Entrusted with the management of the household under the guise of a reward, the real intention was for her to clean up the mess.
Truly a case of killing two birds with one stone. Feng Jin couldn't help but admire Old Master Ling's astuteness; he had schemed against everyone, yet remained untouched himself.
"The debt to the rice shop alone is five hundred taels, and to the cloth shop, one thousand taels..."
Feng Jin had only mentioned some of the overt debts, totaling five thousand taels. The hidden accounts had yet to be calculated.
"The accounts show only one thousand taels remaining. Your household has hundreds of people, accustomed to delicacies. Just the food alone costs a hundred taels."
Having too many people was truly not a good thing.
Why did they give birth to so many children when they had nothing to do? If they have more, they can't afford to raise them.
Feng Jin cast a contemptuous glance at Ling Mo Han.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Ling Mo Han felt uncomfortable under her gaze, which made him a little flustered.
"I'm just wondering if your Ling family people are so bored that they spend their days having children. So many of them, over a hundred people, and they can't even afford to eat."
Feng Jin's gaze was filled with disdain. How could she get rid of this hot potato?
The shops and estates under the Ling family were all operating at a loss, with very few making a profit.
Ling Mo Han's face turned ashen. This girl had no filter on her mouth. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Since Grandfather has handed over the reins of management to you, it means he trusts you. Just do what you need to do."
"You're speaking nonsense. With no money, and a whole family waiting to eat, where am I supposed to buy food?"
Ling Mo Han was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he said, "I have some properties under my name. You can manage them as well."
"You're truly selfless. Your little bit of money is more than enough to cover the deficit, but you can't expect to eat for free and live for free so easily."
Feng Jin said coldly, her mind already formulating a plan.
Old Master Ling had four sons and one daughter. His daughter had already married, and the fourth son roamed the world, not residing in the mansion.
Years ago, Old Master Ling had presided over a family division. The Ling mansion and its assets had all been allocated to the eldest son's main branch. The second and third branches had moved out, but they had stubbornly refused to leave. Over time, the matter had been dropped.
Now that she was in charge, there would be no more freeloading.
"Since you are managing the household, you can handle all matters as you see fit," Ling Mo Han said after a pause. "Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival. According to tradition, there will be a palace banquet tonight. You will accompany me to the palace tonight."
"Young General, I am a country girl and do not know the rules of the palace. If I disgrace your Ling household, I'd rather not go."
"The Empress Dowager specifically requested that you attend the palace with me."
Feng Jin nearly spat out her rice. The Empress Dowager had specifically requested her presence.
She had no memory of the Empress Dowager at all.
"Don't you know that your maternal grandmother was sworn sisters with the current Empress Dowager and the old madam of Pingyang Marquisate?"
Feng Jin tried hard to recall anything about the Empress Dowager, but her mind was blank. "My mother never told me these things, so naturally, I don't know."
After all, the original owner's mother had died young, so no one would suspect anything.
"Do you truly not know?" Ling Mo Han asked with suspicion in his voice.
"Of course, I don't know. My mother died when I was young, and my heartless father sent me to the countryside. No one would tell me these things."
Ling Mo Han's suspicion gradually disappeared. "Your maternal grandfather is the current Grand Tutor He Wen, and your maternal grandmother is the only daughter of the Duke of Ning. You also have an uncle, He Hong, who is currently the prefect of Jizhou. I received news that your uncle will be coming to the capital for his annual report soon."
Feng Jin had a rough outline in her mind. So her mother's background was so impressive, yet she still suffered betrayal from her husband and died of grief.
Truly, a good hand played poorly. With such powerful backing, she still had to rely on a man.
"Why do you have such a regretful expression?"
Ling Mo Han had been observing Feng Jin's expression since the beginning. After he finished speaking, she sighed repeatedly with a face full of regret.
"I just feel my mother was too foolish. With her status, she could have been an empress. Instead, she fell in love with Feng Yuan Ping, who had just achieved the third rank in the imperial examination, and ended up ruining herself."
Feng Yuan Ping and He Miao Qing's meeting was a calculation; he only used her as a stepping stone to advance his career.
After Grand Tutor He died and the He family lost power, He Hong was sent away. Feng Yuan Ping impatiently brought Sun Shi and his illegitimate daughter into the household, making them legitimate.
Sun Shi, who had a childhood sweetheart relationship with Feng Yuan Ping, was immediately doted upon after entering the household.
He Miao Qing was cast aside. Having grown up under the protection of her parents, He Miao Qing was no match for Sun Shi.
After several schemes by Sun Shi, Feng Yuan Ping completely grew to detest He Miao Qing, stripped her of her household management rights, and confined her to her room.
Suffering the loss of both parents and betrayal from her husband, He Miao Qing spent her days lamenting her fate and regretting her choices. She even lost the child she was carrying. During childbirth, both mother and child died, leaving only the young orphan Feng Jin.
Six months after He Miao Qing's death, Feng Yuan Ping officially made Sun Shi his wife.
Everything in the Feng family fell under Sun Shi's control.
The young Feng Jin was sent to the countryside by Sun Shi, under the pretense of being a harbinger of misfortune who cursed her mother and father.
In the countryside, she suffered constant bullying and beatings, often not knowing where her next meal would come from.
Memories of this period flashed through Feng Jin's mind, and bitter tears trickled down her eyes.
Feng Jin's heart was filled with sadness at this moment; these were the emotions of the original owner.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just remembered past events and felt a bit sad."
Feng Jin shook her head. Sharing the same body, Feng Jin could clearly feel the original owner's emotions.
'Don't worry, I will avenge you,' Feng Jin vowed silently in her heart.
'Thank you. Please avenge me and clear my mother's name. She harmed my mother. I have to go now.'
A voice suddenly sounded in Feng Jin's mind, and then it disappeared in an instant.
It had been over half a year since she transmigrated into this body, and this was the first time the original owner's consciousness had appeared.
When she said "I have to go now..." did she mean she was disappearing completely?
Feng Jin placed her hand on her chest and silently vowed, 'Don't worry, I will avenge you.'
In the evening, Ling Mo Han and Feng Jin set off for the Empress's palace.
Inside the carriage, Feng Jin kept pressing her neck. The crown Cai Qing had brought her that evening weighed several pounds. Her neck was about to break. The thought of wearing it for an entire evening gave her a headache.
Usually, wearing a hairpin on her head felt troublesome; now, she was almost in agony.
And this dress, with its three layers upon three layers, made it difficult to walk.
Feng Jin had just taken off a hairpin and was rubbing her scalp, which was about to be pierced, when Cai Qing snatched it away.