"Mother, are we truly going to stand by and watch as we lose all our silver and gold in an instant?" Madam Yun's voice was laced with both anger and desperation as she faced Old Madam Gu. "Those heartless robbers didn't just rob us of our precious silk and gold from the private vaults; they also raided our granary, taking every last grain and the valuable herbs we had stored for the upcoming year. Now, we find ourselves in a dire situation, forced to buy grains from the market just to prepare even the simplest meals at home. Can we really expect to survive an entire year like this, waiting for a harvest that seems so far away?"
Madam Shen, standing beside Madam Yun, nodded vigorously in agreement. "Yes, Mother, it's absolutely infuriating! The famine sweeping across the Empire has already left so many struggling. The relentless drought has wiped out the majority of our crops, leaving only a handful to fight for survival in the fields. The few grains that have managed to grow are barely enough to sustain us, and with the robbers having taken everything of value, we find ourselves completely powerless. We are without any means to purchase food from the market. How are we going to endure this entire year like this?"
Old Madam Gu let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of her daughters-in-law's concerns. She understood their fears and anxiety all too well, as they reflected her own worries. But she also found herself grappling with uncertainty, unsure of where to even start addressing this overwhelming crisis.
If only the Lin family were still here to lend a hand...
Old Madam Gu shook her head, dispelling the thought. Dwelling on the past accomplished nothing; they needed to find a way forward. And anyway, it's just a temporary crisis, if God blessed them, it's not impossible to find their lost goods as long as they persisted in finding clues. Old Madam Gu still couldn't believe that all the gold and silver she had accumulated over the years could disappear just like that. She was still hoping for the day when those officers from the criminal bureau would come and tell her the good news of finding the mastermind behind the robbery and delivering her treasures intact.
With renewed resolve, she raised her gaze and focused on Madam Yun. "Tell me, how are the shops that Madam Lin left in your care faring?" she asked, seeking insight that could potentially offer a path to recovery.
Madam Yun was taken aback, her mind racing to answer as she momentarily found herself at a loss for words. The question was unexpected but profoundly relevant to their situation.
Noticing the silence, Old Madam Gu raised an eyebrow expectantly, urging her daughter-in-law to respond.
The other members of the Gu family, who had been quietly watching the exchange, shifted their attention to Madam Yun, tension hanging in the air.
Suddenly acutely aware of the weight of their scrutiny, Madam Yun felt a tightening knot in her stomach. It dawned on her that if she remained silent in this tense moment, the outcome could prove disastrous for her long-held ambitions.
"Umm. That… mother," Madam Yun stammered, her voice trembling as she struggled to formulate her thoughts. Words that could adequately address the predicament escaped her, and she felt the very real risk of jeopardizing all that she had tirelessly worked to achieve over the years.
Old Madam Gu, a matriarch with a reputation for her formidable presence, stood resolutely before her, her piercing gaze demanding answers and smothering any hope for a reprieve. The air was thick with tension, the unspoken expectations hanging like a heavy cloud between them.
Defeat weighed down on Madam Yun, and with a deep, fortifying breath, she abandoned her hesitations.
"As you are already aware, Mother, our world is engulfed in chaos," she began, her voice steadier now, if still tinged with reluctance. "Famine spreads like wildfire across the land; people are succumbing to hunger daily. In such dire circumstances, one must wonder where they would find the means to shop at Madam Lin's opulent stores?" Rather than directly confronting old Madam Gu's probing question, Madam Yun skillfully manoeuvred her response, highlighting the suffering of the common people and, in turn, hinting at the struggles her shops were experiencing.
Old Madam Gu narrowed her eyes, frustration flickering behind them. It was no secret that the famine's grip had tightened over the entire Empire for years, a situation that had hardly improved even during Madam Lin's tenure. Back then, the revenue generated from her shops far exceeded what Madam Yun was currently able to bring in, casting a long shadow over her efforts.
In moments of doubt, old Madam Gu had comforted herself by rationalizing that Madam Lin's success stemmed from her roots in the bustling world of lower-tier merchants, where cunning and guile were second nature. In contrast, she believed that Madam Yun, with her noble lineage, lacked the requisite ruthlessness to navigate such murky waters. Yet as she stood there, grappling with the troubling reality, old Madam Gu found that disappointment gnawed at her, sapping her confidence in Madam Yun's business acumen.
If only Madam Yun had possessed the sharp wit and skilful enterprise that Madam Lin had effortlessly wielded, old Madam Gu mused bitterly, they could have weathered this financial storm without care for resources or money in such a desperate state.
Old Madam Gu pressed her lips together, her eyes narrowing as she fixed a penetrating gaze on Madam Yun, who felt the intensity of the scrutiny weigh heavily upon her. The silence in the grand hall stretched uncomfortably, filled only by the faint rustle of silk and the distant sounds of the bustling household.
After what felt like an eternity in that tense atmosphere, Madam Yun, clearly at her wit's end, caught Gu Tianhao's eye and subtly implored for his assistance. Sensing her distress, Gu Tianhao stepped forward with an air of deliberation, hoping to alleviate the mounting strain in the room.
[Author- this chapter was written with the help of AI. That's why it's written so well. Don't get me wrong. It was not my intention to deceive you all. I use an android phone to type as I don't have any laptop or computer. Because the screen is short, many times there are spelling mistakes or I just skipped entire word even though I've already thought about it. So, one of my online friend suggested me to use AI Grammer checker. I just downloaded it yesterday and used it to r
Write it. There were so many features in that app and in excitement I used it to improve my writing. I just use it to improve my writing, otherwise thoughts were mine. At that time I thought it was normal as the sentence came out after improvement were same as those I've read before online but later when I checked on Google if it's legal or not, it said that there may be some copyright problems. I don't know if it's true or not but let's abide by the rules. I'll take help from AI to correct my Grammer mistakes but I won't take help from AI to improve my writing but I will surely improve my own writing skills.
And please forgive me for my stupid thoughts about using AI to improve my story.
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