Chapter 10
The person chosen by Duke Wen for his grandson personally would naturally not be bad. Zhang Shiquan was experienced and meticulous, and he finished sorting out all the account books in just one day.
"I have sorted the account books and put them away." Zhang Shiquan was confident. "If the young marquis and the young master are worried, you can check them again. But I am not bragging. I have been doing accounting for more than 30 years and have never made any mistakes."
Lin Qingyu nodded: "Thank you."
"You're awesome, Manager Zhang." Lu Wancheng raised his eyes to signal, and Hua Lu beside him stepped forward to give Zhang Shiquan the reward that had been prepared in advance - a heavy bag of silver. "There should be a follow-up to this matter. Please stay in Nan'an Marquis Mansion for the time being."
Zhang Shiquan bowed and said, "It's up to you, young marquis."
As soon as Zhang Shiquan left, Lu Wancheng's straight back immediately collapsed. He lay on the table, looking at Lin Qingyu with hesitation.
Lin Qingyu flipped through the sorted account book and said calmly: "Just say it if you have something to say."
"I told you to let me handle it, but you still didn't believe me."
There was a hint of accusation in the tone.
Unfortunately, this trick didn't work on Lin Qingyu: "It's true that you didn't handle it. You asked someone to handle it."
"What difference does it make?"
“You can’t always rely on others for everything.”
"Why not? I gave the silver, it's a win-win situation."
"Then when you are too lazy to eat, sleep, or get married and have children, do you also want others to busy you?"
"You mean having a baby?" Lu Wancheng pretended to be lost in thought, "Well... it would be great if I don't have to do it myself."
Lin Qingyu didn't understand what Lu Wancheng was talking about for a moment. When he understood, he stood up suddenly, his face flushed: "That's not what I meant!"
Lu Wancheng smiled with his eyes raised: "What do you mean?"
He just wanted to say that some things have to be done personally, and only a lecher would think of other places.
Lin Qingyu lowered his eyes and looked at the lecher sitting by the table. After a while, he said, "You are hopeless."
In a blink of an eye, it was the day for Liang to check the accounts.
Liang got up early and put on her makeup in front of the mirror as usual. Nanny Liu was behind her, helping her to put her hair in a bun.
Liang screamed out in shock as she felt the pain of her scalp being pulled: "What's wrong with you? You've been doing hard work in the garden for a month and you don't even know how to comb your hair?"
"Madam, please forgive me, Madam, please forgive me." Madam Liu nodded and bowed, lowered her head to wipe her tears, and looked at Liang's face with her peripheral vision, "To be honest with you, Madam, I am almost sixty years old, how can I endure such hardship. I have been holding a broom for a month, and now I have to hold your jade comb. I am afraid that I will dirty your things."
Liang held her temples and said in a deep voice: "You are my confidant. Punishing you is not giving me face. I'm sorry for wronging you. Today..." Liang raised the corner of her mouth, "Just watch."
Lu Niantao came early to pay her respects to Liang. After greeting each other, he did not leave but stayed to accompany Liang. But by the time they had waited, the tea had gone cold and there was still no sign of Lin Qingyu.
Madam Liu craned her neck to look outside: "Young Master, are you feeling guilty? You didn't even come to invite An? This is too embarrassing. Male wives from small families just don't know the rules."
"Madame Liu, be careful with your words." Lu Niantao said calmly, "Wait a little longer. If you still can't wait, send someone to ask."
Before he finished speaking, a report came from outside: "Master, the young master is here."
Lu Niantao was surprised: "Brother is here too?"
Madam Liu curled her lips and said, "He must be here to ask for the young master."
For some reason, Liang felt a little uneasy. If it were in the past, he would just be a sickly person, and she would coax him and pamper him, and then find him a male wife under the pretext of getting him married, so that he would not be able to have children, and finally she would patiently wait for him to die. But ever since Lin Qingyu got married, the sickly girl's health has been getting better day by day, and she can even get out of bed. Her temperament has also changed a lot. This must be related to the medicines prescribed by Lin Qingyu.
Thinking about the last time Lu Wancheng had given her a roundabout "advice" and even brought up her biological mother, she felt so depressed that she hadn't slept well for several days. In the past, whatever she said about Lu Wancheng was what it was. Who would have expected that Lu Wancheng would be so protective of his pregnant wife.
She had lived for most of her life, and she had never seen a wedding that actually made the couple better. She didn't believe this, so she went around asking people to marry Lin and show her deep mother-son love in front of the Marquis. If she had known this would happen, she should have been ruthless and sent Lu Wancheng away early.
Seeing Liang's ugly face, Lu Niantao called out, "Mother?"
Liang frowned, "I may not be able to control Lu Wancheng now."
Lu Niantao smiled and said, "Don't worry, mother. Father is a reasonable man. As long as reason is on your side, you have nothing to fear."
Madam Liu clapped her hands and said, "Second Miss, your words hit the nail on the head. You are kind enough to cultivate the young master, but he himself is incompetent and can't handle the accounts. Do you think you are right?!"
Liang cheered up: "You are right, I have nothing to fear."
While they were talking, Lin Qingyu pushed Lu Wancheng in. Liang smiled and said, "Here I come."
Lu Niantao stood up and saluted: "Brother, sister-in-law."
Lin Qingyu nodded without saying anything, while Lu Wancheng was in a low mood: "Yeah."
Liang and Lu Niantao looked at each other, not knowing where Lu Wancheng's anger came from. Only Lin Qingyu knew that Lu Wancheng was angry because of waking up. Madam Liu didn't look that closely and said sarcastically, "Young Master is finally here. Madam has been waiting for so long."
"It's because I stayed in bed that he got up late." Lu Wancheng looked up and asked casually, "Is there something wrong?"
Meeting Lu Wancheng's gaze, Madam Liu flinched and said with an honest look as if she had been bullied: "I dare not."
Lu Niantao asked with concern: "Brother, isn't he able to get out of bed? Why is he sitting in a wheelchair again?"
Lin Qingyu said calmly: "He is too sleepy and too lazy to walk."
Lu Wancheng retorted: "It's because Lanfeng Pavilion is too far away."
In the final analysis, it’s all about laziness.
Lin Qingyu didn't want to waste time with Liang and the others, so he didn't wait for Liang to speak and went straight to the point: "Huan Tong."
Huan Tong presented the account book to Liang: "Our young master has sorted out all the account books, please take a look, Madam."
Liang didn't show it on her face, but she was full of suspicion inside. This young man was so confident. Could it be that Lin Qingyu really finished a month's worth of accounts in just three days? The servants of Lanfeng Pavilion clearly said that Lin Qingyu had been reading books and preparing medicines as usual for the past three days. How could he have the time to sort out the account books?
Aunt Liu had the same idea as her and whispered, "Madam, take a look and you will know."
Liang opened the account book, and with every page she turned, she felt more depressed. After reading half of the book, I was already disappointed, but I had to put on a smile on my face: "This account is well-organized and comprehensive, worthy of Qingyu."
Lin Qingyu said: "Madam, you are too kind."
Madam Liu's face changed, and she almost said "How is it possible?" Fortunately, Liang stopped her with a look, and she changed her words: "How about, Madam, take a closer look?"
Liang is a man who understands accounts. She had been in charge of the household for nearly twenty years, and she knew at a glance that the couple came prepared. Just the fact that the accounts are so neat and clean is something that even the accountant in the marquis's mansion might not be able to do.
How is it possible... No one in Lanfeng Pavilion understands the accounts, how did they do it?
Liang was annoyed for a while, and she didn't look at Liu Ma Ma in a good mood: "I didn't look carefully, so you come and look?"
Lu Niantao pondered for a long time and said with a smile: "I heard that it was the first time for my sister-in-law to be involved in housekeeping, and she was able to do it so perfectly. Mother, you can rest assured to leave the general affairs of the mansion to my sister-in-law in the future."
"That makes sense." Lu Wancheng smiled subtly, "After mother hands over everything, she can enjoy a peaceful life."
Lu Niantao said, "Brother and sister-in-law are really filial. Speaking of which, sister-in-law has a photographic memory. I guess she has memorized everything in this account book, right?"
Liang's eyes lit up, and she looked at her daughter with appreciation, then continued, "In that case, I will test Qingyu."
Lu Wancheng raised his eyebrows and was about to stand up, but Lin Qingyu held his shoulders: "Qingyu?"
Lin Qingyu said: "Let her take the test."
Liang opened the account book and asked, "How many shops does our Nan'an Marquis' Mansion have in Beijing?"
"Twenty-six. Among them, there are three money houses, three restaurants, two tea houses, two silk shops, and two porcelain shops..."
"Which farm had the best harvest last month?"
"Shuyang Village, 20 miles outside of Beijing."
Liang's tone became impatient: "The Marquis's Mansion is in Xuzhou..."
"There are five silk and cloth shops in total, and the total loss last month was 1,300 taels." Lin Qingyu said casually, "If I remember correctly, Madam's ancestral home is in Xuzhou."
Liang slowly put down the account book and forced a smile: "I am sure I remembered everything correctly."
Seeing that Nanny Liu couldn't even fart for a long time, Huantong wanted to exchange a cheerful glance with the young marquis. No matter how obscure their young master's medical skills are, he can recite them backwards after reading them once. What's the use of a mere account book? "Yumen Nongshu", Liang is really a big shot.
But the young marquis didn't even look at him, but looked quietly at his young master, with a smile and a glimmer in his eyes, as if with a bit of pride.
Lin Qingyu said: "Madam, do you have anything else to ask?"
Liang forced herself to cheer up: "No, no more."
Lu Wancheng said to Lin Qingyu: "You go back first, I still have something to say to my mother."
Lin Qingyu glanced at Liang, then lowered his eyes and left with Huantong.
Lu Niantao stood up and said with a smile, "I'll go see my sister-in-law off."
Apart from the servants, only Lu Wancheng and Liang were left in the hall. Liang picked up the teacup to hide her uneasiness: "Wan Cheng, do you have anything else to say?"
Lu Wancheng raised his hand: "I want to stand and talk to my mother, can you help me?"
Liang froze and said, "Why not? You were raised in your mother's arms when you were a child." She walked forward and helped Lu Wancheng up. They stood face to face. She only reached Lu Wancheng's shoulders and had the illusion of being oppressed.
"Mother, don't worry." Lu Wancheng said slowly, "I have a terminal illness, and even if Hua Tuo were alive again, he would be ineffective. Qingyu's medical books were not meant for me to read, and the medicine was not prepared for me - even if he was, he couldn't save me."
Liang's eyes dodged around: "What nonsense are you talking about, kid?"
Lu Wancheng smiled and said, "I don't have much time left. I only have less than half a year. I just want to eat and drink and enjoy the sight of beautiful women." He slowly approached Liang and said, "Is that ok, mother?"
Liang was forced to retreat again and again until she had nowhere to retreat. She sat down dejectedly, holding the corner of the table tightly. Her lips were pale from under her fingers, and she said in a trembling voice, "I..."
"What are you doing, young marquis?" Nanny Liu tried to stop him, "Madam is the mistress of a family, how can you be so unruly!"
Lu Wancheng looked back, a trace of hostility gathered between his eyebrows: "Did I ask you to speak?"
Madam Liu's legs softened as she took a step forward, and she was nailed to the spot, as if her throat was being strangled, and she dared not even breathe. Except for her, the other servants stood quietly by, and no one dared to step forward to help the mistress.
The hall was as silent as death.
After a long while, Lu Wancheng turned back to Liang and said with a smile, "Mother, you haven't answered me yet."
Liang's expression was distorted with panic, and a vague sound came out of her throat: "Yes... yes."
Lu Wancheng smiled and said, "Thank you, mother."
Not long after Lin Qingyu returned to Lanfeng Pavilion, Lu Wancheng also came back, looking exhausted and coughing several times in a row.
Ever since the weather turned warmer, Lu Wancheng's cough had clearly improved a lot, but why did he start coughing again? Lu Wancheng himself didn't take it seriously: "Maybe I was a little too pretentious just now."
Lin Qingyu asked: "What did you say to Liang?"
"Nothing, just let her be quiet."
Lin Qingyu didn't ask any more questions: "Give me your hand, I'll check your pulse."
Lu Wan stretched out his hand and yawned, "Doctor Lin..."
"how."
Lu Wancheng rubbed his eyes with the back of his other hand: "I feel sleepy."
Lin Qingyu was speechless for a while: "How old are you? You still use repetitive words."
"Well then." Lu Wancheng changed his tone and said leisurely, "The spring breeze brings warmth, and I feel sleepy. I want to go to bed and take a nap."
The author has something to say:
The beautiful lady said indifferently: If you are too lazy to move, just go away.
The young marquis vomited blood: I move! Can't I just move?
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