A life of two souls traveling through time

Chapter 233: Establish your authority but also win people’s hearts

"Is mother feeling better today?"

There was a heavy snow last night and the sun was shining brightly today. The red plum blossoms in the plum garden looked even brighter and more attractive under the sunlight. Li Yunye helped his mother sit under the window in the house, and the warm sunlight poured in through the gauze window.

"The weather is good today, and I feel a little more energetic." Mrs. Li still looked depressed and haggard, but she just forced a smile at her son.

"Yes, the sun is shining today. Mother, do you want to go outside to see the plum blossoms?" Li Yunye asked, holding Mrs. Li's skinny hand.

"Although there is warm sunshine today, it snowed heavily all night after all. It must be very cold outside. You haven't fully recovered yet, so you'd better not go out and freeze." Mrs. Li shook her head and raised her hand to touch her son's thin face with concern.

After being reminded by Mrs. Li, Li Yunye also felt that it was so cold outside and it would be better for his mother to stay indoors, so he nodded to Mrs. Li, and the mother and son both had smiles on their similar brows.

"Your brother went to the Fan family to cancel the engagement on your behalf. Did he bring the token given by Miss Fan?" There was silence in the room for a moment, and Mrs. Li suddenly asked slowly.

"Yes, take it along with the engagement documents." Li Yunye poured a cup of hot tea for his mother and replied casually.

"Although mother doesn't want you to be arranged by your parents like I was, she also hopes that you can find a good match of your choice as soon as possible and have children for the Li family. This way, it can also comfort your father's spirit in heaven. Although it is inappropriate for mother to say this during your mourning period, this is also what your father hoped for before he died. He would be happy only if the Li family had children."

Mrs. Li's words made Li Yunye feel sad. He didn't want to disappoint his father's expectations. He would do his best to protect the famous Li family in Jiangnan, but he really couldn't expand the Li family. After all, Li Yunye was just an empty shell now, and the one who really controlled this body was her, Jiang Siyao.

"Madam, it's time to take your medicine." At this time, Sister Lan came in with a cup of hot medicine, which relieved Li Yunye's confusion about how to respond.

Mrs. Li drank the medicine and went back to the inner room to rest. Li Yunye then left the plum garden and went to the study room, but ran into the shopkeeper Yuan who looked anxious on the corridor.

"Sir..." When Manager Yuan saw Li Yunye, he hurriedly saluted respectfully, but he was not used to this address yet.

"Manager Yuan, please just call me Young Master as usual." Li Yunye was not used to being called Master at such a young age, so he quickly interrupted Manager Yuan.

"Yes, sir." Shopkeeper Yuan smiled innocently and nodded in response.

"What's the matter, you're in such a hurry?"

"Sir, I heard that you want to fire Manager Liu from the dyeing workshop?" Manager Yuan asked after hesitating for a moment.

"Now that you've heard about this, you should know why I want to fire him, right?" Thinking of what happened yesterday, Li Yunye became annoyed again. Seeing Manager Yuan coming in a hurry, he guessed that he was going to plead for Manager Liu, so he put on a sullen face and continued to go to the study.

"Young Master, what happened in the dyeing workshop yesterday was indeed excessive. The master often scolded that Manager Liu when he was alive, but he is a mean person who only remembers the food and not the beating..." Seeing the displeasure on the young master's face, Manager Yuan was uneasy but still chased after him. He did not rush to plead for mercy, but instead started to scold that Manager Liu.

"Why should we indulge such a person who refuses to change despite repeated admonitions?" Li Yunye also knew that Manager Yuan wanted to criticize first and then praise him, so he snorted coldly before he could finish his words.

"But sir, Manager Liu is after all an old member of the dyeing workshop. He has been managing the workshop for several years and is quite capable. He just needs to be punished for his occasional mistakes. Now you have just taken over the famous Li family in Jiangnan. If you directly fire Manager Liu, it may cause panic among the people, saying that the Li family is now...going to get rid of it." At the end, Shopkeeper Yuan lowered his voice, lowered his neck, but secretly paid attention to the expression of the sir.

"Manager Yuan, do you also think that I am getting rid of you after you have done your work? My father just left, and Manager Liu has instigated the employees to drink and gamble in the dyeing workshop. Manager Yuan, if it were me, seeing that my dyeing workshop almost became a gambling house, would I be able to tolerate it?" Although Li Yunye still questioned Manager Yuan with a stern look on his face, he was also worried and afraid in his heart.

He really didn't want to keep Manager Liu, but if this incident caused unrest among the Jiangnan Ming Li people, it would be more trouble than it was worth. What's more, the training of new people had not started yet, so these old people had to be appeased for the time being.

"Old Yuan understands your feelings very well, and he also knows that you are in the right. This time, Manager Liu did act too recklessly. But now that you are the head of the famous Li family in Jiangnan, you have to consider the overall situation first in everything you do!" As they were talking, the two of them had arrived at the study, and Manager Yuan continued to persuade Li Yunye.

"Then according to Manager Yuan's opinion, how should I punish him?" Manager Yuan's words gradually made Li Yunye sober up. He was silent for a moment before asking again.

"This..." Shopkeeper Yuan was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head in embarrassment. Not to mention that he really didn't know how to punish Shopkeeper Liu, even if he knew, he couldn't say it. How dare he, a shopkeeper, make this decision for the young master?

"Sir...Manager Yuan is here too." At this time, Ange suddenly entered the study, greeted Manager Yuan when he saw him.

"Young master, there are still some things to do in the shop, so Old Yuan will take his leave first." Shopkeeper Yuan also nodded to Ange. Knowing that the other party had something important to tell the young master, he tactfully left. Anyway, he felt relieved because he saw that the young master had listened to his words.

"Manager Yuan, wait a minute." But Li Yunye remembered the matter of cultivating new people, so he stopped Manager Yuan and turned to Ange and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Young Master, Manager Liu is here. He was crying and making a fuss at the gate of the mansion just now, so I had someone bring him in." An Ge bowed to Li Yunye and replied helplessly.

"What? He's relying on the Li family?" Hearing that Manager Liu had no regrets and even had the nerve to come and make trouble, Li Yunye immediately flew into a rage and shouted at Manager Yuan, "Look at him. How can I dare to keep him like this?"

"Young master, please be patient and take the overall situation into consideration." Shopkeeper Yuan was also very angry at Shopkeeper Liu's rogue behavior, but he still tried to comfort the young master.

"Young Master, after all, Manager Liu is an old hand in the dyeing workshop. Young Master has just taken over Jiangnan Mingli. Although he wants to establish his authority, he also needs to win over the hearts of the people. Why don't you give him another chance to demonstrate your generosity and kindness. If Manager Liu does it again in the future, it will be that he doesn't know what is good for him. At that time, Young Master can fire him as a matter of course." The young master was still angry yesterday, so An Ge didn't dare to persuade him. Now that he saw Manager Yuan speaking, he stepped forward to comfort him.

With the consolation of Manager Yuan and An Ge, Li Yunye had to suppress his anger and went to meet Manager Liu in person.

Manager Liu cried so bitterly in front of Li Yunye that it was heart-wrenching. He even brought out everyone in his family, from his eighty-year-old mother to his hungry children, just to beg the young master to be magnanimous and forgive him this time, and promised solemnly that there would never be a next time.

Naturally, Li Yunye scoffed at the assurance of Manager Liu, but he also made an excuse to do him a favor and only fined him one month's salary as a punishment, and warned him that if he did it again in the future, he would be fired directly.

Manager Liu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the tears from his face, and bowed to the young master repeatedly to express his gratitude.