Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

When Gu Jinyan entered the main hall of the Gu Family Mansion, the spacious hall was already bustling with noise.

The people sat in twos and threes, talking or whispering, and the atmosphere was subtly heavy.

She had just taken her seat in the hall when she heard a sharp voice: "Niece Jinyan, you've come after all."

These words, tinged with sarcasm, came from her uncle, Gu Shichang.

He squinted slightly, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, as if signaling some ill intent.

"The medicinal herb business that you facilitated a few days ago has somehow ended up with the partner wanting to file a complaint with the authorities."

Gu Shichang paused, glancing at everyone, "The managers of Jiyuantang said that our Gu family has betrayed our trust and suddenly switched to cooperating with the Lin family in the West Market."

"I heard the yamen is demanding five thousand taels of silver in compensation. Is that true?" He emphasized the last few words, as if the Gu family had already suffered a huge loss because of her decision.

Gu Jinyan was slightly taken aback. She was indeed not very familiar with the details of the cooperation with Jiyuantang, but she also understood that Gu Shichang's attempt to take advantage of the situation was premeditated.

His words silenced the room instantly, and all eyes turned to her.

“Uncle,” Gu Jinyan said, sitting upright but with a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant.

"The reason we chose the Lin family is because they offered a much more favorable price than Jiyuantang. Choosing the Lin family is more beneficial to the Gu family."

She looked sharply at Gu Shichang and said, "This is just a pilot program. We can adjust the quotas gradually, so there's no need to cause any disputes."

Gu Shichang snorted coldly, slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, raising his voice: "Gu Jinyan, do you not know anything about the ways of business?!"

Although Jiyuantang's prices are slightly higher, the reputation and benefits that our long-term cooperation has brought us are beyond what a young girl like you can understand.

"You insisted on your own way, and now we've lost five thousand taels of silver. Can you bear this responsibility?"

Before he finished speaking, Gu Jinyan felt a chill run down her spine. It seemed that some of the other elders in the hall were already casting questioning glances at her.

She took a deep breath, preparing to speak again in rebuttal, when her cousin Gu Shiquan stepped forward at the opportune moment.

He patted her on the shoulder, putting on a "kind" admonishing look: "Jinyan, your uncle only means to remind you to be careful in the future and not to act impulsively."

After all, in business, credit is paramount, not just price.

Gu Jinyan pursed his lips slightly, but a surge of anger at being restrained welled up inside him.

Gu Shiquan was ostensibly siding with her, but in reality, he was maintaining his uncle's prestige and implying that she was too naive in making decisions.

However, when she looked around, she saw that the elders in the hall were either indifferent or nodding in agreement with Gu Shiquan, and it seemed that no one was really on her side.

At this moment, Elder Gu Zheng and Elder Gu Liang, who were sitting to the side, coughed softly and looked at Gu Jinyan with a slightly gentle expression.

Gu Zheng said softly, "Jin Yan is still young and may not be familiar with the market rules. We can consider it more carefully before making a decision."

Gu Liang echoed her sentiments, giving her a brief respite.

Upon hearing this, Gu Jinyan nodded slightly in gratitude, a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart.

However, Gu Yuande, the head of the family, remained unmoved as he sat in the main seat, only scanning the room with a meaningful gaze, as if he were pondering something.

Gu Jinyan couldn't fathom his thoughts, but he was unwilling to compromise.

"How can the reputation and credibility of our Gu family be so easily damaged by a young junior over a price issue?"

Gu Shichang's voice rang out again, his tone becoming increasingly aggressive, "Patriarch, if our Gu family wants to maintain its position in the business world, we probably need to reconsider whether the person in charge is suitable."

Gu Jinyan was startled.

Her uncle wasn't just thinking about the incident itself, but rather about using it to suppress her and even seek her management position within the Gu family.

Just then, another cold laugh came from inside the hall.

She turned her head and saw Quran sitting in the corner, his face showing a mixture of smugness and gloating.

Clearly, Qulan Ci was secretly pleased to see her being questioned by the crowd.

Gu Jinyan lowered his eyelids and clenched his fists slightly.

Just as she was about to speak again, Gu Yuande finally broke the silence.

He raised his hand, making a shushing gesture, and said slowly, "Let me think about this matter." Although his tone was calm, everyone immediately fell silent and dared not say another word.

Gu Jinyan breathed a sigh of relief, but he also understood that the patriarch's deep thought meant that he needed to be more cautious in the future.

She glanced around and once again felt the complex power dynamics within the hall. She realized that if she wanted to gain a foothold in the Gu family, it would be impossible to achieve it solely through her passion and temporary success.

Night had fallen when I came out of the council chamber.

A cold wind swept by, and as she looked back at the tightly closed door, a chilling clarity washed over her.

After today's events, she no longer naively believes that everything she does can be easily recognized.

She secretly vowed that in every step she took from now on, she would be more prudent and cautious, and would never give anyone another chance to take advantage of her weaknesses.

In the darkness of the night, her eyes seemed to gleam with a faint light.