Qin Feifei stayed at the Qin family residence for another day. On the third day, when her health was basically fine, she returned to the Lu family. Lu Changxuan came personally to fetch her, and everyone in the Qin family, from top to bottom, knew this. All felt that Lu Changxuan was a good man and lamented that Qin Yaoyao had failed in her wifely duties, having such a good man yet still being improper with a steward.

Nanny Fu told Qin Shuying about this matter, the indignation in her expression impossible to hide. “This servant has seen Second Miss two or three times. She was a shrewd yet gentle person – nowhere near as despicable as they claim! Third Son-in-law could get entangled with his own sister-in-law, so what kind of good person could he be! Xu Shi is hypocritical and cunning – it must have been a trap she set that caused Second Miss’s innocent death!”

Ziteng was also nearby, staring blankly at her own feet, lost in thought.

Qin Shuying said, “Even Nanny can see it. Uncle has been an official for over twenty years and works at the Court of Judicial Review – how could he not know the irregularities involved? When even Uncle aids the tyrant, who else could seek justice for Second Sister?”

Nanny Fu was filled with indignation. “Exactly! Old Madam is fair-minded, but Master is her support. Old Madam… Alas! Poor Second Miss, having basin after basin of dirty water poured on her like that!”

Qin Shuying remained silent, watching Ziteng from the corner of her eye.

In the dim daylight, Ziteng’s entire person seemed very gloomy. After a long while, she finally said, “It’s not that there’s no retribution – the time simply hasn’t come yet! That dirty water will have to be returned sooner or later!”

Qin Shuying suddenly smiled, her eyes bright and sparkling, saying, “Ziteng is right. That dirty water will have to be returned sooner or later!”

The child in Qin Yaoyao’s belly was illegitimate – couldn’t the child in Qin Feifei’s belly also be illegitimate?

Of course it was quite possible.

The next day, Qin Shuying showed Old Madam the profit accounts from the shops over the past month. Old Madam was extremely delighted, never expecting that this granddaughter had truly inherited Qin Yongzhou’s genius abilities. In just over a month, the profits were quite substantial.

As a household’s matriarch, especially that of an official family, one couldn’t manage without understanding practical affairs.

The Liu family was a prominent clan. When Qin Shuying married into it, she would be the young mistress in charge – how could she manage without understanding economics?

Seeing her granddaughter so intelligent, Old Madam was naturally very pleased.

Qin Shuying said, “Great-grandmother, Shuying is a woman, and Father left behind considerable family wealth. These current profits are good to have, but it wouldn’t matter if we didn’t have them. Based on this situation, in a few more months there will be pure profit. Granddaughter would like to contribute half to the public treasury and keep half for personal use.”

Old Madam smiled broadly. That Qin Shuying could think this way was naturally excellent. However, she couldn’t allow this.

“Good child, this is all your father’s private property – how could the public treasury appropriate it? If word got out, what would people think of our Qin family? Keep it all for yourself and spend it however you wish. When you marry in the future, you’ll have something to rely on.”

Qin Shuying showed a bashful expression, which Old Madam found even more endearing.

Xu Shi was also present, hearing every word between Old Madam and Qin Shuying. She immediately became anxious and hurriedly said, “Great-grandmother, this is Seventh Girl’s sincere intention – how can you refuse?”

Old Madam was in a good mood and was less critical of Xu Shi’s flustered appearance, saying, “If Third Girl and Sixth Girl had this capability, they could also keep it for themselves like Seventh Girl.”

In Xu Shi’s ears, these words had another meaning: knowing full well that Qin Feifei and Qin Yunyun lacked this ability, Old Madam still spoke this way – wasn’t she clearly saying these two sisters couldn’t compare to Qin Shuying?

Xu Shi secretly resented Old Madam’s favoritism but didn’t dare say anything aloud.

Qin Yunyun smiled and said, “Great-grandmother, among us sisters, Seventh Sister is the most intelligent. The Liu family must have had incredible luck to gain someone as filial and intelligent as Seventh Sister.”

Qin Shuying looked bashful. “Sixth Sister, you’re just teasing me!”

“I heard that people from the Liu family have already entered the capital. They might arrive in the next few days. Sister, are you…”

Before Qin Yunyun could finish speaking, Qin Shuying showed an even more bashful expression. “Sixth Sister, I won’t talk to you anymore!” Having said this, she hurriedly paid respects to Old Madam and left.

Old Madam laughed heartily, clearly very happy. No matter how intelligent, she was still a young girl after all. When it came to her lifelong affairs, she couldn’t help but be bashful.

Qin Yunyun’s smile stiffened. She had originally intended to needle Qin Shuying about Liu Junqing’s two concubines, but Qin Shuying had simply turned and left. Her punch had hit cotton – how frustrating!

Xu Shi displayed an aunt’s loving smile, laughingly adding, “This is truly… Seventh Girl is being shy.”

This wretched girl – not only wouldn’t she obediently hand over her money, she had actually squeezed the Lu family’s business to the point of closure. How detestable!

The palace’s New Year gifts to the Qin family were naturally very generous, but those gifts had to be stored away. Very little could be used for daily purposes, let alone converted to silver. Conversely, Concubine Lian in the palace required various expenses and gifts that consumed nearly a third of the Qin family’s expenditures. So each year, the subsidies to Concubine Lian alone were substantial.

In previous years, the silver Qin Yongzhou sent to the public treasury annually could account for half of the Qin family’s income. At that time, the storehouses were full and life was comfortable – Xu Shi had never worried about money.

Though Qin Yongzhou was dead, over these three years Qin Yaoyao’s business had grown increasingly successful. Deceived by Xu Shi into letting her invest, the annual dividends to Xu Shi were four to five thousand taels, basically filling half the gap left by Qin Yongzhou.

Now, with the Lu family’s business attracting no customers, this source of income was essentially cut off. On the surface, the Qin family now relied solely on the family’s shops and estates for survival.

How could this be enough?

After Qin Yongzhou’s death, Qin Yongtao had privately appropriated a full twenty thousand taels of silver from Qin Yongzhou’s wealth without putting it in the public treasury. Xu Shi had obtained over ten thousand taels from Qin Shuying. Just from Qin Yongzhou and Qin Shuying alone, Xu Shi had been shocked by the amounts.

Her appetite had been whetted by the Zhou family, Qin Yongzhou, Qin Shuying, and Qin Yaoyao. Her greed had only increased, knowing that Qin Shuying still had countless silver taels. Just the money Qin Yongzhou had left her was no less than several hundred thousand, plus the shops sold recently and the current profits from these four shops – two hundred thousand at minimum!

Two hundred thousand silver taels – Xu Shi became so excited thinking of this figure that she couldn’t sleep.

Excluding estates and shops, the Qin family supported nearly two hundred people, with annual expenses of only about thirty thousand taels. When Qin Feifei remarried, her dowry was only five thousand taels.

This wretched Qin Shuying alone had two hundred thousand taels!

Therefore, Qin Shuying’s silver had to end up in her own pocket!

The Liu family was in Huzhou, over two hundred li from the capital, but Liu Madam’s maternal family was from the capital and occasionally came to visit. Last time was during Old Madam’s birthday celebration – this time the reason was unknown.

However, Xu Shi had intentionally or unintentionally spread word that Liu Madam’s family probably already knew about Qin Shuying showing her face in public to manage business. Though Qin Shuying swore she hadn’t shown her face in public, and she herself had even incurred Old Madam’s displeasure over this, Xu Shi didn’t believe it at all.

Master now refused to act against Qin Shuying – besides family blood relations, he probably still had some concerns about the Liu family. After all, though the Liu family wasn’t at the emperor’s feet, Liu Gongshan was solemn and strict, very trustworthy, and still valued Qin Shuying highly.

Since Qin Shuying’s return these past years, the Liu family had continuously sent holiday gifts, never forgetting Qin Shuying – this showed Liu Gongshan’s attitude.

What Xu Shi wanted now was to sever the relationship between the Liu family and Qin Shuying. She wanted to see – if despised by the Liu family and having her engagement broken off, how could Qin Shuying have the face to continue living well? And what face would Old Madam have to protect her?

At that time, wouldn’t Qin Shuying’s wealth be hers for the taking?