"Your senior sister is as shrewd as a monkey, she doesn't need a little kid like you to worry about her. And your senior brother-in-law is even more remarkable, what hasn't he seen? You should sleep well, otherwise you won't grow tall. When you grow up, you can help out."
Li Langzhong utterly silenced Xiao Dong.
Xiao Dong closed his eyes.
Birds chirped intermittently outside, and the window of Doctor Liu next door opened and closed repeatedly, making it easy to hear.
The outer courtyard.
Gu Jinghui was also busy, with messages coming in from the guards, keeping him awake at night.
Qin Yuan was also awake.
These days, because the mansion enshrines the Goddess of Smallpox, the couple needs to sleep in separate rooms. Gu Jinghui stays in the study in the outer courtyard, while Hongye and Cuiming simply stay in the main room with Qin Yuan to rest, and they sit around the table together in the evening to do the accounts.
Hongye learned very quickly and was already able to keep accounts independently. Qin Yuan checked her work a few times and then let her do the accounting on her own.
Cui Ming takes much longer, but she can still be helpful.
Hongye sighed and nodded.
But those words were clearly directed at Cuiming.
Hongye said, “It’s no wonder that the matter of Madam Lu has frightened these stewards so much. You were worried that your eldest sister would cause trouble behind your back after suddenly taking over the front yard, but you didn’t expect that the stewards under Eighth Madam’s command would all be as quiet as quails. It turns out that those positions are too low-paying.”
Cui Ming said, "That's not the reason why you asked him to supervise the tea room and not to pry. Those lucrative positions have deep-rooted connections behind them. If you don't know their background, they might do something bad. We've only been here a short time and haven't even settled in yet."
Hongye also thought of that point, silently raised her head, and carefully tore apart the scrap paper in her hand.
The cost decreases with each floor you pass through.
Hongye sighed, "Now that the manor is sealed off, even news is hard to get, and everyone is staying outside."
The Marquis frowned. Hongye was now urging her eldest sister to consummate the marriage, but instead, she was pressuring her to have a child.
Cui Ming said, "You know, he wants things to be done quickly and calmly."
Not to mention chicken, duck, fish, meat, novel fruits and vegetables, silver frost and charcoal in winter, ice in summer, spices, antiques, rare flowers, and exotic embroidery.
It's just a case of a fox borrowing the tiger's power.
Before writing something bad, Tan Zhen laid each piece out and waited for the ink to dry completely.
Hongye, who had been silent for a while, suddenly said, "At most, nothing Eighth Madam says is right. She doesn't have a child to stand on. You embezzle money, do good deeds behind people's backs, and even fight with Eighth Master, scratching his face like this. You will still be severely punished."
A moth flew straight in, fluttering against the lampshade with a rustling sound.
There are some things Tan Zhenying might not know, and there are some things Rong Momo might not tell you.
The implication was that from now on, the Eighth Madam would be in charge, and all the lucrative positions would be given to her people.
Tan Zhen smiled.
Those arrogant and domineering mothers still behaved themselves.
To be honest, Qin Yuan was also stunned.
Given Hongye's temperament, she'll probably remember that incident even unto death.
The saying "People die for money" is indeed a myth.
Hongye retorted, "This time when Eldest Sister returned home, it was all orchestrated by Madam Qishi. You've already extended your reach beyond the inner courtyard's steward. If Eldest Sister had sent you to complain to Granny Rong, who knows how this would have ended?"
Hongye snorted and said, "The person in charge of the kitchen in the Qin family is the lady's personal attendant. When the lady is in charge of the household, she naturally gives the most lucrative position to the most capable and trustworthy person by your side."
Cui Ming looked at you and said, "All you want is a reason for the Eighth Madam to hand over the management of the household affairs. A reason that can be changed no matter how hard you try, embezzlement is not the most suitable one."
Qin Yuan remained silent.
The Marquis laughed and said, "If you could control everything, why would you do this? That matter was done through the eldest sister, which caused her to be punished by the Marquis and the old lady. She is still locked up outside the courtyard learning to spin and embroider."
Cuiming spoke again, picked up her pen, and copied the details she had compiled onto the paper. She hadn't yet sorted out and compiled the information about the red leaves and the Marquis's residence, so there was still a lot to copy.
Cuiming continued, "The amount of money that Eighth Madam embezzled can be estimated, but it's not necessary to calculate it item by item. After all, you are still Eighth Master's wife and the mother of his legitimate son. If it weren't for our sake, the Old Madam would have done something to you. As long as the Old Madam knows what you've done, she will refuse to hand over all the management of the household affairs to you."
Hongye pouted as if to speak.
Speaking of that incident, Hongye was still very angry.
As long as Master Gu divorces his wife and returns the insult to Madam Gu's legal wife, you can completely break ties with Madam Gu.
Moreover, the Xu family is notoriously ruthless.
This incident has embarrassed Master Gu.
Cui Ming said, "It's only been a little over half a year, and there's already so much. It's not even the end of the year yet, my goodness. Over the years, I don't know how much it will amount to."
When Hongye said those words, she raised her head and glanced at Cuiming.
An egg used to cost one coin, but according to the Marquis's account book, an egg now costs seven coins.
The next time Lord Gu grinds up a box of ink, it will still be usable.
Mistreating one's illegitimate son and his wife will only bring bad reputation if word gets out.
The Marquis was deep in thought.
The Marquis said, "Eldest sister is wrong to think that way. Although the Eighth Madam has been making things difficult for you, she has gone so far as to try to kill you. The Old Madam will rely on the Eighth Madam to manage the household affairs in the future. If the Eighth Madam is punished too harshly by eldest sister, there will inevitably be gossip that the Old Madam is being kind to her concubine's wife now that she has lost her legitimate son's wife."
Cui Ming waved her fan again and fanned it away.
Hou Fu nodded: "Even outside the Qin residence, the cook is the most well-off."
Hongye pouted and remained silent.
Tan Zhen knew that you hated Gu Ba Madam so much that you could teach her a lesson. After thinking for a while, she said, "Let's settle the accounts from last year first. You intend to manage the household affairs. Cutting off someone's source of income is like killing their parents. Qin Yuan is willing to support you, so there's no reason for Qin Yuan to do so. That's something you can ask about now. Just write down those key details. We'll never need them."
Perhaps the Qin family was too poor and the Lin family had no resources, so she was unaware that the Marquis's mansion, which had few masters, had so many expenses.
Killing someone is going too far; you and Madam Gu are still sisters-in-law.
That seems to be the norm.
Hongye rested her chin on her hands, blinked her eyes, and said, "How bad would it be if Eighth Madam could get it through those head housekeepers? Even if those head housekeepers are all the old lady's people, they would still give you the lucrative position as a tribute."
The account books in the inner courtyard have been reviewed, while those from previous years are still sealed and stored in the manor's accounting office. Hongye asked, "Miss, do we still need to review the accounts from previous years?"
Hou Fu laughed and said, "If the disadvantages of being above and below the law are numerous, then so be it. When you are in charge of the household, the stewards and matrons will always have to live with their heads bowed to you, and they will have to show you some respect. But if you say that you have absolute power in Tanzhen, then so be it."
If someone truly controls everything, even if you manage to control most of the family's finances, you can still keep it.
Cui Ming nodded in agreement, "Yes, that's right. So how come you were able to get most of the money from outsiders so easily and painfully?"
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