Steward Zhao’s heart skipped a beat. Though he didn’t know what Gu Jin Chao intended to say, he knew it couldn’t be good!

Gu Jin Chao spoke languidly, “This farm woman just told me that the steward collects seventy percent of the rent, and if I were to add another twenty percent, they probably couldn’t survive. I recall Steward Zhao telling me yesterday that they pay fifty percent, correct? Where did the extra twenty percent go?”

Her tone grew cold as she stared directly at Steward Zhao.

Cold sweat instantly broke out on Steward Zhao’s brow. Last night, he had instructed the people of Lingbi. Anyone who dared tell the young lady about the estate’s affairs would have their rent raised to eighty percent. He had thought they would all be obedient and not speak out of turn, but he never expected the Gu family’s eldest young lady to pull such a move!

Wiping his sweat, he hurriedly said, “This… this twenty percent rent, your servant indeed collected it. Over the years, the Gu family never provided any money, so I used these funds to clear land and plant trees. I just never expected that everything I planted would fail. Almost nothing remains now. It’s your servant’s incompetence!”

Jin Chao coldly asked, “Didn’t you sell those trees to the Luo family? How could ‘almost nothing’ remain? The corn in the low-lying fields is growing well, yet the fruit trees on the hillside have rotted roots. Do you truly think I’m so easily fooled? How much did they pay you for those items? You dare to sell off the master’s property and arbitrarily collect excessive rent from the estate—you must not want this position any more!”

Steward Zhao hadn’t expected that this sheltered young lady would be so astute! She knew about everything he had done.

Leaving the Gu family on his terms was one thing, but being driven away was another matter entirely!

Steward Zhao bowed with a smile and said, “When my sister returned years ago, she could no longer work, and it was I who supported her in her old age until her death. My sister toiled her whole life for the mistress. The young lady’s meaning… is that you no longer want your servant to continue working here. I wonder what the mistress would think of this from the underworld…”

How dare he bring up her mother!

Gu Jin Chao coldly replied, “The people of Lingbi came largely because of my mother’s benevolence, yet you collected seventy percent rent from them, causing universal resentment. Who gets blamed besides you? Isn’t it also my mother and our Gu family? Do you think you’re the only one who loses face? Even if your sister toiled for my mother, that was your sister’s merit—what does it have to do with you? Your behavior has long since exhausted any goodwill she earned for the Gu family!”

Steward Zhao’s expression turned cold. This Gu family’s eldest young lady spoke far too rudely! In the past, the mistress had always been courteous to him, allowing him to go anywhere—estate or shop—where people would respectfully address him as “Steward Zhao.”

Why should he endure such humiliation here? It wasn’t as if he couldn’t find work elsewhere. The steward from the Luo estate had already invited him to work together!

Since she wanted to tear off all pretenses, Steward Zhao abandoned propriety as well, saying with a cold smile, “The young lady speaks as if the Gu family matters! Just think about it—my sister toiled for the Gu family, and how did you treat me in return? Transferring me to this worst estate was one thing, but you also cut my wages by half. If I didn’t supplement my income somehow, I couldn’t even make ends meet! You live in splendor while I suffer. If this got out, who would be in the wrong—you or me?”

“If you don’t like how I work, then I won’t work here anymore! If this place doesn’t want me, somewhere else will!” Steward Zhao snorted.

Jin Chao watched him and continued, “My mother was considerate of you and arranged for you to manage the best estate. Not only did you mismanage it, but you also privately took the master’s money. The fact that my mother didn’t expel you from the Gu family was already treating you extremely well, yet you still complain and feel wronged.”

“If you want to leave, then leave. If the Gu family announces they need a steward, people will come in droves. Who needs you?” Jin Chao finally took a sip of tea and ordered the guards to drag him out. Steward Zhao angrily shook off the guard’s hand and stormed out of the courtyard.

He certainly had a temper. With his attitude, he surely wouldn’t dare leave so abruptly without having a backup plan. Jin Chao instructed the guards, “Follow him and make sure he leaves the estate. He is not allowed to take anything from the estate. If he dares to spread rumors outside, go right up to him and slap his face!” She then told Madam Tong, “Find some people to spread the word of what Steward Zhao has done.” A person of corrupt character would be unwelcome anywhere.

The guards bowed in acknowledgment and went to carry out their orders.

Cheng Shi, listening outside, was dumbfounded. He had never seen anyone as shameless as Zhao Ming! But how did the young lady learn about the steward’s actions? Could she have investigated herself?

Thinking about what the young lady had just said, he developed some admiration for her. Her decisive and forceful manner truly resembled the Old Madam’s style.

He immediately returned to report this to Ji Yao.

Ji Yao remained silent for a long time. He hadn’t expected Zhao Ming to be such a shameless individual. Doing those things was one thing, but he had the nerve to act as if he were the wronged party. It was impressive that Gu Jin Chao managed to handle him.

He had always thought Gu Jin Chao was of poor character, extravagant and dissolute, and had disliked her since childhood. He hadn’t expected that she could resolve the estate’s problems… and she hadn’t once sought his help. She seemed to sense something and was deliberately keeping her distance from him.

He suddenly recalled last winter when Gu Jin Chao was in his grandmother’s heated room, baking crab shell yellow cakes, filling the room with a delicious aroma. She had focused intently on the stove, the firelight casting a warm yellow glow on her face, her eyes like pools of spring water. As she tilted her head, one could see her snow-white neck like congealed cream.

Ji Shi had just died, and she came to take over Ji Shi’s dowry. Without anyone’s support, knowing nothing about such matters, it must have been extremely difficult for her.

Ji Yao felt a touch of sympathy.

After some thought, he said calmly, “Zhao Ming’s confident departure suggests he has already secured a backup plan… Go to the nearby estates and shops and spread the word. Say that Zhao Ming has offended the Ji family, and whoever dares to employ him is going against the Ji family!”

Cheng Shi was delighted to hear this. The Second Young Master was finally willing to help his cousin. He promptly agreed to handle it.

Ji Yao picked up the “Rongtai Collection” again but couldn’t concentrate after reading for a while. Dismissing a steward sounded simple, but doing it was far from easy. How to stabilize the situation, who could take over as steward, what to do with the people Zhao Ming left behind—all were problems. Could Gu Jin Chao… handle it well?

In the end, he put down the book and headed toward the wing room where Gu Jin Chao was staying.

Meanwhile, Gu Jin Chao methodically instructed Cai Fu to summon everyone from the estate and told the estate’s elderly female servants to call the farm women who rented land in Lingbi.

Among the estate’s people, some must be loyal to Steward Zhao. She didn’t want to keep these people either—if they wanted to leave, they could follow Steward Zhao, but they couldn’t take anything from the estate. As soon as she finished speaking, of the more than twenty people kneeling, she stood up to leave.

Madam Tong wanted to say something, but Jin Chao shook her head and let them go. These people would be useless even if they stayed.

The summoned farm women, numbering well over a hundred, stood bewildered in the front courtyard of the estate, unsure of what they were there for. Jin Chao glanced at them—all had dark circles under their eyes, thin frames, and the appearance of long-term malnutrition.

Seeing a dressed but valuable young woman emerge, these women were puzzled, whispering among themselves. This young lady looked like she should be kept at home, protected—what was she doing at this dirty, crowded estate?

Jin Chao smiled and said, “I’ve invited you all here to inform you that the former Steward Zhao has left and no longer manages this estate…”

Before she could finish, the farm women sighed with delight. Steward Zhao had exploited them mercilessly over the years!

One bolder woman asked, “Is what you’re saying true? And who are you—are you the master’s managing maid?”

In their eyes, the most dignified young lady would at most be a head maid.

Jin Chao smiled and said, “I am the eldest young lady of the Gu family, especially come to see Lingbi. Our Gu family has always collected no more than fifty percent of the rent, yet Steward Zhao collected seventy percent from you all, never reporting this to the Gu family. We have truly wronged you all. From now on, we will only collect forty percent rent annually. This year, the weather has been poor—keep enough for your food, and if there’s extra, use it to pay rent. If not, then forget it.”

…This was essentially exempting rent for the year!

The farm women were all extremely excited! They had been worried about this year’s harvest, but now they needn’t fear regardless of how much they harvested! All knelt to kowtow to Jin Chao, calling her a living Bodhisattva. They had never expected the Gu family’s eldest young lady to personally visit the estate and even drive away the feared Steward Zhao.

The farm women all showed expressions of joy, saying they would erect a merit tablet for her in the temple, making Gu Jin Chao smile wryly.

She further instructed, “Go back and tell everyone. Zhao Ming is no longer the steward, and we will find a better one in the future.” After giving these instructions, she had Madam Tong distribute the meat-filled flatbread that had been prepared earlier in the kitchen, giving several to each woman. The farm women happily returned home with their gifts.

Jin Chao had just sat down to catch her breath, thinking about candidates for the steward position, when Cai Fu came to announce that the Second Young Master had arrived.

Ji Yao had been standing outside the door watching everything from beginning to end, only entering after all the farm women had left.

The wing room that Steward Zhao had arranged for Jin Chao contained a low table, two round-backed chairs, and a large kang bed covered with a green cushion with peony patterns. Though an estate could never be too clean, and the furnishings were simple and rustic, Gu Jin Chao showed no sign of disdain, smiling faintly as she asked him to sit.

She said softly, “What brings Second Cousin to see me?”

She made no mention of asking for help as if she had never thought of asking him for assistance.

Ji Yao felt awkward and hesitated before saying, “…I came to see if you needed my help.”

Gu Jin Chao seemed somewhat surprised, then shook her head, “I can manage on my own, it’s fine. If Second Cousin has matters to attend to, there’s no need to concern yourself with me. Although Jin Chao doesn’t understand farming affairs, I know to be diligent, and I’ll manage well…”

Ji Yao noticed a palm-sized piece of hemp cloth on her chest and fell silent for a moment.

Jin Chao poured tea for him and continued calmly, “I know that Second Cousin doesn’t like Jin Chao. You needn’t force yourself to help me. I won’t tell Grandmother.”

She withdrew her hand and made an excuse about having matters to attend to, leaving first.

Ji Yao caught a glimpse of several white lotus flowers embroidered on her sleeve as she left, extraordinarily elegant. He suddenly wanted to say that he didn’t dislike her, but Gu Jin Chao had already left the room. Ji Yao smiled bitterly. He had feared any connection with Gu Jin Chao, avoiding her like a serpent, only to discover that she felt the same way and didn’t care about him at all.

…It made him seem as if he were flattering himself.