Lu Nian Fu's confinement period became unexpectedly busy due to the sheer volume of ledgers.
Her own shops were running smoothly under the management of Wang Shou Cheng and Qing Ya, requiring no intervention from her. However, the money house had only recently been transferred, and Cheng Jiao Jiao's three elder brothers, having been raised as distinguished ladies of society from childhood, had no aptitude for managing accounts. Thus, after only half a month of leisure, she was eagerly rushing over with a pile of business matters.
Lu Nian Fu looked at Cheng Jiao Jiao's innocent face, tinged with a hint of guilt, and greatly regretted not having desperately roped in the Third Young Master earlier.
With him involved, the money house's affairs would have been effortless for her to manage, allowing her to be a mere figurehead and collect profits monthly. Unfortunately, it was too late for regrets. Of course, Emperor Chang Wu also bore some responsibility for this situation.
Before taking over the Tai Feng Money House, Situ Yan, believing in transparency, had sent a letter to Emperor Chang Wu in the imperial palace.
Ever since his lineage had been recognized, Emperor Chang Wu had doted on him, leaving Situ Yan utterly clueless about the precarious nature of serving a monarch. He had picked up his brush and asked his father, "Father, when you spoke of entrusting the empire to your son, did you mean it sincerely or just casually?"
If it was casual, he would act discreetly to preserve his life.
If it was sincere, then he would need to cultivate his own influence, perhaps by opening a money house...
The directness of his inquiry made Emperor Chang Wu momentarily doubt if he had borrowed courage from a bear. Upon reading the letter, he was both exasperated and amused. "You little rascal, you dare to say anything. Aren't you afraid this letter might fall into the hands of your enemies and lead to accusations of rebellion?"
After all, the Crown Prince still occupied his position, and some matters were best understood implicitly rather than spoken.
Despite his scolding, Emperor Chang Wu actually replied with a letter. While it didn't explicitly state that Situ Yan should ascend the throne, it offered very practical support for his idea of opening a money house. Not only did he provide a detailed analysis and plan, but he also allocated eighty thousand taels of silver from his private coffers.
For someone aspiring to be emperor, having too much apparent private wealth was inconvenient. He instructed Situ Yan to hold a thirty percent stake covertly, while the remaining seventy percent should be held by individuals of noble status and his trust.
Young Lord Ouyang Wen was recommended by Emperor Chang Wu as a suitable candidate.
Of course, if Situ Yan lacked funds, he could also seek a loan from the immensely wealthy Cheng Bei Zheng.
After much discussion between the couple, Lu Nian Fu was keen to involve Cheng Bei Zheng. However, Cheng Bei Zheng was preoccupied with his romance with Mo Sang and wedding preparations, thus not intending to get involved. After all, his sister's dowry was sufficient for investing in the money house.
Thus, Lu Nian Fu's single misstep led to eternal regret.
Cheng Jiao Jiao, knowing nothing, was constantly worried even with her pregnant belly. She had to call upon two capable stewards from the Cheng family.
But she still couldn't completely let go of the ledgers.
Lu Nian Fu, flipping through the ledgers with a resentful expression, said, "Jiao Jiao, you must learn this."
Cheng Jiao Jiao replied sheepishly, "Sister Lu, I am truly trying to learn, but this is just too difficult."
"What is so difficult about it?"
"They recognize me, but I don't recognize them."
Lu Nian Fu was speechless.
Cheng Jiao Jiao solicitously brought her a cup of hot water. "Sister Lu, just take a quick look. Once Third Brother returns, I'll have him take charge, and I promise you won't have to trouble yourself further during your confinement."
"Where has your Third Brother gone?"
"To Yangzhou. With the pirates no longer disrupting the seas, the court has lifted the maritime ban, and everyone is busy setting sail." Sea trade was immensely profitable, and no merchant would want to miss it.
Cheng Bei Zheng, having tasted the benefits of maritime trade, was even more so.
However, "Wasn't he preparing for his wedding? Is it appropriate for him to go out now?"
Cheng Jiao Jiao sighed. "Speaking of setting sail, Sister-in-law was incredibly excited. If she hadn't been so persistent in encouraging him, Third Brother might not have planned to go himself."
Lu Nian Fu was speechless. "Why isn't your mother complaining about her daughter-in-law traveling everywhere now?"
"My mother? Heh. Ever since Sister-in-law gifted her the beauty pills, she praises her everywhere she goes, wishing she could describe Sister-in-law as an immortal descended to earth." After all, for a merchant family, even if the son was immensely wealthy, it wasn't easy to break into high society in the capital.
But Madam Yu had a good daughter-in-law.
What woman didn't want to preserve her youth? Beauty enhancement and bust enhancement were favorites. The Shamanic Medicine Hall sold them, but in limited quantities, making them hard to obtain. However, by befriending Madam Yu, one could acquire them. Although the price would be slightly higher, who would care about such a small amount of money?
Consequently, Madam Yu became a welcome guest wherever she went.
This was treatment she couldn't even receive in Yangzhou.
Cheng Jiao Jiao covered her mouth and laughed. "Sister Lu, think about it, my mother is practically worshipping her, how could she possibly find fault with her?"
Lu Nian Fu was speechless.
After a long pause, she sighed. "It just goes to show how important it is to have a skill. Jiao Jiao, you must learn from your sister-in-law."