Shao Xun had originally thought that Lin Yulan was merely speaking on a whim, but to his surprise, in less than two days, she actually had Xiao Qu send word to Shao Ke, asking for his help.
The invested capital was not small either—a full three thousand taels.
Shao Xun had not checked her dowry, but as far as he could see, with the Lin family’s background, this three thousand taels was likely all the silver his wife could gather.
In truth, this was indeed all the silver Lin Yulan could produce. She did not dare sell off her other possessions; items entering and leaving the Marquis’s Manor could not be hidden, and if word got out that the newlywed Marchioness was secretly selling her dowry, neither she nor the Marquis’s Manor would have any face left.
Shao Xun could not help but offer a few tactful words of advice. Investing so much all at once—what if she lost it? Would that not be a heavy loss?
Knowing in her heart that this was a business sure to profit without loss, Lin Yulan naturally refused to let go of this great opportunity.
Her tone was gentle as she politely expressed her thanks, but changing her mind was out of the question.
Not only did she refuse to back down, but she also attempted to pull Shao Xun into the venture as a partner.
The Marquis had treated her with goodwill, so she felt she ought to repay the kindness; however, if the Marquis was unwilling, she could only leave the matter at that.
Shao Xun was nearly angered into laughing by her.
This newlywed wife of his appeared gentle and amiable, yet when she dug her heels in, she was stubborn enough!
For reasons unknown, his head grew hot, and he actually ended up investing money with her, joining in with ten thousand taels.
“You do not need to worry about this matter anymore; I will have Shao Ke handle it.”
“Then I shall trouble you, Marquis. Please be sure to remember: it must be plain damask, patterned damask, damasks in various shades like lotus-root green, and so on. The newer the patterns, the better. These materials are lightweight, with lovely colors and patterns, making them the absolute best for tailoring summer clothing. Do not take anything else.”
“Fine then!”
Shao Xun did not know what to make of his own state of mind—he had probably lost his senses.
The two handled this matter very quietly, yet unexpectedly, Old Lady Shao and Madame Fu still found out.
When Lin Yulan went to pay her respects to the Old Lady, Madame Fu happened to be present as well, and she asked a few questions with a smile.
Lin Yulan had no choice but to nod in assent.
Madame Fu covered her mouth and teased with a smile: “Nephew’s wife truly knows how to manage a household. Having just married into the family, you already know to earn money for expenses. However, the silk and satin shops and cloth stores in the capital are beyond count; taking a plunge into this field might not necessarily be a good idea.”
Lin Yulan smiled with good humor: “I am merely giving it a try; I do not know whether I can earn any money either.”
“May I ask how much capital Nephew’s wife invested? In this line of business, if you invest too little capital, you cannot earn much; if you invest too much, an inadvertent slip could easily trap your funds and cause you to lose everything!”
Lin Yulan kept a cautious mind and did not tell her the truth, merely smiling as she said: “I took a few hundred taels, and the Marquis also took a few hundred taels, just joining forces to see how it goes.”
“How many hundred taels is ‘a few hundred’ exactly?”
Madame Fu laughed.
Lin Yulan paused for a moment and said vaguely: “Mm, it is just a few hundred.”
This Second Aunt truly did not hold her in any regard at all; otherwise, how could she ask in such a manner?
Seeing that she was unwilling to go into detail, Madame Fu was somewhat displeased, chuckling softly: “What is there that cannot be said? Could it be that Nephew’s wife fears that if you earn silver, I, as your aunt, would snatch it from you?”
Lin Yulan smiled: “Second Aunt must be joking. It is simply too little, and I am embarrassed to speak of it, that is all.”
These words were to Madame Fu’s liking, and she smiled again: “Then Ah Xun is to blame. He has plenty of money in his hands; is he reluctant to give Nephew’s wife a bit more?”
The Manor of the Marquis of Wuwei had established itself through military exploits. This marquisate title had been won by their ancestors and father’s generation through fighting with swords and spears on the battlefield, accumulating a vast amount of spoils of war over the years and building up a wealth that was by no means small.
After Shao Xun’s birth grandmother passed away, his grandfather had originally not intended to marry a second wife. The current Old Lady Shao had only managed to marry into the Marquis’s Manor by employing certain tactics. It was not a glorious affair, and the Marquis’s Manor had to cover it up; very few people knew about it, and as the years passed, it was almost forgotten by everyone.
However, the old Marquis had carried resentment in his heart. When the old gentleman was alive, this Old Lady could not touch even the edge of the immense wealth within the manor.
Later, before the old Marquis passed away, a large portion of the property was directly handed over to the eldest son and his wife. Old Lady Shao had tried to lay hands on it several times to no avail, which angered her to no small degree.
Now, those riches were all in Shao Xun’s hands. Given Shao Xun’s temperament, neither Old Lady Shao nor Madame Fu could touch any of it.
As for how much wealth Shao Xun actually possessed, they had no idea whatsoever.
When Madame Fu said these words, she could not help but feel sour, and it was also a probe.
How could Lin Yulan know these secret matters? But as long as she knew that Madame Fu harbored no good intentions, that was enough.
“This concubine is merely testing the waters; how could I dare ask for more of the Marquis’s silver? If it loses money, this concubine would feel uneasy in her heart as well.”
Madame Fu smiled: “Nephew’s wife is far too cautious. Ah Xun spends his days outside indulging in wine and women, fighting roosters and racing dogs, spending money like water—it is nothing more than wasting it for nothing. Would it not be better to let Nephew’s wife try? What if you actually make a profit!”
Old Lady Shao knitted her brows. “Leaving profits aside for a moment, Ah Xun truly acts far too foolishly outside. How is he still the same as before? He hardly ever returns home. Lin, you must discipline him more and urge him to strive for progress! Otherwise, whether he can preserve this title or not will be hard to say. With him damaging the ancestors’ prestige like this, could the Emperor hold him in favor? As his wife, you cannot do nothing!”
“Yes, Old Lady, your granddaughter-in-law will keep it in mind.”
“Keeping it in mind is useless; you must actually carry it out.”
“Yes, your granddaughter-in-law will certainly devote her heart to it.”
“Mm,” Old Lady Shao nodded in satisfaction only then. “Then you must pay attention to what he does every day, where he goes, ask what ought to be asked, and control what ought to be controlled. If he does not listen, you come tell me, and I will scold him. You do not need to mention these words to him, lest his temper flared up and he caused another scene.”
“Yes, Old Lady.”
How could Lin Yulan fail to see that Old Lady Shao was making her spy on Shao Xun, yet framing it in such a high-sounding manner?
Indeed, someone who was not one’s own blood was different. Take someone like Old Lady Shao for instance: Shao Xun also called her grandmother, and who in this Marquis’s Manor would dare disrespect her? Yet she still wanted this title to pass to the bloodline she herself had borne, never considering Shao Xun as a junior family member at all.
Both Old Lady Shao and Madame Fu were quite satisfied with Lin Yulan’s attitude, making the atmosphere harmonious for a time.
Madame Fu suddenly smiled again: “By the way, I have so many affairs to attend to that I nearly forgot. Nephew’s wife, go back and pick out proper clothing and jewelry, and accompany me tomorrow to attend a banquet at the Manor of the Duke of Rong.”
“Ah?” Hearing the mention of the Manor of the Duke of Rong out of nowhere, Lin Yulan’s heart skipped a beat, and her expression changed slightly.
Seeing that both Old Lady Shao and Madame Fu were looking at her with some surprise, Lin Yulan had no choice but to capitalize on the moment with a bitter smile: “Second Aunt, I have never attended such a banquet before, so I am somewhat nervous. Please do not laugh at me, Second Aunt.”
Thinking of her background, Madame Fu understood and felt contempt in her heart, smiling as she said: “Rest assured, you are now the Marchioness of Wuwei; your status and position are entirely different, so who would dare look down on you? When the time comes, just follow me.”
“Many thanks to Second Aunt. By the way, Second Aunt, I wonder what the banquet at the Manor of the Duke of Rong is being held for…”
Telling her nothing at all—how badly did Madame Fu want to set a trap for her and watch her make a fool of herself?
“It is nothing major either, just a flower-viewing banquet. Everyone is gathering together to enjoy a lively time, that is all.”