MYSIOAMEWTMMAlTWOAM: Chapter 41

Glossary

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

· Gu Jinghui: The male protagonist, the Marquis.

· Gu Shiliu: Gu Jinghui's personal attendant.

· Hongye: Qin Yuan's loyal maidservant.

· Cuiming: Qin Yuan's other maidservant.

· Gu Jingjun: The sixth son, referred to as Sixth Master.

· Old Madame Gu: Gu Jinghui's mother.

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

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Chapter 41: Everything for the Reward Silver

Gu Shiliu quickly said, "Master, how could you not be in Madame's heart?"

Gu Jinghui slowly put on his clothes, turned his head, and asked, "Really?"

Gu Shiliu: "..."

The Marquis had been saying all along that he was in Madame's heart, so why was he asking him now?

But he was clever and immediately put on a sincere expression. "Really, this lowly one dares to swear it."

"Then tell me, how does Madame show that I'm in her heart?"

Gu Shiliu: "..."

This was too difficult.

Really.

Then, he heard Gu Jinghui add, "Speak well, and there's a reward."

Gu Shiliu immediately perked up.

"Marquis, isn't it obvious? Madame asks after your well-being every day. If that doesn't mean you're in her heart, what does?"

"Mmm, continue."

"Madame also enjoys visiting the Old Madame. This lowly one's mother said she was good to this lowly one's grandmother because she had this lowly one's father in her heart. If you weren't in Madame's heart, why would she be so close to the Old Madame? Every time the Old Madame sees Madame, she's happy and laughing."

"Mmm, what else?"

Gu Jinghui felt it wasn't enough.

"And... that is..." Gu Shiliu thought and thought, then said, "Didn't Madame even argue with Seventh Miss for your sake, Marquis? You must not let down Madame's feelings, Marquis. This lowly one thinks you and Madame are a perfect match, truly well-suited."

Although he tried hard to suppress it, a smile still disobediently crept onto the corners of Gu Jinghui's eyes and brows. "Reward for you."

He casually took out a silver note and tossed it to Gu Shiliu.

Taking a look, a blooming smile also appeared on Gu Shiliu's face.

When Qin Yuan woke from her nap, she saw Cuiming and Hongye huddled together, whispering about who-knows-what. The two were laughing heartily, as if they had stumbled upon a great bargain.

"What's going on?"

Hongye handed a silver note to Qin Yuan and said, "Young Mistress, this is Gu Shiliu's silver note. He says he wants to follow along and buy pepper too."

Qin Yuan leaned lazily against the backrest, glanced at the note in Hongye's hand—it was for fifty taels, enough to buy about one jin.

"Did Gu Shiliu give this to you?"

Hongye smiled. "This servant ran into him earlier; he was so focused on looking at the silver note he almost bumped into a pillar. I asked a couple of questions. He received reward silver from the Marquis and wants to save up for a wife. I said you have excellent judgment and are skilled in management, having never made a loss in business. So he begged this servant to ask you to include him."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Qin Yuan couldn't help but chuckle.

"Alright, since you went through all that trouble to get me Gu Shiliu's reward money, I must help him earn enough for a wife. The silver note hasn't even warmed in his hands before it reached yours. He's not having an easy time either."

Cuiming said with a laugh, "Young Mistress, you didn't see how heartbroken Gu Shiliu looked, according to Hongye."

Hongye said proudly, "Since ancient times, a three-inch unbreakable tongue can match a thousand troops. This servant has learned a bit of skill from you, Young Mistress. How could I not convince Gu Shiliu? Gu Shiliu isn't stupid either. Once money enters his pocket, if his fingers loosen, it's gone. But if he gives it to you, Young Mistress, whether there's a profit or a loss, he doesn't lose out."

Qin Yuan said, "You see things clearly."

Hongye asked, "Young Mistress, can this servant advance my monthly allowance and join in too?"

Qin Yuan said, "Aren't you afraid of losing money?"

Hongye said indifferently, "You were planning to reward me with several hundred taels anyway, Young Mistress. Why would I be afraid of losing a few taels?"

Cuiming quickly followed, "Count me in too, Young Mistress."

Qin Yuan nodded, "Alright, Cuiming, go get an account book. We'll make a dedicated account just for the pepper. Record the Old Madame, Rong Mama, Gu Shiliu, you, and Hongye. Let's have dedicated funds and a dedicated account. At the year's end, you can decide whether to sell and divide the silver or continue holding. We can change the account book then."

Cuiming nodded happily, fetched the account book, and Hongye ground the ink for her.

Hongye said, "Why is your hand shaking?"

Cuiming said, "I've never kept an account book for myself before."

Hongye instructed, "You also need to write receipts. I'll give Gu Shiliu his later."

Cuiming asked Qin Yuan, "Should we stamp these receipts?"

Qin Yuan nodded, "Naturally. Even though we're among ourselves, even brothers keep clear accounts. I'll need to give them to the Old Madame's side too. You write them up for me, I'll stamp them with my personal seal, and then you can just sign them."

The three of them gathered together, happily discussing. Soon, they had the account book set up. They agreed that Cuiming would keep and record the account book, Hongye would check the accounts, and the receipts would be kept by Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan put away the receipts for the Old Madame and Rong Mama, placing them in her purse, intending to give them to them tomorrow when paying respects.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

The curtain outside the corridor rustled a few times. A young maid whispered outside, "Sister Hongye, the Sixth Master is here to see the Marquis. The Marquis is still resting. What should we do?"

Hongye looked at Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Please ask the Sixth Master to have tea in the hall first. The Marquis suffered a bit from the heat today at the main house and is resting. If the Sixth Master doesn't have urgent business, he can come back tomorrow. If he has matters to discuss with the Marquis, he can wait a while."

She wasn't sure if Gu Jinghui would see Gu Jingjun.

They had kept the beating tightly under wraps that day, but since the Marquis went to the main house for a meal today, it seemed he could probably manage a meeting.

The young maid went to relay the message.

A short while later, the young maid returned and said, "The Sixth Master has been seated in the hall. He says he has important news to tell the Marquis. This servant has also informed Gu Shiliu."

Qin Yuan had only met this brother-in-law on the day she served tea. He was scholarly, not as tall as Gu Jinghui, dressed in the typical robe of a scholar of the time, with a thin belt around his waist that made his waist appear slender.

In her previous life, Gu Jingjun wasn't prominent, and Qin Yuan hadn't paid him much attention. However, since the Marquis had no sons, the title must have been passed to Gu Jingjun's son eventually.

Hongye had gathered some information over the past few days and reported that Gu Jingjun had taken five or six concubines, half of whom had borne children. His current favorite, Concubine Zheng, was a famous performer bought from a brothel, charming and skilled in social arts, for whom he had spent a lot of silver.

"What could be so urgent that he needs to see the Marquis now?" Hongye muttered softly.

Soon, they heard the sound of boots, followed by men greeting each other.

Gu Jinghui had gone to see Gu Jingjun.

Qin Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Help me change into more formal clothes. If the Marquis asks me to meet the Sixth Master, I should be prepared."

Sure enough, just after she had freshened up and changed into her outer reception clothes, a young maid announced outside, "Madame, the Marquis requests your presence in the main hall to meet the Sixth Master. He says there is an important matter to discuss."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Hongye said, "Young Mistress, your prediction was spot on."

Qin Yuan said, "It's not difficult to guess. We are still newlyweds. When the Sixth Master comes to see the Marquis, it's only proper for him to see me as well."

Gu Jingjun had a frail constitution and enjoyed associating with scholars, perhaps to appear cultured or maybe he still harbored hopes of attaining an official rank through the examinations. His two sons were studying at the Imperial College. Whether for his own prospects or his children's future, Gu Jingjun would want to build a good relationship with her.

When Old Madame Gu chose a daughter-in-law from the Qin family, she also intended to shift the family's orientation towards civil service, hoping the Gu descendants would pursue scholarly paths in the future.

Hongye asked, "Then can you guess why the Sixth Master is here, Young Mistress?"

(End of Chapter)

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