The mistress has no feelings, why do you provoke her?

Gu Huaizhou's face lit up with joy, and he said to Madam Zhou, "As long as Mother is happy, that's all that matters. From now on, I will bring you herbal soup every day at the same time."

A thousand-year-old ginseng, such a precious thing, must be nourished by the Zhou family.

Song Wenjun was nothing but a lowly woman; she didn't deserve to eat so well.

Madam Zhou nodded in satisfaction: "I knew you were filial."

At this point, Zhou paused again and asked, "Your sister-in-law has been practicing at the temple for almost a year now. Shouldn't we bring her back?"

Before the Lunar New Year, Jiang Miaoyin said she dreamed that her husband was suffering in the underworld. In order to help her husband pass on to the afterlife, she went to a temple to eat vegetarian food, chant Buddhist prayers, and pray for him.

This departure lasted for a year.

Zhou felt quite sorry for her eldest daughter-in-law.

Not long after Jiang Miaoyin married into the family, Gu's eldest son fell into the river and drowned while out.

Originally, the Gu family wanted to let Jiang Miaoyin return to her parents' home, but she said she wanted to remain chaste for her husband and would never remarry in this life.

Because of her devotion, Zhou treated her better than anyone else.

When Zhou mentioned this matter, Gu Huaizhou replied with a smile, "The day is approaching. After I finish what I'm doing in a few days, I will personally go to Qingyun Temple to bring my sister-in-law back."

"Your mother trusts you the most, so you can think about this matter yourself."

"I know, mother."

Song Wenjun relieved Gu Huaizhou's immediate crisis, and he was in a particularly good mood.

Thinking that once Jiang Miaoyin finished her postpartum confinement, he could bring her back, and the two of them would no longer have to endure the pain of longing for each other.

Xiao Tao told Song Wenjun everything about what was happening at Ruyi Residence.

When Song Wenjun heard that Zhou had drunk every last drop of the medicine, she couldn't help but laugh.

Since she likes to drink, let her drink her fill.

From then on, Song Wenjun had Xiao Tao brew a large bowl of medicine every day and send it to Zhou Shi.

After several days of recuperation, Song Wenjun's health gradually recovered.

The autumn wind swirled fallen leaves as they fell, leaving the ground a patch of withered yellow, and the weather gradually turned cold.

In previous years, charcoal fires would only be lit in the house in early winter.

But this year, Gu Huaizhou instructed his servants early on to light charcoal in Song Wenjun's room.

At least five pots a day, cooking from morning till night.

Song Wenjun's room was warm and cozy, and the baby was sleeping soundly in his crib.

"Madam, the account books you requested have been brought." Xiao Tao placed several account books in front of Song Wenjun.

Since she married into the family, Song Wenjun has been in charge of managing the household affairs.

She only handed over the management of the household affairs to Zhou Shi shortly before giving birth, allowing her to manage them on her behalf.

In fact, she hadn't looked at the accounts for almost three months.

Song Wenjun opened the account book and examined it line by line.

The money in the manor was spent like water, and the daily expenses were enormous.

Even if the accounts are recorded very clearly, they can still make your eyes dizzy.

Suddenly, Song Wenjun's gaze fell on Gu Huaizhou's allowance.

His allowance has doubled in the past year.

A cold glint flashed in Song Wenjun's eyes. It was from the moment she married into the family that Gu Huaizhou had colluded with his sister-in-law, Jiang Miaoyin.

She never thought the worst; she only thought that men inevitably had to socialize when they went out, and they would be laughed at if they didn't carry some money with them.

So when Gu Huaizhou said he would need to spend 500 taels of silver per month, Song Wenjun agreed without hesitation.

Looking back now, it's really laughable.

Although the Gu family is a powerful and wealthy family, their large size and business also mean large expenses.

Gu Huaizhou's monthly allowance was only a hundred or so taels of silver. Before Song Wenjun married him, he only had a noble title but no official position.

The Marquis's family has been living off their previous savings for years. The large family of over a hundred people relies solely on Gu Huaizhou's allowance, which is far from enough.

After Song Wenjun married into the family, she spent a lot of money to pave a bright future for Gu Huaizhou.

Gu Huaizhou, however, was heartless and thought that once he had secured his official position, he could abandon her.

The coldness in Song Wenjun's eyes was almost overflowing, but a soft hum from the child softened her expression.

She gently patted the baby's swaddle, a smile creeping onto her lips.

She could send Gu Huaizhou up, and she could also bring him down.

She wanted to see how Gu Huaizhou could maintain his affections with his sister-in-law without his official position and money.

Song Wenjun put the account book away and handed it back to Xiao Tao: "Take it back to the accountant."

“Go tell the accountant that the manor will be cutting expenses from now on. Each courtyard’s expenses will be reduced by one-third, and the Marquis’s monthly allowance will also be halved,” Song Wenjun said softly.

Xiao Tao was a little surprised: "Under what pretext?"

"Last year's harvest was bad, and the farmers didn't get any grain. That's all you need to say."

"Okay, I'll do it now, slave."

Xiao Tao returned the ledger to the accountant and told him about Song Wenjun's decision.

The accountant was somewhat taken aback but said nothing, merely agreeing.

After Xiao Tao left, the accountant went to find Gu Huaizhou and said, "Madam said that the expenses of each courtyard should be reduced, and the Marquis's monthly allowance should also be halved."

Gu Huaizhou was somewhat surprised. He put down his calligraphy brush and asked, puzzled, "Why are you suddenly cutting back on expenses?"

After Song Wenjun married into the family, she supported all the household expenses.

The Song family owned shops all over the place. Song Wenjun's older brother, Song Jinshu, was a prodigy. He started traveling all over the country with his grandfather when he was only eight years old.

It can be said that most of the Song family's businesses were built up by Song Jinshu.

If Gu Huaizhou hadn't seen the Song family as a gold mine, he wouldn't have married Song Wenjun.

The accountant also looked distressed: "Madam said that the harvest on the estate was poor last year, so the amount has been halved."

Gu Huaizhou felt uneasy. He nodded to the accountant to leave, then thought for a moment and got up to find Song Wenjun.

He could disregard everything else, but his monthly allowance was absolutely essential.

Winter is almost here, and Jiang Miaoyin hasn't prepared her winter clothes or charcoal yet.

No, he had to go see Song Wenjun.

Song Wenjun was using a rattle to coax her child when she saw Gu Huaizhou enter the courtyard with a frown in the distance.

Xiao Tao's face was full of disgust: "They must have come to ask Madam for money."

Song Wenjun, with a smile on her face, pointed at the baby's chubby cheeks and said, "Even if he asks for it, we won't give it to him, right?"

The baby babbled and waved its little fists, seemingly responding to Song Wenjun with a chuckle.

The curtain was lifted, and Gu Huaizhou walked in.

The room was warm and cozy, but Gu Huaizhou's brows furrowed even deeper.

Song Wenjun was enjoying a life of leisure at home, while her beloved Miaoyin was suffering from the cold.

If it weren't for the fact that Song Wenjun was still useful, he would have thrown her out of the mansion right now.

"The Marquis has arrived." Song Wenjun straightened up and smiled at him.

The smile, however, had become somewhat insincere, no longer as fervent as before.

Gu Huaizhou's mind was entirely on the child. He stepped forward and peeked inside. The child was chubby and fair-skinned, and very endearing.

He reached out his hand to the child and said, "Come here, son, let Daddy give you a hug."

Song Wenjun slapped his hand away and said, "Don't let your cold body affect the child. Wait until you're warm before you hold him."

Hearing her say that, Gu Huaizhou had no choice but to withdraw his hand.

He sat down on the stool by the bed and asked Song Wenjun seemingly casually, "Why did you suddenly decide to check the accounts and cut so many expenses all at once? Do you think the Marquis's mansion is spending too much money, or do you have a problem with me?"