Lady Mo returned to her own courtyard. The maids by her side drew the watermelon-pink latticed door curtains. In each corner of the room stood a blue and white copper basin filled with blocks of ice. The maids also hurried over to fan Lady Mo. As Lady Mo stepped into the room, she immediately felt the coolness.
After sitting down, a maid fetched a fan to provide a breeze for Lady Mo. A short while later, Lady Mo waved her hand to dismiss the maids around her, expressing her confusion, "Nanny Lau, do you think this girl is guarding against me?"
Nanny Lau nodded, "Looking at Third Young Lady's behavior, it does seem like she is being cautious around Madam. However, Madam, you have always treated her as your own daughter, it's puzzling how she seems to have changed overnight. Madam, Nanny Gu mentioned it seemed not quite right since that night of the nightmare. Madam, do you think the Old Madam said something?"
Lady Mo found Yueyao's sudden change challenging to deal with. She had thought the girl was easy to coax, and indeed, the child had been quite persuadable. Lady Mo just didn't understand why now the girl had other ideas in mind. Yet, Lady Mo still shook her head in response to Nanny Lau's words, "No, the Old Madam may not like me, but she wouldn't say these things to the child. What does Old Granny Guh say? Exactly how much wealth does the girl have in hand? Did Second Old Master really hand over most of the family fortune to that girl?"
Lady Mo was very clear that while Yueyao was in Jiangnan, she was always learning Guqin, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting, and not involved in household matters at all, let alone interested in wealth.
Nanny Gu said that Yueyao directly locked the money Lian Dongbo gave her in the chest, not touching a single Silver Coin. However, as for the amount, Nanny Gu wasn't quite certain. Anyway, such privacy couldn't be casually inquired into. Otherwise, it might draw the girl's attention.
Nanny Lau said with certainty, "Old Granny Guh mentioned that Third Young Lady has a significant private fortune. It's estimated to be at least a hundred thousand at minimum! After all, Second Master held lucrative posts over the years, not to mention other perks, just the gifts of gratitude during festivals each year made up a pretty sum. Additionally, Madam Ma's dowry was also several tens of thousands of Silver. It's not that Second Old Master was corrupt or took bribes, but the positions he held were indeed lucrative. Taking in a few tens of thousands of Silver each year was an absolute breeze for him. With other sources included, one could rake in between a hundred and two hundred thousand in a year."
After hearing what Nanny Lau said, and thinking of that wealth, Lady Mo felt stifled. In past years, whenever Second Old Master returned from posts with holiday gifts, they were always some dry and worthless local products. She had never seen a single piece of Silver.
The couple of the second branch had both died, and with his many years of service, the family fortune was surely substantial. But her husband only brought back some clumsy and worthless items, and just a few tens of thousands in Silver.
She utterly refused to believe that the second branch could only have so little wealth. Most likely, the Second Old Master had hidden it, and the most probable place was on Third Girl. Through investigation, indeed it turned out just as she expected, the wealth was with Third Girl.
All that invisible and intangible money made Lady Mo feel like there were bugs crawling in her heart. If she could get that sum of money, the estate's expenses wouldn't be so strained. With sufficient Silver Coin for Point Stitching, Old Master's official career could go more smoothly, and in the future, the marriages for Brother Li, Brother Yi, and Sister Bingbing could be arranged with great fanfare and splendor. However, the Old Madam clutched everything in her hands. She couldn't touch anything. She might manage the household on the surface, but in reality, she still had to listen to the Old Madam in everything. After marrying in for sixteen years, not a single year had been comfortable.
Nanny Lau cautiously said, "Madam, now Third Miss seems like a completely changed person. She doesn't stay close to you either. Madam, I always feel like the Old Madam must have said something?" Apart from this reason, Nanny Lau really couldn't think of any other.
Lady Mo shook her head, "No, the Old Madam wouldn't say anything to Third Girl. If she had to speak, she would have done so earlier, not wait until now. Moreover, I am also considering the child's well-being. Third Girl is young and holding such a large sum of money. It's not safe." Over the years, the Old Madam had tightly controlled the household funds and privately caused her many losses. But the Old Madam cared about face and would definitely not criticize her in front of the younger generation. Lady Mo was confident about this.
Nanny Lau shook her head, "Madam, Third Young Lady's temper has changed somehow. We can't use the old methods anymore." Nanny Lau's meaning was clear, they had to use other methods.
Lady Mo clenched her hand, "It won't do. Everything must stay as before. Although Doctor Tang keeps a tight lip, I see that the Old Madam doesn't have many days left. At most, she has only one or two more years to live. We've endured for more than a decade, so I don't mind waiting another two years. Otherwise, if she catches any fault of mine, she won't be lenient with me. If Old Master becomes angry, I'll be the one to suffer." If not for her caution all these years, earnestly managing the household and striving to maintain relationships on all sides, where would the Lian family be now? But the Old Madam had always been extremely wary and never trusted her. Fortunately, she bore him two sons, and the children were promising. Otherwise, the Lian family would have lost her place long ago.