Minglan is reborn, this time with no regrets!

Ningyuan Marquis Mansion. Lunch.

Xiao Qinshi dismissed the servants and only left Xiang Mama to accompany her in the room. At this time, she was diligently serving food to Gu Yan: "This mutton was specially added for Dalang at noon. I thought this batch of mutton was good, so I also left two pieces for the master. No one else has any."

Gu Yankai looked listless: "You eat, I have no appetite."

Xiao Qin said half-jokingly, "My Lord, are you worried about the money and can't bear to spend it? Don't worry, this batch of mutton was sent from the farm. It's raised at home. It's not as expensive as outside, but it's better than outside. Come, try it!"

Gu Yankai's brows lightened slightly, then he picked it up and took a bite, nodding: "It's really good."

Xiao Qin smiled and said, "Our family has limited income but high expenses. Fortunately, the Marquis supports us so that we can eat such delicious meals."

Gu Yankai: "You have to be virtuous to manage the household. I alone can't do it."

He muttered to his mother: "My wife has spent a lot of money on this family..."

Xiao Qin immediately stopped him: "Why do you have the right to be so nosy? Get out of here!"

She complained to her mother and wanted to leave, but Gu Yankai stopped her and asked, "What's going on?"

Xiao Qinshi smiled again: "It's nothing, she's old and confused, talking nonsense, why are you listening to her nonsense?" She turned her head and scolded her mother, "Why don't you get out of here?"

"What's the matter?" Gu Yankai signaled to talk to his mother with his eyes.

"I...I..." Feeling so embarrassed, I simply knelt down.

Xiao Qin pleaded with Gu Yankai: "Master, from the imperial palace to the rural households, everyone who is in charge of a household has a mess of accounts. I am not the only one in Bianjing. It is not easy for you to be an official in the court, so you don't have to worry about these things at home."

Gu Yankai ignored her and looked straight at his mother.

Xiang Mama was sweating profusely, and finally she seemed to be unable to bear it any longer and shouted, "No matter what, I will tell you even if it means offending the eldest lady. My Lord, my eldest lady has spent so much dowry on this mansion, and today she asked me to be the headdress of her dowry. The things are still in my room. They are really precious, and I can't bear to take them out. I really feel sorry for our eldest lady!"

Gu Yankai looked at Xiao Qinshi in surprise: "Why do you want to be a dowry? Although the expenses of this family are high, it shouldn't be to this extent, right?"

Xiao Qin stammered, "I... I am really stupid. I don't know how I became like this. I didn't think it should be that serious, but I just can't spend the money. Apart from pawning some of my dowry, I... I don't know what to do." Then she began to cover her face and sob.

To my mother: "Madam, you have been in distress for a long time, why do you have to hide it from the Marquis? There was originally a lot of silver in the treasury of the mansion, but I heard that Erlang suddenly came back the other day and sealed up all the silver. He is planning to empty the mansion!"

Gu Yankai was originally feeling sorry for Xiao Qinshi, but upon hearing this, he immediately restrained his expression.

Xiao Qin was unsure of what Gu Yankai meant, and continued to scold her mother: "What nonsense are you talking about? Those silver coins were originally left by the Bai family's sister to Erlang, so it is only natural for him to take them. I just pawned some of my dowry, and those things are just gathering dust. Wouldn't it be better to exchange them for money? I am willing to give Erlang any amount of money. No matter how hard it is for me, I can't let my child suffer!"

Gu Yan was annoyed for a moment: "I asked Lao Er to come back to seal the box. After I die, all the silver will be returned to Lao Er."

Xiao Qin was stunned: "Master, live a hundred years, what are you talking about?"

"truth."

Xiao Qin didn't know what to say for a moment. She paused and said, "This is good. It will let Erlang know how much his family misses him. This way, he doesn't have to stay in that small, broken courtyard anymore. He can move to a better place and eat better food."

She looked relieved, but Gu Yankai was as cold as frost: "I said, he can only take the money after I die. Now we just seal the box and don't let him take it away."

Xiao Qinshi: "Why is that?"

"I gave it to him because it was originally his. I sealed it in the box because it is only his. I put it at home because I am not dead yet. Is what I said clear enough?" Gu Yankai said expressionlessly.

"Yes……"

"Although I didn't let him take it away, no one is allowed to touch it. From now on, no expenditure of the Gu Mansion is allowed to touch Bai's dowry. Also, since the family income is limited, we should save as much as possible. Our ancestors were military generals who crawled out of the yellow sand. They didn't have so many requirements. Although I haven't experienced fighting on the battlefield, there is no need to always have some sour and smelly pomp. If the expenses are still too high, then we can reduce some more manpower, or sell the remote manor and mountain. In any case, you won't have to pawn your dowry. You will start to do it soon, and use the silver you get back to redeem your dowry. From now on, in this family, don't mention the dowry. Although I, Gu Yankai, don't have much ability, I will never touch a woman's dowry again!"

After saying that, he threw down his chopsticks and left.

Xiao Qinshi stood there for a long while, and only dropped the chopsticks in her hand when she could no longer hear Gu Yankai's footsteps: "So it was this old bastard who was plotting against me. I was wondering when Gu Tingye would be bold enough to touch the family treasury!"

To my mother: "But why did the master suddenly do this?"

Xiao Qin roared: "How should I know!"

"Don't be angry, young lady. We...we can secretly take the boxes outside, open them, and then bring back a few empty ones. When the master asks about it, we can say that Erlang stole it."

Xiao Qin slammed the table and stood up: "Steal, steal, steal! What are you stealing? I am obviously the head of this mansion, why should I be so secretive?! He also said that he doesn't need to be ostentatious about selling servants' farms? His family is a military officer, does my Dongchang Marquisate also have a military officer? Do my son and I have to live such a miserable life? If so, why did I marry into his family in the first place? I could have married a butcher and lived a happier life than now! This unfaithful bastard is pushing me to death!"

Gu Yankai did not hear Xiao Qin's roar. His ears were buzzing and his heart was beating fast. He just wanted to lie down on the bed as soon as possible.

Originally, he was still hesitating whether or not to go to the emperor to plead for mercy so soon.

After all, if what the examiner said was true, the emperor was very angry recently, and asking for mercy at this time would probably add fuel to the fire and be counterproductive.

But what happened today by Xiao Qin made him unable to wait any longer.

Now the entire Gu family depends on his salary alone, and the income from the various fields and shops. If all these combined are not enough, then they will really need to pawn their belongings. However, this can only be a temporary measure. Only when the Gu family has another capable person can they completely reverse the current situation.