The Old Madam’s eyes gleamed with shrewdness. “No matter what she does outside, our Marquis Manor still needs her support and management.”
“You want her to work like an ox or a horse for the Marquis Manor, yet you also want to tie her hands and feet! What are you thinking?”
“If the shops’ businesses really go cold, you and I will have nothing to live on—do you understand?”
“If we rely solely on Qingfeng’s meager salary to support our entire household, we’ll all have to tighten our belts and fend for ourselves.”
After speaking, the Old Madam shot Chunlan Xiu a sharp glare.
Earlier this morning, when Song Yao had glared at her, Chunlan Xiu had cursed and grumbled endlessly.
Now, the Old Madam gave her the same look.
Yet Chunlan Xiu immediately softened. “Mother, then what do you think we should do?”
“Lingyue is, after all, a piece of flesh from my own body. If she can’t marry General Su, we must at least find her another family of similar standing.”
“If Song Yao really refuses to help Lingyue, I certainly don’t have the ability to secure a good marriage for her myself.”
Song Yao came from a merchant family. Her connections and relationships in the business world were well-known throughout the Marquis Manor.
After pondering for a long while, the Old Madam said, “In any case, it’s already late today. Song Shi has been busy all day. It wouldn’t be appropriate to go and discuss this with her now.”
“How about… we wait until tomorrow morning, after daybreak. I’ll speak to her personally then. That way, neither of you should have any objections.”
With this, Chunlan Xiu and Han Lingyue indeed had no further objections.
Chunlan Xiu and Han Lingyue stopped disturbing the Old Madam’s peace.
The two of them withdrew from the Old Madam’s courtyard together.
…
Song Yao returned to her room, where Hong Yu brought water for her to wash up.
Song Yao had no time for washing up just yet.
She took out two account books and sat down to carefully calculate exactly how much silver she had poured into the Marquis Manor over the years since her marriage.
Seeing that her mistress showed no intention of washing up, Hong Yu came over and sat quietly at the table, keeping her company.
The two books recorded over a decade’s worth of accounts.
To truly sort out these accounts clearly would take several days at the very least.
Song Yao made a rough estimate.
Over the past ten-plus years, the Marquis Manor had spent at least ten thousand taels of silver from her funds annually—and that was just the silver alone.
These approximate sums were only what was recorded in the books.
There were also social expenses and unrecorded expenditures, the amounts of which were unknown.
The more she looked through these two account books, the more her heart ached.
So much silver—some from her dowry, some from the money she had earned through her business ventures.
Because she had considered them all family, she had never minded spending for the sake of the Marquis Manor’s household.
Who would have thought that her generosity and lack of pettiness would end up fattening a group of bloodsuckers?
“Hong Yu, starting tomorrow, all daily expenses for everyone in the Marquis Manor will be drawn from the household accounts,” Song Yao said.
Hearing her mistress’s instructions, Hong Yu was taken aback at first.
Then she quickly understood her mistress’s meaning. “Ah, yes, of course. First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll inform every courtyard.”
Having been out running around all day, she was indeed tired.
Song Yao put away the account books, washed up, and went to bed.
Whatever matters lay ahead would have to wait until tomorrow.
First, sleep. Only after resting well could she face tomorrow.
Early the next morning, Madam Jin had originally planned to summon Song Yao to her room for questioning.
Suddenly, she received word that her son Han Qingfeng was estimated to return home around dinnertime that day.
Overjoyed by the news, Old Madam temporarily did not send anyone to fetch Song Yao.
Her son had gone to the capital for an audience with the emperor and had been away for several months. Learning that he would return by dinnertime today,
Old Madam ate nearly half a bowl more porridge for breakfast than usual.
Song Yao had declared that from today onward, all food, clothing, and daily expenses for everyone in the Marquis Manor would be drawn from the household accounts.
During breakfast, the meal was not much different from usual.
After all, the kitchen still had some good, expensive ingredients left.
But by lunchtime, when the servants brought the dishes to the table, there were only vegetables and tofu.
Old Madam Jin, Chunlan Xiu, and the three siblings.
Five pairs of eyes stared at the dishes on the table, each person stunned on the spot.
A maid brought up the last dish—a boiled cabbage soup.
Han Zhi stopped the maid, “What’s going on in the kitchen today? Why are all the dishes so plain and watery? Where are the chicken, duck, fish, and meat?”
The maid replied to the second young master, “Today, the vegetable delivery only brought these items. The kitchen has always cooked with whatever ingredients are available.”
The five people sitting around the dining table exchanged glances.
Chunlan Xiu asked the maid, “Are you saying the delivery didn’t bring any meat to the kitchen?”
The maid said, “They did. But because there wasn’t enough money in the accounts, the kitchen steward could only keep the cheapest ingredients. As for meat and such, the kitchen didn’t accept any of it.”
Han Zhang was puzzled, “How could there not be enough money? A grand Marquis Manor like ours shouldn’t be unable to afford even groceries.”
The maid shook her head, “Young Master, how would I know about such matters? I only serve the dishes to everyone.”
Chunlan Xiu dismissed the maid. Looking at the table full of dishes without even a hint of meat, she truly had no appetite.
She also wondered, “Out of nowhere, the manor can’t even afford groceries. That shouldn’t be the case.”
Han Lingyue stood up, “I’ll go find Song Yao and ask her what’s going on?”
Speak of the devil, and she appears.
Song Yao had already arrived at the entrance of Songhe Hall.
She lifted her leg and stepped over the threshold of Songhe Hall.
Walking in, she said angrily, “Han Lingyue, you’ve been calling your mother by her name behind my back all along?”
No one had expected Song Yao to suddenly appear during lunch today.
Ever since Song Yao fell ill last year, she had been taking her meals in her own room.
She hadn’t eaten with everyone for a long time.
Han Lingyue, accustomed to Song Yao’s absence, had carelessly called the woman who raised her by her full name without hesitation.
Song Yao approached and looked at Han Lingyue, “This is truly the first time I’ve seen a daughter call her mother by her name directly. Han Lingyue, you’ve really opened my eyes.”
Song Yao’s tone was cold, and her words were even more chilling.
The incident happened so suddenly that everyone sitting there failed to react in time.
Before anyone could respond, Song Yao continued, “Then again, I’m not your mother to begin with. I only raised you. Your birth mother is your aunt. Calling me ‘mother’ must indeed be a grievance for you.”
Chunlan Xiu quickly stood up, “Sister-in-law, don’t take it to heart with Lingyue. She’s just a child…”
Song Yao angrily rebuked, “Enough! What does being a child have to do with it? I’ve raised her for over ten years without expecting any repayment.”
“At the very least, she shouldn’t disrespect me behind my back like this. Such lack of upbringing—indeed, she isn’t my own.”
Chunlan Xiu’s expression immediately darkened.
Song Yao paid no heed to whether her face darkened or not. “Sister-in-law, from today onward, you can raise your daughter yourself. After all, I can’t seem to win her affection. Your daughter, I return to you.”
Chunlan Xiu wanted to say something, but upon seeing the look in Song Yao’s eyes, she swallowed all her words.
Old Madam grew uneasy. “Second daughter-in-law, why must you be so petty? The child is young—she just spoke thoughtlessly in the heat of the moment. Must you take it so seriously?”
“As the mistress of the Marquis Manor, to fuss over such trivial matters is truly beneath the dignity of the manor’s lady.”