Chapter 80: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 80: 

 

The old princess consort hadn't expected the county princess to respond so honestly and gave her a scrutinizing look, replying with a stern face, “Are you expecting me to praise your progress?”

Liu Mian Tang, appearing somewhat embarrassed, pursed her lips and smiled at the old princess consort.

The old princess consort, no longer inclined to criticize her handwriting, shifted to questioning Liu Mian Tang about the procedures for banquets. Liu Mian Tang answered in a well-organized and thoughtful manner, demonstrating a surprising level of competence.

It seemed as though she had managed significant affairs before.

The old princess consort had originally intended to give her a bit of a hard time. According to Madam Lian Chu, women of such lowly backgrounds were known for being adept at gauging others and were easily intimidated by authority.

The old princess consort was aware of her own gentle nature and didn’t want to be overstepped by a seductive woman who might be trying to charm her son. She intended to establish her authority to make sure Liu Mian Tang knew her place, preventing any future presumption on Liu Mian Tang’s part due to her son’s affection.

However, in their one-on-one interactions, the old princess consort found that Liu Mian Tang was appropriately respectful and not given to flattery. Her demeanor was neither obsequious nor submissive, and she didn’t seem to be anxious about facing difficulties from her future mother-in-law.

Her appearance was striking, and her smile made her eyes shimmer with a soft glow. Not only men appreciated her beauty, but even women found themselves captivated by her charm.

With fewer obstacles to her authority, the old princess consort softened her stance and allowed Liu Mian Tang to review the accounts.

Initially, Liu Mian Tang merely skimmed through the documents, but after a few pages, she started examining them more closely. She furrowed her brows and hesitantly asked, "Your Highness, why are the daily expenditures of the estate so high?"

The old princess consort sipped her tea and replied, "The estate includes not only the inner court but also the outer court, the manor, and the villa. Each of these requires funds. Besides the guards, there are several hundred people in and out of the estate. It's not like an ordinary household where a hundred taels could last two or three years."

The accountant in charge of the accounts, standing by, added with a smile, "What the old princess consort says is correct. These accounts are reviewed by her monthly, so there shouldn't be any errors."

Liu Mian Tang smiled and said, "Since we're learning today, let's do it thoroughly. May I also review the previous years' old accounts to see if I can discern any patterns or insights?"

Her request was reasonable, and the old princess consort agreed, instructing the servants to fetch the old ledgers from the treasury.

When the old accounts were brought in, they were neatly stacked in thick bundles, organized by year.

Liu Mian Tang approached and pulled out several volumes.

The accountant, thinking she wanted to consolidate the accounts, reached out to take them.

However, Liu Mian Tang didn't speak. Instead, she grabbed the abacus from the accountant's hands and placed it in front of her. With one hand, she quickly manipulated the abacus beads, while the other hand flipped through the pages of the accounts. The rhythmic clicking of the abacus filled the room.

Her method was different from others; she didn’t rely on the beads alone but used both hands efficiently to slide through the accounts, taking notes as she went. Her swift and skilled handling of the documents left the old princess consort and the attending servants astonished.

In no time, she had sorted through several thick volumes of accounts.

Without saying much, Liu Mian Tang quickly wrote down the figures she had memorized from the accounts. Turning to the accountant, she said, "Several years ago, in response to the Old Princess Consort's call for frugality, the Prince reduced the number of servants in the estate, and the expenses that year were three hundred thousand taels. In the following years, the expenses fluctuated around this amount. However, in recent years, the expenditures have been rising annually, especially this year. Despite the Prince's absence from the estate, it has reached nearly six hundred thousand taels. The cost of living in Jiangnan has remained stable with no significant changes in prices. Could you explain the reason for this increase?"

The accountant, momentarily stunned by Liu Mian Tang's deft handling of the abacus, was taken aback by her inquiry. He stammered, "In recent years, we’ve had several grand banquets for the old princess consort’s birthdays and other varying expenses, which have contributed to the increased expenditure…"

In truth, while the old princess consort had reviewed the accounts in the past, she only checked whether the expenditures were reasonable and did not delve deeply into the detailed figures of previous years. The annual increase in expenses, though noticeable, was not large enough to raise suspicion.

However, Liu Mian Tang's comparison of the old and new accounts revealed a discrepancy of nearly three hundred thousand taels, which was quite startling. The old princess consort’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she immediately retrieved this year’s accounts to scrutinize them again.

Hearing the accountant's explanation, Liu Mian Tang smiled slightly and said, "I am new to the estate and still unfamiliar with everything. As long as the expenditures are justified, I am not in a position to question them further. If it’s acceptable, I would like to retire to my quarters now, as I am feeling rather fatigued due to a chronic ailment."

At this point, the old princess consort was too preoccupied to focus on Liu Mian Tang’s request. With her son absent and such a large increase in expenditures, she feared that there might be corruption and mismanagement in the estate. Determined to get to the bottom of it, she was prepared to investigate thoroughly, regardless of the late hour.

So, despite Liu Mian Tang’s somewhat abrupt request to leave, the old princess consort, in her agitation, waved her hand in dismissal, allowing Liu Mian Tang to go.

As Liu Mian Tang left, her steps were slightly lighter. According to military strategy, the best way to deal with a situation like this was to "buy time."

Now that the old princess consort was in a foul mood and intent on making trouble, and given that the prince would be away in Dongzhou on inspection starting today, it would be some time before he returned. If the old princess consort decided to make things difficult for her, despite her noble title, it would still cause some tension.

So, Liu Mian Tang planned to keep the old princess consort occupied. The problematic accounts from recent years would likely keep her busy for quite a while. Meanwhile, Liu Mian Tang could take this opportunity to catch her breath and focus on her own matters.

From those chaotic accounts, it was clear that the grand promises made by the prince were nothing but illusions. The state of the estate was far from appealing to her. Given that many people were speculating whether the prince would return from his campaign, it was not surprising that those left behind were scheming for their own gain. However, the prince had to attend to matters in Dongzhou, and with potential corruption in the household, he would not be able to address every issue.

As Li Mama had once said, people often idealize marriage into a noble family, imagining it to be glamorous. In reality, the responsibilities could be as burdensome as those of capable officials in the six ministries.

If a noble family had a mistress who was inept at managing the household, a single misstep in her career could lead to the disintegration of the entire household. How many noble families in the capital were reduced to living off pawns and selling ancestral treasures to make ends meet?

Thus, when selecting a wife for a high-ranking family, besides good family background and virtue, capability and intelligence were also crucial. The daughters who managed the household affairs, regardless of their appearance, were highly sought after.

Liu Mian Tang's strategy of "removing the tiger from the mountain" proved effective, allowing her some much-needed relief. Although the old princess consort continued to summon her a few times afterward, it was mainly to assist with accounting, and she was not subjected to further scrutiny or questioning.

Liu Mian Tang felt that, being unmarried, it was inappropriate for her to delve too deeply into the internal affairs of the estate. However, she did provide the old princess consort with general directions to prevent her from being tricked by deceitful subordinates.

Over the next few days, the sounds of punishment echoed through the Prince Residence. The earlier preparations of cudgels and whips for Mo Ru found their use. The servants, seizing the opportunity presented by the birthday banquet and the embezzled funds from the estate purchases, managed to reveal a major corruption case, leading to the arrest of several individuals and the recovery of nearly a million taels of silver.

On the day the silver notes were accounted for, Liu Mian Tang tactfully praised the old princess consort's competence, claiming that she had successfully tackled the largest embezzlement case in Zhenzhou. Her flattery was so well-timed and precise that even the old princess consort began to believe it.

Old Princess Consort Chu felt a sense of satisfaction, believing that she had indeed made a significant contribution and provided her son with a solid resolution. Finally, after a lifetime of quietude, she had achieved something noteworthy to boast about to her grandchildren. In the eyes of the servants, her aura of unspoken authority and respect only grew stronger.

However, the servants, keenly observant, began to see through Liu Mian Tang’s seemingly gentle demeanor. Despite her soft smile, there was an underlying depth that suggested she was no pushover. It became clear to them that the future princess consort was indeed a formidable and discerning figure.

As for Madam Lian Chu, after being unceremoniously sent away by Cui Xingzhou, she returned home only to face a harsh reprimand from her husband.

It turned out that the next day, Prince Huaiyang had again met with her husband and firmly reiterated that the engagement was terminated and would not be renewed. Lian Hanshan felt deeply embarrassed by the Prince’s blunt remarks, and when he learned that his wife had incited the old princess consort to confront the Prince's personal attendants, he was furious.

The Prince also informed her husband, "Aunt and cousin have been visiting frequently, but since I have ended the engagement and made a new one, it is best to avoid suspicion. If Aunt and cousin come to the Prince Residence without my uncle's company, it may cause inconvenience…”

With the Prince’s words so clearly indicating that he did not welcome the Lian family’s troublemakers, Lian Hanshan returned home in a rage. He harshly scolded both his wife and daughter, and warned Madam Lian Chu not to overstep her bounds just because she was related to Prince Huaiyang.

The Prince's attendants were not to be interrogated at will. The Prince, who held significant military power, was constantly occupied with military affairs and had no time for such intrusions. What right did a woman of the inner quarters have to question those closest to him?

Worried that one day the prince might not show any regard for familial ties and accuse her of treason.

Madam Lian Chu was indeed in the wrong this time, and her daughter, Lian Binglan, was also frustrated with her for not heeding advice and getting herself into such a compromising situation.

Madam Lian Chu couldn’t enter the residence anymore, but she was seething with anger. She felt that her nephew was completely bewitched by that seductress and was eagerly hoping that her sister would prove herself capable. While Cui Xingzhou was away on his inspection tour of Dongzhou, she hoped her sister would step into the role of mother-in-law, properly discipline the girl, and make her aware of her place.

Ideally, she wanted Cui Xingzhou to change his mind and cancel the marriage.

Unfortunately, while she waited and waited, what she heard was news of the Princes Residence's administrative overhaul and investigations into embezzlement. It was said that Old Princess Consort Chu was acting decisively and had already uncovered several large sums of silver.

What Madam Lian Chu was waiting for, however, was the fierce action from Old Princess Consort Chu against the future daughter-in-law.

Due to Prince Huaiyang’s ban, she couldn’t enter the Prince Residence anymore, and she was left anxious and restless.

Fortunately, the wife of the Marquis of South Town was holding a tea party. Hearing that Old Princess Consort Chu was going to attend with Princess Huaisang, Madam Lian Chu hurriedly took her daughter, Lian Binglan, to the Marquis' residence.

After all, with the marriage prospects at the Prince's residence currently in limbo, it depended on whether they could secure a match with the Marquis. Lian Binglan was also of a suitable age and couldn’t afford any further delays.

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