The Princess of Northern Land
Chapter 282: Hiring a Hitman(6)_1

Chapter 282: Chapter 282: Hiring a Hitman(6)_1

The Marquis of Feng City, after much consideration, has decided that it would be best to keep a low profile for now. As such, he has gathered everyone in the family in the floral hall.

"By rights, the stores are part of your, women’s dowries, and as the family head, I shouldn’t interfere. However, given the unfavorable circumstances, not to mention the prince’s misunderstanding towards our Li Family, but also numerous aristocratic families in the city have word or two about us. If this continues, trouble is inevitable. Fortunately, disaster hasn’t struck yet, you might want to consider selling off some of the stores you own."

"Elder Brother, that cannot be." The Second Lady raised her objection first.

"What a woman thinks, do you have any say here when the elder brother has spoken?" The Second Master glanced at his wife. He had already aligned his views with the eldest brother, and this was a decision made after weighing pros and cons. The survival of Li Family weighed heavier than their wealth.

"It’s not that I’m deliberately going against you, elder brother, but according to the laws of Daqin, a woman’s dowry is her personal silver. If we sell the stores, what will we use for silver in the future?" The Lady Jin, who came from a smaller aristocratic family, has always been looking out for her immediate benefits.

The Marquis of Li remained silent, waiting for his daughters-in-law to express their views.

Madame You along with her mother-in-law also were not willing to sell off the stores. That plot of land in the south of the city was very favorable and coveted by many businesses. The Li Family had strong foresight; Before the elderly Marquis came to Feng City, he tried his best to purchase the shops in that area.

It was only because of those shops, the Li family was able to live in luxury today. If it depended only on the men’s paltry salaries, their family would be left disturbed by the wind from the northwest.

"Why did master suddenly think of selling the stores? Aren’t you aware about how thriving those stores are?" Lady Mu asked, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, yet keen to understand the reason. "The assets are ours, even if outsiders are envious and talk mere nonsense, doesn’t mean we have to sell our stores."

"What Sister-in-law said is right." Lady Jin immediately concurred, "Those idle people are just envious because we earn a substantial amount of rental income every year. However, petty discussions cannot harm us even a bit, so why fear about them?"

"If it were mere gossips, then there’s nothing to worry about. However, the prince has already conveyed his message. He finds our Li Family too ostentatious." The Marquis of Li explained with frustration. These women, they are short-sighted, only thinking about the immediate benefits but never the consequences.

"No way, why would the prince care about our stores?" The main Lady didn’t believe him.

"Isn’t it all because of the good deeds your precious daughter and daughter-in-law stirred up?" The Marquis of Li didn’t admit to his own desire to get a share in Li Family’s business and chose to put the blame entirely on Madame You and Li Yanran. "There are three major powers: the Prince, the Si Family, and Ding’an Temple in the Northern Land, which one could they possibly offend? Rather proudly, these two went directly and got caught in the act by the prince, bullying the Lin Family. Stealing business from the prince, how could he not be angry?"

The affairs of the Lin Family had reached the ears of the First and Second Lady. They knew a bit about Li Yanran and Madame You’s covetous intents for Lin Family’s business. But Madame You was indeed good at doing business, and a substantial amount of money was flowing into their stores each year under her management.

Although the Lin Family was a latecomer as a merchant, their fame had spread far and wide within a short half year. Where in every business initiative they undertook, money flowed in like water. If nothing else, just their refined oil and sauce, there were long queues lining up to buy, to the point where it could barely be bought.

Surely they wouldn’t be envious about this. So when they knew Li Yanran and Madame You was headed for Lin Family, they immediately agreed with both hands. However, Madame You and Li Yanran were too careless, with their threat to the Lin Family caught in the act by the prince. Alas, will today’s matter really end up in selling off the shops?