Marrying a treacherous official

"If my husband hadn't agreed, he would have stopped us before Hua Chao and Granny Kong left."

Yunji turned around, placed her hand on the plain armchair with its auspicious cloud design, and smiled at him, "Since you've already given your consent, why say such annoying things?"

She said nothing more, turned around and started fiddling with the abacus beads in her hand again.

Cui Zemin wanted a straight answer from her: "Madam, you promised money would make money; how much silver will you get back by the end of the year?"

Yunji: "Compared to the figures in this ledger, it's at least double."

Cui Zemin found these words somewhat agreeable. "If we couldn't earn this much money, what would Madam do?"

Yunji paused in her abacus work, and then all that could be heard in the accounting room was the sound of the wind whistling past the wooden window.

She picked up the white jade abacus in her hand and slowly walked up to him.

"There is no such thing as a sure-fire way to make money in this world. It's all about planning every step of the way and making profits compound. They say you have to give up something to gain something."

"My husband wants to make a profit at the end of the year, so he needs to allocate the money at the beginning of the year so I can figure out how to make money from money. The rations for the farmhands and servants are not enough, so this money has to come from the treasury. We also need to hire tenant farmers to work on the four farms..."

Yunji's red lips murmured as she placed the abacus next to his ear, making a loud, clanging sound.

Cui Zemin looked at her with a sly smile, listening to the continuous, crisp sound of the abacus beads going in and out, until the last bead was deftly moved down by her slender hand.

Yunji smiled, her eyes sparkling. "My husband needs to allocate six thousand taels of silver from the treasury in advance. With the various expenditures at the beginning of the year secured, the year-end surplus will naturally be substantial."

Cui Zemin stared at her silently, coldly watching as the smile on her jade-like face froze and gradually faded into his eyes. After a long while, he said:

"When I went to the Ministry of Revenue on official business, I saw the officials of the Department of Revenue calculate the taxes of various places."

He laughed at her disdainfully and said, "Others have calculated their vast wealth; their fingers fly across the abacus with lightning speed, like pearls falling onto a jade plate with a light, ethereal sound. And you, madam?"

Yunji felt a flush rise to her face from his retort, and her eyes suddenly filled with annoyance.

Cui Zemin criticized her mercilessly, saying:

"The abacus beads were rattling so loudly it sounded like a firecracker right next to my ear, trying to deafen me. With such a skill in manipulating beads, how could I possibly entrust my money to you, Madam?"

"If you don't want to give me the money, just say so. Why humiliate me like this?"

"I'll withdraw the silver from the treasury, and at the end of the year, I'll double the profit."

Cui Zemin tossed aside the account book, flicked his crimson court robe, and calmly stood up.

"It's because Madam's calculations are even more shrewd than those of the officials in the Ministry of Revenue. It's no wonder the treasury in this courtyard earns more silver than the Ministry of Revenue itself. Madam, isn't that right?"

Yunji did not respond or refute.

Cui Zemin came here to vent his anger over the broken porcelain, and seeing that she was seething with anger but unable to vent it, he felt inexplicably relieved.

Chunxuan set out dinner in the flower hall, then returned to her tent via the long corridor. She saw Cui Zeming coming out and quickly bowed her head to step aside.

After the person had walked away, she turned and went back into the house. "Madam, why did Master leave without having dinner?"

Yunji said sullenly, "If I don't want to eat, I don't want to eat. I don't owe him anything."

Upon hearing this, Chunxuan immediately understood: the madam and the master had started arguing again over a mere disagreement.

Every year on the winter solstice, the palace would hold a celebratory banquet to reward the civil and military officials.

Family members could also accompany officials to the palace banquet. Before the 21st of the twelfth lunar month, the ladies of noble families would begin to prepare for the palace banquet.

Yunji was preoccupied with finding a good family for Gu Yunshan, so she wrote a letter to Madam Gu, hoping that she would bring Yunshan to her side when she attended the banquet, so that she could introduce Yunshan to the wives of various officials.

"Send this letter to the Gu residence. If you receive a reply in a couple of days, be sure to bring it to me."

"Yes, madam."

Chunxuan lifted the blue-edged white carpet curtain and went out, and Huachao squeezed in through the gap.

"Madam, Aunt Du has brought the Second Miss over."

Yun Ji's face remained expressionless, but her eyes betrayed her surprise. She had met the Marquis's concubine a few times, but they were not acquainted. Why would this person suddenly come to her door?

"Please invite the concubine in."

Aunt Du led the second daughter, Cui Shuhua, into the front hall and handed a steamer of rose-flavored steamed cakes to Huachao with a smile.

"I heard that the First Madam usually enjoys the pastries and cakes from Helelou, so I made some extra steamed cakes and brought them over to her."

"Auntie, these steamed buns smell delicious. I'll definitely have to try them sometime."

Yunji looked up at Cui Shuhua, who was following closely behind, and said, "Second Miss, it's been a long time since I've seen you. You've grown even more beautiful and charming."

Cui Shuhua gracefully bowed and said shyly, "Sister-in-law, you flatter me."

Aunt Du sat down on the rosewood armchair, and a smile appeared on her beautiful face when she heard her daughter being praised.

"Both of the young ladies in the mansion will be of marriageable age next year. Time really flies. In the blink of an eye, they will be of marriageable age."

"Has the Marquis arranged a marriage for the second young lady?"

Yunji took the teapot and poured a cup of maple dew tea for Aunt Du across the tea table.

Aunt Du smiled sheepishly:

"I mentioned it to the Marquis a few times, but he didn't take Hua'er's marriage to heart. He always said that it wouldn't be too late to find a match for Hua'er after the eldest daughter's marriage was settled. But Hua'er is only a month younger than the eldest daughter. If we postpone it like this, I'm afraid it will be delayed."

Yunji picked up her teacup and took a slow sip, asking, "What did the Lady of the Marquis say?"

"If even the Marquis doesn't take it seriously, I dare not count on the Marquis's wife."

Aunt Du said in a low voice, "The day before yesterday, I went to Minghe Hall to pay my respects to the Lady of the Marquis and begged her to take Hua'er to the court banquet. The Lady of the Marquis refused to allow Hua'er to enter the palace banquet because she was a concubine's daughter and her rank was too low."

Yunji listened silently, without making a sound.

Aunt Du glanced back at her beautiful daughter, and the thought that Hua'er would be married off to a random family by the Lady of the Marquis would ruin her life.

"To be honest, Madam, it's not just the morning banquet; Hua'er isn't allowed to attend any banquets, whether it's the spring festival gatherings or flower appreciation banquets at the mansions of high-ranking officials or the main daughter."

"Is the Marquis aware of this matter?"

Yunji gently furrowed her brows, vaguely guessing the reason why Madam You had done this.

Cui Shuhua was born with a beautiful and graceful appearance. Standing next to Cui Lizhu, she was worlds apart in terms of looks. How could Madam You allow a concubine's daughter to steal the limelight from her legitimate daughter?

Aunt Du whispered, "The First Madam should know this all too well. No matter who is right or wrong, the Marquis always sides with the Madam. Nothing I say will make a difference."

"Is Auntie here just to bring cakes?"

Aunt Du spoke in a low voice, "I would like to ask the First Madam to take Hua'er to the court banquet."

If Cui Shuhua catches the eye of a noble young man at the palace banquet, Aunt Du can try to persuade the Marquis. However, if she has never shown her face in front of any aristocratic family, then she can only wait for the Marquis's wife to find a marriage for her and get rid of her.

Hua Chao silently walked up to Yun Ji, pulled open the bottom drawer of the brocade box, revealing a thousand taels of silver notes hidden inside, then closed the hidden compartment and silently retreated.

"I appreciate your kindness, Aunt, but I cannot accept this banknote."

Yun Jiqing said lightly, "It is already a matter of honor for you, sir, to bring your family to the banquet. It would be good if you, my second daughter, could accompany me to the palace and keep me company along the way."