Chapter 91: Managing Household Affairs (2)
Upon receiving Gu Yangui's warm and affectionate letter, Su Wanrou felt a surge of calm strength welling up within her. Her longing hadn't diminished, but had instead become a more solid support. She knew that the best way to alleviate his worries was to manage everything at home perfectly, ensuring he had no concerns whatsoever.
That morning, after breakfast, Su Wanrou did not go to the study as usual, but said to Gu Zhong, "Uncle Zhong, pass on my message: at 9:00 AM today, have all the important stewards and matrons from the inner and outer courtyards come to the council hall. I have something to tell you."
Gu Zhong was slightly taken aback. When the Duke was away, the Madam usually only summoned him to handle matters alone, or had the stewards report back in batches. This was the first time she had gathered all the stewards from the inner and outer courtyards together. But he immediately composed himself, bowed and replied, "Yes, Madam, this old servant will go and deliver the message right away."
The news was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples across the Duke's mansion and the surrounding world.
"Madam wants to convene all the stewards for a meeting? This is unprecedented."
"Indeed, with the Duke away, is Madam trying to... establish her authority?"
"Madam usually seems kind, but she is very methodical in her work. Even Uncle Zhong admires her. We just need to be careful in our duties."
Before 9:00 AM, the council hall was already full of people. The wives and nannies in charge of the kitchen, purchasing, sewing, storeroom, and carriages in the inner courtyard, and the male stewards in charge of the estate, shops, personnel, and repairs in the outer courtyard, stood on both sides, silent and exuding a solemn yet curious atmosphere.
Su Wanrou appeared at the entrance of the council hall on time. Today, she wore a light purple satin jacket with gold butterflies and flowers, paired with a moon-white horse-face skirt. Her hair was neatly styled and adorned with a red-gold and kingfisher feather hairpin. She was dignified and composed, yet still possessed the radiance of a young mistress. She walked steadily, her gaze calmly sweeping over everyone in the hall, before proceeding directly to the head seat and taking her seat.
Qingdai and another head maid stood solemnly behind her, holding account books, matching tokens, and other items.
"Greetings to the Madam." Everyone bowed in unison, their voices echoing in the spacious hall.
"Rise, all of you." Su Wanrou's voice was calm, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly. "I've called you all here today for no other reason than that the Duke is away fighting for the country, so the heavy responsibility of managing the household falls on each of our shoulders. You are all senior members of the household, or capable individuals, and the daily operation of the household depends on your diligent efforts. I am young and have only been in the household for a short time. In the past, I mostly listened to Uncle Zhong's reports and didn't have much contact with you all. But since the Duke has trusted me and entrusted me with the management of the household, I cannot just listen and observe; I must truly shoulder the responsibility."
Her tone was calm and measured, highlighting the special circumstances of Gu Yangui's absence, demonstrating her determination to fulfill her duties as the mistress of the house, and affirming the status and role of everyone present. Her words were impeccable.
"Today, I would like everyone to take turns speaking about the most important matters under your jurisdiction. Please feel free to speak frankly about the recent situation, your plans for the future, and any difficulties you may encounter. We will discuss these matters together with one goal in mind: to ensure that the Duke's mansion remains well-organized and stable even while the Duke is away from home."
The crowd exchanged glances. This young lady's opening remarks were certainly impressive, but it was unclear whether she truly had the ability to command respect.
The first to reply was Steward Chen, who managed the estates in the outer courtyard. He was a capable man around forty years old. He stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Madam, the harvests from the three estates in the suburbs of Beijing this year have all been stored, totaling grain..." He spoke fluently, reporting all the income clearly, and concluded, "It is currently the winter off-season, and the farmers are repairing the irrigation systems and maintaining the farm tools in preparation for next year's spring planting. Everything is going smoothly, so please rest assured, Madam."
Su Wanrou listened quietly and nodded, but did not let it go immediately. Instead, she asked, "Manager Chen, you've worked hard. How does the harvest compare to previous years? I heard that there was a slight drought in the capital region this spring and summer. Did it have a big impact on the estate? Are the farmers' winter food and heating supplies sufficient?"
Manager Chen had not expected the lady to ask such detailed questions. After a moment's thought, he replied truthfully, "Madam is wise. This year's harvest is generally the same as last year, only slightly less by half a percent, which is indeed related to the spring drought, but fortunately the impact is not significant. The farmers' food rations are as usual, but the price of firewood and charcoal for heating has risen sharply this year, so some tenant farmers with large families may be a little short of money."
Su Wanrou nodded slightly: "The villagers are the foundation; we can't let them freeze. Here's what we'll do: take a sum of money from the public funds and, based on the number of households and people, subsidize them with firewood and charcoal as appropriate, making sure every villager can get through the winter safely. You can calculate the amount and report it to Uncle Zhong and me for review."
A look of surprise and gratitude flashed in Steward Chen's eyes, and he quickly bowed, "Madam is so kind! On behalf of the villagers, I thank you! I will find out the plan when I get back!"
At this, everyone in the hall became more serious. The lady was not ignorant; on the contrary, she was thoughtful and considerate of her servants.
Then, Lin, the nanny in charge of purchasing, replied. After she finished reporting the daily expenses, Su Wanrou looked through the list in her hand, pointed to one item and asked, "Nanny Lin, the price of the silver frost charcoal allocated to each courtyard in winter seems to be 10% higher than the market price?"
Lin Mama's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly explained, "Madam, you may not know this, but we use only the finest silver frost charcoal in our household. It's smokeless and burns for a long time. This year, this type of charcoal is in high demand, so the price has gone up a bit..."
Su Wanrou looked up at her, her gaze calm and unwavering: "Granny Lin, although I don't go out much, I still know a bit about market prices. Even the best silver frost charcoal is a bit pricey at this price. Could it be that the suppliers have raised the price? If so, we should ask around at several places and compare prices. Although the Duke's mansion is a high-ranking family, it is not a fool to be slaughtered. We will spend every penny that is necessary, and we will not spend a single penny that is not necessary. What do you say?"
Lin Mama's forehead was covered in sweat as she said repeatedly, "What Madam says is true. It was my oversight. I will investigate and find out the truth as soon as possible!"
Su Wanrou stopped investigating and instead asked Granny Wang, who was in charge of needlework, "Have all the winter clothes been distributed to each courtyard? Especially those guards and servants in the outer courtyard, are their cotton-padded clothes thick and durable? The north wind is strong, don't let them catch a cold."
Granny Wang hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Madam, they have all been distributed. They were all made according to the old custom, and they are quite generous."
“The old rules are the old rules, but it got cold early this year,” Su Wanrou said. “Go and check again. If there is anything lacking, or if you are particularly sensitive to the cold, add some more as appropriate. Don’t be too rigid about the old rules. The money will come from my allowance.”
"This... how can we let Madam spend so much money?"
"It's alright, we must always put people first," Su Wanrou said calmly.
Next, the stewards of the storeroom, carriages, personnel, and repairs responded in turn. Su Wanrou listened attentively, asking insightful questions that hit the nail on the head. She was clear about rewards and punishments, applying both kindness and strictness. She was never stingy with leniency where leniency was due, and she was equally unambiguous in investigating matters that required strictness. Her words were clear and decisive, demonstrating both the authority of a mistress and her familiarity with affairs and her understanding of her servants.
Several stewards who had initially held a degree of disdain or were observing the situation now composed themselves and became respectful and attentive. This young Duchess was far more astute and capable than they had imagined. She was neither blindly harsh nor weak and easily bullied; rather, she possessed her own set of methods, methods that were flawless and even inspired admiration.
Finally, Su Wanrou turned her gaze to Gu Zhong, who had been listening silently: "Uncle Zhong, the overall situation in the manor is largely due to your hard work. Each steward has their own duties, but you still need to put in more effort to oversee and coordinate everything. From now on, on the first and fifteenth days of each ten-day period, we will meet here at 3:45 AM to briefly discuss the important matters of the ten-day period and allow everyone to communicate with each other. What do you think?"
Gu Zhong inwardly praised the lady's actions, which not only established the rule of regular meetings and demonstrated the mistress's authority, but also gave him, the old steward, ample face. It was truly a thoughtful move. He bowed and said, "The lady's arrangement is excellent. This old servant obeys."
Su Wanrou stood up, her gaze sweeping over everyone again, her voice clear and melodious: "That's all for today. You've all worked hard. The Duke is fighting bravely outside, protecting the peace of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Protecting this family is our greatest support for him. I hope you will all continue to be dutiful and work together. If you do well, I will naturally notice and reward you; but if anyone tries to cheat, or is outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant," she said in a slightly somber tone, "you are all surely aware of the Duke's rules."
"We will heed your teachings, Madam!" the crowd responded in unison, their voices now carrying a greater sense of genuine reverence than before.
After the meeting, the stewards left in small groups, whispering among themselves, all marveling at the lady's remarkable abilities.
Su Wanrou returned to the main room and let out a soft sigh of relief. It would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous, as it was her first time chairing such a meeting, but she felt a greater sense of security and control over the situation.
Qingdai served hot tea and said with a smile in a low voice, "Madam was really impressive today. Look at those stewards, they all behaved themselves afterwards."
Su Wanrou took the teacup and shook her head: "It's not enough to just be imposing; you need to win people's hearts. I don't know anything about governing a country, but managing a family is nothing more than being fair, discerning, and compassionate."
In the afternoon, Su Wanrou took a short nap before going to Mingxuan's courtyard. The child was practicing calligraphy, his little face tense and very focused. Upon seeing her, he immediately put down his brush and ran over: "Mother!"
Su Wanrou checked his homework and tested him on a few lines of the Thousand Character Classic, which Mingxuan answered fluently. She smiled and praised him a few times, saying, "The weather is nice today, don't stay cooped up in the house all the time, come with me to the garden for a walk and stretch your muscles."
The mother and son strolled in the warm early winter sun. Mingxuan chattered excitedly about the interesting things that happened at school, while Su Wanrou listened with a smile, occasionally offering a few words of guidance. The sunlight stretched their shadows long, intertwining them in a warm and peaceful scene.
Managing household chores, raising children, navigating social interactions… Su Wanrou's life is busy yet fulfilling. She gradually discovers that truly managing the household is not just about issuing orders, but rather a long-term, meticulous process. It requires understanding people's hearts, balancing various parties, and preventing problems before they arise.
That evening, she sat under the lamp and spread out the letter again.
"My lord, it is as if I am seeing you in person. Everything is well in the manor. Mingxuan has made great progress, and I have been supervising his studies every day without daring to slack off. Today, I summoned the stewards inside and outside the manor to discuss matters, and everything went smoothly... The north is bitterly cold, so please take care of yourself. I will take care of everything at home, so please do not worry about me."
She paused here, ultimately too embarrassed to describe in detail her "impressive presence" in the council chamber during the day, simply stating, "Everything went smoothly." But the confident yet gentle smile on her lips lingered for a long time.
She knew that she was gradually becoming the true mistress of this home, someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him. And this was the strongest support she could give to her husband, who was thousands of miles away.
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