“How much surplus?” Lu Changqing’s heart tightened.
He had some idea of the family’s situation—there wouldn’t be much left.
“What surplus? It’s debt! After all the calculations, she managed the household for five years, and in the end, we still owe her three hundred taels of silver!”
“How is that possible?” Lu Changqing gritted his teeth, recalling the smile Fang Qianxue had given him earlier, and suddenly sensed the mockery hidden beneath it.
A surge of hatred rose within him, and the man clenched his fists tightly.
And here he had thought he owed her emotionally, even buying candied chestnuts to please her earlier. What was the result?
This wasteful woman had ruthlessly tricked him! Absolutely despicable!
After Lu Wanrou finished speaking, Lu Changqing grabbed her elbow firmly. “Second Brother, you must rein in Lady Fang. Where has she squandered our family’s money?”
“I know. Go back and rest. I’ll go see Mother myself.” Thinking that money matters shouldn’t trouble his sister, Lu Changqing sent Lu Wanrou back to her room and walked into the main hall of the Pine Sound Residence.
Lady Chen was holding a bowl of millet porridge, eating it with pickled vegetables. Seeing him arrive, she gave a bitter smile. “Changqing, you’re here?”
“Has Mother not yet had dinner?” The man bowed respectfully to Lady Chen.
“Ah!” Lady Chen shook her head. “My stomach has been hurting terribly lately. The physician said I should take bird’s nest with my medicine. Thinking to save some money, I had the bird’s nest replaced with millet. It’s all the same anyway.”
“Bird’s nest and millet—how can they be the same?” Lu Changqing couldn’t help but feel distressed. “Tomorrow, switch back to bird’s nest.”
“Changqing, I know you’re filial, but from now on, our Lu family probably won’t be able to afford bird’s nest anymore.” Lady Chen choked back tears as she looked at the account book on the table.
Lu Changqing picked up the account book on the table and glanced at it. “Wanrou already told me everything. Mother, you were foolish. Why did you take this account book? Why did you let Lady Fang settle accounts separately from us?”
The Lu family had come to the capital from elsewhere and had very few assets in the capital. The late patriarch used to say that the Lu family was a scholarly household, focused solely on studying and not on business.
In contrast, the Fang family had given Fang Qianxue quite a few manors and shops as dowry. Not taking advantage of such an opportunity would be a waste. Only a fool like Lu Wanrou would clamor for separate accounts!
“I had no choice. Lady Fang was aggressive, saying that if I didn’t take this account book, she would tally the expenses for your elder brother’s funeral and all the medicine I’ve taken over the years. That’s no small sum. If it were brought before the imperial censor, I was afraid it would damage your reputation.” Lady Chen put down her small bowl and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. “I had to take this account book. If I don’t manage the household, who will? Wanrou or Miaoyan?”
“Enough, enough.” Lu Changqing also knew that Lu Wanrou and Xu Miaoyan were incapable. “We’ll just have to live frugally. Once my and Miaoyan’s salaries come in, things will get better.”
His monthly salary was eight dan, equivalent to ten taels of silver, plus the twenty taels of silver the court provided as a pension for his elder brother. Now that Xu Miaoyan had become a sixth-rank female official, they would have at least several dozen taels of silver coming in each month.
He had already made up his mind. Since Fang Qianxue wanted to settle accounts separately, he wouldn’t give a single penny of his salary to her and her son in the future.
“Changqing,” Lady Chen looked at her son, hesitating before finally speaking. “I’m afraid we can’t wait that long. There’s something urgent right now.”
“What’s so urgent?”
“A few days ago, didn’t I have Brocade Embellishment Studio make a few new outfits for Madam Xu?” Lady Chen whispered. “It was on credit. We need to repay the debt as soon as possible.”
“How much do we owe?” Lu Changqing asked, his face filled with impatience.
To marry Xu Miaoyan, he was already deeply in debt—how could there be another bill?
“Five thousand taels.”
“How much?!” Lu Changqing exclaimed in shock.
Five thousand taels might be nothing to a wealthy family, but for their Lu family, it was more than they spent on clothing in an entire year!
“Five thousand taels,” Lady Chen hurriedly explained upon seeing her son’s changed expression. “The customers at Brocade Pavilion are all wealthy and noble—it’s normal for a single garment to cost over a thousand taels. I didn’t even dare buy anything for myself; I only bought a few outfits and jewelry for Madam Xu and Wanrou…”
“Mother!” Lu Changqing felt dizzy and nearly stumbled. “My monthly salary is only ten taels. How am I supposed to repay five thousand taels?”
“Changli has been an official for so long—shouldn’t he have left some belongings behind? I reminded you to bring back his private savings when you went to Jiangning!” Lady Chen frowned. “This money was spent on Madam Xu, so it’s only right to repay it with his funds.”
“…” Lu Changqing clutched his chest. “Brother had already squandered most of his money while he was alive! There’s hardly anything left.”
Although Lu Changli never married, he prided himself on being refined and often attended poetry gatherings in the capital. At such events, there were always beautiful companions, and he would spend lavishly on those he fancied.
“How could there be nothing?” Lady Chen stood up anxiously. “As an inspector, didn’t local officials offer him gifts every time he went on inspections? Over all these years, he must have saved up several thousand taels!”