Chapter 3 — The day I stopped taking care of the books, the Marquis Palace collapsed

Bui Huyen Do says:

"Kieu Thuy's body is weak, let's leave her there for a while first."

I nodded. On the first day, she criticized the herbal medicine that the kitchen brought as too bitter. Bui Huyen Do immediately told the kitchen to change to another remedy. On the second day, she criticized the hospital manager for speaking too rigidly. Bui Huyen Do told me to send someone. On the third day, she said there were too many rules in the palace and that she could not live comfortably. Finally, Bui Huyen Do also came to find me. At that time I was checking the books. The amount of money to buy winter clothes for the families of the generals who died in battle in Bac Camp was missing eight hundred taels. This amount of money was paid out from the charity fund of the Marquis Palace, and as a rule, the owner of the Marquis Palace was in charge of managing it. I was only halfway through the investigation when Bui Huyen Do pushed the door open and walked in.

“Linh Nghi.”

I don't raise my head.

“Please wait a moment, Your Highness, the deficit in this account is very suspicious.”

He walked to the front of the table.

“Let's put it aside first.”

The tip of my pen stopped. You've never told me to put the books aside before. I raised my head to look at him.

"What is up?"

Bui Huyen Do's eyebrows frowned slightly.

“Kieu Kieu has just returned to the capital, don't force the rules too tightly on her.”

I was a little stunned.

“What do I force her to do?”

"She said that every day people coming in and out of Lam Nguyet hospital have to register, and even when receiving a lychee, they have to ask clearly about the purpose of its use."

I opened the regulations book next to me.

“All the institutes in the Marquis Palace are like that.”

His voice slowed down a bit.

“She is different from the others.”

I look at him. Those two words are like a small stone gently falling onto the water. It's not heavy, but it makes the lake surface ripple with ripples.

“Where is it different?”

Bui Huyen Do was silent for a moment.

“Her father lost his life because of the Marquis Palace.”

I put down my pen.

"So the Marquis provided her with food and clothing, treated her, and gave her dignity. But the books had to be clear, and the rules had to be established."

His eyes darkened somewhat.

“She's always like that.”

"How?"

“Too cold.”

I suddenly burst out laughing.

"Bui Huyen Do, the books are not cold. The books are the fairest thing."

He raised his hand to caress his heart.

“I don't want to argue with you today.”

“I don't want to fight either.”

I pushed the book in front of him.

"Bac Camp's money to make winter clothes is missing eight hundred taels, and the last payment went to Lam Nguyet hospital. I have to look into it."

Bui Huyen Do opened it, his eyebrows immediately tightened. A moment later, he said:

“This money was taken by Kieu Kieu to build a tent to distribute porridge.”

I was stunned.

"She used silver to make winter clothes for soldiers' families, then set up tents to distribute porridge?"

“She just has a good heart.”

I was so angry that my chest was tight.

"Even if you have a good heart, you can't mess up the books. Silver sews winter clothes for its own use. Without one set of winter clothes, there will be another child having to endure the cold."

Bui Huyen Do looked at me.

“I will make it up.”

“In return, can it be considered not wrong?”

His voice became a little colder.

“Cui Linh Nghi, why do you have to be so cold and heartless?”

This statement cuts deeper into people's hearts than the deficit on the books. Cold and indifferent. When I replaced the Marquis to fill every hole in the deficit, he said I was talented good. Now that this account involves Lam Kieu Kieu, he says I'm cold. I was silent for a moment.

"Tell her to return the money, this matter is over."

Bui Huyen Do's eyebrows frowned even tighter.

“She just returned to the palace, do you want to embarrass her like that?”

I look at him.

“What about the winter clothes of the children in Bac Camp?”

“I told you, I'll make it up.”

“Whose money should I use to compensate?”

He stopped. I continued for him:

“Using my dowry?”

Bui Huyen Do's face immediately changed. I smiled softly.

"Your Highness, don't worry, winter clothes cannot be delayed. I will pay in advance."

“Linh Nghi, I didn't mean that.”

We took back the book.

“You're just heartbroken for her.”

The room was silent for a moment. Bui Huyen Do looked at me, as if he wanted to explain something. But suddenly the maid's urgent voice came from outside.

"Your Highness, the girl of the Lam family was in the tent distributing porridge and was bumped into by someone. She is crying very hard right now."

Bui Huyen Do immediately turned and left. He did not look at that book again. I sat in front of the table, my fingers tightening little by little. Xuan Dao was so angry that his eyes turned red.

“Madam, that is your dowry silver.”

I bowed my head and continued taking notes.

“Let's add winter clothes first.”

"But the Lam family's lady did this, clearly not understanding the situation."