Ye Mansion.

"Yan. Come here."

Ye Chutang beckoned him over, handing him a stack of papers.

"Later, I need you to go post these hiring notices."

Ye Jingyan took them with both hands and examined them closely, a little surprised.

"Sister, you’re hiring shopkeepers?"

"Not just shopkeepers. We also need waiters and servants. When the old shopkeepers fled, some of the staff left with them to show their loyalty." Ye Chutang recalled the scene, still finding it rather amusing. "We can’t just leave these thirteen shops empty. Fortunately, the Capital City is full of capable people. As long as our offers are generous enough, we won’t have to worry about finding good shopkeepers."

As she spoke, she took out a thick stack of silver notes she had prepared earlier from a drawer.

Sitting nearby, Xiao Wu’s eyes instantly lit up, her gaze eagerly glued to the notes.

Ye Jingyan was also taken aback. "This much?"

"Some money should be saved, but other money should be spent. Our shops are all losing money. If we don’t show some sincerity, I’m afraid no one will be willing to come."

Ye Chutang clicked her tongue lightly.

"Just think about the Golden Crow Pawnshop, Lin’s Cloth Shop, and the Golden Jade Pavilion... Which one of them isn’t making a fortune?"

Ye Jingyan seemed to guess what she was implying and asked in disbelief, "Sister, you mean... you want to poach the shopkeepers from all of them?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"That’s right. I can see they’re all extremely capable. With them on board, our shops might just be able to turn a profit."

Ye Jingyan was speechless.

He had been worrying about this for quite some time. Although they had gotten the shops back, he and A Feng were both at the Imperial College, and as a woman, it was inconvenient for his sister to manage everything, so he feared it would be difficult for them to handle it all.

He never imagined—his sister’s method would be so direct!

Seeing his expression, Ye Chutang thought he was worried about the silver and offered a comforting reassurance. "Don’t worry. The previous shopkeepers all ran off on their own and didn’t even collect their severance pay. Isn’t this a perfect saving?"

Xiao Wu immediately sat up straight. ’That’s right! If you round it up, we’ve basically made a profit!’

Ye Jingyan was speechless once again.

’No wonder Sister was so merciless when she went there that day, always managing to infuriate people with just a few words. So this was what she was planning all along?’

"Alright, I understand." Ye Jingyan nodded, carefully putting the papers away. Then he suddenly remembered something. "By the way, Sister, do these notices... not include the cloth shop you took over before?"

Ye Chutang lifted her teacup. Her slender, jade-like fingers seemed even more delicate and white than the bone china itself.

She took a light sip before a small smile graced her lips.

"I’ll be handling that shop’s accounts personally."

Ye Jingyan’s brow twitched. He understood and didn’t ask any further questions. "Alright."

"Sister!"

Ye Yunfeng blew back in like a gust of wind. In the blink of an eye, a box of pastries appeared on the table in front of Xiao Wu.

"Eat up! Your Fourth Brother waited in line for a quarter of an hour to buy these for you. They’re still warm!"

Xiao Wu’s big, round, dark eyes filled with joy.

’Thank you, Fourth Brother!’

Then, she picked one up and offered it to Ye Chutang.

’Sister! Cake!’

Ye Yunfeng chuckled and flicked her on the forehead.

"You little imp, you even know how to win favor with a borrowed gift?"

Xiao Wu rubbed her head and quickly handed him a piece as well.

Only then was Ye Yunfeng satisfied.

Ye Chutang glanced at the sky. He’d been remarkably quick, and more importantly, the boy didn’t look the least bit tired.

"That was fast. Did you deliver the medicine?"

"When I do something, you don’t have to worry, Sister!" Ye Yunfeng said, his voice muffled as he chewed on a Red Date Chestnut Cake, one cheek puffed out. "I did exactly as you instructed. I didn’t even see the person!"

Ye Chutang nodded.

Thinking back on today’s events, Ye Yunfeng felt a flicker of sympathy.

"She’s actually quite pitiful. Speaking of which, that Han Tong must have lost his mind. He was doing just fine as the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Rites. Why did he have to covet the position of Minister, hire someone to poison a horse, and frame another person? Now, not only has he ruined himself, but he’s also dragged his son and grandson down with him!"