Shang Yunruo quickly pinched Chu Yao's hand, signaling her to keep quiet.
She lied in a gentle voice, "I made this chicken soup for my husband, but I don't know when he'll be back. So I thought I'd send some to Ayan first. He helped me catch the thief last night and stayed up half the night."
Chu Jinli paused for a moment and asked, "What thief? Did a thief break into the mansion?"
Hearing his tone, it seemed he wasn't aware of it. Shang Yunruo's tone became a bit more sincere. "Yes. I had people sprinkle flour inside and outside the house. The thief left footprints. I invited a painter to draw the footprints on paper and sent them to the government to see if they can catch the thief."
Chu Jinli put down the chicken soup. Finally realizing something was wrong, he asked in shock, "What kind of thief is so bold as to steal in the marquis's mansion? And how did you know to prepare by spreading flour in advance?"
Shang Yunruo didn't plan to hide it either. She simply laid it all out. "Aunt lost the ledger. She surely won't let it go easily. That's why I insisted on keeping you in my room last night."
Chu Jinli remembered how she had pleaded with him to stay last night. He thought she wanted to consummate their marriage, so he was so scared that he left in a hurry.
But one couldn't just slander Aunt like this.
The faint sense of guilt made him not scold her. He just said, "You're overthinking. Aunt would never do such a thing. She's the most upright and proper."
Shang Yunruo was stunned for a moment and said, "You don't think I spread the flour myself and the footprints were also made by me, do you?"
Chu Jinli replied, "Maybe it was some blind servant who accidentally stepped on it, or it was just a coincidence and there really was a thief?"
Anger welled up in Shang Yunruo. She suddenly remembered what Chu Yan had said in the accounting room, "How do you know he'll side with you?" Her heart sank.
She retorted, "What about Ayan? He was there last night too. You can go and ask him!"
Chu Jinli dismissed it. "You still believe Ayan's words? His mother was a spy."
These words made Shang Yunruo hold her breath. She suddenly didn't want to say anything.
She slowly let out the breath, bowed slightly, and asked Chu Yao to carry the chicken soup as they took their leave.
She didn't take the sedan chair. She walked all the way to Zhuoxi Courtyard. Her mood was still not good when she reached the courtyard gate.
Although the whole Zhuoxi Courtyard wasn't very big, it was a standard three - entrance courtyard. Yet not a single servant could be seen.
She had been sitting on the stone bench in the yard for quite a while, but not a single person came to attend to her. It seemed she had to sort out this family properly!
Thinking of this, she felt a sense of helplessness. She still hadn't retrieved the power to manage the mansion. She could only tidy up her own room, but her hand couldn't reach into other people's yards.
The top priority was to check the accounts first and then make further plans.
Thinking of this, Shang Yunruo couldn't sit still. She asked Chu Yao to warm the chicken soup in the kitchen and went to Chu Yan's bedroom by herself.
She stood at the door and knocked. The door opened before she could even knock hard. She thought it was Chu Yan who opened the door for her and asked, "I thought you weren't awake yet. What time did you come back last night? Did you see the thief?"
She had already stepped inside and rambled on to herself. Not hearing a reply, she walked further in curiously and felt the table.
Scrolls and books were messily placed on it. She wasn't sure if there was a ledger among them, so she arranged the things neatly according to the feel.
Chu Yan, who was still sleeping, was woken up by her voice. With sleepy eyes, he saw Shang Yunruo kneeling in front of the desk, slowly tidying up the books he had rummaged through.
She rolled up her sleeves a bit, revealing half of her fair, lotus - root - like arms. She calmly arranged the books neatly. She also picked up the outer robes he had casually thrown on the cushion one by one, folded them, and placed them together. Then she straightened the cushion.
The originally somewhat messy room instantly became clean and tidy.
Since his mother's death, he had thought to live one day at a time and didn't care about anything. His grandmother treated him badly, his elder brother ignored him, and the servants were rude and neglectful to him. He didn't care.
If he was hungry, he would cook for himself. If his clothes were torn, he would mend them. He didn't care if the room was dirty or messy. He was even too lazy to light the stove on winter nights.
But today, he suddenly thought that it would be nice if the room was cleaner, the supplies were more high - end, and the windows were brighter.
"Miss..."
Chu Yao called from outside. Shang Yunruo quickly made a "shh" sound and whispered, "Don't make a noise. Ayan is sleeping."
This ordinary sentence actually made him think of the word "warmth", which he had always longed for but never had.
He lowered his eyes and said in a soft voice, "Sister - in - law, I'm awake."
When he spoke, he really saw the upturned corner of her mouth. He could even see her curved eyes through the gauze.
Shang Yunruo said happily, "You're awake. Just in time to get up and drink the chicken soup. I cooked it with ginseng and matsutake. It can replenish the energy you lost last night."
Chu Yan asked, "Did you make it specially for me?"
Shang Yunruo sighed. "Of course. I got up early this morning to cook it myself. But your elder brother saw it. He thought it was for him and ate two drumsticks. There are no drumsticks in this pot."
"It doesn't matter." Chu Yan's mouth curved up. "Next time, sister - in - law can make me a special dish of chicken legs."
After drinking the chicken soup, they lit the lamp to make the room brighter. Chu Yao began to read the ledger to Shang Yunruo, and Chu Yan made records according to what she said.
In less than half an hour, the summary of the monthly accounts was done.
Chu Yan read the summary to her and found a problem. "Why is the amount that the marquis withdrew so high? It's more than ten thousand taels."
Shang Yunruo asked, "What about the comparison with the total monthly expenses of the mansion?"
Chu Yan moved the abacus beads. "The total monthly expenses of the mansion are only twenty - three thousand taels. He alone spent half of the mansion's expenses."
Shang Yunruo frowned. Remembering the incident of him withdrawing silver from the accountant that night, she thought this was a breakthrough.
Shang Yunruo asked, "What about the total income of the mansion?"
Chu Yan moved the abacus beads again and said, "The income from the shops, manors, and elder brother's salary adds up to thirty - eight thousand and four hundred taels."
Shang Yunruo asked, "So, there's a deficit every month?"
Chu Yan replied, "Yes. The total expenses of elder brother and the whole mansion amount to more than forty thousand taels."
Shang Yunruo understood a bit. It seemed that there was also some inflation in the expenses of the whole mansion. But the top priority now was to know what Chu Jinli spent so much money on.
The accounts were also kept in a muddle. The purpose of the silver he withdrew was unclear and all mixed together. How could one find out the problem?
Chu Yan frowned and thought for a while, then said, "Since there are such big mistakes in the accounts, I guess Aunt must be as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. She failed to steal the ledger last night. She will probably find an excuse to cause trouble for you."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a noise outside. Yin Shan, who had been missing, suddenly lifted a tile on the roof and showed his face, scaring Chu Yao.
Yin Shan said, "The marquis is coming with four servants. The way he looks... It seems he's here to catch an affair."
Shang Yunruo:?