Ch 98: You’re Asking Me Too?

As the words fell, Jiang Tingting’s mind went blank, unable to react for a long moment.

Ju Niuer was practically ready to kick her!

Jiang Tingting immediately said,

“Concubine did not! Concubine absolutely did not embezzle any funds! Wife entrusted me with such an important matter, how could I dare to pocket anything for myself?!”

“Concubine’s monthly allowance is sufficient, and pocketing funds only to be punished would bring me no benefit! Wife, please see clearly!”

Ju Niuer was startled, “If it wasn’t you, then who could it be? I entrusted this task to you! In front of Wife, are you still refusing to admit it?”

Watching their argument, Yuan Xueyue felt a sense of suspicion.

They shared the same courtyard and seemed to have a good relationship before, so why would such a thing happen?

Ju Niuer knelt down and said, “Wife! This matter has nothing to do with me. After you entrusted it to me, I handed this task over to Jiang Tingting, letting her coordinate with Mama Rong. As for how it ended up with this amount, I am not clear!”

“Wretched woman! Are you still not going to explain clearly?” Ju Niuer roared at Jiang Tingting.

Jiang Tingting refused to give in, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing once, she said,

“Wife, please see clearly! I am wronged! It was I who coordinated with Mama Rong, but the amount was absolutely correct, and the items were also purchased. As for why the amount is wrong, that I do not know!”

The two of them each told their own version of the story, making Yuan Xueyue even more confused.

Ju Niuer was so angry that she wanted to go up and fight with Jiang Tingting, but fortunately, the maids held her back.

Cuiping coldly said,

“You are both concubines, how can you act like this in front of Wife?”

“Can’t you speak properly?!”

Cuiping was the head maid of Liyuan Garden and also Wife’s personal maid, so naturally, her status was higher than theirs.

So, seeing them like this, she couldn’t help but scold them.

She also spoke for Wife, and Yuan Xueyue felt quite puzzled. She signaled with her eyes for Cuiping to call a maid to summon Mama Rong.

Cuiping turned her head and signaled a lower-ranking maid behind her to go find someone.

Mama Rong also arrived quickly, knelt down and saluted, “Greetings, Wife. The maid told this old servant, regarding the items, this old servant also checked them and found no errors. There were indeed fifteen items. This old servant thought it was Wife’s arrangement.”

“After all, in previous years, the residence did not have extra money, and only eight or ten pieces of porcelain were purchased. This year, this old servant did not know that Wife was purchasing twenty pieces. The count and record were both fifteen pieces. Wife, please take a look.”

Mama Rong also handed over the registration book for the part of the Back Courtyard she managed to Wife for inspection.

Yuan Xueyue took it, looked it over, and returned it.

“Alright, there’s nothing more for you here, you may leave.” Yuan Xueyue waved her hand to dismiss Mama Rong.

Now, Ju Niuer and Jiang Tingting, who were kneeling on the ground, were dumbfounded!

Their faces were equally astonished, both believing they were not at fault!

Yuan Xueyue narrowed her eyes and asked, “Raise your heads.”

Looking at their faces, Yuan Xueyue had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

Niuer……

“This matter, I am also unsure how to handle it. You both go back and think it over carefully.”

With that, Yuan Xueyue got up and left.

She was going to Zhongsi Hall to report to Old Madam Nian, to see what Old Madam Nian’s attitude and thoughts were!

Especially when it came to matters involving concubines, of course, she had to consult Old Madam Nian!

After all, Jiang Tingting was brought in by Old Madam Nian’s side, and was also a woman favored by the General.

But Ju Niuer was Mama Cui’s daughter, born a family servant, and her status made it difficult to handle.

Yuan Xueyue would not do such a thing that would offend people.

She just wanted to leave gracefully.

Although reporting to Old Madam Nian was more troublesome and annoying, it was at least much less hassle!

First, let the two of them go back to Yaoyu Pavilion to discuss and figure out whose problem it was privately, and then come to Zhongsi Hall to confess!

Yuan Xueyue came to give a heads-up first.

Old Madam Nian had just rested after lunch and had some snacks when she heard that her daughter-in-law was looking for her. She felt a little uneasy!

This daughter-in-law was somewhat scheming!

Since Liangxian returned to the residence, she had almost never consulted her!

Even with the concubines, she did not take matters into her own hands!

What was the use of such an empty shell of a House Master?

Fortunately, Old Madam Nian was not too old and could still listen to her daughter-in-law’s report, but some things she heard inevitably made her blood pressure soar!

“Speak, what is it that even you can’t handle?” Old Madam Nian said irritably.

“……”

◈◈◈

Yuan Xueyue explained the whole story clearly, then said,

“Both Niuer and Tingting say it’s not their fault, so one of them must be lying.”

“Mother-in-Law, please see clearly.”

Old Madam Nian’s eyes widened, “You’re asking me about something so uncertain?”

Old Madam Nian was incredulous. This daughter-in-law was becoming more and more unreasonable!

“Where is the maid who handled the transaction? Who took the silver, and how much?” Old Madam Nian asked.

“Replying to Mother-in-Law, it was a maid from Yaoyu Pavilion who took the silver, exactly for twenty pieces of porcelain. Mama Rong trusted her, so she let her take it. In the end, the count and record were fifteen pieces.”

“Where is the maid? Bring her here!” Old Madam Nian said.

Yuan Xueyue said,

“The maid…just a few days ago, she requested leave to return to her hometown, which is more than two hundred li from the Capital City. It would take several days of travel day and night.”

Old Madam Nian, “……”

“What do you mean, how could you only discover such an important matter now?”

Yuan Xueyue, “These past few days, in order to entertain Prince Xian, the entire residence has been very busy. I thought the concubines could share the burden and do a good job. I didn’t know this would happen. Mother-in-Law, please calm your anger.”

Old Madam Nian, “Calm what anger? Since you don’t know how to handle it, how much silver is one piece of porcelain?”

“One piece of porcelain can have several styles, requiring seven or eight taels, and the quality is chosen to be better than in previous years.”

“Five pieces of porcelain, forty taels missing?”

“Yes.” Yuan Xueyue nodded.

Old Madam Nian struck the ground with her Walking Stick, “Forty taels, deduct it from Yaoyu Pavilion!”

“They are not separate, their monthly allowance will be halved, until it is paid off!”

Yuan Xueyue was slightly surprised.

This was a good solution, similar to what she had in mind.

But hearing it from Old Madam Nian’s mouth, Yuan Xueyue felt much more at ease.

As long as she wasn’t the one making the decision, it saved her a lot of trouble.

Old Madam Nian continued, “You are the House Master, can’t you save some silver! Why buy such good quality, as long as it looks decent and isn’t bad!”

“This sudden shortfall of forty taels, do you think silver is easy to come by?”

If it weren’t for her son’s efforts to win over Lord Xiaozhao and get close to Prince Xian, they wouldn’t have such a good Manor!

Yuan Xueyue nodded in agreement, but said, “Your daughter-in-law believes that the Prince’s Residence does not need our silver as tribute. The more than four hundred taels collected, the military pay for the residence, the General has brought it all back and accounted for it.”

“In addition to the extra rewards given by the Prince’s Residence, the imperial court has also given a portion of the salary, which is enough for the residence’s expenses, close to a thousand taels of silver per month.”

“The General specifically instructed that now that the residence has silver, there is no need to be too frugal, lest outsiders look down on him. This is the General’s meaning, I hope Mother-in-Law will understand.”

Old Madam Nian’s eyes lit up!

This year was a windfall! A full thousand taels per year!

Hearing Old Madam Nian’s elation, she cleared her throat and said, “Well, as long as you keep good accounts, that is your duty.”

“I won’t interfere with the rest. How are the preparations for the clothing coming along?”

“Add a larger size for the boys. This year is a good harvest, lest they grow taller and can’t wear them after the new year.”

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