Old Madam Gu wasn’t upset, she just said, "I’m just letting you watch and drool, how’s that."

The two old folks bickered with each other despite their age, showing their relationship was quite good, but Qin Yuan had never met this person, so she merely smiled silently.

The old lady then said to Qin Yuan, "Child, don’t be like your mother-in-law. She loves to show off in front of me. These past two years, my legs haven’t been agile, so I rarely come to chat with her. Once her son was married, it’s time for her to be more stable. But no! She can’t change—cough, cough—it’s hard to change one’s nature. Still such a troublesome person."

Old Madam Gu said, "Oh, go away, it’s not really because your legs aren’t agile, I heard my eldest sister-in-law say you still roam around..."

The old lady quickly interrupted, "You have to watch what you say in front of the juniors."

Old Madam Gu smiled and didn’t stop Qin Yuan from going over to talk.

The old lady smiled and held Qin Yuan’s hand, first asking her age, then asking whether she got along with her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, if Gu Sanlang was a good husband... As she spoke, she winked at Old Madam Gu and called over her own daughter-in-law, saying, "Look at how lovely she is, truly beautiful. Gu Sanlang is lucky."

Her daughter-in-law took a glance at Old Madam Gu’s expression, laughed, and said, "Mother, really. Nowadays, your son has signed an agreement with the Marquis, everyone working together, what are you bringing this up for? If it irritates Old Madam and she complains to the Marquis, wouldn’t it be troublesome for your son? Furthermore, the Marquis treats those like Gu Sanlang one way, but with the Marchioness, he’s sure to be a thoughtful, charming man."

Everyone laughed together.

Qin Yuan blushed but said nothing, thinking to herself, Marquis Gu had been busy back and forth these past days, not knowing what he was working on, seemingly involving the entire Gu family.

After the laughter, they got to the main topic. Old Madam Gu let Qin Yuan talk about the benefits of purchasing sacrificial land for the family, as the Marquis Mansion also needed to take care of the house servants and the old soldiers who had been to the battlefield with the Gu family, so it was necessary to establish a separate area recorded for the family. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"...Although it’s nominally the family’s property, most of the revenue has to be used for them, but this has advantages..."

Everyone listened quietly, occasionally interrupting with questions.

Qin Yuan explained several times, ensuring everyone understood the benefits of this plan.

The old lady clapped her hands and said, "This method is very clever. Recently, I heard the Marquis Mansion distributed money and grain to the old soldiers, each was grateful, that’s a good thing. But we people who thrive at the edge of the blade, our wealth mostly comes from weapons. If there is no more war to fight, it becomes easy to eat away what we have, you can manage for a while but not forever. The ancestors followed our ancestors risking their lives for nothing but hoping their descendants could be sheltered. Although there will be no war to fight in the future, what our ancestors passed down can’t be lost. What if something happens, where will we find people to use?"

"Yes, that’s why they say nurture soldiers for a thousand days, use them for an hour. They are the foundation of Gu family, can’t be neglected."

Someone chimed in.

Qin Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Old Madam Gu’s recent frequent visits had had an effect, indeed, everyone agreed, only a few had some small complaints.

"Ten fingers have different lengths, some families are well-off and look down on this little, but families that are struggling have to mind every little thing. If the family enterprise is rich, the money and grain distributed annually can be more, giving children more confidence pursuing studies and jobs."

"Indeed, seven daily necessities, fuel, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea are not free, money is a person’s confidence, having money you can stand tall, without money even in front of servants you can’t lift your face. Allocating some fields to them is fine, after all, they have been on the battlefield with our ancestors, but need to consider keeping some room for maneuver, can’t let servants climb over the rightful masters. Never mind anything else, sometimes seeking advancement in the Marquis Mansion needs to depend on the servants’ attitudes, truly masters can’t compete with the servants."

Qin Yuan noted this all down in her mind.

Old Madam Gu said, "Since everyone has no objections, let the men arrange this matter. As for the share you mentioned, let them worry about it. This expenditure, the Marquis Mansion will take the head, each family according to circumstances will contribute, how exactly, they will decide. Regardless, once this enterprise is arranged, annually there will be much more distributed to the family members, I think future relief can be increased, as well as money and grain."

Everyone nodded in agreement, even those with the most opinions said, "It’s certainly better than having none."

When there’s more meat in the pot, everyone’s portion gets more.

Those who don’t lack for meat don’t care.

But those living off just that little meat are different.

Old Madam Gu, with Qin Yuan, escorted the guests out of the mansion, then smiled and said, "Yuan’er, today’s matter went well, mother sees it, no one’s daughter-in-law or granddaughter-in-law is as smart and clever as you, none can compare to even a fingernail of yours."

Qin Yuan helped Old Madam Gu walking slowly back, smiled, and said, "Mother just likes me too much, hence the more she looks, the more she feels no one’s child can compare to hers."

Old Madam Gu laughed heartily, "But I feel the third child is not as endearing as other people’s children."

You really can’t talk behind people’s backs, just then Marquis Gu said in an aggrieved tone, "I didn’t expect mother to dislike her son to this extent, since my wife entered the door, mother can’t tolerate me anymore."

The mother and daughter-in-law turned back, seeing Marquis Gu in court attire, with his hands behind his back, like a lurking spirit, silently following them.

Old Madam Gu raised her cane threateningly.

"You brat, don’t you know people can be scared to death? If Yuan’er heard this, she’d only think of how to please me, but you, only thinking of scaring your mother. Tell me, are you the filial one or is Yuan’er?"

Marquis Gu glanced at Qin Yuan, stretched his neck, and said, "Anyway you have a daughter-in-law now, you can do without a son. Mother doesn’t care for her son, then hit."

Old Madam Gu’s cane stayed down.

"You scoundrel, talking nonsense, mother certainly cares about you."

Marquis Gu pushed his luck, shamelessly said, "Then mother should share some of the heart for daughter-in-law with son, son wants to go dine with mother, hear mother speak."

A few words coaxed Old Madam Gu into joy, "Haha, alright, alright, you go."

Marquis Gu then seriously said, "Then I’ll have someone invite Sixth Brother and Seventh Sister, our family hasn’t sat together for a chat in a long time."

Qin Yuan then knew, Marquis Gu had something to say, probably related to what he had been busy with these past days.

What she wanted to say herself, probably had to wait a bit longer.