Palace maid Shuoning

(One)

After Zhou Zhengyin went on his expedition, all the affairs of the vast Prince's Mansion, large and small, fell on Jiang Shuoning's shoulders.

Gao Shuran focused on resting and recuperating during her pregnancy. Every midnight, Zhou Xiao would quietly go to Qionghua Garden to meet her.

Everyone in the manor knew about the two's affair, but no one dared to utter a single word about it to outsiders.

Zhou Zhengyin had already made a stern warning: anyone who leaked the secret, along with their parents, would face certain death.

Ya Ya stayed at the Xie residence for a whole month, and Jiang Shuoning never sent anyone to urge her to return.

May arrived quietly.

That night, Jiang Shuoning sat in his study, looking through the account books with a furrowed brow, and looked up at Steward Xue, who was standing in front of him.

"Look at this account. There are fifty-eight servants and guards in the manor, so why has their monthly salary doubled? And what about food supplies? The price of vegetables has inexplicably increased. What's the reason for this?"

Butler Xue hung his head, his voice tinged with embarrassment:

"Your Highness, this is truly not my fault. It was the servants who privately demanded a raise in their monthly allowances, saying that other princely residences paid more than us, and I couldn't dissuade them. As for the vegetables..."

Before the words had even finished, Huo Xiao pushed open the door and entered, carrying a food box. His tone was calm, but every word was clear:

"Regarding the vegetable prices, someone in your group colluded and deliberately manipulated the accounts."

Jiang Shuoning raised his eyes to look at the person who had come.

Huo Xiao wore a light blue brocade robe with a belt tied diagonally at the waist, which neatly accentuated his tall and upright figure.

Shedding her usual dark, fitted attire, she lost some of her somber and cold demeanor, gaining instead a refined and elegant air, yet her imposing aura remained undiminished.

"This servant greets Lord Huo!" Steward Xue hurriedly bowed.

Huo Xiao walked slowly to Jiang Shuoning's side and gently placed the food box on the table.

He reached out and picked up the ledger, quickly glanced at it, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips, and then slammed it back onto the table with a loud "bang."

"The money the Prince's mansion spends on vegetables in a month is enough for an ordinary family to eat for three months."

"How dare you! Is this expense intended for your two masters' enjoyment? But to my liking, the concubine doesn't appear to have gained any weight at all."

Steward Xue stiffened, quickly bowed his head, his face filled with fear, and spoke rapidly in his defense:

"Lord Huo, you are wise! How could this servant dare to embezzle? Recently, the price of vegetables in the city has been rising day by day, and all kinds of fresh vegetables are in short supply and hard to find. People who buy them have to run all over the city to find them, and the cost of their time and effort must be included."

Furthermore, at Qionghua Garden, the Princess Consort is pregnant and has become very picky about food, only eating the tenderest and freshest delicacies, refusing to touch ordinary vegetables. Naturally, this increases expenses. I am merely following orders to procure these items; the purchasing staff keeps all the accounts. I only glance at them; how could I dare to tamper with them myself!

Huo Xiao looked at him calmly, the sneer still lingering on his lips. His voice was low, but each word was clear:

"Oh? The princess wants to eat seasonal vegetables, so the price of vegetables can be increased several times? I have already had people inquire about the prices of vegetables in the city. The prices of the same vegetables in the farms outside the city are very clear. How can they be so expensive?"

You used the princess's pregnancy as a pretext, making it sound so noble, but in reality, you were using her pregnancy as an excuse to embezzle money through purchases. Do you really think no one will find out?

Butler Xue's smooth-talking facade froze instantly. Cold sweat poured down his forehead, his knees buckled, and he knelt heavily on the ground, his voice trembling, all his former eloquence gone.

"My lord...this servant...this servant knows his mistake...it was greed that caused this servant to act rashly..."

Huo Xiao stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze cold and sharp.

"Do you all think that because the concubine is a woman, the princess is focused on her pregnancy, and the prince is not in the mansion, you can join forces to deceive and trick her? Don't think that the concubine has no one to help her."

I have been ordered by the Prince to temporarily manage all affairs of the Prince's residence in place of the concubine. Immediately hand over all the keys to the storerooms and take inventory of all the property accounts in the residence.

As for the servants wanting a raise in their monthly allowance, that's fine, of course. Bring the ringleaders of the disturbance before me. I want to find out which princely household's monthly allowance is higher than our Jingchen Princely Household's."

Steward Xue was taken aback upon hearing this and subconsciously looked up at Jiang Shuoning.

Jiang Shuoning slowly nodded and said in a deep voice:

"Indeed, before his departure, the Prince did entrust Lord Huo with the task of managing the affairs of the manor, so I will act as Lord Huo instructed."

Steward Xue dared not say another word, quickly got up, and hurriedly left the study.

(two)

Huo Xiao watched Steward Xue leave, and the intimidating coldness that had been emanating from him subsided slightly.

He turned to face Jiang Shuoning, his tone softening slightly, tinged with humility: "Just now, I acted on my own initiative..."

"I understand. Thank you for your help, Lord Huo." Jiang Shuoning slowly stood up, looked up at him, and said, "This is also my first time managing the affairs of the manor, and there are still many things I am unfamiliar with."

Having said that, she walked around the desk to the tea table, poured a cup of tea, and then sat down.

"Come and have some tea. You've come so late, I suppose you're not just here to help me out. This is enough trouble for tonight; from now on, I'll have to handle the affairs of the manor myself."

Huo Xiao carried the food box to the tea table, put it down, and opened it.

Inside were steaming hot buns. He pushed them in front of Jiang Shuoning and then sat down.

"My younger sister insisted on having steamed buns tonight, so my father and I made them together and brought them to you on the way."

Besides, I'm not just trying to get you out of a tight spot; I genuinely want to lend a hand. From now on, after I finish my work during the day, I'll come over in the evenings to check the accounts with you.

Jiang Shuoning remained calm, picked up the bun, and took a small bite.

The delicious flavor spread across her tongue. She paused briefly, then nodded gently: "It tastes excellent, even better than what the kitchen staff in the manor makes."

Hearing her praise, Huo Xiao couldn't help but smile.

"Lord Huo is too busy with official duties, so there's no need for you to go to such trouble. Your visits to the Prince's residence every night are bound to attract gossip and trouble."

Dealing with criminal cases at the Dali Temple during the day and then rushing here at night is not a sustainable solution. You have your own family to take care of.

A faint trace of melancholy flashed across Huo Xiao's eyes. His fingertips gently traced the rim of his glass, his tone tinged with weariness:

"I don't want to go back. My parents keep pressuring me to get married, it's really annoying."

Jiang Shuoning was chewing on a steamed bun when he paused slightly, looked up at Huo Xiao, whose face was full of worry:

"So there are things that can trouble Lord Huo. You're not young anymore, it's time for you to get married and start a family."

Huo Xiao looked up at her, his melancholy still lingering, and whispered:

"Marrying just anyone would be torture, spending every day with them. I don't want to settle."

Jiang Shuoning abruptly avoided his gaze, lowering her eyes to the half-eaten bun in her hand, and smoothly changed the subject:

"How's the investigation into the drug den that Baozhong asked you to do?"

Huo Xiao concealed the melancholy in his eyes and slowly spoke:

"I came here tonight to tell you this matter. Zhou Jin is an extremely cautious man. If he senses any unusual activity, he will immediately move his base the next day."

Fortunately, I've found their new hideout within the past month.

Jiang Shuoning nodded slightly, took another small bite of the bun, and after a long pause, slowly said, "Be careful in your actions."

Huo Xiao's gaze remained fixed on her face, his voice soft: "I know. I will protect myself, and I will definitely get to the bottom of this."

Before the words were even finished, Bailing rushed in with a panicked expression, curtsied, and urgently reported, "Master, someone from the Xie residence has come to say that Yaya is missing!"