Chapter 312: The Stewards
By the time Madam Qin returned to the Second Household, dusk had already fallen. The three daughters-in-law came to pay their respects.
Madam Zhuang respectfully served her tea before slowly sitting back on the stool and saying, "Mother, I heard that Grandmother intends to hand over the management of the Affairs Office and the kitchen to Third Aunt..."
Sun Shi patted her daughter to sleep and said carelessly, "Let her manage it then. With the account inspection about to begin, I doubt Mother can handle everything herself. It's not a big deal—Third Aunt managing it won't deprive us of food or drink. Why are you so concerned, Second Sister-in-law?"
Madam Qin remained silent, but Madam Zhuang smiled and said, "Anyone who didn't know better might think you were Third Aunt's daughter-in-law, always speaking up for her. Why don't you go say that to her face and see if she even glances your way?"
Sun Shi sneered and retorted, "I say what I mean—unlike you, Second Sister-in-law, with your nine twists of cunning, turning every thought over in your mind before speaking. Even when your household is short on money, you use a child like Zheng Ge'er to speak for you!"
Madam Zhuang, whose refined upbringing made her thin-skinned, flushed red at the jab. "What nonsense are you spouting? No matter how... I would never side with outsiders!"
Madam Qin listened to their endless bickering, feeling a headache coming on. "Enough! Both of you, be quiet!"
At Madam Qin's command, Madam Zhuang and Sun Shi immediately fell silent.
Madam Qin rubbed her temples and glared coldly at Sun Shi, her voice icy. "If you want to follow her, just say the word. I'll have Third Son divorce you, and you can go serve Madam Gu as a maid." How dare she put on airs in front of her just because she had given birth to a daughter!
Sun Shi, seeing Madam Qin siding with Madam Zhuang again, pouted resentfully but didn't dare argue further. The child in her arms, Yujie, burst into frightened wails, and she hurriedly patted the girl's back to soothe her.
Madam Shen, who had remained silent until now, stood up and bowed gently. "Mother, everything you do is for the sake of our Second Household. I understand and appreciate your efforts. Whatever you need me to do, just give the order..."
At least one of them was sensible.
Madam Qin's anger eased slightly, and she instructed, "Go summon Steward Liu from the Affairs Office and Steward Wei from the kitchen. I have words for them."
Madam Shen immediately went to fetch them, while Madam Zhuang and Sun Shi excused themselves and left.
The two stewards arrived promptly. Steward Liu was a thin, small man with sharp, lively eyes. Steward Wei, a former cook, was plump and fair-skinned, wearing an ill-fitting Hangzhou-style robe that strained over his belly.
Both bowed respectfully to Madam Qin.
She sipped her tea in silence, leaving them exchanging uneasy glances, unsure what to say.
Summer had arrived, and the nights were already sweltering. The room had neither ice nor open windows for ventilation, and soon both men were covered in fine sweat. Meanwhile, Hanzhen stood beside Madam Qin, slowly fanning her with a sandalwood fan adorned with an agarwood pendant.
"Do you two know why I summoned you?" Madam Qin finally asked coolly.Steward Liu reacted quickly, smiling and nodding, "In the evening, Tai Furen summoned us for a talk. She said that from now on, Third Madam will temporarily oversee the affairs of the outer courtyard. After learning this, I discussed it with Steward Wei."
Madam Qin finally smiled. She set down her teacup and instructed the maids to bring stools for the two men to sit.
Only then did Steward Liu and Steward Wei dare to wipe the sweat from their brows.
Madam Qin continued, "Third Madam has never managed household affairs before and doesn’t understand the hardships involved. Both of you have served under me for many years and are considered veterans of the household. I’ve never treated you unfairly in the past." Her gaze slowly swept over the two men before her. "Do you know what to do?"
Steward Wei chuckled repeatedly, "Of course, I understand! At most, we’ll just let Third Madam tire herself out. She’s still young. Eventually, she’ll grow weary of the difficulties and give up."
Madam Qin shook her head.
"There’s nothing to fear from difficulties. As the saying goes, nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets their mind to it. So not only should you not let Third Madam feel exhausted, but you must also ensure everything is done to the best of your ability, sparing her any worries. Otherwise, people might say I’m lax in discipline and mistreat my sister-in-law. Do you understand?"
Steward Wei was somewhat baffled. What did Second Madam mean by this? Why would she want to help Third Madam manage the household... If Third Madam succeeded in managing well, wouldn’t she gain even more favor? Steward Liu also didn’t quite grasp Madam Qin’s intentions, but he was quick-witted. In any case, following Second Madam’s lead couldn’t be wrong, so he stood up before Steward Wei and cupped his hands respectfully. "We will naturally abide by Second Madam’s wishes."
Madam Qin didn’t offer them any further explanation, smiling faintly. "It’s good that you’re sensible. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand—just do as I say."
Only then did the two men assent and withdraw, preparing to revise their approach thoroughly.
...
Gu Jinzhao had managed household affairs in her past life, though back then, she had Mama Wang to assist her. Mama Wang had once helped Jiang Shi with the power over household affairs and was well-acquainted with all matters of the Chen Family. By the time Gu Jinzhao truly took charge, overseeing the inner courtyard’s various quarters, the outer courtyard’s eight divisions, and workshops like weaving and papermaking, she had no trouble at all. Now, with only two divisions handed over to her, she wasn’t in a hurry.
The next day, Gu Jinzhao rose at her usual hour and had her maid style her hair into a neat Round Bun, adorned only with a Jeweled Knot of sapphires and a white jade rabbit pendant. She wore a water-red brocade gown with treasure-pestle patterns and a plain white eight-panel skirt, looking clean and efficient.
Only when the stewards arrived did she have tea served in the flower hall, seating herself in a round-backed armchair.
She was quite amiable, first instructing that stools be brought for them to sit. The moment she saw these two men, she recognized them—after all, Madam Qin had managed the Chen Family for years, and her influence in the outer courtyard was considerable. Had it not been for Madam Chen’s insistence, Gu Jinzhao would never have been able to command these men.
Gu Jinzhao began with a smile, "I met Steward Wei on the day of Seventh Young Master’s wedding. I wonder if Steward Wei remembers?"
Steward Wei hurriedly replied, "That day, I was standing far away and didn’t get a clear look..."Gu Jinzhao nodded and continued, "That makes sense. Let's not dwell on other matters. As I'm just starting to manage affairs, there are many things I'm unfamiliar with. If anything seems amiss, please feel free to point it out... Since this is our first meeting, feel free to brief me on the current situation. In the future, I’ll need to review the kitchen’s major accounts, the Affairs Office’s social interactions, and the use of silver."
The two stewards clasped their hands and smiled. Steward Liu said, "Naturally, we’ll ensure everything is handled properly for you. This was also instructed by Second Madam."
After chatting with the stewards in the flower hall for a while, Gu Jinzhao dismissed them.
When she returned to the western side room, Chen Xuanyue had already arrived.
Seeing Gu Jinzhao return, he immediately put down the toy in his hands and begged to see little Changsuo: "...I haven’t seen him in two days. He must have grown a bit by now!"
As if a child could grow in just two days! Gu Jinzhao ruffled his soft hair and said, "Little brother is sleeping now. How about we wait until he wakes up?"
Chen Xuanyue looked disappointed but then seemed to remember something. He tugged at Gu Jinzhao’s sleeve and asked, "Oh, Auntie, what about the paper crane? Did you fly it for him?"
Gu Jinzhao was surprised he still remembered and reassured him, "Yes, I showed it to him."
"Did he like it?"
Gu Jinzhao nodded, and he happily exclaimed, "I knew it!" before running off to play with his Luban lock.
Granny Sun spoke to Gu Jinzhao about household management: "I think these two stewards are quite diligent..."
Gu Jinzhao remained silent. Madam Qin would surely want everything to go smoothly for her; otherwise, if she reported to her mother, the blame would fall on Madam Qin for lax oversight.
Just then, a young maid announced from behind the curtain that Fourth Master Chen had arrived.
Fourth Master Chen was here? Why had he come to Osmanthus Hall?
Gu Jinzhao thought of the Ever Prosperous Trading Company and Fourth Master Chen’s delicate, scheming face, feeling he was far too cunning.
She instructed Caifu to bring a cup of tea.
Upon entering, Fourth Master Chen clasped his hands with a smile. He wore a cloud-patterned Hangzhou silk robe, exuding none of the typical merchant’s vulgarity. Instead, he was tall and slender, with delicate, handsome features. His fine bone fan, adorned with a Hetian jade pendant, added to his refined appearance. "Greetings, Third Sister-in-law."
Gu Jinzhao smiled and invited him to sit. "No need for formalities, Fourth Brother. It’s rare to see you visit me. Is there something you need?"
Fourth Master Chen nodded. "I should have come sooner, but you were recuperating, and I didn’t want to disturb you. Now I finally have the time." He paused before continuing, "Not long ago, Third Brother mentioned you inquired about my Ever Prosperous Trading Company. I co-founded it years ago with others. I heard you also have shops dealing in silk, and they’ve been somewhat affected. We’re family, so there’s no need for formalities. Just let me know which shops have been impacted, and the Ever Prosperous Trading Company will accommodate you from now on."
So he had come for this.
Gu Jinzhao couldn’t accept this favor and replied with a smile, "That won’t be necessary! Let things proceed as they should. Those shops are my private assets, and I wouldn’t want to inconvenience your business. Third Master’s words were just casual remarks—don’t take them seriously."Fourth Master Chen lowered his head with a faint smile. "It's no trouble at all. I heard Third Sister-in-law has started managing the household now. When Second Sister-in-law was in charge, I also extended her some conveniences—family business must be looked after. How about this... If Third Sister-in-law's shops need to sell silk, you're welcome to source it from the Ever Prosperous Trading Company. I'll give it to you at seventy percent of the market price. For others, it's eighty percent, which is still cheaper than transporting it from elsewhere."
Gu Jinzhao couldn't refuse and had to agree for the time being. Yet inwardly, she pondered—what kind of conveniences had Fourth Master Chen extended to Madam Qin? Both of them held authority in the Chen Family, one managing internal affairs and the other external. There must have been some overlap...
Fourth Master Chen smiled. "Then it's settled. I'll inform the Ever Prosperous manager tomorrow. In the future, if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask... I have people waiting for me, so I won't linger further."
Gu Jinzhao nodded and instructed Caifu to see Fourth Master Chen out.
As she lowered her head to sip tea, she noticed Chen Xuanyue staring in the direction Fourth Master Chen had left, his gaze strangely intense.
P.S.: Class didn't end until 10 p.m.
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