I am the champion of palace intrigue, and even the proud prince bows his head in submission.

Chapter 221 Qin 9, the Head of the Household

Sure enough, after hearing this, Lady Hou's face turned so dark it seemed as if ink could drip from it.

His gaze toward Xu Liuer was full of reproach, and he coldly rebuked her.

“Xu Liu’er, how old are you? How can you be so unreasonable? Siyuan is still young. Even if he said a few words to you, it was unintentional. As an elder, how can you hold a grudge against a child?”

Xu Liuer was timid to begin with, and being scolded like this in public made her panic instantly, but she still managed to explain, "Mother-in-law, it was Xie Siyuan who called me stupid, so I... I got angry for a moment. How could he scold his own mother..."

"You've really gone too far!" Before she could finish speaking, Lady Hou interrupted her immediately. "It was just a child's joke, how could you take it seriously? I think Siyuan was right, you really are stupid!"

She grew angrier as she spoke, "You made Siyuan kneel as punishment, so you should go to the ancestral hall and kneel there too! For as long as Siyuan kneels, you kneel for the same length! Reflect on your actions before the ancestors and learn how to be a mother!"

Xie Siyuan lowered his eyes, and upon hearing this, the corners of his lips curled up almost imperceptibly.

Xu Liu'er's face turned pale instantly, and she opened her mouth to speak, "Mother-in-law..."

Lady Hou didn't give her a chance to speak, and raised her hand to order the maids to drag her away.

Qin Jiuwei had been watching quietly, but when she heard this, her brows furrowed.

His gaze swept across Xie Siyuan's face, and seeing the smug look on his face, he immediately felt a surge of disgust.

She stepped forward and spoke gently, "Mother-in-law, although Siyuan is young, his words already carried an insulting tone, which is unfilial. Liu'er is his mother. If even she cannot discipline him, who will dare to discipline him in the future?"

The old women who were about to step forward stopped in their tracks.

Qin Jiuwei continued, "I know my mother-in-law loves Siyuan, but if she protects him too much, it will only harm him. If she calls him 'stupid' today, won't she be able to say something even worse tomorrow?"

"If every time someone is punished, they run to their mother-in-law for support, will there be no order left in the Marquis's mansion?"

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone in the room fell silent.

Lady Hou's expression changed slightly, but she still favored Xie Siyuan in her heart.

Qin Jiuwei wasn't in a hurry and continued, "Furthermore, to put it bluntly, if Siyuan had been cursing his mother-in-law today, would she still think it was just a child's joke?"

Lady Hou snorted coldly, "Siyuan is the most filial to her, he would never do such a thing!"

But before she could speak, she was interrupted by Madam Xie, "Jiuwei, what you said makes sense. You can't take this as a joke."

She hadn't forgotten what happened on the day of the birthday banquet.

If Xie Siyuan is allowed to continue like this, who knows what trouble he might cause!

"That's the end of it," Old Madam Xie declared decisively. "Siyuan has already been slapped and forced to kneel. He must not be mentioned again."

Lady Hou was dissatisfied, but since Old Madam Xie had already spoken, she couldn't say anything more.

Finally, he gave Xu Liuer a cold glance and waved his hand.

Xu Liuer bowed her head and looked at Qin Jiuwei with gratitude in her eyes.

My sister-in-law is so wonderful!

What did she do to deserve such help from her sister-in-law...?

Xu Liuer couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat.

Seeing that Xu Liuer had not been punished, Xie Siyuan's eyes revealed a deep resentment.

"It's perfect that you two came together today." Seeing that they were both present, Madam Xie told them everything she had discussed with Madam Hou earlier.

“Your mother-in-law is so ill that she can no longer manage the household. During this time, Jiuwei will be in charge of the Marquis’s residence, and Liu’er, you will assist her.”

Madam Xie's gaze fell on the two of them.

Upon hearing this, Qin Jiuwei's eyebrows twitched slightly, showing some surprise.

She thought that since the Lady Hou was ill, the power of managing the household would return to the hands of Old Madam Xie, and then she and Xu Liuer would be chosen to assist her.

Unexpectedly, it was handed over directly to the two of them.

Despite her inner turmoil, Qin Jiuwei remained gentle and calm on the surface. She stepped forward and bowed, her voice neither hurried nor slow.

"Grandmother's arrangement shows her trust in her granddaughter-in-law, and the granddaughter-in-law will certainly do her best to fulfill it."

Seeing her composed and dignified demeanor, Madam Xie's eyes showed a hint of satisfaction.

"You are steady and reliable, and you know how to handle things properly. I can rest assured that I have the right to entrust my work to you."

Compared to Qin Jiuwei's calmness, Xu Liuer was extremely shocked.

She was taken aback at first, then looked up in disbelief.

Let...she assist the housekeeper?

Her heart suddenly raced, and a look of surprise flashed in her eyes; she was overwhelmed with gratitude.

I thought that Madam Xie and Madam Hou wouldn't let her get involved in managing the household affairs.

Unexpectedly... Xu Liuer's lips curved slightly. Her grandmother had given her such a good opportunity, and she would definitely learn from her sister-in-law!

She quickly bowed and said, "Granddaughter-in-law will follow Grandmother's instructions and will do her best."

Xie Siyuan sneered from the side.

It's insane to let that stupid mother of his manage things!

Lady Hou was dissatisfied, but she still reluctantly handed over the house keys.

However, Qin Jiuwei is only temporarily in charge of the mansion. Once she recovers, the mansion will be hers again!

Once the keys were handed over, the housekeeper's arrangements were settled.

Immediately, boxes of account books were delivered to Qinglan Courtyard, and the stewards of the manor came to receive orders.

Qin Jiuwei sat upright in the main seat, casually flipping open an account book, her gaze slowly sweeping over the account details.

Several stewards stood holding their breath, the room so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a long while, she suddenly closed the ledger with a crisp "snap".

She glanced at everyone, her tone calm yet cold, "You have all been in the Marquis's mansion for many years, managing all the affairs of the mansion. You know far more about the affairs of the Marquis's mansion than I, the new head of the household."

"My wife is ill, and I will be in charge of the household for a short period of time. Although it is a short time, it cannot be taken lightly."

Qin Jiuwei's gaze darkened slightly as she slowly swept her eyes over the crowd below, her voice neither hurried nor slow: "The rules of the Marquis's mansion are not just for show."

"Those in charge should prioritize the affairs of the government, rather than enriching themselves, forming cliques, or even deceiving their superiors."

Having managed the harem before, she knew that the most difficult part of being a steward was actually dealing with the stewards.

They had been in the Marquis's mansion for many years and had long since developed intricate networks of connections. Some were dependent on their master, while others were distant relatives of their master.

Relying on their seniority and connections, they secretly formed a complex network of relationships.

If she doesn't establish her authority in time, they will think she's easy to manipulate and will start to outwardly comply but inwardly defy her.

As soon as she finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

Several managers lowered their heads, cold sweat beading on their foreheads, and dared not meet her gaze.

Suddenly, Qin Jiu chuckled softly, the coldness in his eyes lessened, and his tone softened.

"Of course, I am not an unreasonable person. Everyone in the household is family. As long as they do their job well, I will not be harsh on them."

Several managers secretly glanced up at Qin Jiuwei's smiling face, their thoughts a jumble of emotions.

This young mistress is indeed not a simple person...

Qin Jiuwei took in their expressions and continued, "I will personally review the ledgers. If there are any omissions or errors, it is best to correct them as soon as possible within three days."

Everyone bowed their heads in agreement and withdrew.

After the stewards left, Qin Jiuwei dismissed all the other maids in the room, leaving only her three closest confidantes.

"Miss, how is it? Is there a problem with the account book?" Granny Song asked.

The young lady spent a long time looking at the account books, but she didn't mention them at all when she was giving her a lecture. That's really strange.

"There's a problem, but it's not important." Qin Jiuwei slowly picked up the tea beside her and took a sip.

Granny Song: ?