Married Thrice to Salted Fish

10.

Naturally, the person personally selected by Wen Guo Gong for his grandson would be very capable. Zhang Shiquan was so experienced and so careful that it really took him only a day to sort out all the books.

“I have already sorted out all these ledgers.” Zhang Shiquan had a well-thought out plan, “If Young Master Hou and Shaojun feel uneasy, you may look through it again. However, not to boast but I have been balancing books for more than 30 years and I have not made even half an error.”

Lin Qingyu nodded. “You have worked hard.”

“Manager Zhang is amazing.” Lu Wancheng raised his eyes and motioned to Hua Lu, who immediately stepped forward to give Zhang Shiquan the reward he had prepared in advance — a heavy bag of silver. “I expect there to be a follow-up to this matter. Please stay in Nan’an Hou Mansion for the time being.”

Zhang Shiquan bowed and said, “By Young Master Hou’s orders.”

As soon as Zhang Shiquan left, Lu Wancheng’s straight back immediately drooped. He lay on the table, looking at Lin Qingyu. He made as if to speak but stopped.

Lin Qingyu flipped through the finished ledger and said lightly, “If you have something to say, just say it.”

“I said to leave it to me but you still didn’t believe me.”

His tone sounded a bit accusatory.

It was a pity that this sort of move was useless on Lin Qingyu. “And indeed, it wasn’t you who dealt with it. You asked someone else to deal with it.”

“What’s the difference?”

“You can’t always rely on others for everything.”

“Why not? I gave him money. It’s a win-win situation.”

“Then, when you’re too lazy to eat, to sleep, or to marry a wife and make children, will you also have someone deal with it for you?”

“Make children, you say?” Lu Wancheng pretended to fall deep in thought, “En… it’d be great if I didn’t have to move myself.”

Lin Qingyu didn’t understand what Lu Wancheng was talking about. When he understood, he got up suddenly, his face burning. “I didn’t mean that!”

Lu Wancheng smiled and raised his eyes. “Then what did you mean?”

He merely wanted to say that there were things that one needed to do by oneself. Only a lecher would associate that with some other thing.

Lin Qingyu looked down with drooping lids at the lecher leaning against the table, and said, “You’re hopeless.”

In the blink of an eye, it was the day when Liang Shi was to check the ledgers.

Liang Shi got up early. As before, she sat in front of the mirror to dress and make up. Behind her, Liu Momo was putting her hair in a bun.

Liang Shi suddenly felt the pain of hair being pulled from her scalp and she cried out in surprise. “What’s the matter with you? After a month of hard work in the garden and you can’t comb hair anymore?”

“Madam, forgive me. Forgive me, Madam.” Liu Momo bowed and scraped. She lowered her head and wiped her tears. From out the corner of her eye, she looked at Liang Shi, trying to gauge her expression. “To tell Madam the truth, this servants is nearing sixty and was made to endure such hardship. These hands have held a broom for an entire month and is now tasked with holding Madam’s jade comb. This servant is afraid of dirtying the Madam’s things.”

Liang Shi smoothened out the hair near her temples and said, voice deep, “You are my trusted aide. Punishing you was depriving me of face. You have been wronged. Today…” The corners of Liang Shi’s lips ticked up, “Let’s see.”

Lu Niantao came early to pay her respects to Liang Shi. Even after doing so, she didn’t leave, staying to accompany Liang Shi. However, they waited until the tea had gone cold but they saw neither hide nor hair of Lin Qingyu.

Liu Momo craned her neck and looked out. “Could it be that Shaojun is lacking in self-confidence and so, didn’t even come to pay his respects? This is too unsightly. A male wife from a humble family simply doesn’t understand the rules.”

“Liu Momo, watch your words.” Lu Niantao said without urgency. “We shall wait. If we can no longer wait then we shall simply sent someone to inquire.”

Before she could even finish her words, from outside, came the announcement of his arrival. “Young Master and Shaojun are here.”

Lu Niantao was surprised. “Eldest brother is also here?”

Liu Momo curled her lips in contempt. “He must have come to make a request on Shaojun’s behalf.”

For some reason, Liang Shi felt somewhat apprehensive. If this was before, Lu Wancheng was nothing but a sick seedling. She coaxed him, flattered him and then used the Chong Xi to find him a male wife. Once he could no longer hold on, she would finally wait patiently for him to die. But since Lin Qingyu married into the family, this sick seedling’s body grew better day after day. He could even get out of bed now and his temperament also changed a lot. The medicine Lin Qingyu was formulating must have something to do with it.

Thinking of how Lu Wancheng had, going round the curves and skirting the corners, ‘given her a warning’ last time, even bringing up his birth mother, Liang Shi felt so dejected that she hadn’t slept well for several days. In the past, whatever she said, Lu Wancheng would simply heed. Who would have expected that Lu Wancheng would protect this male wife who couldn’t even come up with anything in his belly.

She has lived the greater half of her life and she has never seen any Chong Xi that actually chased away the sickness to bring the husband to health. She didn’t believe in this kind of thing which was why she could go around begging for a marriage from the Lin Family, putting on an act displaying her motherly love in front of Master Hou. Had she known earlier, she would have hardened her heart and sent Lu Wancheng away early.

Seeing Liang Shi’s ugly expression, Lu Niantao called out, “Mother?”

Liang Shi’s brows furrowed, “I might not be able to hold down the present Lu Wancheng.”

Lu Niantao smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Mother. Father is a reasonable person. So long as ‘reason’ is on your side, you have nothing to fear.”

Liu Momo clapped her hands, “The Second Young Lady’s words have reached the heart of this slave. It is with good intentions that you are cultivating Shaojun. It is Shaojun himself who proved to be incapable and unable to figure out the ledgers. Could this possibly still be reasonable?!”

Liang Shi pulled herself together. “What you say is but sensible. I have nothing to fear.”

While they were talking, Lin Qingyu, pushing along Lu Wancheng, walked in. Liang Shi smiled, “You’re here.”

Lu Niantao got up and saluted, “Eldest Brother, Sister-in-law.”

Lin Qingyu nodded and said nothing, while Lu Wancheng followed with a very low pressure “En.”

Liang Shi and Lu Niantao exchanged looks, not knowing where Lu Wancheng’s anger came from. Only Lin Qingyu knew that Lu Wancheng’s anger came from his irritability in the mornings. Liu Momo didn’t look too carefully and said, deliberately ambiguous, “Young Master is finally here after having kept the Madam waiting.”

“It was I who lazed about in bed and he then got up late.” Lu Wancheng raised his eyes and asked nonchalantly, “Are you saying that there’s something the matter?”

Meeting Lu Wancheng’s gaze, Liu Momo flinched. Assuming a well-behaved manner, as though she’d been bullied, she said, “This servant dares not.”

Lu Niantao asked, deeply concerned “Isn’t Eldest Brother already able to walk about? Why is he in a wheelchair again?”

Lin Qingyu said calmly, “He’s too sleepy and too lazy to walk.”

Lu Wancheng retorted, “It’s the Blue Wind Pavilion that’s too far from here.”

In the final analysis, it could be summed up with the word ‘lazy’.

Lin Qingyu didn’t want to waste time with Liang Shi and the others. Without waiting for Liang Shi to speak, he went straight to the matter at hand. “Huan Tong.”

Huan Tong presented the ledgers to Liang Shi. “Our family’s Young Master has already sorted out all the ledgers. Asking Madam to please look through it.”

Though it was not apparent from Liang Shi’s face but inwardly, she was filled with misgivings. This young man was acting so bold and assured; could it be that Lin Qingyu really finished sorting out a month’s account in three days? The servants of the Blue Wind Pavilion clearly said that Lin Qingyu had been reading books and dispensing medicines as usual for the past three days. Where did he find the time to sort out these ledgers?

Liu Momo had the same idea as her. She whispered, “Madam, why don’t you take a look? You’ll know once you do.”

Liang Shi leafed through the account book, and with every page she turned, her sense of oppression grew. After looking at only half the book, a chill had already gone through her heart. Though, she still forced a smile on her face. “These accounts are sorted out in proper order. You’ve handled everything thoroughly. As expected of Qingyu.”

Lin Qingyu said, “Madam flatters me.”

Liu Momo’s face changed. She almost blurted out the words “how is it possible?”; fortunately, she was stopped by the look in Liang Shi’s eyes and she changed her words, “Madam, how about you take a closer look?”

Liang Shi was someone who knew the accounts. She’s been managing the household for almost 20 years. At a glance, she knew that this husband and wife came prepared. Even just doing it in such neat order, even the Hou Mansion’s bookkeeper might not be able to do it.

How was this possible…? No one in Blue Wind Pavilion understood the accounts. How were they actually able to accomplish this?

Liang Shi was feeling agitated and she no longer had a good expression when facing Liu Momo. “I didn’t look at it closely enough. Why don’t you come and see?”

Lu Niantao pondered for a long time, and said with a smile, “I heard that it is the first time Sister-in-law has come in contact with household matters and he was unexpectedly able to do it so perfectly. Mother, you can rest assured that you can hand over the duties of the household to Sister-in-law in the future.”

“That sounds reasonable.” Lu Wancheng smiled subtly, “After Mother has handed over everything, she can start living her life in ease and comfort.”

Lu Niantao said, “Elder brother and Sister-in-law are really filial. Speaking of which, Sister-in-law also has a highly retentive memory. He must have remembered all the things on these ledgers?”

Liang Shi’s eyes lit up. She glanced at her daughter with admiration, and then said, “In this case, allow me to give a test to Qingyu.”

Lu Wancheng raised his eyebrows. He was about to get up, but Lin Qingyu held him down by his shoulders. “Qingyu?”

Lin Qingyu said, “Let her give the test.”

Liang Shi opened the account book and asked, “How many stores does our Nan’an Hou Mansion have in the capital?”

“Twenty-six stores. Among them, there are three banks, three restaurants, two tea shops, two silk cloth shops, two porcelain shops…”

“Which village had the best harvest last month?”

“Shuyang Village, twenty miles out in the suburbs of the capital.”

Liang Shi’s tone became impatient, “The Hou Mansion in Xuzhou has…”

“In total, there are five silk cloth shops, with a total loss of 1,300 taels last month.” Lin Qingyu said carelessly, “If I remember correctly, Liang Shi’s ancestral home is in Xuzhou.”

Liang Shi slowly put down the ledger. With extreme difficulty she managed to squeeze out a smile. “You have indeed remembered everything perfectly.”

Seeing Liu Momo unable to utter even a single fart, Huan Tong wanted to exchange a cheerful look with Young Master Hou. Their Young Master could read obscure medical books and memorize them forwards and backwards. What was an insignificant little ledger? Liang Shi was really thick-skinned!

But Young Master Hou wasn’t looking anywhere in his direction. He had his eyes quietly trained on their family’s Young Master. There was a smile in his eyes and it overflowed with light, as though he were somewhat proud.

Lin Qingyu said, “Does Madam have anything else to ask?”

Liang Shi forcibly raised her spirits. “No-no more.”

Lu Wancheng said to Lin Qingyu, “You go back first. I still have something to say to Mother.”

Lin Qingyu glanced at Liang Shi. He then looked away and left with Huan Tong.

Lu Niantao got up as well and said with a smile, “I’ll go see Sister-in-law out.”

Apart from the servants who were serving in the hall, only Lu Wancheng and Liang Shi were left. Liang Shi held up the tea cup to conceal her anxiety, “What else does Wancheng have to say?”

Lu Wancheng raised his hand. “I’d like to stand when talking to Mother. Can Mother help me?”

Liang Shi froze, then said, “How can I not? Ever since you were a child, it was already I who carried you to grow up.” She stepped forward and helped Lu Wancheng up. The two stood face to face and she only reached up to Lu Wancheng’s shoulders. It created the illusion of being suppressed.

“Mother actually needn’t worry.” Lu Wancheng said slowly, “I am terminally ill. Even if Hua Tuo were to spring back to life, his medicines would have no effect. And Qingyu isn’t looking through his books for me; the medicine he makes is also not for me— Even if it were, he wouldn’t be able to save me.”

Liang Shi’s eyes kept dodging all around. “This child, what are you talking about?”

There was a smile at the corners of Lu Wancheng’s lips. “I don’t have much time. I have less than half a year left. I just want to eat, drink and look at beautiful women.” He slowly approached Liang Shi, “Can I, Mother?”

Liang was forced to retreat again and again until she had no where to go. Dejected, she slumped to a sit. She held tightly to the corner of the table. Her lips covered behind her fingers were pale. With a trembling voice, she said, “I…”

“Young Master Hou, what are you doing!” Liu Momo wanted to step forward to stop him, “Madam is the head mistress of the family. How can Young Master Hou be so impolite!”

Lu Wancheng shot her a glance, rays of hostility condensed between his eyebrows. “Did I allow you to speak?”

The leg Liu Momo had out to take the first step, suddenly went weak. It also felt like it was nailed in place. It was as though something was clutching her throat and she didn’t even dare to pant. Except for her, all the other servants stood quietly aside. No one dared to step forward to help the mistress of the house.

The hall was deathly silent.

After a long time, Lu Wancheng turned back to Liang Shi and said with a smile, “Mother, you haven’t answered me yet.”

Liang Shi’s expression twisted in panic, and an indistinct voice issued form her throat, “You ca-…can.”

Lu Wancheng curled his lips and smiled, “Thank you, Mother.”

Not long after Lin Qingyu returned to the Blue Wind Pavilion, Lu Wancheng also returned. Looking exhausted, he coughed several times.

Since the weather got warmer, Lu Wancheng’s cough has obviously improved a lot. Why was he coughing again? Lu Wancheng himself paid it no mind. “Maybe it’s because I was talking a bit too pretentiously just now.”

Lin Qingyu asked, “What did you say to Liang Shi?”

“Nothing, I just told her to behave a bit, that’s all.”

Lin Qingyu didn’t ask much. “Give me your hand, and let me examine your pulse.”

Lu Wan stretched out his hand and yawned, “Doctor Lin…”

“What?”

Lu Wancheng rubbed his eyes with the back of his other hand. “Time for beddy-bye.”

Lin Qingyu was momentarily speechless. “How old are you to still use baby talk!”

“Fine.” Lu Wancheng changed his tune and said leisurely, ” With the warm spring breeze, drowsiness, an unexpected attack. Your husband, in his bed, he would like to get back .”

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The Great Beauty was indifferent: If you’re too lazy to walk, then roll.

Young Master Hou, vomiting blood: I’m moving! I’m moving! Are you still not satisfied!?