Chapter 55 Even if the concubine's dowry is lost, it's still the Qiao family's responsibility.
“A-Chu”.
Aunt Qiao tugged at Chen Chu's sleeve and whispered, "If she really complains, you'll be in trouble. Why don't you give her some money? Anything that can be solved with money isn't a problem."
Shen Chu disagreed, "Has Aunt forgotten what you promised me? This matter cannot be compromised."
The Shen family members are insatiable; once they are given something, they will become even more demanding.
Aunt Qiao recalled what happened at the banquet, and her wavering resolve strengthened again. "Alright, I'll listen to you."
Shen Chu curled her lips. "Grandmother keeps saying that my aunt sold the estate and land, but the deeds to the estate and land have all been burned, and my aunt didn't go to reissue them. How could she have sold it without the deeds?"
Madam Shen frowned; this was something she couldn't understand at all.
No one from the Marquis's manor had ever been to the yamen (government office), yet her fields and estates had already been registered under someone else's name.
In particular, the hot spring estate she promised to her family had been urged to be given to her by her younger brother the day before yesterday, but the estate had quietly become someone else's property.
Madam Shen looked at Shen Chu with suspicion, "You really didn't sell them?"
Shen Chu refused to admit it, saying, "Grandmother should investigate. There's definitely something fishy going on here. Don't be fooled."
Madam Shen snorted coldly, "I don't care who sold it, the Qiao family has to compensate me."
Chen Chu sighed, "My aunt has no land or estate left, how can she compensate us?"
Madam Shen: "Doesn't she still have eight shops? Just hand them over, and then use the proceeds from those shops to buy some more land and estates. What's so difficult about that?"
Shen Chu pretended to be embarrassed, "There's something I haven't had time to tell my grandmother yet. My aunt hasn't been feeling well these days, so she's handed the shop over to me to manage."
However, I was not good at management, and all eight shops lost money.
"What?!" Old Madam Shen shrieked, "All eight shops have lost money?"
"Yes, if Grandmother doesn't believe me, I can have the manager send the account books over anytime."
"You...you wretched child," Old Madam Shen clutched her chest, gasping for breath in pain.
"Eight shops! How much silver will that cost? You idiot, Qiao, how could you entrust the shops to him?"
Old Madam Shen launched into a tirade against Aunt Qiao.
Aunt Qiao clenched her fists and mustered her courage to say, "He is my son. If I don't give him to him, should I let the old lady take care of him? But old lady, you are not my son either."
"You!" Old Madam Shen was so angry at the mother and son's back-and-forth that she almost couldn't breathe.
"Didn't His Majesty just reward you with a hundred taels of gold yesterday? Since there's no money in the shop, you should hand over the hundred taels of gold for household expenses."
It's a small amount, but it will last for a while. You should quickly find another way to make a contribution so that His Majesty can reward you.
Why are you glaring at me? You eat and drink from the manor, shouldn't you hand over your earnings to the manor?
Shen Chu was amused by her matter-of-fact attitude.
"Grandmother said it was too late; I had already exchanged the hundred taels of gold for silver and put it into the shop."
"Alas, eight shops sharing one hundred taels of gold means each shop only gets a dozen or so taels—it's not enough for anything."
Old Madam Shen's voice was even shriller than before, "Are you stupid? You lost eight shops in half a month, and you still dare to put money in?"
"How can I earn my money back if I don't invest any?"
"You...you!"
"Grandma must have quite a bit of savings, right? Why don't you lend me some? I'll definitely pay you back when I make some money."
Madam Shen blurted out, "I have no money, I won't lend it to you."
Shen Chu looked disappointed. "Grandmother is the old lady of the Marquis's mansion. How could she not have private savings?"
Even if I had it, I wouldn't lend it to you.
Madam Shen looked extremely annoyed. She had originally planned to use the opportunity of going to the palace to file a complaint and force Aunt Qiao to hand over the money, but she didn't get a single penny and was even chased by Shen Chu to borrow money.
"What happened?" Marquis Changning walked over, rubbing his forehead.
Madam Shen hurriedly said, "You've come at the right time. That wretched boy, Chen Chu, has lost all eight shops in half a month. You must make him hand them over immediately."
Marquis Changning's expression changed, and he looked at Shen Chu in disbelief.
"All eight shops lost money?"
With a guilty look on her face, Shen Chu took a stack of account books from Hongxiu's hands.
"It's all my son's fault for only knowing how to study and not being good at business. The account books for the past two weeks are all here."
Marquis Changning did not take the account book, but frowned as he looked at Shen Chu.
Qiao's eight shops had always been well-run, and he simply did not believe that Shen Chu could cause all eight shops to lose money in just half a month.
Account books can be falsified.
Shen Chu said, "Father, don't worry. I'm working hard to learn from my aunt. Once His Majesty dismisses me from my post, I'll focus on managing the shop and make it profitable very soon."
Marquis Changning's face darkened slightly. "What dismissal? Nonsense! You are currently being appreciated by His Majesty, how could you be dismissed?"
“My grandmother wants to go to the palace to accuse me of being disobedient and unfilial, and ask His Majesty to dismiss me from my post.”
Marquis Changning frowned.
Madam Shen said irritably, "What benefits has he brought to the Marquis's mansion by becoming an official? He's not even willing to spend a penny. In my opinion, it would be better to have His Majesty dismiss him from office."
These words struck a chord with the Marquis of Changning.
He also sensed that Shen Chu had become difficult to control since becoming the top scholar in the imperial examination, and was always trying to challenge him.
Shen Chu suddenly clapped her hands, "I think Grandmother's suggestion is excellent."
Marquis Changning and Madam Shen both looked at him in disbelief.
Are you crazy? You actually think it's good to be dismissed from office.
Shen Chu smiled and said, "The shop is losing money because the Inspectorate is too busy and doesn't have time to manage it."
Perhaps if His Majesty dismisses me from my post, I can focus on doing business. Doing business is actually quite interesting.
It would be better if the heir pursued an official career in the future, while I managed the family business. I would definitely expand my aunt's shop and make a fortune.
Father, what do you think of this suggestion?
Marquis Changning suffered a heart attack, and he felt it was not good at all.
"Are you really willing to give up being an official?"
He squinted at Shen Chu, seemingly trying to determine whether she was using a feigned retreat as a tactic or genuinely didn't want to be an official.
"Of course." Shen Chu nodded seriously, looking eager.
"Grandmother, hurry up and go complain, or the palace gates might be closed."
"How about your grandson takes you there himself?"
Madam Shen was so angry she couldn't speak.
She was deliberately trying to scare Aunt Qiao.
Now they're in an awkward position.
She said with a dark face, "You lost eight shops in half a month, and you still have the nerve to manage them? Are you going to lose all the shops in the family?"
Shen Chu looked completely innocent. "I'm a grown man, I have to do something. If I can't be an official, I can only go into business."
Besides, that was my aunt's dowry; even if it's lost, it'll still belong to the Qiao family. Father, don't you agree?"
Marquis Changning remained silent, his face grim.
Even though he had long considered Aunt Qiao's shop as belonging to the Marquis's mansion, he couldn't say it openly.
He still has his pride.
He cleared his throat. "Nonsense! You've studied hard for so many years, and now that you've entered officialdom, how can you give it up so easily?"
"You should focus on being a good censor. As for the shop, since you're not good at managing it, you should leave it to your aunt to run."
Marquis Changning stepped forward, gently took Aunt Qiao's hand, and coaxed her softly:
"Lan'er, you are best at managing business. Achu is just a child and doesn't understand. You should take back the shop and manage it yourself."
You feel sorry for A-Chu being short of money, so just give her more silver. But the shop is, after all, the result of your parents' hard work; you can't let A-Chu ruin it."
He affectionately rubbed Aunt Qiao's palm, and seeing a hint of hesitation on her face, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
He was confident that Aunt Qiao would agree as long as he asked.
Over the years, Aunt Qiao has always been obedient to him, gentle and understanding, and has never gone against his wishes.
As long as Aunt Qiao manages the shop, all that money will eventually go to the Marquis's mansion.
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