Wen Ye walked with slightly heavy steps, following Bai Mei, who had come to relay a message, toward the main courtyard.
Behind her trailed four maidservants, each carrying a large chest filled with thick account books.
Along the way, Wen Ye pondered how to avoid this predicament.
On the day of the tea ceremony, Madam Lu had only mentioned who was currently managing the west courtyard but had said nothing else. Why had she suddenly asked her to bring the account books to the main courtyard today?
It was only after marrying into the Duke's residence that Wen Ye learned that before the old Duchess passed away, she had already divided the family's assets. The deeds for the shops, manors, and other properties had been updated to the names of the two brothers.
While the assets were divided, the family remained united, with Madam Lu in charge of the household finances. The monthly expenses were shared equally between the two households.
Wen Ye had assumed that Liuya managed everything in the west courtyard, but in reality, she only oversaw daily necessities like food and clothing. The shops and manors under Xu Yuejia's name were managed by Wen Ye and Liuxin, who would go out once a month to collect the accounts. Afterward, they would bring the records back to the main courtyard for Madam Lu to review twice. Only after her approval would the accounts be considered settled.
If there were any issues, things would get complicated. They would need to determine whether the problem lay with the people or the properties themselves. The details could be further subdivided, but Wen Ye didn't dare to think too deeply about it.
Thinking too much would only give her a headache.
Having grown accustomed to a leisurely life, she couldn't possibly return to the exhausting routine of her past.
With these thoughts in mind, she arrived at the main courtyard.
Wen Ye gazed at the courtyard gate. In the past, she had felt that the distance between the two courtyards was vast, but today it seemed she had arrived in just a few steps.
Bai Mei led Wen Ye into the warm chamber.
The first thing that caught her eye was Xu Yuxuan playing on the heated kang.
Several young maidservants stood by the edge of the kang, while Madam Lu sat opposite, with a large wooden chest placed below the kang. The chest was much larger than the ones Yun Zhi and Tao Zhi were carrying, and it was filled to the brim with account books.
Madam Lu was flipping through one of the books, the abacus on the small table clicking away.
Wen Ye took in the scene, her resolve growing stronger.
She stepped forward and bowed in greeting.
Hearing the sound, Madam Lu looked up and said, "Come, sit."
Xu Yuxuan, who was on the kang, brightened at the sight of Wen Ye. He tossed aside the rattan ball he had been playing with and scrambled down from the kang, eager to grab hold of Wen Ye as if afraid she might run away again.
"Mother! Come!"
At Xu Yuxuan's call, Wen Ye had no choice but to sit beside him.
The warm chamber was quite hot, and the child, dressed only in his undergarments, was warm and soft to the touch.
Initially reluctant, Wen Ye soon relaxed and allowed him to lean against her.
Xu Yuxuan found a comfortable position, wrapping his short arms around one of Wen Ye's arms, and softly called out, "Mother~"
It seemed he had completely forgotten the times she had left him behind.
Wen Ye patted his head in response.
Madam Lu paused her abacus and glanced at Xu Yuxuan, who was clinging to Wen Ye. "I suppose you already know why I called you here today."
Wen Ye nodded obediently. "Bai Mei told me everything."
Madam Lu instructed the maidservants to put down the wooden chest and leave, then continued, "Since you've married into the Duke's residence, you should gradually take over the affairs of the west courtyard. Liuya and Liuxin will assist you."
Wen Ye nodded again, but a look of hesitation crossed her face.
Madam Lu noticed and naturally asked, "What's the matter? Is there something troubling you?"
Wen Ye looked up and replied honestly, "I've never managed these things before. I'm afraid I won't do a good job."
In truth, she had managed some things before. Although Madam Shen had been strict, she had still given her a couple of small shops to manage when she came of age. After all, it would be embarrassing for the Wen Family if she married into another household without any knowledge of such matters.
However, Wen Ye was careful with her words. When she said she had "never managed these," she meant she had never managed such large-scale properties.
She wasn't exactly lying.
Madam Lu, however, seemed to have anticipated this. "That's why I called you here today—to teach you myself."
As the eldest daughter of Ding'an Marquis Manor, Madam Lu had started learning these things at the age of five, progressing from simple to complex, from chaos to order.
Madam Lu's plan was to spend a month teaching Wen Ye before the busy year-end, hoping she might gain a reliable helper.
Unaware of Madam Lu's thoughts, Wen Ye saw the determination in her expression and knew there was little room for negotiation. After a moment of thought, she put on a sincere expression, her eyes showing a hint of dependence on Madam Lu. "Then I must trouble you, sister-in-law."
Madam Lu smiled at her demeanor. "Don't worry. Once you get the hang of it, it'll become second nature. Just relax."
Wen Ye pretended to believe her, but inwardly she scoffed. "Second nature? Unlikely."
Although the Wen Family had accumulated wealth over generations, it paled in comparison to the vast assets of the Duke's residence. Even so, Wen Ye had rarely seen Madam Shen truly at ease.
And now, with the Duke's residence being so large, it was even more daunting.
Seeing that Wen Ye was taking her words to heart, Madam Lu's tone softened. "You don't need to be afraid. If you make a mistake, I won't punish you. Just bring out the same spirit you had when you were playing with Xu Yuxuan."
Wen Ye smiled. "..." Life was hard enough without being called out.
Hearing his name, the child who had been dozing against Wen Ye suddenly opened his round, amber-like eyes and wriggled his chubby body to find the source of the voice.
His adorable demeanor was truly endearing.
After laughing, Madam Lu noticed Wen Ye's silence and raised an eyebrow. "What? Did I say something wrong?"
Wen Ye quickly shook her head. "Everything you said is correct, sister-in-law."
Madam Lu: "..."
She hadn't realized before that Wen Ye was such a flatterer.
"I've picked out a simple one for you. Start with this, and if there's anything you don't understand, ask me." Madam Lu handed over a pre-selected account book.
Wen Ye accepted it with both hands, her gaze falling as she silently sighed. It was indeed a thick book.
Meanwhile, Qingxue placed a prepared abacus in front of Wen Ye. The beads, made of Qing Yu, were smooth and flawless, with no impurities inside.
Even the abacus of a noble family was so exquisite.
"Start looking." Under Madam Lu's urging gaze, Wen Ye finally opened the first page of the accounts.
It was the ledger for a silk shop. At first glance, the accounts didn't seem too complicated and were easy to follow. However, Wen Ye, who had decided to play the part of a "slow learner," lingered on the first page for a long time.
The child beside her leaned over, perhaps recalling the time they had read a storybook together in the carriage on the day of her return visit. Now, he was eager to climb into Wen Ye's lap.
The commotion between the mother and son naturally didn't escape Madam Lu, who was busy with her abacus. She glanced over and said, "Xu Yuxuan, don't disturb your mother while she's looking at the accounts."
Xu Yuxuan, however, wasn't about to stop at such a light reprimand. By now, half of his body was already leaning over, and Wen Ye discreetly moved her left hand behind him, pulling him into her lap.
Once he succeeded, Xu Yuxuan looked up at her and giggled.
Wen Ye patted his head again, thinking to herself, "Now it's up to you."
By the time Madam Lu looked up again, Xu Yuxuan was nestled in Wen Ye's arms, and both mother and son were staring at the account book she had handed over earlier.
After a moment, they both wore similar expressions of confusion.
With their round, plump faces, they looked somewhat alike at first glance.
Seeing that Wen Ye had only moved the abacus beads three or four times and was still on the first page, Madam Lu said, "If there's something you don't understand, just ask."
Now she's being slow-witted, but she was quite clever when playing with Xu Yuxuan earlier.
Wen Ye quickly pointed to a spot and showed it to Madam Lu. "Sister-in-law, I don't understand this part."
As she leaned forward, the child in her lap also tilted forward. Wen Ye swiftly moved one hand to support Xu Yuxuan's chubby waist.
Xu Yuxuan peeked at the ledger and mimicked, "Don't understand?"
He even shook his head solemnly.
Wen Ye seized the opportunity to point out another spot. "And here."
Xu Yuxuan continued to mimic. "Here?"
Wen Ye: "Lastly, here. Why is the purchase price different for the same type of silk?"
Xu Yuxuan babbled along, "Price different?"
Madam Lu couldn't help but laugh at his antics.
By the time she remembered she still needed to explain the accounts to Wen Ye, quite a bit of time had passed.
Madam Lu didn't notice much at first and immediately began explaining the parts of the accounts that Wen Ye didn't understand.
It was only then that Madam Lu realized her sister-in-law wasn't particularly adept at managing household affairs.
After going over the first page of the accounts three or four times, Madam Lu could already foresee that the idea of having a reliable assistant was out of the question.
Fortunately, Wen Ye was patient enough. If she didn't understand something the first time, she would go over it a second or third time until she got it.
She was diligent and eager to learn.
The morning passed quickly, and under Madam Lu's detailed explanations, Wen Ye finally finished going through the account book in her hands.
However, the maids had brought over four large boxes, and one account book was just the tip of the iceberg.
Looking at the piles of account books beside her, Madam Lu thought for a moment and said, "Why don't you take these account books back and go through them yourself? Mark the parts you don't understand, and I'll explain them to you another day. How about that?"
At the rate they were going today, she might still be working on this year's accounts well into next year.
"Are you saying I'm too slow?" Wen Ye asked bluntly, though she closed the account book with lightning speed, leaving a blur.
Madam Lu was momentarily stunned by her directness and didn't notice the swift movement of her hands.
She had never met a woman who spoke so frankly. Shouldn't some things be left unspoken, with mutual understanding being enough?
Madam Lu composed herself and said, "It's more efficient to address the issues all at once. The New Year is just over a month away, and there's a lot to prepare for at the Duke's residence. I'll be very busy from now on."
She stopped just short of saying it was Wen Ye's fault.
Wen Ye knew when to back off. Seeing that her goal had been achieved, she said softly, "Then I'll follow your advice and go through them at home."
Madam Lu unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing that it was almost time for lunch, she added, "It's getting late. Why don't you stay and have a meal with me?"
Wen Ye replied, "I won't disturb you further. I'll head back to the west courtyard. I can look at the accounts while eating there. I might disturb you if I stay here."
Madam Lu didn't insist, only saying, "Don't push yourself too hard."
Wen Ye nodded obediently and said, "Then I'll take my leave." She stood up, gently setting aside the child in her arms. By the time Xu Yuxuan realized what had happened, Wen Ye had already stepped down from the heated kang.
Xu Yuxuan turned around, noticing she was gone, and immediately began searching for her with his eyes. When he found her, his little arms stretched out toward her.
He called out, "Mother, hold me~"
This time, Wen Ye couldn't ignore him.
Seeing this, Madam Lu felt a twinge of jealousy but still said, "Alright, take Xu Yuxuan back to the west courtyard today. Just bring him back before dinner."
It would be good for them to spend more time together now. By next spring, when Xu Yuxuan was a bit older and the weather was warmer, it would be the perfect time for him to move back to the west courtyard.
Since Madam Lu had spoken, Wen Ye had no choice but to agree.
After Nanny Ji dressed Xu Yuxuan, he still stretched his arms toward Wen Ye, demanding to be held.
Wen Ye walked over and scooped him up with one arm. Thankfully, she had been exercising to maintain her figure, or she might not have been able to carry him.
Nanny Ji and the others followed closely behind.
By the time they reached the west courtyard, both of them had a bit of snow on their heads.
Wen Ye carried Xu Yuxuan straight into the inner room and placed him on the soft couch, leaving the rest to Nanny Ji and the others.
When Wen Ye returned after changing into more comfortable clothes, Xu Yuxuan was already wrapped in a thick blanket on the couch.
There was no heated kang in Wen Ye's room, but the inner chamber was warm thanks to the incense and underfloor heating.
After exchanging a few glances with Xu Yuxuan, Wen Ye told Tao Zhi to prepare the meal. The accounts could wait until after they had eaten.
Because Xu Yuxuan was there, a few lighter dishes were added to the table.
With no adults around, just a child who didn't understand much, Wen Ye had a relatively comfortable meal.
After eating, Wen Ye asked Tao Zhi to call Liuya over.
She needed to figure out how to deal with that box of account books.
Liuya arrived quickly. After greeting Wen Ye, Wen Ye got straight to the point: "I heard you're very quick with accounts, even surpassing the usually steady Liuxin."
As a first-class maid favored by Madam Lu, Liuya was naturally more thoughtful than many others. She had always maintained good relationships with the other maids and never had any conflicts.
Wen Ye's sudden remark made her wonder if someone had been badmouthing her to the Second Madam, trying to stir up trouble between her and Liuxin.
Thinking this, Liuya quickly denied it: "I'm only average with accounts. Liuxin has always had a better memory than me, and she's more meticulous in her work."
Liuxin was responsible for the front courtyard, while Liuya handled the rear courtyard. Their assignments weren't random; they were based on their strengths.
Wen Ye continued calmly, "So, Liuxin is also good with accounts?"
Liuya was puzzled but nodded, "Yes."
Wen Ye was pleased with the answer. Two people were better than one.
Soon, Liuxin was also called over.
Each of them was given two boxes of account books and an abacus.
Wen Ye then said, "These are the account books for the shops and estates under your master's name. Both of you need to go through these accounts twice. Mark any unclear or incorrect entries and report them to me later."
Even the usually unflappable Liuya was stunned when she saw the two full boxes of account books. She couldn't help but ask, "You want us to go through all of these?"
Wen Ye smiled and praised them, "You and Liuxin are the most reliable maids in the west courtyard. Madam Lu said she personally trained you both before assigning you here. These accounts are simple, and you've studied them before. Don't worry, it won't be hard."
Before they could respond, she added, "I'll give you plenty of time, and you won't be shortchanged in any other way."
Wen Ye took out a pouch and gave each of them a silver leaf that Xu Yuejia had sent to the west courtyard the day before.
She was being so generous, not only finding people to handle Xu Yuejia's accounts but even paying their overtime fees herself.
Under such persuasion, Liuya and Liuxin couldn't possibly refuse.
The sound of abacus beads clacking soon filled the room.
Wen Ye lounged on the soft couch, sipping tea and nibbling on pastries.
Xu Yuxuan imitated her, eating pastries and drinking water.
Tao Zhi stayed far away, afraid that Wen Ye might suddenly decide to teach her how to handle accounts.
Even Yun Zhi was quieter than usual, quickly serving tea and snacks to Liuya and Liuxin to avoid being roped into learning how to manage accounts.
Liuya and Liuxin spent two full hours in the west courtyard, their hands trembling from continuous abacus use.
They both thought: The Second Madam is terrifying!
And also, why are there so many account books?!
When they returned to their room, Liuya rubbed her sore hands and said, "I roughly calculated that it will take at least half a month to finish those accounts."
Liuxin was massaging her own sore arms, her expression colder than usual, or perhaps more numb.
After a moment of thought, she said, "Tomorrow is the master's day off. I need to stay in the front courtyard to serve him. I'll have to ask the Second Madam for a day off."
Liuya panicked: "Liuxin, we can't delay the accounts."
"I'll give you half of my silver leaf."
But Liuxin was firm: "The master comes first."
Liuya: "..." Suddenly, she wished she could be serving tea in the front courtyard too.
*
Before dinner, after sending off the reluctant Xu Yuxuan, Wen Ye stretched lazily but quickly straightened up when she noticed a figure in the courtyard.
Afraid of being misunderstood, Xu Yuejia explained as soon as he entered, "I came back to find a book."
Wen Ye smiled gently, "What book are you looking for? Let me help you."
Xu Yuejia paused and said, "Just some silver leaves. You don't need to trouble yourself."
Wen Ye replied, "That was yesterday. It's in the past now. Why bring up such trivial matters?"
She was the type to take something and then act as if nothing had happened.
Xu Yuejia: "..." He was at a loss for words.
The book he needed was on the edge of the bookshelf, easy to spot.
After retrieving it, Xu Yuejia left the study, with Wen Ye following closely behind, asking solicitously, "Are you tired? Should I give you a back rub?"
Xu Yuejia stopped and turned to look at her, getting straight to the point: "What is it?"
Wen Ye didn’t beat around the bush either. "It’s nothing much. I just wanted to borrow Liuxin from your front courtyard for a few days."
Xu Yuejia frowned. "She’s originally a maid from the west courtyard. You have the authority to reassign her."
Wen Ye immediately beamed with joy. "Since you’re willing to part with her, I won’t hold back then."
With that, she walked past the man and headed straight for the inner chamber, not even turning her head as she called out, "Take care on your way, my lord!"
Her tone carried not a hint of reluctance.
Xu Yuejia: "..."
Liuxin: No matter what, I can’t escape the grasp of the second madam...
