Matriarch He paused and looked at her eldest sister-in-law, who was sitting nearby with her head slightly lowered.

She saw her eldest sister-in-law every day, so why did she feel like her eldest sister-in-law had changed so much?

How could Matriarch He not hear the underlying meaning in her words? Madam Zou was just afraid that she wouldn't dote on the two children and wanted the two children to show their presence in front of her.

Unfortunately, Madam Zou didn't understand her good intentions at all. Her heart was filled with thoughts of competing for favor.

Matriarch He's good mood that morning instantly disappeared.

"Up to you. Just tell the servants to pay attention to the children's health. The weather is cold, so wear more clothes and prepare a hand warmer when you go out."

"Great-daughter-in-law understands."

Matriarch He picked up her teacup and took a sip. "Tomorrow is your mother's birthday. How are the arrangements?"

"Grandmother, don't worry. Great-daughter-in-law has already ordered people to prepare everything. There definitely won't be any mistakes."

"I'm getting old, and your mother's health has always been poor. It's been hard on you all these years!"

Madam Zou almost burst into tears when she heard Matriarch He's praise. Wasn't that right? If she had to support the entire Duke Jing 'an Estate, it wouldn't be easy for her either. Every day, she would wake up early in the morning to listen to reports from the housewives in charge of the front and back courtyards, arrange personnel, and take care of the interactions in the estate.

It could be said that the entire Duke Jing 'an estate wouldn't be able to function without her.

Madam Zou felt wronged and felt even more remorseful when she thought about it.

Tears rolled uncontrollably from her eyes. "As long as Grandmother can understand Great-daughter-in-law's hardships, this bit of tiredness is nothing to Great-daughter-in-law."

"Alright, don't cry anymore. Be careful of hurting your eyes. If you have any difficulties, just tell Grandmother."

Madam Zou choked. She raised her teary eyes to look at Matriarch He, who was sitting at the head of the table. "Grandmother, since you asked, Great-daughter-in-law doesn't want to hide it. Great-daughter-in-law does have something to discuss with Grandmother."

Matriarch He stilled. She didn't expect Madam Zou to really have something to say.

"What is it? Just say it. There's nothing to hide from me."

Zou shi paused for a moment and then seemed to muster up the courage to say, "Grandmother, I'm afraid that the estate's income won't be able to pay for Mother's medicine …"

Count Jing 'an's wife needed a thousand taels of silver to take her medicine every month, and Count Jing' an's estate's income from the public estates was only about a thousand taels of silver. In addition, Madam Zou wasn't good at business, and the stewards and managers of the shops and estates were pocketing their own money. Count Jing 'an's estate was becoming more and more difficult to manage.

In the past, Countess Jing 'an always paid for the medicine herself. She only transferred the money to the public account last month. It hadn't even been three months, but the public account's income was already reaching its limit.

Matriarch He didn't expect that the public money would be so easily spent. She frowned slightly and was about to speak when a servant girl outside reported that Third Mistress had arrived.

Old Matriarch He was slapped, but not only was she not angry, her face was even cheerful, "Quickly call San Lang's wife in, it's cold outside."

The thick felt curtains of the warm room were pulled open by a servant girl from outside. Chu Lian lowered her body slightly and entered the room.

Because Chu Lian's title was personally bestowed by Emperor Chengping, she was considered half a member of the imperial family. Thus, when the palace's weaving bureau bought winter clothes for the nobles and members of the imperial family, they sent palace servants to deliver two sets of clothes to Chu Lian.

One was a Xiang-colored palace dress, and the other was a bamboo-green five blessings dress. The design was complicated and beautiful, as expected of the weaving bureau's weaving bureau.

Today, Chu Lian was wearing that bamboo-green dress.

Her slender little hands were tucked into a snow-white rabbit fur sleeve, and she only had a white jade hairpin in her hair. Her beautiful black hair hung halfway down her back, brushing against the fluffy white rabbit fur at the collar. She was dressed so obediently and adorably. If it wasn't for the fact that she had combed her hair into a woman's bun, one would think that she was a young lady who had just matured!

"Granddaughter-in-law has come to pay respects to Grandmother," Chu Lian said cheerfully as soon as she entered the room.

Matriarch He was happy to see Chu Lian's porcelain-like face smiling. "It's such a cold day. Why are you running so early in the morning? Come, sit next to Grandmother."

Chu Lian bowed to Madam Zou once more before sitting next to Matriarch He.

Matriarch He ordered Liu wet nurse to prepare a cup of warm honey water for Chu Lian. She knew her youngest granddaughter-in-law's habits. She didn't drink the fried tea that other people liked.

Madam Zou watched coldly from the side as Matriarch unconsciously showed concern for Chu Lian. She clenched her hands tightly in her sleeves.

When Chu Lian held the warm honey water, Madam Zou suppressed her jealousy and said, "Grandmother, the matter that Granddaughter-in-law mentioned to you just now …"

Being pulled back into deep thought by Madam Zou, Matriarch He's expression also became serious. "I didn't consider this matter thoroughly, but I remember that in the past, the public shops made three thousand taels of silver a month."

Three thousand taels of silver was more than enough to pay for Countess Jing 'an's medical expenses and the estate's monthly expenses.

Madam Zou opened her mouth, but still braced herself and said, "Grandmother, that was five years ago. How can it be compared to the past?"

Zou shi suddenly glanced in Chu Lian's direction. She saw that her younger sister-in-law was lowering her head and sipping honey water. She couldn't help but feel displeased. "None of the stores under erxi's control can compare to Guilin Restaurant under third sister-in-law."

Chu Lian didn't manage the household, nor did she want to. She was currently drinking water with her head lowered, preparing to fulfill her duty as a backdrop. Why did this eldest sister-in-law suddenly drag her into this?

Chu Lian's hands paused for a moment, but she cleverly didn't say anything.

Matriarch He's brows furrowed. How could it be that fast?

The wives of the other estates were good at managing their businesses. In their hands, they would only grow larger and larger. This eldest sister-in-law, on the other hand, not only didn't she have any more businesses, but her business had shrunk by half. Just how did this family manage their business?

When Madam Zou said this, she suddenly felt a little guilty. After she became the head of the household, she had indeed supplemented some of her dowry and the second branch of Marquis Dingyuan's estate. Otherwise, how could her business have shrunk so quickly?

However, when she thought of Chu Lian's Guilin Restaurant, which was popular throughout Shengjing, the guilt in her eyes disappeared without a trace.

Guilin Restaurant's business hadn't originally belonged to Chu Lian. It had been Matriarch's dowry.

Madam Zou had only seen how profitable Guilin Restaurant was now, but she had never thought about who was the reason why Guilin Restaurant had become what it was today.

If it weren't for Chu Lian, Guilin Restaurant would still be hiding in the old Xi City, doing unprofitable business!

When Matriarch He heard Madam Zou say this, she paused for a moment before saying, "Eldest sister-in-law, what do you think about this now?"

Madam Zou took a deep breath and clenched her hands, which were hidden in her sleeves. She mustered up her courage and said, "After all these days, I can tell that Third Sister-in-law is an expert at managing a store!

We are all granddaughters-in-law of Duke Jing 'an's estate, so Third Sister-in-law naturally has some responsibility on her shoulders.

Since Third Sister-in-law has this ability, why don't we merge Guilin Restaurant into the public business? If Grandmother feels that she has mistreated Third Sister-in-law, I can allocate a few properties from the public business to subsidize Third Sister-in-law. With Third Sister-in-law's ability, I believe that in less than two months, these stores will definitely become the second Guilin Restaurant. "

When Madam Zou said this, not only Chu Lian, but even Matriarch He and Senior Servant Liu, who were in the warm room, were shocked.

Chu Lian's clear almond-shaped eyes flashed. She sneered in her heart. She hadn't expected that Madam Zou would scheme against her the moment she arrived.

It seemed like she had set her eyes on Guilin Restaurant for a long time and was envious of it.

Unfortunately, Matriarch He had already given her the deed to Guilin Restaurant and everything else a few days ago. Now, Guilin Restaurant was completely under her control. These words were completely useless to Matriarch He. If Madam Zou wanted Guilin Restaurant, she should be the one begging her.

Chu Lian lowered her head and didn't say anything. She didn't show any strange emotions on her face either. She looked as if Madam Zou's words had nothing to do with her and she wasn't openly trying to steal the properties from Matriarch He's hands.

Matriarch He and Senior Servant Liu both looked at Chu Lian at the same time.

Matriarch He's brows furrowed even deeper. "Eldest husband's wife, what are you saying? I already said that Guilin Restaurant was given to Lian 'er. You were there at the time and didn't say anything. Why are you asking for it back now? This isn't appropriate.

Besides, I've already given the deed to Guilin Restaurant to Lian 'er. "

Madam Zou's expression changed drastically. "Grandmother, if the public accounts have Guilin Restaurant to support them, then we won't have to worry about Mother's medical expenses. Moreover, Third Sister-in-law is also skilled in this field. She …"

"Alright, you don't need to say anything else. I've already made up my mind. Since you say that the public funds can't support your mother's monthly medical expenses, then I'll pay half of the medical expenses from my private assets. The other half will be from the public funds."

Madam Zou didn't want this result. What she wanted was the Guilin Restaurant in Chu Lian's hands. That was the real money-making restaurant!

If she could get her hands on it, then she would have the secret recipe for Guilin Restaurant. At that time, it would be possible for her to open ten Guilin Restaurants like this one. Wouldn't she be rich to death?!

Just as Zou madam was panicking and unsure of what to do, Chu Lian suddenly said, "I didn't expect that Eldest Sao and Grandmother would be so worried about this matter. Grandmother, let grandson pay for Mother's medical fees. Indeed, grandson's Guilin Restaurant made quite a bit of money last month. Since grandson has the ability, I will naturally do my part for the fu.

Not to mention Mother's medical expenses. San Lang isn't at the estate, so this is all I can do.

I hope Grandmother and Eldest Sister-in-law won't mind. "

Chu Lian originally just wanted to be an invisible person, drink her favorite honey water, and listen to Grandmother and Eldest Sister-in-law chat about daily life. However, Madam Zou just had to scheme against her. She naturally wasn't a pushover that anyone could pinch just because they wanted to.

She originally didn't want to say this, but the situation didn't allow for it.

Madam Zou was already embarrassed enough when she talked about Countess Jing 'an's medical expenses in front of Matriarch He. Now, she wanted Guilin Restaurant. Not only did she refuse to pay for her mother-in-law's medical expenses, but she also wanted to cheat her sister-in-law. Those high-sounding words only sounded nice on the surface. How could Matriarch He not hear the selfish motives hidden underneath?

However, Chu Lian straightforwardly agreed to it when Madam Zou was extremely unwilling.

She also had to pay for her mother-in-law's medical expenses herself.

With this comparison, it was obvious who was superior. Madam Zou was practically reduced to dust.

Moreover, Chu Lian was a "poor and wretched" girl who didn't have a dowry to begin with, so the comparison was even more obvious.

Madam Zou's expression instantly darkened, then paled.