Chapter 26: Confronting Xing Dairong and Cheng Yunshuo

Chapter 26: Confronting Xing Dairong and Cheng Yunshuo

Xing Dairong wore an expression of disbelief.

How could anyone eat like this?

So disgusting.

"Of course it's possible. This pricing attracts the poor. Nowadays, meat costs thirty to forty copper coins per pound, and they can barely afford it once a year. They fight over scraps and lick the plates; each person consumes at least seven or eight pounds of meat."

She might not know that even in her era, ordinary people had only recently escaped widespread hunger.

People who have been hungry for long would eat anything, let alone food dug out from their stomachs.

The stunning buffet she experienced was not only due to significant advancements in productivity but also because of the international context of joining the World Trade Organization.

After 2001, when the country joined the WTO, a large amount of cheap frozen meat, zombie meat, and bone fragments flooded the market, bringing down the prices of buffets and pushing them to new heights of splendor.

None of these facts were known to Xing Dairong.

She only saw the most beautiful side of the splendid era she lived in.

She never imagined that such splendid fireworks required substantial backing to sustain.

Her buffet restaurant lost money every day, with no hope of ever breaking even.

"Enough!"

Cheng Yunshuo, seeing the real numbers, frowned tightly. "Where are those people now?"

"They are at the government office."

"Hurry and get money from the household treasury to send them away," Cheng Yunshuo said.

Kang Ping stood there, even more troubled. "Young Master, the household keys are with Young Lady. Without her instructions, we cannot withdraw money from the treasury."

Cheng Yunshuo clenched the ledger and frowned, then after a moment, said, "Bring Young Lady here."

"Yes."

This was Lu Lingyun's first visit to Cheng Yunshuo's Yaoguang Pavilion.

When she entered, Cheng Yunshuo and Xing Dairong sat on opposite sides. The usually confident and self-assured Xing Dairong now looked like a defeated rooster, sitting dejectedly with a gloomy face, unable to regain her usual pride.

Lu Lingyun observed this scene and smiled faintly.

"Young Master, you called for me?"

She asked, looking at Cheng Yunshuo.

"Yes, Lu... Lingyun." Cheng Yunshuo found it difficult to speak directly, feeling embarrassed.

He and his beloved had squandered so much money outside, and now he had to ask his wife for money. It was humiliating.

If Cheng Yunshuo had any private funds left, he wouldn't have called Lu Lingyun.

But he had spent all his savings to redeem Xing Dairong, and still owed friends money.

Moreover, because of Xing Dairong, he had offended the Qin family and lost any chance of financial support, leaving him unable to ask his mother for money.

With this urgent need for funds, he had no choice but to call Lu Lingyun and ask her for help.

It was truly embarrassing!

Seeing Cheng Yunshuo's repeated difficulty in speaking, Lu Lingyun felt like laughing. Seeing that he was struggling enough, she sat beside him and offered a way out. "Young Master, we are family. What is there to be embarrassed about?"

Relieved, Cheng Yunshuo took a deep breath and handed the ledger to Lu Lingyun.

"Take a look."

Lu Lingyun accepted it calmly.

"What do these numbers mean?" Lu Lingyun knew the meaning of Arabic numerals, but she wanted Cheng Yunshuo to explain.

Now that Cheng Yunshuo had given her the ledger, he had already put aside his pride and could no longer maintain his composure. He explained each number to her, "This is one, two, three, four..."

After he finished explaining, Lu Lingyun looked at the final tally and sighed deeply. "Oh, so it's a loss of one thousand one hundred and thirty taels. How could there be such a huge loss!"

These words were like another stab to Cheng Yunshuo and Xing Dairong.

Xing Dairong, sitting on the other side, lifted her head briefly before lowering it again, her face now tinged with shame and anger.

She hadn't expected such a huge loss!

"It was... our mismanagement."

Cheng Yunshuo glanced at Xing Dairong and took full responsibility.

"Is it the buffet restaurant on East Street that everyone in the Imperial City has been talking about?" Lu Lingyun asked again.

"Yes."

"I remember everyone saying it was Miss Xing who opened it, so I didn't even bother checking the accounts." Cheng Yunshuo wanted to protect Xing Dairong, but Lu Lingyun insisted on exposing her.

"At first, I was thinking of making money!" Xing Dairong exploded like a pufferfish.

"Oh? Miss Xing has the skills to run a business?" Lu Lingyun looked at her coolly, ready to confront her.

"I, I have many ideas to make money!"

"Enough!" Cheng Yunshuo coldly interrupted Xing Dairong.

Xing Dairong felt rebuffed, but she knew this was her doing, so she couldn't muster the courage to argue with Cheng Yunshuo. She closed her mouth sullenly, her face even more sullen.

Lu Lingyun took in her expression and turned to look at Cheng Yunshuo, saying appropriately, "What does the Prince plan to do?"

"Take money from the account first and send them away."

Lu Lingyun tapped her fingertips on the table. "Paying them isn't a problem, but where will we get the funds? All expenses in the household have been accounted for, and over a thousand taels of silver must be reported to Mother."

Cheng Yunshuo responded, "Don't report it to Mother. Deduct it from my monthly allowance."

Hearing this, Lu Lingyun's eyes showed satisfaction.

Cheng Yunshuo's monthly allowance was one hundred taels; a shortfall of over a thousand taels would cover his entire year's allowance.

Without any additional support from the Qin family, how would he survive this year?

Money is truly essential for living.

Without money, there can be no romance or luxury. Without money, one lacks the confidence to speak up. Without money, poverty brings endless sorrow to a couple.

"Since the Prince has spoken, let it be done this way." Lu Lingyun looked at Nanny An. "Accompany Manager Kang to the accounting office and settle the payment quickly to resolve the matter."

"Yes, Young Lady!"

"Yes, Young Lady."

The two left together, and Lu Lingyun also rose. "I guess there's nothing else for me here, so I'll take my leave."

Cheng Yunshuo watched as Lu Lingyun left, opening his mouth, "Lingyun, thank you for your trouble."

After all, she had helped him resolve today's issue and kept it from the Qin family.

Lu Lingyun had been so considerate, and Cheng Yunshuo felt grateful to her.

"You and I are one, why mention any trouble?" Lu Lingyun smiled faintly.

With that, she left with her entourage.

Once she had left, Xing Dairong snorted in discontent, "What 'you and I are one'? Who is one with her!"

Cheng Yunshuo didn't want to talk to her or pay her any attention at this moment.

Comparing people really showed the difference. Lu Lingyun was gentle and gracious, helping him solve problems, while Xing Dairong, who caused the trouble, was still being petty and jealous.

But strangely, although Cheng Yunshuo used to think Xing Dairong was unique whenever compared to others, he now found her less remarkable and increasingly mundane.

"Cheng Yunshuo!" Xing Dairong pouted and looked at him.