The most dissolute couple in the capital

Before long, Su Xin and Xiao's mother lifted the beaded curtain one after the other and walked in respectfully.

Cui Qingyi gestured to an embroidered stool beside her and offered her a seat. Without beating around the bush, she went straight to the point: "Aunt Guan will probably be handing over the reins in the next few days. With her gone, how well do you two understand the household's rules, accounts, and the social interactions in each courtyard?"

Upon hearing this, both Su Xin and Xiao's mother showed a hint of surprise, but being composed individuals, they quickly recovered.

Madam Xiao was the first to reply, her tone revealing a hint of confidence: "Your Highness, rest assured, Aunt Guan is kind and willing to teach. Over the past two years, she has handled all matters, big and small, with me and Su Xin by our side. Now, we have memorized all the gift lists and the purchasing and distribution within the manor. Working together, we should be able to manage without any major problems."

Su Xin sat to one side, and although she didn't say anything, she nodded in agreement.

"That's good." Cui Qingyi breathed a long sigh of relief, finally able to put her mind at ease.

Cui Qingyi knew what was going on. Aunt Guan was someone who came from the Empress's side; her vision and methods were far beyond what ordinary stewards could match.

If Aunt Guan returns to the mansion, leaving only Su Xin and Mama Xiao, their daily lives might still be fine.

However, if it comes to holidays or there is a banquet in the household, they are still somewhat strapped for cash.

Cui Qingyi looked at Mama Xiao and said, "Mama, you've been a senior member of my family for a long time. You're steady and reliable. Of course, you still need to take care of the important matters in this mansion. However, you're getting on in years, and I really can't bear to see you overworked. If you get too tired, I'll feel sorry for you."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xiao's eyes welled up slightly. Which of the old nannies in wealthy and powerful families hadn't toiled away until their old age?

She quickly rose and curtsied, saying, "This old servant thanks Your Highness for your kindness."

Cui Qingyi looked at Su Xin: "Su Xin, there's something I want to discuss with you."

Su Xin immediately straightened her expression: "Please speak, Master."

"From now on, you'll have to take on even more responsibilities in the household. If you continue to follow me closely every day, handling both internal and external affairs, I'm afraid you'll be overwhelmed. I'm thinking of promoting another maid to my side; she can help you with some of the personal matters. What do you think?"

Su Xin replied readily, "Your Majesty has considered everything thoroughly."

Cui Qingyi nodded: "You've been by my side for a long time, do you have a suitable candidate in mind?"

Su Xin thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I think Danzhu, who is in charge of jewelry, is quite good. She is meticulous, discreet, perceptive, and never gossips. Over the years, she has been in charge of your headdresses and jewelry and has never made a mistake."

Cui Qingyi recalled that she did indeed have a good impression of her.

"Okay, let her try working with you first," Cui Qingyi said. "No need to rush into a decision; observe her for half a month first."

My pure heart responds.

Just as she finished speaking, a maidservant announced from outside the door: "Master, Miss Yingzhu has come to sign a death contract and says she wants to kowtow to you."

Cui Qingyi hummed in agreement: "Let her in."

Yingzhu looked more energetic than when I last saw her at the manor. Although her clothes were simple, they were washed and clean.

"This servant, Yingzhu, kowtows to express her gratitude to Her Highness the Princess for taking me in."

Cui Qingyi remembered that Granny Sun had mentioned that Yingzhu was in charge of the initial screening and classification of spices on the estate and had never made a mistake. Moreover, she was extremely quick at accounting and was one of the few literate girls among that group of orphans.

"Get up," Cui Qingyi said.

After kowtowing, Yingzhu stood up, her gaze slightly lowered, neither overly reserved nor looking around aimlessly.

Cui Qingyi nodded silently to herself.

"Yingzhu, signing a death contract is a big deal, are you clear about that?" Cui Qingyi made it clear first, "After you sign it, you will be a member of the Liang Prince's Mansion. From now on, your marriage and future will be decided by the manor."

Yingzhu nodded, her tone calm: "This servant has thought it through. If it weren't for Your Highness and the Princess's care, this servant would be dead. Now that I've been given a second chance at life, I don't need to get married. I'm only willing to serve Your Highness like a slave."

Cui Qingyi said, "Since that's the case, let me ask you a few practical questions."

Yingzhu slightly raised her eyes, waiting for her to ask.

How long have you been studying spice sieving?

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been one year and three months."

How many kinds of spices can you distinguish?

Yingzhu pondered for a moment: "There are about forty common types, which I can identify by color, texture and smell. But if it is ground into powder, I can only identify about twenty types."

Cui Qingyi raised an eyebrow slightly. Forty kinds was quite impressive for an orphan girl who had been studying for over a year. The master craftsmen in Chenxiang Pavilion, who had signed life-long contracts, could identify over a hundred kinds, but those people had studied for at least ten years.

"How about math?"

Yingzhu answered even faster this time: "I learned to read and write and do arithmetic at the orphanage. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are no problem for me. If the accounts are simple, I can do them too."

Cui Qingyi casually posed a question: "A shop buys three hundred catties of ambergris at twelve taels of silver per catty, and then resells it at a 30% markup per catty. How much profit can they make in total?"

Yingzhu calculated quickly: "Add 30% to each catty, that is, three taels and six mace of silver. Three hundred catties total one thousand and eighty taels."

Cui Qingyi was very satisfied.

Yingzhu's speed in calculating was one thing, but the key was her clear and organized answers, without any rambling or unnecessary words, and without any stumbling or hesitation due to nervousness. Her thinking was clear and her logic sound.

The smartest servants are not necessarily the most useful, but those who are loyal and reliable are less likely to make mistakes.

A clever but unstable person is prone to having ulterior motives; a stable but not clever person can only do menial work.

Yingzhu, with her composure and clear-headedness, is a rare talent among the servants.

Now that you no longer need to worry about a life of wandering, what are your plans for the future?

Yingzhu was taken aback, clearly not expecting Cui Qingyi to ask such a question.

She lowered her head and thought for a moment, then said earnestly, "This servant has no great ambitions. I am content to serve the Princess Consort as long as I can."

She roughly guessed Cui Qingyi's intention, but didn't say she was going to die. She only said she would do things for Cui Qingyi.

Cui Qingyi then turned to Suxin and asked, "Suxin, what do you think?"

Su Xin understood and smiled slightly: "This servant thinks Miss Yingzhu is a reliable person."

Cui Qingyi made the decision: "In that case, from today onwards, you will stay in the Prince's Mansion and will not need to return to the estate. You will follow Suxin and help her with various chores. Right now, Aunt Guan is still in the mansion handing over duties, so you should hurry up and try to get all the affairs of the mansion in order before Aunt Guan returns to the palace."

Yingzhu was overjoyed to hear that she could stay in the Liang Prince's residence. She immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "This servant thanks Your Highness for your kindness in promoting me! This servant is clumsy with words and cannot say anything eloquent, but I will do my best in everything from now on and will never let Your Highness down!"

Su Xin and Xiao Mama exchanged a glance, then bowed in unison and replied, "Your Highness, please rest assured. We will do our utmost to manage the affairs of the manor and will not let you worry about anything."