Chapter 1072
Jia Yun is not what she used to be
Chapter 1072 Jia Yun is not what she used to be
Rongguo Mansion
At the main gate of Huihong's mansion, the seat that was originally occupied by Steward Lai is now occupied by Manager Qian, who is in charge of purchasing in the backyard. There is still a chair and a table, but on that table, in addition to an account book, a pen and ink, there is also a dish of melon seeds and several teacups.
Qian Hua sat in a chair, leaning against the wall, legs crossed, lazily eating a few melon seeds. He couldn't be more relaxed. Beside him was a servant he had brought from the backyard, who would occasionally bring a teapot to refill his bowl with tea.
"Manager Qian, Manager Qian, why are you sitting here today? I heard that Steward Lai was beaten by the Marquis and can't even get out of bed now. Is that true?"
Curiosity lingered in her eyes; after all, the whole mansion was buzzing with the news that Steward Lai had been punished and was recuperating in his room.
Qian Hua smiled slightly, pinched a melon seed in his right hand, and gently put it into his mouth. Looking at the crowd coming and going in front of the mansion gate, he felt that the feeling of sitting high up gave him a sense of ethereal bliss.
"You, you can't even keep your mouth shut. At the gate, there are some things you can say and some things you can't say. Don't you know that? It's just that Steward Lai is not feeling well, so I'm here to relieve him for a few days. Steward Lai only got whipped because of Master Bao. You can't even imagine the suffering he's endured."
Although Qian Hua was pleased, he couldn't afford to give anyone cause for criticism. The servant beside him nodded repeatedly. He worked for Steward Qian, and Steward Lai had no say in his affairs. If it weren't for the fact that the Lai family member was still alive, the steward of the mansion would probably have been replaced long ago.
"Yes, yes, Steward Qian is right to reprimand me. It's my fault for having such a bad mouth; I deserve to be punished."
As he spoke, he held the teapot, and with his other hand, he subtly fanned his own face, trying to curry favor. Qian Hua, seeing this, smiled even more broadly. This kid was clever indeed. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the servants standing around and noticed a hint of respect in their eyes.
"It is a great virtue to admit one's mistakes and correct them. With your quick wit, you can also handle the purchasing matters in the future."
He tried to imitate the actors in the opera troupe, belting out a song. Just then, the stalker returned on horseback. Reaching the gate, he dismounted, threw down the reins, and hurried up the mansion. Startled, the horse didn't stop, but instead lurched forward, leaping onto the steps and kicking over the table in front of Steward Qian.
Melon seeds and tea spilled all over the floor. Startled, Qian Hua lost his balance and slipped, falling to the ground in a disheveled state.
"Which courtyard are you from? Don't you know any rules? Manager Qian, Manager Qian, are you alright?"
The servant quickly stepped forward to help him up, but when he turned around to look for him, the person had already disappeared.
"Quickly, tidy up."
"Yes, money is in charge."
The servants around them rushed forward, some clearing the table, others leading the horses, creating a chaotic scene.
While everyone was busy in front of the mansion gate, the servant who was keeping watch ran all the way to the pear garden. However, he found that the second mistress was not in the house. He asked around and was told that the mistress was patrolling the cooking area in the front yard. He quickly left the yard and chased after her.
The construction site in the front yard was still bustling with activity. Most of the hired workers were gathered around the lumber, hammering and banging away. Many others had also gone to the small courtyards in the back to build the fence. The scene was one of intense activity, with no time to rest.
Judging from the appearance, the outlines of the houses in the back are already complete, which is quite fast.
When Wang Xifeng arrived, she had already carefully looked around the work area. After a while, she heard footsteps coming from the room on the left, followed by a voice in her ear.
"Second Madam, most of the timber we bought in the front yard has been delivered. A lot of the remaining stone from the estate outside the city has also been piled up in the manor. The rest was taken away by others outside the city long ago. The finishing touches are almost done."
After Master Song approached and performed the proper etiquette, he sat down in the shed built in the front yard and handed the ledger of the wood and stone materials used this time to Second Madam for inspection. It was the rule for craftsmen like them to buy only what they needed when working in the mansion. The main hall used the most materials, and the carvings for the house were already sufficient. As for those outside the city, they involved the Duke's mansion, and he dared not inquire about them.
Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng's eyes lit up. The majority of the money raised by the two households was for these stones and timber. Although they had gone to the Imperial Household Department to purchase them and received extra money, if they could save the money, who would bother to buy them? Besides, she could resell these items for a profit and use the proceeds to build fortified villages for other households. In this way, she actually made quite a bit of money, especially from the estates outside the city. After they were demolished, she had given away a lot of favors.
Looking at the ledger, only the income entries were listed, while the expenditure entries were in her hands. She'd need to make some changes when she got back.
"Thank you for your hard work, Master Song. These past few days, we've been so grateful for your personal care. Ping'er, bring the things up."
"Yes, Grandma,"
Ping'er nodded, took a heavy package from the maid behind her, and placed it on the table. Master Song looked at it with confusion, but judging from the sound inside, it was obviously silver. He stood up somewhat nervously and asked.
"Second Madam, what does this mean?"
Wang Xifeng smiled and quickly gestured for Master Song to sit down again.
"Oh, Master Song, of course I'm grateful. Thanks to you for taking care of things these past few days, the courtyard has been repaired very well, especially the wood and stone used, which saved a lot of money. In any case, as the Duke's mansion should, according to the Marquis's words, show some appreciation. These account books will remain with me."
The last sentence was a suggestion, and Master Song immediately understood, knowing it was for the household's accounting purposes and that he shouldn't ask too many questions. So he nodded.
"Thank you for your generosity, Second Madam. I will accept this silver with great humility. However, it is not safe for me to keep these account books. Please keep them safe, Second Madam."
"Ping'er, put those things away."
"Yes, Grandma,"
Wang Xifeng was in a great mood. Now that the account books were in her possession, how to write them down was entirely up to her. Ping'er responded and casually tucked the two account books on the table into her bosom, not asking anyone else to do it. Just then, a servant from the back courtyard rushed over, panting. Seeing the Second Mistress sitting in the shed, he took three steps at a time and dashed over.
"Grandma, Grandma, Shang, Shang,"
Just as he was about to speak, he noticed that there were outsiders in the shed, so he immediately stopped talking, his face turning red. Everyone in the shed was stunned, wondering what had happened. Master Song was very perceptive and knew that the person who came must have something important to report, so he immediately took the money, got up and took his leave.
"Second Madam, the front yard still needs keeping an eye on, so I'll head over there first."
"Take care, Master Song. Someone, please see him off."
After exchanging pleasantries, Wang Xifeng instructed her maid to see the person off. Once the person had left, she turned to look at the newcomer, who was dressed in gray cloth and had some yellow dust on his legs, clearly having returned from outside the city.
"What's the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Reporting to Grandma, I was sent by Steward He Ye to keep watch at the docks outside the city. This morning, quite a few merchant ships arrived at the docks, including those from our Shuiqiao Merchant Guild. Jia Yun and the others have already returned, and they brought quite a lot of goods—four whole ships full of cargo."
The servant wiped his sweat, gesturing with his hands. He hadn't expected Yun-ge'er to possess such skills.
Upon hearing the news, Wang Xifeng froze. The caravan had actually returned! She had thought she would have to wait another month; she hadn't expected them to come back so quickly.
Although he was excited, his expression remained indifferent.
"He's back, so why the rush? Ping'er, give him a bowl of water. His name is such a mouthful."
"Yes, grandma."
Ping'er's eyes were a little strange. She walked to the table, took a bowl, poured a bowl of tea, and handed it to the servant. The servant was full of gratitude. He took the bowl of tea, drank it all in one gulp, and quenched his thirst. He quickly replied.
“Grandma, I went to the dock early and stayed on the shore. As soon as the merchant guild's ship docked, they changed their flags, and then a convoy of vehicles took the goods back to the city in batches. I was wondering about it; if I hadn't seen Yun-ge, I might not have known any of this.”
The head of the chamber of commerce also said that he wanted Yun-ge to become a caravan leader for the chamber, explaining that once she became familiar with the trade routes, the chamber's caravans would be larger.
The servant was filled with envy. Although he didn't know how much the caravan leader earned each month, the old caravan leader, Captain Xu, always brought in quite a bit of profit whenever he went out.
Seeing this, Wang Xifeng instantly thought of many things. It seemed they had found a way, or rather, were very familiar with, the merchant guild at the Marquis's residence. If they could get more caravans, or have Jia Yun manage one, the goods inside would be theirs. She could also ask her aunt for help; why was she struggling to scrape together a few taels of silver at home? "You're quite the talker," she said. "This news should only reach me. I mustn't say a word outside. If the caravans need more people, you can go and help them. Ping'er, give him five taels of silver; it's not easy for him to travel back and forth in this heat."
"Yes, Grandma,"
Ping'er's eyes flickered. She wondered how much her grandmother could sell the 30,000 taels of silver worth of goods she'd gathered on this trip. Quick as a flash, she took five taels of silver from her purse and handed it over.
The servant's face lit up with joy. He quickly reached out and took the silver ingot, biting into it. Seeing the teeth marks left on the ingot, he was overjoyed and knelt down to kowtow.
"Grandma Xie, Miss Xie Ping'er, I am utterly loyal to you. Please feel free to give me any instructions."
"Alright, there is indeed something. Go and find out about Fifth Sister-in-law's situation in the backyard of Xilang Hutong. Find out who else is in the family and let her know when you get back."
This fifth sister-in-law was Jia Yun's mother. They had met a few times at the mansion, but for some reason, they rarely saw each other afterward. She was also busy with household affairs and didn't pay much attention. The only time they met was when Jia Yun came to ask for help with the flower garden project. If Jia Yun had become the leader, his status would naturally have been different.
Ping'er had already discerned the unspoken meaning behind Wang Xifeng's words. It seemed that her grandmother wanted to keep all the affairs of the caravan in her own hands, but was it really that easy to keep them?
He Ye, kneeling on the ground, was somewhat taken aback upon hearing that it concerned Fifth Sister-in-law of the West Corridor, and immediately kowtowed.
“Grandma, I know without asking around. I go to Xilang Hutong often. Yun’er’s mother doesn’t go out much. Even when she goes out on errands, it’s Yun’er who goes. Over the years, Yun’er’s mother has been doing laundry for the household to earn some copper coins to supplement the family income. Before Yun’er went to the Northeast, he mortgaged their only house.”
Upon hearing this, He Ye quickly lowered her head, unsure whether she had made a profit or a loss on this trip; she figured she had probably made some.
"You're quite clever. It's a waste of your cleverness to stay in the front yard. Here's what we'll do: from now on, you'll serve in the Pear Garden. You'll be in charge of relaying messages to the Chamber of Commerce and will receive your monthly stipend as manager. Remember to keep your mouth shut. If you leak anything, don't blame your grandmother."
"Yes, yes, this servant will keep his mouth shut and will never ruin Grandma's important plans,"
The servant quickly kowtowed, finally relieved that he had endured so long.
"Alright, when Yun-ge'er returns, you take him to the pear orchard to wait."
"Yes, grandma."
The servant boy, He Ye, hurriedly got up and ran to the outer courtyard without hesitation, leaving only the master and servant in the shed, speechless. On one side was the bustling construction site, and on the other was the quiet shed.
After a while, Wang Xifeng seemed to have overthought things, gave Ping'er a strange look, and asked;
"What, you're finally quiet today. Tell me, once the people from the Chamber of Commerce return, Jia Yun and the others will definitely be asked about how we kept this a secret."
Especially considering the arriving cargo ships, who knows how much silver they're worth? If word gets out, conservatively tripled, that's 90,000 taels of silver. Even after deducting the money from the Marquis's mansion and his sister-in-law, at least 60,000 taels would still be in the account—more profitable than the imperial estate. But thinking of his sister-in-law, how could he possibly repay that?
Ping'er carefully poured another bowl of tea for her grandmother, put away the account book in her hand, and replied;
"Grandma, since the Chamber of Commerce can take Yun-ge'er, then they can take a few of them. As long as they keep their mouths shut and give them more money, that will shut them up. The rest will just be some idle gossip."
"Hmph, you make it sound so easy. Yun-ge'er is also unmarried. I think Jia Yun is quite handsome. Why don't we marry you off to him? With your figure, compared to that couple in front, which man could resist you?"
"Grandma, you,"
Hearing her grandmother's teasing, Ping'er blushed and looked around in fright. Fortunately, no one was there. Seeing Ping'er's flustered appearance, her grandmother suddenly felt bored.
"Alright, if you really had to go, your second master would eat me alive. What you just said wasn't wrong, but thankfully, things aren't peaceful with Brother Yun either. As for the manor, oh right, wasn't Steward Lin's daughter, Xiao Hong, supposed to be coming into the manor?"
Although it was said in jest, Wang Xifeng still pondered these words in her heart. If she could arrange a marriage for Yun-ge'er, their relationship could be taken to the next level. After all, Manager Yu of the Red Mansion was famous in the capital for his business.
Ping'er frowned. She did vaguely remember Lin Zhixiao's daughter.
“Grandma, since we’ve mentioned her, why not let her serve in the pear garden for a while and see how she is? If she’s loyal, that’s fine; if she’s not, we’ll have a way to deal with her. We should also keep an eye on Steward Lin.”
Since the selection is for a maidservant to marry into the family, she needs to be clever and loyal. If she's foolish, she'll only make things worse.
“Yes, let’s go, let’s go see Steward Lin and settle this matter. Then we’ll wait for Jia Yun to come back and have a proper talk with her.”
Thinking of this, Wang Xifeng could hardly sit still. She braced her hands on the table, and the mandarin ducks in front of her were immediately marked by the restraint of her clothes, which was captivating!
Qinghu
Youlai Restaurant
A cool breeze blowing from the Qinghu Lake swept past the restaurant windows, bringing a touch of coolness.
On the second floor, the Prince of Jin was already seated in the main seat, while the Prince of Chu and the Prince of Wei sat in the main seats on the east side. The Marquis of Xiangyang and others arrived one after another and sat in the seats behind the Marquis of Luoyun on the west side. The entire hour had passed in a hurry.
Many of those who received the invitations had strange expressions and were filled with doubt, so they changed their routes and went to the banquet venue instead.
They entered the courtyard in a scattered manner. Although there was no one around except for the guards and coachmen, the quiet environment was refreshing for everyone.
Marquis Bai Guangju of Xiangyang was a latecomer. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw the familiar golden-armored guards, as well as the royal guards. Clearly, the princes should have arrived soon. Not daring to be negligent, he straightened his robes.
They went into the restaurant, and then another carriage arrived. The Marquis of Xiangyang had just stepped into the restaurant when he paused, turned around, and saw that it was his eldest son, Li Chaosheng, just getting off the carriage.
He then stepped back and waited. There stood the eldest son, dressed in a moon-white scholar's robe, his face beaming with a gentle smile and an air of extraordinary refinement. Upon approaching, he first bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.
"Greetings, Marquis of Xiangyang. I wonder if the Marquis is here?"
"Who are we waiting for? Is it someone else receiving guests on behalf of the Prince?" Looking at the eldest son's reaction, the Marquis of Xiangyang shook his head and replied.
"Young Master, you misunderstand. I just arrived and heard the commotion at the gate. I wanted to see who it was, but I didn't expect it to be your carriage. So I stopped to wait for you, and we'll go up together."
Seeing the Marquis of Xiangyang explain so frankly, Li Chaosheng suddenly understood and smiled.
"Haha, Brother Bai is truly a remarkable person. Let's go up together. I didn't know that His Highness Prince Jin and the Marquis had changed places in such a hurry. It must be because the food and wine in this restaurant are so tempting."
He then stepped inside first, but the laughter from this incident made the Marquis of Xiangyang glance at the eldest son again. Was this a complaint? Sun Boyan, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, was the eldest son's man; what insights did he have about the matter?
Seeing that the person had already reached the stairwell, he didn't hesitate any longer and quickly followed, going up to the second floor together.
Upon entering the hall and passing behind the screen, they saw that quite a few people had already arrived. The two then performed the proper courtesies together.
"Greetings to all the princes and lords."
At this moment, Zhang Jinyu was still sitting there drinking tea. Upon hearing this, he saw that both the eldest young master and the Marquis of Xiangyang had come here. His eyes were a little strange. How could these two have come together? Was it a coincidence or was it intentional? After all, the Honglu Temple had stood him up. Could it be that the eldest young master's senior brother Sun had complained about his grievances?
(End of this chapter)