The Yanqing palace was far away from the Kunning palace, and she had kept a close eye on it. Hence, when Mo Qianxue had walked out of the Kunning palace wearing a white silk, she figured out the reason soon after a little inquiring and thinking.
To escape from the Empress could be said lucky and witty, but to do that without any injure from the Emperor's hand after having killed a dozen people openly on the street was called true ability.
She never made enemy without able people, and this was the reason why she could keep climbing along the ladder regardless of her humble origin. Of those women who had come to the imperial palace together with her, the prettier ones now became too old to see, and the more talented ones were also forgotten by the Emperor and worthless to mention.
Only she survived flourishingly in the palace.
"Ziying, the daughter of the imperial censor is turning fifteen this year, right?" The imperial censor, of course, was referred to concubine Yu's brother. The Wan family was at the third level but gained such glory because of concubine Yu whose brother was now one of the trusted censors of the Emperor.
Nanny Ni replied with a smile, "Lady Ziying is turning fifteen in two months. She happens to be the same age with Miss. Mo." She didn't come from concubine Yu's original family but had served her for almost a decade.
Just because she became her servant halfway without the close bond of taking care of her since childhood, she worked more carefully and flawlessly. She knew whatever concubine Yu thought or wanted.
Of course, concubine Yu also treated her well, never cursing or scolding or even saying acid words.
Evidently, concubine Yu was very satisfied with nanny Ni's answer. With such a considerate nanny around her, she lived much easier, "Send an invitation in the name of prince Ningxiang, and let her join the peach blossom party and get familiar with Miss. Mo."
The peach blossom party was open only to girls elder than twelve years old. Her princess Ningxiang was one month younger. Although she couldn't join the party, she was still qualified to send an invitation.
Even though nanny Ni understood her thoughts, she still felt a little uneasy and reminded, "At present, Mo Qianxue is a focal point. I'm afraid somehow misfortune will soon get to us. Are you sure to do this?"
At this time, the servant girl completed the care on the right hand and wrapped it. Concubine Yu gestured and the girl left.
She slightly narrowed her eyes, something strange flickering in them, but her voice stayed soft, "I don't have too much consideration. In my eyes, people are either useful or useless for me. Since she possesses something that others desire, she is a useful person."
Wealth could only be obtained through high risks. Currently, while making preparations against a rainy day, she must take care of her body to guarantee that next time she got pregnant, it must be a body. She was turning thirty. Now matter how beautiful she was, she couldn't defeat those teenager girls. She must go all out now, when the Emperor still liked her. "The Emperor arrives…" Hearing the announcement of the eunuch outside, nanny Ni hurriedly helped concubine Yu to get rid of the cloth on her hands. Concubine Yu also immediately put on a smile and walked out of the inner room to welcome the Emperor.
This smile was practiced by looking in the mirror hundreds of times every day. Her every moment had been meticulously designed to showcase her captivating waist curve when walking and the watery eyes under the slim eyebrows.
The smile was beautiful and bright as a land of roses, gentle and enchanting…
**
When Mo Qianxue came to the front hall, there already stood eight men looking like managers.
At a glance, she found the furniture and chairs were all new ones. The butler was a quick doer. Mo Qianxue's stern face softened because of it.
Seeming Mo Qianxue walked in, those managers automatically stood in two rows on each side.
As Mo Qianxue took a seat, the leader, a middle-aged man, smiled and bowed to greet her, "Feng Da, taking all the managers together, presents our greetings to eldest lady."
It seemed that this middle-aged man was Feng Da, the butler Feng. He had regular features and talked in a natural calm tone. Evidently, he was an experienced man.
Mo Qianxue gestured, "Thank you. Take a seat."
Then, manager Feng looked up and said politely, "Lady is here. We don't dare to sit down." He said respectfully in an exactly proper tone.
Yet, Mo Qianxue sensed something unusual because he could sort out the accounting books upon such a short notice and presented them in such a calm manner. The more flawless he appeared, the harder proof it was that he was excelled at schemes.
Mo Qianxue pondered this to herself but didn't show it on face, praising, "Manager Feng works with high efficiency. I just let butler notice you yesterday, and today you come."
Being praised by her, manager Feng wasn't complacent but relied, lowering his head, "I don't dare to disobey lady's order. I must try best to make you satisfy."
What an old fox! Mo Qianxue praised him, "Good. You're very loyal."
When dealing with such an old fox, you must give him sweet words at first to let down his guard, so that problems would be exposed and resolved.
"It's my duty." As he talked, he took out an account book and looked matter-of-fact, "This is the account book of expenses and earnings of all our properties in the last five years."
Then, he pointed at the pile of account books at the door, "Those are details. Hearing lady wants to check them, I asked people to collect these overnight. Lady, please take the trouble to have a check."
Mo Qianxue took a glance at the pile of account books, gave a look to nanny Mo to let her receive the generic account book, and then smiled at manager Feng, "Thanks for your effort. Leave this one here for me to have a check." Hearing this, manager Feng looked in a pickle, "I have an unreasonable request, lady."
Mo Qianxue said, "Don't be modest, manager. I have little knowledge of our properties. Just take straightforward."
Seeing that Mo Qianxue was smiling and didn't show aversion, manager Feng said in a low voice, "Please forgive us lady. These account books are complicated and vital to the operation of each store. Please be quick to finish reading, so that our people could continue with the accounting."
There he was. Mo Qianxue sneered in secrecy. The old fox had revealed his tail.
Previously, she was only suspecting, but now she was sure.
This manager Feng was deliberating making obstacles for her. In this world, there weren't Arabic numbers, and the numbers were recorded in ancient Chinese characters, which weren't easy to read, not to say it was the accounting across five years.
Even an experienced accountant needed at least three months to finish reading and calculate the numbers instead of finding out problems, let alone this inexperienced girl less than fifteen years old.
However, this time, manager Feng was destined to fail.
Who was she? When her company was just set up, she got herself accounting trainings at a night school for over a year. Initially, all the accountings were completed by herself and later by an experienced accountant.
She had both theories and practices. Although this wasn't her major, she could do it professionally. However, at present, she couldn't alert the snake in the grass. She had little knowledge of the current situation, so even this guy was disloyal, she had to keep him at his position temporarily. She shouldn't make a reckless action until she was clear of the whole picture and found a proper alternative.
Mo Qianxue concealed the scorn and asked softly, "Then, in your opinion, how long can I keep the book here to read?" She didn't act autocratically but maintained a mild attitude.
Manager Feng looked in a worse pickle, "It'd be better that you finish reading these book in ten days, because now it's in the middle of the month, and the accountants will need the book by the end of the month, by then…"
Ten days? If she had been Xue, a young girl who had never managed anything, would definitely been cheated by him. As long as she returned the books, it meant she recognized his accountings.
What a sly calculation. She wondered how much he had intervened.
Mo Qianxue stayed silent for a long while, as if considering, and said seriously, "Then send someone to fetch the book in ten days. I'll finishing checking by then."
Joy leaked out of his eyes, but he put on a worrying face, "Sorry I was being inconsiderate and brought you this trouble, but indeed the accounting must be finished at the end of each month. This rule shouldn't be broken."
Ridiculous to restrain her with rules! She was the superior while he was the subordinate. Was it a rule that a subordinate bullying a superior?
"If so, then manager Feng, please verbally report to me the current situation of our properties, so that I have a better understanding and will check the book faster."
"Yes, lady."
Then, Feng Da began to report the situation of stores one by one.
Most of the properties was in the capital city or counties near it, including lands, stores and pawnshops, some of them were her mother's dowry while others were rewards granted by the Emperor to the Founder.
Specifically, there were restaurants, silk shops and an antique store. She was really rich. But the more Feng Da reported, the sullener Mo Qianxue became.
Butler Mo and nanny Mo already frowned and pissed off, looking worrying. Yet, before lady said anything, they didn't have a right to question him.
The expenses of the Founder mansion each month were covered by a part of income of these properties managed by manager Feng, but the allowance of the Founder mansion had been taken away by the Mo clan. The Founder didn't care, and nor did his wife, because the Founder didn't have any concubines or children, and because they had often gone to the frontline for war, which saved quite a lot.
They had believed that money could buy peace and didn't care much. But now, only when manager Feng reported did Mo Qianxue know that now the Founder mansion was penniless. Even the monthly allowance for the mansion had been painstakingly obtained by him.
What an excellent man he was to have made the restaurants, silk stores and antique shop barely earn money! Even if rarely, there was profit, it was used to fill up the former holes.
The lands were even better. They worked well in the previous two years. On the third year, they were damaged by insects and yielded no grain. The forth year was destroyed by a drought. The fifth year managed to produce a little output.
Outrageous! Was he really regarding her as a stupid little girl living in the depth of a mansion?
Of all the possibilities, Mo Qianxue hadn't expected that now the Founder mansion had been robbed to such an extent. Instantly, she pulled her face, "You mean all these properties in the capital could only provide daily cost for the Founder mansion, even when I wasn't here?"