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The storeroom containing the sealed financial accounts was opened. When Elder Shen heard the news, he hurried over. Was there a problem with the long-sealed accounts?
Upon seeing his wife sitting in the main room, sipping tea, Elder Shen relaxed. He entered and took his wife’s hand. “What made you think of coming here?”
The Grand Princess glanced at the desk in the inner room. Elder Shen followed her gaze. Yongjia?
What was she doing looking at the financial accounts?
The Grand Princess stood up and, pulling him along, walked out of the room, a satisfied smile on her face. “Jingxuan and Qi’er are like you, but Yongjia is like me.”
“How so?”
“She has taken me as her master and wants to take over the financial accounts.”
Elder Shen was stunned, his eyes wide in disbelief. He had never expected that his granddaughter would have such an idea.
The Grand Princess chuckled softly, noting that her husband had the same reaction.
Elder Shen lowered his gaze. His son and grandsons were all like him—without grand ambitions, only focusing on studying and educating others.
The top scholar of the time, now the prime minister, was the one she truly admired.
Unfortunately, she held power and could not remarry. The prime minister, full of ambition, refused to marry into the royal family, which left him as her only choice.
“This lifetime with me, I have wronged you.”
The Grand Princess was stunned. What was the old man saying? “I never said anything bad about you three. It’s just that with an heir, I’m happy.”
Elder Shen nodded, understanding.
The Grand Princess furrowed her brow. Was it really that troublesome?
Not necessarily. Her lips curved down slightly. “If there is a next life, I would still marry you, bear you sons and raise daughters, and accompany you as we grow old, watching our grandchildren play.”
Elder Shen never expected that at his age, he would still blush. Was she truly not regretting it?
He lightly smiled, his lips curling. “Good.”
The Grand Princess scolded him, “You’re so old, yet you still need to be pampered so easily.”
Elder Shen’s face turned even redder. He cleared his throat twice and shifted to a more serious matter. “The financial accounts have been barely profitable lately. What can she change by taking over?”
“Your granddaughter says she has a way.”
Elder Shen looked toward the room. “Well, let her try. As long as she doesn’t make any mistakes.”
“I think the same. If she can’t become a Duchess in the future, and with Xie Er being so lazy, maybe it’s better if she manages things herself.”
The couple walked off together, leaving the accounting room to Shen Shurong to sort through things.
Jinzhi kneeled and quickly came to attend, while Qiao Yu entered with invitations from Miss Qiao and Miss Ye. Yinzhi took them and set them aside. “The Commandery Princess said she’s busy these days and will not handle outside matters, so she won’t accept any visiting invitations.”
On the way, Jinzhi had overheard some rumors and was eager to tell the Grand Princess. “The matter concerns the Grand Princess, and she’ll definitely be interested.”
She quickly walked past Yinzhi, who didn’t have time to stop her.
“Commandery Princess, I’ve come,” she said.
Shen Shurong raised her eyes. “Is it time already?”
“It is,” Jinzhi replied, her cheeks slightly flushed. She glanced at Suihan, who was standing by, as if to say, Who do you think you are, laughing at me?
“Commandery Princess, I heard that early this morning… many people from the Duke of Lu’s Mansion came by, all families with eligible young ladies.”
Shen Shurong didn’t even lift her gaze from the account book. Since you’re so interested, “Is that so? You won’t be serving me these next few days.”
Jinzhi was taken aback. What did the Commandery Princess mean by this? “How could I not be by your side, Commandery Princess? I can’t rest easy otherwise.”
Shen Shurong continued reading the account book. “I have other tasks for you. Check which families have sent people.”
Jinzhi secretly smiled, realizing she had overthought things. She had assumed she had lost the Commandery Princess’s favor, but it seemed that Shen Shurong was entrusting her with something even more important. She understood—what the Commandery Princess cared about most was the heir. “Yes, I will handle it properly.”
Shen Shurong waved her hand dismissively, and Jinzhi left the room with an air of pride, glancing at Yinzhi on the way out. See? Only I truly understand the Commandery Princess.
Yinzhi shook her head. She had been thinking on her behalf, yet the other was flaunting in front of her. She could only hope her intentions wouldn’t be discovered by the Commandery Princess.
At the Duke of Lu’s Mansion, during the evening meal, the Duchess of Lu watched as her son kept eating iced custard. Was it really that hot?
“Be careful, or you’ll upset your stomach.”
Xie Yunzhao raised his eyes, lightly swallowing. He felt that his temper was too high—having a nosebleed in front of her was too embarrassing. “Just two bowls.”
“Mother, why can’t I open the storeroom anymore?”
The Duchess of Lu glared at him. How dare he ask?
“If you won’t let me, then give me two thousand taels of silver tomorrow. The Commandery Princess is still feeling a bit dizzy. I’ll buy some supplementary medicine and send it over.”
The Duchess had no time to dwell on the money. Her gaze shifted to Xie Yunzheng, and sure enough, her other son’s face darkened again. “Enough. We’ll discuss this later.”
“But I’m entitled to half the family assets. You can’t deny me.”
The Duchess blinked furiously at Xie Yunzhao, but the brat was too focused on eating and didn’t even glance her way.
“Mother, give him the money. If it’s not enough, I’ll add another two thousand taels. You can also take the tonics from my private storeroom.”
The Duchess’s eyelid nearly twitched in frustration. ‘Damn this boy—why must he bring this up in front of Yunzheng?’
And Yunzheng was no better—why compete over who spends money?
Xie Yunzhao raised his gaze. “On behalf of the Commandery Princess, I thank Big Brother.” After all, the gifts would still be from him. If someone wanted to play the fool and foot the bill, he’d gladly let them.
Xie Yunzheng had meant to provoke him, but he hadn’t expected him to take it so smoothly.
‘Fine. Consider it a gift to Yongjia—may she recover soon.’
Seeing the two bury themselves in their meals without coming to blows, the Duchess relaxed slightly. ‘Best they dine separately from now on.’
‘Soon enough—once he’s married, this won’t happen.’
For three consecutive days, Shen Shurong had been buried in sorting through the financial ledgers. Five shopkeepers reported on the state of various businesses over recent years while she listened and took notes, reorganizing everything late into the night.
The gifts Xie Yunzhao sent to the Grand Princess’ Estate were like a feather dropping into a river—not a single ripple stirred in response.
He couldn’t sit still, couldn’t stand steady. Not that he expected a return gift, but… not even a single word in response? That was deeply unsettling.
Xie Yunzheng scoffed. He had said it before—only a fool would think mere material gifts could move the heart of a Commandery Princess. Only someone like ‘him’ would even attempt such a thing.
Three days passed, and Shen Shurong had nearly finished sorting out the revenue from the various businesses under the financial storeroom. Meanwhile, Jinzhi had also gathered information about the families interested in the Xie heir.
“Does the Commandery Princess remember the young lady of the Wei family? I heard General Wei personally visited the Duke of Lu’s Mansion. As if ‘she’ could ever compare to you!” Jinzhi pursed her lips, her heart burning with indignation.
Shen Shurong remembered—Wei Youran, Concubine Wei.
In her past life, it had been the same. Wei Youran had refused to marry anyone but Xie Yunzheng, wasting her youth until she turned twenty. When General Wei came to plead, Shen Shurong had agreed to take her in as Xie Yunzheng’s concubine.
She had assumed that after her “death,” Xie Yunzheng would elevate Wei to the position of his official wife. Instead, he married the Empress’s younger sister as his second wife.
‘This lifetime, without me in the way, let’s see if the Wei girl can secure the title of principal wife.’
Yinzhi watched Jinzhi’s furious expression and found an excuse to call her outside, leaving Suihan to attend to their mistress.
Jinzhi, annoyed at being pulled away for no apparent reason, snapped, “What do you want to say?”
“Wake up! The Commandery Princess is marrying the Second Young Master. Haven’t you seen all the tonics and jewelry he’s sent these past few days?”
“If the Commandery Princess keeps clinging to thoughts of the heir, and the Second Young Master finds out, the only one who’ll suffer is ‘her’.”
“How ‘dare’ he? He’s not even worthy!” Jinzhi spat in contempt.
Yinzhi was at her wits’ end—this girl was utterly deluded. “Fine, I’ve warned you. Do as you please. But if you don’t want the Commandery Princess to uncover your true feelings, you’d better treat the Second Young Master with some respect. ‘He’s’ the one who’ll be her husband.”
‘Husband?’ He wasn’t fit to be called that! Jinzhi turned away with a huff and stormed back inside.
“The Second Young Master also sent premium blood-red bird’s nest and said he’d send more once it runs out…”
The moment Jinzhi stepped back in, she heard Suihan’s words, and irritation flared instantly. “Suihan, as someone serving the Commandery Princess, you mustn’t be so easily impressed. The blood-red bird’s nest sent by the Grand Princess is ‘far’ superior.”