“Back at the medicine shop, the shopkeeper’s wife taught me herself!” Cheng Chun said softly, looking at Su Xubai.
Su Xubai gazed at Cheng Chun for a long while without speaking.
Feeling uneasy under his scrutiny, Cheng Chun lowered her hands. “What’s the matter?”
Su Xubai smiled. “Nothing, I’m just a little surprised!”
He truly was astonished. He had never been one to indulge in sensual pleasures, and even after reaching adulthood, he had never kept a Tongfang. Taking Cheng Chun as his concubine was merely a way to take responsibility for his own mistake. In his eyes, she was just an illiterate farm girl.
But on that rainy night, when he hurried back and saw her curled up under the blankets, her lovely face flushed red, he suddenly felt a twinge of pity. Later, seeing how obedient and sensible she was, with her charming looks and delicate figure, he thought it wouldn’t be so bad to keep her around—like a pretty little vase, pleasing to the eye.
Yet these past few days, he had discovered that this little vase not only understood the importance of humility in dealing with others and the need for caution in her actions, but she could even use an abacus. She truly kept surprising him!
“I studied the abacus for a long time too!” Cheng Chun said somewhat sheepishly. “I’m not very clever. At first, I couldn’t even tell the difference between tens, hundreds, thousands, and ten-thousands. The shopkeeper’s wife was very patient, teaching me bit by bit, and that’s how I slowly learned.”
Su Xubai walked over behind them and carefully examined the accounts they had listed. One was calculating, the other recording, and they had already uncovered quite a few issues. He pointed to one column and asked, “What’s this?”
Cheng Chun looked at it, taking some effort to distinguish the details, then said, “These are the side dishes for the kitchen. The prices for these side dishes are all wrong. Take these scallions, for example. Since most households grow them themselves, few people buy them, so they aren’t worth much. Two copper coins can buy a whole pound. But according to the accounts, the kitchen spent three taels of silver on scallions in a single month. That means the household uses fifteen hundred pounds of scallions in a month!”
Su Xubai frowned. “Fifteen hundred pounds of scallions?”
Cheng Chun nodded solemnly. “Including the masters, servants, and laborers, there are thirty people in the household. That means each person would have to eat a pound and a half of scallions every day!”
Su Xubai was taken aback for a moment, then sneered. “If you said each person ate a pound and a half of grain a day, I’d find that reasonable. But now it seems everyone here is filling their bellies with scallions!”
“I originally thought the high cost might be due to buying too much at once, with spoilage and waste. So I had someone ask the kitchen. The kitchen buys fresh ingredients every day. Because the household purchases so much, often small items like scallions are given as extras or thrown in for free.” Cheng Chun looked up at Su Xubai and spoke word by word.
Su Xubai’s expression grew increasingly grim. “What about the others?”
“We’re still going through the accounts. We haven’t finished yet.” Seeing Su Xubai’s anger, Cheng Chun tugged at his hand. “The shopkeeper’s wife once told me, ‘If you trust someone, don’t doubt them; if you doubt someone, don’t use them.’ I don’t know what’s really going on with these accounts. It’s possible the buyers were deceived. Only after we’ve sorted out the accounts can we pursue the matter well-reasoned and well-grounded.”
Su Xubai had been quite furious, but upon hearing Cheng Chun say this, most of his anger dissipated: “Regardless of the truth, Nanny Zhang is in charge of the accounts. For allowing such errors to occur, the punishment she deserves cannot be avoided. But you are right—in everything, we must have reason and evidence before we can pursue the matter!”
Cheng Chun nodded and then returned to her abacus calculations.
Su Xubai did not disturb her. He sat down at the nearby desk, picked up a book to read, and in a way, kept them company.
Cheng Chun’s speed with the abacus was remarkably fast, producing a rapid clattering sound. As Su Xubai sat there listening, he couldn’t help but think that her calculations were likely faster than those of his own family’s accountant. It was just a pity she didn’t know many characters. If she could learn more in the future, she would undoubtedly excel at managing accounts.
Cheng Chun and Hongdou spent a long time organizing the account books, only managing to clear half of them by the time the sky had grown late. The two of them had been sitting for so long that they were beginning to feel weary, while Su Xubai, who had been sitting nearby reading, still appeared full of energy.
After tidying up the account books, the two prepared to rest.
By the time Cheng Chun lay down in bed, it was already midnight, and the night was deep. Su Xubai urged her to sleep early, so she quickly blew out the lamp: “I lost track of time while calculating the accounts and disturbed Fifth Master’s rest!”
“I usually sleep late anyway, and there’s nothing pressing tomorrow, so it’s no trouble!” Su Xubai turned over to face Cheng Chun. “You seemed happier today than usual!”
“Because I had something to do!” Cheng Chun replied without hesitation. “Ever since coming to this household, I’ve had everything handed to me on a silver platter—clothes to wear, food to eat. Apart from idling around, there’s been nothing for me to do. I was born into poverty and can’t get used to such a luxurious life!”
Su Xubai paused for a moment before chuckling. “This isn’t exactly a luxurious life. You only have Hongdou by your side. In the capital, young ladies from noble families always have at least three or four personal maids attending to them!”
Cheng Chun fell silent for a while before softly saying, “Wealthy families are always like that.”
Su Xubai waited for a long time, but when Cheng Chun didn’t say anything more, he suddenly felt puzzled. “Don’t you have anything else to say?”
Cheng Chun grew even more confused. “Say what?”
“You examined most of the accounts today and discovered so many problems. Don’t you have any thoughts about it?” Su Xubai sat up, looking at Cheng Chun with confusion.
Cheng Chun stared at Su Xubai, who had suddenly sat up, and grew even more bewildered. “Didn’t Fifth Master already ask about the accounts? Why should I repeat myself?”
“Nanny Zhang bullies you like that all the time. Aren’t you angry? Today, you finally caught her with such a big mistake. Aren’t you going to complain to me about it?” Su Xubai stared intently into Cheng Chun’s eyes, not looking away for a moment.
Cheng Chun met Su Xubai’s gaze and shook her head with genuine sincerity. “Nanny Zhang doesn’t like me, and she does often bully me, but she’s just venting with her words. Why bother holding it against her? Besides, what she says is true!”
“You really know how to brush off verbal attacks!” Su Xubai lay back down, somewhat deflated. “You’re so open-minded about it, making me seem petty in comparison!”
Cheng Chun lay there, gazing at the gently swaying gauze bed curtains. “By age, Nanny Zhang is considered my elder. There’s no need to get angry with them!”
Su Xubai interrupted Cheng Chun, “She is a servant, not your elder!”
Cheng Chun realized she had spoken out of turn and simply acknowledged with a hum, offering no further reply.
“I’m not blaming you, but you must carry yourself with the authority of a master. Otherwise, it’s inevitable that wicked servants will take advantage of their master!” Su Xubai sighed helplessly.
“I understand, Fifth Master!” Cheng Chun replied, tucking him in. “It’s time to rest!”