Chapter 589: Chapter 586-587: The Imperial Exam Arrives, Linzhou’s Fiscal Deficit

The next morning, the summer sunlight poured over the windows, and although it was August, the morning sun was still scorching hot. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Chen Mo leaned against the pillow, with one of his arms embraced by each of the sisters. The soft pressure on his chest made him very comfortable, and he couldn’t help but recall the scene of their first meeting while glimpsing at the two similar faces.

Back then in Pingting County, Xia Zhining had whipped him once.

He vowed then to return a hundred lashes.

And he did keep his promise, not only returning but doubling it, and brought both of them into his room, gaining both their hearts and bodies.

He pulled his arm out from Xia Zhining’s embrace and stretched himself, beginning to organize today’s tasks in his mind.

At that moment, the whispers of Xia Zhiqing’s maid were heard from outside: "I heard from the neighbor Xiaoling that Madam Xiao is distributing money in the main hall. All the servants of the mansion are eligible, let’s hurry up."

"Madam Xiao? Who is that?"

"It’s the young lady, Xiao Ya, who the master recently brought back. I hear she’s the niece of the Tenth Madam, with the surname Xiao, isn’t she Madam Xiao? Let’s stop talking and hurry, or we might miss it."

"But Madam hasn’t woken up yet. If I leave and Madam finds me absent, I’ll be in trouble."

"Don’t worry, the master was here last night, the Fourth Madam won’t get up this early. We can just go and come back quickly."

"This... isn’t this inappropriate?"

"Each gets ten taels, if you’re not going, I am."

"What, ten taels? That’s half a year’s pay for me, wait for me, I’ll go."

"..."

With Chen Mo’s keen abilities, every word of these whispers reached his ears.

"Why is Xiaoya giving out money?" Chen Mo was a bit curious. He didn’t wake the two girls since they had only gone to bed at 3:45 AM, and it hadn’t been two hours yet. He dressed and walked out of the room.

In the main hall of the back courtyard.

Xiao Ya, wearing a warm yellow dress and her maiden hair bun, sat on the grand Master’s Chair, distributing money to the maids of the back courtyard.

As a legitimate daughter of the Xiao Family, even though she had yet to consummate her marriage with Chen Mo, she already carried the demeanor of the lady of the mansion, conducting herself with kindness and decorum. She nodded in return as the maids greeted her, "Blessings upon you too."

Saying this, she took a ten-tael silver ingot from the tray on the side table and handed it over to one of them.

Seeing the new lady being so generous, the maids’ eyes lit up with gratitude, and they grew fond of Xiao Ya.

"Xiaoya, what are you doing?" At this point, Chen Mo entered the hall.

The maids queuing up quickly greeted Chen Mo respectfully: "Good morning, master."

Chen Mo waved them off, sat next to Xiao Ya, looked at the large chests placed in the hall and the silver ingots taken out onto the table, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Xiaoya, isn’t this your dowry?"

"Ah?"

Hearing this, Xiao Ya hadn’t yet spoken, and those maids holding silver ingots suddenly froze, feeling as if the ingots were hot potatoes, wanting to return them.

Chen Mo said, "Since Xiaoya has rewarded you, just keep them."

Xiao Ya nervously dismissed them first, then looked at Chen Mo and asked, "Brother Mo, are you angry?"

"Why would I be angry? It’s your dowry, Xiaoya, you have the freedom to use it as you please. I’m just curious why you decided to give them money, and a full ten taels each at that." Chen Mo remarked with surprise.

Ten taels, which a normal family wouldn’t even earn in a year.

Xiao Ya lowered her head, her small hands twisting together, and said, "I just got here and wanted to get along with them, so I thought of giving out money..."

Chen Mo: "..."

Indeed, for the mansion’s servants, the quickest way to win their favor is to give out silver.

"Aren’t you worried you might upset Ms. Mi and the others?" Chen Mo took Xiao Ya’s small hand, held it in his palm, and played with her delicate fingers, indicating he was not angry.

"Ah?" Xiao Ya was puzzled, why would Ms. Mi and the others get upset over giving money to the servants?

"Many of these maids are from Ms. Mi’s, Sister Xiaolu’s, Ms. An’niang’s quarters. By openly giving them money, others might think you’re trying to win them over."

"Ah, I’m not, I’m not trying to win them over." Xiao Ya, startled, hurriedly explained, insisting she just wanted to get along with them, not win them over, trying to convince Chen Mo of her good intentions.

Chen Mo squinted slightly, pulling Xiao Ya into his embrace, letting her sit on his lap, and said, "I know you’re not trying to buy them, but your way isn’t right. Plus, you gave too much. If you gave just one or two taels as small tokens, maybe it wouldn’t matter, but giving ten taels could make people talk."

"But... ten taels isn’t a lot." Xiao Ya replied.

Chen Mo: "..."

True, the Xiao Family wasn’t some small household, and Xiaoya, being a legitimate daughter of the Xiao Family, wouldn’t consider ten taels much.

After all, her dowry was more than two million taels.

"Xiaoya, this wasn’t entirely your own idea, was it?"

Chen Mo knew that given Xiao Ya’s introverted, shy nature, it was unlikely she’d think of giving money to the servants in such a public manner.

"It’s... my idea."

"Hmm?"

"It was Mother’s advice."

Under Chen Mo’s unwavering gaze, Xiao Ya eventually confessed the truth.

When they were heading to Linzhou, Xiao Ya’s mother had advised her to distribute money to the servants upon entering Duke An’s Mansion to build good relations.