My Husband Never Oversteps The Bounds Of Propriety - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Winning the Game

As the twelfth lunar month drew to a close, the atmosphere of the New Year grew stronger, and the festive mood deepened among the pavilions and terraces of the Su Manor.

Beneath the eaves of the courtyards, glazed lanterns adorned with the character for “Fortune” began to be hung. The warehouse manager, clutching a thick ledger, bustled between the courtyards to request instructions on New Year’s bonuses and the specifications for gifts to be sent to various noble houses. The sound of the servants washing and cleaning grew even more frantic than usual.

Inside Baicao Hall, it was as warm as spring.

The Old Madam reclined on a chaise longue, an silver fox fur spread beneath her, looking warm and regal. She wore a vermilion and green headband with a brown pearl in the center. Her complexion had recovered seventy to eighty percent compared to before her illness.

On this day, the Old Madam held a cup of ginseng tea, the steam curling upward, as her gaze rested on Shen Jiuyuan, who sat quietly below, holding an embroidery frame and working on needlework.

Since that day of the “Gold Needle Rescue,” Shen Jiuyuan’s status in the Su Manor had grown like the quiet stirring of the earth in winter though there was no obvious movement, a fundamental change had occurred within. During the morning and evening respects, although the Old Madam was still not as intimate or casual with her as she was with her biological granddaughters-in-law, there was less scrutiny and a few more traces of unnoticeable warmth in her voice when she said, “Rise.”

Occasionally, the Old Madam would even keep Shen Jiuyuan to talk a bit longer, asking about Northern customs or listening to her views on some inconsequential household matters.

At this moment, the Old Madam took a sip of tea and spoke slowly, her voice carrying the slight huskiness of recent recovery, yet maintaining its natural authority:

“Jin-er’s wife, the New Year is approaching. The expenses for each branch and the exchange of gifts are all a tangled mess. Your mother-in-law’s health has never been robust; managing the household all these years has been a tax on her heart and strength. My own spirit is flagging now, so I was thinking of letting you share some of the burden and learn to manage things.”

Standing nearby, Matron Song’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, which quickly turned into understanding. She lowered her head in silence.

Shen Jiuyuan’s hand holding the needle paused slightly. She lifted her eyelids, her eyes displaying a calculated touch of trepidation and humility: “I am deeply grateful for Grandmother’s trust. It is just that I am young and inexperienced, and even more ignorant regarding household affairs. I fear my strength is insufficient and I might fail Grandmother’s expectations.”

The Old Madam waved her hand, her tone brook no argument: “No one is born knowing how to do things. You are a calm and steady child with a fine mind. That day you performed acupuncture for me, your technique and pressure were just right, showing you are patient and know how to gauge the proper measure.

Managing a household, in the end, is just a matter of ‘heart.’ Starting tomorrow, take two hours every day to go to your mother-in-law’s place. Follow her to learn how to read the ledgers and handle some simple New Year gift exchanges. If there is anything you don’t understand, ask more and watch more.”

“Yes, your granddaughter-in-law follows Grandmother’s teachings.”

Shen Jiuyuan set down her embroidery frame and rose to accept the command respectfully. In her heart, she was as clear as a mirror. The Old Madam’s move was a recognition and a test because she had revealed her capability, but it was also a subtle balancing act against Lady Lin’s control of the household management.

Perhaps there was another layer of expectation: because she was a daughter of the Shen family even a concubine-born one the Su family might one day have a use for the Shens regarding Northern commerce or water transport.

Leaving Baicao Hall, the sky was somewhat overcast, with leaden clouds seemingly within reach, as if a winter snowstorm were brewing. Shen Jiuyuan did not return directly to Yuanlan Pavilion but took a turn toward the Meditation Courtyard.

Lady Lin had clearly already received the news. She was sitting in the warming pavilion, staring blankly at an open ledger. Seeing Shen Jiuyuan enter, her habitual cold expression gained a few other nuances.

Lady Lin pointed to a seat below and spoke flatly: “Sit. Since the Old Madam wants you to learn, then learn well. Household affairs are complex. The first priority is to have a ‘scale’ in your heart—only by being impartial can you win over the crowd.”

Lady Lin commanded her managing matron to fetch several old ledgers from previous years and the list of New Year gifts prepared for various houses this year, and began to explain them one by one.

From deciding the monthly allowances for each branch to auditing the harvests of the estates and shops, to the rules and weight of New Year interactions with various noble families, Lady Lin explained everything analytically. No emotion could be seen on her face, yet her words clearly pointed out the intricate web of human relationships and conflicts of interest.

“…For example, this gift for the residence of Assistant Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Personnel. Minister Zhang is a ‘pure stream’ official; he dislikes luxury. The gift must be substantial, yet it cannot appear to have the vulgarity of gold and silver. It is best to use ancient books, calligraphy, paintings, or top-quality Hu brushes and Hui ink.

As for the gift for the Marquis of Jinghai’s manor, the Marquis is powerful and martial; the gift needs to manifest wealth and status coral, Eastern pearls, famous horses, or precious blades are all acceptable…”

Lady Lin’s finger slid over the items on the list. Her voice was not high, yet every word struck Shen Jiuyuan’s heart. These were not simple gifts; they were a network of relationships the very foundations of the Su family’s standing in Jinling City.

Shen Jiuyuan listened intently, occasionally asking one or two seemingly ignorant but actually pointed questions. This caused Lady Lin to occasionally lift her eyes to look at her; the scrutiny in her gaze grew stronger, but it also carried a faint approval, as if thinking she was a student worth teaching.

Over the next few days, Shen Jiuyuan arrived punctually at the Meditation Courtyard, burying herself in the mountain of ledgers and gift lists. She was naturally meticulous with an extraordinary memory; combined with the years she spent in the Shen family learning to observe the human heart through minute clues, her learning was remarkably fast.

In just a few short days, she had grasped the general pulse of the Su Manor’s income and expenses, the interests of each branch, and the key points of interaction with various noble houses.

On this day, as she was checking the quantity of silks and satins prepared for the warehouse, she heard a flurry of rising and falling arguments from outside. Listening carefully, it seemed that a manager surnamed Qian, who was in charge of procurement, was arguing with an old matron from the warehouse. A batch of newly arrived “Snow-Wave Paper” did not match the recorded number, and both held their own ground.

Manager Qian’s voice carried a hint of grievance: “Matron, please see clearly. This batch of paper was personally ordered by me from Wen-hua Studio. The number is perfectly clear; there can be no mistake. There must have been an error during the inventory check upon entering the warehouse.”

The old matron, however, was relentless, her voice shrill: “Nonsense! I’ve managed this warehouse for over ten years and never made such a slip! It’s clearly you black-hearted servants who have skimmed off the top and are trying to muddle through!”

Lady Lin was disturbed and frowned, having someone call them in. The two argued until they were red in the face. Each had their own logic, making it difficult to decide for a moment.

Shen Jiuyuan listened quietly, her gaze sweeping over the snow-white paper piled to the side, then over the fine sweat on Manager Qian’s brow and the tightly pursed lips of the old matron. She already had an answer in her heart. She set down the ledger in her hand, rose, and gave a small bow to Lady Lin.

“Mother, may I say a word?”

Lady Lin glanced at her and nodded.

Shen Jiuyuan walked to the pile of paper, picked up a stack at random, gently felt the edge with her fingertips, and looked closely at the texture against the light. Then she turned around, her voice clear and peaceful.

“Manager Qian, you say this batch of paper came from Wen-hua Studio. The ‘Snow-Wave Paper’ from Wen-hua Studio is soft and resilient, with fine and even screen-lines, and the edges are cut as smooth as a mirror. But these,” she showed the stack of paper to everyone, “are slightly brittle, with coarse screen-lines and fine burrs on the edges. This is not the authentic product of Wen-hua Studio, but an imitation of inferior quality. The price difference is nearly half.”

Everyone’s face changed instantly. If what she said was true, then wasn’t this a case of Manager Qian deceiving the manor for profit? If that were truly the case, this matter would become serious.

The room was so quiet a needle could be heard falling. None of the servants dared to interject. Even Manager Qian and the warehouse matron turned pale, looking nervously at Shen Jiuyuan.

Shen Jiuyuan paused, her gaze turning toward the old matron whose face had changed abruptly. Her tone remained gentle, yet it carried a deterrent rare for someone so young:

“Matron, the number you checked upon entry might be correct, but I fear the quality of the goods has been swapped. In my view, the key to this matter is not the number, but the source of this paper and the person who handled it.”

Her words were like a thunderclap. The old matron was instantly speechless, her face ashen. Manager Qian, however, was both shocked and delighted, saying repeatedly: “The Eldest Young Grandmother sees clearly! She sees clearly indeed!”

Lady Lin looked deeply at Shen Jiuyuan, her eyes shimmering. After a long silence, she spoke in a deep voice: “Take this wicked servant away for thorough questioning! Manager Qian, since you are blameless, you may leave. Be even more cautious with procurement in the future.”

The matter settled, the room returned to silence. Lady Lin looked at Shen Jiuyuan, who had sat back down to continue quietly auditing the accounts, and her heart was filled with ripples. Lady Lin had originally thought this daughter-in-law from the North had only gained the Old Madam’s favor through her medical skills and appearance. She never imagined that she would also have such sharp insight and decisiveness regarding household affairs and human relationships.

“You have done well,” Lady Lin finally spoke, her tone complex. “Household management seems trivial, but it is the ultimate test of the heart. A jade scale measures things, but even more so, it measures people.”

Shen Jiuyuan lifted her eyes to meet Lady Lin’s gaze, a gentle, shallow smile on her lips. “Your daughter-in-law follows Mother’s teachings. I will certainly keep them in mind and apply my heart to everything.”

As the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law spoke, fine snowflakes began to drift outside the window, painting the courtyard with a thin layer of white.

Shen Jiuyuan knew that her first step in establishing herself in the Su Manor taking over a portion of the family accounts had finally been firmly planted.

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