Chapter 126 What Did He Mean?
Seeing the little girl's bright smile, her eyebrows curved, and her clear eyes sparkling with light, lively and bright, Gu Jingxi smiled slightly and said gently, "Madam, I still have things to take care of. You can play by yourself."
Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao almost couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. The way he said it made it seem like he would play along with her.
That's what she was thinking, but she still spoke gently and considerately: "Since you have something to do, then go ahead and do your work. Will you be back for lunch? If you are, I'll tell the kitchen to make two dishes that you like."
Gu Jingxi thought for a moment and replied, "I won't have time to come back at noon, so Madam doesn't need to wait for me."
After he finished speaking, seeing the young girl about to speak, he added, "I will come back early tonight to have dinner with my wife."
Meng Jinyao: "..."
There was no need for her to come back early to have dinner with her; she could eat alone. But she didn't say that out loud, so as not to spoil the mood.
After Gu Jingxi left, she instructed Qingqiu to bring over the account books she hadn't finished reading. Some accounts were checked monthly, some quarterly, and those outside the capital were checked annually.
Looking at the thick stack of account books, Meng Jinyao sighed softly and said, "Fortunately, I was clear-headed today and didn't cause myself any trouble."
Qingqiu asked, "Madam, what's wrong?"
Meng Jinyao pointed to the stack of account books and replied, "Luckily I didn't agree to take charge of the household affairs, otherwise I would be very busy. These account books alone are enough to give me a headache. If I took charge of the household affairs, the number would increase several times, making it even more of a headache."
Qingqiu laughed and said, "Madam, I guess only you would refuse such a good thing. Anyone else would have agreed immediately. This kind of trouble is something others would beg for."
Meng Jinyao said dismissively, "So, I'll leave this kind of trouble to those who like it."
Qingqiu said worriedly, "Even so, you can still take over the family business after the division. You won't have any experience then, won't you be in a mess?"
"Aren't I accumulating experience right now?"
Meng Jinyao gently patted the account book on her left, then said, "As for banquets, I'll learn from my eldest and second sisters-in-law when there are banquets in the manor. There are also gift lists for relatives and friends during festivals, which can be used as a reference, so don't worry. Let me relax for now."
Qingqiu was slightly taken aback, then said, "This servant had forgotten about that."
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It was the hour of You (5-7 PM) in the afternoon.
Gu Jingxi returned from outside.
Just then, Meng Jinyao finished checking all the accounts, twisted her neck, stretched, and was about to lie down and rest for a while when that elegant and graceful figure came into view.
She called out softly, "My husband, you're back."
Gu Jingxi nodded gently, stepped towards her, and said softly, "Madam, could you please give me the key to the storeroom?"
Meng Jinyao was taken aback, then asked him, "Is there anything you need, my husband?"
Gu Jingxi nodded and said, "We need to get a piece of calligraphy or painting."
Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao didn't ask any further questions and replied gently, "I've rearranged the calligraphy and paintings in the storeroom. I'll have Ningdong go find them for you." After saying that, she went to get the keys and instructed Ningdong to help her look for them.
Ning Dong took the key and followed Gu Jingxi to the storeroom. The calligraphy and paintings were arranged by Ning Dong, and each type of calligraphy and painting was classified.
Ningdong asked Gu Jingxi what kind of person he needed and quickly found the answer for him.
Gu Jingxi took the calligraphy and painting and was about to leave the storeroom when his gaze inadvertently swept over an inconspicuous corner and he saw a somewhat familiar mahogany box. His eyes paused.
Then, Gu Jingxi walked over and, after seeing the box clearly, confirmed that it was the same box the little girl had shown him a few days ago, containing a set of custom-made mutton-fat jade headdresses.
Seeing this, Ning Dong assumed he was looking for something else and followed him. Unexpectedly, she saw the mahogany box and was immediately stunned, cursing her bad luck inwardly.
Soon, Ningdong came to her senses. Fearing that he might be reminded of his mistress by the sight of the object, she quickly tried to distract him by asking, "My lord, is there anything else you're looking for? I'll go and find it for you."
"No need, I was just looking for a piece of calligraphy or painting, and now I've found it."
After Gu Jingxi finished speaking, he glanced at the mahogany box again, hesitated for a moment, and then bent down to pick it up and take it with him.
This action made Ning Dong's eyes widen suddenly. She stared intently at the mahogany box, her mind going blank for a moment.
If she remembered correctly, this was the box containing the set of mutton-fat jade jewelry. This set of jewelry was very likely something the Marquis wanted to give to his sweetheart, but in the end he couldn't give it to her and it could only be left in the storeroom without being recorded.
Now that the Marquis wants to take this set of jewelry with him, what is the meaning of this?
When she came to her senses, Gu Jingxi had already started to leave. She hurriedly followed, locked the storeroom door, her thoughts in turmoil, her eyes following Gu Jingxi's figure. Seeing that he went to the study in Wei Rui Xuan, she quickly went to the main house to find her master.
After Ningdong entered the house, she closed the door.
Seeing this, Qingqiu asked in confusion, "Ningdong, why did you close the door for no reason?"
Instead of answering, Ning Dong asked, "Qing Qiu, where did Madam go?"
"I just lay down not long ago."
As Qingqiu spoke, she looked toward the soft couch by the window.
On the soft couch, a beautiful young girl was lying on the couch, pretending to be asleep. After hearing the noise, she slowly opened her eyes, propped her chin up with her hand, and looked in their direction.
Upon seeing her, Ningdong hurried forward and whispered, "Madam, something terrible has happened."
Seeing Ningdong's furrowed brows and grave expression, Meng Jinyao assumed something serious had happened and immediately sat up, asking urgently, "Ningdong, what happened?"
Qingqiu also looked at Ningdong with a nervous expression.
Ning Dong frowned: "Madam, when I went to find calligraphy and paintings for the Marquis just now, guess what happened?"
Meng Jinyao was slightly taken aback, then shook her head, looking at her with a puzzled expression, and asked with a smile, "What could have happened in the storeroom? Could it be that the calligraphy and painting that the Marquis is looking for has been chewed by rats?"
Ningdong snorted softly, "This servant would rather the calligraphy and paintings be chewed up by rats."
"What's wrong?" Meng Jinyao noticed the anger swirling between her brows and said softly, "Is the Marquis making things difficult for you? If so, I'll go talk to him. You're my person, and whatever you do wrong, it's up to me to deal with it. He has no right to interfere."
Ning Dong shook her head and replied, "Madam, do you still remember that set of headdress made of mutton-fat jade?"
Meng Jinyao was taken aback and asked again, "Of course I remember, what's wrong?"
Ning Dong was furious when she recalled what had just happened. She gritted her teeth and said angrily, "Just now in the storeroom, the Marquis saw that set of jewelry that was hidden in a corner and took it with him. Afterwards, I saw the Marquis go to the study, the study in Wei Rui Xuan. That set of jewelry should have been taken to the study by the Marquis as well."
As soon as she finished speaking, Meng Jinyao was stunned again, her expression inscrutable.
Qingqiu's expression was subtle.
The set of jewelry was perfectly fine in the storeroom. Now that Gu Jingxi has taken it out of the storeroom, this move is quite intriguing. It was originally left to gather dust in the storeroom, but now he can't bear to let it gather dust.
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