Chapter 25: Cousin

To steer a business's direction with a single sentence, even for Ning Yi with his past life's background, a powerful intelligence analysis system, and a large team of advisors, would be a commercial miracle only possible under extreme circumstances. Attempting to alter a pre-determined business decision made by another party, without meticulous, all-encompassing effort, would be practically a pipe dream. However, the current situation was different.

What Ning Yi perceived was certainly due to his keen insight. Yet, within that same scope, these matters deeply concerned the He family, who might have already harbored suspicions even if Ning Yi merely guessed at them. Perhaps before Ning Yi and Su Tan'er's visit, the He family was already troubled by these very issues. Ning Yi's casual remark instantly signaled to them that "the Su family is aware of this situation." Ironically, Su Tan'er remained oblivious, merely convinced that the deal with the He family had fallen through.

When it happened, Ning Yi looked helpless, feeling his conditioned reflex was unnecessary; he was so obsessed with business that he could never escape the constant weighing of options. Su Tan'er, beside him, was filled with questions, but a turn for the better was certainly welcome. She then re-entered to continue business discussions. Ning Yi, who had originally planned to visit a bookstore in the east of the city, found himself unable to leave. By evening, they returned together, and Su Tan'er still wore a puzzled expression in the carriage.

A few more days passed, bringing them closer to December. The Su family residence gradually grew livelier. Despite the heavy snowfall, the year-end was approaching, and Su family managers from various cities near Jiangning began to converge, coming to review performance and determine profit distributions. Additionally, some distant relatives of the Su family would arrive for New Year celebrations and visits. Daily, the comings and goings at the mansion gates were considerable.

Jiangning city boasted many wealthy households, and such scenes were common at this time of year. For the past few days, Su Tan'er had been busy on several fronts: engaging with the He family, preparing to reconcile the year's accounts, and attending to relatives she hadn't seen in a long time. Even the three maids—Chan'er, Juan'er, and Xing'er—were constantly occupied. One day, upon returning from outside, snow was still falling. A line of carriages was parked outside the mansion gate. Su Tan'er had business through the main entrance, so she sent her own carriage to the side gate. At that moment, several servants were moving four or five large boxes through the main entrance, so she and Xing'er waited outside the door.

That day, Su Tan'er was draped in a snow-white fox fur, its fluffy collar framing her delicate face. She exuded a youthful innocence, yet also the composure and independent spirit cultivated over several years. She had gained considerable renown in Jiangning's business circles. Before her marriage, she had often worn men's clothing, though never overly concealing her female identity. Onlookers often perceived her less as a merchant and more as a refined young lady from a scholarly family. After business deals were concluded, her sharp edge wasn't immediately apparent; only after some time, when the full scope of the situation became clear, would people secretly marvel at her true capability. Some even said that if she had been born a man, the head of Jiangning's textile industry today would likely not be the Wu family.

In such a patriarchal era, Su Tan'er's identity presented many inconveniences. However, men themselves often felt a certain degree of awkwardness when conducting business with women, be it curiosity, condescension, or even delight. Her particular strength, compared to others, lay in her ability to actively transform these disadvantages into advantages, finding usable strengths within unchangeable weaknesses. From Ning Yi's perspective, this might have seemed like an endearing struggle. Of course, others wouldn't perceive this vulnerability or struggle. Those within the Su family, for the most part, had grown accustomed to the Second Miss's temperament, whether it was her shrewd side, her beautiful side, her delicate side, or the way she quietly and subtly propped up the Su family's main branch. Seeing her standing outside, a nearby steward quickly rushed over.

"You people, hurry up and make way! Don't you see the Second Miss has returned!" The steward waved his hand, urging them to move quickly. Su Tan'er smiled and walked over. "No, no, Uncle Qi, let them go first. They've already moved half of it; bringing it out again would be a waste of effort. Let them go in, let them go in..." Once she spoke, the steward, known as Uncle Qi, had no choice but to let the men slowly proceed inside. Only then did Su Tan'er ask, "Uncle Qi, why aren't these coming through the side gate?"

"These are things the Third Master bought back, various decorations, said to be for New Year celebrations," the steward explained. "They need to be placed in the front hall, so seeing that no one would likely be passing by for a while, we had them quickly carried in. Oh, by the way, Second Miss, Governor Song arrived today. He's currently testing the students' scholarship in the library..."

"Oh, Governor Song is here?"

The Su family had been in business for a long time. While they couldn't be considered a scholarly family, they naturally maintained various connections with officials. Most of these relationships weren't particularly close, except for their significant ties with Song Mao, who currently served as Governor in the Shenzhou region. This was because the Second Master Su Zhongkan's principal wife and Song Mao were originally cousins. The Song family had produced a few minor officials, and the Su family had invested considerable effort in managing their relationship and connections during Song Mao's rise to power. Consequently, Song Mao was now considered one of the Su family's strongest pillars of support. Although a Governor's influence didn't extend directly to Jiangning, it certainly provided many conveniences for the Su family's business operations in the Shenzhou area.

On another note, Song Mao's appointment as Governor was largely due to his exceptionally distinguished scholarship. In recent years, the Su family had sought to cultivate a more scholarly image. Every New Year, when Song Mao paid his respects, Old Master Su would often arrange for the young scholars of the family to gather. He would also invite some familiar tutors and academics to assess the children's progress. Song Mao was renowned for his upright character; during these annual academic evaluations, he offered few words of praise, but given his discernment, his assessments were indeed the most reliable.

With such a powerful patron in official circles, Song Mao would often subtly allude to his connection with the Su family during his annual visits to other officials in Jiangning, which naturally served as another advantage for the Su family's business. However, Song Mao's relationship was, after all, strongest with her Second Uncle's branch. Upon hearing this, Su Tan'er merely nodded, without showing excessive delight. As for the academic assessments, they were the same every year; it seemed the Su family was not destined to produce scholars for now. What's more, her husband was simply "messing around" in the academy. While tutors previously wished to utilize the entire day for teaching, her husband only had students read for one hour, spending the rest of the time telling stories. While enjoyable to listen to, it was genuinely hard to fathom how much academic benefit this offered. She only hoped he wouldn't be scolded this time.

The large boxes were being heaved inside with grunts and exertion. Then, Juan'er, who had remained inside the mansion, came running out, breathless. "Miss, you're back! Cousin Master and Cousin Miss have arrived; Cousin Miss is waiting for you... Oh, Steward Xi and Steward Luo also just got here. It seems the He family matter has been settled, and they've come to bring good news... Hehe, Miss, isn't this a double blessing?"

The Su family had many cousins, but it was likely only one family whom Juan'er would address in this manner. In her childhood, Su Tan'er was the only offspring of the main branch. Su Boyong had no sons, and he harbored some resentment about having only a daughter—someone "without a handle," so to speak. While he didn't frequently beat or scold her, his inconsistent affection was unavoidable. After she grew sensible, Su Tan'er went through periods of reclusiveness and eccentric rebellion as a young girl. Her only friends, aside from the three maids—Chan'er, Juan'er, and Xing'er—were probably just the eldest daughter of her Cousin Uncle Su Yunsong, who was then a manager in Jiangning.

Su Yunsong's daughter, named Dan Hong, was half a month older than Su Tan'er. As a child, she was lively and boisterous, like a boy, but as she grew up, she gradually became more gentle and refined. Later, Su Yunsong went to manage affairs in another region, and his wife and daughter left Jiangning with him. However, every year when they returned, the two "sisters" would excitedly reminisce and talk about the future. Last year, this cousin married a young manager within the Su family's textile business and was living happily. She gave birth to a son around the time of Su Tan'er's wedding this year, which was why she couldn't come. Hearing Juan'er say she had arrived, Su Tan'er brightened. "That's wonderful! Where is Cousin Sister now?"

"In the courtyard," Juan'er replied, "she just ran into Steward Xi and Steward Luo and chatted with them for a while. Chan'er is over there too." Su Tan'er considered this. "Alright, I'll go ahead. Juan'er, you and Xing'er first deliver these ledgers. The ones on top go to the accounting office, and the ones underneath go to Master." Xing'er, who was behind her, held a large stack of ledgers. After giving her instructions, Su Tan'er separated from the two maids, tightened her silver-white fox fur, and walked with a smile toward the inner courtyard.

There's probably no fixed rule for what two women will gossip about when they gather. However, when two recently married, long-unseen close friends meet, their gossip is almost certainly about their respective husbands.

As she passed through the snowy paths between courtyards and gardens, before even reaching her own living quarters, Su Tan'er saw her long-unseen cousin. As if in harmony with her beautiful name, the gentle and lovely woman was still dressed in red, even after marriage. After a brief exchange of greetings, she inquired about Su Tan'er's husband, Ning Yi.

"I've been wanting to meet this brother-in-law of yours for ages!" her cousin said. "It was a pity that travel was so inconvenient around your wedding. I've heard a few things since then, but... heh, tell me, what's he really like?"

Speaking about her husband with such an intimate friend, without the possibility of polite pretense, Su Tan'er blushed slightly. "It's hard to say. Did you not see Li Heng when you arrived, Hong Jie?"

"No," her cousin replied. "I thought he'd gone out with you, but Little Chan said he hadn't. I did just see Steward Xi and Steward Luo..." Su Tan'er mused, "Oh, Governor Song also arrived earlier. He's assessing the students' scholarship in the library. Li Heng is also an instructor at the academy now, so he's probably over there."

"Actually, a few years ago, I thought Uncle would arrange for you to marry Xi Junyu..." her cousin said thoughtfully. Seeing Su Tan'er frown with a puzzled expression, she smiled. "Never mind that. About this brother-in-law, I did make some inquiries. That melody of 'Shuidiao Getou'—I heard it sung daily in Hangzhou. I thought it was just someone with the same name as your husband, but then I found out it was actually him... But to be honest, since coming here, I've heard some odd remarks..."

Ning Yi's reputation naturally wouldn't spread widely in society, but with the right connections, one could always gather various opinions. Furthermore, given her status, her cousin would naturally learn a great deal about the dynamics between Su Tan'er and Ning Yi after arriving. The sisters shared a deep bond, and her cousin was genuinely concerned about Su Tan'er's feelings on the matter. After rambling on for a bit, she said, "Hearsay isn't entirely reliable. Whether Li Heng has talent or ability, let's not dwell on that for now... I just want to know what you, my dear sister, truly think."

Her cousin, having been through it herself, phrased her questions delicately; after all, she needed to understand Su Tan'er's true feelings before she could offer any meaningful advice. Su Tan'er remained silent for a moment, then lowered her head and smiled.

"Sister, you know my past thoughts," Su Tan'er began. "My husband... his scholarship is truly hard to define. But his detached and unconcerned nature, if you speak of suitability, genuinely makes him the most fitting husband for Tan'er."

Her cousin looked at her for a few moments, then laughed, "That sounds rather like you've accepted your fate..."

"Before, when I had nothing to do, I'd fantasize," Su Tan'er continued. "I hoped my future husband would be both scholarly and martial, good-tempered, and wouldn't obstruct me from inheriting the family business. But that was always just a fantasy. Looking at things these days, if it can truly continue like this, it might not be bad at all. My husband... he might have some talent, it's just that his nature is calm and detached. Sometimes he might do strange things, but he never tries to cover up his faults or hide anything. In fact, he's quite open and forthright..."

As she spoke, she raised her head, and snowflakes drifted down from the sky. "When I got married, thinking of the future, I felt fear and anger in my heart, so I simply left Jiangning. When I decided to return, it was only after gritting my teeth. But now, thinking back, if things continue this way, I don't feel any difficulty. I suppose that's how it is; perhaps there's a touch of resignation, but it is truly... not disagreeable..."

The vast expanse of falling snow enveloped the entire Su family mansion, blanketing Jiangning city. Along the paths, two women, one in red and one in white, walked through the snow. After a moment of silence, the gentle woman smiled, steering the conversation away from the serious topic.

"So, he has no business talent..." her cousin began playfully."None... uh, he doesn't apply himself to it," Su Tan'er conceded."No literary talent either...""Not really, but... heh, he teaches rather haphazardly. His students are in the assessment upfront, and I fear they might get scolded...""Ha! So that means... my husband won!""...How, how can you compare like that? I'm not competing!"

Their laughter drifted through the air, melting into the vast, white dance of the snow. The gaze swept across a continuous stretch of courtyards, large and small, gathering at the library in front of the Su family mansion. Warming stoves burned around them, and a family academic assessment, significant in its own right, was currently underway there, reaching its midway point...

There should be a chapter tonight, and if it's not released by evening, it will definitely be out by early morning. Happy Dragon Boat Festival, everyone!