Main house study.
The two sons were still studying at the Imperial College. The princess was not idle. She personally checked the homework left by the children, found out the parts in the essays that needed improvement, and planned to have the children revise them in person in the evening.
The princess was very tired.
She had to fight with the old maids sent by the Queen almost every day, racking her brains to find ways to help the children learn more knowledge. In addition to paying attention to her son's studies, the princess also has to worry about her child's food, clothing, housing and transportation. Summer is coming, and we need to buy new fabrics to make some cool and comfortable summer clothes for our children.
The princess was busy until the afternoon and was about to return to the Buddhist temple to chant scriptures. Madam Liu came over in a hurry and said, "Princess, several stewards are here. The monthly salary of the palace has not been paid on time this month, and they are here to ask you to come forward and solve the problem."
The princess lit a stick of incense and said calmly, "The distribution of monthly silver has always been the responsibility of the rich steward. Why are you looking for me?"
Madam Liu looked embarrassed and said, "Princess, the rich steward was ill yesterday and was bedridden. He couldn't even take soup or water."
There are more than a hundred servants in the palace, all looking forward to receiving their monthly salary. In the past, monthly salary was paid on time on the morning of the 15th of every month. But this month the money was not sent out yet, and the servants had different thoughts.
The princess frowned. "Why did you get sick at this time?"
Madam Liu said, "Princess, you have a backup of the monthly bank account book. Why don't you take charge of it yourself and review the expenses——"
Before Nanny Liu could finish her words, she was interrupted by the princess: "In that case, wait until the rich steward recovers before paying the monthly salary. It's only a delay of a few days, it's not a big deal."
Nanny Liu opened her mouth and wanted to say a few more words of advice. Most of the servants in the mansion were of humble origins and worked hard all month long, just hoping to receive monthly wages to supplement their household expenses.
A delay of a few days might cause dissatisfaction among the servants.
Even Aunt Liu was looking forward to getting her monthly salary early so that she could add some money to her son's marriage gift.
But the princess could no longer listen. She devoutly burned incense to the Buddha and closed her eyes while chanting scriptures silently.
...
Fugui, the chief steward of Prince Yan's Mansion, fell ill and could not get up. In the past, he managed all the affairs of the harem on behalf of the princess, but due to his illness, he was unable to manage anything and the harem was in chaos.
The servants were not able to get their monthly salary and were quite resentful.
Three days passed, and the rich butler was still sick. Several stewards in the palace asked to see the princess again, hoping that the princess would calculate the expenses in the account books and pay the servants' monthly wages in time.
But the princess had been a hands-off manager for many years and was not familiar with the assets and expenses of the palace. Although the old nanny who came with her as a dowry had the ability to be a housekeeper, she had not touched the account book for many years. It was very difficult to settle the accounts in a short period of time.
Rumors soon spread in the palace:
"The princess's mind is now on Concubine Shen. She is trying to find ways to torture Concubine Shen every day. How can she have time to care about our lives?"
"Hasn't the princess always been indifferent? Why would she deal with Concubine Shen?"
"What do you know? You are indifferent just to show off to others. The more you eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures, the more you have something to hide."
"Yes, morning and evening visits are not a rigid rule. Many mistresses of the big families in Yanjing have waived this etiquette."
"Even the Queen exempted her concubines from paying respects every day, but the Princess is putting on airs here."
"He doesn't pay us monthly wages, and only thinks about dealing with Concubine Shen. Sigh... He's jealous."
"My mother is ill, and I was looking forward to using my monthly salary to buy medicine for her. The Prince of Yan's Mansion actually owes us money. Does the life of a servant count as life?"
There was a lot of discussion in the backyard of the palace.
Even though there are differences in status in the palace, the servants are all very smart. If you pay them, they will do their work seriously; if you don't pay them, they will become perfunctory in their work.
The rumors soon reached the ears of the princess.
The princess was so angry that she smashed two vases, her face almost twisted: "Drive those slaves out of the palace, they actually slandered me! Chen Wei is a peasant girl, how could I be jealous?"
The princess values two things most in her life: her son and her face.
Now there are constant rumors in the palace, saying that she deliberately targeted Chen Wei and had no intention of paying monthly wages to the servants.
Rumors were like knives, stabbing the princess in the heart. The image of a good wife and mother that she had worked hard to build over the years was in jeopardy.
The princess originally wanted to ask the rich butler to check the account books despite his illness, but when she sent someone to check, she found that the rich butler had really lost a lot of weight, his face was as pale as paper, his pulse was disordered, and he couldn't even get out of bed.
Helplessly, the princess had to give up the idea of asking the rich butler to settle the account while he was sick.
Madam Liu advised kindly: "Princess, please don't be angry. In fact, it's just that the servants want the monthly salary and are resentful, so they are talking nonsense. You just need to pay the monthly salary on time."
Princess: "Then give me the monthly salary! Why wait?"
Madam Liu sighed, "For promotions and rewards, some servants' monthly wages will increase, some will be reduced, and we also have to consider the expenses of the palace this month. In the past, the rich steward would review and distribute them one by one, but now the rich steward has fallen seriously ill, and no one in the palace can take care of these bad debts... How about you, Princess, spend some time to calculate them with the stewards?"
The incense was burning in the temple, and the smoke made the princess dizzy.
She rubbed her temples tiredly and instructed Liu Mama: "You are the maid who came with my dowry, and you also know how to manage the household. You and a few other maids will go and help manage the household, and you will receive the monthly salary within three days."
The princess really couldn't spare the time.
She has two children to raise and educate, and she also has to worship Buddha. If she devoted her attention to managing the household, the two children would definitely be corrupted by the old nanny sent by the Queen.
Children are her hope and her future support. The child's heart must be tied to her mother and cannot be taken away by outsiders.
But the princess didn't want to give up her power as housekeeper. After much thought, she decided to let someone she trusts help her manage the household.
Nanny Liu never expected that the tough job of settling accounts would fall on her head. Nanny Liu has been serving the princess for many years. Her daily work is easy, her monthly salary is very high, and she rarely has to worry about anything tiring.
Madam Liu's throat was dry, and she spoke reluctantly, "Princess, I am already over fifty years old, and I haven't touched the account book for many years..."
She is an old woman, and if she stays up for a few days to look at the account books, she will probably lose half her life.
The princess interrupted Madam Liu, lit a stick of incense in the shrine, clasped her hands together devoutly, closed her eyes and murmured, "Don't refuse. I trust you, so I am willing to let you do the job of distributing the monthly salary."
Aunt Liu: ...
The princess thought for a moment, then reluctantly said, "Go tell Shen that she doesn't need to come to pay respects during this period."
After the storm died down, the princess brought up the old rule of "morning and evening visits". Anyway, Shen Wei is in the palace and can't escape her Five Finger Mountain.
...
In the Liuli Pavilion, Shen Wei was playing with the child.
Cai Ping ran over happily to report: "Master, your method is really effective. The princess has stopped the unruly custom of paying respects every day."
Shen Wei pinched the baby's chubby face, a smile appearing on the corners of her lips.
In previous years, with the support of the rich steward, the princess's clumsy and ugly behavior was not exposed, and the inner house of the palace was generally peaceful.
The wealthy butler fell ill, the princess's veil was lifted, and the servants in the palace were surprised to find that their mistress was actually a figurehead.
The princess is hypocritical and good at shirking responsibility. She comes from a prominent family but has no special talents and only loves her own fame and fortune.
Chen Wei ordered Cai Ping: "Go tell the rich steward to ask him to stay sick for a while. He has worked hard for many years and it is time for him to retire and enjoy his old age."
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