Aunt Zheng's waist was as supple as a willow, and when she danced, her long, flowing sleeves easily captivated men.
Sixth Master Gu bought her back from the brothel at a high price and spent most of the month with her.
The personal maid said, "Sixth Master likes to form literary societies and compose poems with those scholars when he has nothing to do. He spends a lot of money. The monthly allowance in the manor is not enough for him to squander. If Madam does not make up for it, Sixth Master will not be able to redeem Concubine Zheng."
Madam Gu said weakly, "If I don't give it to him, am I supposed to watch his mood every day? The previous two concubines were only interested in him for a while, and even had children with him, but he forgot about them as soon as he turned his back. Why should I argue with him over this?"
"Besides... if we don't give it to him, he'll start making a ruckus and causing trouble. He can't handle that kind of commotion."
The personal nanny also shut her mouth.
When someone finds out a person's weakness, they lose their ability to stand up for themselves.
When Qin Yuan returned to Wutong Garden, she saw the stewardesses already waiting in the courtyard, whispering among themselves.
When they saw her arrive, they all scattered, waiting for her to give them a lecture.
Qin Yuan didn't invite anyone into the house. Instead, she had her maids bring out a grand chair and a table and place them under the shade of the trees in the courtyard.
On a summer morning, a gentle breeze blows, and birdsong echoes from the trees.
Qin Yuan sat leisurely in a grand chair with four protruding legs, drinking tea served by Cui Ming, with Hong Ye accompanying her with a brush and ink, displaying a rather airy demeanor.
"Tell me what you each manage, what your daily tasks are, who your subordinates are, how your staff is organized, and whether there are any changes needed?"
Qin Yuan glanced at the expressions of the others and then spoke.
The mothers in charge gave a concise explanation of what needed to be changed. When they went into more detail, they either asked for more staff or complained about being broke.
Qin Yuan said, "I have had Hongye and Cuiming remember everything you said. You should continue to manage things the way you did before. Let's get things started first. I'm not familiar with things yet, so don't make a big fuss right away, as if I'm saying that the Sixth Madam is not managing the household well."
The supervising mothers were not disappointed; they had only intended to test Qin Yuan's abilities and attitude.
Qin Yuan added, "From now on, come to Wutong Garden at this time to discuss matters. If there is anything you need or require, tell me a day in advance. Don't delay things."
Then, as usual, he gave a few words of admonition.
"Be careful in your daily work, don't be lazy, don't chat idly and neglect your duties, and don't drink or gamble. You are all elders in this household, so you naturally know what to do. If you do these things, you will lose face for generations."
The supervising mothers agreed.
Qin Yuan stood up and said, "You guys go ahead and get busy. I won't keep you any longer. We have a long time to spend together."
The supervising mothers bowed and then dispersed.
They thought Qin Yuan would either use this as an excuse to show off her power, or she would investigate thoroughly and try to come up with something new, or she would show weakness and do favors to win them over.
Therefore, everyone had already prepared their responses and plans.
Unexpectedly, Qin Yuan only gave a few instructions, and everything was done as usual.
They did the same things as Madam Gu and Madam Hou, the only difference being who became their master.
Madam Gu quickly learned of the news and said, "She is indeed very careful, leaving no room for gossip."
Rong Momo said the same thing to Old Madam Gu, but the difference was that Rong Momo felt Qin Yuan was intelligent and perceptive, and knew that the Marquis's mansion was deeply entrenched and should not be acted upon rashly.
Madam Gu nodded and said, "That's exactly right. She's just arrived, so she can manage some things. She shouldn't compete with the sixth son's wife. It's more important for her to focus on having a baby."
Speaking of this, Madam Gu said again, "That good-for-nothing, oh, Yuan'er is so beautiful. If the two of them had children, I don't know how beautiful they would be. I dream of holding my grandson every day."
Rong Momo just smiled.
Giving birth is something that can't be done by one person alone.
Xiao Hong came in and said in a clear voice, "The Marquis has sent Gu Shiliu to find Rong Mama."
Rong Momo asked, "Looking for me?"
Little Red nodded.
Madam Gu said with disdain, "Go quickly, go quickly. I don't know what he's up to now, coming to you to spy on things."
Rong Momo left with a smile, and returned a short while later with a beaming smile, saying, "The old lady has guessed wrong this time. The Marquis told me to go and chat with the Marquis's wife whenever I have time, to talk about the past, such as the hobbies and activities of those stewardesses."
Today, Madam Gu wore her hair in a high bun, and the peony flower pinned to her hair almost fell off from laughing.
"Then why aren't you going yet?"
Rong Momo said, "No rush. Didn't Madam want to go look at the shop? I'll take Xiao Hong over to sit for a while in the evening."
Why bring Xiao Hong along?
Rong Momo said, "The old Sun family asked this old servant to find a good mistress for Xiao Hong in the mansion. Although the old lady's place is good, there are too many capable head maids. This old servant thinks that Xiao Hong is clever and the madam is still short of people, so I want to take Xiao Hong to show her face in front of the madam more often. The Marquis also likes her quite a bit, but he said that the madam must agree."
"Oh?" Old Madam Gu laughed, "Hui-ge'er and his father really do look like they were made from the same mold."
Rong Momo said, "That's why they say a son resembles his father. But then again, the Marquis has surpassed his father in many ways."
What was meant as flattery unexpectedly prompted Old Madam Gu to sigh and say, "It's just that we're lacking in offspring."
Rong Momo: "..."
The old lady was eager to have a grandson, and all she did was nag her, but it was no use.
The two people who are truly capable are both in no hurry.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
