Chapter 7

The Most Important Thing is Capital

Time passed until nightfall. Strangely, despite being late summer, a cool breeze blew into the residence, making the body that had been drenched in sweat during the day feel much more comfortable.

The three children had agreed to follow their mother’s plan. Lijin nodded in satisfaction and then sent Ning-ning to help them bathe and clean up before bed.

As for herself... after letting her stomach rest from fullness, she began stretching her body, engaging in yoga exercises she had become accustomed to. Not only were they not difficult, but they also provided multiple health benefits without overburdening the body.

After eating well for some time, she would start exercising more intensely. That was one of her goals for restoring her deteriorated body. What a pity there was no mirror—otherwise, she could determine whether she still had a way to nourish herself back to youthful beauty.

The old thoughts remained firmly rooted in her mind; she truly couldn’t restrain herself.

However, at this moment, her objectives kept increasing as new responsibilities piled up. She had to focus and prioritize the events that would unfold in the near future.

First…her own health, as well as that of her children and Ning-ning, had to come first. No matter what, in the next two months, their bodies had to be in better condition. Physical strength would be an essential power for the future ahead, no matter what obstacles might come.

She had no attachment to this family, nor did she have any powerful supporters like others. Standing in society would be even harder. Lijin could not simply farm and grow vegetables to sustain herself on her own land, like in the novels she had read, nor did she intend to support herself and her children through that method.

Farming was not easy, and she did not have a miraculous celestial spring or any magical item that could be dipped in water to grant every wish. Owning land was also no simple matter. She was merely a furen of the residence, and the money in her dowry chest was probably not much. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be stuck in this run-down courtyard.

But what should she do? Reputation was important, but how could she grasp it in her hands when her life was still confined within these mud and brick walls? Before she could secure a place in society, there was one thing they still lacked—money.

Whether in her previous world or this one, one thing had always driven society—money and wealth. That was why she had chosen to study economics, hoping to understand decision-making processes and learn what should and shouldn’t be done.

Her family in her past life had not been poor. In fact, they had lived comfortably with more than enough. However, back then, Sali had chosen to learn how to make even more money. She wasn’t sure what her deeper reason had been. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t recall. It was strange.

With money, even ghosts will mill flour for you… A Chinese proverb she had once heard made her realize her next goal.

Second…she needed to learn about society and find a way to accumulate wealth to establish a new foundation for her family. Lijin had yet to figure out what she would do, but she had Ning-ning, who could leave the residence and handle errands in Nihe City. Thus, she could gather information while simultaneously working on her physical recovery.

When thinking about assets, she was certain there had to be something called a bride’s dowry. Her father was a well-known merchant, and when marrying off his eldest daughter, he would have ensured she had a respectable dowry to uphold the Gu family's prestige.

So now... where was her dowry? Was there a way to reclaim it? Were there records documenting its value?

She had been unconscious for so long—surely the Wei family wouldn’t have let such a golden opportunity slip away. But to place the blame solely on the Wei family wasn’t entirely accurate. The true culprits were the greedy furens and wives.

A wicked woman deserves a vile man.

She had already decided that the husband she had never met was despicable. However, that judgment was based on logic. Lijin's soul belonged to a woman of the future, yet the injustice that stemmed from greed—being the head of the household yet neglecting the matters within his home—was something she could never forgive​.

Thus, there were only two major life goals. If she could overcome this life crisis, she could think further later—it wouldn’t be too late.

After pondering for quite a while, her evening exercise was complete. Lijin stood drenched in sweat, adjusting her breathing for a moment. Ning-ning, who had just finished tending to the children, then approached to continue serving her mistress.

Once she had soaked in a warm and relaxing bath, her frail and exhausted body felt much lighter. Her blood circulation improved, her skin started to recover, and her once greasy, sticky hair was now washed clean.

"Is there no soap here, Ning-ning?"

"Soap, madam? I have never heard of anything called soap."

"Oh... is that so?" Was an opportunity to make money presenting itself before her? Lijin had barely entertained the thought before setting it aside.

Making soap or scented products to sell? It was neither difficult nor as easy as the imagination had once suggested.

Selling a product without first surveying the market or securing suitable raw materials in advance was not the way of a good investor. Furthermore, she would need to find fair and reliable sales channels—one of the most complicated parts. It wasn’t as if she could just walk into a shop, speak to a kind-hearted shopkeeper, and have everything work out smoothly.

"Tomorrow, the children will be having breakfast with me, correct?" Lijin attempted to make conversation, feeling slightly awkward at having someone tending so intimately to her.

"Yes, madam." The maid diligently continued cleaning her mistress while chatting with her. It was certainly a far better night than having to stand guard in a cold and silent room.

"Tomorrow, I’ll have to remind them once again—my recovery must remain a secret. You understand this, don’t you?"

"This servant understands, madam. There’s also the matter of requesting a larger portion of breakfast than usual. If possible, I’ll try to set aside some ingredients for storage as well. Even though your residence is in disrepair, madam, it still has a kitchen and a well…" Lijin nodded in satisfaction. At the very least, the essentials were within reach. The other servants in the household maintained the firewood and basic provisions at all times. All that was needed was for Ning-ning to make the request known.

At the very least... the position of First Furen still belonged to her. Even if, for now, it was only in name, and she could not wield its full authority, the household staff still had to obey Wei Yongjian’s orders. They could not simply neglect this distant convalescent residence.

Should she be grateful to that husband of hers? Had she judged him too quickly?

"Sigh... whatever. I’ll decide when I meet him. For now, he can remain scum in my eyes."

"Huh? What did you say, madam?"

"Oh... I was just cursing my lousy husband. Never mind." She waved a small hand to dismiss her trusted maid from dwelling on it. "By the way, you can go into town for errands, correct? Is the route difficult? How long does each trip take? And money... do we receive an allowance from Wei Yongjian?"

"Uh..." Ning-ning was momentarily stunned by the rapid barrage of questions with no pause in between. Seeing this, Lijin stopped asking and allowed the other party some time to respond.

"The allowance... it was originally managed by you, madam. But now, it is Second Furen Ningjian who oversees it..." She first responded to the final question before proceeding to explain how the finances of the Wei household were handled.

Wei Yongjian’s trusted steward was named Wei Chang. He was the only one the head of the Wei family truly relied upon. Thus, all the funds received from the noble official were under his supervision.

However, the authority to allocate and manage the accounts was supposed to be a joint responsibility with the principal wife. But since Furen Lijin had been unconscious for so long, the task had fallen to the secondary wife, whom Master Wei trusted.

That was the event that had permanently cemented Meiying’s enmity with another rival in her heart​.

Ningjian... was a deeply jealous woman. However, she lacked the cunning schemes of Meiying. At the very least, this was how Ning-ning summarized it for her mistress.

Even though their household expenses had been cut by more than half, the steward still ensured that money reached their residence every time. Ning-ning had never spent much—only on taking care of the frequently ill young master or acquiring tonics to help restore their declining mistress.

"So... originally, I was supposed to receive four taels of silver, but now it has been reduced to only two... The children were each supposed to receive five hundred copper coins, but now they only get two hundred fifty?" Lijin's face twisted. Why was it so meager? Wasn't the Wei family supposed to be one of the great families of Nihe? Why, then, were its furens and servants living in such poverty?

Four taels of silver equaled four thousand copper coins. Just one steamed mántóu (bun) cost two copper coins, and if filled with meat, it would be three or four. Multiply that by the number needed for one meal—that was the minimum cost of living.

Ordinary people might survive on just a few hundred copper coins a month, but as the furen of a noble official, expenses were naturally higher. Although she did not yet know the current value of clothing or jewelry, Lijin was certain that four taels of silver would never be enough. Especially considering the future she was planning—this amount of wealth was far from sufficient.

It was likely that corruption and embezzlement had been involved in their financial struggles. Either that… or Wei Yongjian was simply stingy beyond belief.

"Yes, madam. Altogether, it amounts to two taels and seven hundred fifty copper coins per month. At present, we have... um, let me check for you, madam."

"Nearly a hundred taels of silver over the three years I was unconscious, I suppose. But you said it has already been spent on treating Jiusi and nourishing my body, correct? Sigh... very well, check it for me tomorrow."

"The money chest is right under your bed, madam. We could check it right now if you’d like." Ning-ning responded excitedly. Lijin quickly nodded in agreement.

Having capital to build upon was certainly good news, but just how much would she have?

Even the mere thought of it was thrilling​.