Beginning to take charge of household affairs
Three days after the wedding, Lu Qinglan officially took over the Seventh Prince's household duties. Xiao Jingche, true to his word, handed over the palace's account books, ledgers, and personnel rosters to her, leaving only the outer study and some core businesses to be managed by his own people. This was both a test of trust and a test.
The study at Hengwu Courtyard was quickly filled with various account books and documents. Lu Qinglan wasn't in a rush to establish her authority, but instead spent five full days meticulously reviewing the palace's accounts for the past three years. She had mastered this in her previous life, and in this life, she was well prepared. Within a few days, she had a clear understanding of the palace's income and expenditure, its distribution of assets, and its personnel composition.
On the surface, the Seventh Prince's Mansion possessed numerous properties, including farms, shops, and villas. However, the returns were not particularly substantial, with many properties barely maintaining operations or even experiencing slight losses. Lu Qinglan was well aware of this, as it was due to a combination of Xiao Jingche's previous weakness, which had led to the exploitation of his properties, and the persistent problems of the Mansion's stewards embezzling money and maintaining unclear accounts.
That day, she summoned all the palace's stewards. Dozens gathered in the front hall, their hands hanging in silence, the atmosphere heavy with emotion. Most of these individuals were senior members of the palace, or personalities sent by the palace and other mansions, their connections complex and intertwined. They watched the new princess, seated at the head of the table, dressed in her homely lilac-colored blouse and skirt, her expression calm and composed, each harboring their own hidden agenda.
Lu Qinglan didn't say much, but just asked Fu Yu to put a few account books and a list on the table.
"You are all veterans of the mansion, serving His Highness for many years. Thank you for your hard work." Her voice was calm, but her eyes slowly swept over the crowd. "I am new here and am not familiar with many of the rules. I will need your dedicated assistance in the future."
Everyone said they didn't dare.
"It's just that," she changed the subject, her tone still calm, yet carrying an undeniable sense of pressure, "I've been looking through the old accounts recently and found a few unclear points. For example, the silk shop west of the city has been reporting losses for three consecutive years, yet as far as I know, similar shops in the West Market are all profitable. Furthermore, the farm in Tongzhou reported last year that it was hit by hail, significantly reducing its harvest, while the neighboring farms only suffered minor losses during the same period."
Every time she mentioned a place, she would point out the name of the person in charge there. The people who were called out all turned pale and sweat appeared on their foreheads.
"I know that when water is too clear, there are no fish." Lu Qinglan picked up the teacup and gently stirred the foam. "These minor details may not bother me. But from today on, all businesses in the mansion must establish new rules. Accounts must be reported every three days, a summary every two weeks, and a major review every month. All purchases and shipments must have detailed documents and be signed by the person in charge. If anyone commits the same offense again, or if the accounts don't match the actuals..." She put down the teacup with a soft sound. "No matter who it is, they will be severely punished according to the mansion's rules. There will be no leniency!"
She didn't punish anyone immediately, but instead used precise pointing out of the problem and thunderous threats to instantly intimidate all the managers. She used both kindness and force to scare the tiger out of the mountain.
"Yes! We will follow the princess's orders!" Everyone responded in unison, their voices trembling slightly.
After dealing with the outer courtyard's affairs, Lu Qinglan set about tidying up the inner chambers. She compared the servant roster with the information secretly provided by Lin Wanru, and had Fu Yu observe secretly while distributing monthly allowances and inspecting the rooms. Within a few days, she had a thorough understanding of the backgrounds and relationships of the personnel in each room and courtyard.
She quietly reassigned key positions, placing several trusted maids she had brought with her, along with relatively capable servants with clean backgrounds, whom Lin Wanru had vetted, in key positions like purchasing, the warehouse, and the kitchen. As for Su Yueming, she remained largely unattended, simply allowing her to learn the rules from the housekeeper without assigning any specific duties. Although Su Yueming was anxious, she remained increasingly submissive and diligently studied.
That day, Lu Qinglan was checking the expenses of each household when Sun Liangyuan came to pay her respects. She was dressed especially beautifully today, wearing a peach-colored dress, adorned with pearls and jade, and smelling of a fragrant aroma.
"I pay my respects to the princess." Her gesture was deliberately gentle, but her eyes kept glancing at the account books on the desk. "The princess works hard every day. It's really hard. Seeing this, my heart aches."
Without even looking up, Lu Qinglan said calmly, "It's my job, so it's not that hard. Sun Liangyuan, if you have nothing else to do, please leave. I have things to attend to here."
Sun Liangyuan hit a snag, and her smile froze. However, she was unwilling to leave just like that, so she continued, "Princess, my room seems to be a little tight on money these days, and I'd like to buy some new headwear. I wonder..."
"There are fixed rules for the expenses in the mansion." Lu Qinglan finally raised his eyes and looked at her coldly, "Liangyuan's allowance is not short of money. If you want to buy more, you can use your own money. If you don't have any money, you should know how to live within your means. Frugality is a virtue." Her tone was flat, but every word was as sharp as a knife, and she was not polite at all.
Sun Liangyuan's face turned red and white, and she bowed and left in disappointment.
Fu Yu whispered beside him, "Princess, this Sun Liangyuan relies on the fact that she was given by the Minister of Personnel and has some indirect relationship with the Third Prince's wife's mother's family, so she usually acts a bit arrogant in the palace."
Lu Qinglan snorted coldly: "Don't pay any attention to this jumping clown. Just keep a close eye on her." She is now in charge of the household affairs, so it is inevitable for her to establish her authority. It is just the right time to take action against this restless Sun.
With the inner chambers initially in order, Lu Qinglan turned her attention to socializing outside. As the Seventh Prince's consort, she sent invitations to the former members of the Jinxiu Poetry Society, as well as other influential women in the capital, inviting them to her residence in three days for a "Spring Appreciation Tea Party."
As soon as the post was published, responses flocked in. With the Seventh Prince currently enjoying immense popularity and the new Princess possessing extraordinary skills, who wouldn't want to test the waters and establish a relationship?
On the day of the tea party, the garden outside Hengwu Courtyard was immaculately groomed, its pavilions and waterside terraces filled with a variety of rare flowers. Fine tea and snacks were served, and maids flitted about. Old acquaintances like Wei Linlang, Liu Ruyan, and Zhao Wanyi arrived early, along with two princesses from the imperial clan. Furthermore, many wives and daughters from various mansions who had never attended a party before arrived, including the families of several cabinet ministers.
Lu Qinglan wore an apricot-yellow brocade dress embellished with hundreds of golden butterflies and a set of red gold and kingfisher feather headpieces. She exuded elegance and grace, a remarkable presence. She mingled among the women, smiling and engaging, graceful and elegant. She maintained the dignity of a prince's consort while exuding a warm and approachable warmth. She refrained from discussing state affairs, instead enjoying the company of flowers, calligraphy, and paintings, occasionally touching upon matters of concern to all the harems, such as children's education and health preservation. The atmosphere was harmonious.
However, those who paid close attention could notice that she always managed to subtly steer the conversation in a specific direction. For example, when the wife of a military minister complained about rising rice prices in Beijing, she would punctuate the conversation by mentioning that the smooth flow of grain from the south to the north had greatly streamlined, and that prices would eventually stabilize, naturally bringing up the Seventh Prince's contributions to the reform of the grain transport system. Or, when a young lady praised the flowers in the garden, she would smile and say that most of them were personally selected by His Highness, who valued integrity over ostentation, subtly shaping Xiao Jingche's image.
Su Yueming was also allowed to serve today. She wore the uniform of a maid, her brows lowered and her eyes submissive, her movements swift and dexterous, her ears perked up, taking in every word and action of the noble ladies, as well as any unintentional revelations about their fathers and brothers. She watched Lu Qinglan effortlessly control the situation, the usually arrogant ladies beaming in her presence, and the fire of power burning in her heart burned even more fiercely.
Halfway through the tea party, when everyone was chatting and laughing, the doorman came to announce that the wife of Prime Minister Gu Zhao had arrived.
Everyone was silent. Madam Gu Zhao lived in seclusion and rarely participated in such gatherings. Her arrival was undoubtedly a strong signal.
Lu Qinglan personally greeted her at the second gate. Madam Gu, who was about the same age as Old Madam Gu, had a gentle and calm demeanor. Upon seeing Lu Qinglan, she smiled and took her hand. "I've heard of your noble name, Princess, and am pleased to have come to bother you today. Please forgive me, Princess."
"It is a great honor for my humble home to have you here, madam. Qinglan is so happy that she can't contain her joy." Lu Qinglan smiled and led her in.
Mrs. Gu's arrival brought the atmosphere of the tea party to a climax. Although she spoke little, each sentence was just right. She was especially friendly to Lu Qinglan, and made no secret of her admiration. This undoubtedly announced to everyone the Gu family's attitude towards the Seventh Prince and his wife.
The tea party lasted until 3:00 PM, and both hosts and guests were thoroughly entertained. After seeing off all the guests, Lu Qinglan returned to Hengwu Courtyard. Though her face was weary, her eyes were startlingly bright. Today's tea party had yielded far more than she had anticipated. Not only had she consolidated existing relationships and expanded her network, but through Madam Gu's presence, she had also demonstrated to the outside world the Seventh Prince's Mansion's growing status and influence.
"Princess, there's news from Zhao Tieshou." Fu Yu reported in a low voice while she was resting.
Lu Qinglan perked up: "Talk."
"Zhao Tieshou's men discovered that the missing-fingered steward, Hu, had recently appeared at the back gate of Prince An's mansion, still riding in that unmarked carriage. Furthermore, he seemed to be secretly inquiring about...about the status of your dowry, Princess, and your assets, particularly Yunshang Pavilion."
A cold light flashed in Lu Qinglan's eyes. Prince An's Mansion, Steward Hu, Yunshang Pavilion... As expected, they were coming for her!
"Let our people withdraw and suspend our investigation of Prince An's Mansion." She made a quick decision. "Tell Zhao Tieshou that from now on, we must focus on investigating Manager Hu, his whereabouts, and who he associates with. But we must ensure the absolute safety of our people."
Stirring up the grass has already alerted the snake, so she needs to be more cautious from now on. But since the other party has already exposed his tail, she is confident that sooner or later she will be able to root it out completely!
Taking charge of the household affairs for the first time, Lu Qinglan began to show her talent. She knew that she had taken a firm step in this palace, and even in the circle of power and nobility in the entire capital. But this was only the beginning of the second volume, "Accumulated Strength and Undercurrents." Deeper waters and more turbulent undercurrents awaited her ahead.
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