Chapter 16 FCADW? IRTBTMOTMM
FlamingoBees
Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)
Favoring Concubines and Destroying Wives? I Refuse to be the Mistress of this Marquis' Mansion
Chapter 16:
Silver
"I carried Qing Ge'er in my womb for ten months, endured hunger, and fed him myself to ensure he could study and read."
"When his foster grand-father died, Qing Ge'er and I relied on each other. He is the root of my life."
"I'd rather die myself than let Qing Ge'er suffer any grievances. He is my heart and soul. More than anyone, I hope for his success, to pass the imperial examinations and achieve greatness."
Lu Zhengliu listened to Ge Bao'er's incessant words without hearing, taking a while to snap back to reality from what Lin Yunwan had said.
"I already know, don't cry," he comforted her.
Ge Bao'er, with her swollen eyes resembling walnuts, choked up, saying, "He's my biological son, yet I... I feel like an outsider."
Lu Zhengliu's brows furrowed coldly, "Who said you're an outsider?"
Recalling the scene of their family dinner from earlier, Ge Bao'er felt a sense of desolation. Qing Ge'er loved Zhengliu's mother, and it showed at the dining table.
Looking at her, Lu Zhengliu, reminded of his son's demeanor, softened his voice, "You're not an outsider. I'll make sure Grandmother gives you a proper status."
After saying this, he promptly left.
~
Old Madam Lu, aware that things were unsettled, hasn't slept yet. With a stern expression, she is unsure where to begin the reprimand.
She genuinely wonders, what makes Ge Bao'er better than Lin Yunwan. Rejecting such an excellent legitimate wife and being entangled with a rural seductress without any substantial outcome.
The Old Madam pulled herself out of her thoughts and heard her grandson saying, "Although Bao’er comes from a rural background and may have a narrow perspective, her nature is not malicious. Today's incident was merely the frustration of a mother. She didn't mean to incite anything against you."
"Old Madam, I spent a full seven years searching for them before finding mother and son. Bao’er didn't have to bring Qing Ge'er back; it was my insistence. If it weren't for Qing Ge'er's future and her lack of a proper status in the mansion, she wouldn't be so anxious, and today's incident wouldn't have happened."
"If we talk about blame, it's all your grandson's fault."
Lu Zhengliu's words are reasonable and heartfelt. Having interacted with Ge Bao’er during this time, Old Madam Lu can see that while Bao’er may lack sophistication, she is not malicious. Despite her disdain, she won't go so far as to condemn her completely. After all, she is Qing Ge’er's birth mother and Lu Zhengliu's beloved.
© translations belonging to flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.
Old Madam Lu’s expression improved significantly. She said, "I've already promised her a proper status, and I won't break my word. However, these troubles are of her own making, and she can't blame others. Don't defend her too much! If you indulge her ambitions too much in the future, I won't be lenient."
Lu Zhengliu replied, "Grandson understands."
~
The next day, Lin Yunwan was in Chui Si Tang, managing the accounts, her bright eyes cold and silent. Some maidservants were gossiping in the courtyard.
"Now it's getting harder and harder to settle these accounts. This is the Old Madam's unavoidable expenses. If Young Madam disagrees, when it reaches the Old Madam’s ears, I can only speak the truth."
"Yeah, even the Marquis is short of money..."
Ping Ye gave them a stern look, snorted, and then entered the room. She reported, "Madam, those maidservants have come again."
Lin Yunwan lifted her pen, wrote a few strokes, and handed out two tokens.
Seeing this, Ping Ye almost lost her breath and said, "Madam..."
Lin Yunwan calmly said, "Go. I have a way to handle it."
Ping Ye reluctantly went and, as usual, gave them the tokens to collect their money. Whether the expenses were genuinely spent on the Old Madam, it was hard to say.
Those women happily left after receiving the money.
Ping Ye spat on the ground as she watched their figures recede.
Tao Ye came over and said, "They are all old servants of the mansion, many generations of family-born. Some are even related to people around the Old Madam. She values her reputation and doesn't want to offend them, especially since they are the most troublesome ones."
Ping Ye sighed, "How could I not know? It's all because of..."
The two exchanged a glance, understanding each other without saying more. It was all because of the Old Madam.
Blaming Old Madam Lu was inevitable. She made Lin Yunwan manage the household, giving orders without providing any support. If someone from her side caused trouble or if there were exceptional circumstances, every time Young Madam Lin had to figure out a solution. If there were issues or unsettled accounts, it was always left for the the Young Madam to resolve. It's like wanting the horse to run without providing it with fodder.
Lin Yunwan was caught in the middle.
"Young Madam, Yan Mama is here."
Ping Ye came over to report.
Lin Yunwan had a general idea of what she was wanted for.
When she entered Yu Shou Hall, the Old Madam started off by saying, "Bao'er has been with me for quite some time, and she serves me well. I'm reluctant to let her go. I'm thinking of keeping her by my side. What do you think, Yunwan?"
"Cousin Ge seems to be getting older. Instead of keeping her, why not find her a good marriage?" suggested Lin Yunwan.
© translations belonging to flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.
The Old Madam sighed, "You don't know, this child... has had a tough life."
Lin Yunwan raised an eyebrow, "How has she had a tough life?"
"At a young age, she lost her parents and grew up with relatives. Don't be fooled by her maturity; it's because she learned to read people's moods from a young age. Finally, we arranged a good marriage for her—a man who runs a medicinal shop. Initially, everything went smoothly. Who would have thought later..."
Lin Yunwan frowned and asked, "What happened later?"
The Old Madam continued, "Her husband went out to buy medicinal herbs and disappeared without a trace. A young lady like her was left waiting for several years. But the marriage was already arranged, and his family refused to let her remarry. Can you imagine spending your whole life like a living widow? It's so pitiful."
Lin Yunwan echoed, "Indeed, it's pitiful..."
Pretending to be moved by the fabricated story of Cousin Gu’s misfortune, Lin Yunwan sighed.
Old Madam commented, "You think she's pitiful too! I'm thinking, let's keep her in the estate, provide her with a monthly allowance—not too much, just following the old practice of supporting girls in the mansion. That should be enough."
"Just enough?"
Lin Yunwan sneered inwardly. Maintaining a girl in the estate required five taels of silver per month, and when you factored in yearly expenses for cosmetics, clothing for every season, gold and silver jewelry, at least four maidservants to attend to her, and the furnishing of her quarters—these costs were equivalent to purchasing a small house in the outskirts of the capital.
How easy she made it sound!
Lin Yunwan expressed hesitation, "Madam, I took over the estate's accounts from you, and you know..."
Old Madam Lu’s expression darkened. She was well aware that while the wealth of the Marquis residence was considerable compared to ordinary households, sustaining the previous lavish lifestyle was no longer feasible.
If it weren't for Lin Yunwan’s effective management in recent years, even simple matters like establishing an ancestral temple or adopting a son would have been unattainable.
"Yunwan, I entrusted the Lu family to you because I believe in you."
After contemplating for a moment, Lin Yunwan said, "There are a few non-essential expenses we can cut down to provide some support for our cousin. However, I'll need to document it and seek Madam's approval."
If she could manage to allocate some funds, that would be a success.
Old Madam Lu chuckled, "Just bring it here."
Lin Yunwan prepared a document, and upon inspection, Ping Ye remarked, "They are indeed considerate. If they want to support their cousin, why not use your own resources rather than trouble our Young Madam?"
After reviewing the document, a surprised look crossed her face as she exclaimed, "Madam, why did you include Qiao Da's assignment in this?"
With a gentle tone, Tao Ye interjected, "If we cut Qiao Da's assignment to support our cousin, he might cause a big fuss."
Lin Yunwan calmly stated, "Send it off."
With a smile, Ping Ye responded, "This servant will do so immediately."
© translations belonging to flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.
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