That morning, while Madame was completing her painting of lotus with gold detailing. A post arrived. Fei had gone in the morning to bring post and ingredients for preparing lunch. Fei read his letter at the post itself, to see what his master instructed. When he reached home he gave Madame's letter to her and went straight to General's study.
Wei was sitting in the gallery outside main hall, painting when Fei delivered the letter. The letter from General read :
'Madame you can build a kitchen and renovate the house as you please. Take over the finances, Fei will hand over the keys and accounts books for you to manage. Since you married me the reflection mansion is yours, make it a home comfortable for you. Wife need to ask for permission, I trust wife.
Xu Guoqiang.'
As soon as Wei read the letter a smile spread across her face. She looked at Lin asked her to arrange a draughtsmen. Fei returned with a box and three account books.
Fei : "Madame, here, Gnereal asked me to handover these for your to manage the house."
Madame Wei : "Thank you, Fei."
The small box contained land deeds and money strings. Wei would need to go through the books to understand the expenditure and earnings, this will take time.
Wei : "I was telling Lin to hire a draughtsmen, General has let us build a kitchen as well as renovate the house. We can call the draughtsmen after I am done with the account books."
Fei : "Alright Madame."
Wei completed her painting, and after lunch she sat down at her chambers going through the account books. General has rarely made any expenditure on the reflection mansion, just some couple of repairs. He has received gifts and grants from the court for his service but they are scanty compared to his achievements. Most of the big purchases are happened before the wedding, buying furniture. The furniture in her room was indeed new and luxurious. Wei wondered if reflection mansion was empty before her arrival. General is not luxurious either he has not brought anything of major value or luxury. Despite being the previous crown prince it is strange that he lives currently a very simplistic lifestyle. However he has made major losses in selling of his property. He seems to have sold some of his lands in not profitable rates and also some household stuff. Wei was perplexed by his sale of property but she could not understand the reason fro sudden sale of possession several times a year. And he wasn't short of money for this sale either. Wei pondered on it for days but could not come up with an suitable reasoning for it. She didn't wish to ask Fei either. She decided its best she does not poke her nose into this matter.
It took Wei four days to complete the account books and the next day a draughtsmen was called, who made a technical drawing of the structure of the house. He made two copies of it and handed it over to Madame. Wei stayed up for nights, coming with a plan for the house and its surrounding area. And she finally came up with a perfect plan for the reflection mansion.
With one of the drafts of the house, Wei painted over the house plan and extra room with red. She called the builders to have a look at her plan to see if it was functional and feasible. After a couple of two and fro, a final plan was drafted with new changes. This plan had to be run down by Madame Xu as it was in their premises the the construction would take place.
Next day Wei went to greet her mother-in-law. She explained the house design and every change that will take place within the reflection mansion premises. To which Madame Xu said, "Everything looks alright to me. However the construction will cause us problem. Your builders will be walking up and down from main hall, and two gates to reflection mansion. It will disrupt the house peace. And will also dirty the area with construction supplies."
Wei : "Yes Madame, I thought about it too. Two back gates would be occupied with constant workers flow. I'm aware that unknown workers will be crawling in the premises till the period of construction. This construction would take one month to complete entirely. Until then I ask for your cooperation, Madame."
Madame Xu : "Take my suggestion Wei, over here,' Madame points to the wall boundary that is in between the western main road and reflection mansion. "Break it down and make a gate here. That way you can have easy passage fro construction and my Xu residence would not be disturbed with construction."
Wei was taken aback. The reflection mansion is within the premises of the Xu family, and this means that a main gate can be added to the reflection mansion. That is to say there will be no involvement of Xu mansion in the business reflection mansion. Wei agreed to this, she gets a main gate for the reflection house and a conjoining gate from Xu mansion.
Wei : "If Madame so says, then I shall add a gate here connecting the west road as main gate for reflection mansion, a side outdoor for service, and this region of the back alley for stable."
Madame Xu: "A stable?"
Wei : "Yes Madame, General and Aide Fei both have horses. Currently Aide Wei's horse is at a communal horse stable and once General arrives, his horse will also need a place, therefore a small stable to house these horses would be convenient."
Madame Xu thought the back alley is not frequented by many pedestrians. That alley was used by kitchen services of the two houses Xu and the neighbouring house of Ming. And most of their movement was from the eastern side, the west side was not frequented. So a stable in that location would not cause any future troubles.
Madame Xu : "Alright you can have a stable there. As long as its maintained well and no complaints come form any pedestrians and neighbours."
Wei : "Yes Madame I will actively maintain it. I won't give you a reason to be upset."
Madame Xu : "Very well then make a pan for the outer boundary wall as well and I will have it approved by Prime Minister as well. Only after that you can being construction."
Wei : "Thank you Madame." With that Wei left Madame Xu's presence. "Madame, forgive me for asking this, but aren't you giving Lady Wei, too many privileges?" asked house incharge Yi. "Yes, it may seem like this, but if she is busy with her own household management then she won't be involved in this house affairs. It best to have her away from Xu family affairs. Besides Prime Minister Xu, received an earful from Emperor for Guoqiang's poor condition. When the news reached the palace that he was living in the side annex. Loads of rumours spread, tainting Xu family reputation. With this at least those rumours would be put to rest."
Receiving a main gate, will elevate that plot from side annex of the Xu mansion to main mansion of general, is what Madame Xu intended. And this was also the reason she gave Prime minister to have him approve of the house plan for reflection palace. With this indirectly they have the General's family cut off from the Xu residence.