Chapter 5 — The Queen Reorganized the Marquis Palace

People from the Bui family came to the coal factory today to ask for a price, seemingly wanting to fill this hole for Second Miss." I raised my eyes.

“Bui Hanh?”

“A close servant of Bui The Tu.”

Thanh Hoa was confused.

“If he helps So Nhu manage the banquet successfully, people in the palace will be able to flatter Second Lady's talents.”

I asked Treasurer Ly: "Is the Bui family willing to pay in cash?"

“Didn't pay, told me to pay at the end of the month.”

I smirked.

“Then tell the coal factory to ask him clearly, did the Bui family pay on behalf of the Marquis, or did Tu Tu Bui pay out of his own pocket?

On white paper and black ink, stamped properly." Treasurer Ly nodded.

“The old man understands.”

Thanh Hoa smiled proudly.

“Bui The Tu has the most vain reputation, he will definitely not accept the seal.”

I said: "He will go find So Nhu and force her to come and beg me." Sure enough, the next day, as soon as the snow stopped, So Nhu came. She stood on the porch, wearing a white fox coat, her eyes red.

“Sister, have you secretly given instructions to the merchant shops outside?”

I sat inside the door, with absolutely no intention of inviting her in.

“It's true that I warned you.”

She didn't expect me to admit it so clearly.

“Why do you treat me like that?

If there is any fate at the feast of the ancestors, the person who will lose face will be the entire Marquis Palace."

“The coal factory collects old debts, I pay the money and that's it.”

“There's not enough cash in the vault.”

“Didn't you say that the Marquis Palace doesn't lack any silver coins?”

So Nhu's throat was speechless. Bui Hanh walked up from behind her.

"Linh Nghi, dinner is not the time to argue and compare."

I looked at him.

“Have you stamped your debit note yet?”

His face darkened.

“Do you have to say something so offensive?”

“You refuse to put your seal on it, so how can the coal factory trust you?

Based on your face, does it look like you will pay off your debt? Thanh Hoa almost burst out laughing. Bui Hanh shouted loudly: "I want to preserve the honor of the Marquis Palace."

“Then put away the money.”

So Nhu mumbled: “Sister, Bui The Tu is also kind-hearted. Why do you have to force people too much?" I replied: "I only force those who owe money to pay." Bui Hanh stared at me.

“If the banquet is ruined, do you think you can stay out of it unscathed?”

I picked up the tea cup and took a sip.

“I will not freeze to death, nor will I starve.”

In So Nhu's eyes, a trace of resentment finally appeared.

“Sister, do you really want to stand by and watch the entire Marquis make fun of you?”

I put down the tea cup.

“It's not what I want to see.”

I glanced at the set of keys hanging on her waist.

“It's because I insisted on acting.”

One day before the banquet, a riot broke out at the Marquis' Palace. Heating coal is not available. The kitchen lacks vegetables. The sewing room cannot make scented sachets to give back to guests. The carriage room complained that three horses were sick and could not pick up passengers from afar. So Nhu knelt and cried bitterly in Vinh Tho Duong. The Old Lady's face was darker than the white snow outside the door.

“Didn't you say everything was arranged well?”

So Nhu sobbed: "Grandmother, I've really made the arrangements. It was because the outside merchants suddenly turned around and refused to accept the debt. The kitchen staff also said that the old debt had not been paid before and they did not want to pay out of their own pockets to pay the debt. before.” So Nghien immediately looked towards me.

“It's sister.”

I leisurely sat in the lower seat, holding the small fireplace.

“Do I forbid them from getting into debt?”

"You know that Nhu Nhi has just taken over, so you deliberately hindered me."

“I once reminded her to prepare the coals.”

So Nhu cried and nodded.

“You really did mention it.

But you never told me how big the old debt was.” Thanh Hoa couldn't help but scolded: "The debt books are all stuck in your room. You don't even bother to look at them yourself, so you blame my lady for not reading every word that was put into your ears?" Bui Hanh intervened in a low voice: "It's useless to argue about these things now. Ling Yi, please send out the heating charcoal and rice from your dowry shops first." I asked: "Based on what?" He paused for a moment.

“Based on the fact that you are also the princess of the Marquis.”

“I am the daughter of the Marquis, not the Marquis's warehouse.”

The old man lightly tapped his dragon staff.

“Lan Nghi, the banquet cannot be ruined.

You just put your things out first, this time the government will compensate you." I looked straight at her.

“How much, when to pay, who signs?”

The old man's face was extremely unsightly. So Nghien grumpily said: "In my eyes, there is only silver." I retorted: "You don't have money in your eyes, so every day you ask others for money." So Nghien aggressively rushed forward to attack, but fortunately Bui Hanh stopped him. So Nhu suddenly stood up and walked towards me. Her voice wasn't loud, but the whole room could hear it clearly.

“Sister, as long as you are willing to help your grandmother arrange the banquet, I am willing to give you back the housekeeping rights.”

Everyone's eyes were on me. She added another sentence.

"I'm also willing to admit in front of everyone that I'm not as good as you."

Thanh Hoa lowered his voice and reminded: "Miss, don't believe her." Of course I don't believe it. So Nhu doesn't have to admit defeat. She just wanted to throw this collapsing pillar into my hands, wait for the slightest problem at the banquet, and then incite the whole palace to make noise that I was planning to sabotage the Old Lady's banquet. I asked: "Where is the transfer of power certificate?" So Nhu was stunned. I ordered: “Take it out here. Write clearly, from today the banquet will be taken over by me. All previous debts, shortages of goods, and shortages of personnel are all listed transparently. If chaos arises because of old problems, it has absolutely nothing to do with me." The blood on So Nhu's face drained away. So Nghien scolded loudly: "You even brought up detailed calculations for your grandmother's banquet?"

“It's okay if you don't write.

Then let So Nhu continue to take care of it.” The old man closed his eyes tightly.

“Write.”

When So Nhu held the pen, the back of her hand stretched and turned white. Bui Hanh looked at me, his voice extremely low.

"Lin Nghi, you've changed so much that it makes me feel strange."

I don't bother to raise my head.

"You never knew anything about me."

After the power transfer paper was written, I ordered Thanh Hoa to bring out a stack of papers.

“First, Vinh Tho Duong only opened three halls, removing coal pots in empty rooms.

Second, the menu is reduced by half, cold dishes are changed to hot soups, ensuring that the plate is not empty. Third, cancel the gift of incense bags at the ceremony, change to the word Phuc by the Elder's own hand The army copied it and printed it. Fourth, sick horses in the carriage room are absolutely not used. Go out and rent a carriage, and the fare will be paid on the spot.” So Nghien gasped.

“Have you prepared a solution for a long time?”

I replied: "This is called a backup plan." He didn't understand, so he glared angrily. The old lady's close mother quickly asked: "Eldest lady, where did the coal and rice come from?"

“In my store there is.”

So Nhu raised her head, a ray of hope shining in her eyes. I looked straight at her.

“But it's not free.