Chapter 7
He Fangting slept soundly, but Songrong Hall was brightly lit as the household accounts were handed over overnight.
Jiang Chengzong actually did not want Li Xixiang to manage the household. He had always looked down on this daughter-in-law. But He Fangting’s attitude had been resolute—she had completely washed her hands of the matter—and he did not want to be controlled by her.
Handing things over to his old wife, Madam Pan, had never even crossed his mind. That left only Li Xixiang. He thought to himself that he would simply keep a closer watch on things.
Li Xixiang did not trust Bai Wei, Accountant Chen, or Accountant Wang. She no longer had the energy to keep fighting Jiang Linxiu and instead brought along her two dowry maids to personally inspect the accounts. Her mother had come from a merchant family and had taught her bookkeeping from childhood; her abacus clicked rapidly beneath her fingers.
Halfway through the night, she suddenly cried out in shock.
“How can there only be six hundred and twenty-one taels of silver left in the accounts? Impossible! I don’t believe it!”
What could such a tiny amount even do?
It was not enough to cover even one month of expenses for the estate!
Jiang Chengzong, Jiang Linxiu, and Jiang Furong all looked equally disbelieving. As for Madam Pan, who had never managed money in her entire life, six hundred taels already seemed like an enormous sum to her.
Li Xixiang’s first reaction was that He Fangting had embezzled the household funds. Glowering at Bai Wei, she snapped, “Go invite your mistress here. The accounts are not clean!”
Bai Wei replied expressionlessly, “At this hour, the Princess Consort has already retired. If you have something to say, you may say it to this servant.”
She might not like talking much, but when necessary, she could be sharp-tongued.
Li Xixiang also knew He Fangting would not come, so she angrily demanded, “Fine, then answer me this—where did all the family money go? Why are there only six hundred and twenty-one taels left?”
Bai Wei answered calmly, “Not six hundred and twenty-one. Tomorrow morning several shops will come to settle their accounts. After payment, there should be about one hundred taels remaining.”
Li Xixiang: “…What shops?”
Bai Wei glanced at the ledger. “The wine shop, the silk store, and the pastry shop.”
At the mention of silk, Li Xixiang immediately thought of all the luxurious robes and dresses He Fangting wore endlessly. Her face twisted.
“Wine and pastries cost little. Silk is the real expense! All the family wealth has been worn on your mistress’s body!”
Bai Wei straightened and said sternly, “Second Madam, mind your words. The Princess owns her own cloth shops. She has never used household funds for clothing materials.”
Li Xixiang’s eyes lit up.
“Oh, I see! She sells fabric from her own shops to the household at inflated prices and profits twice over!”
Bai Wei looked at her speechlessly.
“Not so. None of the Princess Consort’s businesses conduct trade with the residence.”
Li Xixiang acted as if she had caught her in a lie and sneered, “I think you’re lying through your teeth! The jewelry delivered at the beginning of the month came from Fubao Studio. If I remember correctly, Fubao Studio is part of He Fangting’s dowry!”
She pulled the double-butterfly golden pearl hairpin from her hair, revealing the “Fu” seal of Fubao Studio engraved upon it.
Jiang Furong also raised her right hand to display a red-gold pearl bracelet.
“That’s right! It’s from Fubao Studio!”
Madam Pan hesitantly removed her Five Blessings golden hairpin and handed it to Jiang Chengzong to inspect.
Holding it before his eyes, Jiang Chengzong also found the “Fu” seal on the pin’s head. It was as though he had seized stolen goods. His face darkened.
“What is the meaning of this?”
Bai Wei looked even more speechless.
“Replying to Old Master: these were gifts from the Princess Consort to the female members of the household. They were not business transactions, and no money was charged. Nor are these the only things. Over the years, every item sent from the Princess Consort’s businesses has been given free of charge.”
The entire Jiang family froze, as though someone had slapped them across the face.
After several moments, Li Xixiang shrieked again, “Impossible! I don’t believe it!”
Who in the world would use their own dowry to buy gifts for sisters-in-law, mothers-in-law, and younger sisters—and never even mention it? No one could be that foolish!
Bai Wei said calmly, “Then check the ledgers. See whether there are any records.”
The Princess Consort had always been generous. Whenever she was in a good mood, she liked giving gifts.
And when she was in a bad mood, she loved buying and gifting things even more. Even the servants had received many benefits from her generosity.
Li Xixiang truly began flipping through the account books, occasionally questioning the two accountants.
Jiang Linxiu steadied himself and said gravely, “Even so, there shouldn’t be only a few hundred taels left in the accounts.”
He knew the family had originally been poor, but his elder brother had served in government for many years and had even been prefect in wealthy Jiangnan several times. There was an old saying:
“Three years as a clean prefect earns one hundred thousand taels of silver.”
His elder brother had served three terms—a total of nine years—so there should have been over three hundred thousand taels!
And that was before adding the income from the family’s farms and shops.
The current Assistant Minister of Revenue, a high-ranking third-rank official in one of the most lucrative departments, with only a few hundred taels at home? Who would believe such nonsense?
His elder brother always claimed to be upright and incorruptible, never taking a single coin that did not belong to him. Jiang Linxiu had praised him outwardly, but inwardly he thought his brother had merely become cunning—even hiding things from his own family.
An official who did not take bribes was as rare as a three-legged toad. The only difference between officials was whether they took more or less. Since his brother liked calling himself an honest official, then let him say so. Jiang Linxiu did not believe a word of it.
Bai Wei replied bluntly, “Second Master, how much did you think there should be? When Eldest Master first entered the Hanlin Academy as a seventh-rank official, his monthly salary was only seven dan of grain. All household expenses were paid from the Princess Consort’s dowry. Later, though he held several posts, his salary remained modest. Only after becoming a prefect—a fourth-rank official—did he earn twenty-four dan monthly, along with an annual integrity stipend of two thousand eight hundred taels. But there were still many expenses while in office: hiring advisors, employing attendants, supporting the family. Now, as Assistant Minister of Revenue, he receives thirty-five dan monthly and an annual integrity stipend of four thousand five hundred taels. Only then did he finally begin repaying some of the losses suffered by the Princess Consort.”
Jiang Linxiu stared blankly.
“Losses?”
Bai Wei looked astonished.
“Second Master, have you forgotten? Even this grand residence you live in was purchased by the Princess Consort! Shouldn’t that money be repaid? Yet here you are, red-faced with greed, trying to seize another person’s dowry!”
Jiang Linxiu very nearly said it did not need repaying, but he feared being lectured by his elder brother.
His elder brother valued reputation too much to openly say such shameless words as taking over his wife’s dowry.
