Fierce Consort

Chapter 46

The days continued to pass regularly and peacefully, as though nothing was going on behind the scenes.

But as the Buddhist saying goes: cause brings about effect. The obtained effect depends on the sort of cause that was planted. Many things were present despite everyone overlooking them. When the time came for them to erupt, no one would be left out.

Concubine Pei had been very well-behaved recently, and rarely appeared in front of others. Even though Yan Ting hadn't gone to her in a very long time, she was still as obedient as a rabbit.

She was responsible for managing the household, but was merely in charge of managing the finances. She was in charge of distributing everyone's roles and expenses, but didn't actually handle the income. Put it this way. Concubine Pei was just responsible for the household. As for the Weiyuan Marquis Estate's income and expenditure, it was managed by the old madam. The estate had an accounting office, and the old madam would regularly allot some silver over.

This silver was used for expenses and would be allotted once every six months. But this time the people from the accounting office had sent someone over to press for the second half of the year's allotment, saying that they hadn't received it yet. There wasn't enough left to cover the expenditures.

Concubine Pei knew what was taboo for the old madam. She waited steadily for a few days, but seeing that there still wasn't any movement, she could only go to the Rongan Hall to find the old madam.

After listening, the old madam's face turned rigid. She muttered to herself for a while before saying she would send the silver over after a few days.
Concubine Pei was a little puzzled, but didn't ask further. Her aunt was biased towards her, but she still understood what she could ask and what she couldn't.

After Concubine Pei left, Matron Zhao sent all the maids in the room out and shut the doors tightly before going over to the old madam. She asked quietly: "Old madam, what should we do?"
At this moment, there were only the two of them in the hall. The old madam didn't continue hiding things, her expression even graver than before.
"I still have some things in my storage I'm not using. Find something suitable and exchange it for some silver."

Matron Zhao's expression was ugly. She hesitated but still ended up saying: "How can that do? Those things are your last resorts. We can't just sell it all!"
These words seemed to trigger the old madam, making her breath heavily. She rubbed the bracelet on her wrist fretfully before forcibly suppressing herself.

"We have no other choice at the moment. This grand estate can't stop giving out daily expenses. We've already used the profits from our businesses this year three times, and those stores have handed over their monthly profits as well. The subordinates already sense something. Last time Manager Chen asked a couple of times implicitly and explicitly, saying the subordinates are a little uneasy. Tell me, what else can we do?!"

"How about selling one of the businesses to keep things afloat? Those things in your storage were all given by the madam back then as your dowry, and are your last resort. We can't just let them go like this!"

She had served the old madam from a young age, and came with her as part of her dowry. Their relationship spanned over several decades. How could she be willing to see such a situation play out?

"That won't do!" The old madam shook her head, her attitude resolute: "Despite the profits being small, those businesses and stores are our estate's only source of income. Selling objects means losing some objects. Selling our source of income would truly result in despair."

"Then what should we do!?" Matron Zhao stamped her foot and lamented. She seemed to forget about etiquette as she paced around in circles. "Why not tell the lord marquis about this matter? This can't be kept from him."