Chapter 148: Let Them Do it
Translator: Antonia
Yesterday she had gone to bad early. After a few exhausting days, Mo Qianxue had slept terribly sound and, in the midnight, seen Ning Shaoqing, which made her rest assured finally.
As soon as Ning Shaoqing left, she had fallen asleep immediately, without any dream, so this morning when she woke up, she was in high spirits. Now, she was grounded at home and could take this opportunity to take a rest, to get to know the people and things in the capital, and to sort out the domestic affairs of the mansion.
She knew Feng Qingyu, her mother, had left much dowry.
As the legal daughter of a first-level noble family, certainly her dowry was quite a lot. Although much of it had been scrapped away by the Mo clan through these years, a starving camel was bigger than a horse anyhow.
Only those stores and shops worth a great deal.
She must make good use of them. In the capital city, money was required in every aspect. Just yesterday, upon opening her mouth, she had spent a three-years-allowance of the Founder mansion.
Although she didn’t grudge in paying it, the money was gone.
Next time, there wouldn’t be such a chance to use others’ money to pay. And next time, she had to pay with her only real money.
Just like yesterday, the purse that nanny Mo had given to nanny Zhang contained a big amount of silver. In the future if she wanted to walk on a smooth road, more money was a must.
Even though Ning Shaoqing had given her a silver note of five hundred thousand, she had never thought of using it.
This money was saved for emergency.
All these thoughts finished in her mind in a flash. She sat up from the bed quickly. Now she wasn’t a lucky person to sleep late.
Hearing the noise in the inner room, Shiwu, on duty of guarding at the outer room, hurriedly got up and brought Mo Qianxue a cup of honey tea for her to moisten throat. Fearing that she might catch a cold, she then brought her a coat and put around her shoulders.
At this moment, Chuyi and nanny Mo living in the wing room not afar also tidied up and came to serve.
Since lady was up, they servants shouldn’t still lie in bed and sleep. Boiling water, making tea and cooking breakfast, they started to get busy.
She was the only master of the mansion and now it was a special period, so her food was temporarily prepared by trustworthy nannies in her own courtyard.
Chuyi took over water, helped Mo Qianxue in washing and then combed her hair. Today she made a simple hairstyle with only on gold and jade hairpin, as requested by Mo Qianxue.
She was always a simple person who didn’t like flashy things.
Chuyi had a pair of skillful hands, so even this simple hairstyle was made exquisite and graceful by her.
After getting changed, she chatted for a while with them and then did a little morning exercise, when the porridge was ready.
Nanny Mo asked people to serve the breakfast and personally helped Mo Qianxue have it. From time to time, Shiwu twisted her neck, which was noticed by Chuyi who secretly pulled her away and asked in a low voice, “Shiwu, do you have a stiff neck?”
Shiwu was a straight girl and nodded, “How do you know? Since I got up, my neck hurt so much, as if being chopped by someone.”
They talked in a low voice but was still heard by Mo Qianxue.
She almost spat out the tea in her mouth. As if? No, that was a fact. Did Ning Shaoqing chop too hard?!
She tried her best not to burst into laughter. She knew she shouldn’t laugh, but Shiwu’s innocent look made her couldn’t help.
After the breakfast, Mo Qianxue wiped her mouth and smiled, “Shiwu, I have Chuyi and nanny here. You go to take a rest.”
“Lady, I’m fine.” Hearing this, Shiwu panicked, “It doesn’t hurt right now…” Lady had suffered a lot yesterday and didn’t immediately go to rest after coming back or complained.
How could she, a servant, temporarily having a stiff neck complain and rest?
Mo Qianxue’s voice was mild, “Go… there won’t be much to do today.” Did lady hate her? Shiwu worried and almost cried, “Lady…sorry, I…I don’t have a stiff neck…”
Mo Qianxue didn’t know either to laugh or cry. She was just sorry and asked her to have a rest. She didn’t hate her.
Nanny Mo stood out to persuade her, “Lady is most soft-hearted. She cares about you and let you rest. Then you go to rest. Don’t stand here and make lady worry about you.”
Only then did Shiwu leave with tears.
After the breakfast, all the nannies and girls in charge arrived and stood in the yard, waiting for orders.
Mo Qianxue asked nanny to take over the mourning suit and put on before getting out of her room. she sat in the main chair and gestured Chuyi to call in all those people.
In the previous evening, Mo Qianxue had set the rules for them that every morning there would be a morning meeting during which they must report their work.
Yesterday, during the first meeting she had listened exceedingly carefully. Today, already with a general picture in her mind, she let them choose the main things to report, enjoined important issues and then let them leave.
Actually, in this mansion, there weren’t many huge events other than food, purchasing, cleaning and maintenance.
After the meeting was over, butler Mo came to report, “Butler Feng is here, together with all managers, waiting in the front hall for lady to give orders.” Butler Mo was in charge of the domestic affairs of the Founder mansion while butler Feng was a manager of outer affairs. She heard that he had been a close servant to her mother and assisted her in managing her stores and other activities related to the Founder mansion.
Mo Qianxue was his rightful superior, and according to conventions, he should come to visit her. yesterday, soon after she went back from the imperial palace, butler Feng had sent over a letter of greeting.
Immediately, Mo Qianxue enjoined butler Mo to let manager Feng gather all the managers to meet her. She was going to take over the management of all business in the capital. When a superior checked the account books, every manager would postpone a few days to sort them out. But this manager acted so quick and eager to gather all the people and visit her.
For one possible reason, this one was very capable and made flawless count books on a regular basis; for another reason, this manager was too cunning and wanted to take the advantage that she was fully occupied by various things and knew little about the situation to gain some benefits.
She was afraid this person belonged to the second kind! Mo Qianxue smirked, “Let them wait for a moment. I’ll be there soon.” Stealing her cake under her nose? No way.
When her company was set up, she had handled all the account books on her own to save the cost of human resources. The transactions always at hundred thousand or million but she had never made a mistake.
Back in the Wang village, she had managed the accounting on her own when the workshops or factory was built. Even Ning Shaoqing admired her technique of mind calculation and abacus skills.
Seeing butler Mo hesitated and didn’t leave after taking the order, Mo Qianxue asked, “Anything else to tell me?”
The butler thought for a while and said, “Early this morning, someone from the Mo clan came and then the three lords all left.”
“Send a person to keep an eye in the mansion. Leave them alone if they go out.” That Zihua must be a man seeking carnal pleasure. Should she still keep an eye if he went to a brothel?
“Shouldn’t we send people to follow them?” The butler looked indignant and concerned, “I fear that the old bastards are up to new tricks to frame you. We should be careful, lady.”
Mo Qianxue smiled, “Thanks for caring. Just let them do it.” She was exactly worrying about no fault to pick. As long as she picked a fault, she would let the old trash not dare to visit the Founder mansion ever.
If he didn’t take any actions, then how could a fault be created? Without a fault, how could she make a move?
Butler Mo was surprised. She saw contempt in Mo Qianxue’s eyes, just like that in the eyes of her father. They viewed the Mo people as worthless insects. The only reason that she gave them a slice of cake was to fulfill her mother’s wish and provide her soul with better offerings and worship.
At a moment, the butler felt a mixture emotions and reminded her, “We can’t be more cautious.”
“No problem!” Mo Qianxue made an arch in the corner of her lips. A dawn of hope seemed to blossom in her cold face to momentarily shot out glimmering brilliance, “It’s enough to watch closely the people in the mansion and report to me if anything usually happens.”
The butler replied respectfully, “yes.” Then he left.
If lady was confident, he didn’t need to say more. Those people were indeed a bunch of fools. The Founder had a broad mind and madam was also kind and gentle. Both of them didn’t wish displeasure taking place between them and the Mo people. But the tolerance made those people keep asking for more without a clear awareness of who they were. What a crap!