“You are also a woman, you should put yourself in her shoes and think about things from her perspective.”
As Yin Wenxiao spoke, the expression on his face became increasingly pained and restrained. "She did make a mistake, but she didn't mean it. Jiao Niang was so cautious and careful in the mansion, just trying to please you."
"..."
Madam Yin looked silently at her son kneeling before her.
Even after his father passed away, the Yin family declined, and he and his mother were ridiculed and looked down upon, the old lady of the Yin family had never seen Yin Wenxiao, who had always been strong-willed since childhood, show such an expression on his face.
How could she not know what her son was saying?
Ye Jiaoniang is indeed shrewd and resourceful; she can win over and manipulate Yin Wenxiao's heart. However, she shouldn't have acted recklessly just because Wenxiao doted on her.
"You told me to put myself in her shoes," Old Madam Yin said slowly, "Wenxiao, have you put yourself in your mother's and wife's shoes?"
"You're only concerned about Ye Jiaoniang. Let me ask you, if word gets out about what happened today, what will people inside and outside the family think of me, the old lady of the Pingyin Marquis's mansion?"
"mother……"
Feeling guilty, Yin Wenxiao crawled forward on his knees and said, "Don't worry, I've taken care of everything. No one will gossip."
Old Madam Yin gently closed her eyes.
"..."
A moment later, Yin Wenxiao got up and quietly walked out.
He knew that his mother's response meant she had agreed not to punish Jiao Niang for what happened during the day.
...
The next day.
Qin Sheng first met with a manager from the shop outside.
The Yin family owns a spice shop, and business has been good for the past two years. The manager has come several times to tell his wife about his desire to expand the shop.
Qin Sheng hadn't agreed the first few times, always feeling that expanding rashly might lead to losses, and wanted to wait and see.
This time, however, she readily agreed. After discussing it with the manager, she even allocated more than two hundred taels of silver to him. After writing it down clearly, the manager happily took the money and left.
Qin Sheng picked up her pen and began writing the list.
The renovation of the clan school has been put on the agenda.
The old lady said nice things, that all expenses would be covered by the public fund, but where would the public fund get so much money?
After much calculation and writing, Qin Sheng was only able to temporarily withdraw a little over 12,000 taels of silver from the public funds.
If it were her past life, she would have foolishly used her own dowry to make up for it.
Qin Sheng made a list and then took Emerald and Qiao'er to Old Madam Yin's place.
On the way, Qiao'er was worried and whispered to her mother, "If the old lady asks you to come up with a solution for money, please don't agree. As the saying goes, even a clever woman can't cook without rice. No matter how capable you are, you can't do it without money."
"I know."
Qin Sheng smiled at her: "Qiao'er is getting more and more amazing. She even knows what 'a clever woman can't cook without rice' means."
"..." Qiao'er was amused by her teasing, "This is what Miss Ru Si told me."
Before long, they arrived at Songliu Courtyard, where Qin Sheng immediately noticed the half-eaten bird's nest still on the table.
In this mansion, only Old Madam Yin can eat a bowl of expensive bird's nest every one or two days, and the leftovers are eventually thrown outside to feed the flowers and plants.
Qin Sheng didn't beat around the bush; he took out his list and talked to Old Madam Yin about the money.
She said, "I have already reduced all the household expenses, but I really can't come up with 20,000 taels of silver all at once, Mother, what do you think—"
Madam Yin does have a private treasury.
But how could she bear to part with it?
Madam Yin said, "Ah Sheng, our Yin family has quite a few properties. I managed them all before you married into the family. If the public funds are insufficient, you can simply urge the shops outside."
That's a rather shameless thing to say.
Qiao'er was indignant, thinking to herself that the old lady was implying that the lady of the house was incompetent at managing the household.
It sounds nice, but the shops outside send money to the mansion every month. However, some shops, due to their poor location and mediocre products, have been operating at a loss since last month. As a result, the lady had no choice but to close the shops and planned to renovate them before renting them out. However, no one has rented them yet.
Qin Sheng said unhurriedly, "The Yin family currently has ten shops still operating normally in the capital. This morning, I sent someone to inquire about each one. Last month's income was just so-so. Roughly calculated, the maximum income would be only one thousand taels."
"..."
Madam Yin's expression immediately turned sour.
So there's still so much left.
Besides, we can't just take all the money from the public funds; this whole family still needs to eat and drink.
Moreover, the Second Master's family still lives in the mansion, and Old Madam Yin does not want them to look down on them.
"Isn't there any other way?" asked Madam Yin.
In short, they wanted to spend big to renovate the clan school, but didn't want to spend money from their own private coffers.
Qin Sheng sneered inwardly, thinking that he was still as stingy as he had been in his previous life.
After a pause, Qin Sheng pretended to be hesitant and said, "There is another way, but I need to discuss it with you and the Earl."
"What method?"
Qin Sheng picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then slowly said, "Don't we have a villa in Sanyang Hutong? If we sell it..."
"That won't do!"
Madam Yin flatly refused, "That was bought when Wenxiao's grandfather was still alive. How can we sell it? Besides, if people outside knew that our Yin family had to sell our villa to renovate the clan school, who knows how they would laugh at us behind our backs."
"So what do you want?" Qin Sheng asked.
At this point, she was getting a little impatient, but she didn't show it.
Madam Yin waved her hand, "Go back and think of another way. If it really doesn't work... we'll talk about it later."
Qin Sheng then got up and took his leave.
Madam Yin watched her departing figure, lost in thought.
Why did she feel that her daughter-in-law had been...playing dumb lately? She had already said so much; if she were sensible, shouldn't she use her dowry to help out?
Surely we can't let her, as the mother-in-law, ask for this kind of advice?
Thinking of this, Madam Yin felt a headache coming on. She wondered what kind of wife her son had married and what kind of concubine he had taken. Neither of them were easy to deal with!
...
After returning from Songliu Courtyard, Qin Sheng leisurely sat by the window and began reading a storybook.
Qiao'er went in and out, pouring tea and serving pastries and fruits to her. Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "Why isn't Madam worried at all?"
"What are you worried about?" Qin Sheng casually turned a page and laughed, "Didn't you say that even a skilled cook can't make a meal without rice? What's the use of me worrying?"
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