a young maiden in the intimacy of her bedroom.

As Ning Yi got out of bed, Chan'er and Juan'er entered with water basins and washcloths. Su Tan'er's boudoir wasn't particularly large to begin with. Before the New Year, all of Ning Yi's belongings had been moved in, and even after some tidying, the four of them still felt somewhat cramped. However, Su Tan'er wasn't fussy about such things, saying that it felt warmer this way until their new house was built. Warmer it certainly was. Ning Yi accepted the washcloth from Xiao Chan, sat on the edge of the bed, and exchanged a few casual words.

"The academy has been discussing these matters these past few days as well. Everyone feels a bit uneasy, fearing that the Jin and Liao states won't actually go to war. Some also say that the Jin state is weak and frail, and although they've won a few battles, they're ultimately afraid of the Liao state. Others say that our Wu dynasty isn't proactive enough; if we were more proactive, the Jin state might be more resolute… Ha, these people certainly have ideas…"

"Yesterday, I heard Master Qi from the Qi family mention at the cloth shop that Lord Zhongheng of the Qing Garden and others want to call on famous scholars to petition the government. They even asked me about your opinion, Husband…"

"Yesterday, two old masters came to the academy to find me… I'm hardly a famous scholar."

"But you are Jiangning's foremost talent, Husband. It's only natural that they would seek you out. Did you agree?"

"Uncle Chonghua helped me speak up, wanting to show off. I agreed to sign my name when the time comes. It's just a gimmick anyway, it won't do much good."

"There's strength in numbers."

"Ha, it might not truly be that many…"

As the others moved around the bedroom, Ning Yi took the washcloth to wash his face. Xiao Chan reached out to take it, but Ning Yi waved her away. The little maid pouted, as if Ning Yi had stolen her job.

Because news of the impending conflict between the Jin and Liao states had been circulating in the Wu dynasty for quite some time, the announcement of their peace talks brought a sense of disappointment to the common people. Many scholars and gentlemen felt it was a pity. Some felt that the Wu dynasty should actively deploy troops and seize the opportunity to ally with the Jin state. In any case, the discussions were quite lively. Ning Yi and Su Tan'er were also affected, bringing it up as morning conversation.

"I think it's better if the war is delayed a bit."

"Does the family have business with the Liao state?"

"Yes, some… but it's not just for that reason…" Su Tan'er nodded in the quilt, then shook her head. "It's just that the Wu family's business was recently taken over, and it hasn't been settled yet. If a war breaks out now, it might be prone to unforeseen events… Of course, I'm just saying…"

As she spoke, Juan'er, who was organizing the wardrobe, suddenly laughed. "Speaking of the Wu family, Young Master, Miss, the Wu family must be furious now, right?"

This girl was usually obedient and quiet, with occasional moments of slyness. At these words, everyone in the room couldn't help but laugh: Ning Yi, Su Tan'er, Chan'er… Ning Yi's initial threat to the Wu family had relied on the momentum of the impending war, ultimately scaring the Wu family into not risking their entire family's lives. Now, not long after the New Year, the Wu and Su families had completed the handover. Others only thought that the Wu family had cut off their wrist to save the rest of their arm, but if they knew the specific details, they would probably die laughing.

It was early morning, and the oil lamp cast a warm yellow glow in the room. The group of people laughed softly, but it was truly warm and cozy. After a while, Su Tan'er brought up other matters. "If you're free, Husband, how about we travel around as a family this summer?"

"Summer?"

"Yes, in a few months, after the spring silk harvest, we'll take a trip to Suzhou and Hangzhou, sightseeing along the way. As the saying goes, 'Above is paradise, below are Suzhou and Hangzhou.' The family has some properties in those areas, so we can go there to escape the heat when it gets hot."

"That sounds good."

"Then I'll start making arrangements."

Ning Yi nodded in agreement, and Su Tan'er became happy. In reality, it was only the end of January, and if they were to travel in the summer, there was no need to start planning so early. However, Su Tan'er had some things of her own in mind. In the past, when she was in charge of the main family's business, she would go out once a year, initially with her father, and later on her own with family guards. This was also to familiarize herself with the specific situations of the properties in various locations, so that when she truly took over the business, she wouldn't just be staying at home and making decisions behind closed doors.

When she married Ning Yi, it was because she had experience traveling far from home. Things were different now, of course. This year, she had taken over the entire main family. Originally, she shouldn't be running around everywhere, but with her relationship with Ning Yi having progressed to its current state, Su Tan'er valued both the family business and the desire to manage their marriage well, planning to be a virtuous wife and loving mother. For this, she was even willing to compromise on some of the petty calculations in the business world. She wanted to take advantage of the "custom" to go out and travel together.

In addition, there were some deeper and more complex reasons. The previous maneuver against the Wu family, which she and her husband Ning Yi had executed brilliantly, had greatly boosted her reputation and stabilized her position in the Su family. However, after her father recovered from his injuries, he still had sufficient control over the main family. Su Tan'er learned her father's style and, as a woman, was extremely skilled in subtle operations in all aspects, but when it came to being seasoned and steady, she was still a little behind her father.

Although Su Boyong was paralyzed, he was not too old and his mind was clear. After Xi Junyu's matter was exposed, he ordered the Hundred Blades Alliance to hunt down and kill almost all of them. The old man's ruthlessness and prestige were ultimately irreplaceable aspects in the main family. Su Tan'er's status had now been determined and could not be shaken, but for the next few years, it was foreseeable that her father would still have to escort her for a period of time.

Although there was a certain gap in affection between Su Tan'er and Su Boyong, there was not much estrangement in the inheritance of power. There was no major problem asking Su Boyong to hand over all power, but Su Tan'er may not be able to take it all over at this time. There was a natural understanding internally, but externally, on the one hand, Su Boyong had control over the main family, and on the other hand, the old patriarch announced that Su Tan'er had taken over the affairs of the main family, which inevitably created some differences in the eyes of outsiders. Due to these factors, Su Tan'er first made a choice.

After the great victory against the Wu family, she stopped and restrained her edge to recuperate, first digesting the results of this time as much as possible, so that there would be no trouble. On the other hand, Su Tan'er's personal limelight had been enough. She was only twenty years old, so there was no need to rush forward. She still wanted to put her father in front, and when her image faded, others would see the entire Su family, not just the main family. The second and third families also had interests to occupy, so at this time, she no longer needed to be limited to the main family when thinking about things. She could start thinking about allocating benefits to the second and third families, and some people would always remember her beautiful methods. In addition, with the war in the north, she was also thinking about shifting the focus of various businesses to the southeast, and Suzhou and Hangzhou were the most developed areas, which must be the top priority in the future. She highlighted the image of the Su family in Jiangning, and she could go to Suzhou and Hangzhou to observe, which was beautiful in all aspects.

Of course, there was no need to mention these things too much. She thought it over in her heart, and she only remembered that she was going out with her husband, so she had made a great sacrifice. She didn't want to get up when she was lying in bed before, but now she put on her clothes and got up, preparing to plan the summer trip in advance. Chan'er and Juan'er also liked to go out to play, so they served Miss to dress and wash her face while discussing it with her in a low voice.

Ning Yi greeted them and opened the door to go out for morning exercise. It was just dawn, and the snow piled up in the courtyard, and several snowmen outlined vague outlines in the courtyard. Ning Yi did a few stretching exercises under the eaves, and Xing'er, who was sitting there burning the fire in the temporarily built small kitchen, poked her head out and said, "Young Master is up."

The morning breeze was cold, and the entire Su family mansion, where chickens and dogs could be heard, was gradually waking up.

********************

"What exactly is the background of that Bamboo Lodge..."

As morning approached, the streets of the Qinhuai River became lively. Ships sailed on the river in the cold air, and pedestrians, carriages, vendors, and porters on the streets had already begun to render the day's hustle and bustle. A carriage stopped in front of a restaurant called Jubinlou, and a man in his thirties stepped out of the carriage. This man had a slightly pointed chin, wore a wealthy merchant's outfit, and had a folding fan inserted behind his back. Honestly, carrying a fan in this year was a very 2B thing, but he took it out from behind him and opened it to fan himself a few times in the freezing morning wind. At this time, he frowned and looked at the beautiful restaurant on the opposite side of the road facing the river.

This pointed chin looked somewhat like a wealthy merchant, somewhat like a literati looking at the fan, somewhat like an idiot fanning in this weather, and his appearance and spirit were somewhat similar to the ruffians on the street. The Jubinlou behind him was originally closed, and the lights inside were probably on to prepare for opening. After the four-unlike pointed chin came, the door was opened, and a shopkeeper quickly greeted him from inside: "Master Chen, you're here, so early?"

"Early for what? I just came out of Yancui Tower and was planning to go home to catch up on sleep. I passed by here... this Bamboo Lodge Jin'er Shop, isn't this stealing food from the tiger's mouth? Who opened it? What's the background?"

The shopkeeper was stunned for a moment, and then bowed: "In response to Master, the shopkeeper of Bamboo Lodge sent a greeting card before. The shopkeeper there's surname is Lin, an old man, but the owner behind him seems to be two women. They are seen coming every day, but I haven't heard of any background... oh, I heard that they are two girls who have redeemed themselves from the brothel."

"Redeemed themselves?" Chen Si laughed, "You're bluffing me... there's no such thing as a girl who will redeem herself."

He looked at the restaurant again and again, his face turned gloomy, shook his head: "This restaurant cannot be opened here, it's robbing business, it's clearly going against our Chen family... let them move away." (To be continued.) Vote for recommendation, monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation.)

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