My younger sister insisted on marrying me and made me the Marquis' wife.

Chapter 230: Desperate to see through
Hongye moved the account book into the main room. Qin Yuan was drafting memorials, writing and drawing a few pages and wasting several sheets.

"Miss, haven't you had your meal yet?"

Qin Yuan said: "Not yet, I'm waiting for you."

Seeing that Hongye was not in high spirits, Qin Yuan asked with a smile, "What happened? Did you run into a problem with Accountant Sun?"

Hongye pouted as she walked closer and said, "Not really."

Qin Yuan put the Hu brush into the blue and white brush washer, and a cloud of black mist suddenly appeared.

Cuiming walked in and asked, "What happened today? Hongmian seems to be in a bad mood. Did she get wronged by Sun the accountant?"

Hongye asked, "How do you say that?"

Cui Ming said, "I was watching the dishes in the small kitchen, and Hong Mian came in with a gloomy face. When I asked her, she said nothing was wrong and she didn't know what happened."

Hongye opened and closed her lips several times before she said, "She was not wronged by Accountant Sun. When she came back just now, Hongmian asked me if I could read the account books of the outer courtyard, and she wanted to learn how to read the account books from me. Sixteen changed the subject when talking to me, and I'm afraid she was unhappy about this."

Qin Yuan glanced at Hong Ye and asked, "Do you want to teach or not?"

Cui Ming also looked at Hong Ye.

Hongye said, "Originally I thought that the young lady was in need of someone to work for, so it would be good to teach her, but she was so unhappy that I didn't want to teach her anymore."

Qin Yuan just smiled.

Cui Ming said, "If you don't want to teach me, then don't teach me. It's getting late, let's set the table for dinner."

Qin Yuan nodded.

Cui Ming went out to urge for meal.

Just as Hongye was about to say something to Qin Yuan, she heard Cuiming outside asking, "Hongmian, is the food in the kitchen ready?"

Hongye glanced at Qin Yuan and swallowed the words back.

Qin Yuan asked with a smile: "What did Accountant Sun say today?"

Hongye chattered for a while, and Qin Yuan listened while washing the brush. Hongye also asked someone to change the water in the brush washer several times.

At this time, Cuiming also brought Hongmian to serve the meal.

After Qin Yuan sat down, he looked at the dishes and said, "Sixteen is here, give him some. This dish of rabbit meat seems to suit Sixteen's taste."

Hongye asked: "Sixteen didn't even come to talk, how did you know Sixteen was here?"

Cui Ming smiled and said, "Didn't you say that yourself?"

Qin Yuan thought for a moment and ordered, "Ask the small kitchen to prepare two dishes for the Marquis. Don't put too much effort into it. Ask Sixteen to bring them to the Marquis later."

Hongye and Cuiming winked at each other.

Qin Yuan had the dishes distributed, leaving portions for three people, and ate together with Hongye and Cuiming. He told the others to eat outside on their own and not to come in to serve him.

She ate half of her meal leisurely. Gu Shiliu had already finished his meal outside, but he didn't come in. He greeted her through the curtain and then went to the outer courtyard with the food box.

Lord Gu was anxiously waiting, so he sent Gu Shiliu out early in the morning, waiting for him to come back with a message.

"Why did you come back?"

Gu Shiliu put down the food box and said, "Madam asked the kitchen to prepare two dishes for the Marquis, so it's a little late."

Lord Gu's gloomy face suddenly brightened up, "Madam is thinking about me."

Gu Shiliu said in applause: "Of course."

Gu Shiliu put the dishes in place and asked, "Has the Marquis used it?"

Lord Gu shook his head and said, "Not yet. What about you?" Gu Shiliu said, "While the kitchen is cooking, I and Hongye will eat some first. Lord, you can use it first. I..."

"Just stay here and talk."

After Lord Gu gave the order, Gu Shiliu stayed in the room and reported without waiting for anyone to ask.

Lord Gu ate very quickly and finished his meal. He put down his bowl and chopsticks, touched his stomach, and asked Gu Shiliu, "Do you think there is any problem with the account of the outer courtyard?"

Gu Shiliu said: "Looking at the expression on Accountant Sun's face, I'm afraid there is something fishy going on. It's unknown whether Madam can find out."

Lord Gu said nothing.

Gu Shiliu added, "Madam only has two maids as a dowry, and she is in charge of so many things, so it is inevitable that she will be short of people."

Previously, all the people who worked in Wutong Garden were arranged by the Sixth Madam. Even if they had a clean background, their temperament and talents might not be suitable.

Lord Gu also thought of this, frowned and asked: "There are only family-born children in the mansion, and the madam should have eight maids as a dowry, but Qin Jijiu's family only arranged two. This... is not easy to deal with. How about letting the madam pick a few that suit her heart from the manor?"

Gu Shiliu was also helpless.

The maids who come as dowries in officials' families are all selected from a young age. They grow up with the young lady and are considered deputy masters. Only in this way can they be united with the husband's family when they marry into the family.

Qin Yuan was a concubine's daughter, and Qin Jijiu's official position had basically reached its limit. Her family was not wealthy. If she married a Jinshi or Juren with no background, two maids would be enough for her dowry.

"I said to take Xiao Hong with me, but she said there was no rush, saying that she was too smart and we had to wait and see. Although Hong Ye is smart, she speaks too quickly and is not very sophisticated. Cui Ming is smart and sophisticated, but she is also soft-hearted."

Gu Jinghui couldn't help but complain.

Gu Shiliu thought of Hongmian's actions and said, "There are also smart people in Wutong Garden. I wonder if Madam will choose one."

Gu Jinghui asked, “Whose daughter is that Hong Mian?”

Gu Shiliu said: "It seems to be from the Lin family."

Gu Jinghui said after a while: “When I have time, I will tell mother about it and see what she can do.”

Gu Shiliu remained silent.

Gu Jinghui asked again: "Madam took all the account books of the outer courtyard. Doesn't that mean the account books of the inner courtyard have been counted?"

Gu Shiliu said, "Hongye said yes, everything was transcribed yesterday, and Madam said she wanted to give it to the Marquis to take a look first."

Lord Gu smiled and said, "That's great."

Gu Shiliu retreated and saw Gu Liuye's servant coming over with a bunch of scrolls. "What are you doing?"

The servant said, "The Marquis asked the Sixth Master for it."

When the servant came out, Master Gu Liu asked quietly, "What is that?"

The servant said, "The Marquis asked the Sixth Master for a picture of a steed. Previously, the Marquis asked the Sixth Master to draw a horse with wings. The Sixth Master worked hard for a long time, but none of the pictures he drew satisfied the Marquis. Finally, the Marquis said he wanted to draw it himself, so he asked the Sixth Master to bring all the pictures of steeds to look at."

Gu Shiliu didn't know what to say.

His master can no longer return to Wutong Garden to rest, and he doesn't know what strange things he will do next.

When will this palace be opened?
……

"I beg you, Doctor Li, to prescribe another medicine."

Madam Zhao was filled with worry, and pleaded with Madam Gu Liu in a pitiful voice: "Madam is getting thinner and thinner. If this continues, I'm afraid she won't live to see the end of her life. Doctor Li was able to cure smallpox, so he's obviously a capable man. How could he not be able to cure Madam's illness?"

Madam Gu Liu refused to take Doctor Li's medicine and just held on.

She couldn't sleep well or eat, and she would panic at the slightest noise in the yard, shouting that people should be careful about whether someone would harm her.

Thanks to 只是看书rita and chunll2188 for their monthly tickets (づ￣ 3￣)づ,