She touched it for a while but didn't notice anything unusual. Before she could continue unbuttoning, she heard a commotion outside.
Guanmoxuan was usually quiet and had few servants, so it had never been so noisy before.
She frowned slightly, and without paying any attention to He Jingyan, who was half-undressed on the bed, she hurriedly left the room.
When Song Xizhi looked out into the courtyard, he saw a tense scene.
"The monthly allowances for everyone at Guanmoxuan have been halved, and half of the master's cloth and belongings have also been deducted. There is no food or milk as requested. Is this how the second young mistress manages the household?"
Granny Wu stared at Granny Hu in front of her with an expressionless face, and she was furious like never before.
Tomorrow was originally the day when the Marquis's mansion would distribute monthly allowances and food rations to all the servants in each courtyard. However, Song Ruo'an, having been given the power to manage the household, promised to increase the servants' monthly allowances and thus distributed them a day earlier.
But to everyone's surprise, not only was the monthly allowance reduced by half, but the quality of the food and cloth was also greatly reduced, and the milk that Song Xizhi loved most was completely gone!
Song Ruoan is deliberately withholding Guanmoxuan's supplies!
Hearing Granny Wu's furious words, Granny Hu, who was in the lead, only smiled insincerely and said:
"That's your misunderstanding. It's not just the eldest young mistress's Guanmoxuan, but all the other places are like this."
"The Marquis's family is in dire financial straits. The eldest young mistress, who used to manage the household, naturally knows this. So the second young mistress halved the servants' monthly allowances and converted them into food allowances, which made everyone very happy!"
Granny Wu sneered, "The eldest young master is still lying in the room, and you've already withheld Guan Moxuan's monthly allowance. Are you trying to withhold the medicine as well?"
Granny Hu patted Granny Wu's shoulder with a smile: "Old sister, you've misunderstood me!"
"Important items like medicinal herbs will naturally remain untouched, while less important items like milk will be supplied on a slower basis. This applies not only to Guanmoxuan, but also to Guanyunxuan and all the other courtyards."
"The second young mistress has already reported this matter to the old lady, and she agreed, saying that food should be saved and set an example for the servants. So even if you make a fuss about it in front of the old lady He, you will get the same answer."
Song Xizhi stood at the door of the house and listened silently until he reached out to look at the vegetables, food, cloth, and clothes placed in the yard.
With just one glance, one could understand why Granny Wu was so angry.
Not only was the milk and bird's nest she used to enjoy gone, but even the vegetables and fruits that were delivered were of poor quality, wilted, and not fresh at all, as if they had been sitting there for several days.
As autumn deepened and the weather grew cooler, Song Ruoan delivered walnut charcoal instead of the jujube charcoal commonly used in the various courtyards.
If that charcoal were lit, the smoke inside the house would probably be so thick it would look like a fire.
When Song Xizhi lived in the Song family, he didn't live such a miserable life.
It's likely that Song Ruoan knows she's the one who schemed against her, and is deliberately waiting here for revenge!
Song Xizhi gave a cold laugh, picked up the charcoal, and threw it in front of Granny Hu:
"Does Guanyunxuan also use this kind of charcoal fire? And what kind of food do they serve?"
Granny Hu bowed respectfully to Song Xizhi: "That's how it is!"
"They were all delivered from the shops outside the Marquis's residence. That was the shopkeepers' choice, not the Second Young Mistress's."
"If your food, clothing and daily necessities are even slightly different from those of the second young mistress, then it must be the managers' intention to do so."
Granny Hu covered her mouth with a half-smile, and then said something meaningful:
"Who knew that the shopkeeper outside would be so obsequious and servile? He sees that the second young mistress is in charge of the household and the second young master has entered the court as an official, and he is about to rise to prominence. So he takes the charcoal fire and coaxes him."
"Seeing that you have been stripped of your stewardship and the eldest son is lying in bed, seemingly useless, and still harboring resentment towards you for previously reviewing the account books, he has resorted to this to deceive you!"
Hearing the sarcasm in her words, everyone in Guan Moxuan gritted their teeth in resentment.
But Song Xizhi just looked at her indifferently: "Fine, since you know that the shopkeeper outside is a sycophant, shouldn't you exchange the cloth and food for me?"
Granny Hu nodded, a sinister glint hidden in her wrinkled old face:
"Yes, it should be changed! But the steward has a lot of things to do. This old servant has changed him for you this time. If the manager outside does the same thing next time, then there's really nothing I can do."
This was meant to be a warning to Song Xizhi.
Not only was the food and cloth of poor quality this time, but because He Jingyan was lying in bed, the shopkeepers were obsequious to the powerful and snobbish to the weak, so this would continue in the future.
"As you know, the shopkeepers outside are all relatives of the Marquis's family by marriage, and they can't be touched at all! Unless you go to the old lady to complain and have all those annoying shopkeepers replaced."
That's an even more interesting point.
Song Ruoan deliberately used a soft approach to pressure Song Xizhi into making a big fuss about the matter. If Song Xizhi confronted the shopkeepers about this, the old lady would punish them.
Then her problem of managing the household was easily solved.
Song Xizhi just smiled and didn't respond. She didn't want to make things difficult for Old Madam He, so she made a raft for Song Ruoan.
She simply said, "Then I'll trouble Granny Hu to change the food this time."
"I believe that Song Ruoan has just taken over the housekeeping duties and has made some oversights. If it happens again next time, then it is because my sister is incompetent and has not managed things properly."
There's no need to wait until next time; Song Ruoan can't manage this family for long.
Looking at Song Xizhi's calm and composed appearance, Hu Mama felt that she was just putting on a brave face.
The next time food, clothing, and monthly allowances are distributed will be in winter. At that time, Song Xizhi will be using inferior coal and freezing cold in the house. Can she still bear it?
Thinking of this, Granny Hu snorted coldly, turned around, and left.
"This old servant only changed the charcoal for you; the rest of the food tastes the same. As for your milk and bird's nest, the old lady said to be frugal, so you can forget about them."
After saying this, Granny Hu strode away, making sure all the servants outside heard clearly and understood Guan Moxuan's current predicament.
The servants inside Guanmoxuan were all watching Song Xizhi's slender figure with great care.
She stood alone in the courtyard, while her husband lay lifeless on the bed.
It was precisely because He Jingyan was lying in bed that everyone felt his good days were numbered and his birthday was approaching, which emboldened the shopkeepers to fawn over the powerful and bully the weak, and made Song Ruoan dare to take advantage of his kindness.
They are so pitiful.
Bronze bit his lip and reached out to pinch the hem of his clothes, as if he had made up his mind.
When Song Xizhi returned to the courtyard with a normal expression, he sat on the soft couch, took a sip of hot tea, and then saw Qing Tong sneak into the house.
"Bronze? Is there anything else?"
Qing Tong gripped the key tightly in his hand and respectfully presented it to Song Xizhi.
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