Chapter 3 What to do when you're short of money

Madam Shangguan's meaning was very simple.

You are the person your young lady values ​​most, so you can't just watch her cry every day, right?

Therefore, you'd better help your young lady reserve the position of concubine.

Think about it, the Duke's mansion has already taken in two concubines. Even the Empress wouldn't dare to send any more people into the Duke's mansion, right?

Furthermore, since you were personally chosen by your young mistress, no one outside can say anything bad about this young Duchess.

"Madam, does this mean the Duke is going to take another concubine?" Dongmai asked in shock.

In her eyes, it would take an ordinary family almost their entire savings to marry just one child, so how much money would it cost to marry so many?

"Hey, they're from the Duke's mansion, they can marry as many wives as they want."

"In those men's eyes, women are like money and status; they can have as many as they want," Madam Shangguan said with a sneer.

Upon hearing this, Dongmai immediately felt sorry for Shangguan Jin.

"Hmph! My young lady is rich and powerful too!"

At worst, I'll have my young lady find a few more dukes!

Men, you know! My young lady is so beautiful, rich, and well-educated, how much could she possibly want...?

Waaaaah...

The maidservant beside Madam Shangguan quickly covered Dongmai's mouth.

"Dongmai, so you must help your young lady, you know?" Madam Shangguan said softly.

Upon hearing this, Dongmai thought, "If I can help Miss and prevent her from having a hard life in the future, isn't that my mission?"

"Madam, do you mean that as long as I become a concubine, I can help Miss?" Dongmai asked.

Madam Shangguan nodded, then whispered a few words in Dongmai's ear.

The more Dongmai listened, the more sense it made.

The head that used to shake like a rattle drum is now nodding like a chicken pecking at rice.

Isn't she just occupying the position of a concubine?

That's easy.

Oh, and the lady also said that her main task as a concubine was to prevent the Duke from sharing a bed with other concubines.

Winter wheat should keep this in mind.

After she became a concubine, whenever the Duke was reprimanded by the Empress Dowager and told to go to Concubine Xin's courtyard more often, Dongmai would always manage to make a fuss.

She either had a stomachache, twisted her ankle, or saw a dark shadow outside.

Then he called the Duke into his room.

The Duke of Dingguo, seizing the opportunity, immediately came over.

Once you get past this point, the winter wheat won't let you leave.

She would serve the Duke of Dingguo to rest in bed, and then she would rest fully clothed on the daybed in the room.

In her eyes, the Duke should not share a bed with anyone other than the young lady, including herself.

The concubine Xin, whom the Empress Dowager had bestowed upon her, was filled with hatred, but there was nothing she could do about it.

She learned to speak with barbs and sarcasm, subtly mocking others.

I'm sorry, Dongmai doesn't understand these words and doesn't want to hear them.

Throwing a tantrum or acting shamelessly? Aunt Xin felt that this would be beneath her dignity.

In the end, Consort Xin failed to fulfill the Empress Dowager's mission of making the Duke of Dingguo favor his concubine over his wife, and could only end up weeping alone.

What about winter wheat?

She didn't even consider herself a concubine.

Every day, he would still get up early to serve Shangguan Jin, and he continued to do so for many years.

She served Shangguan Jin until all five of her children were born.

Shangguan Jin also told Dongmai that she would find an opportunity to let Dongmai go out, change her name, and acquire some property for her so that she could live a carefree life.

Winter wheat, however, simply shook its head.

"Miss, now that you've bought me, I'm yours. No matter what, I'll stay by your side. Please don't leave, okay?"

I really have nowhere else to go but you.

What could Shangguan Jin say but agree?

Gradually, everyone in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion learned that the lady trusted Aunt Dong the most.

Even many affairs in the mansion were handled by Aunt Dong.

Shangguan Jin thought about it for a while and found Aunt Dong increasingly interesting.

Hearing that Madam Lin outside had already sent someone to invite Aunt Dong, Shangguan Jin also got up and got out of bed.

She wasn't wearing an outer garment, just her nightgown, and she was watching inside the house.

Looking at the furniture and furnishings in the room, Shangguan Jin felt increasingly surrounded by golden light.

The top-heavy cabinet, the open cabinet, and the round-cornered cabinet are all made of huanghuali wood.

The nine-sided screen, the daybed, and the hat mirror are all made of huanghuali wood.

And those things like the tubular-eared vase, the polychrome covered jar, the famille rose gall-shaped vase, and the tea set with intertwined floral patterns, can only be seen at Sotheby's in later generations.

Every time Shangguan Jin saw something, she subconsciously calculated its value in her mind.

Looking at all the things in the room, Shangguan Jin sighed deeply.

The furnishings in this room alone could probably buy half a Tomson Riviera apartment in later generations!

What a pity...

Shangguan Jin knew she loved money; otherwise, she wouldn't have gone into investment banking.

So, seeing that she was surrounded by valuable items but had very little money in her account, Shangguan Jin was very anxious.

Having money in your hands gives you peace of mind.

This is true in any era.

So, even though everything around her was valuable, the fact that she had no money in the account made Shangguan Jin very panicked.

She had to come up with a way to change the current awkward situation.

Shangguan Jin was racking her brains trying to figure out what to do when she heard light footsteps outside.

"Mama Lin, is Miss really alright? I was quite shocked when I saw her at noon."

"It's nothing. Didn't Madam just ask you to discuss something again?"

As the footsteps and voices grew closer, Shangguan Jin quickly went back to bed.

Dongmai and Lin's mother knocked gently on the door, and only after Shangguan Jin spoke did they tiptoe in.

As soon as Dongmai saw Shangguan Jin, she was about to speak when she saw Shangguan Jin gesture to her and Lin's mother.

"Please sit down!"

Lin's mother didn't dare to sit down, but Dongmai skillfully pulled over a small embroidered stool and sat down next to Shangguan Jin's bed.

"Miss, are you going to give a gift to someone this time?" Dongmai asked softly.

Shangguan Jin...

"Dongmai, how much money do I have in my private account?" Shangguan Jin asked.

When this was mentioned, Dongmai looked resentful.

"Miss, there's not much left. At most, it's less than two hundred taels of silver."

If you ask me to prepare another gift, I really can't use the money from my personal account.

Also, don't touch those things in your private stash, like ornaments and such; they're all part of your dowry!

Why should we have the right to touch your dowry when we pay our respects to the Duke's mansion?

In the past year alone, most of the congratulatory gifts sent out came from your private coffers.

I did the math, and in just this year, you've made me prepare congratulatory gifts twenty-four times just for social obligations.

Especially the Wuding Marquis's family, they held five banquets that year.

They always invite you. The gifts they send to his family alone are enough to buy a manor in the countryside.

Miss, shall we discuss this?

If we're going to give a congratulatory gift again, let's not give anything expensive. How about I learn to embroider something and give it as a gift? Every little bit helps!"

Dongmai rattled off a whole bunch of things.

Only then did Shangguan Jin realize that she had sent out so many things over the past year!

"Miss, the Marquis of Wuding's family is going too far. The congratulatory gifts they received this year must fill the entire warehouse!"

If we invite them a few more times, wouldn't that be...?

"Dongmai, are we short of money right now?" Shangguan Jin interrupted Dongmai.

Dongmai nodded without hesitation.

"I'm short! I'm really short! You've already let me secretly act as your face twice, isn't that enough?"

"Then let's hold a banquet in our mansion!" Shangguan Jin said.

As soon as he finished speaking, the other two people in the room were stunned.

Lin's mother was overcome with tears.

The lady has finally come to her senses. Waiting indefinitely isn't a solution; life has to go on!

It seems that the lady also wants a fresh start!

Dongmai looked at Shangguan Jin with even more admiration.

As expected of a well-read young lady, she found a way to save money the moment I complained about being poor.

We're hosting a banquet!

How many congratulatory gifts will they receive? It's like they're going to recoup all the gifts they've given out in the past year, no, in the past three years!

Thinking that her half-empty private treasury would soon be full again, Dongmai's eyes narrowed into slits with joy.