CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 97: IS YOUR PRIME MINISTER REALLY A DESCENDANT OF THE QIN FAMILY?

"Good, good. Just because you reminded me, for this favor, if you want to collaborate with me, I agree!"

"Actually, we don’t need much land, just fiddling with a few dozen acres will do."

For now, it’s just experimental land, so it’s not good to have too much.

Father Xiang felt even less burdened upon hearing this, even if those few dozen acres are a loss, it wouldn’t have much impact on him.

Of course, for a partnership, a contract must be signed. After some discussion about the profit-sharing ratio, an agreement was drafted, and both parties signed and sealed it.

"A fifty-fifty split?"

Xiang Yin, after learning the content of the contract, felt a bit gloomy, thinking these two seemed to be getting something for nothing, but then he remembered they provided the planting plan, which seemed reasonable as well.

"Young Master, someone from the Qin Family has arrived!"

A voice came from outside, and Xiang Yin raised his eyebrows at Li Qingmu, meaning, brother, your family is here to take you home!

Li Qingmu shrugged, a hole dug by oneself must be filled by oneself.

"Young Master, everything at home is sorted out, the embroidery workshop is reopening, and over twenty of the old Qin Family members have gathered, now just waiting for you to take charge!"

Elder Qin, invigorated, was brought in and immediately started talking about the Qin family’s business upon seeing Li Qingmu.

But Li Qingmu just shook his head.

Elder Qin suddenly became anxious, his eyes reddened, "Young Master, you are the only descendant of our Qin family, if you don’t take up this responsibility, who else can?"

"Elder Qin, you’ve misunderstood, the Prime Minister doesn’t mean that." Long Yue poured Elder Qin a cup of tea with a smile and said, "The Prime Minister now has academic honors, so doing business might not be suitable."

"Ah, this..."

Elder Qin was stunned, there was such a saying?

"Elder Qin, you should know Brother Xiang, his father doesn’t let him get involved in family business matters, precisely because of this reason."

"Ah? Then... what should we do? The brand of Qin Xiu cannot be lost!"

Elder Qin was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, turning in circles, and Li Qingmu, worried about his health, quickly said, "I won’t handle it, but my wife can. She is a woman and not bound by some rules, and besides, my wife is smart and resourceful, she will surely be able to enhance Qin Xiu."

"Really?"

Elder Qin probably didn’t quite believe a woman could run an embroidery workshop, so he looked at Long Yue doubtfully.

"Elder Qin, you must trust Lady Yue!"

Yun Niang’s voice came from outside the house, she had been waiting outside all along and couldn’t hold back anymore.

To be honest, asking her to manage the Qin Family Embroidery Workshop together with Li Qingmu was indeed a bit much for her, but if it were with Long Yue? That wouldn’t be a problem at all!

So she couldn’t wait to speak up.

Elder Qin was still hesitant, his heart set on restoring the glory of the Qin Family Embroidery Workshop from over ten years ago, which had become his obsession, and now seeing an opportunity, how could he give up?

But from the Young Master’s attitude, it seemed he had no intention of managing it...

"Alas—"

He sighed long and deeply, looking helpless, but he was a servant, and the Young Master was the master, so he couldn’t say the Young Master was wrong, thus he said, "Yun Niang, can you guarantee this for me?"

"Of course! Elder Qin probably doesn’t know, but Lady Yue’s double-sided embroidery is very beautiful! Look, we’ll combine the delicacy of Qin Xiu with double-sided embroidery’s variety, surely we can make this workshop successful!"

Yun Niang began giving Elder Qin a pep talk, and Elder Qin listened with red eyes.

"If this is true, that’s excellent!" Elder Qin suddenly became spirited and invigorated, "Yun Niang, I don’t trust others, but I trust you. Since you say the Young Madam’s skills are commendable, I think you won’t deceive me, come, let’s go, didn’t you say earlier you wanted to discuss something with the Young Madam? Go, quickly, you two have a good talk!"

There’s something to discuss with me?

Long Yue squinted her eyes; could it be that some suspicion had arisen about their identities? She was cautious in her heart but remained confident and composed as she went to the next room with Su Yunniang.

"Yun Niang, I never thought you were from the Qin family!"

As soon as they entered, Long Yue took the initiative to start the conversation, preparing to keep control of the rhythm to avoid any hesitation on her part.

Yun Niang smiled and nodded, "Yes, it’s unexpected, isn’t it? Do you still remember when I told you about my husband’s family?"

"I remember! You couldn’t stand your quirky in-laws, so you divorced him."

"Yes, that’s true, but it’s not the whole story."

Long Yue became more cautious, her face showing curiosity, "What do you mean?"

"My husband’s relatives are indeed quirky, but that’s not why I wanted a divorce. Lady Yue, I lied to you earlier, I divorced my husband because... he wasn’t a good person! He’s a scoundrel, after marrying me, he fell for another woman and even encouraged her to cause trouble for me. In a fit of rage, I divorced him!"

After saying this, she glanced at Long Yue and sighed, "I’m sorry, it was too embarrassing, I didn’t want to tell you at the time, but I genuinely wanted to befriend you, you... aren’t mad at me, are you?"

Su Yunniang cautiously probed, and Long Yue shook her head with a smile, "No, everyone has their secrets, and besides, this is a family matter, family scandals shouldn’t be spread, you’re right not to say it!"

"Lady Yue... oh, I should call you Young Madam now, I was wrong before, you’re really not mad at me?"

"I’m not!"

"That’s great, we’re still good sisters!"

Yun Niang is thirty-six, while Long Yue is only sixteen...

Women like to portray themselves as younger, and though this sisterhood seems a bit inappropriate, there are cross-generational friendships among men as well, and Long Yue isn’t rigid, so she responded with a smile.

Following this, the two exchanged many ideas, discussing ways to improve Qin Xiu, such as combining it with double-sided embroidery.

During this, Yun Niang said her hands had been injured before, making it difficult to do intricate embroidery, so Long Yue suggested that Yun Niang teach her, and she would then teach trustworthy embroiderers, so they could all work together to expand Qin Xiu.

The two women had many insights about embroidery, and soon they spent an entire afternoon talking, until it was dark outside before Yun Niang stood up to leave.

"Young Madam, you and the Young Master shouldn’t stay at the Xiang Family; if this spreads, what will we Qin Family members do? Wouldn’t we be talked about behind our backs, saying we can’t accommodate the Young Master?"

"How could that be? When you rushed in at the county government, your vigor showed your loyalty, who would dare to say a bad word?"

"True, the Young Madam is sensible. So, you should move quickly!"

Yun Niang said a lot, and as she was about to leave, she suddenly turned around, looking at Long Yue, "Lady Yue... is your husband really a descendant of the Qin family?"

The smile in Long Yue’s eyes slightly faded, but she still maintained her undefeated smile, "I don’t know either; at that time, the Madam chased us out of the Li family and then threw over that bundle of swaddling clothes. Later, I saw the embroidery on the swaddle was familiar, so I asked around..."

"I see, I understand now!"