My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Sleepless Night

Chapter 174

”Your senior sister is as clever as a monkey; there’s no need for a child your age to worry. Your brother-in-law is even more remarkable; what hasn’t he seen before? Just sleep well or you won’t grow tall. When you grow up, then you can contribute more.”

Doctor Li indisputably silenced Xiao Dong.

Xiao Dong closed his eyes.

Outside, the sound of birds chirping resounded intermittently, and next door, Doctor Liu’s window opened and closed frequently, making the sound quite clear.

Gu Jinghui still didn’t close his eyes; messages from the guards came one after another, preventing him from sleeping.

Qin Yuan also didn’t sleep.

These days, due to the worship of the Measles Goddess within the mansion, the couple had to separate into different rooms.

Gu Jinghui stayed in the study in the outer courtyard, while Hong Ye and Cui Ming simply accompanied Qin Yuan in the main room, sitting together at the table, sorting out the accounts at night.

Hong Ye learned quickly and could already manage the accounts independently; Qin Yuan checked a few times and let her calculate alone.

Cui Ming was much slower, but could still be of assistance.

The accounting books for the inner courtyard had already been sorted out, but previous years’ books were still stored in the mansion’s accountant’s office. Hong Ye asked, ”Miss, should we go through the accounts of previous years?”

Qin Yuan said nothing.

Cui Ming said, ”It’s just been more than half a year, and already so much; it’s not even the end of the year yet, my goodness. Over the years, I can’t imagine how much there must be.”

To be honest, Qin Yuan was also astonished.

Perhaps it is because the Qin family is too poor, and the Lin family has no solid foundation, she didn’t know that the flow of money in the Marquis Mansion, with so few masters, was like running water.

A chicken egg costs one cent, but in the Marquis Mansion’s accounting book, it’s five cents per egg.

Not to mention chicken, duck, fish, meat, exotic fruits and vegetables, silver frost charcoal in winter, ice in summer, daily incense, curios, rare plants, and splendid embroideries.

Every layer incurs extra spending.

It seems this has become standard practice.

Hong Ye said, ”No wonder Mrs. Lu’s incident frightened those housekeepers like that; I was initially worried that after the miss hastily took over the inner courtyard, they would cause trouble behind the scenes. Unexpectedly, even the housekeepers under Sixth Lady are as timid as quails, not uttering a word. Apparently, these positions offer too much profit.”

People die for wealth, indeed it’s not false.

Who knows what thoughts these arrogant housekeepers harbor, but outwardly, they must be honest.

Cui Ming nodded, ”Even in the Qin Mansion, the kitchen steward is the most prosperous.”

Hong Ye snorted, ”The kitchen steward in the Qin Mansion is the madam’s attendant; with the madam managing the house, naturally she’d assign the juiciest position to someone most capable and trustworthy by her side.”

By implication, previously it was Sixth Lady managing, and these lucrative positions went to Sixth Lady’s people.

Qin Yuan said, ”That’s why I let you supervise the tea house and gather more information. The intricate entanglements behind these lucrative positions need to be understood before taking a stand. We’re new here and haven’t yet gained a firm foothold.”

Nanny Rong may not be aware of certain things, or may choose not to tell her.

Hong Ye sighed, ”Now that it’s the Feng Mansion, everyone is staying indoors, making it hard to gather information.”

Qin Yuan said, ”I know, don’t be anxious, everything comes with time.”

A moth flew straight in and fluttered against the lampshade, making a rustling sound.

Qin Yuan gently waved a round fan, shooing it away.

Hong Ye, resting her chin in her hands, blinked, ”Sixth Lady must get many benefits through these housekeepers. Even if these housekeepers belong to the Old Madam, now they’ve got profitable positions, they wouldn’t neglect her, which covers for her quite well.”

Cui Ming smiled, ”Clearly, there must be hidden benefits; since she’s managing the household, these housekeepers have to watch her mood to live well, inevitably showing some respect. But to say she’s all-powerful in the Marquis Mansion might not be true.”

Hong Ye retorted, ”Wasn’t it during the miss’s return that Sixth Lady deliberately caused trouble? Her influence reached outside the courtyard; if the miss hadn’t sent me to complain to Nanny Rong, who knows how that day would have ended.”

Speaking of that incident, Hong Ye was still quite upset.

Qin Yuan smiled.

Considering Hong Ye’s temperament, she probably remembers that incident until her last breath.

Cui Ming laughed, ”If she were omnipotent, why resort to such measures? That incident was done using Seventh Miss’s hand, causing her to be disciplined by the Marquis and Old Madam, and currently confined to learn spinning and embroidery.”

Qin Yuan nodded in agreement, ”Yes, otherwise how could I have conveniently acquired half of the household management from her?”

If she truly were omnipotent, she wouldn’t be able to keep even half of the management she’d acquired.

Merely borrowing prestige at best.

Hong Ye pouted silently.

Qin Yuan knew she couldn’t wait to give Sixth Lady a good reprimanding, after some consideration she said, ”Let’s not go over previous years’ accounts for now; my aim is the household management. Never mind the housekeepers for now, as disrupting their financial paths would be akin to killing their parents. Just take note of the important details; we’ll find a use for them.”

Hong Ye sighed and nodded.

Cui Ming pondered.

Qin Yuan continued, ”Estimate the silver Sixth Lady embezzled, no need to calculate each transaction meticulously. After all, she is still Sixth Master’s wife, the mother of his legitimate son and daughter. Considering them, the Old Madam wouldn’t take severe action against her. I just want the Old Madam to know what Sixth Lady has done and agree to hand over the household management to me.”

It’s merely so, she and Sixth Lady still have to be sisters-in-law.

As long as Sixth Master doesn’t divorce his wife and still gives her the respect of a legitimate wife, Qin Yuan cannot completely have a falling out with Sixth Lady.

Otherwise, it’d embarrass Sixth Master.

Hong Ye pouted and remained silent.

Looking at her, Qin Yuan said, ”All I need is a reason for Sixth Lady to hand over the household management. A reason so substantial that even if the sky were to fall, it wouldn’t change; embezzlement fits the bill perfectly.”

Cui Ming said, ”You’re right, Miss. Although Sixth Lady has been trying to hinder the Miss constantly, it’s not to the extent of eliminating entirely. The Old Madam previously relied on Sixth Lady to handle household management; if she punishes Sixth Lady too much due to Miss’s actions, there will inevitably be gossip, saying the Old Madam favors the legitimate daughter-in-law over the stepson and his wife.”

Ill-treatment towards stepson and his wife would sound bad if spread around.

Besides, the Xu family is quite formidable.

Hong Ye also understood this point, and silently lowered her head, tearing apart the scrap paper beside her.

Qin Yuan didn’t say more, picked up a pen, and copied down the details that had been sorted out.

Hong Ye and Cui Ming had already organized and summed them up, so copying wasn’t too tedious.

The ink Gu Marquis provided last time hasn’t been used up, saving some effort.

After writing, Cui Ming spread them open, waiting for the ink to dry.

After a long silence, Hong Ye suddenly spoke, ”Sixth Lady at least said something right, having a child does give one stability. Although she embezzled silver, caused trouble behind the scenes, even fought with Sixth Master and scratched his face, she’s still lightly placed.”

When Hong Ye said this, her head was lowered, not even looking at Qin Yuan.

But this was clearly said for Qin Yuan.

Cui Ming frowned slightly; Hong Ye has stopped urging the miss to consummate the marriage, instead now urging for a child.