“Sister, where did you get all that ice?” Bai Jianbei asked. Having an ice cellar at home was par for the course in Shangjing.

But this was Lingnan. It barely snowed here even once a year, let alone froze over. How had he missed such a crucial detail?

“You finally noticed,” Bai Suihe chuckled, taking up the conversation. Even though she was the one who had to point it out, she asked, “Where do you think this ice came from?”

Bai Jianbei was stumped as he wondered where it could have come from. It was definitely not from anywhere in the South.

“Did you store ice over the winter?” he guessed, but immediately realized how absurd that sounded. This was Lingnan; there was no way ice could be preserved that well here.

Knowing he would never guess it, Bai Suihe lowered her voice. “If I told you I had a method to make ice, do you think this could be a viable business?”

“A method to make ice?” he mumbled, the words feeling incredibly surreal on his lips.

“Sister, this is no joke.” If they knew how to make ice, they could make a fortune every summer just by selling it.

Bai Suihe chuckled. “When have I ever joked with you?”

“My good sister!” Bai Jianbei pressed his palms together reverently. “You’re the God of Wealth incarnate! Let’s head back and discuss this in detail. This isn’t the place to talk business.”

Bai Suihe glanced back at the others, who were still bent over hunting for treasures on the shore. She felt a bit reluctant to leave. “We’ve barely gathered anything. Since we’re already here, we should return with a bountiful harvest. Otherwise, it’d be a waste of these outfits.”

The two siblings had specially worn crisp, short tunics for the occasion, which were now covered in mud. Since they had to thoroughly wash them when they got back anyway, they might as well maximize their profits first.

Bai Jianbei had lost all interest in beachcombing, but since his sister insisted, he resigned himself to following behind her. However, he remained visibly distracted for the rest of the trip.

Bai Suihe had previously discussed this with Gu Kaiyuan. Since Gu Kaiyuan was entirely focused on seafaring and had no interest in managing this new venture, he left it up to her to handle.

She had initially considered partnering with a few major families, but she knew that a small fry like her would likely be swallowed whole by them. Thus, she turned her sights to the Bai family.

With her two younger brothers now in charge of the household and their strong sibling bond, collaborating with them was much safer than dealing with outsiders.

Since Gu Xingyang wasn’t particularly interested in beachcombing, she hadn’t tagged along today. Little did she expect that missing just one trip would result in her mother cooking up yet another path to wealth.

Listening quietly to her mother and uncle discussing business in the study, Gu Xingyang’s little eyes darted around. When they finally paused to rest, she babbled a few times to make her presence known.

Bai Suihe’s attention was finally drawn to her. “I thought you were asleep. What do you need? Water?”

“Mother, doesn’t your conscience hurt, exploiting the people closest to you like this?” Gu Xingyang asked.

Bai Suihe chuckled. “I’m leading them to fortune! If you don’t make the most of your youth to earn money to support your wife, kids, and retirement, you’re just wasting your life away.

“You ungrateful little thing, who do you think I’m doing all this for? I have to save up a solid inheritance for you.”

Gu Xingyang slightly raised her chin. “I’ll carve out my own empire in the future. Mother, you and Father can just sit back and enjoy life.”

Bai Suihe stroked her daughter’s soft hair. It was growing longer, so she had tied it into two little buns, making her look even more adorable. “I’ll be waiting for that day.”

“But the Bai family is already drawing so much attention. Aren’t you worried, Mother?”

“What’s there to be worried about? The Bai family has divided its assets, so their foundation isn’t as massive as it used to be. If they don’t fight for more now, the title of wealthy merchants will become an empty one. Everyone can understand that.”

How exactly had the Bai family divided their assets? They wouldn’t announce the details to the public. Splitting a massive estate into so many portions had inadvertently dispelled the scheming of certain individuals.

“But the things you’re bringing out are a bit too revolutionary,” Gu Xingyang said. “Given the Bai family’s current strength and our own capabilities, we might not be able to protect them.”

Out of nowhere, Bai Suihe asked, “The battle for the throne in Shangjing has begun. What do you make of the situation there?”

Gu Xingyang opened her mouth. “…Are you saying those people are too preoccupied to notice anything else?”

“Not quite,” Bai Suihe replied. “There’s never a shortage of opportunists at times like this. The moment the succession war starts, it becomes a bloodbath. It means many will rush in headlong to pick sides. Wealthy merchants looking to climb the ladder won’t miss this chance.”

“Then why isn’t the Bai family making a move?”

Bai Suihe glanced at Bai Jianbei, who was still scribbling away. As expected, the Bai family possessed a natural talent for business. With just a slight nudge, Bai Jianbei was already drafting a plan, even factoring in potential obstacles they might face down the line.

“Because they know how to maintain a low profile,” Bai Suihe smiled. “You should remember this concept. If you can’t get rich quietly, you certainly shouldn’t broadcast it to the world.”

“So you want to help my two uncles get rich quietly. But even so, they’ll still be exposed to certain people’s scrutiny.”

“Such a little manager,” Bai Suihe laughed. “You’re so young, stop worrying so much.

“Rest assured, your uncle and I aren’t planning to sell ice—at least not for a few years. What we want to do is open an innovative seafood shop, allowing people in inland cities to taste fresh seafood without ever leaving their homes…”

“And here comes the advertising pitch…” Gu Xingyang muttered under her breath. Seeing her mother glare at her, she quickly reined it in. “Please continue, Mother.”

“That works, but people will definitely be green with envy when the time comes,” Gu Xingyang continued to pour cold water on the idea. She believed her uncle and mother must have calculated everything, but she wanted to know what their exact plan was.

“The Bai family has its channels. When the time comes, they’ll present a ten percent share to the current emperor…”

Gu Xingyang’s eyes sparkled with awe. “How did I not know about this?”

“It’s highly classified. No one but the Family Head would know.

“It’s only because Jiannan is the Family Head now that he revealed a little to me. Otherwise, do you think I have a death wish?

“Forget the chili peppers—the moment this ice-making method was brought out, we’d just be waiting to be carved up by everyone else.”

When Bai Suihe first learned of this, she was so shocked it took her quite a while to process it. In her previous life, when she and Gu Kaiyuan had lost their lives, the Bai family was still active in Shangjing, even though things hadn’t gone entirely smoothly for them for some unknown reason.

There had always been clues. But at the time, Bai Jingwen was in charge. Such highly classified secrets might not have even been known to Bai Jiannan and the others.

“Is the Bai family really that powerful?” Gu Xingyang murmured. “Then why did they…”

“They were only merchants. The emperor wouldn’t constantly bend the rules at a whim just for them.”

“Then does the Bai family’s move to Lingnan have anything to do with that person too?” Gu Xingyang asked.

Bai Suihe shrugged. “That I don’t know. Revealing this much to me is already proof enough of our sibling bond. One shouldn’t push their luck.”

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