My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The First to Be Made an Example

Qin Yuan couldn’t help but lower her head, smiling with lips pursed.

Gu Jinghui leaned in, curiously asking, ”Yuan’er, what are you laughing about?”

”I laugh because the Marquis is forced to consider even these things. The Marquis will go to the Great Camp tomorrow, so there’s no need to rush. Mother will arrange it. However, the Marquis’ idea is brilliant. Gu Shiliu goes to Jizhou to find Lady Zhao’s husband’s family, and they can discuss their course of action, preventing someone from coming to seek relatives in the future and causing a lot of trouble.”

Gu Jinghui also laughed softly, his somber face instantly softened. He raised his eyelids, his eyes narrow and sharp, gazing steadily at her through thick eyelashes, proudly saying, ”This is the result of my all-night discussion with Sixteen.”

It seemed as if seeking praise, yet he couldn’t help flaunting.

Qin Yuan pursed her lips again.

Gu Jinghui seemed touched in his heart, sighed, ”Brother Pang left home for the Northern Border to join the army, rarely mentions his family, only says there was some trouble at home and wants to establish achievements to return with dignity. I’m afraid his family still doesn’t know about the two children. It was initially in the Northern Border, too far apart, preoccupied with war, so couldn’t manage. Half a year has passed since returning to the Capital City, always busy with trivial matters, and Lady Zhao didn’t mention, I almost forgot.”

It turns out that the father of the two children is surnamed Pang.

Qin Yuan secretly noted it in her heart.

The Northern Border and Jizhou are far apart, communication is difficult; Brother Pang didn’t mention his family’s affairs, and Marquis Gu was indeed too busy in the border city.

Upon returning to the Capital City, there were many things to handle, and the two also squeezed in time to get married.

But why Lady Zhao didn’t mention this matter?

Could she be worried that her husband’s family would prevent her from remarrying?

Qin Yuan pondered in her heart; outside, a young girl called Hong Ye. Hong Ye went out for a while, then came in to report, ”Madam, the housekeepers are all here.”

Checking the hourglass, it was already the time to hold the daily meeting.

Today’s series of events almost led to overlooking serious matters. Qin Yuan stood up, tidied her hair, and said, ”Husband, do you want to sit here and have tea, or return to the side room to rest? I have things to do, so I won’t be able to accompany you.”

Gu Jinghui neither wanted to sit here nor wanted to return to the side room to rest.

He said, ”Why don’t I follow you to listen?”

Hong Ye glanced at Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan declined, ”They’re just minor matters. If Husband is willing to listen, it’s fine, but Yuan’er worries the housekeepers will be afraid seeing you.”

Gu Jinghui, disappointed, said, ”Then don’t bother with me. I’ll stay in the main room and read the books sent by Father-in-law.”

Qin Yuan had to say a few more things and then went out to meet the housekeepers.

In just one day, these housekeepers showed her more diligence and respect.

Qin Yuan raised her eyebrows slightly, and some conjecture arose in her heart.

After she sat down, Hong Ye began the meeting, while Cui Ming held the accounts of the embroidery room, standing at the back.

The number of housekeepers assigned to her was so few you could count them on one hand.

But Hong Ye said it was important to establish the habit of holding meetings so that the housekeepers wouldn’t dare slight her.

Qin Yuan let Hong Ye handle it.

After the meeting, Qin Yuan routinely asked the housekeepers about the progress of their tasks, their plans, and if there were any matters requiring approval on purchases.

When the meeting was wrapping up, Qin Yuan then asked Mrs. Lu, ”Are the accounts of the embroidery room clear?”

Mrs. Lu, sweating profusely, replied, ”In response to Madam, there are some discrepancies.”

Qin Yuan asked, ”Can you clarify which discrepancies there are?”

Mrs. Lu blushed and stuttered, ”The old servant will sort it out as soon as possible. Yesterday, Miss Cui Ming counted the numbers, and there were slight discrepancies with the accounts...”

Before she could finish, Qin Yuan said, ”I recall having instructed you before coming to me, you need to settle accounts with the Sixth Madam first. Now that the accounts don’t match the items and there are errors, how exactly did you settle accounts with the Sixth Madam?”

Mrs. Lu couldn’t answer.

Qin Yuan turned to Cui Ming, ”Tell me about the errors you discovered yesterday.”

Cui Ming stepped forward, saying, ”In response to Madam, yesterday, the servant and Mrs. Lu accounted for the embroidery room’s threads, tools, and fabrics, finding multiple discrepancies between the thread categories and account registration, the threads used daily by the embroideress and actual produced items, and wastage don’t match.”

She then gave a detailed account of how much embroidery thread was received by the embroideress last month and the matching finished products.

It was evident that the threads taken by the embroideress and the threads required for the finished products did not align.

This was just from the accounts.

If matching actual items, who knows what discrepancies there might be.

Qin Yuan coldly looked at the hunched Mrs. Lu.

Mrs. Lu struggled to speak, and after a while, squeezed out a sentence, ”Madam, I will go to the Sixth Madam for a re-assessment of the accounts.”

Qin Yuan asked, ”Will the Sixth Madam do a re-assessment with you?”

Mrs. Lu was tongue-tied and couldn’t answer.

Such perfunctory words aren’t convincing at all.

Qin Yuan said, ”By rights, I shouldn’t interfere with your previous accounts, only with your future accounts. But your handover is unclear, and now you want money to buy materials. I indeed can’t let you manage it anymore.”

Mrs. Lu felt struck by thunder, dazed and speechless.

Qin Yuan said, ”When you can clarify the previous accounts of the embroidery room, then come to me.”

She continued, ”Cui Ming, find another housekeeper to temporarily fill Mrs. Lu’s role in the embroidery room. From today, establish new accounts in the embroidery room, appropriately record materials received, submitted forms, and all wastage.”

Implicitly meaning Mrs. Lu is responsible for the previous accounts, while her successor will start new accounts, separate from each other.

If there are any discrepancies, Mrs. Lu will be held accountable.

Cui Ming crisply agreed.

Mrs. Lu regretted her foolishness, shouldn’t have listened to others’ advice, underestimating the young Madam as inexperienced, just a daughter of a minor official, losing the respect she once had.

The Marchioness acted swiftly and decisively.

Only yesterday did Cui Ming review the physical items and remaining accounts with her, and today most of the loopholes in the account books were uncovered. No matter who’s listening, she’ll know she’s at fault, unable to plead innocent.

She worked hard for years to become a housekeeper, held the position even if it didn’t offer much benefit, still managed many people and embroideresses, and now the Madam had removed her from her post with a single word, not to mention she had to account for the accumulated shortages over the years.

”It’s over, it’s over,” Mrs. Lu swayed like a fallen leaf in the wind.

And those housekeepers who mocked the Marchioness behind her back, every face now polite, wouldn’t dare to breathe heavily.

By then, Mrs. Lu realized it all.

She became the first rotten beam to cave under pressure.

Mrs. Lu’s ears buzzed, chaotic, vaguely hearing Qin Yuan again saying, ”Mrs. Lu, do you have anything to say?”

With a dull thud, Mrs. Lu knelt on the ground, after a long time said, ”The old servant implores Madam to forgive. Despite my numerous faults, I have served the Old Madam, I beg Madam for dignity, please don’t strip the old servant of the embroidery room duty.”