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

Chapter 74: Chapter 74: How Did You Know?

Xiao Hong said, ”If my brother doesn’t listen, Mother will have Xiao Hong help manage him. Madam wants Xiao Hong to help persuade Young Master Cheng and Miss Yu.”

Qin Yuan nodded.

The meaning is quite clear.

”Do you know what to persuade them on?”

Xiao Hong said, ”Guests are not the host. Young Master Cheng and Miss Yu are ultimately guests; if it gets too rowdy, both the host and guests will lose face.”

Qin Yuan said in surprise, ”I really did not expect you to think of that.”

Xiao Hong, without any humility, crisply said, ”Thank you for the compliment, Madam. It’s all because of Nanny Rong’s good teaching. If Madam thinks Xiao Hong is good, you can bring Xiao Hong to work at Wutong Garden.”

”Hahaha.”

Both Hong Ye and Cui Ming couldn’t help but laugh.

Nanny Rong chuckled and said, ”This child, ever since she came to Wutong Garden with the old servant, she’s been quite eager. She always says she wants to serve the Marquis and Madam in Wutong Garden and find a way to stand out.”

Qin Yuan looked at this delightful little face and said, ”Then listen to Nanny Rong, find a way to make Brother Cheng and Sister Yu understand some principles. Don’t let the Marquis be troubled.”

Xiao Hong nodded and said, ”Yes, Madam. Xiao Hong remembers.”

Nanny Rong stood up and said, ”The old servant must return and prepare the Old Madam’s meal.”

Qin Yuan didn’t keep her any longer.

With two more children in the main room, the Old Madam might be overwhelmed and truly needs Nanny Rong and Xiao Hong to assist.

Nanny Rong walked a few steps and suddenly remembered something, ”The incense pills Madam made are very effective. When the Old Madam was doing her tasks, the old servant used some, and the Old Madam praised them several times.”

Qin Yuan said, ”I still have many here, all made by myself. If they’re useful, just feel free to take them. Nanny, please don’t be courteous with me.”

She then asked Hong Ye to quickly get the incense pills.

She asked, ”I wonder what kind of fragrance the Old Madam likes? Ranxiang Inn has a full range of materials. I have some family recipes that can be used. Now that it’s hot, if the Old Madam has a poor appetite or can’t sleep well, we can blend a suitable scent.”

Nanny Rong became interested upon hearing this and hurriedly said, ”I truly didn’t expect Madam to have such skills. The Old Madam has been worrying a lot about the Marquis these days, unable to sleep well at night, and suffering from the heat during the day. If Madam has a suitable recipe, we could give it a try.”

After thinking for a moment, she added, ”The Old Madam likes the scent of lotus, plum blossom, and Bergamot. These are the common scents she enjoys very much.”

Qin Yuan smiled and said, ”I’ll try it and send it over once it’s prepared.”

Nanny Rong happily left with Xiao Hong, and Hong Ye curiously asked, ”Miss, can you prepare such fragrances?”

Qin Yuan said, ”I can give it a try.”

Hong Ye didn’t mind, as Qin Yuan used to make scents at home, but without the funds, she could only use cheap and common materials. Now, with Ranxiang Inn and the Marquis’s permission, the range of possible scents is much broader.

Cui Ming asked, ”Miss, have you read the medical books left by Aunt?”

Qin Yuan knew she was attentive and did not intend to hide from them, so she said, ”The medical books left by Aunt are my grandfather’s family inheritance. My grandfather was once an Imperial Physician with significant insight into medical incense. The Old Madam’s symptoms have been seen in a medical book, and there are recipes available.”

But these were not learned in this life; they were acquired in her previous life as the Prime Minister’s wife.

Qin Yuan contemplated silently, thinking that the Old Madam’s symptoms may be common for many people. Why not make some suitable incense pills to sell at Ranxiang Inn? Manager Leng is skilled in blending scents and might offer some suggestions.

Cui Ming sighed, ”Miss, you have such keen insight. When I can even reach a tenth of Miss’s abilities, it would be enough.”

Hong Ye said, ”I don’t think that way. Not everyone needs to be intelligent; having Miss be the clever one is enough for me. All I need to do is follow orders.”

Qin Yuan laughed, although she thought the words were fine, Hong Ye wasn’t particularly obedient.

She said, ”You obey? I tell you to do something, and you don’t listen. Even when the Marquis speaks, it goes unheard. I wonder whose words you do listen to?”

Hong Ye got anxious and wanted to pull her to argue.

Cui Ming chimed in, ”When the Marquis tells you to call her ’Madam,’ you still call her ’Miss’ in front of him. When Madam advises caution in words, you keep speaking carelessly. Earlier, what did you plan to say in front of Nanny Rong?”

Hong Ye: ”...”

Luckily, a little maid entered and said, ”Madam, the duck soup from the small kitchen is ready. Should I inform the big kitchen to serve it now?”

Qin Yuan nodded.

The little maids themselves went to the kitchen to get the meal.

Hong Ye said, ”It’s a pity the Marquis can’t enjoy the duck soup from the small kitchen.”

Qin Yuan said, ”He won’t wrong himself.”

As long as there is silver, Marquis Gu, a living person, can definitely find a place to eat.

Hong Ye said, ”The Marquis will go to the Great Camp tomorrow. If he wants to drink duck soup, he’ll have to wait ten days until the next round of leaves, but the small kitchen may not make duck soup then.”

Qin Yuan didn’t respond to her, instead asking, ”Why hasn’t Manager Lin sent a message yet? I wonder what news Gu the Seventeenth has discovered. Their account books should have been sent as well, right?”

Hong Ye asked, ”Should we send someone to inquire?”

Most of the staff who came as dowry had nothing to do. It’s good to have them run errands occasionally.

If those shopkeepers remain disobedient, replacing them is not impossible.

Qin Yuan said, ”Let’s wait for a while.”

Cui Ming felt that Hong Ye was getting herself busy over nothing, but it was not good to say this in front of the Miss, so she said, ”Let’s serve the Miss a good meal first. The Emperor doesn’t starve his soldiers; everything else can wait until after lunch and a nap to be discussed.”

By now, Hong Ye was already staring dazedly at the pot of duck soup, unconcerned with what Cui Ming was saying.

With the Marquis not present, Qin Yuan usually had two maids dine with her, and items she couldn’t finish eating were given to them to share outside.

After a while, Hong Ye returned and said, ”Miss, it turns out the Marquis went to Sixth Madam’s place and tied up two nannies from the courtyard guarding Miss Seven, ordering Sixth Madam to discipline them well. Quite a few nannies were punished to guard the second gate.”

Qin Yuan nodded.

Turns out this is how Marquis Gu manages Gu Baoshu.

Hong Ye added, ”I also heard that the Marquis ordered Sixth Madam to oversee Miss Seven’s spinning and embroidery. If Miss Seven loses the competition during the Qixi Festival, Sixth Master will be punished.”

”Oh?”

Qin Yuan raised her eyebrows and asked, ”Why?”

Hong Ye said, ”Marquis claims he doesn’t hit women, so if Sixth Madam can’t manage Miss Seven, then Sixth Master gets punished.”

Qin Yuan laughed, ”Does the Marquis want to beat Sixth Master?”

Looking at Gu Baoshu, she certainly doesn’t seem like someone who can sit and embroider. The Old Madam is always worried about bringing up her needlework skills.

Hong Ye laughed along with her.

”Miss, I also heard that the pipa girl caught Sixth Master’s eye used to be Aunt Zheng’s sister from the brothel. Aunt Zheng, who has just gotten favored for a few months, is about to fall out of favor. She even threatened to commit suicide yesterday, and to coax her, Sixth Master didn’t go on the lake, allowing the Marquis to catch him.”

Cui Ming wondered, ”How do you know this?”

...

In the largest theater at the northern part of the city—Sang Family’s House.

”How do you know this?”

Marquis Gu’s face was solemn as his sharp eyes fixed on Prince Qi, who sat across the table.

Since returning from the Northern Border, he hadn’t seen this former childhood friend.