Resplendent – Chapter 523

Chapter 523: Scheming

“Absolutely not!” Gu Xiao exclaimed in alarm. 

The old general had saved his life and guided him. He felt that repaying this debt of gratitude even with his own life would not suffice, so how could he possibly accept the family’s distillery?

“Grandpa, I think it’s a splendid idea!” Gu Ye’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she beamed. “The brewery under Grandpa’s name barely turns a profit in his hands. In yours, the profits would multiply many times over! It wouldn’t be a gift either, so consider it Grandpa’s brewery chipping in. Later, we’ll split the profits fifty-fifty! If you feel awkward about it, just work hard to expand the distillery and earn more silver for Grandpa. It’d be such a waste to let it sit idle, squandering resources and manpower!”

“Right, right! Young Miss Ye has a brilliant idea!” Old General Chu beamed, stroking his beard. “I rushed back from the frontier without bringing my granddaughter a gift. Let the distillery’s profits serve as our reunion present, which I now pass on to you. The deed to the distillery will be delivered to you shortly.”

“Since this stems from Grandpa’s kindheartedness, your granddaughter humbly accepts your generosity!” Gu Ye clasped her fists and bowed slightly, performing a man’s formal bow. 

Old General Chu didn’t find her manner improper; instead, he thought his granddaughter was vibrant and spirited, far superior to those so-called proper young noble ladies.

Gu Xiao had intended to decline, but seeing the distillery’s ownership now in his granddaughter’s hands, he gave up. She was busy with her assessments, and the pharmaceutical factory alone would keep her occupied. As her grandfather, it was his duty to lend a hand. As for the profits… Well, he wouldn’t let his granddaughter lose out.

Gu Ye flashed a mischievous grin, glancing at her brothers seated around her. “Grandpa favors me and gave me such a precious gift. Don’t get jealous, brothers!”

Chu Xiaoliu was the first to speak: “It’s just an idle distillery. I actually think Grandpa is too stingy. This gift is rather meager.”

His sister didn’t know, but he certainly did. The liquor produced there had no distinctive qualities. Only a handful of familiar taverns used it, out of respect for the Chu family. After paying the distillery manager, labor costs, and other overheads, there was barely any profit left.

Old General Chu casually picked up a piece of fruit nearby and tossed it at his grandson’s head, scolding him playfully, “You little brat, how dare you talk trash about your own grandfather! I haven’t disciplined you in a while, and you’ve gotten bold, huh!”

Chu Mushan caught the fruit, popped it into his mouth, and quipped, “Thanks for the treat, Grandpa!”

Chu Mubai continued whispering to Gu Ye, “Sister, don’t get your hopes up too high. The higher your expectations, the harder the fall. You don’t want to end up crying later!”

Chu Mushan quickly interjected, “It’s fine. If that happens, I’ll make it up to you later. Trust me, Sixth Brother here is more generous than Grandpa…”

Gu Ye pinched a pastry, bringing it to her mouth and chewing it in small bites. Hearing this, her eyes flickered slightly as she asked, “Sixth Brother, how much silver do you have stashed away in your little piggy bank?”

“Not much, not much! Just about five or six thousand taels!” Chu Mushan said it wasn’t much, but his expression betrayed a hint of smug satisfaction.

As the youngest and most favored son in the family, he didn’t share his second brother’s passion for fine swords, his third brother’s love for ancient texts, or his fourth and fifth brothers’ numerous friends and social engagements. Most of his pocket money had been saved up. He reckoned his little stash was the fattest among his brothers!

Gu Ye looked at him with mild disdain. “Only five or six thousand taels?”

Meanwhile, she was already scheming how to earn some extra pocket money for her brothers. Though the Duke’s Manor wasn’t short of silver, the sons were all raised under a ‘strict and frugal’ philosophy.

On top of that, the ten years in exile had taught the Chu brothers to be thrifty, so they didn’t place much value on wealth. Furthermore, ever since Gu Ye returned, each time her brothers went out, they would bring her some interesting or rare little trinkets, leaving them mostly strapped for cash.

Her brothers spoiled her, and she naturally cherished them in return. Giving them money outright was out of the question: they’d likely find ways to add to it and return it to her. She needed a method they would accept. When the time came and they still refused, she could always pout, whine, and insist until they took it..

Therefore, she began with her closest brother, the sixth. She probed him about his personal stash.

When Chu Mushan heard his sister’s comment, his eyes widened, and the proud expression on his face froze. Five or six thousand taels was still not enough? Then again, compared to his sister’s wealth, what he had truly wasn’t worth showing off.

When his little sister asked how much silver he had, could it be that she didn’t have enough funds for building the pharmaceutical factory? Then he had to think of a way and figure out where he could gather more silver. He exchanged a glance with his brothers, and then, as if by silent agreement, they all looked away.

Before long, Gu Ye received over fifty thousand taels in silver notes of varying denominations from her five brothers. As far as she knew, their purses weren’t exactly bulging. She wondered how they’d managed to scrape together such a sum.

Still, she didn’t send the silver back. Instead, she invested it into the distillery’s initial operating capital. By the end of the following year, when dividends were distributed, the five Chu brothers received a twenty percent share from the distillery, a sum vastly exceeding the silver they had secretly given their sister. Only then did they realize how remarkably profitable the distillery had become after its restructuring…

It had been nearly three years since Chu Bufan had last seen his elderly father. Guarding the frontier was a duty that should have fallen to him, the son. Yet his chronic ailment in his right hand left him unable to steady even a writing brush, so how could he wield a sword or a blade? Defending the homeland was a warrior’s duty, but this burden fell upon his father, who was already over fifty.

His father, too, was plagued by chronic ailments. When damp weather set in or cold crept in, excruciating pain would pierce his waist and legs. In the northern frontier, ice and snow covered the land for nearly half the year. How much suffering had his father endured for him, for this family? He truly was an unfilial son…

The Duke’s fierce eyes glistened slightly. Unskilled with words, he simply gazed at his father with filial devotion, taking him in from head to toe. His father looked spirited and robust, radiating an aura even sharper than his own middle-aged self. A flicker of comfort stirred in his heart.

“Tanzhang, why aren’t you speaking?” Seeing his son’s silence, Old General Chu knew his son’s concerns were surfacing again. “I know what you’re worried about. Rest assured, my body is fully recovered now. I drank the tiger bone wine that Ye’er specially brewed for me, and applied the medicated plasters she prepared. All winter last year, my back and legs didn’t ache even once.”

“Oh right, you mentioned in your last letter that your wrist felt much better after using that medicinal oil. That oil was also from Ye’er. Back then, I never imagined Ye’er would become part of our family!” Old General Chu looked toward Gu Ye, his face beaming with pride. “Tanzhang, let her examine your wrist. Don’t underestimate her just because she’s young. Her medical skills rival any doctor’s!”