Chapter 110 You've completely turned the world upside down!
As soon as Song Yi finished speaking, the accountant looked indignant.
"What do you mean there's a problem with the outer courtyard's accounts? Is the Crown Prince's wife accusing me of keeping messy accounts and embezzling money?"
This is truly a terrible injustice! I have worked diligently as the accountant in the Marquis's household for nearly thirty years, and I swear to God, I have never embezzled a single tael of silver!
"The Second Young Mistress has been in charge of the household for many years and has never said that I, Old Zhu, have any problems with the accounting. Why do you think there is a problem with me when the Heir Apparent's wife is in charge of the household?"
"Is it that I have a problem with managing the accounts, or does the Crown Prince's wife want to replace me with someone from her own family? If so, I, Old Zhu, will simply leave. Why bother fabricating such charges to slander me!"
Marquis Anping also glared at Song Yi with a displeased expression.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I trust Old Zhu's character."
Mrs. Sun sighed.
"Father-in-law, please don't be angry. My sister-in-law has never managed a household before and just took over. She may not understand the accounts and could have misunderstood Mr. Zhu."
Marquis Anping glared at Song Yi with a look of displeasure.
"You can't even read the ledgers, yet you dare to manage the household? This is utter nonsense!"
Song Yi sighed.
"It was my second sister-in-law who cried to my mother-in-law, saying that she couldn't manage the household well and there was no money in the account. Even a clever woman can't cook without rice."
My second sister-in-law voluntarily handed over the management of the household to me, and my daughter-in-law only reluctantly accepted it.
She looked at Madam Sun with a surprised expression.
"Huh, didn't my second sister-in-law tell my father-in-law about this? Or is it that my second sister-in-law wasn't sincerely handing over the management of the household to me?"
Speechless, Madam Sun awkwardly replied, "Of course I sincerely entrust the household management to my sister-in-law."
Then, the tone shifted abruptly, "But I didn't expect that as soon as my sister-in-law took charge of the household, she would target the accountant. First, she beat the accountant in the inner courtyard, Mother Zheng, to death."
Now you're accusing Mr. Zhu of having problems with his accounts too. Does your sister-in-law intend to replace everyone in the Marquis's mansion with you before she'll be satisfied?
Song Yi frowned slightly.
"It's only been one night, how could Second Sister-in-law be so confused? You personally ordered Zheng Mama to be beaten to death, and so many stewardesses in the mansion saw it."
If she hadn't been outside...
Sun's face turned pale, fearing that Song Yi would reveal that Zheng's mother was keeping a man, and she quickly interrupted her in a shrill voice.
“Mother Zheng did make a mistake, so I don’t blame my sister-in-law for being ruthless. But what mistake did Mr. Zhu make? Why are you going after him too?”
Sun looked indignant on behalf of Old Zhu, the accountant.
Old Zhu was even angrier. "Today, the Crown Prince's wife must give me an explanation and point out where the accounts are problematic."
"If the Crown Prince's wife finds out even one problem, I, Old Zhu, will resign from my position as accountant without hesitation."
Song Yi was not angry because of Sun's sarcastic remarks and Lao Zhu's questioning.
She's not good at arguing, but last night she wrote down all the possible problems and solutions on a piece of paper.
Old Zhu's anger was also within her expectations.
"Old Zhu, let me ask you this: what are the duties of the accountant in the outer courtyard?"
Old Zhu stroked his goatee, his expression still indignant.
"Of course, it is to be responsible for the financial management of the shops and estates, profit calculation, and the financial records of the Marquis's social activities, and to report the financial income and expenditure to the master on a regular monthly basis."
Song Yi nodded. "Very good. Now, let me ask you again: where does the Marquis's manor's monthly income mainly come from? And how much is it?"
Old Zhu had been the accountant for the Marquis's mansion for over thirty years, so he could answer this question without hesitation.
"The main income of the Marquis's mansion comes from the salaries of the Marquis, the heir, and the second young master, as well as the profits from the shops and the income from the estates."
Among them, the Marquis was a fourth-rank nobleman. His annual salary, including his noble title, official salary, land, clothing allowance, and miscellaneous allowances, amounted to two thousand taels.
The heir apparent is granted a hereditary title, with an annual salary of one thousand taels. In addition to his official salary, his total annual salary is one thousand five hundred taels.
The second young master only receives an official salary of four hundred taels per year, totaling three thousand nine hundred taels.
"In addition, the Marquis's shops and estates bring in a total of about six thousand taels of silver a year, which is the main source of income for the Marquis's family."
Spread over each month, the income is less than a thousand taels.
Song Yi then asked, "How much does the Marquis's mansion spend each month?"
Old Zhu frowned and subconsciously looked at Marquis Anping.
Marquis Anping rebuked Song Yi.
"Why are you bringing up your incompetence in managing the household and taking the money back to the inner courtyard's accounting office? What are you doing, rambling on and on?"
Song Yi ignored the Marquis of Anping's impatience.
"Father-in-law, please don't rush. We need to clarify the accounts with Mr. Zhu first before we can get back to the main topic."
Mr. Zhu, please answer my question.
Old Zhu twitched his goatee and remained silent for a moment before saying, "Monthly expenses are unpredictable and cannot be spread out evenly."
"What's the highest? What's the lowest?"
Old Zhu looked at Marquis Anping, his eyes flickering, before saying, "The highest is five thousand taels, the lowest is one thousand five hundred taels."
"Oh? What percentage of that is spent on the inner courtyard?"
“The inner court spends about three hundred taels a month on food and drink, and on clothes and jewelry for the masters.”
Song Yi's face suddenly darkened, and she said coldly:
"Only three hundred taels were spent in the inner courtyard, which means that the remaining one thousand or four thousand taels were spent in the outer courtyard."
"The Marquis's family has an income of less than a thousand taels a month, but its expenses are much higher than its income. It has been unable to make ends meet for a long time. No matter how big the family business is, it cannot withstand such a waste."
As the accountant, have you ever raised these issues with the Marquis? Have you ever suggested to the Marquis how to improve the Marquis's finances?
Mr. Zhu stammered.
"I......"
"You don't have any. If you did, why would the Marquis's account have less and less money? Isn't this a dereliction of duty on your part as the accountant?"
Mr. Zhu's forehead instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
He opened his mouth, but didn't know how to refute it.
The reason is simple: the Marquis took almost all the money from the outer courtyard to buy antiques and collectibles, or the heir took it to buy calligraphy and paintings.
Marquis Anping realized what was happening and flew into a rage, pointing at Song Yi and cursing her.
“Song, you’re being insolent! Are you accusing me of squandering money? I’m not dead yet, the entire Marquis’s mansion is mine.”
"The Marquis's money is mine too. I can spend it however I want. How dare you interfere?"
Song Yichui's hand trembled slightly at her side, but she did not take a step back.
"The Marquis's mansion belongs not only to my father-in-law, but also to my mother-in-law, the eldest son's family, and the second son's family. Now that I've taken charge of the household, I must first change the Marquis's mansion's tendency to spend beyond its means."
Otherwise, within three months, the Marquis's mansion will be completely broke, with not a single tael of silver left in its accounts. Does the eunuch intend to lead the whole family to starve then?
The veins on the Marquis of Anping's forehead throbbed.
"Stop exaggerating. I only bought a few favorite antiques, how much did it cost?"
"Should I bring the account books over so my father-in-law can take a look?"
Marquis Anping slammed his hand heavily on the small table.
"What are you looking at? Who knows if you've made fake accounts to fool me? I'm too lazy to argue with you."
"Hurry up and return the money you took yesterday to Old Zhu immediately, and from now on, stay out of the affairs of the outer courtyard."
Although she was mentally prepared for Anping Hou's unreasonable behavior, Song Yi was still so angry that she trembled all over.
How can people be so unreasonable!
She took a deep breath, suppressed her anger, and curtsied.
"Please forgive me, daughter-in-law, for being unable to comply!"
"From now on, all the money in the Marquis's mansion will be managed by Mama Tao in the inner courtyard. If the outer courtyard needs money, it will need my approval before it can withdraw money from Mama Tao."
Although her voice trembled slightly, her expression was very firm.
Marquis Anping's beard bristled with anger.
"You even want to control how I spend my money, Song family...you're completely turning the world upside down!"
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