MYSIOAMEWTMMAlTWOAM: Chapter 39

Glossary

· Qin Yuan: The female protagonist, Marquise of the household.

· Gu Jinghui: The male protagonist, the Marquis.

· Old Madame Gu: Gu Jinghui's mother.

· Rong Mama: Old Madame Gu's trusted attendant.

· Sixth Madame Gu: Wife of the sixth son.

· Gu Jingjun: The sixth son, husband of Sixth Madame Gu.

· Cai Mama: A stewardess in charge of repairs.

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Chapter 39: How Much Money Is in the Marquis's Private Treasury

Qin Yuan said with a smile, "Manager Leng of Ranxiang Ju is an expert, shrewd and capable, and also skilled in compounding incense. He said Ranxiang Ju doesn't have much pepper in stock and needs to ask around to see if any is available."

With just a few words, she made Rong Mama's face glow with pride, the smile at the corners of her eyes growing deeper.

Gu Jinghui glanced at her but said nothing.

Old Madame Gu asked, "Yuan'er, how much are you planning to stockpile?"

Qin Yuan stated a figure: "Ten hu."

"So much?" Old Madame Gu was startled.

Although Gu Jinghui remained silent, his expression was also serious.

One hu was five dou, equivalent to one hundred and twenty jin. With pepper priced at fifty taels of silver per jin, ten hu would amount to a massive sixty thousand taels of silver.

This was far too extravagant.

No wonder Manager Leng said he needed to look into it.

Rong Mama quickly said, "Madame, did Manager Leng say whether this business is worth doing or not?"

Qin Yuan smiled. "Manager Leng is well-informed. He said the amount of pepper brought from the Western Regions has been decreasing in recent years, and the price is outrageously high. Several major merchants are already raising funds to go overseas to buy pepper. If they succeed, I'm afraid the price of pepper will drop."

Rong Mama immediately advised, "He has been in this business for many years. You should really listen to his advice, Madame."

Although Old Madame Gu didn't speak, she clearly thought the same.

Gu Jinghui quietly waited for her to continue.

Qin Yuan sighed and said, "I also know Manager Leng makes sense. Even the managers from my dowry shops advised the same. But I've had dreams for several days in a row. In the dream, pepper prices started rising before the year's end, and wealthy families couldn't even buy pepper to stew meat for sacrifices, worrying their ancestors would be displeased."

"If this dream is true, wouldn't it be like passing by a treasure trove without taking it? As the saying goes, 'If Heaven grants it but you do not take it, you will suffer the consequences; if the time comes but you do not act, you will face disaster.'"

These words left everyone at a loss for what to say.

Qin Yuan hadn't expected to gain the Old Madame's approval in the first place.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

But the Marquis' household was large and wealthy, and the Old Madame was reasonable. She wouldn't be like Mother Lin, who tried to control how her daughter-in-law spent her dowry money.

It was just that the amount she wanted to stockpile was large. Later, when pepper became scarce, people would inevitably come asking for favors. This matter couldn't be hidden, so it was better to be upfront with the Old Madame early on.

If the Old Madame listened to her and was willing to participate, making a profit, that would be even better.

She had been receiving the Old Madame's kindness and was willing to give something back.

Old Madame Gu lowered her head in thought.

Gu Jinghui suddenly said, "Pepper has always been a rarity. In previous dynasties, it was even used to pay officials' salaries. Even if major merchants import it from overseas, they won't let pepper become a cheap commodity."

Old Madame Gu nodded.

Qin Yuan glanced at him, surprised by his insight.

Lin Ziqi only focused on studying and being an official, looking down on merchant activities. Mentioning such things would only displease him, saying it was beneath his refined status.

Gu Jinghui added, "When I was stationed in the northern frontier, the foreigners also treated pepper as a treasure. Only their chieftains could add pepper to every meal. In my opinion, even if this business loses money, the loss will be limited."

As he spoke, Rong Mama's expression relaxed considerably.

Old Madame Gu thought for a moment and said, "Brother Hui has more insight than us women. His words make sense. Even if the price of pepper falls, we won't lose much money. But to be cautious, Yuan'er, you could buy a little less."

She had to support her daughter-in-law's first business venture, but she shouldn't buy too much. That stuff was rare, and ordinary families couldn't afford to use it. It would be hard to sell quickly if needed.

Qin Yuan said gratefully, "What Mother and my husband say is very reasonable. Yuan'er will buy a little less."

Old Madame Gu said with a smile, "I'll also buy a thousand taels' worth, to share in Yuan'er's good fortune. If we make money, I'll have funds for mahjong contributions."

Rong Mama burst out laughing. "The Old Madame wins more than she loses. Why doesn't this old servant also buy two hundred taels' worth? If we make money, I'll have the contribution money to offer the Old Madame."

"You old thing," Old Madame Gu couldn't help but laugh heartily.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Qin Yuan's clever heart felt as if it were soaking in warm water, indescribably warm and comfortable.

Even though the Old Madame wasn't short of money, subsidizing her like this was truly a thoughtful way of doting on her.

She really had good luck in this life to have such a good mother-in-law.

Qin Yuan said with a smile, "Then Yuan'er must set up an account book to clearly record Mother's and Rong Mama's investments. During the New Year and festivals, we can use the proceeds for contribution money."

Gu Jinghui looked at her and smiled.

A thought struck Qin Yuan, and she asked, "Does my husband want to invest a little?"

Gu Jinghui shook his head.

Old Madame Gu poked him with feigned annoyance. "You won't even support your own wife a little."

"Mother, my money... if she loses it, I'll still have to find a way to cover her losses," Gu Jinghui's words made everyone pause, then they all burst out laughing.

Qin Yuan, her face flushed, complained, "Mother, the Marquis's accounts are the Marquis's accounts, and Yuan'er's are Yuan'er's. He's just talking nonsense."

A woman's dowry was private accounts. A man's own assets were considered public accounts.

Daily expenses for food, clothing, and other items were provided by the household and came from the public accounts.

The remaining money was given by the man to his wife for family expenses.

Many men gave their wives money annually or monthly for daily spending. If they wanted to buy expensive items like jewelry, the man's approval was needed.

Therefore, many women managing the household would quietly transfer any surplus into their private accounts. This was an unspoken secret between husband and wife.

For Gu Jinghui to say this made it seem as if he planned to give Qin Yuan more money so she could secretly cover the shortfall in her dowry.

Old Madame Gu smiled and shot her son a few pointed looks. "Since he's opened his mouth, you should just ask him for the money. How much is in his own private treasury, even his own parents don't know. In the northern frontier, there was money but nowhere to spend it. Who knows how much he's saved."

Gu Jinghui: "..."

Favoring the daughter-in-law over the son shouldn't go this far.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

But then again, his mother hadn't known the extent of his father's private treasury back in the day either.

However...

Gu Jinghui looked at Qin Yuan's blushing face and thought, maybe it wasn't entirely out of the question.

But he couldn't give it to her too easily.

The commanders in his army all said that once money entered a woman's purse, it was hard to get it back.

The days of having to ask a woman for money with an open palm were not easy.

Old Madame Gu acted immediately, taking out a thousand taels in silver notes on the spot. Rong Mama also took out two hundred taels, asking Qin Yuan to record it in the accounts.

The news of Qin Yuan's plan to stockpile pepper soon reached Sixth Madame Gu's ears.

"The Old Madame's private treasury is abundant, but she still shouldn't treat money so carelessly, scattering silver just to make Third Sister-in-law happy. This isn't the way to dote on a daughter-in-law."

Sixth Madame Gu sat by the window behind a desk, stringing beads for her daughter, while complaining to Gu Jingjun, who was resting on the luohan bed.

Gu Jingjun said lazily, "That's because she knows how to please the Old Madame. Third Sister-in-law is good-looking, and the Old Madame has always liked beauties. The maids in her room are all as fresh and tender as spring onions. Not like in our room, where everyone looks like a burnt pancake."

Burnt pancakes?!

Sixth Madame Gu's face turned sallow with anger. Just then, Stewardess Cai, in charge of repairs, had someone announce that she was following the Old Madame's orders to build a small kitchen in Wutong Yuan and needed to withdraw supplies.

(End of Chapter)

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