Chapter 143: Shopping with Shi Yumei (2/2)

“Big Sister, please wait a moment while I ask for someone to prepare the carriage. When the carriage is prepared, I will request for the person to inform Big Sister.” Sang Wan smiled and said.

“Okay,” Shi Yumei nodded, “Then hurry up, I don’t have the patience!”

“Yumei!” Wang Shi tutted at her.

“Mother! I’ve always been direct with my words, isn’t everyone used to it all these years!” Shi Yumei spoke to her mother like a spoiled child.

“Big Sister says what she thinks; a straightforward person!” Sang Wan smiled and said.

“Hmph, that’s right. I really hate those who are indirect and play word games. If someone offends me, they can’t blame me for not giving them any chance!”

Sang Wan laughed but did not reply. She bade farewell before leaving to give the instruction. After all, she and Shi Yumei had never clicked well together and she had already stopped expecting it to happen.

Sang Wan instructed Zhide to prepare a carriage, while she returned to Ning Garden to have a change of clothes. After putting on a pink fur coat and combing her hair, she inserted two bright jade hairpins and wore her head accessory beforetying a red mantle embroidered with lotus flowers.

“Check how much money we have left,” Sang Wan instructed Liu Ya. That was the most important thing.

Liu Ya took a small box over, and her expression seemed a little upset. She smiled bitterly and said, “Mistress, this is all we have. There only four hundred silvers!”

Sang Wan head immediately ached.

After seeing the extent of the Shi family’s wealth, even Liu Ya used the word “only” when speaking about four hundred silvers, let alone Shi Yumei. With this little money, it might not be enough for the things Shi Yumei was going to choose.

However, Sang Wan only had that much silver on hand. Every month, she would receive twenty silvers, but she had to spend about eleven or twelve silvers on rewarding the servants. That left her with seven to eight silvers to save. Her servants, the headservants, and nannies sometimes came to pay respects to her, but none would give her any money. After all, there was no way their amount of money would be more than the Shi family’s. It might well be peanuts in their young mistress’ eyes! Who would have the face to give her money? Thus, they expressed their gratitude by gifting everything else other than money.

As a result, she had plenty of fresh fruits, desserts, dishes, perfume, makeup, embroidery, and handmade shoes and socks. She could not possibly exchange them for money, people would laugh their teeth out if she really did that!

Consequently, the poorest in the entire household might actually be Sang Wan, the Shi family’s Young MIstress. Luckily, Shi Fengju would sometimes give her some allowance, and that was how she was able to save a few hundred silvers.

Now, what should she do?

If they were out shopping, Shi Yumei definitely would not use her own money— even if she did want to, Sang Wan simply could not let her do so. Otherwise, her mother-in-law would definitely not be happy if she knew about it!

Both the master and servant were deeply troubled.

“Oh, Young Mistress, what’s wrong?” Amused at the sight of them, Nanny Li asked curiously.

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“Eldest Missy asked Mistress to accompany her out to shop. Mistress is worried about the money!” Liu Ya said without any thought.

Sang Wan could not stop her in time and could only smile. She said in embarrassment, “Who knew that I’d be so poor. Big Sister will surely laugh at me if I cannot afford something decent for her!”

She was more afraid that Shi Yumei would not believe her and thought of her as a miser.

“What’s there to worry about!” Nanny Li laughed and said, “Young Mistress, you’re thinking too much! You are the Young Mistress of our Shi family; which shopkeeper would dare to take your money? Regardless what caught her eye, there’s no need for you to worry. Just ask the shopkeeper to put it on the Shi family’s tab. The servants from the shop will bring the bill directly to Young Master themselves!”

Nanny Li smiled again and said, “In this old servant’s opinion, Young Mistress is too down-to-earth! If Young Mistress has no money, why not ask from Young Master? It is an indisputable logic for you to use Young Master’s money!”

“…” Sang Wan just ignored that last sentence and smiled, “Then I really don’t have to worry!”

Liu Ya also let out a huge sigh of relief. She closed the box and said, “Then this maidservant will put this back properly. There won’t be any need to bring this around anymore!”

“Bringing it along will be better!” Sang Wan quickly added, “Just in case we have to use it!”

“Then, bringing half will do,” Liu Ya was still very careful with her mistress’ money. She said painstakingly, “This is all of Young Mistress’ savings, it shouldn’t be emptied just like this! Not talking about anything else, but Young Mistress will have to give out big red packets too during the new year!”

When that was mentioned, Nanny Li and Sang Wan both laughed out loud.

After the carriage was ready and was about to set off, Shi Yumei did not forget to add a few sentences like “Why are you so slow!”, “I’ve waited for a long while already!”. Sang Wan just let the words pass by without feeling offended. With this sister-in-law whose star clashed with hers, she felt that she could not afford to be angry.

Shi Lian had a good temper and was smiling the whole time. She had a demure composure and there was no trace of anger on her.

Shi Yumei felt it was no longer interesting after grumbling a few more sentences, and shut her mouth unhappily. She rested against the wall of the carriage and secretly regretted not asking Gu Fangzi to come along.