My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead-Chapter 106: No Pain, No Gain

Nanny Zhao asked in surprise, "You bought it all? That’s more than four hu!"

Sixth Lady Gu also felt a pang of regret and retorted, "What else could I do?"

Nanny Zhao said, "Why not bring the Third Madam into the deal? We all can share the risk, if there’s a profit, great, and if there’s a loss, at least someone else shares the burden, right?"

Sixth Lady Gu said nothing.

Nanny Zhao continued, "Aren’t you planning to arrange a marriage between Miss Zhen and the Third Madam’s cousin? Why not take this chance to gain favor?"

Sixth Lady Gu chuckled lightly and said, "A marriage arrangement is a marriage arrangement. She’s a married woman; do you think she can decide her cousin’s affairs? I intend to keep the profit for myself. You saw how she humorously entertained the Old Madam in the main hall just now; do you know what she presented? It was some medicinal incense, said to be homemade. I suspect she learned some trick and offered it to the Old Madam. If she keeps making more money, won’t she gain more influence?"

Nanny Zhao, experienced as she was, said, "When our household was still prosperous, the Master also received such medicinal incense, which is said to be extremely rare. If the Third Madam had known how to make this back at her home, she would have been famous in the Capital City by now. Neither the Qin Family nor the Cui Family has been known for making this, so it’s unclear where she got this skill from."

"What skill could it be, if not for our Marquis? Alas, my husband has failed me, neither excelling in literature nor martial arts, spending his days thinking only about concubines, causing me to lose face in front of the Old Madam."

"Last time, the Old Madam said to me that since Sixth Master is a man, it’s inappropriate to spoil his dignity, with guests around he feels too ashamed to show up, but the Old Madam doesn’t know how much trouble Sixth Master causes."

"Our Marquis protects her so diligently, never lacking in expense. The Marquis returned yesterday, and this morning she presents medicinal incense to win the Old Madam’s favor. Can you imagine how fortunate she is?"

Sixth Lady Gu sighed.

Nanny Zhao brought the conversation back, saying, "After all, it’s too risky."

"Without risks, there’s no reward. My little sister-in-law always has her eye on the household management; I can’t let her have it all."

Nanny Zhao knew she could not persuade her further, so she followed Sixth Lady Gu’s wishes.

Qin Yuan returned to the Wutong Garden and, as usual, first dealt with the household affairs.

Nowadays, the housekeeper moms were keen to guess her thoughts in their work, fearful of any missteps, handling things quickly.

In the time it takes for incense to burn, Qin Yuan dismissed them, and as she returned to her room for tea, Qiujie and Xiao Hong arrived. Qiujie smiled and said, "Madam, the Old Madam sent me with some things."

Qin Yuan was taken by surprise and asked, "Mother rewarded me with gifts again?"

Xiao Hong laughed and said, "Indeed, the Old Madam said the incense pills you sent are excellent, and in her joy, insisted on sending some good things of her own to you. That’s what it means to exchange gifts."

Qiujie echoed, "Everything Xiao Hong said is verbatim, not a word less."

Qin Yuan smiled, patting Xiao Hong’s small braid, "You’re so skilled, I’ll have Sister Hong Ye give you some sweets."

Xiao Hong grinned broadly, revealing gaps from missing teeth.

Qin Yuan said, "You’re in the middle of losing teeth, so let’s skip the sweets; let Hong Ye find something else for you."

Xiao Hong replied, "No need to trouble yourself, Madam, just give Xiao Hong candies. With Young Master Cheng and Miss Yu sharing, there won’t be much left anyway. A little won’t matter."

It seems this child already knows how to give gifts on behalf.

Qin Yuan thought, a child like Xiao Hong would find her way anywhere without adults worrying.

Hong Ye laughed and led Xiao Hong away.

Qiujie then said, "Madam, open it and see if you like it. I have to report back to the Old Madam."

Qin Yuan opened it, and it turned out to be a box of thumb-sized pearls, emitting a delicate glow, making the room seem brighter.

"So many? So precious?"

Qin Yuan exclaimed.

Qiujie said, "The Old Madam said that your filial piety is what’s truly precious. As for these items, the Old Madam has no use for them; it’s better for you to use them as you like, whether to make headpieces or face powder, or even decorate shoes, to avoid them yellowing in storage."

Qin Yuan pondered and said, "Then I’ll accept them. Mother is so kind to me; I must be even more filial to her in the future."

Qiujie laughed.

Qin Yuan added, "The Old Madam’s gift to me isn’t something I can re-gift to you. I only have some ordinary items; I hope you won’t mind."

Qiujie immediately said, "I wouldn’t dare expect a reward for just running this errand, Madam."

Qin Yuan thought for a moment, took a flower hairpin from the dressing table, and pinned it into Qiujie’s hair bun, smiling, "I used to wear this at my mother’s house; I hope you don’t mind."

Qiujie replied with a smile, "I’m delighted with anything used by you, Madam. However, I do have a small request. Would it be possible to have a packet of the incense pills you gave to Nanny Rong?"

"So that’s what you wanted?"

Qin Yuan quickly ordered a little maid to fetch a packet.

"I recently made extra, so I have some handy."

Qiujie said, "This is wonderful; Nanny Rong has praised it many times, saying she wants to take some to her old sisters when she visits home on her break. My mother at home would probably love it too."

The little maid fetched it, and Qin Yuan gave it all to Qiujie.

Qiujie carefully placed it in her sleeve pouch.

Qin Yuan suddenly had a thought and asked Qiujie, "If these incense pills were sold at the West Market, do you think people would like them?"

Qiujie replied, "Traditionally, only noble families cared for such things. I heard that because the concubines in the palace liked them, more families started to use it. I once heard Manager Leng say, nowadays even girls from smaller families enjoy using incense."

That’s quite true.

In another ten years, with a long peace and prosperity, things once favored by nobles would spread among the common people, and the use of incense would no longer be uncommon.

Qin Yuan said she wanted to keep Xiao Hong to play for a while, so Qiujie returned to the main hall to attend to duties.

Xiao Hong indeed followed with more to say, her lively chatter recounting Brother Cheng’s and Sister Yu’s performances in the main hall these days, how Nanny Rong and Old Madam Gu instructed them, and how she herself added bits in support.

The more they listened, the more Qin Yuan and Hong Ye were alarmed.

It turned out Brother Cheng and Sister Yu usually played only with a few nannies brought from the Northern Border, not interacting much with other Assistant General’s children. Sixth Master’s children found them crude and wild, and after some fistfights, stopped talking altogether.

Lady Zhao taught them to simply please the Marquis; as long as he was happy, they need not worry about anything in the future.

Recently, she also told the two children that the Marquis was fickle and might abandon their mother and them.

Old Madam Gu knew and was seething inside but could do nothing but endure, waiting for Lady Zhao’s family’s arrival to send her away.

Nanny Rong and Xiao Hong had been talking a lot about the ways of the world lately, helping them understand their own situation.

Brother Cheng had a plan; he decided yesterday to start studying, pestering Nanny Rong this morning to teach him more characters. As for Sister Yu, she remained clueless, simply following Brother Cheng’s lead, doing whatever he did.