latelenovela Chapter 261 Another Trip to Jiangnan
Chapter 261 Another Trip to Jiangnan
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Duan Mengrou, puzzled, asked, "Mother, what's wrong with you?"
Aunt Jiang wiped away her tears, feeling wronged but not daring to tell her daughter. She could only vaguely reply, "Isn't it unfair to you? You have such high aspirations, yet you stoop to be a concubine..."
Upon hearing this, Duan Mengrou sighed and said softly, "I never intended to become anyone's concubine before, not because I was arrogant, but because I was worried that no one would take care of me after I got married. The reason I changed the name of the Gao family to the Duan family was because I was determined to find an honest man to marry into our family so that we could take care of you together. If I marry far away and can't come back to see you often, won't you be lonely and isolated? And what about the trouble caused by the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gao family? How can I handle it all by myself?"
Aunt Jiang was startled; this possibility wasn't out of the question, and she immediately stopped crying. She had always been meek and mild-mannered, lacking in assertiveness. Before being taken by Gao Hongtu, she listened to her husband; after becoming a concubine in the Gao family, she listened to her daughter. If the Gao family came to cause trouble, she truly wouldn't be able to handle it.
Duan Mengrou continued, "I don't know why Master is so convinced that we've consummated our marriage. I can't very well admit that I'm still a virgin; it would be so embarrassing. He said that if I don't enter the Liu family, he'll take my job as the manager of the money shop, give me a sum of money, and give me this mansion as compensation. But Mother, do you think we can keep this mansion without Master's protection?"
Aunt Jiang thought for a moment and answered honestly, "It can't be saved."
"So, I have no way out. Fortunately, my father-in-law agreed that I can bring my mother into the Liu family with me, so that I can take care of her."
"Ah?" Aunt Jiang exclaimed in panic, "Isn't this like a lamb being led to the slaughter..."
Duan Mengrou frowned and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Come with me to the flower hall, Master is waiting." As she spoke, she tugged at her sleeve.
Aunt Jiang clung tightly to the headboard, shaking her head repeatedly: "I won't go! You've always been very opinionated. You can discuss this with Master. I'll do whatever you say..." No matter how much her daughter pleaded, she wouldn't listen.
Flower Hall.
Liu Ye secretly breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Duan Mengrou's explanation. Actually, he felt a little embarrassed when he saw Aunt Jiang. He had acted recklessly while drunk and slept with her daughter, which was not a shameful thing.
"Since Aunt Jiang is not feeling well, then let's leave it at that. Let Zhang Ming handle the trivial matters such as finding a matchmaker to arrange the marriage, delivering the betrothal gifts, and choosing an auspicious time. You hurry up and check the accounts; I'll take the money back to Lingao tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
The next day, at the dock.
Standing on the dock, Liu Ye watched as the money shop's employees carried crates onto the ship under the watchful eyes of the guards. He thought to himself that Duan Mengrou's efficiency was indeed impressive; loading 600,000 taels of silver onto the ship so quickly without disrupting the money shop's daily operations showed she was a truly capable person. Zhang Ming's words made sense. For such an important position as the money shop manager, while talent was important, loyalty was even more crucial. This accidental incident after drinking had inadvertently proven Zhang Ming right, making Duan Mengrou his bedmate. Perhaps, this was a good thing for him.