Chapter 1450
Rectification
Chapter 1450 Rectification
After Lin Hao left, Yuan Ying had someone bring out the accounts of the inner quarters. Then, he sat on the couch, picked up a brush, and began to annotate and review the accounts.
Su Shen and Liu Baoquan stood to one side below, while four nannies and four maids stood in the middle.
"Madam, the Imperial Household Department has sent us here. Once the residence is open, we will take care of the affairs of the residence for you!"
Seeing that Yuan Ying remained silent, the old woman assumed that the new lady was easy to manipulate, so she continued:
"My surname is Zhuang, and everyone in the palace respectfully calls me Granny Zhuang. From now on, we'll have to offer our advice on matters within the inner palace!"
"Madam is still young and doesn't know what's important. I hope Madam will understand. The four of us should be in charge of the servants, the backyard, the storeroom, and the miscellaneous items!"
"There are two keys to the storeroom, one for us and one for the lady!"
Judging from their tone, these old women were clearly not there to help Yuan Ying manage affairs, but to seize power and sideline him.
An ordinary person might be intimidated by a few maids, but who is Yuan Ying? Does she think she can take this show of force seriously?
At that moment, Yuan Ying said calmly, "I wonder what the rules are taught in the Xinchuan Internal Affairs Bureau?"
"But in my household, the maids must obtain the madam's permission before speaking!"
After speaking, Yuan Ying looked coldly at Granny Zhuang. After all, there was a difference in rank, and Granny Zhuang was so frightened that she swallowed hard.
At this moment, another nanny spoke up:
"Madam, you've misunderstood. Granny Zhuang was just trying to comfort you!"
"Establishing a residence is a momentous event, and we're worried about potential troubles. The four of us are the most experienced, and we're also concerned for your new arrival, Madam!"
Good heavens, he still won't give up his fight with Yuan Ying for control of the backyard, and he's talking in such a sarcastic way.
However, Yuan Ying wasn't going to tolerate her, and coldly looked at her, asking:
"Since you're so experienced, I'll ask you!"
"Someone from the warehouse came to me today, saying that the charcoal doesn't match the records, and there's a shortage of twenty taels."
"The charcoal is distributed to the maids in various places. Some are given it by the storeroom, while others have to fetch it themselves. How do the four matrons manage this?"
Upon hearing this, the four old women's expressions changed drastically. This was not an accusation that they hadn't meddled in something good; it even pointed out that they had embezzled public funds.
Then Yuan Ying continued, "Everyone wants to make money while holding office, but doesn't want to take responsibility. Since they're afraid to take responsibility, they don't need to stay in this position!"
When Yuan Ying said these words, he was incredibly dignified, his eyes so cold they seemed to freeze everyone in place.
The group of people were so frightened that they wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads and looked at each other, not knowing how to deal with it. They never expected that the matriarch of the household would be so formidable.
Seeing that he had the situation under control, Yuan Ying looked at the group again and said:
"I will arrange for people to manage things. You only need to report on the affairs on a monthly basis, but I can ask you questions at any time, and you must be able to answer them clearly at any time!"
"I don't have many hobbies, but I love looking at account books. From now on, I will personally manage the account books and storeroom keys of the mansion."
"But~!" Granny Zhuang still wanted to struggle a bit more.
Yuan Ying gave him a cold look and said, "Did I tell you to speak?"
Granny Zhuang was so frightened that she dared not speak and immediately retreated.
Having successfully established his authority, Yuan Ying smiled faintly and said, "Unless summoned, please, the four matrons, do not move around. Focus on learning the rules from Steward Su!"
"Good performance will naturally be rewarded. If you make a mistake, you'll be in for a beating. If you really can't stay, I won't force you to stay. Go back and explain to the Internal Affairs Department yourself. Now you can leave!"
"Yes!" The four old women with mournful faces withdrew.
After the old woman left, Yuan Ying stood up and walked to the several maids, carefully examining them before saying:
"Don't be nervous. I just checked the accounts and found many inconsistencies. We need to streamline staff and cut expenses!"
Seeing that the maids had relaxed, Yuan Ying asked them, as if testing them, "What kind of earrings were those two old ladies who were talking just now wearing?"
After a moment's thought, the maid on the far right spoke up and replied, "Madam, the one on the right is jade!"
The maid on the far left quickly added, "The one next to him is Yin!"
Yuan Ying nodded and looked at the two of them, saying, "You two can stay here. Don't worry about the other two either; I'll keep an eye on the Internal Affairs Department to make sure they're properly taken care of!"
"Yes!"
After the two unselected maids bowed and left, Yuan Ying looked at the remaining two and asked softly, "What are your names?"
“Replying to Madam, my name is Shiliu, and hers is Putao. These names were given to us by the head maid, and they mean many children and many blessings,” Shiliu, the maid on the far right, introduced.
"Ha!" Yuan Ying chuckled, shook his head, and said nothing more.
Although she had already given herself to Lin Hao, she was not very willing to have children with him, at least until Lin Hao gained some advantage.
Yuan Ying looked at Shi Liu and said, "You're good at saying auspicious words. You'll benefit from saying them to other masters in the future!"
"But there's no need to flatter me. I don't want to discourage those who work hard but are not good at speaking."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Okay, go down."
After Shi Liu and Putao left, Yuan Ying looked at Su Shen. Su Shen had just been frightened by Yuan Ying's demeanor, so he quickly put on a smiling face.
Fortunately, Yuan Ying knew that Su Shen was Lin Hao's confidant, so he didn't make things difficult for him. Instead, he handed him a memorial and said:
"This is the revised banquet procedure and guest list. The previous procedure was too cumbersome. While the flowing banquet is interesting, it is not suitable for the occasion of opening a new residence. We should revert to a traditional banquet!"
"I'll take care of it right away!" Su Shen bowed and left.
Liu Baoquan quickly followed. He didn't want to face Yuan Ying alone, and he had never met anyone like Yuan Ying before. He subconsciously didn't dare to speak to Yuan Ying.
But before he could leave, Yuan Ying looked at him and said, "Is this Master Liu Baoquan?"
"Ha, yes, yes, Madam!" Liu Baoquan replied haltingly with a forced smile.
Yuan Ying handed over a memorial and said, "The menu for the opening banquet is here. Go back and study it carefully. If you don't understand anything, come and ask me!"
"However, Madam, regarding the menu for the opening banquet, the concubine..."
Without hesitation, Yuan Ying said, "That menu is not suitable for formal banquets. Some of the dishes are complicated, and you might get overwhelmed if you can't manage them all on the day."
"Also, in this kind of occasion, there will definitely be drinking, so please don't prepare sticky pastries that are hard to digest, as they will upset the guests' stomachs!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"You've worked hard, go ahead and get busy!"
"Okay!" Liu Baoquan said and quickly left. He didn't want to face Yuan Ying; the pressure was just too intense.
Seeing that everyone had left, Yuan Ying prepared to go out and take a look, but unfortunately, she encountered someone who came to claim kinship.
"Great-aunt~, junior Yin'an greets Great-aunt!" King Yin'an of Gigi always said such surprising things.
"What did this uncle call me?" Yuan Ying, who had been so imposing just moments before, suddenly felt a little bewildered.
Her husband's brother actually called her "auntie," what kind of weird title is that?
"Uncle? Don't be so formal!" Yin An said with a grin. "Let me introduce myself. I am Yin An, the third young master of Xinchuan."
"Ha, my birth mother is from Jinchuan, so by seniority she's your cousin's granddaughter!"
Yuan Ying said somewhat speechlessly, "Ah, we're already beyond the fifth degree of kinship, so Third Young Master doesn't need to discuss marriage with me!" With that, Yuan Ying left aloofly, having no interest in wasting time chatting with this simpleton.
"Yes, yes!" King Yin'an of Jiji quickly caught up and said:
"Look, we're both from Jinchuan, and I'm sure you have a good eye for business. I have many shops in Xinchuan. If you're willing, why don't we join forces?"
"I pave the way for the outside world, while my great-aunt lends money at exorbitant interest rates in the inner quarters. Together with my great-aunt, we create a glorious future!"
Yuan Ying impatiently avoided Yin An and said dismissively, "No need, I'm not interested!"
However, Yin An showed no sign of giving up and continued speaking with great interest:
"Grandma, if you're not interested in loan sharking, then we can just talk about shops. You can choose from the East Market, West Market, South Market, and North Market. As long as you pay, I'll do all the work, okay, Grandma, Grandma~!"
Next, Yuan Ying called Li Weiwei and Lin Hao together, and the three of them spoke frankly about their relationship.
Yuan Ying explained to Li Wei that he did not want to be confined to the backyard, but longed to offer advice in the imperial court, and that he had obtained Lin Hao's permission.
She even claimed that she was willing to give up the position of young master's wife to Li Wei, but Lin Hao would still be her husband in name and in reality.
When Li Wei learned of Yuan Ying's ambition, she was incredibly envious. However, she knew she didn't have the talent for it and was more content with indulging in eating, drinking, and having fun.
With Lin Hao's encouragement, she finally resolved a knot in her heart, and her relationship with Yuan Ying improved, even becoming closer.
However, although Yuan Ying is serious and methodical in her work, Lin Hao sometimes finds her behavior quite absurd.
For example, he wrote down the matters concerning Su Shen's establishment of his own government, with a total of 88 points of attention and 327 detailed rules!
At the same time, she also made a plan for the two of them. Well, Lin Hao had a whole stack of books, while Li Wei only had a small booklet.
This infuriated Lin Hao. Did they really think he was some kind of complete novice?
So Lin Hao immediately wanted to drag her to the bedroom and severely punish her.
In the days that followed, Lin Hao and Li Wei began their miserable life, with Yuan Ying constantly watching over them and making them read and study.
She treated Li Wei very well, but she was very strict with herself.
However, all of this only applies during the day. Just as strict Yuan Ying is with Lin Hao, Lin Hao is just as ruthless in disciplining her at night.
After staying at the Young Master's Villa for a few more days, Lin Hao, Yuan Ying, Li Wei, and others began moving to Jingyuan.
After arriving at Jingyuan, Lin Hao and Yuan Ying moved into the main courtyard, while Li Wei moved into the east courtyard.
There was nothing Lin Hao could do. He tried many times, but the two ladies just wouldn't live together, so Lin Hao had to travel between the two hospitals every day.
He clearly has two wives, but he spends one day with one wife and the other day with the other. It must be really tough for him.
Sometimes he thought how wonderful it would be if they could sleep together, but unfortunately neither of the women agreed.
······
On this day, the second prince said in the court: "Your Majesty, there are still six months left in the repayment period for Jinchuan!"
"But Chuan granted Danchuan a three-year grace period, and it was not easy to raise the funds for Jinchuan."
Upon hearing this, the new Chuan chief criticized, "Eldest lord, I have already made it clear that the debts owed by the new Chuan cannot be attributed to the Dan Chuan!"
"My lord, the eldest son's intention is by no means to shirk responsibility to Danchuan. He is truly worried about the world and is struggling to raise funds."
As expected of the second brother's loyal dog, the fourth brother immediately spoke up for him as soon as the second brother was criticized.
"Hum hum!"
The new Chuanzhu sneered a few times, looked at the assembled court officials, and said, "I have ordered you to discuss a solution, not to listen to your endless nonsense!"
"To sum up the situation, even a three-year-old child on the roadside could clearly describe it; why would we need so many important ministers to gather in this palace?"
After saying that, he looked at Lin Hao, who had been silent, and said, "Sixth Young Master, you haven't said a word since the court session began. Why don't you say something too?"
Now I'm complaining that I haven't said a word, and you, for some reason, don't even know what's wrong with you? You're always thinking about the second child and even want me to learn from him.
Lin Hao muttered a curse to himself, but still stepped forward:
"Your Majesty, I believe that since Sichuan has promised Jinchuan to repay the loan in installments, we should strictly keep our promise in order to establish Sichuan's prestige!"
"Hmph, now that you've married the princess of Jinchuan, are you on her side now?" the fourth brother said sarcastically.
"Hehe, I still remember which province I'm from. Why didn't you let me finish speaking, Fourth Brother!"
"Do you perhaps have a better suggestion?" Lin Hao said with a look of sudden realization, then turned to the new river chief:
"My lord, Fourth Brother says he has a brilliant idea!" After saying that, Lin Hao gestured and said, "Come on, if you're so good, you do it!"
"Fourth Brother, please!"
"Sixth Brother, you—!" Fourth Brother glared at Lin Hao through gritted teeth.
"Fourth Brother!" The new leader squinted at Lin Hao and the fourth brother, and finally said to the fourth brother, "Tell me what you have to say!"
"I, I, I~!" The fourth brother was sweating profusely, and after stammering "I" for a long time, he still couldn't utter a single word.
"What do you mean, 'you'?!" Lin Hao shouted angrily, "If you can't say it, then shut up and let me finish speaking!"
"This is the imperial court, not your private quarters. There are no brothers here, only ruler and subjects!"
"The Lord hasn't even spoken yet, and you dare to interrupt? Do you even respect the Lord?"
"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong!" The fourth prince was startled and quickly apologized.
Xin Chuanzhu waved his hand: "Alright, Lao Liu, continue!"
Lin Hao composed himself and then slowly said, "There is a way to raise money, and that is to pursue commerce!"
These words immediately sparked a flurry of discussion, with some who disliked Lin Hao stepping forward to question him:
"How could the Sixth Young Master possibly hope that Xinchuan would prioritize commerce!"
"Sixth Young Master, be careful what you say!"
Those who value commerce over officialdom will inevitably suffer disaster.
Good grief, one after another they're all coming out to criticize Lin Hao.
"Silence!" Liang Shi shouted at this moment.
Seeing that things had quieted down, Lin Hao continued, "I have no intention of favoring commerce over officialdom, but if the market system is appropriately relaxed, commercial prosperity can help Sichuan raise funds quickly."
"Absurd!" Yin Song shouted angrily, then retorted, "The ward and district divisions ensure the safety of the people. Once they are broken, who will maintain order in the city?"
"If we encourage the arrogance of merchants, and the whole world is driven by profit and disregards integrity, wouldn't we be just like Jinchuan, who are only after profit?"
"Hehe, I believe that promoting commerce is only a means. While opening up markets, we must also educate people. We cannot sacrifice our core values for the sake of superficiality and extravagance."
After saying that, Lin Hao glanced at the second brother, as if to say that he was the one who had broken his spine.
Enraged, Yin Song looked at the new Chuanzhu and said, "My lord!"
Unfortunately, the new lord had no intention of listening to his nonsense and simply waved him away.
Then, the new Sichuan ruler looked at Lin Hao and said, "I see that this sixth brother has some ideas. After he goes back and refines them, he should write a report for me to see!"
"Yes!" Yin Song retreated with a gloomy face.