EBE Chapter 321 Worry
Chapter 321 Worry
Now Yuan Yu has taken the initiative to offer Yaoyuefang to Prince Duan for free. For the sake of the silver, Prince Duan should no longer bother with the Yuan family and Prince Yi.
This way, it's the best of both worlds.
Zhou Chang understood the reason, but Yaoyuefang was a goose that only laid golden eggs: "Old sir, you have thought it through, but Yaoyuefang must have cost you a lot of effort, are you willing to give it up?"
Yuan Yu shook his head: "When doing business, if you lose, you gain. Yaoyuefang is now a big tree that attracts the wind. Sooner or later, it will become a hot potato. It's better to give it up."
"Does Prince Duan dare to accept it directly?" Zhou Chang knew that she was not qualified to say "no", and she was also an indirect beneficiary in this matter.
Yuan Yu had naturally thought about it over and over again: "The Yuan family did not open Yaoyuefang in the name of the Yuan family. There are also many shops opened by Prince Duan through relatives. He will naturally not accept them directly, but as long as they are willing, he will find a way."
"Thank you very much, old sir." Zhou Chang bowed to express his gratitude.
"Your Highness is too polite." Yuan Yu was stunned for a moment, then realized that Zhou Chang had understood his intentions. He smiled comfortingly and mentioned another matter, "Your Highness, do you still remember that I mentioned something about Prince Duan when I was in the prison?"
"Uh..." Zhou Chang took some effort to remember what Yuan Yu said and nodded.
At that time, Yuan Yu mentioned that he had the account books and evidence of Prince Duan's bribery.
"Your Highness asked me to put them in Qi'er's hands at that time, but Qi'er is a girl after all, and now she has married Your Highness. There is no use for the Yuan family to keep those things. They were originally only used for internal reconciliation. Why don't you ask Your Highness to take them away and dispose of them on your behalf." Yuan Yu spared no effort today and gave everything he could to Prince Yi.
Zhou Chang waved his hands: "No, no, no... I have no use for these things for now, please keep them safe, old man."
Yuan Yu's issue has been resolved, and Zhou Chang doesn't want to provoke Prince Duan again. Unless there is some plan or plot, there is no point in having such a thing.
Yuan Yu smiled and said, "Your Highness, don't rush to refuse. I have already had the things put in the carriage along with some northern specialties. This thing is useless in the Yuan family, but it may be useful to Your Highness one day. If Your Highness finds it useless, just destroy it, and I will not say no."
Well, in this case Zhou Chang had no way to refuse and could only accept it.
The two chatted for a while, and as it got dark, Zhou Chang got up and said goodbye.
Yuan Yu was escorted to the main hall, where Yuan Qi and Yuan Jie were already waiting.
The brother and sister were talking and laughing, very intimate.
"The last subject made such a big fuss, I guess there won't be any shortcuts in the future," Yuan Qi's clear voice was slightly drunk, "You have to study hard, and if you can pass the imperial examination in the future, it will be a glory for the Yuan family."
"Sister, are you drunk? Why are you so talkative?" Yuanjie asked.
"No, drinking a few more glasses is nothing, how can that be called drunkenness?" Yuan Qi denied.
"Then..." Yuan Jie was about to say something when Zhou Chang and Yuan Yu walked in.
Yuan Qi and Yuan Jie hurriedly stood up to greet them.
Zhou Chang saw Yuan Qi's rosy cheeks, which were the most rosy cheeks of a little girl he had never seen before. He suddenly thought of something and turned to Yuan Yu and said, "Old man, I know that Yuan Qi has been learning business from you since she was a child, and she is also the young master of the Yuan family. Although she is married now, I don't want her to be confined to a small palace. As long as she is willing, I hope she can continue to do what she likes."
"How can this be possible?" Yuan Yu was surprised and stared at Zhou Chang's expression, not sure whether she was speaking in a positive or negative way.
Yuan Qi was also stunned, but unlike Yuan Yu, she was more happy than surprised.
"Yuan Qi is really as capable as a man, and she has the courage to take responsibility," Zhou Chang said sincerely, and turned to look at Yuan Qi, "No one stipulates that women can't do business. As long as you are willing, don't worry about what others think or say. I support you."
Yuan Qi's eyes were filled with tears, and he grabbed Zhou Chang's hand, wanting to say something. But suddenly he realized that this action was inappropriate, and tried to let go.
Zhou Chang didn't think too much about it and just grabbed it. He didn't expect Yuan Qi to be so excited. He smiled and said, "Since you like it, it's settled."
She couldn't trap Yuan Qi in the boudoir just because of a fake marriage. She always felt guilty about it and she couldn't delay Yuan Qi.
In the carriage returning to the palace, the two of them sat side by side, with no one else around.
The sound of horse hooves "clacking" on the stone road, after an unknown amount of time, Yuan Qi suddenly turned his head to look at Zhou Chang and said softly: "Your Highness, do you know why I like doing business so much?"
Zhou Chang was stunned by the question. She had never thought about this question before.
I just thought that if it were me, I would definitely be willing to do something. As an ancient woman, it is always better than staying in the boudoir all day.
Yuan Qi's eyes drifted far out of the car, his body shrouded in a hazy and slightly tipsy atmosphere, and his voice seemed to come from another time and space: "For my mother."
"Mother?" Zhou Chang didn't understand.
"So that my mother's spirit in heaven would no longer worry." Yuan Qi's voice was clear and ethereal, yet filled with lingering longing and sadness.
Zhou Chang vaguely remembered that Yuan Qi seemed to have mentioned it once, but he was not sure: "Does your mother also like to do business?"
Yuan Qi shook his head slightly, still looking out the window, as if lost in memories: "Ever since I can remember, I have been loved by my parents. I have been following my father in business since I was a child and I understand everything. But my mother often regrets that I am not a boy and cannot inherit the family business and establish my own family. Although my mother was born in a wealthy family like the Zhu family in Pingjiang, she still saw too much jealousy and intrigue among women... What's the point of that?"
She seemed to be talking to herself, and Zhou Chang was listening beside her.
"My mother was always worried that as a girl I wouldn't be able to support my family independently and would be bullied. So I learned how to do business, wanting to prove that I was no worse than boys. However, until her death, my mother was still worried. She worried that I would get married, have children, have no one to rely on, and that I wouldn't be able to... All these worries were because I was a woman. As a woman, what does it matter even if you are born into such a family?" Yuan Qi's voice became lower and lower as he spoke, and it was almost inaudible at the end.
Zhou Chang couldn't help feeling sad as he listened.
Yuan Qi muttered for a while, then suddenly turned back and stared at Zhou Chang: "Your Highness, tell me, in this world, are there any men that a woman can rely on? Are there any families that a woman can rely on? Are there any in-laws that a woman can rely on? Are there any careers that a woman can rely on?"
"This..." Zhou Chang couldn't answer. She had understood a truth long ago. In this world, it is better to rely on yourself than on anyone else. She comforted him dryly, "You have always been the young master of the Yuan family. You don't need to rely on anyone."
"Young Master?" Yuan Qi smiled sadly, "Without my father, what kind of Young Master would I be? Without the Yuan family, what would I be?"
There was a trace of brokenness in Qiuhong's sparkling eyes, like the red glow of the setting sun. Zhou Chang had never seen Yuan Qi like this before.
She had an urge to say to Yuan Qi: "You still have me."
But she couldn't say it anyway because she had no right to do so.
Yuan Qi stared at Zhou Chang for a long time, finally smiled sadly, slowly closed his eyes, tilted his head, and fell on Zhou Chang's shoulder.
Yuan Qi was really drunk.
The dim light from the car window passed across Yuan Qi's face, which was as white as jade and as rosy as white. It was so close to her that Prince Yi's heart was moved and he wanted to kiss her.
Zhou Chang was startled and quickly pinched his thigh.
What's wrong with her?
No, not her.
It’s Prince Yi.
Could it be that Prince Yi has fallen in love?
No, it's impossible.
Zhou Chang let Yuan Qi lean on him until his wildly beating heart calmed down. Perhaps it was because she could not resist Yuan Yu's persuasion and drank two glasses of wine tonight.
It seems that from now on, I must not drink any more alcohol.