Chapter 155
**Chapter 155: Taking Charge**
The next day, news quickly spread that Shen Wei of Liuli Pavilion would be in charge of the affairs of the Yan Wang Fu (Prince Yan's residence). Surprisingly, all the hundreds of servants in the palace were quite pleased.
Over the past year, Shen Wei had occasionally shown small acts of kindness. During the hot days, she prepared mung bean soup and sour plum drink for the servants, and in the cold, she ensured that warm cotton clothes were distributed on time from the storeroom. Recently, when the monthly silver was miscalculated by the princess's people, it was Shen Wei's old matron who personally checked and corrected the discrepancies for everyone.
It could be said that Shen Wei had won the hearts of the people.
With Shen Wei's rise to power, the others secretly rejoiced.
This news soon reached the ears of the other concubines. Zhang Miaoyu from Huaxiang Courtyard was the happiest, but she worried that Shen Wei might not know how to manage the household. She rummaged through her own dowry and found a few books on household management, which she personally delivered to Shen Wei.
Meanwhile, in the desolate Mingyue Courtyard, Liu Qiao'er was sewing clothes when she heard her maid mention Shen Wei taking charge. Liu Qiao'er froze in place.
"She’s just a farmer’s daughter. How could she possibly know how to manage others?" Liu Qiao'er frowned, puzzled.
Since her rebirth, many things had changed in the Yan Wang Fu, diverging from the path of her previous life.
In her past life, the son of Concubine Zhou had also passed away. The Empress had flown into a rage, scolding the princess, but ultimately did not strip her of her authority over household management. The princess learned from her mistakes and took charge again, and the palace remained relatively stable.
Later, when the Yan Wang ascended to the throne, the princess was crowned Empress, only to face a coalition of favored concubines targeting her. The Empress's authority over the six palaces was divided among the favored concubines, leaving her isolated and depressed.
A maid encouraged, "My lady, why not suggest to the prince that you take charge of the household?"
The princess had made a mistake and was confined in Kunyuyuan to "recover." The vast inner palace naturally needed a mistress to manage it. Before Liu Qiao'er was married, she had also learned the art of household management.
Zhang Miaoyu was greedy and lazy, while Liu Ruoyan was indifferent to worldly affairs. Shen Wei was uneducated, leaving no one more suitable for the role than Liu Qiao'er.
Liu Qiao'er shook her head, lowering her gaze to continue sewing. "Showing my face will only make me a target. Shen Wei managing the household? The princess will be the first to go after her."
A farmer's daughter, even with a top scholar brother, was empty-headed and had nothing but her beauty.
Handing the household over to Shen Wei would inevitably lead to trouble.
Liu Qiao'er wore a mocking smile, eager to watch the drama unfold.
---
On the other side, in Qixue Pavilion, Liu Ruoyan, dressed in a flowing white gown, was painting. The white rice paper was spread out, and ink plum blossoms bloomed across it.
Holding her brush, Liu Ruoyan heard the laughter of Xue Mei nearby.
Liu Ruoyan looked up. "What’s got you giggling all morning? Did you stumble upon some good news?"
Xue Mei beamed. "My lady, today Shen Wei from Liuli Pavilion starts managing the household. For the first-class maids in the palace, as long as they don’t make mistakes and work diligently, their monthly silver will increase by a little each month."
This was meant to encourage the servants to work harder.
Diligent and experienced servants could earn extra bonuses.
Liu Ruoyan replied coolly, "The joy brought by copper coins is rather vulgar."
Xue Mei: ...
Xue Mei forced a compliant smile, too lazy to argue with Liu Ruoyan.
Xue Mei was not a wealthy young lady; she was just an ordinary servant. As long as she received her monthly silver on time and had some coins in her small purse, she was quite happy.
"Who manages the household in the palace makes no difference to me," Liu Ruoyan continued painting, uninterested in worldly affairs.
---
In Kunyuyuan, the princess had not slept a wink all night. As dawn broke, she rose like a walking corpse. Most of the maids and eunuchs in her courtyard had been dismissed, leaving only a few, including Liu Momo, to keep her company.
In the morning, the palace doctor sent over several prescriptions, instructing Liu Momo to prepare the medicine for the princess.
To outsiders, it seemed the princess was genuinely ill.
But the princess was restless. She gazed at the square courtyard, the sky sliced into irregular pieces by the eaves. In a single night, she had gone from a revered princess to a bird trapped in a cage.
"My lady, the two young mistresses have already gone to the Guozijian (Imperial Academy). The Empress sent four old matrons to clear out many ancient texts from the study," Liu Momo brought a cup of hot tea to the princess.
The princess scoffed coldly, refusing to take the tea.
She stepped into the Buddhist hall, kneeling on the soft mat. Fixing her gaze on the compassionate statue of the Bodhisattva, she murmured, "Mother is heartless, repeatedly tormenting me. She separates mother and child, and now she wants a lowly farmer's daughter to step on my head..."
The princess hated the Empress.
She also hated Shen Wei.
And even felt a twinge of resentment towards the Yan Wang.
"Taking my child, stripping me of my authority over the household." The princess's face darkened as she tightened her grip on the prayer beads. "I will take it all back, piece by piece."
First, she needed to reclaim her authority over the household.
The gray-haired Liu Momo remained silent beside her, no longer advising or encouraging the princess as she had in the past. Liu Momo had once considered everything for the princess, but recently she had begun to sense the princess's coldness.
Even if the princess managed to snatch back her authority from Shen Wei, it would still be Liu Momo who suffered. Liu Momo was old and could hardly endure the daily hustle and bustle, catering to the princess's whims.
Liu Momo began to understand the burdens of managing wealth and power.
Having lived most of her life, she had worked diligently in her earlier years just to enjoy a leisurely life in her final years.
As one ages, the desire to avoid hard labor becomes stronger.
In the Buddhist hall, the princess continued to murmur, "Shen Wei is uneducated, relying solely on the prince's favor to reach her current position. Managing the household is no easy task. Liu Momo, go gather the accumulated mess of accounts in the palace and send them to Shen Wei."
The princess, born into a prestigious family, had learned household management from a young age. Even she found it exhausting to handle the complexities of the palace. How could a farmer's daughter like Shen Wei withstand the weight of such a large household?
The princess wanted her to know how difficult it would be.
Liu Momo replied expressionlessly, "This old servant will take care of it right away."
---
In Liuli Pavilion, Liu Momo delivered the old accounts to Shen Wei.
Liu Momo looked at Shen Wei's youthful and beautiful face. At this moment, Shen Wei was no longer the lowly maid she once was; she had transformed, radiating confidence.
Liu Momo couldn't help but remind her, "Shen Wei, you are still young. Some matters really don’t require your involvement."
Managing the household is not an easy task.
If she did not do well, Shen Wei could very well be abandoned by the Yan Wang and the Empress. It might be better to remain a favored concubine, bearing children for the Yan Wang, and at least enjoy a few good years.
"Today, Liu Momo seems to have taken a kind-hearted turn, offering me guidance?" Shen Wei smiled, her eyes glinting with curiosity.
Liu Momo remained silent. After handing over the account books, she left Liuli Pavilion without looking back.
Shen Wei stared at the mountain of account books, which contained the Yan Wang Fu's messy accounts from the past decade—household expenses, finances, rituals, and social engagements piled high.
One person could not possibly manage it all.
But Shen Wei was clever; she had long cultivated an efficient elite team. There was Rong Momo, skilled in coordination; Cai Lian and Cai Ping, both sharp and capable; Ji Xiang and De Shun, smooth in handling affairs; and two swift and skilled guards. The remaining maids and eunuchs had all been trained, and while they might not possess exceptional talents, they were at least obedient and willing to work.
An excellent leader does not need to do everything personally; they always know how to leverage their team to work for them.
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