The husband who forced her to marry her couldn't keep her warm, and she didn't want him to

"Ma'am, it's cold outside."

As Bai Shao spoke, she gently draped the fur cloak over Gu Jinchu and carefully put the hat on her head.

The sunlight poured through the window into the car, making the snow-white fur flash with a delicate, silky luster. One could tell at a glance that it was an extraordinary product.

Bai Zhi lifted the curtain in front of the carriage and looked outside, seeing Tao Xuelin and his two sons standing at the door.

She smiled in response and tiptoed off the carriage.

Then he turned around, reached out his hand towards the carriage, and carefully helped his master slowly walk down from the green-curtained carriage.

"Master, you are here."

Tao Xuelin took a step forward, and the father and his two sons clasped their hands together and saluted, their faces, which were covered with years of respect.

Gu Jinchu nodded softly, then told someone to take Jiang An and the others to find a place to rest, while he walked towards the depths of the yard.

This is the backyard of the Pastry Shop. There is a main hall for receiving guests, as well as rooms for the shopkeeper, waiters and chefs to rest.

It was the first time for Jiang An and the guards from the Jiang family to travel with the Madam. They had no expectations or curiosity, only a strong sense of anticipation, because they deeply understood how much the Fifth Master valued the Madam.

For Tao Xuelin, although he knew that his host was now the wife of the Duke Dingguo, it was also the first time he saw such a grand ceremony by his host.

The leading guard was wearing a waist-cut robe and had an ordinary appearance. He was the type that would hardly attract attention in a crowd.

When you look closely, you will find that his eyes are extremely sharp, revealing an invisible pressure.

He walked silently, and one could tell at a glance that the guards he brought with him were all well-trained masters and definitely not ordinary people.

Tao Xuelin realized that this was the difference between the Dingguo Mansion and ordinary families. The presence of these guards also showed how much the Dong family was valued in the Jiang family.

Tao Xuelin bowed to the group of people and asked his eldest son to greet the guards brought by the host.

The managers and village heads who came with Gu Jinchu's dowry had been waiting in the main hall for a long time. Most of them had only met the host once.

The nervousness I felt when I first entered the Duke Dingguo's Mansion that day, the grandeur and luxury of the mansion, and the generosity of the young boss, who was good at managing his subordinates, are still vivid in my mind.

There was a beautiful woman in a white fur cloak, with two equally young maids beside her. She was surrounded by seven or eight guards with short blades, and their imposing manner unconsciously had a deterrent effect.

Everyone stood up from their chairs. After Gu Jinchu entered the room, the men who had the final say in the shops or farms under their management did not dare to breathe.

Gu Jinchu walked to the upper armchair in the main hall and sat down. Bai Zhi and Bai Shao stood side by side with her. Gao De also did the same, standing on the other side of the lady.

Jiang An, who was following behind them, walked over without hesitation and stood beside Gao De.

After seeing the host sitting down, the steward and the village heads all bowed and greeted Gu Jinchu.

"My boss."

"My boss."

...

Gu Jinchu nodded slightly and said in a crisp voice, "Everyone please take a seat. The weather is cold and the end of the year is a busy time. I won't take up too much of your time."

After everyone sat down, she nodded towards Tao Xuelin.

Soon, plates of white snowflakes were brought up by the waiter.

There were also exquisitely packed oil paper bags, in squares and pieces, neatly placed on the ground.

A month ago, Tao Xuelin took people to count how many people were in each shop and farm.

When they came here today, everyone realized that the boss was going to give them a reward.

Although they were mentally prepared, they still couldn't help but feel overjoyed when they saw the snowflake silver on the table.

It was really as Tao Yuanzheng said, the boss was the most generous. If she had meat to eat, the people around her would also drink the broth to fill their stomachs.

Tao Xuelin held the booklet in one hand, stood in the open space in the main hall, and said to Gu Jinchu who was sitting at the head of the table, "Boss, everything is ready according to your request."

"These are the dividends I promised to give you at the end of the year. If the performance is good next year, there will be more money."

Gu Jinchu didn't say much, just nodded and said, "Let's get started. Those who have a long way to go should go first, so that they don't have to travel at night."

Tao Xuelin responded with a smile, neither hurried nor slow, with a steady and bookish air.

Gu Jinchu not only prepared dividends, in addition to brand new white silver ingots, there were tea leaves, various snacks and dried fruits in the oil paper package...

Most of them are good things that can only show off, but they are reluctant to buy them.

It also allowed the managers and village heads to finally understand why they had received the notice asking them to drive here.

Jiang An also understood why there were so many carriages and horses parked in the yard and outside the gate.

Tao Xuelin took the booklet and distributed the goods to each shop and farm according to the number registered at the beginning.

After they received their things, they moved them back and forth onto the carriage. For a while, the yard was bustling with activity.

The sunlight shines on the busy people, as if adding a touch of warmth to the scene.

The help of the guards that Jiang An brought with him saved them a lot of time.

Although he trusts his employees and does not employ those he does not trust, all of Gu Jinchu's subordinates have indentures.

They all smiled happily, and after receiving the gifts, they kowtowed to the host. They said auspicious words, wishing to empty all the words in their heads.

Xie Wang is a lean middle-aged man, the head of the farm in Xianghe, which is the farthest from here and also the largest in area.

When he came back in from outside, he was carrying a bamboo basket on his back that was almost as tall as him.

He carefully placed the basket on the ground, rubbed his hands, looked at Gu Jinchu with some restraint and said:

"Boss, my wife heard that you were pregnant... She made a quilt for you, but she was afraid that you would miss the taste of your hometown, so she insisted on making two Xianghe meat patties for you, saying that only the water from your hometown can give you that taste..."

As he spoke, he took things out of the bamboo basket one by one.

There were neatly folded and tightly wrapped Baijia children's quilts, cooled Xianghe meat patties, and countless goose eggs.

Not only Xie Wang brought things, but every manager and village head who came today brought gifts for the unborn young master.

Although not as luxurious and exquisite as those prepared by the various branches of the Jiang family, they were all the best things they had put a lot of thought into.

Gu Jinchu stood up with the help of the maid, with a gentle smile on her face, "Thank you all for your trouble. I would like to thank you all on behalf of my unborn child. I will treat everyone to a full-month banquet after the birth."

It was not yet noon and everyone was in a hurry to go back.

Gu Jinchu did not try to persuade them to stay, and stood at the main entrance of the hall, watching them drive away one by one in their carriages. The sunlight shone on her, adding a soft glow to her.

Jiang An stood behind his wife, with a hint of curiosity on his face, and quietly asked Gao De beside him, "Brother, do you have any dividends?"

Gao De shook his head and said in a low voice, "No, our family doesn't work in a shop or on a farm."

Jiang An was somewhat disappointed. He could see that the managers of the villages received at least 20 taels of dividends, and the most was 50 taels.

Madam gave everyone an extra year's allowance at the end of the year. This generosity was rare in Shengjing City.

Gao De noticed Jiang An's compassionate look, pointed at the maid beside the lady and said: "Bai Zhi is my sister, my mother is on duty in the lady's small kitchen, and my only brother is with Master Gu Wen... The lady gave a house to our family..."

His expression was calm, yet his pride was hard to conceal.

After hearing this, Jiang An curled his lips, feeling a little fooled by him.

At this time, Tao Yuanwu came over, bowed in front of Gu Jinchu and said, "Boss, someone wants to see you."