Fan Meiniang looked at Lu Qingzhou's hurried back, her face full of guilt, and she murmured in her heart: "Fourth brother, don't blame me. If I hadn't let you get infected with smallpox, I'm afraid both mother and son would have died."

As she spoke, she started coughing violently again.

Smallpox is highly contagious, and she must have been infected. If the people above knew that she and her child were infected with smallpox, they would definitely be taken away to fend for themselves or burned.

Now that Lu Qingzhou has also been infected, things are different. The Lu family will definitely keep it a secret and will invite a famous doctor to treat him.

They and their child would have a chance to survive.

Plum Blossom Courtyard.

After Gu Yunran had the servants cut down all the wintersweets, he replaced the plaque at the gate of the yard.

"Let's change it to Fang Xingyuan."

Gu Yunran wrote four big characters "Awakening from a dream" on the rice paper.

She must always remind herself of the miserable end of her previous life!

In this life, she wants to live transparently.

"Madam, the accountant Chen is here." Zhuye came in to report.

Gu Yunran put down the pen in her hand and rubbed her wrist, which was a little sore. She had been married to the Lu family for three years and was busy making money and planning for the Lu family all day long. She rarely picked up a pen to write.

It's all a bit unfamiliar.

"Let him in."

As soon as Gu Yunran finished speaking, a young man in a green robe walked in.

He was tall and thin, which made his gown look much looser. He had fair cheeks, but he was so thin that he looked a little out of shape.

Seeing the old friend, Gu Yunran's eyes felt a little sore.

"lady."

Steward Chen bowed respectfully to Gu Yunran. He placed a stack of account books on the table, then stepped aside and said with his head lowered, "These are all the accounts you've kept since you married into the Lu Mansion over the past three years."

Gu Yunran took a look and was shocked by what she saw.

She married Lu Qingzhou, which was considered a marriage of a lower status. At that time, Lu Qingzhou's family was penniless. The three thatched houses were leaking, and the windows were all paper-covered. There was also a room with half of its wall collapsed, and the roof was supported by a few pieces of wood, making it barely habitable.

Even thieves are disgusted.

My father was worried that she would suffer after marrying him, so he used half of his life savings as a dowry for her. He gave her a hundred acres of fertile land, twenty silk and satin shops, a grain and oil shop, and two hundred mulberry trees.

Only three years had passed, and the dowry in the account was almost gone. The silk shop, the fertile fields, and the mulberry trees had all been mortgaged.

Only a few inconspicuous grain and oil shops remain.

Fortunately, she managed the business well and made a lot of money in the past three years, otherwise she would not have had a penny left.

Gu Yunran frowned with a headache. This family came to the city from the countryside, and although they didn't learn any other skills, they learned to spend money lavishly.

This is all her father’s hard-earned money!

Seeing that Gu Yunran's face was not very good, Butler Chen apologized cautiously: "Madam, it's my fault for not taking good care of it."

"I don't blame you." Gu Yunran waved her hand, "I was too indulgent towards them."

Gu Yunran was very generous when she first married into the Lu family. She told them to spend the money as they pleased, and she had also asked housekeeper Chen for permission. As long as the Lu family needed money, they could take it and go without asking her.

"From now on, the money will be paid monthly. The old lady will receive fifty taels of silver a month, and the first and second wives will receive thirty taels each."

"yes."

Butler Chen agreed and then asked, "Madam, do you have anything else to tell me?"

He didn't even dare to look at Gu Yunran's face.

"Yes, from these twenty silk shops, just keep the five best ones on Shengjing Street and sell the rest. And these fertile fields and mulberry trees can also be disposed of."

"The sooner the better."

Chen Mo looked up at Gu Yunran in disbelief, "Madam, these are all your dowry."

"You deal with it first. It would be best if you could sell it for a good price and get some silver. I have a use for it."

"yes."

Gu Yunran insisted on selling it, and Chen Mo was just a housekeeper she picked up on the country road, so she didn't say much.

He just felt sorry for his wife.

Madam has been married into the Lu family for three years and her dowry has been almost used up. She supports the Lu family, young and old, but how many people in the Lu family truly appreciate Madam's kindness?

Even as an outsider, he could clearly see how good the lady had been to the Lu family over the years, but the hearts of the Lu family members were made of stone.

He has been enjoying the fine clothes and delicious food brought by his wife over the years, but he has suppressed and made things difficult for her everywhere.

The lady is really pitiful.

Chen Mo raised his eyes and looked at Gu Yunran, who was also looking at him with a bright smile on her face.

Chen Mo quickly turned his face away and lowered his head, feeling a little embarrassed: "But these things have been mortgaged, how can I get them back?"

Gu Yunran was also at a loss. It would indeed cost a lot of money to redeem so many things, but the money on the Lu family's books could only barely cover the normal expenses of the Lu Mansion.

At this time, Lu Qingzhou came hurriedly. As soon as he walked to the door, he saw Gu Yunran standing with a young man, seemingly talking about something, with a smile on his face that he had not seen in the past few days.

A surge of anger surged in his heart. He rushed into the house and stood in front of Gu Yunran. He looked at Chen Mo and said coldly, "You have nothing to do here. Why don't you leave?"

"yes."

Chen Mo lowered his head and retreated respectfully.

Gu Yunran turned around and sat at the table, poured herself a cup of tea, and asked indifferently, "Fourth Master, what's going on?"

"The child has been ill for some time. You should immediately find a doctor for him. I heard that the imperial physician Mu in the palace is very skilled. Please hire him."

Lu Qingzhou said in a commanding tone that he was not here to discuss things with Gu Yunran.

As he spoke, his eyes were fixed on Gu Yunran's pretty face. He had never looked at her properly in the three years since they got married.

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