AWB Chapter 222 Her ears instantly blushed slightly.
Chapter 222 Her ears instantly blushed slightly.
Granny Song paused for a moment, and before she could speak, Xiao He couldn't contain herself any longer and immediately asked, "Miss, why is this?"
Nan Nan stood to the side, tilting her head slightly, her eyes full of confusion.
If there are problems, they should be corrected promptly; how could that not be important?
Qin Jiuwei's gaze swept across their faces, and seeing their puzzled expressions, she chuckled softly.
"I am merely acting as the steward; the Marquis's residence has not truly been handed over to me. Once the Marquis's wife recovers, this stewardship will be returned to her."
"Treating those long-standing ailments now will not only do me no good, but will also bring me a lot of trouble."
Her tone was indifferent, and her expression was completely calm.
She picked up an account book at random, her tone carrying a hint of meaning: "Being a housekeeper isn't so easy."
Does she intend to implement sweeping reforms? Not necessarily.
The Marquis's mansion is deeply entrenched, and the Marquis's wife has cultivated her power within the mansion for many years. Her power cannot be easily stripped away simply because she is ill.
Moreover, the stewards in this mansion are not only the Lady of the Marquis's people, but also many of them are distant relatives of the Marquis, or relatives of the old lady.
These relationships are intricate and intertwined, so much so that a change in one can have far-reaching consequences.
If she were to arrogantly and drastically change the rules of the manor, it would only cause the entire manor to become dissatisfied with her.
Why do something so thankless? She's not here to be Bao Zheng (a legendary upright judge).
"So we're just going to ignore it now?" Xiaohe understood, but was even more confused.
"Of course not." Qin Jiuwei shook her head. "If we do nothing, it won't be acceptable to the Marquis and the Old Madam."
She raised an eyebrow slightly. "Ideally, I could find a mistake that's neither too big nor too small, so as not to offend anyone or make me look useless..."
The night is getting darker.
The candlelight reflected on the carved window lattice, casting a hazy, shimmering light.
Qin Jiuwei sat at her desk, carefully checking the household's income and expenditure.
How exactly to manage it can be planned gradually.
But she had to have a clear understanding of these accounts.
Fortunately, she spent her past life managing accounts, so doing these things now isn't difficult, it just takes some time.
This is what Xie Yanli saw when he entered.
Qin Jiuwei sat at the table, the lamplight casting a faint shadow on her fair profile, her eyes conveying a sense of tranquility.
This was the first time he had ever seen Qin Jiuwei look at something so intently.
They didn't even notice him coming in.
Xie Yanli quietly walked up behind her, bent down and found that she was actually looking at the account book, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"Madam has only just taken charge of the household today, yet she is already so attentive. She truly lives up to the image of a mistress of a marquis's mansion."
Xie Yanli's slender fingers suddenly rested on her shoulder, seemingly casually rubbing it, his voice low and deep: "Madam has really worked hard."
Qin Jiuwei knew exactly what he meant.
She knew what he was going to do the moment he turned around.
Qin Jiuwei gently pushed his hand away and said reproachfully, "Young Master is busy with state affairs, how can you have time to deal with these household matters?"
Xie Yanli chuckled, then suddenly leaned closer, his lips almost touching her earlobe.
His breath brushed against her skin with an ambiguous touch: "But what if I'm not busy?"
Qin Jiu paused slightly, her ears instantly turning a faint blush.
She tried to avoid it, but found that Xie Yanli's large hand had already gripped her waist.
The warmth of my palm seeped through the thin fabric, making me feel uneasy.
Qin Jiuwei breathed softly, suppressing the embarrassment and anger in her heart, and glared at him.
"If you continue to cause trouble, go and rest in the study."
She hasn't finished looking at the ledgers yet!
Xie Yanli's smile deepened, and he lazily raised his hand to pinch her chin, with a hint of doting: "Alright, I won't tease you anymore."
During this period, apart from when she had her period, the two of them never stopped.
She really needs a rest, otherwise she'll get exhausted.
Xie Yanli's expression turned serious, and he said in a low voice, "I have some good news to tell you today. We have found a lead on Meng Qihuang's matter."
"Really?" Qin Jiuwei's eyes lit up instantly. "Where?"
"Southwest," Xie Yanli said slowly, "Someone has already found his trail, and within ten days at most, they will be able to bring him back to the capital."
"That's wonderful, thank you so much, my husband." Qin Jiuwei nodded gently, a smile playing on her lips.
Mentioning Meng Qihuang reminded her of another important matter, and she couldn't help but speak up.
"My husband, you must pay close attention to the floods in Jiangnan these days."
The turmoil in the capital in my previous life was caused by floods in Jiangnan, which led to a large influx of disaster victims into the capital, triggering an epidemic that killed countless people.
This is also what she is most worried about right now.
Xie Yanli didn't ask any further questions, knowing that Qin Jiuwei must have dreamt about something again last night.
He explained gently, "I know about the floods in Jiangnan. The imperial court has already sent people there, and they are the people I trust the most. They will definitely not embezzle funds."
Qin Jiuwei did not answer, but pursed her lips and tried hard to recall.
The floods in Jiangnan in my previous life didn't seem to be caused by corruption...
"What is it that you are referring to, Madam? Could you be more specific?"
Qin Jiuwei: ……
She wanted to be more specific, but she genuinely didn't know!
At the time, there was an epidemic in the palace, and she did not send anyone to investigate the matter; she was only thinking about saving her own life.
Seeing that she couldn't say anything, Xie Yanli couldn't help but chuckle.
Previously, whenever Qin Jiuwei dreamed about something, she spoke of it with great conviction and certainty.
This is the first time I've seen her so unable to explain herself.
Xie Yanli reached out and pinched her cheek.
"Don't worry, I'll send someone to investigate tomorrow to see how the floods in Jiangnan are being handled."
With those words from him, Qin Jiuwei's anxious heart slowly settled down.
The following day, Wenyuan Pavilion.
The flickering candlelight illuminated Xie Yanli's calm and profound eyes.
He suddenly looked up at Zhang Qing in front of him, "How is the disaster relief work going in Jiangnan, where there is flooding?"
"Your Highness, I was just about to report this matter," Zhang Qing said, bowing with his hands clasped in a respectful gesture, his voice tinged with seriousness.
"Officials have done their best to resettle the disaster victims, and food and medicine have been sent to various places. However, the recent sudden cold weather has greatly affected the construction of houses for the disaster victims, and there are still many people who are displaced."
Xie Yanli pursed his thin lips, just as Jiuwei had said.
The floods in Jiangnan have indeed caused a disaster.
He tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, his voice steady: "Since it's cold, let's take advantage of the situation."
Xie Yanli raised his eyes, his voice steady and decisive: "Order the local officials in Jiangnan to temporarily suspend the reconstruction of brick and tile houses, and first build temporary warm sheds with bamboo and wood frames, lined with straw and cotton felt, to ensure that the people will not suffer from the cold."
"Then mobilize cloth merchants from Jiangnan to collect cotton-padded clothes and quilts and distribute them to the disaster victims within three days."
Zhang Qing was taken aback, but a troubled expression quickly appeared on his face: "But what if the merchants refuse..."
Xie Yanli sneered, his eyes sharp, and slowly uttered a sentence.
"Then let them weigh the pros and cons: is it more worthwhile to donate cotton-padded clothes, or to wait for me to send someone to check the accounts?"
These words, spoken casually, sent a chill down Zhang Qing's spine, and he immediately understood.
"Your humble servant understands and will certainly not fail in his mission!"
After Zhang Qing left, Xie Yanli called Zhao Ming over.
"Any new developments in the investigation of the Prince of Qi?"
Zhao Ming shook his head. "Your Highness, during this period, the Qi Prince's mansion has increased its number of secret guards and even used its undercover agents. No secret letters or correspondence have been missed, but we still haven't found any news of him contacting that person in the army."
His brows furrowed more and more as he spoke, "It was as if the two of them had been abruptly severed."
Xie Yanli's voice was indifferent, and a coldness appeared on his face.
"That's not that they 'lost contact,' but rather that they no longer needed letters."