MYSIOAMEWTMMAlTWOAM: Chapter 71

Glossary

·Qin Yuan (秦鸢): The female protagonist, Marquise of the Dingbei Marquis Household.

·Gu Jinghui (顾靖晖): The male protagonist, the Marquis.

·Hongye (红叶): Qin Yuan's personal maidservant.

·Cuiming (翠茗): Qin Yuan's other maidservant.

·Gu Baozhu (顾宝珠): Gu Jinghui's younger sister.

·Sixth Madame Gu (六夫人): Wife of the sixth son, Gu Jingjun.

·Rong Mama (容嬷嬷): Old Madame Gu's trusted attendant.

·Lu Mama (卢妈妈): The stewardess in charge of the needlework room.

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Chapter 71: Helping the New Sister-in-law Set Up the Stage

Qin Yuan pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile. "Of course you weren't worried. But then how did you fail to notice you were holding the book upside down?"

Gu Jinghui looked down in disbelief at the volume in his hand.

It was perfectly upright.

He had fallen for her trick.

When he lifted his gaze, he found his young wife watching him with mischievous amusement.

Clearing his throat, Gu Jinghui decided on honesty. "The books your father gave me... I find myself growing drowsy after just a few lines. I was watching you manage the household affairs instead."

"Oh?" Qin Yuan's response was noncommittal.

She glanced at the book again. "Which texts did Father select for you?"

"The Spring and Autumn Annals."

A knowing smile touched Qin Yuan's lips. "Lord Guan Yu was said to read the Spring and Autumn Annals by lamplight. Is Father hoping you'll follow that illustrious example?"

Gu Jinghui stared blankly.

This reference was new to him. As a military man, he revered Lord Guan Yu like all his peers—they even swore brotherhood before his shrine.

Could there be some deeper meaning to this particular anecdote?

Gu Jinghui felt a familiar scholarly headache approaching.

These literati and their endless layers of allusion and hidden meanings.

"Remember the saying," Qin Yuan continued, "'After three days apart, view Lü Meng with new eyes.' He only began serious study in his late twenties. If my husband becomes a renowned scholarly general, Father will surely offer similar praise."

Her meaning was clear: it wasn't too late for Gu Jinghui to begin his studies, and the path of the scholar-general remained open to him.

Gu Jinghui met her eyes, offered a vague noise of agreement, and swiftly changed the subject. "Your handling of those matrons was masterful. That's exactly how to establish authority over dissenters. Though you might consider balancing punishment with grace."

Rewards and punishments must be clear, but authority alone commands obedience, while grace inspires genuine loyalty.

Qin Yuan understood perfectly. "You're quite right, Husband. I was planning to have Cuiming extend some kindness to Lu Mama, but wasn't certain how to proceed. That's why I used your name to summon Rong Mama—I hoped to seek her counsel."

Gu Jinghui couldn't suppress his laughter this time.

He rose to his feet. "Since you have everything in hand, I'll go check on Baozhu."

His wife was both clever and perceptive—better to deal with Gu Baozhu before she caused more trouble.

"Will you be taking lunch at the estate today?" Qin Yuan asked.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

After a moment's consideration, Gu Jinghui shook his head. "No."

He needed to find someone who could explain the significance of Guan Yu's nocturnal reading habits.

Staying longer would only convince Qin Yuan he lacked confidence in her abilities.

Once the Marquis had departed, Hongye declared, "Seventh Young Lady truly needs proper discipline."

Qin Yuan smiled faintly. "Everyone seems content to let Gu Baozhu bear the consequences of their schemes. She was under proper confinement—how did those children reach her courtyard? And how did she manage to leave it?"

"Could Sixth Madame Gu be behind this again?" Hongye wondered aloud.

"Whoever found it convenient," Qin Yuan replied cryptically.

Hongye scowled. "Why must she meddle in everything?"

Sixth Madame Gu's influence seemed to permeate every affair since the wedding.

"Let her meddle," Qin Yuan said serenely. "After all, we have her to thank for convincing every stewardess to invest in our venture, don't we?"

Hongye paused, then burst into delighted laughter.

"It's true! Every stewardess came today, all smiles and honeyed words."

The memory of Steward Wang's evasive excuses still rankled.

"To think their attitudes transformed overnight."

Cuiming, however, looked concerned. "With such widespread investment, success will bring no special credit, but any losses could prove disastrous."

The prospect of every stewardess holding shares made her nervous.

If things went poorly, the collective backlash would be difficult to manage.

Qin Yuan remained unshaken. "There will be no losses. There may be complications, but with Sixth Madame Gu so eager to assist, we needn't lift a finger. We can simply observe."

Since Sixth Madame Gu insisted on involving herself, she might as well prove useful.

Reassured by her mistress's confidence, Cuiming went to summon Rong Mama from the Main House.

Elsewhere, when Sixth Madame Gu learned that every stewardess had purchased fifty-tael shares, she smiled in satisfaction. "These women flock to petty profits like flies to blood. All sweet solicitation now when they want something, but wait until they lose their silver—we'll hear quite different language then."

Zhao Mama chuckled in agreement. "Our efforts to bind them together have borne fruit."

"I initially worried they might hesitate," Sixth Madame Gu admitted cheerfully. "Now everything depends on securing the pepper supply. Pity our Sixth Master's offer of assistance was rejected—she's too cautious by half. The stage would already be set otherwise."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"Raised in a minor official's household, what can one expect?" Zhao Mama said dismissively. "Suddenly wealthy after long poverty, she can't resist chasing quick profits. As if money were so easily won—all fortunes require patient accumulation."

Sixth Madame Gu nodded in amusement. "And she claims some auspicious dream justifies this venture. She ignores even Manager Leng's advice. The Old Madame only indulges her to please the Marquis."

What kind of auspicious dream could possibly justify such folly? The thought was laughable.

Zhao Mama clicked her tongue. "Should she actually profit, people will call her heaven-blessed. No wonder she dares to be so bold."

Sixth Madame Gu's expression hardened. "If she hopes to take household authority from me, she'll need another ten years of waiting."

By then, she would have secured her own position. After the Old Madame's passing, when the household divided, she could relinquish control gracefully and still earn the Marquis's gratitude.

"Zhao Niangzi proves increasingly useless," Sixth Madame Gu observed. "We should distance ourselves. After her parents confronted Wutong Yuan, even Bai Que's family now proclaims the Marquis will provide Zhao Niangzi with a dowry. This situation grows more unseemly by the day—we shouldn't soil our hands."

With Zhao Niangzi and Bai Que now estranged, the widow's influence had effectively collapsed.

"This old slave agrees," Zhao Mama said promptly. "After being dismissed from Wutong Yuan yesterday and losing Bai Que today, Zhao Niangzi has no cards left to play. The Old Madame hosts her in the Main House out of obligation alone—her patience wears thin. Best we avoid involvement and not offend the Marquis and his lady."

Sixth Madame Gu sighed. "I underestimated our new sister-in-law. Such composure at her age is remarkable. Even the Marquis seems captivated. Her performance today was masterful—the stewardesses now regard her with equal parts respect and fear. Both are concubine-born, yet compare her to our foolish Seventh Young Lady."

"We must intensify our efforts," she concluded. "Let us help our new sister-in-law complete her stage setting."

Before she could finish speaking, a young maid hurried in, lifting the curtain. "Madame! The Marquis is coming—and he's dragging someone with him!"

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note: check out my other work— The Marquis’s Beloved is a Black-Hearted Lotus and Rebirth as the Matriarch of a Noble Family (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡

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