Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

Upon reaching the outside of the dyehouse, Liu Wenying stopped and pondered for a moment before saying:

"The problems in Zhuangzi have been accumulating for many years and cannot be eradicated in just a few months. This servant begs the master to... grant more time."

Pei Dingxuan shook his head: "I didn't come for that."

Liu Wenying was stunned. "That is..."

"Have you heard about the war in the North?"

Liu Wenying's breath hitched, and she slowly nodded, her heart pounding.

"But could it affect the capital?"

Pei Dingxuan's voice was calm and steady, "No, Tiema Pass is a thousand miles from the capital, and the flames of war have not yet spread there."

Liu Wenying breathed a sigh of relief and then asked, "What about the refugees who gathered outside the city?"

She learned of the war between the Northern Di and the Great Wei from the refugees.

"The large number of displaced people is a problem, but the imperial court already has a plan for their resettlement, so there is no need to worry."

"With your words, sir, I am relieved. I suppose the Duke's mansion is still the same as before. Are the Old Madam and the First Madam in good health?"

Pei Dingxuan remained silent, which was unusual for him, but he did not reveal his true feelings. In Liu Wenying's view, this meant that everything was fine.

Thinking of the other person the Duke's mansion cared about, Liu Wenying bit her lip and finally spoke her mind.

"This servant has a favor to ask; may I write a letter to the Third Master?"

Pei Dingxuan felt as if he had been pricked by a fine needle.

She mentioned Second Master and Third Master, but always remained distant and polite towards him.

When news of the border conflict reached the capital, Father had already sent people to the northern border to search for my third brother's whereabouts, but the journey was long and would take time.

He paused for a moment, then said, "I will let you know if there is any news."

Liu Wenying looked up at him, gratitude welling up in her eyes. "Thank you, sir."

"Hearing the Oriole".

He suddenly called her by her name affectionately, omitting her surname. Liu Wenying's heart skipped a beat. "Please give your orders, sir."

He took out a white jade pendant from his sleeve. The jade was warm and smooth, and it was carved with intricate cloud and thunder patterns.

He placed the jade pendant in her palm, saying, "Keep this safe."

"This is……"

"My secret account at Tongbao Money Exchange."

Pei Dingxuan's gaze fell on the jade pendant. "The bank doesn't recognize people or banknotes; it only recognizes this pendant and the code."

"The code is 'Frost descends, seeking old branches; pure white jade, without blemish.' You must remember it well."

Liu Wenying's expression changed slightly. So-called secret money shops were often used by scions of wealthy families to hide their private assets in case of unforeseen circumstances, and their lives and fortunes were at stake.

She hurriedly refused, saying, "This servant dares not accept such a heavy object!"

Pei Dingxuan grasped her hand, which she was trying to pull away, and pressed the jade pendant firmly into her palm.

"Take this. The war between the two countries and the situation in the court are both unpredictable and turbulent, enough to overturn many things. You should have something to protect yourself in the dark."

"But sir..."

"Don't reject me anymore."

There was a hint of pain in his voice.

Liu Wenying didn't want to accept, but if she refused again, it would seem like she was letting him down.

She closed her eyes briefly, then finally gripped the jade pendant tightly.

"This servant will keep it safe for you, sir. I will return it to you once the situation stabilizes."

Pei Dingxuan smiled but did not respond.

Atai walked over from a distance and reminded him that he still had business at the government office and should go back.

"This servant will escort you to the gate of the estate, sir."

Pei Dingxuan nodded.

The two walked side by side in silence.

Just outside the manor gate, Pei Dingxuan suddenly said, "Atai, go and prepare the carriage."

Atai stepped down in response.

In the instant he turned around, Pei Dingxuan pulled the person beside him into his arms.

The embrace came unexpectedly; his chin rested on the top of her head, and his arms were wrapped so tightly they hurt, as if he wanted to etch her into his very bones.

A person who is usually restrained and patient has now become outrageously crazy.

But they were separated by the status of a concubine and by worldly customs and etiquette.

She refused to be his concubine, leaving him with nowhere to place his deep affection.

"Take care of yourself."

After saying this, Pei Dingxuan turned and got into the carriage, afraid that if he looked at her any longer, he would lose control of his urge to take her away.

Liu Wenying stood blankly by the mulberry field, and bowed to the departing carriage.

A few days later, in the bright and clean room of Zhiyun Manor, Liu Wenying was hunched over a mahogany table, fiddling with abacus beads.

Outside the window, the trees were a vibrant green, and a few rays of sunlight shone through the window onto her focused profile, turning her delicate eyelashes a pale gold.

Her brush moved across the modified ledgers; the ink wasn't particularly beautiful, but it was clear.

This is a double-entry bookkeeping system that she redesigned based on modern memory, with clear entries and easy-to-understand transactions.

Just as they were calculating the number of silkworms to be shipped out in March, a familiar, high-pitched voice suddenly came from outside the manor gate: "Is Manager Liu there? This old woman has come to bother you again!"

Liu Wenying's wrist trembled, and the ink splatter almost stained the paper.

She suddenly stood up, the chair scraping against the floor with a soft sound.

In a panic, Liu Wenying frantically opened the cypress cabinet door in the inner room where old accounts were stored. She shrank back inside and then gently closed the cabinet door until only a thin crack remained.

Just as they had hidden themselves, Jin Koumei's crimson jacket swayed outside the door.

Granny Wang went up to them, covering her mouth to hide her smile, and said, "What bad luck! The head of the estate has gone to the mulberry fields to check on the insect infestation. He probably won't be back until noon."

The cabinet was dimly lit, and the smell of old account books mixed with camphor filled the air.

As Liu Wenying smelled the aroma, she became more and more alert, holding her breath as she listened to the chattering of the matchmaker outside.

"This time it's the second young master of the Liao family's clothing shop in the capital. He's only twenty years old and has received an education. Although his father passed away early and his mother is still alive, people don't mind that Liu Zhuangtou is a widow. They just say they admire Liu Zhuangtou's capable reputation..."

"What's the use of telling me if the head of the estate isn't here...?"

Granny Wang persuaded them to leave, and waited until the footsteps faded into the distance.

Wenying then pushed open the cabinet door. The air inside was stagnant and stuffy.

Fine beads of sweat had formed at her temples, and a few stray hairs clung to her forehead.

Straightening the hem of her light blue shirt, Liu Wenying looked up and saw Granny Wang leaning against the door, her eyes full of mischievous smiles.

"What about the ruthless methods the head steward used to deal with Manager Zhang?"

Granny Wang handed her warm tea and a silk handkerchief to wipe her sweat.

"Nowadays, I'm afraid of matchmakers; I hide like a frightened sparrow."

Liu Wenying took the teacup and smiled bitterly, "It's not like the old lady doesn't know that Aunt Jin Kou meant well. I've refused three or four times, saying that I just want to stay at the estate and make a living, but she won't listen and brings a new letter every time."

The tea was slightly hot, and she gently blew away the rising steam. "In business, you always have to leave yourself an out. The other party hasn't treated me badly, so I can't really break off relations."

Looking at her downcast eyes, Granny Wang sighed inwardly.

She was young, with excellent looks and temperament, but her life was full of misfortunes.

The matchmaker only knew she was a young widow in need of help, little did she know that the Duke's mansion was secretly coming every month without fail...

Ordinary men probably wouldn't catch her eye.

Her gaze returned to the account book on the table, and Granny Wang continued:

"Why don't you hire a new accountant? Your improved accounting method is good, but the old accountant struggled to learn it and made mistakes every few days."

You can't do everything yourself; you'll easily get sick from exhaustion.

Liu Wenying put down her teacup; how could she not want that too?

This double-entry bookkeeping requires knowledge of mathematics and a willingness to learn new methods. There weren't many literate villagers to begin with, and the original bookkeepers couldn't learn it either.

After a moment's hesitation, she said softly, "Then I'll trouble you, Granny, to look for someone for me first. If there's a suitable one, I'll give it a try."

…………