Chapter 156: Who Would Care About You

The tone and expression were just short of pointing at the nose and saying Shen Changle was using the lady’s name to swindle silver from the mansion.

Shen Changle remained silent.

Gu Shiliu, annoyed, said, "Sun Accountant, this matter was handled by me, the Sixth Master signed the note, you’d better process the account quickly."

Sun Accountant evaded, "It’s not that I don’t process the account, but previously the Marquis instructed the accountant not to let the Sixth Master move silver freely. This matter..."

Gu Shiliu knew Sun Accountant was deliberately making things difficult. Even if the Sixth Master was not allowed to move silver freely, he was here, he was the Marquis’s man.

Gu Shiliu turned to Shen Changle.

Shen Changle still smiled, unhurried and relaxed, sighed and said, "We can’t delay too much today, or the yellow flower will get cold."

Gu Shiliu lowered his voice to Sun Accountant and said, "This is a task assigned to me by the Marquis, hurry and give the silver to him."

Sun Accountant said with difficulty, "Words alone are not proof, if the accounts are checked later, I’ll be the one in trouble."

Gu Shiliu asked, "Where’s Housekeeper Cao?"

Sun Accountant replied, "Housekeeper Cao isn’t here, but even if he was here, you can’t force me to release money. That’s the rules of our mansion."

As he spoke, he discreetly glanced at Shen Changle and said, "The lady’s shop isn’t a bookstore, there are so many bookstores to print the poetry collection for the Sixth Master, why print at the lady’s shop and spend so much money? If the accounts were checked, how could I explain? Right? We’re all working for the mansion, don’t make it hard for me."

Gu Shiliu couldn’t argue too much, so he said, "Alright, Brother Shen, just sit here and wait for me for a while."

He said, pulling the note from Sun Accountant’s hand, and walked away angrily.

Shen Changle sat in the Taishi Chair, completely ignoring Sun Accountant who hummed a tune, closing his eyes and resting.

After a while, Housekeeper Han came in, frowned and asked Shen Changle, "This is the accounting room, who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Shen Changle opened his eyes, smiled, stood up, and said, "The Marquis wants to print a poetry collection for the Sixth Master, this task has fallen to me, I’m here waiting to collect the silver."

Housekeeper Han looked at Manager Sun in puzzlement and asked, "Why hasn’t he collected it yet?"

Sun Accountant smiled wryly, "The note only has the Sixth Master’s annotation, it’s to be undertaken by the lady’s shop that has never done printing business, how dare I approve it? You know, the Marquis has instructed not to move silver for the Sixth Master freely."

Housekeeper Han’s gaze towards Shen Changle turned somewhat unfriendly and said, "Then why are you still staying here?"

Shen Changle wasn’t annoyed and said, "I’m waiting for Gu Shiliu here, he found me for this task, Sun Accountant just said it’s inappropriate, he’s taken the note to find a solution, I’ve been busy all day outside, I’m a bit tired, just sitting here. If you think I’m in the way, I’ll just go outside."

Sun Accountant lowered his head, fiddling with the abacus beads, slightly curled his lips, pretending not to see.

Shen Changle’s words made Housekeeper Han a bit uneasy and asked, "Is it Gu Shiliu who found you?"

Shen Changle nodded, "Yes, Gu Shiliu is the Marquis’s personal attendant, right? I thought with him bringing me, plus the Sixth Master’s note, the silver should be approved."

Housekeeper Han understood what was happening and said, "Then you wait here, I’ll go for a walk."

Housekeeper Han went out.

In a short while, Housekeeper Cao entered with a small teapot, saw Shen Changle sitting there, and asked again, Shen Changle slowly explained again.

Having listened, Housekeeper Cao frowned, glanced at Sun Accountant, and ultimately said nothing, just chatted with Shen Changle.

When Gu Shiliu returned, the two had already started talking about the old stories of the Marquis Mansion eight hundred years ago.

These matters were known by most born within the mansion and weren’t secrets, but for the Qins, it was quite fresh.

With Shen Changle keeping the conversation lively, Housekeeper Cao spoke happily.

Gu Shiliu threw the note in front of Sun Accountant and said, "See, this has the Marquis’s seal."

Sun Accountant picked it up, glanced at it, indeed saw Marquis Gu’s private seal, and smiled, "Now that this is here, I can rest assured. Sixteen, you handle things properly."

Gu Shiliu crossed his arms, not even looking at him.

Sun Accountant opened the cabinet, counted for a moment, and said, "Oh dear, the mansion doesn’t have that much silver now."

Shen Changle smiled and said, "With so much silver, who’s taking current silver? Quickly give me fifteen silver notes, each for a hundred taels. Once the lock falls, I can’t get out, don’t blame me for delaying matters."

Sun Accountant sulkily closed the cabinet, took out the silver banknote box, and started counting slowly.

He thought he was troubling Shen Changle, but unexpectedly, Shen Changle didn’t even look at him, just happily talked with Housekeeper Cao.

Once he took out the silver notes and logged them on the account book, Shen Changle finally asked, "Are you done?"

Sun Accountant stiffly replied, "Done."

Shen Changle counted the silver notes, then signed, finished, and said to Gu Shiliu, "I’m off to work, come find me at the West Market shop when you’re free."

Gu Shiliu nodded and said, "Alright."

Shen Changle also said to Housekeeper Cao, "After the mansion reopens, I’ll come find you to discuss ancient tales."

Housekeeper Cao laughed and said, "Sure, bring some dishes to go with drinks, it’s more fun to chat over drinks."

After Shen Changle left the accounting room, Gu Shiliu said to Housekeeper Cao, "Last time you said you wanted to contribute, did you?"

Housekeeper Cao replied, "I did."

Gu Shiliu then said, "Rest assured, the lady will never make mistakes in her affairs. If she’s agreed, just follow along to profit, don’t be like those without insight."

Housekeeper Cao chuckled as he drank from the little teapot and didn’t respond.

Gu Shiliu laughed and said, "When Shen Changle comes for drinks, call me too. The lady mentioned you letting people contribute was for my sake, so I also want a drink."

Housekeeper Cao laughed and said, "Sure, scared you wouldn’t come."

After Gu Shiliu left, Housekeeper Cao said to Sun Accountant, "You have already made it difficult for the lady’s people twice, don’t you know Gu Shiliu’s character?"

Sun Accountant said, "I’m just following procedures."

"Whether you are or aren’t, you know very well," Housekeeper Cao paused and added, "It’s hard to advise a stubborn ghost gently, if you keep this up, there’ll be no few people speaking ill of you to the lady. Even if she isn’t one to hold grudges, she’ll get fed up hearing it often, sort out the accounts quickly, lest there be mistakes when the lady checks and drag us down."

Sun Accountant stretched his neck, his Adam’s apple quickly moving up and down, hissing, "Old Cao, I, Old Sun, have always been straight and upright. When has the account book ever been wrong? She’s only managed the Marquis Mansion for a few days, can she understand the account books?"

Housekeeper Cao glanced at him without responding, picked up the small teapot, and drank again, when Housekeeper Han’s voice sounded from outside, "Quick, quickly come out to listen to the lady’s instructions."