Qin Yuan couldn't help but lower her head and smile with her lips pursed.

Gu Jinghui leaned closer and asked curiously, "Yuan'er, what are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing because you've been forced to consider these things. You're going to the camp tomorrow, so there's no need to rush. I'll take care of it. But your idea is brilliant. Gu Shiliu should go to Jizhou and find Zhao Niangzi's husband's family. That way, we can discuss where they're going and avoid any trouble if someone comes looking for them later."

"Pfft," Gu Jinghui chuckled, his gloomy face softening instantly. He lifted his eyelids, his long, sharp eyes looking steadily at her through his thick eyelashes, and said smugly, "This is the result of my all-night discussion with Sixteen."

It's like they're hoping for praise, or they can't help but show off.

Qin Yuan pursed her lips again.

Gu Jinghui seemed touched and sighed, "Brother Pang left his hometown to join the army in the north. I rarely heard him mention home. He only said that he had some disagreements with his family and that he needed to make a name for himself before he could return home with face. I'm afraid his family doesn't know about the two children. Back then in the north, it was too far away, and he was busy fighting, so he couldn't take care of them. In the past six months since we returned to the capital, he's been busy with trivial matters, and Zhao Niangzi hasn't mentioned them either. I almost forgot about them."

It turns out that the father of the two children is surnamed Pang.

Qin Yuan secretly kept it in mind.

The northern frontier and Jizhou are far apart, and communication is difficult. It is true that Brother Pang did not mention his own affairs, and Lord Gu was too busy in the border town to pay attention to them.

Back in the capital, there were still many things to deal with, and the two of them managed to squeeze in their wedding.

But for some reason, Zhao Niangzi didn't mention this matter.

Is she worried that her husband's family will prevent her from remarrying?

Qin Yuan was pondering to herself when another maid called for Hongye outside. Hongye went out for a while and came back in to report, "Madam, the head housekeepers have all arrived."

Looking at the hourglass, it's time for our daily roll call and business meeting.

The events of today had almost made her forget about important matters. Qin Yuan stood up, smoothed her hair, and said, "Husband, would you like to sit here and drink tea, or go back to the side room to rest and recuperate? I have things to do, so I won't keep you company."

Gu Jinghui neither wanted to sit here nor wanted to go back to the side room to rest.

He said, "Why don't I go with you and listen?"

Hongye glanced at Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan declined, saying, "These are all trivial matters. It would be fine if my husband were willing to listen, but I'm worried that the stewardesses might be afraid of you."

Gu Jinghui said disappointedly, "Then don't worry about me. I'll just stay in the main room and read the books my father-in-law gave me."

Qin Yuan had no choice but to say something else before going out to meet the stewardesses.

Within just one day, these head housekeepers became much more attentive and respectful towards her.

Qin Yuan raised her eyebrows slightly, and she had some guesses in her heart.

After she sat down, Hongye began to take attendance, while Cuiming stood behind her with the sewing room's ledger.

There weren't many stewardesses assigned to her; you could count them on one hand.

But Hongye said that she should develop the habit of checking in regularly so that the supervising mothers would not dare to treat her lightly.

Qin Yuan let Hongye do as she pleased.

After completing her shift, Qin Yuan, as usual, asked the steward mothers how their work was progressing, what their plans were, and if there were any purchases to be approved.

Finally, Qin Yuanfang asked Lu's mother, "Is the accounting for the sewing room clear now?"

Madam Lu, covered in sweat, said, "In reply to Madam, there are some discrepancies."

Qin Yuan asked, "Can you clearly identify the discrepancies?"

With a flushed face, Madam Lu stammered, "This old servant will sort it out as soon as possible. Miss Cuiming checked the numbers yesterday, and there's a slight discrepancy between them and the accounts..."

Before she could finish speaking, Qin Yuan continued, "I remember instructing you beforehand to reconcile the accounts with Madam Liu before coming here. Now, the accounts don't match the actual items, and there are errors and omissions in the accounts. How exactly did you reconcile the accounts with Madam Liu?"

Mrs. Lu couldn't answer.

Qin Yuan said to Cui Ming, "Tell me the errors and omissions you found when you were reconciling the accounts yesterday."

Cuiming stepped forward and said, "Madam, yesterday this servant and Mama Lu went to count the embroidery thread, tools and cloth in the needlework room and found that the types of embroidery thread did not match the accounts in many places, and the needles and thread that the embroiderers received each day did not match the actual finished products and losses."

Then they matched the amount of embroidery thread the embroiderer received last month with the finished fabrics.

It was obvious that the embroidery thread the embroiderer had taken was not the same color or grade as the thread needed for the finished fabric.

This is only from a financial perspective.

If we were to match the physical objects one by one, who knows what kind of trickery might be involved.

Qin Yuan looked coldly at Lu's mother, whose body was hunched over.

Madam Lu struggled to speak, and after a long while, she managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Madam, this old servant will go to Sixth Madam to re-count these accounts."

Qin Yuan asked, "Will the Sixth Madam conduct another review with you?"

Mrs. Lu was speechless and couldn't answer.

Such perfunctory words cannot fool people.

Qin Yuan said, "Logically, I shouldn't be in charge of your previous accounts anymore, only your future accounts. But your handover is unclear, and you need to spend money to buy materials, so I really dare not let you manage them anymore."

Mrs. Lu was stunned, speechless, as if struck by lightning.

Qin Yuan said, "Come find me again when you can sort out the old accounts of the sewing room."

He added, “Cuiming, find another madam in the sewing room to temporarily fill the vacancy of Madam Lu. From today onwards, set up a new account for the sewing room, and keep a record of all material receipts, submissions, and losses.”

The implication is that Lu's mother should take over the previous accounts, while the person who takes over should keep a separate set of accounts, with the two being unrelated.

If anything goes wrong, Lu's mother will have to take responsibility for what she is in charge of.

Cui Ming responded crisply.

Madam Lu regretted her foolishness; she shouldn't have listened to others and secretly underestimated Madam Lu's youth and lack of knowledge, thinking she was just the daughter of a minor official and had lost all respect for her.

Lady Hou acted swiftly and ruthlessly.

Yesterday, Cuiming had just checked the actual items and the balance with her, and today she had already pointed out most of the loopholes in the ledger. Anyone who heard this would know that she was in the wrong and couldn't even cry out for justice.

She had worked her way up to become the head housekeeper after a long time. Although the job wasn't very lucrative, she was in charge of so many people and embroiderers. Now, not only was she dismissed from her post by the madam with just a word, but she also had to take responsibility for the deficit that had accumulated over the years.

"It's over, it's over," Mrs. Lu swayed like a leaf in the wind.

Meanwhile, the stewardesses who had joined her in secretly mocking the Lady of the Marquis all looked respectful and dared not utter a sound.

By this point, how could Lu's mother not see it?

The one who sticks out gets rotten first.

Mrs. Lu's ears were ringing and she was in a daze. She vaguely heard Qin Yuan say again, "Mrs. Lu, is there anything you want to say?"

With a thud, Madam Lu knelt on the ground and after a long while said, "This old servant begs Madam to forgive me. Even if I have many faults, I have served you. Please give me some face and don't dismiss me from my job in the sewing room."