Upon concluding his report, the butler bowed to Meng Zhilu and stood silently, his heart pounding in his chest at the enormity of the sum requested by Elder Huyin and Shen Zhongting.
Meng Zhiru remained silent for a moment, carefully reviewing each notebook. Then, she looked up and addressed the butler in a steady voice. “Certainly, I will settle the cost of Ms. Li’s hairpin tomorrow. Simply inform the shop to send someone to collect the payment”
“Yes, Madam”, the butler replied, his voice betraying his relief as he exhaled softly.
However, Meng Zhilu’s next words plunged his heart into despair. “As for the dowry, the wedding dress, the food for the tea ceremony and evening party, and all miscellaneous expenses, you'll need to secure those funds from your Master. If there’s anything he wish to adjust, feel free to do so. I have no objections”
Her refusal drained the color from the butler’s face. After a moment, he stammered, “But... why, Madam?”
Meng Zhiru met his gaze, her expression calm. “There are three reasons”, she began. “Firstly, the Shen treasury is empty. You managed the accounts yourself; surely, you’re aware that two years after my marriage, the central account was in deficit by over one and a half million taels? You handed me the ledgers and debt notice yourself. How could you have forgotten?”
She referenced the Shen family’s financial standing, which had been precarious for years. The Butler, however, disagreed. “But I recall that after the Master entrusted the treasury key to Huyin, the debt of 1,300,000 taels was settled. Subsequently, the accounts have remained balanced.” He explained this in a somber tone, despite his awareness of the house’s dire financial straits.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
The Shen family owns five thousand farms. While crop cultivation typically yields abundant harvests, a severe drought several years ago led to water scarcity. Left with few options, Shen Zhongting turned to trade, hoping to generate income to support the extended family members who shared the household. However, their scholarly background and their whole lives were devoted to textbooks, so they had no experience in trading, and their lack of business acumen resulted in failed ventures and substantial debts.
Since then, expenses have mounted, accumulating into a massive debt that Meng Zhilu inherited upon becoming the family’s eldest daughter-in-law shortly after her marriage.
Butler Shen, a longtime employee of this clan, was intimately familiar with the family’s affairs. Yet, as a guardian of their interests, he felt compelled to defend their position.
Meng Zhilu’s voice turned icy. “Indeed, your master handed me the key to the central treasury before his departure. However, let’s not forget that on the very day I received it, I opened the treasury for all to witness. Everyone present saw that it contained a mere 30 pieces of furniture—no cash, no bills of exchange, no gold, no jewelry, nothing of value. Consider this: where would the funds to settle a debt of one million three hundred thousand taels have come from? On that day, the master’s servants, Elder Huyin, and Elder Tai Tai were all present. Surely you recall being there as well?”
On that day, representatives from all three households were present, including the butler. He, however, remains reluctant to discuss the events of that day. Copies of the inventory records from the treasury opening are also in the possession of Shen Zhongting, his grandmother, and his mother.
The Butler persisted. “I recall the debt being settled, but I assumed the Master had provided Huyin with your funds before your departure.”
Meng Zhiru's laughter held a mocking edge. “Your master possesses Shen’s ancestral treasures, yet he’s never even given me a single tael. You’re welcome to request a payment record from him. As for receipts for expenses I’ve covered on his behalf, I’ll have someone fetch them for you.”