Quick Wear: Reversing Life

Chapter 486: The eldest daughter-in-law of a wealthy family (8)

Not long after, Hongling really brought the person over.

The man's name was Feng Shen. He was not very old, not tall but very thin. From a distance he looked like a bamboo pole, and he had two goat beards on his face.

"I am Fengshen, a humble servant, honored to meet the Marquis' wife."

"I heard from Hongling that you were once the shopkeeper of Tianxiang Pavilion."

"It's down."

Although the original owner had no impression of Feng Shen, she did remember that before she got married, Tianxiang Pavilion was the best shop in the family.

Therefore, when the original owner got married, she learned that her mistress gave her Tianxiang Pavilion as a dowry shop, and she was very grateful for her mistress's generosity.

Who knew that after marrying into the Marquis's Mansion, the business of Tianxiang Pavilion would get worse and worse every year.

I think it is what Hongling said. The shopkeeper at that time was Feng Shen, but later he was replaced by Yan Yang.

"I'm looking for a new manager for Tianxiang Pavilion, and Hongling recommended you to me," Fu Huaiying said. "I know you're very familiar with Tianxiang Pavilion, but I'd still like to hear Mr. Feng talk about his business experience."

Feng Shen bowed and said with a genial smile, "I am just a commoner, not a wealthy merchant. I don't have any business skills. I just make money through hard work and honesty."

Fu Huaiying said, "Mr. Feng is too modest. Tianxiang Pavilion's business was once booming, and even I have heard of it a little bit."

Feng Shen said, "Madam, you are so kind."

"If I were to ask you to continue to serve as the shopkeeper at Tianxiang Pavilion, would you be willing, Mr. Feng?"

"I am grateful for your appreciation, Madam. I am willing to serve you with all my heart and soul."

Fu Huaiying smiled and said, "I have a new way of doing business. Mr. Feng, why don't you sit down and have a cup of tea and listen to me explain it in detail."

...

After Feng Shen left with a happy face, Hong Xiu said, "Madam is really amazing. You have so many novel ideas."

"But if you tell him like this, aren't you afraid that he will learn it later?"

“Don’t employ people you doubt, and don’t doubt them. Besides, this approach will be learned by others sooner or later.”

Fu Huaiying handed the manuscript on the table to Hongxiu and said, "Go and deliver this to the owner of the Golden Fan Pavilion. If he is smart, he will know what to do."

"So the pattern you spent the whole afternoon drawing was for a fan. I thought you wanted to embroider a sachet or a handkerchief."

Then Hongxiu frowned again and said, "If the old lady knew about this, she would definitely say that we have degraded ourselves."

"Just keep it a secret from her." Fu Huaiying said, "Reputation is false. Only money in your hands is real."

Hongxiu has always taken Huaiying's words as her guiding principle.

When the old lady was in charge of the household, Hongxiu felt that the old lady was really unreasonable.

Not only is the wife not allowed to exploit the shop too much, but if it suffers losses, the owner will blame her for not being able to manage the household.

"Only those who have never managed a household would think this is a good job." Hongxiu said, "Look, the Second Madam has been extremely busy preparing for the flower viewing banquet recently. I heard she even spent a lot of money to hire a gardener to take care of the peonies in the garden."

At this time, Hongling, who had sent Feng Shen out, also returned. Upon hearing this, she couldn't wait to say, "I heard that the Second Madam withdrew another 500 taels of silver from the account office."

"After waiting for a while, Madam Second will realize that the money in the mansion cannot afford to be spent like this."

"The head of the household still has to look to our wife."

...

Zhao Ying’s wedding banquet was scheduled for the ninth day of the fifth lunar month.

There was a gentle breeze and sunny skies that day, and the flowers in the garden were in full bloom.

Seats have been set up on the flat ground. Although there are not so many rules to separate men and women in this dynasty, men and women still sit at different seats.

Unmarried men and women sat on each side, and the main table was occupied by Zhao Ying's three sisters-in-law.

Fu Huaiying claimed to be ill and stayed indoors for several days, staying in the side room to take care of the shop business.

She never asked about how Chu Yuexiang organized the flower viewing banquet, and Chu Yuexiang never came to see her.

On the morning of the flower viewing banquet, Fu Huaiying wore a light blue skirt and went to the garden with Hongxiu.

On the way, I also met my third brother's wife Liu Shuyu.

Liu Shuyu's father was a second-rank official, the highest-ranking father among the three daughters-in-law.

This person was well-known for her talent when she was still a teenager. She was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and was especially good at painting.

Liu Shuyu has been married into the marquis's mansion for two years, but has not yet conceived a child. She often paints and recites poetry in the courtyard with her husband Zhao Xuan, which is very sweet.

Liu Shuyu was a proud and taciturn person. She looked down on the original owner for her concubine's daughter background and would mock her with words. She also did not like Chu Yuexiang's behavior of playing both sides. She was quite arrogant and self-righteous.

Fu Huaiying remembered that she and her husband Zhao Xuan became estranged after only a few years because Zhao Xuan wanted to take a concubine. Later, Zhao Xuan also gave birth to a bunch of illegitimate sons and daughters.

When Liu Shuyu saw Fu Huaiying, she didn't even call her "sister-in-law" when no one was around. She just glanced at her lightly and then looked away.

Fu Huaiying didn't mind, and didn't even take it seriously, and passed by Liu Shuyu.

When Liu Shuyu saw this, her brows furrowed instantly, as if she was somewhat dissatisfied with Fu Huaiying's reaction.

A concubine who serves as a wife to her brother-in-law, I don't know what there is to be proud of.

Liu Shuyu stared at Fu Huaiying's back, feeling very disdainful.

When the two of them arrived at the garden together, there were already several young ladies standing in groups of three or four among the flowers, admiring them.

Liu Shuyu has always disliked being around crowds, so she walked straight to her seat, sat down, and started drinking tea by herself.

Chu Yuexiang was accompanying Zhao Ying at this time. Zhao Ying quickly saw the lady who was on good terms with him and went straight to find his friend.

Chu Yuexiang could only walk to Fu Huaiying's side and said with a smile: "Why are you dressed so simply today, sister-in-law?"

In the summer with flowers in full bloom, it is pleasing to the eye to wear something fresh.

But Fu Huaiying said: "Today, you and I are the green leaves, why should we steal the limelight from the red flowers?"

Chu Yuexiang was wearing a purple dress with floral patterns, and she looked quite happy.

After hearing what Fu Huaiying said, she seemed to think that she should dress more simply today.

However, Zhao Ying was wearing an orange-red dress today. The silk was of high quality and it looked radiant in the sun. It matched her red flower-like face perfectly and no one could steal her limelight.

"Ying'er is in her prime. No matter how gorgeously we married women dress, we can't compare to their youthful splendor."

Fu Huaiying didn't say anything.

After Chu Yuexiang finished speaking, she remembered that her elder sister-in-law Fu Huaiying was younger than her and Liu Shuyu, and only four years older than her younger sister-in-law.

When Liu Shuyu heard Chu Yuexiang's words, the expression on her face turned cold, and she felt even more displeased with Chu Yuexiang.

At this time, many young men also came into the garden one after another.

Chu Yuexiang leaned over to Fu Huaiying and whispered, "Mother-in-law likes Wang Qinghe, the one with the bamboo pattern on the hem."

Fu Huaiying fixed his eyes on the crowd and saw the other person's appearance.

"Wang Qinghe is nineteen years old. He recently arrived in the capital to take part in this year's imperial examination. His father is the Sima of Yanzhou—a lowly official position, but one with considerable accomplishments."

Fu Huaiying knew that, after all, the flower-viewing banquet in the previous life was organized by the original owner, and the old lady also told her about the son-in-law she had chosen.