“How are the children at Ciyouju doing?”
Due to the turmoil five years ago, many homeless children had appeared in Yujing City.
Shen Zhaoli and Zhou Qingyun immediately hit it off and established a Ciyouju.
It was dedicated to taking in abandoned infants and orphans.
For over a year now, she had been so overwhelmed by her troubles with Xie Yuheng that she had hardly had time to visit the children.
Mentioning this, Zhou Qingyun couldn’t help but feel a bit resentful and shot Shen Zhaoli a glare.
“At least you still remember those children. All you do is send money every month, but you never show your face.”
Since the two of them had fallen out, she couldn’t bring herself to seek out Shen Zhaoli.
As if by unspoken agreement, she would go to Ciyouju on the first day of each month.
Who would have thought this heartless woman hadn’t gone even once?
“It’s my fault. How about we go see the children today?” Shen Zhaoli linked arms with Zhou Qingyun, her tone somewhat ingratiating.
Zhou Qingyun glanced at her. “I just went yesterday.”
“Ciyouju is now caring for over a hundred children, and we’re short on staff. If you’re sincere, find some helpers.”
Shen Zhaoli’s expression turned serious. “Alright, I’ll make sure to handle this properly.”
The two friends, having not seen each other for a long time, chatted and laughed, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
As dusk approached, Zhou Qingyun finally left in the Zhou family carriage.
Meanwhile, at the Prime Minister’s Mansion.
Xie Yuheng had ordered an audit of the accounts, and the entire household was so terrified that no one dared utter a word.
Before long, the steward arrived with the accountant, carrying a stack of account books, his expression troubled.
“Sir, the household accounts truly have no silver left.”
Seeing Xie Yuheng frown, the steward quickly continued.
“Although the Prime Minister’s Mansion owns several farmlands and shops, there are no skilled managers in the household. They barely cover basic operations each month, generating little income. The only reliable source is Your Excellency’s monthly salary.”
“As the Prime Minister, Your Excellency’s salary is substantial, but the household expenses are even greater.”
“Take, for example, the Yishou Geng that Old Madam consumes daily. The medicinal ingredients alone cost over five hundred taels per month.”
“The household meals vary daily, requiring fresh ingredients to be purchased every day. The kitchen expenses amount to about fifteen hundred taels per month.”
“Servants’ monthly wages total over three hundred taels. Just these items alone add up to at least twenty-three hundred taels per month.”
“This doesn’t even include banquets, outings, gifts exchanged with other officials, rewards from the masters, clothing, travel, and so on. If calculated in detail, the household’s monthly expenditure is at least close to four thousand taels.”
The accountant’s abacus clicked and clacked, each sound striking heavily on Xie Yuheng’s heart.
Four thousand taels in monthly expenses?!
Yet his monthly salary was only one thousand taels.
With such a huge shortfall, how had it been resolved all this time?
Xie Yuheng had a vague suspicion but couldn’t bring himself to believe it.
Old Madam Xie was startled by the figures. “So much? A month’s expenses here could support an ordinary family comfortably for a lifetime.”
Su Qingxi was also stunned but didn’t forget the most important matter.
“Steward, what did you mean just now when you said the accounts have no silver?”
Xie Yuheng and Old Madam Xie also looked over, feeling tense.
The steward wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and handed the account book to Xie Yuheng.
“The household owes three thousand three hundred taels this month.”
In the accounts, income was recorded in red and expenses in black, each entry clear and straightforward.
Xie Yuheng’s face darkened.
For such a grand Prime Minister’s Mansion, there wasn’t a single tael of silver left in the accounts.
Old Madam Xie was stunned for a moment, somewhat unable to believe it.
“How could we possibly owe over two thousand taels? That’s utter nonsense. Did you servants steal silver from the mansion?”
“The accounts have always been under your management. Even if you’ve been tampering with them behind the scenes, we wouldn’t be able to tell.”
The steward and the accountant felt displeased at being falsely accused, but they still adhered to propriety and did not show disrespect.
“Old Madam, every single expense in the accounts can be traced. The servants in the mansion have never taken a single copper coin more from the Prime Minister’s Mansion.”
Turning to Xie Yuheng, the steward bowed and said, “Sir, other matters aside, the three hundred taels in monthly wages for the servants cannot be reduced.”
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Xie grew angry. “They’re just a few servants who wait on people. Three hundred taels in monthly wages? Isn’t that robbery?”
“When Qinggui established his household, Princess Changle insisted on forcing you all in here. I had my doubts back then—servants who wait on people can be bought anywhere.”
“Wasn’t it just to keep an eye on my son that she forced you in? Now you’re causing unrest throughout the entire mansion. How could the kitchen’s purchases possibly require so much silver? She never had good intentions!”
“Each of you thinks that just because you have the Princess’s name behind you, you can act lawlessly.”
“A bunch of dishonest people, stealing silver from the mansion and still wanting monthly wages?”
“Not a chance! I’ll have you all sent to the authorities! A few dozen lashes will surely make you behave.”
Old Madam Xie was so angry that her chest heaved uncontrollably. Looking at the servants in the room, she found every single one of them displeasing.
Nanny Cui, who was attending to her nearby, frowned slightly but still stepped forward to massage Old Madam Xie and soothe her anger.
Old Madam Xie swatted Nanny Cui’s hand away, her anger subsiding slightly.
“I think you were also sent by her to annoy me, controlling me every day, forbidding this and that!”
“Spending so much silver only to bring in troublemakers like you! What terrible luck!”
Nanny Xue, who had come from the Princess’s Mansion, couldn’t help but feel a chill upon hearing these words.
Her Highness had worked so hard and spent so much effort, only to support such ungrateful people.
It truly wasn’t worth it for Her Highness.
All the servants sent to the Prime Minister’s Mansion had been carefully selected from the Yuyong Shicongju (Imperial Attendants Bureau).
Generally speaking, they were specially trained to serve members of the royal family.
If not for Princess Changle’s orders, even the Prime Minister’s Mansion wouldn’t have been able to employ servants trained by the Yuyong Shicongju.
Every one of them who came from the palace, if placed in noble families outside, would be highly respected as governesses.
Fifty taels in monthly wages would be considered low, and noble families would still have to treat them with reverence and respect. Even then, it would depend on whether they were willing to stay.
Yet this Prime Minister’s Mansion didn’t know what was good for them.
She only asked for fifteen taels in monthly wages.
And they were ordered around all day long.
Now they were even being falsely accused of theft, such a disgusting accusation!
Stepping back two paces, Nanny Cui performed a standard court bow to Old Madam Xie.
“Old Madam, since you are so dissatisfied with us, we can no longer stay here.”
“Cui Shi resigns!”
Old Madam Xie’s eyes widened slightly, her face filled with anger.
“You servants can’t even take a few words from your master?”
“Resign? Trying to threaten me with this? Not a chance! Leave if you want, but don’t expect a single copper coin!”
As soon as she finished speaking, a large group of people entered the room from outside.
“Cook Huo Shi resigns!”
“Accountant Liu Mou resigns!”
“Steward Wu Mou requests to resign!”
…
Voices requesting resignation rose one after another.
In no time, nearly half of the mansion’s servants had jointly submitted their resignations.
Old Madam Xie was so furious her face turned ashen, slamming the table as she stood up: “This is rebellion! You’ve all rebelled! What do you think you are? How dare you put on airs!”
Xie Yuheng frowned deeply, not having anticipated the situation would escalate to this point, his voice taking on a more serious tone.
“Mother, please do not interfere in this matter.”
Old Madam Xie was so enraged she wanted to say more, but was silenced by Xie Yuheng’s gaze.
Xie Yuheng’s expression softened slightly as he looked at the crowd.
“Steward Wu, Nanny Cui, I am aware of the contributions you have made to the mansion. My mother spoke somewhat recklessly, and I hope you will not act on impulse.”
Steward Wu’s expression was far from pleasant, but he remained quite courteous when facing Xie Yuheng.
“Prime Minister, although we are servants, we are still human beings, not beasts.”
“Moreover, all of us were sent here by Her Highness Princess Changle, not sold to the Prime Minister’s Mansion.”
“Since we are no longer to our master’s liking, there is no need for us to remain.”
Xie Yuheng frowned deeply, not wishing for Steward Wu and the others to leave.
His mother did not understand the value of these people, but he knew it well.
“We respectfully request the Prime Minister to grant our resignations!”
Steward Wu bowed his head and made a deep bow, and the others followed suit, their attitude resolute.