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CHAPTER 20
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Returning from the bath, the room had already been tidied up, and for the first time, Xiang Yi didn't need to do it herself. She felt slightly uncomfortable, as if her bones were slightly misaligned, but at this point, she couldn't think too much about it and almost immediately fell asleep after lying down.
Tan Ting quietly glanced at his wife. Seeing her fall asleep so quickly again, he noticed that her long hair, which she had tied up behind her head, had come loose and was spread wildly across the pillow. Bathed in dim light, he reached out and gently hooked a strand of hair out from under her.
She was sound asleep and remained unaware.
The brazier was at its hottest, filling the room with a sense of spring warmth. Tan Ting slowly closed his eyes.
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*
The next day, Xiang Yi almost overslept. If it weren't for Qiao Xing's repeated calls from outside, she would have missed the time to check Madam Zhao's pulse for morning and evening.
Returning from Madam Zhao’s, Xiang Yi went straight to the Flower Hall for her administrative duties. Tan Ting returned from the outer courtyard study and caught a glimpse of the scene in the Flower Hall through the plum tree shadows.
Amongst the interplay of shadows and light, she was sitting at the upper end, wearing a pale white jacket-like gown. The various stewards and managers were reporting to her one by one. She dealt with the matters calmly and methodically, distributing tasks through Qiao Xing. Everything was handled without haste or chaos, and from a distance, it looked very orderly.
Tan Ting didn't know how long he had been watching. He only left when many plum petals had fallen on his shoulder. Xiang Yi remained unaware of the gaze directed at her from a distance. As she always did, she completed her tasks in the hall, then returned to her room to find both the accountants and her husband present.
Xiang Yi was puzzled. The head of the accounting department stepped forward, presenting a package wrapped in red cloth containing silver ingots, which he handed over to Qiao Xing.
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"This is Madam's monthly allowance."
The allowance was given out early this month, and the weight of the package seemed to be off. Qiao Xing looked at it and asked, "Is this three months' worth of allowance?"
How could three months' worth of allowance end up here with the Madam?
Xiang Yi also looked towards the accounting department and, in passing, glanced at the master of the Tan family who was sitting at the writing desk, grinding ink and writing.
Xiang Yi didn't understand what was going on. However, the head of the accounting department offered the wrapped silver to Qiao Xing, "This is Madam's allowance for the last three months."
Her brows furrowed slightly. Was there any special reason for this sudden change? She looked at Tan Ting, who was busy writing, and decided to ask him later.
These three portions of the allowance, aside from the one that was always meant for the Madam, the other two portions were actually funds that the Master privately allocated from his own accounts to supplement the Madam's allowance. The accountant didn't know why he didn't tell her directly and instead asked him to give them to her together. He had no choice but to explain, "Madam manages the household and various affairs. It's quite strenuous. The allowance should be given in three portions. Please accept it, Madam."
Qiao Xing, looking at the sudden increase in funds, had a spark in her eyes. Madam had been working so hard for a long time, and it was only right to receive a raise in the allowance.
However, Xiang Yi frowned. The allowance given to the female members of the family in the Tan household had remained unchanged since the time of Tan Ting's grandmother. There hadn't been any significant inflation in these many years. Thus, it made no sense for her to suddenly receive triple the amount. She declined, instructing Qiao Xing to return the extra two portions of the allowance. "I have only done what I should. Accepting the rightful allowance is enough." She was firm in her stance. If something didn't belong to her, she wouldn't take it even if it were placed right in front of her. The Xiang family couldn't be compared to ordinary households. They had to be more disciplined in such matters.
The head of the accounting department, observing Qiao Xing struggling with returning the funds, looked to his master for guidance.
A drop of ink fell from Tan Ting's brush onto the paper, dispersing into a delicate pattern.
Tan Ting had thought that since she never directly asked him for money, if he were to give her silver, she might feel uncomfortable. However, he hadn't anticipated that she would notice even these small, monthly allowances, let alone consider the implications of their increase.
Even though she was his wife and would soon bear his child, she had drawn a clear boundary, setting herself apart from both him and the Tan family. Tan Ting felt discomfort rise within him. He pursed his lips, remained silent for a while, and finally dismissed the accounting department.
He cast a gentle gaze towards her and watched as she had Qiao Xing properly stow away the portion of the allowance that belonged to her. Then he turned and went back into the inner chamber.
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...
In the following days, the main chamber seemed to return to its previous silence. However, Xiang Yi vaguely sensed that this silence was somewhat different from before.
She received letters from her younger siblings. Her younger sister, Xiang Ning, as usual, mentioned everyday anecdotes in her letters. This time, she also included a piece of news for her to read. This particular tidbit was written by scholars from humble backgrounds across various regions and was sent to Qingzhou Academy. Xiang Yu found it ridiculous and satirical, and after reading it, he passed it on to Xiangning, who included it in her letter to Xiang Yi.
But after Xiang Yi finished reading it, she found herself breaking out in a cold sweat. The incident involving the audit of the Tan family's accounts was something she had never intended for her younger siblings to know about. Yet, somehow, through this avenue, the information had reached them.
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