The Ordinary Man's Guide to Fast Travel

Chapter 400 Brother, I Like You 27

Ruo Fufeng, who won the championship, was in high spirits, but this was just for show.

He actually doesn't care about this small achievement.

After so many lifetimes, what ups and downs have you not experienced?

It was just a competition among several academies. In his eyes, it was just a trivial matter.

After all the competitions were over, the academy allowed the students to take a day off and return home.

If Fufeng's carriage stopped at the gate of Chaoyao's courtyard this time, he would have to protect Chaoyao well to avoid being targeted by others.

Chao Yao got on the carriage and looked around. Sure enough, all her favorite snacks were already placed on the table.

"Wu Shier's pregnancy should have been two months. Logically, the palace doctor should have told her, how long do you think the baby can be kept?"

Chao Yao asked casually while eating dried fruits.

Ruo Fufeng supported his head with one hand, his eyes full of smiles and frowns at Zhao Yao.

"It's gone last night. I wanted to tell you, but it was too late then, so I decided to tell you this morning."

When Chao Yao heard the news about Ruo Fufeng, he stopped eating the dried fruits in his hand.

"Then... what is Ruo Tingfeng going to do? Why is it gone?"

Ruo Fufeng changed another kind of dried fruit for Chao Yao, and then slowly said: "I said before that there is a problem with Ruo Tingfeng's genes, and he will never have children again. And the child in Wu Shier's belly, if it is Ruo Tingfeng's, will definitely miscarry naturally within three months of pregnancy. Last night, Wu Shier was normal, but suddenly she started to have signs."

Chao Yao frowned and said solemnly, "Wouldn't Wu Shier be crazy? She had always thought that her status would be enhanced by her son, but now all her hopes have been dashed."

"Humph, she asked for it. Ruo Tingfeng must be very angry too. She finally had a child, but ended up like this."

If Fu Feng sneered, he wouldn't mind.

"I'm afraid this incident will have a significant impact on the mansion. I'm wondering if Wu Shier will use this to cause trouble? We're going to be home tonight, and if something like this happens, Wu Shier will probably take it out on me again."

Although he knew that Yaoyao was fully capable of handling the situation, he still couldn't help but hold her in his arms and coax her, "Don't worry, I can handle it. If she dares to mess around, I won't sit idly by."

Chao Yao nodded slightly and asked, "What should we do next?"

Thinking of his plan, Ruo Fufeng's lips curled up slightly and he kissed Chao Yao heavily.

"New head of the family, madam, is this position for you?"

This turned out to be the plan. Chao Yao knew that her man would not be a coward.

If you can't have freedom, then fight for it.

"Just tell me what you need me to do. You know what I'm capable of."

If her man wants to do something, she must support him!

"Originally, you and I had to wait until the end of this year to graduate. After returning this time, I decided to ask the Ruo family to let us graduate early."

"Okay, I've read all the books in this academy's collection, and even made a copy. I basically know what the teachers talked about. If we're not in the academy, it would be more appropriate for us to do something else."

As night fell, the carriage carrying Ruo Fufeng and Chao Yao slowly drove into the Ruo family's home.

As soon as he entered the mansion, Ruo Fufeng looked arrogant and just perfunctorily bowed to Ruo Tingfeng who came to greet him.

Ruo Tingfeng's face was gloomy. He looked at this unfilial son and snorted coldly: "You still remember to come back!"

Ruo Fufeng curled his lips and said, "If it weren't for the academy's holiday, I wouldn't want to go back to this boring place."

Chao Yao bowed timidly and dared not say anything more.

Ruo Tingfeng glared at Ruo Fufeng and said, "Come inside and talk."

Everyone came into the house. Ruo Tingfeng was silent for a moment, and finally spoke: "There is something I didn't want to tell you so soon, but now I have to tell you."

"Dad, just say what you want to say. Don't be so hesitant." Ruo Fufeng looked impatient. He used to have this attitude, but now he planned to change it slowly. After all, he was the one who was going to take his father's place, and their relationship couldn't become too awkward.

"Shir had a miscarriage."

Ruo Fufeng was startled at first, then he said disdainfully: "What does it have to do with me?"

When Chao Yao heard this, her eyes reddened, but she didn't dare to cry out loud.

She was pinching herself so hard that she almost got bruises.

Ruo Tingfeng angrily slammed the table and said, "Rebellious son, after all, it is... it is..."

He thought for a long time but couldn't find the right words. In the end, he could only say angrily: "How can you be so cruel!"

Ruo Fufeng sneered: "Her status is not legitimate, and she is not worthy of my concern. Besides, you have only had me as your son for so many years, what else do you have to worry about? Why not let me get married soon, have more children, and carry forward the Ruo family."

Hearing Ruo Fufeng's blunt words, Ruo Tingfeng was so angry that he trembled all over. He pointed at Ruo Fufeng and cursed: "You rebellious son, you are so rebellious!"

I don't know how many times this scene has appeared.

So when she saw his attitude, Ruo Fufeng didn't care and said leisurely: "Dad, I am telling the truth. With the current situation in the mansion, we might as well make plans early."

Chao Yao couldn't help but say, "Master, the eldest young master is also thinking about the Ruo family."

I originally treated Chao Yao as air, but now I just vented my anger on him.

Ruo Tingfeng glared at Chao Yao: "You have no right to speak here!"

Ruo Fufeng protected Chaoyao behind him and said, "Dad, what Chaoyao said makes sense. Now that Wu Shier has had a miscarriage, there are many things to do in the mansion, so why not let her take charge? In this academy competition, Chaoyao won the first place in swordsmanship, and all the officials are fighting for it. Our Ruo family should find a place for her to go, so as to avoid giving people a reason to talk."

After hearing what Ruo Fufeng said, Ruo Tingfeng's eyes widened with anger, veins popped out on his forehead, and he shouted sternly: "Humph! Just her? A yellow-haired girl dares to take charge of the Ruo family's inner courtyard? The affairs of the Ruo family's inner courtyard are complicated and intricate. How can she handle it?"

Ruo Fufeng looked calm, took a step forward slowly, and said sincerely: "Dad, please don't be so arbitrary and underestimate Chao Yao. In this academy competition, she stood out among many talented people and won the first place in swordsmanship. This is enough to prove that she is by no means an ordinary person. Her mind and ability are far beyond ordinary people. Moreover, during her time at the academy, Chao Yao was not only diligent and hardworking, but also proficient in management and strategy. If she can apply what she has learned to the governance of the inner courtyard, she will definitely be able to make it well organized."

Ruo Tingfeng sneered repeatedly, his eyes full of disdain: "Just relying on these? How can the management of the Ruo family's inner courtyard be so easy? Can everything be solved just by swordsmanship and a little strategy? It's simply wishful thinking!"

"Dad, you might as well think about it carefully. Now that Wu Shier has had a miscarriage, people in the mansion are in a state of unrest and chaos. If Chao Yao can take charge of the inner courtyard, on the one hand, she can quickly appease everyone and stabilize people's hearts; on the other hand, she can take this opportunity to show the outside world the grandeur and fairness of our Ruo family. Although Chao Yao is not of noble birth, she is diligent and studious, with a pure heart. She usually gets along well with the servants in the mansion. They will definitely be convinced by her and listen to her arrangements."

It was rare for his son to try to persuade him like this. He had heard from the servants before that the two of them got along very closely. Now it seemed that his son still had some feelings for Chao Yao.

Forget it, his son wants to do something good for a woman, and as a father, he can afford to lose.

All important powers regarding the affairs of the inner court were in the hands of Steward Ruo, so Chao Yao could not cause much trouble.

Thinking of this, Ruo Tingfeng frowned and fell into deep thought. After a long time, although a trace of hesitation flashed in his eyes, he still said firmly: "Words are not enough, I want to test her in person. If she really has this ability, I will agree to let her take charge of the affairs of the inner courtyard. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Ruo Fufeng was overjoyed and quickly responded, "Dad, please feel free to test me."

Ruo Tingfeng then asked Chao Yao questions, ranging from the management of the mountains of complicated accounts in the Ruo Mansion, to the intricate personnel arrangements, to the comprehensive strategies for dealing with all kinds of unexpected emergencies.

Chaoyao was neither humble nor arrogant, and his answers were well-organized, logical, and well-founded.

Ruo Tingfeng nodded slightly, showing some approval in his heart, but still unwilling to give up. He then threw out some extremely tricky and almost unsolvable problems.

Chao Yao was stunned at first, but then he calmed down, thought for a moment, and answered smoothly without any flaws.

However, Ruo Tingfeng still had doubts and said, "These are just paper talks. The actual management is very different. I will give you three days to handle some affairs of the inner courtyard. If you can handle it properly, I will make a decision."

……

……

On the first day that Chao Yao took on Ruo Tingfeng's test, before the morning sun had fully penetrated the inner house of the Ruo family, she encountered her first difficult problem.

Liu, the second aunt of the Ruo family, stormed into Chaoyao's yard with a fierce look, followed by several personal maids. Liu's makeup was exquisite, but it was difficult to hide the anger on her face.

"Chaoyao, you ignorant girl, how dare you come to meddle in the affairs of the inner house?"

Chao Yao walked forward slowly, looked directly at Liu, and said in a neither humble nor arrogant tone: "Second Aunt, Chao Yao is just following orders, I hope you won't be angry."

Liu snorted coldly, "Following orders? I think you are trying to cling to the power of the Ruo family. My niece Su Jin was originally assigned to manage the kitchen, but now that you are here, you have given this job to someone else. What are you thinking?"

Chao Yao smiled slightly, his eyes firm, "Second Aunt, Chao Yao didn't do this on purpose. The kitchen is of great importance, and it concerns the diet of everyone in the mansion. Miss Su Jin is capable, but she doesn't seem to be thinking about it recently. You see, the amount of ingredients purchased far exceeds the normal needs, but the quality of the dishes has declined instead of improved. Take yesterday's family banquet for example. The braised fish was not fresh, and the seasoning was not up to standard. The master and the young master lost their appetite. And the dessert looked exquisite, but it tasted too sweet. For the reputation of the Ruo family and the happiness of everyone's appetite, this adjustment was made."

Liu's eyes widened with anger: "You are talking nonsense! My niece has always been dedicated and hardworking. Someone must have been slandering her behind her back. Chaoyao, if you don't give me an explanation today, I will not let it go."

Chaoyao looked calm and picked up an account book from the table: "Second Aunt, Chaoyao has always been fair and selfless. You can take a look at this account book. If you think Chaoyao has handled it inappropriately, please point it out."

Liu took the account book, quickly flipped through a few pages, and a hint of hesitation appeared on her face.

Chao Yao continued, "Besides, Chao Yao has arranged for the experienced cook Li Ma Ma to temporarily take over the kitchen. As soon as Li Ma Ma took office, she replanned the purchase of ingredients and strictly controlled the quality and quantity. Aren't you all satisfied with today's breakfast?"

Liu was speechless for a moment. She didn't expect Chaoyao to be so calm and well-reasoned. But she was still unwilling: "Even so, you should have discussed it with me in advance. You acted on your own and clearly didn't take me seriously."

Chao Yao said, "Second Aunt, this matter is urgent. Chao Yao was not able to inform you in time. It was Chao Yao's negligence. But this adjustment is also for the sake of the Ruo family. I hope Aunt can understand."

Liu bit her lip and said, "Okay, then I'll trust you for now. But if I find out in the future that you're deliberately making things difficult for Su Jin, don't blame me for being rude." After that, she left with the maids.

Chaoyao looked at Liu's back as she left, her eyes calm and composed. She turned back to the house, sat at the desk, and carefully looked through the various accounts and affairs in her hands. She picked up a brush and wrote down today's conversation with Liu and the results of the handling in a booklet for later review.

She knew that this was just the beginning. In the days ahead, there might be more troubles waiting for her. But she also firmly believed that as long as she was fair and managed with care, she would be able to overcome these difficulties.

However, what Chaoyao didn't know was that Liu had not given up. She secretly contacted several other concubines and prepared to unite to trip up Chaoyao. As night fell, in Liu's room, several concubines sat together and discussed in low voices... This added more uncertainty to Chaoyao's future.

As the night deepened, the concubines in Liu's room had made up their minds. Each of them had their own ulterior motives and was ready to put all kinds of obstacles in Chao Yao's way in the coming days.

The next morning, before Chao Yao got up, a maid came to report that there was a problem with a batch of ingredients that the kitchen had just purchased, and some of the meat had gone bad and smelled bad. Chao Yao was startled and immediately got up and went to the kitchen to check.

When they arrived at the kitchen, they saw the servant in charge of purchasing kneeling on the ground and trembling. Chao Yao looked at him fiercely and asked, "What's going on?" The servant replied tremblingly, "Miss Chao Yao, I don't know. We purchased everything through the usual channels."

Chao Yao frowned, knowing that this matter was not simple. She carefully checked the spoiled ingredients and found that the marks on them were different from before. "This must be someone who did it on purpose to make me look bad in management." Chao Yao thought to herself.

At this time, Liu came in slowly with a few concubines and said in a gloomy tone, "Oh, you just took over and such a big mistake has occurred. Chaoyao, your ability is really questionable."

Chao Yao replied calmly: "Don't worry, Auntie. I will investigate this matter thoroughly and will not let such a small matter affect the normal dining in the mansion."

Liu snorted coldly: "Then I'll wait and see how you end up." Then she walked away.

Chao Yao called a few trusted servants and ordered them to investigate the supplier of the ingredients. After some investigation, it was discovered that Liu had secretly colluded with the supplier and deliberately sent this batch of spoiled ingredients.

Chao Yao had an idea in mind. She went straight to Liu and said, "Aunt, you should know what is going on with this food, right? If the master knew about this, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to explain it."

Liu's face changed, but she still pretended to be calm: "What nonsense are you talking about? How would I know?"

Chao Yao smiled faintly: "Aunt, I already have the evidence. If you stop now, I can let bygones be bygones. Otherwise, if the matter is brought to the master, it will be embarrassing for everyone."

Liu gritted her teeth, knowing that her plot had been discovered, so she had no choice but to say, "You are awesome, I admit defeat this time."

Chao Yao had just breathed a sigh of relief after solving the food problem, when another servant came to report that several maids in the mansion had quarreled over the distribution of work. Chao Yao had no choice but to rush over to deal with it.

At the end of the day, Chao Yao was busy and exhausted, but she remained calm and determined, and resolved various problems one by one.

However, she knew that Liu and others would not give up easily, and the days ahead would probably be even more difficult, but she was fully prepared to meet all challenges.