Rebirth of the Treacherous Official’s Madam

With over ten volumes of account books added together, even if Yu Lingxin was a veteran in accounting, it still took her an entire five days before she finally finished reading through all of them one by one.

During the process, Shuangye and them naturally produced suspicions. Where did eldest miss get this many account books from?

Especially her dowry’s account books, Yu Lingxin just looked over the overall summary, knowing that the current sum was about twelve thousand taels, before handing it back to Shuangye and Gancao to continue combing through the details. But now, she suddenly had this many appear in her hands, even spending more than half the day looking through them.

Xun Che did prepare an excuse for her in advance, just saying that currently, Ming Huayue was teaching Xun Ying and Ming Jinrou how to read account books, manage the household, run the shops and such miscellaneous tasks. That’s why, she found some old account books for them to look over as homework.

Since Ming Jinrou and Xun Ying were both close with Yu Lingxin, they just secretly had these account books that were like classwork given to her. Actually, it was just like looking for a helper, begging her to help look over for them, so that when they report back to Ming Huayue, they can have an easier time.

Because this was considered secretly helping Ming Jinrou and Xun Ying cheat in front of their elder, it truly wasn’t anything to brag about. That’s why, the account books and letters between them need to be kept low, absolutely can’t let anyone outside of Lianyi Residence know, else once this matter gets out, it won’t look good for Ming Jinrou and Xun Ying.

These words were said quite reasonably. Shuangye and them although were somewhat surprised at how these large upper class noble family’s young ladies needed to look at this many account books, but thinking again, the Jin Duke Manor and Wen’an Marquis Manor’s di branch young ladies, in the future, will both be going to high-ranking officials or other noble families to be the main wife in charge of the household, so their homework on accounting and managing the household being a bit heavy seemingly made sense. As such, they just believed this explanation, even tacitly helping Yu Lingxin cover up.

Yu Lingxin didn’t know whether she should rejoice or helplessly laugh. According to what she heard, after the tenth of the ninth month’s poetry gathering concluded, Ming Huayue’s impression towards her assisting and managing the miscellaneous affairs was still pretty good, and also really had the intention of taking her daughter and niece to look over the accounts at home together. Just, those account books at most will just be some of the purchasing records for the household, where would it be this many full volumes of general ledgers for the shops.

Just, once she finished looking over all of them, at the same time being inwardly shocked at how large the sum was, Yu Lingxin also understood why the currently still young Xun Che had this many private assets.

Strictly speaking, these shouldn’t all be considered Xun Che’s private assets. At least half were actually Qin Wang’s business recorded under Xun Che’s name, or perhaps shops jointly owned by the two of them. Especially in the Yu province, Chen province, and Quan province, these were all where Great Sheng’s most important garrisons were located. These shops’ existence probably wasn’t just for earning money.

When she was almost done organizing through the account books in hand, Jin Duke Manor’s invitation came again. This time, Ming Jinrou actually dragged along Xun Ying, who’d already recovered quite a bit, to come pick her up together, at the same time, also bringing eight bolts of brightly colored thin brocade.

When Yu Lingxin received this news, she was already numb to this kind of thing, and it just so happens that she was also tired from looking at the shops’ account books. As such, she just followed Ming Jinrou and Xun Ying to Jin Duke Manor, arranging the various matters in regards to the next literature club meeting.

Compared to Ming Jinrou openly tossing the matter to her without any pressure, on Xun Ying’s side, although relaxing a breath, she also had a bit more of sincere gratitude, “Really need to thank sister Huijun for the trouble. Jinrou and I both aren’t good with these general affairs. To be troubling older sister again and again, I’m really very thankful.”

“Capable, thus do more work. Ying’er, you really don’t need to be this polite.” Before Yu Lingxin could say anything, Ming Jinrou just smilingly spoke first. Shortly after, she glanced at Yu Lingxin, even giving her a meaningful look, “Right, sister Huijun?”

Yu Lingxin could only laugh, “This indeed isn’t anything big.” Actually, on Xun Ying’s matter, she has always been a bit unsure. That is, in regards to her and Xun Che’s matter, whether or not Xun Ying was aware. However, judging from Ming Jinrou’s actions and look, especially not even hearing the word ‘second cousin-in-law’, perhaps Xun Ying still didn’t know.

Sure enough, Xun Ying shook her head and said, “Older sister can’t say it like this. For older sister, these matters may be nothing, but for me, it’s a difficult problem. This favor, I still need to remember.”

Ming Jinrou laughed out again, “No worries, no worries, this favor, I will remember for you. You really don’t need to be too polite.”

TN: All translations outside of are stolen and reposted without permission!

Yu Lingxin practically wanted to step on Ming Jinrou. This girl’s ability in riling others up was just like Xun Che. Rather than cousins, the two of them were more like actual siblings.

Xun Ying was long used to Ming Jinrou talking like this. Moreover, previously, she’d been sick for a few days, so seeing Ming Jinrou and Yu Lingxin seemingly very quickly became close, she also didn’t feel anything of it. After hesitating for a moment, she glanced at Ming Jinrou again.

Ming Jinrou refreshingly laughed, “Still feeling embarrassed? Actually, what’s there to be embarrassed about? Sister Huijun, Ying’er wants to ask for your help again.”

Yu Lingxin was somewhat surprised. Aside from the poetry gathering’s matters, what other troubling matters did Xun Ying still have that required her help? But, Xun Ying was a sweet-tempered and thoughtful young lady, so she won’t open her mouth without a good cause. She slightly thought for a moment and just somewhat had a guess inside. Just, on the surface, she still carried a smile, “Whatever it is, just directly say it. Prior to the Yang Festival (Double Ninth), even the madam all sent me things, and you two also send me gifts every time, rather making me feel bad accepting it without doing much. If able to help, I definitely will help.”

“Really?” Xun Ying happily responded, “Actually, it’s just the matter of the account books. My mother recently forbid me from reading too much poetry and literature, wanting Jinrou and I to learn how to look over accounts together. It’s a bit easier for her to evade, but on my side, it’s really………”

Sure enough, it was this matter. Yu Lingxin can be considered to have predicted most of it. Looks like that excuse Xun Che prepared for her, it was still better to actually carry out from now on. Moreover, when Xun Ying marry in the future, even if not becoming the main wife in charge of the entire household, there will ultimately be a day when the branches divide out. Completely not understanding the account books and general affairs really won’t do.

And for her, it really was nothing to worry about, no matter how many accounts there were. Among the several tens of thousands of taels of shop revenue, adding in a bit of the Wen’an Marquis Manor’s purchasing records and miscellaneous accounts, it truly wasn’t considered anything.

Yet, who knew that what Xun Ying said next actually wasn’t having some classwork-like account book that she wanted to ask Yu Lingxin to help organize, but rather wanting to invite her to the manor to help give some pointers.

Yu Lingxin couldn’t help but glance at Ming Jinrou. The latter shrugged her shoulders, “Paternal aunt’s personality is blunt, not liking detailed and long-winded explanations. Their family is also partly divided yet not divided with the second branch, so the account books are a bit complicated. Ying’er is asking older sister to go over to accompany her for a few days, can be considered going as a ‘study companion’.”

Speaking of Ming Huayue’s personality, Yu Lingxin actually still very much understood, also having that bit of similarity with Ming Jinrou. She was magnanimous and straightforward, having well-defined likes and dislikes. As such, she naturally won’t have that much patience towards the details.

And recalling Xun Che previously saying that he will ‘speed up the preparations’, perhaps this matter also had Xun Che’s idea, wanting her to appear a few more times in front of his mother.

“Actually, it’s also because lately, second cousin is busy with filling in the vacancies in court, and their family’s second branch is also returning to the capital, so things are also quite chaotic in the manor. Paternal aunt is even more stressed than before.” Ming Jinrou added, carrying a bit of a smile in her big eyes, having certain meanings further pointed out, “On one hand, it’s wanting to let Ying’er quickly learn, just this ‘quickly’ has already made this little squishy bun very exhausted.”

This time, even the good-tempered Xun Ying couldn’t help but go smack Ming Jinrou, “I’m not a squishy bun. You’re even smaller than me. In front of sister Huijun, you really don’t have any propriety.”

Yu Lingxin couldn’t help but laugh. The Ming family siblings and the Xun family siblings’ way of interacting was also very interesting. Ming Jincheng was three months older than Xun Che, while Xun Ying was two months older than Ming Jinrou. Strictly speaking, Xun Che should call Ming Jincheng older cousin, and Ming Jinrou should also call Xun Ying older cousin, but perhaps because their temperament and age were close, between them, they were further like close friends. That’s why, they’ve always just called each other by their names.

“Looking over account books isn’t anything difficult, I just don’t know whether or not I can really be of help.” Yu Lingxin still smilingly agreed. At this time now, between Xun Che and her, there weren’t that much embarrassment. The account books in her hands at present, for the most part, were just half of Qin Wang’s assets and Xun Che’s entire private savings. If to really still intentionally avoid and not meet, it would instead have many inconveniences. Since Xun Che paved the path for her, then she just needed to calmly walk it.

Xun Ying naturally was very happy, repeatedly thanking a few times again. Afterwards, they just agreed on the date and time, the coming and goings, and such miscellaneous matters.

In this way, in the following ten plus days, Yu Lingxin would spend five to six days at the Xun Manor, while also having one or two days where she went to Jin Duke Manor to arrange the poetry gathering’s matter. Especially after Ming Jinrou discovered that Yu Lingxin’s Zhao style script was extremely pretty, she practically hated that she can’t have the job of writing the invitations also thrown to her.

And Yu Lingxin these days have been busily running back and forth between the Xun family’s inner and outer account books. Occasionally when distracted, she would absentmindedly feel as if she’d directly returned to back when she was managing the manor from top to bottom as the Wen’an Marchioness. In this kind of increasingly habitual days, she instead didn’t have any temper. Hearing Ming Jinrou not want to write the invitations, she directly took over the list and just set to the task herself.

In less than two cups of tea’s time, fifteen copies of invitations were completed.

Seeing Yu Lingxin finish this swiftly, Ming Jinrou also felt somewhat embarrassed for once, quickly pouring a cup of tea and sending it over, “Older sister, I was actually just saying it. I can write it too. Just, my handwriting really isn’t as pretty as Ying’er’s and yours. This Zhao script of yours really is too pretty. What template did you imitate it from?”

“Probably Linchuan Collection and Yunjiang Template?” Xun Che’s voice sounded from outside, carrying a bit of joy as he entered the door.

Ming Jinrou was startled, “Second cousin, how come you still didn’t let someone notify first. My study at present is also about to become your study.”

Xun Che laughed, “Who let you still be using my person when handling matters?” As he said this, he had the thin cape on him removed.

Yu Lingxin naturally got up too, casually taking his cape, also clicking her tongue, “What nonsense are you saying in front of Jinrou again?”