“Naturally!” Bai Qiyun’s expression lightened slightly.
Bai Qingyan nodded and looked toward Dong Shi: “A few days ago, grandmother did mention to me that after the Duke Mansion’s period of great mourning, she intended for us to return to our ancestral home in Shouyang. I had originally planned to discuss with you in these few days about renovating our direct lineage’s ancestral residence that has been left vacant in Shouyang… Manager Hao said that his grandfather had this intention long ago and had the old steward watching over the ancestral home send renovation blueprints. Our ancestral residence is quite large to begin with, and if properly renovated, it would cost approximately one hundred eighty to ninety thousand taels of silver, not including the cost of furnishing it with various items. Because of this enormous sum, our Duke Mansion couldn’t produce it all at once, so the matter was set aside.”
Bai Qiyun’s heart jumped, thinking that Bai Qingyan was going to use the renovation of the ancestral residence as an excuse to delay and avoid giving the silver!
Bai Qiyun’s face turned iron-slate with suppressed anger.
Earlier, it was he who had mentioned that the Duke Mansion’s female family members should return to their ancestral home in Shouyang. Since they were going back, renovating the ancestral residence would naturally take priority. He felt like he had lifted a stone only to drop it on his foot, yet he still sneered coldly: “The Duke Mansion, a century-old military family, claims it cannot produce one hundred eighty to ninety thousand taels to renovate the ancestral residence – who are you trying to fool, niece?! Military provisions and pay – the Duke Mansion could easily produce these sums… even what leaks through the fingers would exceed this amount!”
Her eyes darkened: “Uncle, watch your words! You are over forty years old, yet you speak so carelessly. Embezzling military provisions and pay is a crime punishable by execution of nine generations of family – uncle dares to say such things, but our Duke Mansion dare not accept such accusations.”
Bai Qiyun pressed his lips together. He had indeed spoken rashly in his anger.
After looking deeply at Bai Qiyun, she continued speaking to Dong Shi: “Purchasing farmland for the clan, building ancestral temples, repairing ancestral halls, maintaining ancestral graves, and constructing schools – since grandfather originally agreed to these matters, even though grandfather is no longer with us, we must still fulfill them. The clan wants four hundred fifty thousand taels, and we’ll count the ancestral residence renovation as two hundred thousand taels – this comes to six hundred fifty thousand taels total!”
Bai Qiyun’s brow twitched repeatedly. This was indeed no small sum.
“Mother, your dowry and that of all the aunts certainly cannot be touched. Even for the sake of raising funds to build the Bai family ancestral temple, ancestral hall, maintain ancestral graves, construct schools, and purchase farmland for the clan, no matter how you look at it, there’s no reason to touch daughters-in-law’s dowries! I’ve been thinking that we should sell all the Duke Mansion’s public shops and residences, as well as all the farms and fertile land in the capital’s suburbs, to raise the silver. Since the Duke Mansion’s widows will ultimately return to Shouyang to depend on the clan anyway, we might as well leave cleanly without leaving any attachments in the capital…”
Bai Qiyun and the two other gentlemen from Shouyang were stunned. They hadn’t expected that after Bai Qingyan said so much, instead of making excuses, she would come to this conclusion.
Dong Shi looked at her daughter with suspicion, but seeing her daughter smile and nod reassuringly, Dong Shi’s furrowed brow relaxed as she picked up her teacup: “These family properties cannot be sold just like that.”
Bai Qiyun’s heart stirred greatly. The Duke Mansion’s properties in the capital were all extremely profitable ventures. If the Duke Mansion were to sell off the shops on the main street and such to raise funds, he could quietly have Manager Wu purchase one or two of them, ensuring worry-free future income.
“I know uncle is urgent, saying everything must be prepared by tomorrow!” She sneered coldly and turned to Dong Shi: “Mother, fortunately, the wealthiest merchant Xiao Rongyan is still in the capital. It happens that Chen Qingsheng from our mansion is quite familiar with the Xiao mansion’s steward. We can have Manager Hao go with Chen Qingsheng to inquire, looking across the entire realm, probably only Xiao Rongyan could produce such a large sum of silver at a moment’s notice.”
“Actually…” Bai Qiyun began to speak, then swallowed his words back down, only saying, “Actually, Qingyan is right!”
He had originally wanted to say that, actually, there was no rush, and even wanted to advise Dong Shi and Bai Qingyan to sell slowly for a good price, giving him time to profit from the transactions.
But once those words were spoken, they would contradict his earlier urgency about needing everything by tomorrow, so he could only swallow them back.
“Since we’ve reached an agreement, please have the three uncles properly offer incense to my grandfather and father, telling them that our Duke Mansion has agreed to the clan matters. Also, let grandfather and father know that the clan owes a debt of gratitude to our Duke Mansion, and that the clan will take good care of the Duke Mansion’s widows in the future – this way, grandfather and father can rest in peace!”
Bai Qingyan’s words were reasonable and proper. Having taken silver that required selling off all family properties, if they couldn’t even give a single promise, that would be too shameless!
The two gentlemen from Shouyang saw that Bai Qiyun remained silent, so they gently tugged at his sleeves and said in voices only they could hear: “Elder brother, these words make sense… Over the years, the Duke Mansion has taken considerable care of the clan, and just now you were too hasty – entering without offering incense and immediately discussing this matter with the heir’s wife. Many people saw this. Just to salvage the situation somewhat, you really should properly offer incense.”
“Exactly! The Duke Mansion is providing the silver, the clan is receiving the benefits. What these orphans and widows want is nothing more than a face. Just offering incense and saying a few words in front of the mourning guests about the Bai family widows keeping their word is worthwhile! Moreover… once these words are spoken in front of the guests, the Duke Mansion won’t be able to rely on being orphans and widows to renege on giving the silver!”
Earlier, Bai Qiyun had been too hasty. He wanted to discuss this matter before his two younger brothers left, and he hadn’t intentionally avoided offering incense.
Since his goal was achieved, he didn’t need to maintain such a high and mighty attitude – after all, this was still a house in mourning.
“I wasn’t intentionally avoiding the incense offering earlier, I was just somewhat anxious!” After Bai Qiyun finished speaking, he cleared his throat: “Since this matter is settled, let’s offer incense to inform the Duke and the heir, so they may know! Madam, heir… if there were any offenses, please show magnanimity!”
Dong Shi turned to Nanny Qin: “Nanny Qin, please escort the three gentlemen to offer incense.”
“Yes!” Nanny Qin placed her hands folded at her lower abdomen, respectfully bowed to the three gentlemen from Shouyang’s Bai family, then made a gesture of invitation.
As soon as the three men left the main hall, Dong Shi urgently stood up and asked: “A’Bao, what medicine are you selling in your gourd?”
The Duke Mansion could indeed produce those hundreds of thousands of taels, but the clan’s actions were so infuriating – even if they had to give it, how could they give it so readily?!
“Mother…” Bai Qingyan took Dong Shi’s arm and walked toward the mourning hall while saying, “Since we’re going to return to our ancestral home in Shouyang, rather than being constantly exploited by the clan later, it’s better to clean and decisively sell off all our obvious properties this time! While grandfather’s mourning hall is set up at the courtyard gate, we’ll have Jinzhi and Jintong make this matter public, letting both the clan and the world know that this time we were forced to help the clan, even selling off all our properties. After the clan takes the money this time, they’ll be constrained by public opinion and won’t be able to seek further assistance from us orphans and widows for clan support in the future – this is the first reason.”
“The second reason… is to show a gesture of withdrawing from the capital to reassure the Emperor?” Dong Shi asked.