“Exactly! That money belongs to our Lu family. If you dare not repay Brocade Emporium’s debt, don’t even think about managing the household anymore!” Lu Wanrou snapped angrily.
Before her words had fully faded, Fang Qianxue gave her maid a meaningful glance. The latter then placed a bundle she had prepared earlier onto the table in front of Lady Chen with a loud thud.
“What is this?” Lady Chen was startled.
“Sister Wanrou is right. I was already thinking of returning the account books and tally tokens to Mother,” Fang Qianxue said, pointing to the bundle on the table. “Everything is here today. Please check them carefully, and once you’ve finished, hand them over to me properly.”
Back then, her grandfather had chosen this marriage for her because, although the Lu family was humble, they had produced two scholars with official titles—Lu Changli and Lu Changqing—which showed that the Lu family’s conduct was acceptable. Lady Chen also appeared amiable and reasonable on the surface.
Fang Qianxue had once thought that her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, though somewhat foolish and vulgar, would not engage in deceitful or fraudulent behavior. Only now did she realize that the Lu family’s inherent coldness and tendency to take advantage were ingrained in their bones.
If not for such a family culture, how could Lu Changqing have the audacity to propose something like dual inheritance?
“You want to hand over the accounts?” Lady Chen reached out to touch the bundle but quickly withdrew her hand. “Why make such a fuss? We are family, after all…”
“Mother! Why are you afraid of her?” Lu Wanrou boldly untied the bundle and began checking its contents. The tally tokens and account books were all there, not a single item missing. “It’s just as well she’s not managing the household. I’ll help you take charge!”
Cuishuang helped her open the account books, flipping through the pages one by one as she explained, “Take a good look. Our Plum Blossom Pride’s accounts have always been clearly separated from the household’s public accounts. The well in the backyard was also dug by our Fang family back then. Over the years, we haven’t taken a single grain of rice from your Lu family. Instead, Madam has repeatedly used her own money to subsidize the household’s public accounts.”
As a maid from the scholarly Fang family, she usually spoke softly, but that didn’t mean she was weak. When it was time to step up, she never hesitated.
Lady Chen didn’t even need to look. She knew how poor the Lu family had been when she managed the household, as the family had no property. Lu Wanrou, however, panicked at the numbers in the account books. “Why is there no balance? How are we in debt by several hundred taels?”
Fang Qianxue said nothing, only gently tapping the lid of her teacup as she calmly looked at Lady Chen.
“Of course!” Cuishuang raised her head proudly. “Doesn’t the money Madam used from her dowry to subsidize the household’s public accounts need to be repaid? When Miss Lu marries in the future, will her dowry also be confiscated for public use? There’s no such rule in Great Yong.”
Lu Wanrou gritted her teeth fiercely. “Let me take a closer look!”
“Go ahead!” Cuishuang tossed two account books onto the table. “Madam is benevolent. The medical expenses for Pine Sound Residence and the funeral expenses for the eldest master haven’t been charged to you. It’s just this debt of over three hundred taels. Once you’ve finished checking, sign and seal it.”
The room fell silent for a moment. Lu Wanrou calculated and recalculated, but there was truly no money in the accounts—only debt owed to Fang Qianxue. Only then did she realize she had stirred up a huge mess.
“Mother, look, these accounts…”
Lady Chen took a deep breath and smiled gently. “Qianxue, if you want to hand over the household management authority, at least wait until Changqing returns.”
In this household, Lady Fang listened most to Changqing. Her son was talented, handsome, and could coax Lady Fang into submission.
“I won’t wait,” Fang Qianxue put down her teacup and said impatiently. “I’m busy.”
“We can’t take these account books!” Lu Wanrou panicked.
She had originally wanted to get some money to repay the debt to Brocade Emporium, but not only did she fail to get any money, she now owed three hundred taels. Only a fool would take on such a burden!
“If you don’t accept this, I’ll tally up the medical expenses from Pinesong Residence and the funeral costs for the eldest master later. By then, it won’t be just three hundred taels,” Fang Qianxue said with a faint smile. “What do you say?”
“Go ahead and calculate! We won’t pay anyway!”
“Enough!” Lady Chen grabbed Lu Wanrou’s wrist. “It’s only three hundred taels. The two jade bracelets Miaoyan gave me the other day will cover it.”
Her reputation mattered most to her. Although Lu Changqing’s official rank wasn’t high, he often appeared before the emperor and empress. If word got out that the Lu family owed their daughter-in-law her dowry, how could he ever get promoted?
The more Lady Chen looked at Fang Qianxue, the less she liked her. Xu Miaoyan gave her gifts without batting an eye, while Fang Qianxue kept accounts. Tsk, the difference was clear as day!
“Mother is indeed sensible,” Fang Qianxue praised. “Then I’ll trouble Wanrou to fetch the bracelets. Let’s settle this cleanly now.”
Lu Wanrou nearly gritted her teeth to dust, but she could only obey Lady Chen and obediently went to the inner chamber to retrieve the bracelets.
Fearing Fang Qianxue might change her mind, Lady Chen took advantage of her daughter fetching the bracelets to sign the handover agreement with Fang Qianxue. Two copies were made, and both parties pressed their seals.
“Then the responsibility of managing the household and the accounts of Brocade Pavilion will fall to you from now on, Mother,” Fang Qianxue said, carefully storing away the handover agreement.
“You’ve drawn a line with us today. Don’t regret it in the future,” Lady Chen said, happily accepting her copy of the agreement and boasting, “Once Miaoyan is appointed as the Nation-Protecting Saintess, Changqing becomes prime minister, and Wanrou marries into a noble family, what is a mere five thousand taels?”