Lu Family People thus saw hope, believing that as long as they treated the Gu Family People well and abided by her family's rules, the Gu Family would surely lead them to prosperity in the future.

He Family People, upon hearing this, were so angry it physically hurt. Those who had not yet managed to work at Gu's Workshop wanted to go and reason with the Gu Family but were scolded by Village Chief He and sent back.

Do they not know what kind of temperament the Gu Family's daughter has? She's the kind of master who might help you get rich if you listen to her, but if you don't, she will press you down until you're nothing.

After being stopped, the He Family People reluctantly said, "Village Chief, are we just going to watch the Lu Family People take all the benefits? Are we of the He Family supposed to starve?"

"What starvation crap are you talking about!" Village Chief He cursed, "Hasn't the Gu Family given us He Family many benefits? They allowed our He Family to deal in tofu and seasoning spices, recruited our He Family People to work in the workshop, and even to work at the braised food shop and the restaurant. Maybe they will even lead us in planting Mingya Grass come spring."

He Family People were overjoyed upon hearing this and asked, "Village Chief, has the Gu Family loosened up on the matter of Mingya Grass and allowed us to plant it?"

Village Chief He replied, "Not yet, but I'm almost clear about the strategy of the Gu Family's daughter. I reckon she plans to agree after the New Year. So don't go looking for trouble, be good to the Gu Family People, because if the matter of the Mingya Grass falls through, it's our entire He Family People's silver that will be lost."

He emphasized specifically, "Mingya Grass doesn't take up much land, and it can survive no matter how it's planted. But I've asked Doctor Wu, and he said that pharmacies can't use that much, only the Gu Family needs the most. We can only sell and make silver if the Gu Family agrees to buy our Mingya Grass."

Having heard Village Chief He's words, the He Family People finally dared not go to the Gu Family anymore.

Village Chief He further explained earnestly, "Just behave yourselves. Why do you think the Gu Family hired Lu Gen Sheng and Lu He Fu's families to work? It's because they want something—anyway, to keep our He Family People awake and not too arrogant, and not to think that the Gu Family can only hire us to work. Without the He Family People, there are still the Lu Family People, or otherwise, she can hire people from other villages to work. In short, whoever behaves gets hired!"

Village Chief He only recently figured out this was Gu Jinli's intent, and it gave him a real fright, filling him with a sense of crisis. Recently, his supervision over the He Family People has not relaxed but has gotten even stricter.

This is exactly what Gu Jinli wanted. She intended to knock some sense into the people of the village so that they learn the meaning of fear. Only then would no one dare to scheme against her family.

When you're poor, you're bullied, but when you have money, it attracts the scheming of the envious. Her disciplining of the He Family People is meant to ensure that even if they are jealous, they wouldn't dare to plot against her family.

Thanks to this scolding, people in the village are noticeably more obedient recently, waiting eagerly at home for when the Gu Family would invite them to work.

...

Qin San Lang had already rolled up his sleeves to kill the fish, his knife skills were remarkable – he moved gracefully, almost as if brandishing a sword, a sight to behold. Gu Jinli and Gu Jincheng sat aside, propping their chins and watching him kill the fish.

Brother Cheng occasionally exclaimed, "Brother San Lang is so amazing, so nice to watch."

Qin San Lang felt both pleased and a little embarrassed. He skillfully slaughtered six fish, cleaned them, and placed them in two large clay basins. He then said to Gu Jinli, "Xiao Yu, you prepare the sauce for me, I'll marinate the fish. You can grill them after I'm done so your hands won't get dirty."

Fish can have a strong smell, and the water is very cold.

"Sure, I'll grill them after you're done," Gu Jinli happily agreed, rising to prepare the sauce needed for grilling the fish – half to marinate the fish and half to brush on while grilling.

With many fish to prepare, a considerable amount of sauce was needed. She busied herself for a quarter of an hour to get everything ready, then took it to Qin San Lang for marinating the fish.

While marinating the fish, Gu Jinli went to the kitchen to make several signature dishes from Yanfu Building – squirrel fish, bamboo shoot dried meat, crispy spare ribs, Taiji tofu, and crystal osmanthus cake.

"We don't have many ingredients at home, so I can only make these. Tomorrow you and Brother Luo Wu can go to Yanfu Building, I will set a table especially for you."

Qin San Lang placed the marinated fish on the rack and said, "There's no need for anything special. A few dishes are already very good."

Gu Jinli sat down, grilling fish and said, "I have a share in the restaurant, you can eat there whenever you like, I'll pay for it."

Brother Cheng said: "Second Sister is so generous, I want to go eat too."

He now attends school and has to go to town every day, so he could swing by for a meal.

Gu Jinli said: "No way, you eat so much, if you go every day I'll start losing money."

Brother Cheng got upset: "Brother San Lang eats way more than me, why can he go and not even pay?"

Gu Jinli: "Because he is Qin San Lang, and you are Gu Jincheng."

This answer made Brother Cheng wonder if perhaps Brother San Lang was the real younger brother of Second Sister and if he himself was just picked up somewhere.

Qin San Lang took out a packet of pastries from the cloth bag at his waist and handed it to Brother Cheng: "Brother Cheng, these are the pastries Brother San Lang bought for you, go ahead and eat."

Brother Cheng was delighted, took the pastries, and proudly boasted to Gu Jinli: "I have some, but Second Sister doesn't, hmph~"

However, he was soon put in his place.

Qin San Lang took off a cloth bag tied around his waist and handed it to Gu Jinli: "These are dried fruits and nuts for you."

Dried fruits are made by sun-drying fruits, and in ancient times fruit was scarce, so only families of officials could afford them, making a bag of dried fruits far more valuable than a packet of pastries, and that's not even considering the nuts.

"Ha!" Gu Jinli laughed, showing off her bag to Brother Cheng, and retorted: "I have so much and it's more expensive than yours."

Brother Cheng felt aggrieved and asked Qin San Lang: "Brother San Lang, where are my dried fruits?"

Qin San Lang looked serious and said: "Brother Cheng already has pastries. Asking for dried fruits as well isn't appropriate. Children should be well-behaved and understand humility. It's not good to be greedy."

Brother Cheng: "..." That's favoritism!

Gu Jinli couldn't help laughing out loud, not expecting Brother Qin to be so skillful at hoodwinking children, and doing so with such an unabashedly righteous face.

Qin San Lang's face turned a bit red, and he stood up, saying, "Keep grilling. I'll go and call Grandpa to come eat."

It was only him and Grandpa at home, both of whom were not much for cooking, so every time he came back wanting something tasty, it was at Xiao Yu's place.

Soon, Qin San Lang brought Elder Qin over. Elder Qin went to talk with Third Grandpa, while Qin San Lang continued to help Gu Jinli grill fish.

Third Grandma had come back carrying a shoulder pole, and when Luo Wu saw her, he quickly went to help. Before Third Grandma could say anything, he said, "Third Grandma, let's eat at your place tonight. I haven't eaten with you all in a while."

Third Grandma felt touched and promptly said, "Sure, sure, sure. Tonight, let's celebrate it as a festival for you all. Go call your parents and sister over, and we'll all eat together."

"Alright." Luo Wu was thrilled and immediately went back home to call Father Luo and Ms. Chu, telling them Third Grandpa and Third Grandma invited their family over for dinner.

Father Luo and Ms. Chu, upon hearing the invitation was from Third Grandpa and Third Grandma, didn't say much else, took some rice and vegetables, and went with Luo Huiniang to Gu Jinli's house.