Chapter 43 Clear Accounting: In the morning, when Shen Wanqing walked into the main courtyard, she felt that everyone was silent and trembling...
When Shen Wanqing entered the main courtyard in the morning, she felt that everyone was silent as if they were chicks with their necks locked, and even their breathing and footsteps were lighter than usual. When Shen Wanqing reached the door of the main house, she did not rush to go in. She gave a wink to the maid guarding outside and then realized what had happened that morning.
"You've even managed to bribe the people around the old lady."
"Lord Yu even has to win over the chief eunuch of Yuqing Palace, so I'm nothing compared to him."
Birds of a feather flock together. The two hit it off immediately on the idea of spending money for convenience. Yu Lang didn't think there was anything wrong with his wife reaching out to the old lady. Before he got married, many things were inconvenient for him, but now that he had a wife, he felt like a tree had taken root and a boat had anchored, and he was extremely comfortable.
The two entered the room chatting and laughing. Seeing them like this, Tongjia's expression softened considerably, far from displeased. That's how it should be; the more trouble comes, the more you should laugh. What's the point of looking so mournful? Any good luck you have will be squandered by crying.
In the past, when watching TV dramas, Shen Wanqing always thought that those wealthy families who were on the verge of bankruptcy but still insisted on saving face were sick, or that the business partners she encountered at work who knew that there were problems with the cash flow or the project, but still insisted on sticking to their guns until the last minute were not smart.
I always felt that they didn't need to do that at all. Spending money on useless displays is a waste. It would be much better to save that money and use it to do more settlements with the supply chain.
Now that she herself was in this situation, even though it was far from the destruction of her family and clan, looking at Tongjia Shi, who was still sitting at the head of the table with the air of an ancestor, and Fu Xuan, who still looked at everyone with a slight tilt of her chin and a sense of superiority, she truly understood that in this kind of situation, it was really necessary to maintain that air.
The more trouble there is at home, the more you need to stay calm. The West Courtyard has been in complete panic these past few days, and even the servants there have been slacking off and trying to get away with things.
Last night, a few old women from the west courtyard found a storage room and gathered together to drink and gossip about their masters. They got so drunk that they didn't open the second gate of the west courtyard until this morning, when no one went to open it. That's when they finally found the drunken old women.
Last night, the East Courtyard was in constant turmoil, oblivious to the chaos outside. It was only after Tongjia sent people to the West Courtyard to arrest those drunken old women that they were punished with twenty slaps each in public, leaving them swollen and toothless. They are currently locked in the woodshed awaiting further punishment.
“Your second aunt is pregnant again. The doctor said her pregnancy is not going well and she needs to rest and protect the pregnancy. From today onwards, the keys and account books of this house will be handed over to Alang’s wife. Do any of you have any objections?”
Shumulu was not there, nor was He Yi. Fu Xuan sat quietly beside Tongjia, which was unusual for her. Niohuru looked up in surprise, first at Tongjia, then at her daughter-in-law, and finally her gaze lingered on her son for a moment before she lowered her eyes and nodded quietly.
"Grandma, your granddaughter-in-law is young and inexperienced; she doesn't understand many things about this family..."
“I know what you’re thinking. Today, this old woman will also give you some advice. We’re all family. We can’t be too clear about who’s at a disadvantage and who’s winning.”
Tongjia already knew about her second son's affair. Upon learning this, she immediately slapped her son. If it weren't for the fact that her second daughter-in-law was pregnant and the pregnancy was still unstable, Shumulu would have hit her too.
She originally thought that Shumulu had taken the money to buy land and shops, and even if it was to help her family, it would be better than lending it out at exorbitant interest rates. Shuai Yanbao was once a high-ranking official, and Tongjia was the wife of a high-ranking official. She knew perfectly well what she could and could not get involved in.
As for lending money at exorbitant interest rates, she had actually warned her daughters-in-law, Niohuru and Shumulu, against it as early as when they entered the family. For so many years, neither of them had ever touched it, so she had completely forgotten about it. Who would have thought that as she grew old and incapable, her daughters-in-law would disregard her words and not take them to heart at all?
“Your second aunt took more than her share a few years ago, and you got some back. Now it’s your turn to run the household. As long as you manage the household well, are you afraid you won’t get back what you’ve lost?”
These words were quite blunt, and Shen Wanqing nodded frankly, "Second Uncle did give me and Yulang three thousand five hundred taels, but the old lady just said that Second Aunt took more in the past few years. Isn't it right to return some of this money now?"
“Grandma, you’re always right. A family shouldn’t be so calculating with each other. So I only accepted the money from Second Aunt for returning the money to the East Courtyard. After breakfast, I still need to take Yulang back to see my father. One payment settles two matters, isn’t that enough?”
"Besides, three thousand five hundred taels isn't enough." Shen Wanqing muttered the last sentence to herself, seemingly complaining in secret, but everyone in the room could hear it.
"Are you really determined to ignore what happened in the West Wing? Back then..."
“Those were those years, and now is now. There’s no need for you to keep bringing up those old things. Even if I hadn’t married into the family yet, you know in your heart whether life in the East Courtyard has been good or not, and everyone in the family can see it clearly.”
"Gratitude is a precious thing. If you keep it to yourself, it can save your life when it's in a critical moment. But if you keep talking about it, it becomes worthless."
Shen Wanqing knew that Tongjia would bring up the past incident in the West Courtyard again, so she preemptively silenced her.
"Let's not even talk about when Second Uncle will be able to take up his post or where he will be an official. Even if everything is arranged, can Second Aunt really go with him in her current condition? I think we should postpone this matter."
"The old lady gave me the accounts and keys to the east courtyard, so please accept them. From now on, my second aunt will be staying in the capital, managing everything in the west courtyard by herself. She'll definitely be overwhelmed. The only ones in charge of the east and main courtyards will be my granddaughter-in-law. If I do anything wrong, please be understanding, old lady."
Shen Wanqing emphasized the words "in charge of the household," and without waiting for Tongjia to say anything more, she took the initiative to separate the account books and keys of the east and west courtyards, taking the ones from the east and main courtyards, leaving the ones from the west courtyard untouched.
Fu Xuan sat to the side, her eyes wide with disbelief. She never imagined that Shen Wanqing would be so bold and so ruthless. Yet now, the West Courtyard had to beg her, and even the old lady was caught in the middle, hesitant to act.
Besides, she wasn't wrong. It was highly likely that her second brother would leave the capital, and she and the old lady would have to live with the eldest son's family from now on. This was what Fu Xuan had been hoping for, but for some reason, looking at Shen Wanqing's arrogant demeanor, she still couldn't feel happy.
However, Shen Wanqing didn't care whether they were happy or not; as long as she got what was rightfully hers, that was enough. They might be unhappy now, but they'd get used to it in a few days and be happy then.
"Grandma, Mother, my mother sent someone to deliver a message to me last night, saying that my sister-in-law's birthday is in a few days and the family is too busy, so I should go back and stay for a couple of days. Is that alright with you?"
"Stay a couple more days. You couldn't go back for the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Yulang is on duty in the palace all day. How can a newlywed lady not miss home? Take these things back to your mother-in-law. It's such a blessing for our family to have such a good and capable daughter marry into our family."
Everyone knows why Shen Wanqing went back, but no one says it outright. Tongjia Shi is more pragmatic than Fuxuan; knowing that it's impossible to force the West Courtyard onto Shen Wanqing now, she simply stops bringing it up.
Instead, she turned and gestured to the maid beside her, who brought out several appropriately sized chests and trays, all of which were things that had been picked out overnight for Shen Wanqing to take to the Shen family.
Right now, the only suitable option is for the Shen family to lend a hand and help the second son get through this ordeal. It doesn't matter whether it's the goods or not; Tongjia only has this one son, and she can't just watch him fall like this.
"Then thank you in advance, Grandma. I know you've prepared so many things for me to save face."
Tongjia stopped dwelling on the matter in the West Courtyard, and Shen Wanqing reverted to her usual obedient and gentle demeanor. But the more she acted this way, the more unsettling it became for others. Even Yulang couldn't help but tug at her sleeve, telling her to stop pretending to be obedient; it was creepy!
Tongjia had prepared quite a lot of things. When Shen Wanqing and Yulang arrived at the Shen family with the gifts, the gatekeepers were all taken aback.
Old Wu, who had guarded the Shen family's gate for twenty years, kicked the lazy servant who was dozing off to the side, telling him to go in and report to his wife. He quickly straightened the slightly wrinkled corners of his robe and made sure he hadn't done anything improper before bowing slightly and jogging to greet Yu Lang's horse.
"Fifth son-in-law and aunt are back." Old Wu smiled and glanced at Yu Lang, then looked back. Behind the carriage was a donkey cart, filled with large and small boxes. It was a confusing sight, and no one knew what was going on.
"Uncle Wu, hurry back and call two strong young men to help move things. Yu Lang was on duty at the palace the past few days and didn't have time to come back for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Today, we finally have our Lord Yu off duty and home, so we have to come back and see him."
Shen Wanqing got off the carriage, looking every bit like a happy young wife returning to her parents' home. The neighbors who came out of the alley out of curiosity all looked on with envy, thinking that the Shen family's daughter had married well. Look at the Hesheli family's pomp and circumstance, even their collateral branch family has a solid foundation.
The servants of the Shen family huffed and puffed as they carried the gifts prepared by Madam Tongjia inside. Upon receiving the message, they came out to greet them: Shen Wenyuan, the second son of the eldest son's family, and Shen Wenyuan, the eldest son of the second son's family.
The two brothers' names sound similar and they even look five or six parts alike. The difference lies in that Shen Wenyuan is more robust, with a thick back and arms that make his robes bulge, and even his neck is thicker than average, clearly indicating that he is a martial arts expert. Shen Wenyuan, on the other hand, is much more scholarly, with even the hem of his robes carrying a faint scent of ink.
The last time he came was during his homecoming visit. At that time, Yu Lang was a new son-in-law and didn't know anyone, so he didn't pay attention to anything else. Now, remembering what his wife had said last night, and looking closely at Shen Wenyuan, from his posture to his gait and the calluses on his hands, he knew that Shen Wanqing's words last night were absolutely true.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back? It's made everything so chaotic."
"It's a place I can reach in a single step. Do I have to post a message when I get back?"
"Why have you become so sharp-tongued after getting married? Have you been wronged?"
Shen Wenyuan led Yulang ahead, while Shen Wenyuan pulled his younger sister behind. Although they claimed to be whispering to their sister, their voices were loud enough for Qing Shuang, who was following behind Shen Wanqing, to hear.
Qing Shuang's stern face wasn't from anger, but from suppressing a laugh. The eldest mistress had only been married for a little over half a month, yet she had already wrested control of the East Courtyard from the second mistress and demanded a huge sum of money from the West Courtyard. Who would dare bully such a formidable woman? They'd be lucky if they didn't end up being taken advantage of by her.
The once formidable woman returned to her parents' home and instantly became like a parasitic vine, collapsing onto Madam Xu as if she had lost all her strength. "Mother, it's fortunate that you were there to help me outside. If you hadn't given me the evidence of Second Madam's usury that day, I really wouldn't have dared to get on the carriage and confront Second Madam."
“I actually think it would have been better if you hadn’t done that. Anyway, lending money at exorbitant interest rates is bound to cause a scene. If you hadn’t scared her, she might not have held such a grudge against you. She would still have to pay back the debts in your East Courtyard. Now look what’s happened. This matter has nothing to do with you, but you’ve become the villain.”
Shen Wanqing did not hide from Xu Shi what had happened to her at the Hesheli family these past few days. She and Xu Shi were the closest blood relatives in the world. If Xu Shi were incompetent and did nothing, that would be fine. But since Xu Shi was both smart and capable, why would she keep everything from her? Wouldn't that mean losing her most natural and steadfast partner?
"Who knew His Majesty would actually use this as a raft?" Everything is a gamble; it's impossible to be perfect and only gain advantages without getting anything in the way. "Mother, could you have guessed that this matter would escalate to such a huge extent?"
The owner, manager, and several managers of Guangyuan Bank were all arrested. Most of the thugs they employed and those specifically responsible for debt collection were arrested, while a small portion escaped. The bank was still open, but the silver could not be redeemed.
Among the many people who deposited their silver in Guangyuan Bank, there were those like Shumulu who couldn't care less about their silver right now, and those who valued their silver more than their lives and waited at the entrance of Guangyuan Bank every day to exchange it for money.
The Infantry Commander's Office was pressuring the shareholders and managers of Guangyuan Bank, who hadn't yet been imprisoned, to raise money for redemption. However, they couldn't recover the money they had lent out, and they couldn't come up with so much money all at once.
Desperate and at their wits' end, they heard that a minor shareholder hanged himself this morning. It was obvious that he knew Guangyuan Bank was finished, and that minor shareholders like him would also go bankrupt. His death spared his family from the misfortune, allowing his wife and children to take the money and children back to her parents' home, at least giving them a way out.
"Yes, no one expected this." Madam Xu was also shaken. The family had a lot of money, but apart from what they used to buy land for business and what they kept in the family storeroom, the rest was mostly in a money exchange.
For this reason, Guangyuan Bank even came to inquire, saying that if the Shen family deposited their silver in their bank, they could offer higher interest rates than other banks. Xu was tempted but held back, as she disliked Guangyuan Bank's reputation and ultimately chose another, larger, and more reliable bank.
"Once this matter is over, I'll need to withdraw some of the silver I have in the bank. It's just a little interest, but I'm not greedy for it. I feel more at ease keeping the real silver at home."
"Then Mother will stay at home every day guarding the silver, and won't let anyone in. Maybe in a few years, these silver ingots can even give Mother a little silver ingot."
"You're trying to make fun of your mother, aren't you? If you want to say I'm a miser, just say so. I can handle it."
Xu had managed the Shen family for many years, and her reputation was mixed. But regardless of the reputation, everyone recognized her as a money-making machine; in all these years of managing the household, she had made more money than she had suffered losses.
"But why did you bring your son-in-law back today, and with so much stuff? Did you empty the entire Hesheli family's house?"
"It's all because of what Father and his second uncle discussed before. Now that things have changed, they've pushed your son-in-law and me into this mess, hoping that your daughter and son-in-law will swallow their pride and ask him for a good official position to go back to."
“Then they’ve miscalculated. Your father…” Xu shook her head. She knew her husband’s temperament best. The officialdom was treacherous, and Shen Hongshi was always cautious. It was hard to say whether or how he would still use He Yi.
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