“This old servant deserves death. My old eyes are truly dim to have committed such an error. Fortunately, First Madam has keen insight and found this discrepancy.”
The woman slapped herself harshly twice. The sharp sounds shocked the others into shrinking back.
“Since it was reported incorrectly, just make up the account numbers. Why go to such extremes?”
Song Wan had Heng Wu help the woman to her feet, then said to Zhang Changsheng’s wife, “You’re the wife of the steward of the outer courtyard’s stationery office, aren’t you?”
“In reply to First Madam, yes.”
“Our Marquis residence doesn’t believe that lack of talent is a virtue in women, so the young ladies of each courtyard can read and write, and usually dabble in calligraphy and painting as well. However, the daughters of the inner quarters are different from the young masters who attend school during the day and practice their lessons at night.”
“But I’ve discovered that the young ladies’ expenses on brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones exceed those of several young masters in the residence combined.”
“Just the imitation Xueyi Hall ink you reported this year amounts to four ingots.”
Zhang Changsheng’s wife smiled awkwardly: “First Madam lived as a widow before and didn’t know the residence’s affairs. The young ladies of our residence are not like those of other families in the capital. Young ladies in other residences usually enjoy needlework and spinning, but the young ladies of the Marquis residence prefer reading and painting.”
“Take the Third Miss of our residence’s second branch—she especially loves painting fish, birds, and animals, so naturally she uses more paper and ink than the young masters, doesn’t she?”
Seeing Song Wan not respond, she raised her head even higher: “Madam is benevolent and kind, never distinguishing between legitimate and illegitimate children in the residence. Whether young ladies or young masters, all are treated equally. When the young ladies love calligraphy and painting and ask this old servant for brushes and ink, surely they cannot be refused?”
“Since First Madam has spoken, this old servant will certainly be more careful in the future. However, I wonder whether the young ladies of the residence might feel First Madam’s conduct is somewhat extreme. After all, when Madam managed the household in the past, she never withheld expenses from the illegitimate young ladies of the residence.”
Her voice grew louder and louder. Song Wan only said mildly, “Imitation Xueyi Hall ink is of medium value. It’s not the best in the residence, but one ingot is worth thirty to forty taels of silver. You probably don’t know that Xueyi Hall ink is made by burning tung oil and adding spices, and the characteristic of oil-smoke ink is that it has a brighter sheen but slightly lighter color.”
“The paintings of the several young ladies in the residence…”
Song Wan pulled out two landscape paintings from a white porcelain painting jar and, after opening them, handed them before the woman.
“These two paintings have deep but not alluring ink colors. However, because the glue content is still light and lacks luster, this is typical pine-smoke ink.”
“Although neither of these two types of ink is sticky or rough but rather fine and smooth, the difference between them is truly significant.”
“Perhaps… perhaps this old servant made a mistake. This old servant will go back immediately and check the requisition slips, requisition notes, and accounts clearly.”
Song Wan nodded: “Naturally they must be checked clearly.”
After she finished speaking, Liu Shun’s wife couldn’t hold out any longer: “First Madam’s discernment is clear. The accounts this old servant submitted have never had any discrepancies.”
There were many cunning servants in the Marquis residence. Because the Old Madam had suddenly lost her son and grandson six years ago and her health had collapsed by more than half, while Madam Jiang was someone with a rough temperament who rarely concerned herself with such trivial matters.
For one or two days, the Old Madam’s remaining authority kept them in check. Over time, once they figured out the First Madam’s temperament, they naturally couldn’t resist temptation.
Even those who conducted themselves prudently, seeing their fellow stewardess women at the same rank all obtaining abundant benefits without ever being exposed, gradually became more calculating after going back and forth.
They hadn’t expected that today, a young daughter-in-law would catch them by the heel.
Originally, several had come to watch the spectacle, thinking they would have a good look at Song Wan’s embarrassment when unable to handle them, then fabricate some gossip afterward, slander her to provide some entertainment for the servants of the rear quarters. Who knew that by now, cold sweat had soaked through their undergarments to their backs.
“Indeed there are no discrepancies.”
Song Wan smiled slightly at Liu Shun’s wife: “It’s just that this requisition slip you wrote is rather too sloppy. I found it somewhat laborious to decipher.”
“In reply to First Madam, this old servant will certainly practice calligraphy diligently in the future and will never do this again.”
“Fine, you may go back.”
The group of people trembled with fear, all pricking up their ears to hear Song Wan’s instructions.
She looked at the two whose accounts had problems earlier and said gently, “You two—one is responsible for miscellaneous repairs in the outer courtyard, and one manages the various storerooms of the inner courtyard. You’ve truly worked rather hard these past years. It wouldn’t do to have you work so hard all the time, so I thought to give you both lighter, more comfortable positions.”
“After Zhang’s wife makes up the account numbers, she will be transferred to Jixiang Courtyard as a stewardess. Lin Liang Gao’s wife will work in the tea room. The original woman from Jixiang Courtyard will go to the main kitchen to handle purchasing, and Nanny Sun will go to…”
Song Wan reassigned several women, rotating the important stewardesses of the Marquis residence’s inner courtyard through their positions.
These women always worked together in one place, knew every loophole in the residence thoroughly, and had connections with people above and below fairly well established. Even if not all were colluding, they weren’t far from it.
Now that things were thrown into chaos, it could also curb this corrupt atmosphere somewhat.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Changsheng’s wife cried out in anguish: “First Madam, this old servant was wrong! This old servant was truly careless, but this old servant can guarantee there will absolutely be no next time.”
What kind of place was Jixiang Courtyard?
It was where maids and women of the residence convalesced from illness, and where concubines and young servants who died young had their funeral rites. Not only was it gloomy with deathly air all day, there was also not a bit of profit to be gained.
She currently managed the inner quarters storerooms. Although she didn’t dare touch things in the accounts, ordinarily having her own masters take extra stationery from the writing materials office and charge it under the young ladies’ names, she could gain dozens of taels of silver a month. One time was worth more than her annual stipend for two years. How could she be willing to give that up?
“First Madam, spare this old servant this once. This old servant will certainly do everything possible to serve you in the future.”
Zhang Changsheng’s wife wept without end: “This old servant is old and truly cannot go to Jixiang Courtyard. Considering that this old servant has served Old Madam and Madam for many years, please give this old servant one chance.”
Song Wan frowned: “What you say also makes sense. You are indeed too old to manage Jixiang Courtyard anymore.”
“Yes, yes…”
The woman was just rejoicing that Song Wan was young, thin-skinned and soft-hearted, when she saw her retrieve a wooden box from the table, take out a contract of servitude from it, and hand it back to her.
“You’re old and should indeed be released to return home and be honored. Today, I shall act on Grandmother’s behalf and mercifully release you to return home.”
“First Madam…”
“First Madam, this old servant was wrong! This old servant will go to Jixiang Courtyard! This old servant doesn’t want to return home… Please, I beg you, this old servant’s entire family of children are in the residence. Generation after generation have been hereditary servants of the Marquis residence. Where would you have this old servant go?”
Song Wan nodded to Heng Wu. Heng Wu retrieved another five or six contracts of servitude: “You’re also an old retainer of the Marquis residence. Since you’re so reluctant to part with your family, return home together with your children and grandchildren.”
Wealthy, proper families never spoke of selling off servants. Even if they committed grave errors, at most they would return their contracts of servitude and mercifully release them.
However, for servants who had lived in the Marquis residence their entire lives and had status and reputation, this was more painful than killing them.
The Marquis residence treated servants generously and never harshly criticized them. Even as the lowest-ranking stewardess woman, one’s clothing, food, and expenses were far superior to those of official wives in poor, remote areas.
Not to mention that their nephews and nieces could rely on the Marquis residence to gain considerable benefits when going about outside. If one caught the family head’s eye and was granted an official position, thereby changing their family’s status and bringing glory to ancestors was not impossible.
If a daughter became a first-class maid like Heng Wu or Heng Zhi, that was truly as if smoke rose from ancestral graves. Perhaps one day she could overturn her fortunes and become a concubine mistress.
Zhang Changsheng’s wife thought of her younger daughter’s bright, lovely face and burst into tears with a wail. This mournful sound was far more sincere than before.
Seeing her dragged away, all the women in the room trembled with fear, terrified that Song Wan’s clear gaze would fall upon them.