MYSIOAMEWTMMAlTWOAM: Chapter 76

 Glossary

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

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

·Hongye (红叶): Qin Yuan's maidservant.

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

·Lin Manager (林掌柜): Manager of one of Qin Yuan's dowry shops.

·Wu Manager (吴掌柜): Manager of one of Qin Yuan's dowry shops.

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Chapter 76: Unwilling to Wait a Moment Longer

Qin Yuan smiled but said nothing more.

So, the reason Marquis Gu managed to catch the Sixth Master Gu probably wasn't because he was placating Concubine Zheng and skipped the boat trip, but because the marks on his face hadn't fully healed yet.

Cuiming clicked her tongue in surprise.

They had never witnessed such things back in the Qin residence.

Qin Jijiu was a capital official with few avenues for extra income. Aside from the biannual "gratitude gifts" for ice and charcoal from local officials, he relied on presents from returning former students posted outside the capital to fill the household's financial gaps.

He often brought promising students he favored to the residence, frequently gifting them books, paper, and the like, occasionally even providing monetary support. Furthermore, he constantly had to accommodate clansmen who came to the capital seeking shelter.

Therefore, Madame Cui managed the accounts with extreme frugality; not a single extra coin could be squeezed from her grasp.

Having grown up in the Qin residence, Cuiming and Hongye inevitably found everything in the Marquis's household novel and astonishing.

However, in her previous life, Qin Yuan had started as the wife of a minor county magistrate and had interacted with all sorts of officials' wives. There was no kind of inner household strife she hadn't seen.

All this seemed utterly mundane in her eyes.

After listening to Cuiming and Hongye chatter and gossip for some time, Qin Yuan grew drowsy. She dismissed them from needing to stay in the room, instructing that only a few younger maids remain on the veranda. She added that if anyone delivered account books, they should come and wake her.

Cuiming and Hongye thus left the main room to attend to their own tasks.

After her noon nap, Qin Yuan got up, brewed a cup of strong tea to clear her head, and was slowly rocking on a rattan chair in a daze when she heard a young maid announce from outside that a servant from the second gate had reported the arrival of two middle-aged men requesting to see the Marquise, claiming they were there to deliver account books.

"Invite them in to sit in the reception hall."

Finally, they're here.

Qin Yuan asked, "Where are Hongye and Cuiming?"

The young maid replied, "Sister Hongye took a few handfuls of wosi tang (meaning: a type of sugary pastry) and went out for a stroll, saying she'd be back soon. Sister Cuiming is in the small kitchen, tinkering with something."

Qin Yuan said, "You go and fetch Cuiming to attend to me. If Hongye returns, have her go to the reception hall as well. If she doesn't make it in time, it's fine."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

The young maid hurried off to the small kitchen to get Cuiming to help Qin Yuan change clothes and style her hair.

Cuiming had been preparing cold noodles.

Back in the Qin residence, Qin Yuan had been very fond of this dish. After several days of rich meals in the Marquis's household, Cuiming suddenly remembered it and decided to experiment while her mistress napped.

"The two managers are here? Miss, you've been waiting for them for a long time."

Cuiming washed her hands, gave a few more instructions to the cook, then changed into a fresh set of clothes before going to assist Qin Yuan with her hair.

By the time Qin Yuan was properly dressed and presentable, and she went to the reception hall with Cuiming, Manager Lin and Manager Wu had already been waiting for nearly half an hour.

The moment Qin Yuan entered, the two men hurriedly stood up and paid their respects.

They seemed considerably more deferential than during their last meeting.

After exchanging pleasantries, Qin Yuan said, "Please, sit quickly. Have you finished organizing the account books?"

Manager Wu smiled awkwardly, opened the box he had brought with him, and took out several thick ledgers. "The account books for all the shops are here. Please review them, Madam."

Qin Yuan nodded. Cuiming stepped forward, took the ledgers, and handed them to her.

After Qin Yuan casually flipped through a few books and set them aside on the table next to her, Manager Lin promptly said, "Madam, I have been searching for that Persian merchant these past few days. Because he is anxious to return to his homeland to visit a sick relative, our paths kept crossing without meeting. Today, I finally received a clear message and came immediately to report."

Qin Yuan nodded. "You've taken trouble."

Manager Lin continued, "The Persian merchant has approximately four hu of pepper. His asking price is fifty-five taels per jin. He mentioned that recently there have been quite a few more inquiries, all saying they would take the entire lot if the quality is good. He also said he must leave the capital within half a month, so if someone offers a price close to his asking, he will sell."

Manager Wu fidgeted beside him, looking as if he wanted to speak but was holding back.

Qin Yuan frowned. "How strange. Have there really been that many people buying pepper in large quantities recently?"

Manager Lin said, "The standard market price should be fifty taels per jin. I initially thought that, given his family emergency, he would be eager to sell and willing to accept a lower price. I never expected him to raise it to fifty-five taels. It seems there truly have been many inquiries."

Manager Wu couldn't resist interjecting, "The great merchants' sea vessels are due back in a few months. The price of pepper will likely fall then. This Persian merchant is shouting an unreasonable price. It would be wise for you to be cautious, Madam. If you wish to stockpile pepper, it would be better to wait until their ships return and buy in bulk then."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

His implication was clear: even if they were to incur a loss, it would be a much smaller one.

For Manager Wu to speak so frankly showed a degree of loyalty, as not everyone would risk displeasing their employer by being so direct.

Qin Yuan said gently, "Thank you for the reminder, Manager Wu. However, I have my reasons. But it is indeed quite odd that the Persian merchant has raised his price so high. Manager Lin, why don't you make further inquiries? Find out exactly who else is asking about the price. Report back to me as soon as you have news. If it's inconvenient for you to come personally, you can send a message with a servant."

Manager Lin nodded in agreement.

Qin Yuan waited a moment longer. Seeing they had nothing more to say, she saw them out.

Managers Lin and Wu, somewhat restrained and careful, left Wutong Yuan. They walked cautiously all the way, not daring to speak until they had exited the mansion gates. "The Marquis's household is indeed as deep as the sea," one remarked. "Even entering and leaving through the side gate took us nearly half an hour. The Dingbei Marquis Estate is simply too vast."

Manager Wu stroked his beard. "The Madam is blessed with good fortune. I observed her demeanor was serene and unhurried, no matter what was discussed. She truly seems capable of handling such immense wealth and status. We must serve her diligently from now on."

For a young woman in her teens to possess such composure and steadiness was remarkable and not to be underestimated.

Manager Lin nodded. "Before, I merely thought our master's daughter by a concubine had, through some twist of fate, landed a fortunate match by climbing into the Marquis's household. Now, it seems she has both luck and capability herself."

Not to mention her astonishing skill during the account inspection the other day, just seeing how respectfully the servants behaved today within the Marquis's household—without a trace of disdain towards them—indicated that she had gained the Marquis's affection and respect. Her good days were still ahead.

Manager Wu also nodded, then asked with a troubled expression, "But why is the Madam so determined to pursue this pepper trade?"

Manager Lin laughed. "How should I know? I'll simply do what she asks me to. Perhaps the Madam has her own unique methods. Have you not heard the saying, 'Methods are not passed on to a sixth ear' (meaning: secret techniques are closely guarded)?"

Manager Wu also laughed.

…

Qin Yuan sat in the reception hall, lost in thought for a while. She genuinely couldn't understand. Even Managers Wu and Lin knew about the great merchants soon returning with pepper by sea, so why were others, like her, rushing to buy large quantities now, driving up the price with their inquiries?

Could it be that someone else has also gained foreknowledge?

A young maid called for Cuiming from outside the reception hall. Cuiming went out for a moment, then returned hurriedly. "The Marquis has returned," she said. "He's been drinking somewhere and is calling for you, Madam. He says he's unwilling to wait a moment longer."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Upon hearing this, Qin Yuan's lovely eyebrows knitted together. She stood up, glanced at the sun outside the window, and said, puzzled, "At this hour? He's been drinking. Why doesn't he go rest in the side room? Why the urgency to find me?"

Cuiming said, "This servant doesn't know. Perhaps the Marquis wishes to discuss the matter of the Seventh Young Lady with you?"

Qin Yuan had no choice but to say, "Then let's go and see."

(End of Chapter)

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