After dinner, Second Auntie came to visit Ye Jiayao again.
Just as they were settling down, Qiao Xi came in and told her that Chunyu has brought some people with him to his farmlands and would be back late.
Ye Jiayao couldn’t help but feel frustrated at Chunyu’s impatience. It was already dark, couldn’t he have waited until tomorrow?
“Jinxuan, is something wrong?” Xia Peishan asked with concern.
“It’s not a big deal, Second Auntie. We just found out that not all of our employees in the farmlands are not being truthful,” Ye Jiayao answered lightly.
Peishan nodded in understanding. “I know what that’s like. Make sure you punish whoever this is accordingly to serve as an example and a warning to others.”
Ye Jiayao smiled at her to show her agreement.
Qiao Xi served them some tea as Jiang Yue presented them with two pieces of butter cake.
“Second Mistress, I made a fruit-flavored one today. Please try it and let me know what you think,” Jiang Yue said a bit shyly.
Peishan’s mouth watered at the sight of the pastries in front of her. She wasn’t normally such a glutton, but ever since she got here, she’s been presented with such exquisite foods that she has already gotten so used to it.
“How thoughtful of you!” Peishan said with a sigh. “Aye, what am I gonna do when I leave?”
Ye Jiayao’s brows furrowed as she looked at her in confusion.
Xia Peishan laughed. “Where am I gonna get these delicious foods when I go back? I’m afraid I have been spoiled now!”
Ye Jiayao laughed too. “Why don’t I get Yue-er to teach Ting Chan how to make them? That way she can make these for you whenever you want them.”
Ting Chan was Xia Peishan’s servant.
“Are you sure?”
Ye Jiayao smiled. “Of course, Second Auntie. In fact, why don’t I get Jiang Yue to teach her right now?”
Ting Chan, who was standing to the side, quickly said, “Thank you, Second Young Mistress.”
Jiang Yue and Ting Chan bowed before leaving together.
Xia Peishan savored the flavor of the cake with abandon. It was beautifully soft and fluffy as it melted in her mouth, and the rich taste of the milk was offset by the thin layer of the sweet and sour orange jam. She knew that there was a lot of careful thought and preparation put into this.
After a few more bites, she puts her spoon down and turned to Jinxuan with worried eyes. “I will be leaving in a few days and I worry about you. It looks like Zhou and Liu Li are now banding together. Liu Li would be leaving in the next three years, but Zhou is here to stay. She might not remember the people she owed money to but she definitely remembers those who have offended her. You have to always be on alert and on your guard.”
“I will, Second Auntie. Right now, I’m just trying to stay out of her way,” Ye Jiayao assured her.
Xia Peishan didn’t look convinced.
If she was being honest, Ye Jiayao wasn’t too sure about it either. When she signed Chunyu’s contract, the only thing she thought she was going to do was play the dutiful wife and manage the restaurant. She never imagined that she would have to deal with all these baggage.
“Luckily, your mother-in-law favors you. If you get into any trouble in the future, you can talk to her. If you ever need extra help, you can always write to me. If I can’t help you from afar, I will make a trip to you,” Xia Peishan told her sincerely. She might be tough and frank, but this young woman has made quite an impression on her. She could tell that she was a good person and she wanted to help her as much as possible.
“Don’t worry, Second Auntie, I will be careful. Besides, Chunyu would never let anything bad happen to me,” Ye Jiayao said.
Xia Peishan smiled at that. “That child is just like his grandfather. He looks so stoic and tough all the time, but deep down, he has a soft heart.”
Ye Jiayao thought back to their days at the Black Wind Ridge. Chunyu scared even the toughest of the bandits. Hell, he even scared her. The Chunyu she knows now was like a whole other person. Yes, he can still be scary but most of the time, he’s just caring and affectionate with her.
“Chunfeng, on the other hand, used to smile and laugh a lot. He’s always been a cheerful kid. Now, he looks like the whole world is on his shoulders. Seeing him like this worries me. I heard that he locks himself up in the study every night. If this goes on, how will their relationship improve?” Xia Peishan said, her voice heavy with concern and disappointment.
Ye Jiayao was shocked to hear that. She didn’t know that Chunfeng was hiding himself away in the study. Liu Li has been pretty lively and nice so she didn’t think there was something wrong with their marriage.
“Does Mother know about that?”
“I heard it from her. She’s also at a loss on what to do. The only thing she can think of doing right now is to keep talking to Chunfeng.”
After a few seconds of heavy silence, Xia Peishan heaved a long sigh. “Let’s not think more of it. That’s their problem. I actually wanted to ask you, Jinxuan, if you have any interest in investing in a mine?”
Invest in a mine? Ye Jiayao perked up. That’s a great way to make money! As long as the source of the mine is guaranteed to be sufficient, it’s pretty much a money pot!
“Second Auntie, is it a coal mine?”
“It is. Shan Xi is abundant in coal mines. I have a little over ten small coal mine in my hands, all of them churn large profits. I just have recently found a large coal mine and I’m wondering if you’re interested in investing. You can buy a share and if it makes money, you’ll get the profit. If it produces loss, then it’s on me,” Xia Peishan offered.
“That seems unfair, Auntie. Every business has a risk. If I were to buy a share, I will take ownership of the gains and losses,” Ye Jiayao told her. Second Uncle has been involved in the coal mining business for years, so if he has his sights set on this one, it’s likely that he’s right.
“Second Auntie, how do I buy a share?” Ye Jiayao asked, her eyes bright with interest.
Xia Peishan explained, “This coal mine is the biggest one discovered as of now. Its coals’ qualities are the best, mostly anthracite. Just getting the authority to extract coal from it costs five million silvers, and adding up the other capitals, it totals to at least eight million. A few of Shan Xi’s tycoons were eyeing it too, but we got our hands on it first.”
Ye Jiayao clicked her tongue. Eight million as capital? Second Auntie was indeed wealthy. However, with a quick calculation, Ye Jiayao found that a single share would cost 80 thousand taels. She only has around 200 thousand taels at hand and that would only buy her a measly two shares! How pathetic!
Xia Peishan knew that Jinxuan and Chunyu wouldn’t have a lot of money on hand. Their restaurant’s business might be good, but it’s still in its preliminary state. However, she wanted them to have this, so she said, “I’ll give you 50 thousand a share. How much would you like?”
That was a 40% discount! This was such a rare opportunity and Ye Jiayao couldn’t let this pass by. If worse comes to worst, she’d just borrow money from Zhao Qixuan.
“Second Auntie, can I just buy one share?” Ye Jiayao didn’t want to ask for too much since Xia Peishan has already given her such a huge deal.
Xia Peishan readily agreed. “Sure! You can take two shares if you want.”
She was willing to give her a discount because she has really hit it off with Jinxuan. It would be a good investment that would be beneficial for the new couple. Also, the news of someone from the Jing An Marquis residence investing in the mine would be a good thing for Peishan’s business. It’s a win-win all around.
“Then… let me discuss it with Chunyu first.” Two shares would cost a lot and she has to talk it over with her husband first.
“Alright. Just let me know before I leave.”
Even after Xia Peishan left, Ye Jiayao found herself still thinking about the mine. With her restaurant, she has to be hands-on and innovative to stay on top of her competitors and make sure that she’s gaining profit. If she invests in a coal mine, she just has to come out with a capital and receive a yearly profit. It’s hassle-free and worry-free!
She was so anxious about Chunyu’s return. Partly because she wanted to discuss the matter of the coal mine with him and also partly because she was afraid that things might not be going so well over on the farmlands.
It was well over midnight when Chunyu finally returned, his face tight and unreadable.
“Yue-er, go make the Heir-Son lord some noodles. Qiao Xi, go fetch some hot water,” Ye Jiayao ordered.
She helped him remove his coat and asked gently, “What took so long?”
“I was livid. I couldn’t believe what they’ve done,” he answered. “Not only did they deceive me, but they also used my name to cheat the tenant farmers and ruined my reputation. This is my fault for being so negligent.”
Ye Jiayao wanted to say that it was indeed his fault, but he was in such a bad mood that she didn’t want to add to his frustration.
“Well, you’ve fixed it now. I’m sure the farmers know you’re not to blame,” Ye Jiayao consoled.
Xia Chunyu said, “I brought all the account books back. Give them to Manager Bai tomorrow and tell him to settle it properly. I want those two to spit out all the money they took. I’ve also already promised the tenant farmers that I’ll decrease next year’s rent by half. They’ve already been exploited enough.”
“You did the right thing,” she told him. Those farmers needed all the help they could get and it wasn’t like they were hurting for money either.
Seeing how understanding and supportive Yaoyao was made Xia Chunyu feel better.
He sighed and said, “When the farmers found out about Manager Lu and Huang Yuan, they rushed over to air their grievances. For the longest time, they all thought that I was the one making the rules. They stayed silent because they were afraid of my position. When they all kneeled-down, it was just… it was heart-wrenching.”
“Stop blaming yourself, Chunyu. It’s in the past. It won’t do you any good to keep rehashing this. Don’t worry, from now on, I will make sure that the farm is managed well,” Ye Jiayao assured him.
A few minutes later, Jiang Yue entered with a bowl of shredded chicken noodles.
Letting out all his frustration and anger has lessened the heaviness in his heart and subsided his anger greatly, that he was able to enjoy the fragrance of the food.
His stomach rumbled with hunger and he proceeded to scarf down the noodles.
Ye Jiayao patiently waited for him to have his fill before she brought up the topic of the coal mine.
