Chapter 24 Let's get back all the money they owe us!
The next morning, Dongmai ate a quick breakfast and came over.
After watching Shangguan Jin finish breakfast with Shen Qingyue and Shen Qingyu, she immediately got busy.
After talking so much with Shangguan Jin yesterday, Shen Qingyue became noticeably more affectionate towards her.
They don't speak as cautiously as before.
Eight-year-old Shen Qingyu felt she couldn't help, so she just obediently watched from the side.
"Mother, put these small purses in this sleeve. This one is worth twenty taels. Keep it for the eunuchs who do chores and sweeping."
These few coins in the right sleeve are fifty taels each, for the eunuch who is leading the way.
In addition, I have prepared two one-hundred-tael silver notes, which I will fold down and put in your purse.
Oh, and I've also put five gold beans in this pouch.
As Shen Qingyue spoke, she hung a jade-green purse around Shangguan Jin's waist.
Shangguan Jin touched the small purse; it felt heavy. She hoped she wouldn't need it!
Shen Qingyu, who was standing to the side, blinked her big eyes and watched her mother, sister, and Aunt Dong busy themselves. She couldn't help but ask, "Mother, are you going out to see the lantern festival?"
"No, Mother has important business to attend to outside."
"When I get back, I'll give you some snacks from Taoyuanxuan, okay?" Shangguan Jin said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingyu immediately smiled and her eyes narrowed into slits.
Dongmai, who was holding a bronze mirror and looking at Shangguan Jin's reflection, chimed in.
"Miss, now that you've entered the palace, if the Empress and the Imperial Family are easy to talk to, could you perhaps get back the money they owe our household?"
Shangguan Jin was taken aback.
"The money you owe us? What money?"
She genuinely had no idea what kind of money Emperor Xiao Jing and the Empress owed the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.
“Our Duke’s salary!”
Our Duke receives a first-rank salary of 950 shi (a unit of dry measure), which translates to 1,500 taels of silver.
Since the Duke disappeared, the imperial court has not paid this silver to our Duke Dingguo's mansion for three years.
Perhaps they've forgotten!
"Miss, when you go to the palace today, remember to get this silver back."
While adjusting Shangguan Jin's collar, Dongmai muttered something.
Shangguan Jin then realized what was happening.
Haha, I see!
No wonder that in the past three years, no matter whose family it was, they dared to show their disrespect to the Duke of Dingguo!
In their view, the fact that even the Duke's salary was no longer being paid meant that the imperial family must have something on Dingguo's mind, which was why they stopped paying the Duke's salary.
“Mother, the current Vice Minister of Revenue is working for the Duke of Anguo,” Shen Qingyue said softly.
Shangguan Jin understood.
So it was someone from the Empress Dowager's side again!
Hehe, if someone were to say that the disappearance of the Duke of Dingguo had nothing to do with the Empress Dowager's faction, Shangguan Jin would immediately slap her twice.
"I understand!" Shangguan Jin said in a deep voice.
Shen Qingyue stopped speaking and looked Shangguan Jin up and down again.
“Miss, there’s another sum of money you absolutely must ask the Tian family for,” Dongmai said earnestly.
"There's another sum of money?"
"Did they deduct any money from our household?" Shangguan Jin asked in surprise.
Dongmai nodded seriously.
"Yes, they deducted a sum of money from our household."
Miss, have you forgotten about Aunt Xin in the west courtyard?
Back then, the imperial family said that as long as our Duke accepted the man, everything would be fine.
As for all expenses, they were all paid for by the imperial family.
For the past three years, the Duke has not returned, and the imperial family has not sent the money to support Concubine Xin. We have been supporting Concubine Xin for three years for nothing!
Aunt Xin lived her quiet life in the west courtyard every day, without having to do any work.
Most of their work involved composing poems and painting.
Oh, and she has to eat well too. She doesn't eat ordinary chicken, duck, fish, or meat; she eats bird's nest every day, just like the old lady.
It must have cost a lot of money to raise them over these three years!
Anyway, you have to get back the money you spent on supporting Concubine Xin.
If I can't get it back, I... I'll send Aunt Xin out to work and earn money.
"From now on, don't even mention bird's nest, we won't give you any more swallow feathers," Dongmai said angrily.
It's not surprising that winter wheat was angry.
After the Duke of Dingguo disappeared, everyone in the mansion was anxious.
Only Aunt Xin, who eats and drinks every day, and puts on makeup, seems to be doing nothing wrong.
Shangguan Jin thought for a moment.
It's not impossible.
The Empress Dowager sent this person in just to cause trouble, didn't she?
Okay, if you want to cause trouble, then feed the horse some grass first. Not even feeding it grass is going too far!
Shangguan Jin thought for a moment, then said to Dongmai with a serious expression, "I remember this."
Don't worry, I will definitely get back all the money owed to our household.
Dongmai nodded happily.
Miss is definitely the best!
However, if the Tian family doesn't give it to her, it seems there's nothing she can do.
She needs to think carefully about what this Aunt Xin is good at.
If all else fails, could you have her do embroidery every day to earn some money?
It's not impossible! If she dares not to work, then let her go hungry!
No, we can't let her starve to death. She's a human being, so let's just give her one and a half steamed buns a day!
Dongmai happily considered the worst-case scenario where Shangguan Jin wouldn't get her money back.
Over there, Shangguan Jin also boarded the carriage, her serious expression making Shen Qingyue feel a little uncomfortable.
“Mother, you used to go to the palace all the time. Since the Empress summoned you, she certainly didn’t want to cause trouble for our Duke’s Mansion.”
"Just treat it as usual." Shen Qingyue still whispered a word of advice.
Looking at the sun, it seems it's already past noon; it's time to set off.
Shangguan Jin nodded, and then, with her maid, she swayed and rode into the palace in the carriage.
Throughout the journey, Shangguan Jin continued to rest with her eyes closed.
She had already made up her mind last night.
When you meet the emperor and empress, just act like a typical housewife.
As for the rest, she knew nothing; she could simply pretend to be ignorant.
However, Shangguan Jin didn't know anything about it in the first place!
Before an incense stick could burn, the carriage stopped at the palace gate.
With the help of her maid, Shangguan Jin slowly got out of the carriage.
As she sat down along the way, Shangguan Jin felt that this kind of carriage was far inferior to the ride-hailing services of later generations.
Not only was the ride bumpy and uncomfortable, but they also couldn't deliver it to my door. Thumbs down!
The eunuch Hu who delivered the imperial edict last night is already waiting inside the palace gate.
Upon seeing Shangguan Jin alight from the carriage, they hurriedly came to greet her.
“Madam, your carriage is permitted to enter the palace,” Eunuch Hu said in a low voice.
Shangguan Jin shook her head.
"The Duke isn't here, I'd better go in!"
"Eunuch Hu, please lead the way."
She wanted to eliminate any possibility of being framed or falsely accused.
The carriage is so big, what if someone puts something in it? Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?
Grandpa Hu sighed.
The Duchess of Dingguo was being a little too cautious.
The other two duchesses all entered the palace in sedan chairs!
Thinking of the medicinal wine that the steward of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion had secretly delivered last night, Eunuch Hu thought for a moment and immediately ran respectfully to a spot three steps ahead of Shangguan Jin.
"Madam, please come this way."
Shangguan Jin was taken aback. Something was wrong. In the past, she always went through this route to enter the palace.
Suddenly, she remembered that she used to visit her younger sister when she entered the palace.
Shangguan Yao's palace is on this side, but the Empress's palace is on the other side.
"Madam, the Empress Dowager's Huayang Palace is accessed from that direction," Eunuch Hu whispered a reminder.
Shangguan Jin understood and quickly said gratefully, "Thank you for reminding me."
Eunuch Hu smiled and quickly flicked the whisk in his hand.
"You're too kind, Madam! Please come with me. Her Majesty the Empress has been waiting for you after lunch."
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