Chapter 27: The Authority of the Main Wife
Chapter 27: The Authority of the Main Wife
All the emotions that had welled up in Lu Lingxiao's heart shattered at Meng Qianqian's final words.
He stared at her in disbelief, his lips moving dryly: "You... you've been staying here... just for the money?"
Meng Qianqian glanced at the quilt on him: "I was also concerned about your husband's injury."
Lu Lingxiao closed his eyes: "At least you still have a bit of con..."
Meng Qianqian tilted her head: "Otherwise, if my husband died, who would return my money?"
Lu Lingxiao's face turned purple as he couldn't catch his breath, and he growled: "Meng!"
Meng Qianqian was not annoyed at all. She waved her hand gracefully and produced an abacus from her sleeve: "My husband has a strong and full voice, and his recovery seems to be going well. Now, let's settle the accounts. Or, if my husband doesn't like to look at the accounts, you can ask the steward of the mansion to come over."
"Young Master, I can help with the accounts!"
Shen Yan poked his head in from outside the door.
Lu Lingxiao's face darkened: "Get lost!"
"Why are you so angry?"
Shen Yan muttered as he left the courtyard.
Meng Qianqian smiled: "Never mind, I did the accounts very well, and they are clear at a glance. My husband will understand as soon as he sees them."
Of course, Lu Lingxiao would not call for anyone else. It was embarrassing enough to be chased for debt by his wife, and going through the accounts would make him seem stingy. He couldn't afford to lose that face!
He turned his face away: "Just take what you're owed from the reward!"
Meng Qianqian hesitated.
"What's wrong?" Lu Lingxiao glanced at her and said sarcastically, "Have you forgotten that you come from a merchant background? You won't lift a finger without profit, and you won't lend without interest. Take what you're owed, including the interest!"
Meng Qianqian blinked: "But, my husband's reward isn't enough to cover the debt."
Lu Lingxiao's body shook: "How is that possible?"
His reward was a full ten thousand taels, along with a box of jewels!
Meng Qianqian nodded at the account book on the bed.
Lu Lingxiao endured the pain from his injury and grabbed the book, flipping to the last page. When he saw the total amount, he nearly fainted: "Thirty-six thousand taels? How could it be so much? What interest rate did you calculate?"
"The interest is listed here."
Meng Qianqian handed him another account book.
Lu Lingxiao gritted his teeth: "And?"
Meng Qianqian stood up and said calmly: "The first book is for the expenses of the mansion and the subsidies for the shops. The second book is for the interest and the hole that I filled for the Lu family when I married into it."
Lu Lingxiao's entire body felt numb.
Meng Qianqian said: "My husband, take your time to look through the accounts. As for that ten thousand taels, I'll have it moved first. If you can't understand the accounts, feel free to invite more accountants. Don't worry if you accidentally damage the books, as I have plenty of copies."
Lu Lingxiao's face was burning hot, and he said angrily: "What do you mean? Do you think I'll refuse to pay?"
Meng Qianqian smiled faintly.
Lu Lingxiao almost spat blood.
With a cold expression, he signed the document, and Meng Qianqian then asked him to press his thumbprint in vermillion ink.
As he watched Meng Qianqian's departing back, something occurred to him, and he called out to her, suppressing his shame: "Can... can you leave a thousand taels?"
"No."
Meng Qianqian refused without hesitation.
Lu Lingxiao said through gritted teeth: "I promised Wan'er that I would buy her and her unborn child a few sets of clothes... If you hadn't taken Wan'er's fabric last time, I wouldn't be in this situation."
"I took her fabric? Even if I did, so what? She only lost some fabric, but I lost my husband's heart."
Meng Qianqian covered her heart as she finished speaking, her expression turning cold. "Ban Xia, go and get the money. Don't leave a single tael!"
Ban Xia said with satisfaction: "Yes, Miss!"
As Meng Qianqian stepped out of the doorway, she paused and turned to give him a brilliant smile: "By the way, someone from the Governor's Mansion asked me to remind you that you still have ninety strokes of the rod left. Remember to go and... receive your punishment when your injury heals."
Lu Lingxiao spat out a mouthful of blood.
Ban Xia, after finishing the inventory of the rewards in the study, said puzzledly, "Miss, several pieces of jewelry are missing! This servant remembers that there was a pair of blood jade bracelets, as well as a pair of mutton fat jade earrings and a mutton fat jade magnolia hairpin!"
Meng Qianqian called over the little servant guarding the study, "Who took them?"
The little servant lowered his head, "It was Lu Luo. She said that Lin Qiong'er didn't have any jewelry, so she came to pick some out."
"That vixen again!" Ban Xia put her hands on her waist and stamped her foot, "Our young master hasn't even woken up yet. Did she ask his permission or Miss's?"
The little servant whispered, "The young master has ordered that Lin Qiong'er can take anything that was his..."
Ban Xia: "Miss!"
Meng Qianqian: "Let's go to Feng Yard."
Feng Yard.
Lu Luo was combing Lin Wan'er's hair, pinning a mutton fat jade magnolia hairpin in her hair, "Only such fine jade is worthy of you, Miss. What we wore before was rubbish! Look, Miss, you're as beautiful as a fairy in a painting! I wonder what the General will think when he sees you!"
Lin Wan'er looked at herself in the bronze mirror and was quite satisfied. Soon, her gaze landed on a pair of blood jade bracelets on the table.
They were a bright red, a color that only the main wife could wear.
Lu Luo's eyes flickered, and she picked up one of the bracelets, "Miss, let me help you put it on!"
Lin Wan'er hesitated for a moment before slowly raising her wrist.
Bang!
The half-closed door was kicked open by Ban Xia.
Lin Wan'er and Lu Luo were both startled, turning their heads to look at the intruder.
They hadn't expected it to be Meng Qianqian.
Meng Qianqian wore a delicate pink fur coat, the soft white fox fur gently lifted by the cold wind, caressing her pale face.
She was dressed extravagantly and exuded an air of nobility. In contrast, the elaborately dressed Lin Wan'er suddenly looked a bit shabby.
Meng Qianqian's eyes swept over them, and she calmly instructed, "Go and get them."
Ban Xia and several maids from Haitang Yard immediately entered the room.
Lu Luo questioned, "What are you doing?"
Ban Xia snatched the blood jade bracelet from her hand, along with the other one on the table, "A vixen like you dares to wear such fine bracelets? I spit on that!"
Lu Luo reached out to grab them back, "These were given to Miss Lin by the General!"
One of the maids stood in front of her and slapped her, "You're already carrying his child, and you still dare to call yourself 'Miss'? Shameless!"
Ban Xia huffed, "Exactly!"
The other two maids blocked Lin Wan'er, not bothering to exchange words with her. One on each side, they forced Lin Wan'er to her knees and removed her earrings and hairpin.
Lin Wan'er glared coldly at Meng Qianqian.
"You dare to glare at the main wife?"
The maid on the left slapped her twice, "Glare again and I'll gouge out your eyeballs! You wench, I have plenty of ways to deal with you!"
Lin Wan'er was struck so hard that she turned her head away. Her hairdo was ruined, with stray strands of hair sticking to her lips, making her look as wretched as if she were being executed.
She tried to struggle, but the two maids pressed her down tightly, causing her knees to ache with pain.
Meng Qianqian watched her expressionlessly.
Lin Wan'er clenched her fists tightly, her eyes filled with hatred.
Ban Xia brought the jewelry over, "Miss, they're all here! We got everything back!"
Meng Qianqian calmly said, "Let's go."
Qianqian: You can take my husband, but you can't take my money!
(End of Chapter)
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