Chapter 64 Life-saving Straw
Zhou Chunyu is in charge of the Mu Mansion's external business and all matters related to the Mu Mansion's external dealings.
Zhou Zhilan was in charge of the general affairs of the mansion, but important matters would be decided by Yi Niang, who was by the old lady's side. When the old lady was in charge of general affairs, Yi Niang was her right-hand man.
Gu Huan followed Zhou Zhilan on a tour and was shocked by the well-organized management of the Mu Mansion. The rules were so strict that it would not be an exaggeration to say that they were comparable to military discipline.
She used to be with Gu Wanru, but Gu Wanru was no longer able to take charge of the family until she was killed.
Mu An behaved recklessly and lived an extravagant life, but he could not touch the foundation of the Mu family at all.
Naturally, Gu Huan had no chance to go deep into the Duke's Mansion to find out the truth. She still thought that the Duke's Mansion was as corrupt and hopeless as Mu An's.
At this moment, a whole new world seemed to open up before her eyes.
But why did they let Mu An go on his own?
It's very confusing.
Zhou Zhilan is usually cheerful and always smiling, but she is also very organized and efficient when it comes to managing things.
Not only did she take Gu Huan to meet the female managers in various parts of the mansion, she also formally announced the master's order in front of everyone. Everyone looked at Gu Huan differently.
The people from Wenhanxuan and Xiangruitang did not react much. They were all confidants of the Mu family and they all knew Gu Huan's identity.
Moreover, he keeps his mouth shut, and so far no unpleasant words have been heard from the mansion.
The maids in charge of other courtyards and the outer courtyard were unaware of the situation but were extremely surprised.
For a time, everyone in the mansion knew that the young lady's sister had become the second-in-command of the housekeeper.
It was noon when the news reached Jinxiu Pavilion.
Gu Wanru, who had just woken up from a nap, heard Jin Kui's report and was so angry that she smashed a set of precious official kiln ceramic tea sets.
"Why! I work so hard for the Duke's Mansion, but end up being a stepping stone for that bitch?" Gu Wanru gnashed her teeth in hatred.
Jin Kui lowered her eyebrows and listened quietly.
"Go and call Mrs. Chen."
Facing Jin Kui was like punching cotton. Gu Wanru was so angry that she almost couldn't breathe.
Mrs. Chen was a member of the Pei family who came with Aunt Pei. She was sent by Aunt Pei to be her housekeeper, in charge of Gu Wanru's external affairs and the business of Gu Wanru's dowry shop.
Gu Wanru hated Pei's merchant spirit the most and never allowed Pei's direct relatives to get close to her. She just waited for them to pay her money every month.
After a while, Mrs. Chen came.
"My dear, are you feeling better?"
Mrs. Chen was overjoyed to be received by the eldest girl, but when she saw that she looked unwell, she greeted her with a look of heartache.
It was rare to hear people care about her, and she couldn't see her mother. Gu Wanru suddenly seemed to have found her backbone. She hugged Chen Po's waist and started crying.
"My dear girl, your crying makes my heart break."
"Madame Chen, what should I do? Am I going to be divorced?" Gu Wanru was devastated.
Nanny Chen held her, caressed her gently, and whispered to comfort her: "Don't worry, Nanny will bring you good news. If this matter is done, the Duke's Mansion will definitely not divorce you, and will even hold you in high esteem."
Gu Wanru immediately stopped crying when she heard this: "Tell me what's going on?"
Nanny Chen glanced at Jin Kui and said, "Go out and guard the door."
Jin Kui nodded and went out.
Nanny Chen poured a cup of warm water for Gu Wanru, watched her drink it, and wiped the corners of her mouth carefully.
"Mrs. Pei asked me to take good care of you. I will definitely protect you well."
"Tell me quickly, what the good news is?" Gu Wanru asked anxiously.
"What does son-in-law value most about you?" Nanny Chen asked with a smile, pretending to be mysterious.
Gu Wanru frowned.
What could he see in her?
In terms of appearance, Gu Huan is ahead.
As for being the head of the family, she still has not received her father's approval, so naturally she cannot get the power to be the head of the family.
"silver."
Seeing that she had a sullen face and had not spoken for a long time, Nanny Chen reminded her.
Gu Wanru suddenly realized: "You mean that my husband is attracted by the money I give him every month?"
"Yes. You know that the son-in-law only gets fifty taels of silver per month. Every expenditure of his is controlled by the steward Zhou. Especially for those fairies in the backyard, the steward Zhou always pays according to the rules. Even if he wants to buy more expensive things to please those fairies, the son-in-law has to look at the steward Zhou's face."
Gu Wanru was surprised, she didn't know this.
Mu An acted like the only noble son of the Duke's Mansion in front of her all day long, and asked her for money, saying it was for official banquets.
Since Nanny Chen was in charge of the dowry business and had contact with all the managers in the outer courtyard, she naturally knew something.
The rumors that slandered Gu Huan were all spread through her.
"Then do you think if I give my husband more money, he will value me? He will not want to divorce me again?"
"Men need money to take care of things. When you go out to entertain guests, you need to dress well to show your presence."
Gu Wanru frowned, "But I gave all the 1,000 taels of silver that Auntie gave me every month to my husband. I also gave him most of the income from the dowry shop. How could I have more money to give him?"
"This is the good opportunity I was talking about." Nanny Chen said mysteriously.
"Just tell me now."
Gu Wanru said anxiously, as if she had grabbed a life-saving straw.
Nanny Chen no longer kept the secret.
"The Pei family wants to become a first-class imperial merchant in the imperial city. Now there is an opportunity. As long as the son-in-law is willing to help, and let the Pei family's winter cotton and cotton cloth samples be submitted for selection, the Pei family is willing to give 100,000 taels of silver. If the military supply order can be completed, another 500,000 taels will be given."
Gu Wanru's eyes widened: "That's six hundred thousand taels?"
Nanny Chen smiled and said, "This is nothing to the Pei family."
"Can you do it, sir?"
Gu Wanru knew this was a great opportunity.
If she succeeds, not only Mu An, but even her father will look up to her.
By that time, the power of stewardship of the Duke's Mansion would surely fall into her hands.
"Of course. The person that the son-in-law has been befriending recently is the godson of the eunuch governor."
Gu Wanru suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. He was the first person to enter the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
"As long as the uncle passes the message to his godson, it will be easy to accomplish."
Gu Wanru's heart became active, thinking that it shouldn't be difficult to just say one sentence.
What's more, just by submitting a sample into the palace, he could get 100,000 yuan, so Mu An would be tempted.
Before her husband got angry with her, he had said that he wanted to spend 100,000 taels to buy a hot spring garden outside the city so that they could go there and enjoy a few days of warmth and happiness when they had time.
At that time, she had no money left.
"Okay, I'll find a way to talk to Langjun."
Nanny Chen was happy.
This happened when she was out on business and was stopped by Aunt Pei. It was not convenient for her to leave the house recently, let alone come in, so she was asked to bring a message in.
Although Nanny Chen didn't know why Aunt Pei treated the eldest girl like her own daughter, Aunt Pei said that she would give her one hundred taels of silver after the matter was settled.
She was born in the Pei family and only cared about money. She didn't care who Aunt Pei was nice to.
After Nanny Chen left, Gu Wanru asked Jin Kui to help her dress up.
Jin Kui frowned: "Miss, you are still in confinement. The doctor in the Sun Mansion said that it is not easy for you to get out of bed and walk."
When she mentioned confinement, she was filled with anger and started to curse: "Just do what I told you to do! You are as stupid as a pig and you can't do anything. You just want to piss me off!"
Jin Kui shut up and dressed her up as she instructed.
Gu Wanru underestimated her physical condition. After dressing up, she was completely exhausted and her lower body ached with every step she took.
Helpless, she had to hold back her anger and ordered calmly: "Go and tell Langjun that I have something important to tell him and ask him to come over."
Jin Kui said, "Son-in-law... won't come."
"Go if you're told to!"
Gu Wanru couldn't control her temper anymore, so she reached out and pinched Jin Kui's arm hard a few times.
Jin Kui was in so much pain that she didn't dare to cry and ran away quickly.
Gu Huanzheng and Zhou Zhilan walked to the door of Mu An's Zuimoxuan and stopped.
Zhou Zhilan knew that she didn't want to go in, so she stood outside and talked to her in detail.
"There are six maids in the young master's courtyard, three of whom are his concubines, and the other three concubines live near the Jinxiu Pavilion in the backyard. There are fifteen other servants in total. The one in charge is the young master's first-class maid Biyu, who is also the daughter of the young master's wet nurse and has grown up with the young master since childhood."
Gu Huan nodded.
She knew this in her previous life.
This Biyu is one of Mu An's concubines. Relying on the friendship they had since childhood, she is arrogant and wants to be Mu An's principal wife. She dislikes everyone in Mu An's room.
In her previous life, Mu An and Gu Wanru were a loving couple, but her fate was also tragic, and she died earlier than Gu Huan.
Moreover, her death was related to Gu Wanru.
But in this life, Mu An and Gu Wanru fell out, and she didn't know whether her fate would change.
"If you don't want to care about what's going on in the young master's room, don't bother."
Zhou Zhilan said softly and considerately.
"Yeah. Thank you, sister." Gu Huan smiled at her gratefully.
However, Zui Moxuan didn't want to pay attention to it, but she needed to find a way to intervene.
It concerns the Pei family’s military supply list.
Perhaps, Jasper is the breakthrough.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
