mesbooks Chapter 162 A rare opportunity
Chapter 162 A rare opportunity
Lou Yulan was about to start, but Qin Xuerong's eyes turned and she immediately said, "Wait."
Everyone's eyes fell on her, confused.
Qin Xuerong's eyes fell on Shen Youran who was standing beside her, and she said in a gentle voice, "Youran has learned how to manage a household from mother before, so why not take this opportunity to compete with Sister Lan and discuss it."
Hearing this, Zhang from the second house almost tore the handkerchief in her hand into pieces.
She knew that Qin Xuerong was not holding her fart well!
Youran is her eldest daughter, and all affairs in the Shen Mansion are handed over to Qin Xuerong, which she has always been dissatisfied with.
After complaining to the old lady for a long time, the old lady simply agreed to let her take Ran Jie'er to her side and raise her personally for a few years.
Therefore, Shen Youran followed the old lady and did learn housekeeping for a few years, and it can even be said that he learned it well.
It’s just that Lou Yulan learned the accounting skill from the palace and was praised by Princess Fu. How can my sister compare to her?
This Qin Xuerong clearly wants to use her own daughter as a stepping stone. How hateful!
"Sister-in-law, our sister Ran has only learned to manage the family for a few years, how can she compare to sister Lan?"
Qin Xuerong said in a gentle voice: "Although Youran has not been studying for a long time, she was brought up by mother. Mother has praised Sister Ran for her precocity and hard work. Even if she cannot compare with Sister Lan's ability, she may be able to gain something and make further progress."
Zhang was very angry and wanted to say something else, but then she heard Madam Shen say, "What Xuerong said does make some sense. In that case, Youran, you should give it a try. It doesn't matter if you lose."
Mrs. Shen spoke, and even though Zhang was reluctant, she had to agree.
Shen Youran stood up, stood aside, and said respectfully: "Yes."
The servants quickly brought another identical table and prepared the same abacus. Qin Xuerong happened to have two copies of the account books in her hands, so the two of them sat in front of the table separately.
Nanny Wang stepped forward to light the incense, and Old Madam Shen said in a deep voice, "Let's get started."
Shen Shuyi looked at the two of them calmly. She actually had a good impression of Shen Youran.
Strictly speaking, Shen Youran is not pretty, but she did not inherit Zhang's arrogance and cunningness. Instead, she looks like a lady from a noble family with excellent manners.
She had met her several times before, and although she was not familiar with her, she felt that she was a gentle and polite person.
Shen Youran flipped through the accounts, but did not use the abacus immediately. Instead, he checked with a pen and in his mind for a while before starting to use the abacus, and his speed was not fast.
On the other side, Lou Yulan sat upright at the table, with her posture straight, placing the account books and abacus to be checked on both sides in front of her.
Her two hands worked in perfect harmony. With one hand she quickly flipped through the accounts, page after page, pausing only for a moment. With the other hand, her fingers flew, making the beads on the abacus clatter.
Just by listening to the frequency, it is much faster than Shen Youran's.
Looking at this scene, a smile appeared in Qin Xuerong's eyes.
She had just thought of letting Shen Youran get involved in this matter. Since the master was not satisfied with Lan Jie'er monopolizing the limelight, she would push someone out to share some of the attention.
After all, Shen Youran is actually quite capable. Even if she cannot compare to Lan Jie'er, she will not lose too badly.
In this way, the Shen family can regain some face, and the master will be happy to see it.
Besides, Zhang had always been at odds with her. In that case, it was no wonder that she was killing two birds with one stone and dampening her spirit!
Time passed quickly, and soon everyone saw that Shen Youran's account book had not even turned over one-third, but Lou Yulan's account book had already reached the bottom.
Soon after, Lou Yulan slowly stopped, wrote down the calculated accounts on paper, and presented it to Old Madam Shen.
Madam Shen took it, looked at it, and nodded slowly: "It's really good."
Since it's a competition, we have to wait until Shen Youran finishes.
Shen Youran was not disturbed and continued to calculate seriously. Half an hour later, Shen Youran stopped and stood up: "I have failed my grandmother's trust. I am not as skilled as Miss Lou. I have to count now."
Madam Shen smiled and said, "Don't be so modest. It didn't take you long. Besides, everyone has their own strengths. It's not easy for you to achieve this."
Obviously, Old Madam Shen had some affection for Shen Youran.
Shen Youran said in a gentle voice: "After checking, I calculated that the monthly silver given to the servants in the mansion is a total of 2,560 taels."
Old Madam Shen smiled and showed everyone the amount that Lou Yulan had written down earlier: "You calculated it well. You and Sister Lan both calculated exactly."
Qin Guiqiong said quickly, "It's the old lady who taught me well. Before Lan Jie'er learned the palace's arithmetic from her mother, she was far less accurate and faster than Youran. She took advantage of the palace's master."
In one sentence, he complimented the Shen family. Shen Jingchuan's expression improved a lot and he nodded in agreement.
Shen Qinghuan couldn't help but ask, "Is the palace's algorithm so powerful? How could my cousin figure it out so quickly?"
Zhang also said: "Miss Lou is really amazing. Not only did she calculate exactly, but she also spent only a cup of tea. The girls in our Shen Mansion really can't match her skills."
Qin Xuerong smiled and said, "I invited my sister and Lan Jie'er here today because we are in-laws after all. The children will eventually marry and learn to run a household, so they might as well learn this great skill."
Hearing this, Zhang's eyes lit up a little, and she subconsciously asked, "Are you really willing to teach our daughter of the Shen family the account checking method that was passed down in the palace?"
Qin Guiqiong smiled and said, "Why not? My sister told me about this before I came here. However, this method is difficult to learn. It requires some spirituality and talent, and it requires hard work. So how much you can learn depends entirely on your luck."
Seeing Qin Guiqiong agree, the smile on Zhang's face immediately became more sincere.
Old Madam Shen also smiled more and said in a gentle voice: "It's hard for Xuerong to be so thoughtful and for Auntie to be so generous. These children are really blessed."
Shen Jingchuan also nodded, and the unhappiness he felt towards Lou Zhengtao in his heart also dissipated.
"In that case, you guys should study hard with Sister Lan. If there is anything you don't understand, go and ask your aunt."
Shen Jingchuan spoke in a deep voice, and then started chatting with Lou Zhengtao next to him again.
Shen Qinghuan, Shen Meiru, Shen Youran and several girls from the second room all gathered around Lou Yulan to seek advice.
Several young girls were gathered around the table in the front hall, chatting with each other. It was, I have to say, a very pleasing sight to the eye.
Lou Yulan did not hide her knowledge and taught seriously. She was not only gentle and patient, but also answered every question.
After a while, she raised her eyes and looked in the direction of Shen Shuyi. She saw that she was the only girl sitting in the front hall without moving. She hesitated for a moment, wondering how to start the conversation.
The next moment, Qin Xuerong said, "Sister Yi, you've always said that you wanted to learn how to be the head of a household. Now that this is a rare opportunity, why don't you come over and learn it seriously?"