IHOEAYSTTTIW Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Letting a Man Handle the Accounts? I’d Rather Perform Biting a Lighter for You…

Chapter 69: Letting a Man Handle the Accounts? I’d Rather Perform Biting a Lighter for You…

Lin Yan slipped into the Prince’s mansion through his usual back door, changed his clothes, and before he could catch his breath, the mansion’s steward darted in from the doorway: “You’re finally back! His Highness has been thinking of you often.”

Thinking of him often?

Lin Yan looked around, trying to find traces of someone living in the room.

The main room was solemn and imposing but lacked warmth. The so-called “thinking of him often” probably meant going to court during the day, working overtime at night, returning late at night, and asking, “Where is he?”

Lin Yan clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes in disgust.

The steward chuckled nervously, trying desperately to make excuses for Yun Qi: “Recently, there have been quite a few matters in the court…”

“Alright, alright.” Lin Yan imitated the head mistress of a household in a TV series, tapping on the table. “Bring me the mansion’s account books, I’ll take a look.”

Which steward capable of managing affairs in a Prince’s mansion wasn’t a shrewd person? Whether Lin Yan could take charge or handle the accounts could be seen at a glance.

He looked up at Lin Yan and asked again: “You want to see the accounts?”

Lin Yan met the steward’s gaze, his voice without much inflection: “Is there a problem?”

Lin Yan believed his murderous glare was quite intimidating, but it had no deterrent effect at all. The steward lowered his head, trying hard to suppress the laughter in his voice: “No… no.”

Lin Yan tapped on the table again, urging: “Go, bring all the account books for this month over here.”

The steward responded with a yes and exited the room. He waved over a few servants and casually ordered: “Move this month’s accounts over here, the Princess Consort wants to see them.”

The servant smiled wryly: “As you know, the Prince’s mansion has all kinds of detailed and complicated accounts. Which specific ones do you want…”

The steward picked at his nails, his attitude very casual: “Call a few more people, bring them all over.”

Lin Yan waited in the room for a while, and then saw a group of servants carrying a mountain of account books walking in. Endlessly and incessantly, they quickly filled an entire table.

The steward came in with a pen and ink, placed them on the table, and then found the general catalog in the account books, handing it to Lin Yan: “Your Highness, the accounts you requested are all here.”

“So much…” Lin Yan felt a headache just looking at it. He barely managed to maintain his composure, waving his hand at the waiting steward, “You all can go down first, I’ll take my time looking through them.”

The steward bowed and retreated.

Lin Yan picked up the accounts, struggling to decipher them: “This one is for daily expenses, this one is…”

After a stick of incense’s worth of time, Lin Yan finally… gave up.

Everything was in traditional characters, no tables, no Arabic numerals, no calculator… who could understand this?

Lin Yan, having nothing to lose, began to study the patterns on the covers of the account books.

If you change your perspective, the world will become brighter.

Lin Yan quickly found the most special one among the uniform patterns on the account books. He pulled out that booklet, raising his eyebrows at the word “Invitation” on the cover.

The steward had just taken out his pipe from his sleeve when he heard the cheap Prince Consort inside calling him. He reluctantly put away his pipe and put on his previous respectful expression: “Have you finished looking? Is there a problem?”

The steward’s attitude was respectful, but he was very relaxed.

Even those steward grandmothers from noble families who had managed accounts for half their lives couldn’t finish reading these accounts in such a short amount of time, let alone this one. It would be a miracle if he could spot any problems.

Sure enough, Lin Yan didn’t mention the account books at all. He placed the invitation on the table, asking with interest: “Who sent this invitation?”

The steward’s smile froze the moment he saw the invitation. He took the invitation, flipped it over, and replied with difficulty: “It was sent by Minister Li of the Ministry of Personnel, saying that Old Master Li is celebrating his birthday and wants to invite Prince An for a gathering.”

A banquet? A banquet was good.

Lin Yan barely suppressed his eager legs, but the excitement in his voice couldn’t be contained: “What does the Prince think?”

The steward’s smile became even stiffer. He hesitated for a long time, barely squeezing out three words from between his teeth: “As you decide.”

“As I decide, huh.” Lin Yan twirled the invitation in his hand, making a decision with bright eyes, “Then let’s go.”

The banquet was scheduled for that afternoon. With a single word from Lin Yan, the Prince’s mansion’s maids and servants were so busy that their feet barely touched the ground. After a flurry of activity, they finally managed to get Lin Yan onto the carriage on time.

Lin Yan hummed a tune all the way, his mind full of what he could do later.

Banquets were great, he loved banquets the most. Everyone could sing songs, play games, drink a little wine, chat, and then…

Chatting, chatting, and more chatting!!!

Lin Yan played with the melon seeds on the table, utterly bored.

What about the promised singing and dancing? What about the pitch-pot game? Couldn’t they at least sing “Mu Guiying Takes Command”?

What was this? Serving melon seeds, pouring tea, and just chatting.

When would this end? It was so boring…

Lin Yan had no interest in these gossipy topics about this family or that, but somehow the conversation turned to him.

Madam Li raised her teacup, asking with concern: “Is Princess Consort feeling better?”

Lin Yan gave a perfunctory response, his mind elsewhere.

“The Prince is blessed with good fortune, and his relationship with the Princess Consort is so loving, they will surely have many children and grandchildren in the future.”

Lin Yan hummed and hahed, his eyes wandering.

They showered him with flattery, but Lin Yan remained unmoved. Madam Li smiled awkwardly, finally revealing the true purpose of today’s banquet: “My niece is fifteen this year. Ever since she saw Prince An on the street that day, she fell in love at first sight and insists on marrying no one but him.”

Lin Yan’s alarm bells rang, and his gaze towards Madam Li became wary.

The other ladies had been watching Lin Yan’s reaction all along. Seeing that he was a bit unhappy, they quickly smoothed things over: “Sister Li, Prince An and the Princess Consort are newlyweds, you…”

“I know, but my niece… ah, it’s truly embarrassing.” Madam Li sighed, moving closer to Lin Yan and trying her best to promote her niece, “That child is here today as well. Princess Consort and the Prince are of one heart, so I boldly ask you to take a look and see if she suits the Prince’s taste.”

Before Lin Yan could react, Madam Li had already raised her hand and clapped twice, and then the music began.

A group of dancers, moving with light steps, entered in succession. The lead dancer wore a light pink dress embroidered with peach blossoms, her hair styled high and adorned with a jade hairpin. Her dance steps were light and graceful, her glances full of charm.

The ladies’ praises floated into Madam Li’s ears, and a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, unable to hide the pride in her eyes.

After the dance was finished, the dancers bowed and gracefully retreated, leaving only the Li family’s young lady in the hall bowing to Lin Yan: “This humble one greets Princess Consort An.”

“Yinqiao, come over to your aunt’s side.” Madam Li waved to Miss Li, pulling her to her side, “Your Highness, what do you think of my niece?”

As soon as the song and dance started, Lin Yan felt a tightness in his chest, but he couldn’t figure out why, only assuming it was from sitting for too long and a lack of oxygen. Now that this young lady had come closer, Lin Yan only smelled a strong scent of cosmetics, making it even harder for him to breathe.

Seeing that Lin Yan didn’t react, Madam Li cautiously probed: “Your Highness?”

Lin Yan moved backward imperceptibly, giving a random and perfunctory reply: “Not bad, not bad.”

“Not bad” was good enough. Madam Li picked up her teacup to moisten her dry throat, beginning a new round of rambling chatter: “Yinqiao has been well-behaved and sensible since she was little, and her appearance is also very pretty. I was thinking, if she could enter the Prince’s mansion and serve the Prince…”

“This matter isn’t up to me, I still have to ask the Prince’s opinion.” Lin Yan interrupted the spellcasting, getting up to take his leave.

“Of course, of course.” Madam Li wasn’t annoyed, sending Lin Yan out, acting as if she wanted to stuff Miss Li into the carriage as well: “Since Your Highness likes her, why not take my niece back to be a companion?”

Please stop, Master, stop chanting.

Lin Yan moved with the speed of wind, making up a random excuse: “There are many things going on in the Prince’s mansion these days, wait a couple of days…”

The light in Madam Li’s eyes dimmed, but she still didn’t give up: “My niece is most skilled at managing accounts…”

“I’m tired, let’s end it here today.” Lin Yan waved his hand, turning around and getting into the carriage. He didn’t know how they were bowing or seeing him off outside, he just wanted to go back and rest now.

Managing accounts, steward, taking a concubine, was this the life of a human being?

He would go find the National Teacher tomorrow, set up the Nine Stars Linked Pearls Formation the day after, and time-travel back home the day after that. Lin Yan went through all the entertainment he could think of, finally finding a little comfort.

He slumped onto the seat, muttering to himself: “I can’t live this damn life for even a day longer.”

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