Yun Chu had just returned to the Xie residence.

Nanny Zhou, who served at Old Madam’s side, invited her to Anshou Hall.

Old Madam Xie sat in the seat of honor, with Miss Xie Ping, the eldest daughter of the Xie household, seated below her.

“You’ve arrived.” Old Madam spoke in a bland tone. “Sit first.”

Yun Chu sat down, and Nanny Zhou served tea.

She took a sip. This was still the tea bestowed upon the Yun family by the Emperor several years ago. Her mother had sent it to her, and she had respectfully offered it to Old Madam.

Old Madam had stored it away for several years before finally being willing to take it out and drink it.

She set down the teacup. “I wonder what matter Old Madam has summoned me for?”

“Chu’er, Madam Li who manages the courtyard said that date trees are being planted throughout the entire courtyard this year?” Old Madam spoke indifferently. “Was this your instruction?”

Yun Chu nodded. “Yes, I ordered it.”

“Mother!” Xie Ping couldn’t contain herself and spoke up. “Our family holds a flower-viewing banquet every spring. If we plant date trees this year, won’t the flower-viewing banquet be impossible to hold?”

Old Madam Xie frowned.

For the sake of the legitimate daughter of a First Rank General’s household, many madams and young ladies from aristocratic families would come to join in the festivities at the annual flower-viewing banquet.

For this year’s flower-viewing banquet, she had privately prepared a great deal. But now, without any flowers, what banquet could still be held?

Surely they wouldn’t be viewing date blossoms—wouldn’t that be utterly laughable?

However, in her heart, Yun Chu was not someone who handled matters without method. She softened her tone and said, “Chu’er, what is the reason for this?”

“Our Xie family has so many masters and so many servants. Old Madam, do you know how much silver is spent each day?” Yun Chu sighed. “More goes out than comes in. If we don’t reduce expenses, there will be no way to continue living in the future. The reason I had Madam Li plant date trees is because date trees are cheap and easy to maintain. In the future, we won’t need to change flowers with each season, saving five to six hundred taels of silver per year. Moreover, when the dates bear fruit, they can also be sold, counting as an income.”

Old Madam looked shocked. “Our Xie family’s several shops do excellent business. How could there be little income?”

Xie Ping chimed in, “The Xie family’s cosmetics shop is the best business on Osmanthus Lane. The manager said it earns over a thousand taels of silver per year. How could we not even afford to plant flowers?”

“Over a thousand taels of silver…” Yun Chu smiled. “Ping sister, you don’t manage the household and don’t know how expensive daily necessities are. Over a thousand taels of silver can’t even sustain the Xie family’s living expenses for one month. Where would there be spare money to plant flowers? If I hadn’t supplemented with my dowry, how could the flower-viewing banquets of last year, the year before, and the year before that have been held so lavishly?”

Xie Ping said incredulously, “Mother used her own dowry to supplement the Xie family’s shortfall?”

Old Madam set down her teacup heavily. “This is impossible. My Xie family could never touch a daughter-in-law’s dowry. Chu’er, such words cannot be spoken carelessly.”

They were a scholarly family that valued face greatly. If this matter spread, how could Jingyu conduct himself in official circles?

Yun Chu raised her hand. “Tingshuang, the account books.”

Tingshuang hurriedly presented the various ledgers that had been organized long ago.

“These are the Xie household’s account books. Each month’s expenses and income are written clearly.” She had Tingshuang place the account books before Old Madam. “Every month, more goes out than comes in. Fearing Old Madam would worry about these household affairs, I never mentioned it. Today, as the conversation has led here, rather than be questioned, it’s better to lay everything out and speak clearly.”

Old Madam, influenced by classical education, could only understand the Four Books and Five Classics. She didn’t understand much about these business matters.

As for Xie Ping, a thirteen-year-old young girl who had never been taught, she naturally understood nothing at all.

“Have An brother come.” Old Madam spoke. “His teacher says An brother is very skilled with the abacus. Have him come look at the household accounts.”

Using a daughter-in-law’s dowry was an extremely shameful matter. They couldn’t just accept whatever Yun Chu said.

Since they couldn’t understand, they should invite someone who could.

Nanny Zhou received the order and immediately went to the ancestral hall to fetch him.

Xie Shi’an was still kneeling in the ancestral hall. Since there was nothing else to do anyway, he quickly came along.

Along the way, he had already understood what the matter was. After arriving, he paid respects to his elders, then picked up the account books and quickly began reading.

“Our Xie family is indeed spending more than we earn…” Xie Shi’an said slowly. “Last year, total income was five thousand six hundred taels of silver, but expenditures reached as high as thirteen thousand taels of silver.”

Old Madam Xie was completely shocked. “How could the difference be so great?”

Yun Chu might deceive her, but An brother could not.

Xie Shi’an held the account book and said, “The Xie family only has income from the shops, Father’s official salary, and the estate on the outskirts of the capital—none of this silver is recorded in the accounts.”

Old Madam Xie said nothing, because this was the truth, and she had no way to refute it.

Tingfeng stood behind Yun Chu, muttering softly, “Master’s and the gentleman’s silver should properly go into the public accounts. How is it that instead, it’s as if our madam, someone from an outside family, has had her dowry used for public expenses…”

Though her voice was very low, everyone present heard it clearly.

Before Old Madam could speak, Yun Chu directly stood up.

She walked to the center and slightly bent her knees. “Since marrying into the Xie family, whether serving my elders or raising children, whether helping my husband build connections or managing all the large and small household affairs of the Xie family, I can honestly say I’ve made no errors. Now, for the sake of saving some expenses by planting date trees, I’ve been subjected to so much questioning… Old Madam, Chu’er’s abilities are limited. Today, I return the authority of household management to you.”

Tingshuang stepped forward and placed the box containing the household tokens before Old Madam.

Old Madam frowned.

In the earliest days, the Xie family only had seven or eight maids and matrons, and she managed them quite simply.

But now, with her grandson serving as an official, the Xie household was large and prosperous. With such a large mansion and so many people, managing it was no simple matter.

“Chu’er, you’re being oversensitive.” Old Madam had various thoughts in her heart, but her expression was extremely loving. She took Yun Chu’s hand and spoke earnestly. “Over these past four or five years, it’s precisely because of you that our Xie family has gotten better and better. You are our Xie family’s great benefactor. Today’s matter was Grandmother’s rashness. Grandmother apologizes to you—don’t speak in anger anymore.”

“Old Madam, I’m not speaking in anger.” Yun Chu kept her head lowered. “An brother has looked at the account books and should know what state the Xie family is currently in. If I continue managing the household, my dowry will be emptied sooner or later. When that time comes, I’ll still have to return to the Yun family to ask my mother for silver. Old Madam surely doesn’t want this to reach the Yun family, does she?”

Old Madam Xie felt somewhat embarrassed.

If the Yun family learned that the Xie family had used Yun Chu’s dowry, the consequences… at best, they would no longer support the Xie family; at worst, they would submit a memorial of impeachment.

The Xie family had taken three generations to reach the capital. They absolutely could not have any mishaps.

Thinking of this, Old Madam spoke. “An brother, calculate how much dowry your mother has contributed over these years.”

Xie Shi’an had someone bring the abacus. With a clatter of beads, he calculated in no time. “Altogether, it’s twenty-one thousand two hundred thirty-five taels.”

Old Madam Xie’s heart ached.

But she understood very clearly that no matter how reluctant she was to part with this sum, it absolutely had to be repaid.

The only thing that consoled her was that her grandson’s wife devoted heart and effort to the children. This silver would eventually return to the Xie family’s hands.

She waved her hand, and Nanny Zhou behind her received the order, entering the inner chamber and bringing out a thick stack of banknotes.