Chapter 12: The Power of Household Management
As Granny Qian walked through the layered courtyards, Su Wanrou's emotions were not as calm as they appeared. She had vaguely heard of the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet at the Prince An's residence; it was a grand event held annually in the capital in autumn, inviting members of the imperial family, nobles, and ladies of high society. As the newly appointed wife of the Duke of Zhenguo, her first formal appearance would undoubtedly attract countless scrutinizing, curious, and even malicious glances.
Gu Yangui's summons at this moment was certainly not for a simple announcement. The chrysanthemum appreciation banquet was merely a prelude; what lay behind it was likely the core issue that had remained unresolved since her arrival in the manor—the ownership of the Duke's household management power.
Stepping into the study of Guiyan Residence, a faint scent of pine and ink wafted in, dispelling the autumn chill. Gu Yangui was not sitting at his large desk handling official business as usual, but instead stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the several ginkgo trees in the courtyard that were already turning golden. The setting sun cast a warm glow on his tall figure, yet could not conceal his innate aloofness.
"My husband," Su Wanrou said softly, curtsying with her robes drawn.
Gu Yangui turned around at the sound, his deep gaze falling on her. Today she was wearing a lotus-colored ruqun with floral patterns, and only a simple pearl hairpin in her hair. Although she looked a little young, her demeanor already hinted at the calm and composed air of a duke's wife. He nodded slightly and pointed to the rosewood armchair beside him: "Sit."
"Thank you, my husband." Su Wanrou sat down as instructed, her posture dignified, but her heart was pounding like a drum. Since their wedding night, she and Gu Yangui had only seen each other for a while during their evening rest. During the day, he was busy with court and military affairs, and the two rarely had time to sit and talk alone like this.
Granny Qian quietly withdrew and closed the door. Only the two of them remained in the study, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense.
"Have you seen the invitation to the Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet at Prince An's Mansion tomorrow?" Gu Yangui got straight to the point, his voice as deep and steady as ever.
"Yes, I have received it. I am just thinking about how to dress tomorrow so as not to lose face for the Duke's mansion," Su Wanrou replied cautiously.
Gu Yangui walked to the desk, picked up a gold-embossed invitation, looked at it, and then put it down: "Prince An is the Emperor's younger brother, and the Princess Consort is fond of luxury, so the banquet will certainly not be small. There are many people in the capital who will gossip. As this is your first time attending as the Duchess of the State, it is inevitable that some people will pay attention to you, whether out of curiosity or to test you. There is no need to be too nervous, but you should still be careful with your words and actions and be prudent."
Although these words were meant as a reminder, they contained no blame or disdain, but rather seemed more like... an explanation? Su Wanrou's heart stirred slightly, and she lowered her head to reply, "I understand, and I will be careful and mindful, and I dare not bring shame to my husband and the Duke's mansion."
Gu Yangui hummed in response, then walked to a spot a short distance in front of her and stopped, looking down at her. His tall stature and the oppressive aura he exuded made Su Wanrou involuntarily hold her breath.
"Have you settled in well at the manor these days?" he suddenly asked a seemingly ordinary question.
Su Wanrou's mind raced, realizing this was the key point of today's conversation. If she complained, she would appear incompetent; if she only spoke well of others, she would seem hypocritical or slow-witted. After a moment's thought, she raised her eyes, her gaze clear and honest as she met Gu Yangui's scrutiny: "My lord, everything in the household is in perfect order, and the servants are all performing their duties. I am new here, and I am still slowly getting used to many of the rules. However... I have recently noticed a few minor matters that seem to deviate slightly from the established procedures, and I have dealt with them accordingly."
She downplayed the sewing room issue as "slightly deviating from the established rules," which both pointed out the problem and indicated that she had already begun to address it, striking a perfect balance.
A barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed across Gu Yangui's eyes. He had naturally heard about the needlework room incident. Granny Li was an old acquaintance of his deceased wife, Liu, and held considerable influence in the household. He had assumed Su Wanrou would choose to endure it silently or come to him to complain, but he hadn't expected her to handle it so cleanly and efficiently, even knowing how to combine kindness with severity. This decisiveness and skill were unlike that of a fifteen-year-old sheltered young girl.
"Oh? How was it handled?" he asked casually, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.
Su Wanrou then briefly recounted what had happened, concluding, "...In my opinion, the Duke of Zhiguo's mansion is like an army, where rules are paramount. Occasional oversights by servants can be forgiven, but if they lack reverence and act arbitrarily, the rules will be disregarded, leading to endless troubles. Therefore, I have given them a small punishment as a warning, hoping they will be reminded of their mistakes. Afterwards, I also rewarded the embroiderer who had diligently performed her duties, to demonstrate the principle of reward and punishment."
"Governing the Duke's mansion is like governing an army..." Gu Yangui repeated softly, his gaze towards Su Wanrou now carrying a hint of scrutiny. This metaphor was novel yet incisive. Having governed armies for many years, he knew best the importance of rules and clear rewards and punishments. Though the inner quarters were small, the principles remained the same.
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly turned around and walked back to his desk. He took out a bunch of brass keys and a thick ledger with worn-out edges from the drawer and placed them on the desk with a "thud".
The bunch of keys had an antique style, and the largest one had a unique shape. Although Su Wanrou had never seen it before, she vaguely guessed what it was. Her heart skipped a beat.
“These are the keys to the manor’s storeroom and important ledgers.” Gu Yangui’s voice broke the silence in the study, confirming Su Wanrou’s guess. “This is the general ledger. After the late Madam passed away, the affairs of the inner courtyard were temporarily overseen by Granny Qian, and the various departments were managed by the stewards. Now that you have entered the manor as the mistress, it is your responsibility to manage the household affairs.”
Su Wanrou stared at the heavy bunch of keys, feeling a little breathless. She had expected Gu Yangui to relinquish power sooner or later, but she hadn't anticipated it so quickly, so suddenly, on the eve of her first important social event. Was this a test, or a sign of trust?
She stood up, but did not immediately take the gift. Instead, she bowed respectfully and said, "My lord, I am young and inexperienced, and I fear I am not up to such a heavy responsibility. The affairs of the household are numerous and complicated, and there are precedents to follow. Perhaps it would be better to leave it to Granny Qian..."
“Granny Qian is old and her energy is failing, and she is ultimately a servant.” Gu Yangui interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “You are the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo, the rightful mother of Mingxuan, and the mistress of this mansion. The power to manage the household affairs belongs to you.”
He looked at her sharply: "Or are you afraid? Do you feel that you can't manage the people in the manor or handle these trivial matters?"
The words carried a clear provocation, which Su Wanrou understood. She took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil within her. She knew this was an opportunity she couldn't refuse, nor could she afford to. Taking charge of the household affairs and rightfully managing the inner quarters was a crucial step for her to establish herself and truly integrate into the family. Fear and shirking responsibility would only disappoint Gu Yangui and gloat to those secretly watching, even waiting to see her fail.
She raised her head, her gaze hardening, and stepped forward, extending her hands to steadily accept the cold keys and heavy ledgers. The keys were heavy in her hands, and the ledgers even heavier, as if they bore the weight of the Duke's mansion's daily operations and its century-old legacy.
"Thank you for your trust, my husband. I will do my utmost and dare not fail you." Her voice was clear, with a do-or-die determination.
Gu Yangui watched as her slender fingers gripped the keys and ledgers tightly, turning slightly white from the force, yet her posture remained ramrod straight. A barely perceptible softening flickered deep in his eyes. Perhaps this young wife, whom he had married on a whim and out of practical considerations, held more potential than he had anticipated.
"Hmm." He nodded. "If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask Granny Qian or come and ask me. If any of the old servants in the manor are disobedient, you can deal with them yourself; there's no need to report everything."
This practically gave her maximum autonomy. Su Wanrou felt reassured and bowed again, saying, "Thank you, my husband."
"At the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet tomorrow, if the Princess Consort inquires about matters concerning the household, you may respond accordingly," Gu Yangui concluded, before returning to his desk, picking up another official document, and signaling the end of the conversation.
Su Wanrou tactfully excused herself, taking the key and ledger with her as she left the study.
Stepping out of Guiyan Residence, a cool evening breeze made her realize that her back was covered in a thin layer of sweat. The key in her hand pressed against her palm, reminding her that what had just happened was not a dream.
When Yun Que and Qiu Yue returned to Jinse Courtyard, they were first surprised to see her carrying the keys and account books, and then overjoyed.
"Madam! The Duke has entrusted you with the management of the household affairs?" Yun Que asked excitedly in a low voice.
Su Wanrou gently placed the key and account book on the kang table by the window, nodded, but her face showed little joy; instead, it became serious: "Whether it's a blessing or a curse, it's still unknown."
Qiuyue, quick-witted, immediately understood her mistress's concerns: "Madam is worried... that the old folks in the manor might not be satisfied? Especially those left behind by the late Madam..."
“That’s right.” Su Wanrou looked at the bunch of keys. “My husband entrusted me with this responsibility, which is both a sign of trust and a test. If I can’t handle it, I will truly become a mere decoration in this mansion. Tomorrow’s chrysanthemum appreciation banquet is an external threat, and taking over the mansion’s affairs is an internal problem. Beset by internal and external troubles, I cannot afford to make the slightest mistake.”
She pondered for a moment and then instructed, "Yun Que, go and quietly find out what Qian Mama's reaction was after I left Guiyan Residence. In particular... did she immediately find out that the keys and account books were in my hands?"
"Yes, Madam!" Yun Que accepted the order and quickly left.
Su Wanrou then said to Qiuyue, "Go and sort through the dowry chests we brought. See if there are any books on managing the estate or shops, or any notes or insights left by my mother. Also, find the new Xia Ying gauze I just acquired in my storeroom, and pair it with a set of red gold headdresses for tomorrow's chrysanthemum appreciation banquet."
"Yes." Qiuyue also hurriedly went to prepare.
The room quieted down, and Su Wanrou sat alone on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her fingers gently tracing the rough cover of the thick ledger. The first page was an overview of the previous year, filled with densely packed numbers and items recording the Duke's mansion's annual income, expenses, farm harvests, shop profits, and social interactions… a complex and dizzying list.
She knew that from the moment she received this set of keys, she was no longer just a duchess in name only. She had to truly and quickly grow up, learn to manage this vast family business, balance the complex personnel within the household, and deal with all the challenges from both inside and outside the family.
The pressure was immense, but deep within her heart, a fierce determination to never give up quietly rose. Gu Yangui had given her the stage, and she was determined to perform well. Not to prove anything, but to be worthy of the title "Lady of the Duke of Zhenguo," worthy of Gu Yangui's weighty trust, which might have been mixed with other factors, and worthy of... the path she had chosen herself.
Before dinner, Yun Que returned, and the news she brought made Su Wanrou's gaze slightly narrow.
“Madam, I’ve inquired. Granny Qian seems… very calm. She handled her affairs as usual and even instructed the maids to thoroughly clean the storeroom of Guiyan Residence. She definitely knows about the key, but I can’t see anything unusual about it. However… Granny Li from the needlework room went directly to Granny Liu’s courtyard after leaving Guiyan Residence and stayed there for almost half an hour before coming out.”
Granny Liu was the kitchen purchasing manager and a relative of the late Madam Liu.
Su Wanrou's lips curled into a cold smile. Sure enough, they had made contact. Granny Qian's calmness might be because she had already anticipated this, or perhaps she was simply more cunning. But the collaboration between Granny Li and Granny Liu foreshadowed that the days to come would be anything but peaceful.
"I understand," Su Wanrou said calmly. "Let's have dinner first. I want to take a good look at this ledger tonight."
That night, the candles in the main room of Jinse Courtyard burned for a long time. Su Wanrou was buried in thick account books, sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes picking up her pen to record on paper. Outside the window, autumn insects chirped, and inside, only the rustling of pages turning could be heard.
When Gu Yangui returned after finishing his official business, it was nearly 9 PM. He walked to the window of the main room and saw a slender figure bent over her desk writing furiously under the warm yellow light. He paused slightly. He did not go in to disturb her, but stood in the corridor for a moment, looking at the serious profile reflected on the window paper. His cold and hard lips seemed to soften almost imperceptibly for a moment, before he turned and went to the study to rest.
At that moment, Su Wanrou was focused on checking an expenditure record on the accounts that seemed ordinary but made her suspicious, completely unaware that someone had stopped outside the window.
End of Chapter 12
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