Chapter 88 Counterattack Against the Marquis

Manager Qin spoke with great confidence.

Manager Liao is the head manager of Song Yi's dowry shop, which is a newly acquired dowry shop.

If they don't follow Song Yi's arrangements, Song Yi can replace Manager Liao directly.

He was different; his family had been managing four shops in the Marquis's mansion since his grandfather's time.

The Marquis trusted his family implicitly, and even if he didn't follow Song Yi's arrangements, Song Yi couldn't do anything about it.

Manager Qin looked at Song Yi with disdain.

Song Yi said calmly, "Why does Manager Qin say I'm acting recklessly? Why is he so sure that following my orders will make the shop's business worse and worse?"

Before I took charge, Manager Qin didn't seem to manage the shop very well, did he?

She picked up the account book from the table and waved it at Manager Qin.

"The combined profits from the four shops each month don't even amount to a thousand taels. With the business running like this, does Manager Qin not like making more money?"

"you!"

Manager Qin's face turned as red as an eggplant, and he stormed off in a huff.

"I must go and ask the Marquis for a judgment."

Before the time it takes to drink a cup of tea was up, a servant from the Marquis of Anping came looking for Song Yi.

"The Marquis invites the Heir Apparent's wife to speak in the study in the front courtyard."

Li Nanke poked her little head out from the inner room, blinking her eyes.

"Mother, do you need me to go with you to see Grandfather?"

Song Yi took a deep breath and shook her head.

"This time, Mother wants to go by herself."

She can't rely on her daughter for everything.

Li Nanke's round eyes shone brightly, and she clenched her little hand into a fist and swung it upwards with force.

"Mother is the most powerful, Mother is the most amazing."

"I packed my bags to go to the village and waited for my mother to return victoriously."

Encouraged by her daughter, Song Yi straightened her back and walked out.

The study in the front yard.

As soon as Song Yi entered, she saw Manager Qin standing in front of the desk, his hands folded in front of him, his chin slightly raised.

Marquis Anping sat behind his desk, his face full of anger.

She curtsied slightly, saying, "Daughter-in-law greets you..."

Before he could finish speaking, Marquis Anping shouted angrily.

"Song, kneel down before me!"

Song Yi trembled slightly, but still bravely raised her head to look directly at Marquis Anping.

"I don't know what my daughter-in-law did wrong to make her father-in-law so angry."

"You still have the nerve to ask me? The whole family is about to starve, with only the income from the shop and the sacrificial fields left."

While you're sending Mother Zheng to the estate to collect grain ahead of schedule, you're also telling Manager Qin not to clear out the old grain in the warehouse, and to buy more old grain instead.

Are you afraid this family won't prosper? How did our Li family end up marrying such a spendthrift?

Marquis Anping pointed at Song Yi and cursed her, all the while thinking about how he should punish her when she knelt down and admitted her mistake.

It is imperative to order her to collect the grain, and it would be best to also provide some additional silver to supplement the family income.

He recently took a fancy to a pair of rose-purple glazed vases with phoenix-shaped handles, which cost three thousand taels of silver.

If the Song family were willing to pay for it for her, he could forgive her for her mistake of acting recklessly as soon as she took over the household management.

Looking at the furious Marquis Anping, Song Yi felt a tightness in her chest.

The complaint about buying old grain was made by Manager Qin, and the matter of having Mother Zheng collect the grain was probably orchestrated by the second sister-in-law.

She slightly bent her knees, her voice habitually choked with sobs.

“Since the daughter-in-law has taken over the management of the household, she is naturally thinking about the family wholeheartedly. Since the family is about to starve, it is clear that there was a problem with the way the management was done before.”

The old saying goes, "When you're poor, you must change; when you change, you'll find a way." Why was the father-in-law so certain that his daughter-in-law's approach wouldn't work?

Marquis Anping was furious.

"How dare you! You dare to argue? I'm not stupid. Who doesn't clear out old grain before the autumn harvest to buy new grain?"

Who would harvest grain before it's ripe? Is your brain made of mush to issue such an order?

"It's one thing for you to be stupid, but you also want to drag your whole family down with you..."

"What if I make money?"

Song Yi suddenly raised her voice, interrupting his roar.

Marquis Anping paused for a moment, then blurted out.

"If you can make some money, I'll put on a three-day opera for you, and then I'll never have to worry about the shop again."

Song Yi smiled slightly.

"Then just wait and see how I make money, Father-in-law."

Marquis Anping was furious.

"What if you can't earn any money?"

"My daughter-in-law will make up for any losses."

After saying that, Song Yi turned and left without pausing at all.

Marquis Anping was waiting for Song Yi to kneel down and admit her mistake so he could make demands, but to his surprise, Song Yi not only didn't admit her mistake, but also turned around and left.

Enraged, he grabbed a folding fan and smashed it.

"You bastard."

Song Yi had already walked out the door when she heard the scolding. She paused, clenched her fist, and then relaxed it.

Unable to hold back any longer, she turned around and looked at Marquis Anping with red eyes.

"If I make money, I ask my father-in-law to apologize for scolding me today, otherwise..."

"Otherwise what? Ha, you've gotten bold, daring to threaten this old man?"

Song Yi gave a cold smile.

"I dare not, but I would like to ask the officials of the Censorate for advice on how to deal with the elders in my family who have insulted me and are not kind to their elders."

"You... Song family, you are insolent, you are audacious, you..."

Song Yi turned and left, leaving behind Marquis Anping, who was jumping up and down in anger.

Manager Qin glanced at Marquis Anping's expression and asked in a low voice, "My lord, what about the grain inventory and grain purchase..."

Marquis Anping grabbed a teacup and smashed it on the ground.

"Do as she says. When we suffer losses, I will make her repay tenfold!"

This is a perfect opportunity to transfer all of Song's dowry into the public account!

As Song Yi stepped out of the courtyard, her legs went weak, and she had to grab onto a nearby tree to steady herself.

He patted his chest in lingering fear, then couldn't help but smile through his red eyes.

She actually dared to defy her irritable and easily angered father-in-law; she did it!

“I always knew Mother was the best, Mother was the most amazing.”

Li Nanke's cheerful voice rang in my ears.

Song Yi turned around and saw her daughter running towards her, the red ribbon in her hair fluttering in the wind, looking incredibly cute.

She straightened up and went to greet them.

What brings you here?

Li Nanke looked up, his grape-like eyes sparkling brightly.

"Ke'er has packed her luggage and is here to pick up her mother."

Song Yi's heart melted completely.

This clever little thing must have been worried about her, so he couldn't help but come and check on her.

She ruffled Li Nanke's hair and said with a smile, "Let's go."

Tao's mother had already led a group to Jitianzhuangzi in Changyuan ahead of them, while Song Yi and Li Nanke took a carriage straight to Chixian.

The moment they stepped out the door, the second wife received the news.

Mrs. Sun was so angry that she wanted to smash things.

"She actually said that I didn't manage the house well before. Song is trying to make my father-in-law think badly of me. It's outrageous."

The trusted maid advised, "Why bother arguing with such a fool, Second Young Mistress? She's incredibly stupid."

Even a servant like me, who doesn't know anything about business, understands the principle of clearing out old grain and buying new grain before the autumn harvest. But she insisted that Manager Qin not clear out the old grain and buy old grain instead.

Is this some kind of cheap, old grain deal? Even cheap grain won't fetch a good price! You're a fool. The second young mistress is just waiting for her to lose everything and come crying to you for help."

When Mrs. Sun recalled that scene, she couldn't help but laugh out loud, which lessened her displeasure somewhat.

After laughing, he couldn't help but mutter to himself.

"Why did Song Yi suddenly order the harvesting of grain, including old grain? Did she hear something? Should we buy some grain too?"