Su Li looked at Bai Lu's happy expression and recalled how Xiao Zetian once said he would deal with the Tang family. She was pondering how exactly Xiao Zetian would handle them.
"Madam?" Bai Lu called out when she saw Su Li daydreaming, then happily took out the ledger from her bosom. "Madam, look what this is!"
"Eh, the Jiangnan Silver Bank's ledger!? This is a rare treasure, something many accountants dream of having. Bai Lu, where did you get this?" Su Li asked.
Bai Lu said joyfully, "Brother Yuan Yu had someone buy it for me. Madam, with this ledger, I can improve my bookkeeping skills even more. Then our business will grow bigger, and I won't be afraid of handling it all."
Su Li looked at Bai Lu's excited face, feeling both comforted and a bit heartbroken.
Comforted that Bai Lu was so eager to learn, becoming smarter and more capable; heartbroken about how things were between her and Yuan Yu... Sigh, Yuan Yu really cared for Bai Lu, but unfortunately, Bai Lu seemed indifferent.
Su Li thought about testing Bai Lu to see what she really thought of Steward Yuan.
So Su Li didn't let Bai Lu leave immediately but pulled her aside to ask about the repairs in the fields. Bai Lu, unsuspecting, answered one by one. Su Li then casually said, "Our fields' matters are thanks to Steward Yuan's help. You should thank him for me."
Bai Lu didn't sense anything unusual and nodded, "Brother Yuan Yu has helped us a lot. I'll thank him well on behalf of Madam."
Su Li smiled, "If you need money, just withdraw it from the ledger. No need to tell me. I trust you."
Bai Lu's face flushed slightly. Su Li had given her a lot of authority, even allowing her to handle small expenses independently. This trust was truly rare and precious.
Su Li then smiled and said casually, "A capable man like Steward Yuan must have many girls chasing after him outside."
Bai Lu was stunned for a moment upon hearing this.
Su Li watched Bai Lu's expression without showing any emotion. Bai Lu was slightly stunned, then seemed to realize something late. She slowly nodded, her voice no longer as excited as before, "That's right, Brother Yuan Yu is so capable and outstanding; surely many girls are after him."
Su Li looked at Bai Lu but couldn't tell what she really thought about Yuan Yu.
After Bai Lu said this, she changed the topic and mentioned how several restaurant managers recently came demanding penalties because their vegetable supplies were insufficient due to the damaged fields.
"Madam, several restaurants are demanding penalties because our fields were destroyed and the vegetable supply is insufficient," Bai Lu said with some difficulty. "According to our contract with the restaurants, if we can't supply on time, we have to pay compensation. Madam, do you think we should pay?"
Su Li sighed and said, "Pay. Anyone who demands money must be compensated according to the contract. For those who haven't asked yet, just send them the compensation."
Bai Lu showed a puzzled expression: "But Madam, the compensation is not a small amount. Our family also invested money to rebuild the mushroom houses and greenhouses in the fields, spending quite a bit of silver. If we compensate all the restaurants, I'm afraid our working capital won't be enough to cover it. How about this: whoever comes looking for compensation, we pay them?"
Su Li sighed again and said, "I know the money isn't enough, but business is about integrity. The contract says if we can't supply the vegetables, it's a breach. We breached the contract and affected the restaurants' business, so according to the agreement, we have to pay. If they come asking, we must pay immediately; those who haven't come are being considerate of our difficulties, but we can't take their kindness for granted—we must compensate them even more. If the money isn't enough, I'll find a way. Integrity is far more important than money. Money can be earned again, but once you lose integrity, rebuilding your reputation is harder than reaching the sky!"