During the rainy season, the rain continued to fall incessantly. After finishing breakfast, the two of them went to the front yard to pay respects to the elderly lady.
As usual, Zi Yun held an umbrella for Jing Xiu, walking ahead, while Li Ling walked a distance behind, holding his own umbrella.
Inside the Anxi Hall, Aunt Guo from the second household and the third miss were present.
The couple paid their respects to the elderly lady and Aunt Guo before sitting down beside them.
In the room, there were only the elderly lady, Aunt Guo, the third miss, and Li Ling and Jing Xiu. However, Jing Xiu felt that the atmosphere was strange.
The elderly lady seemed unhappy today, Aunt Guo appeared awkward, and even the usually lively third miss was surprisingly quiet.
After sitting silently for a while, Aunt Guo found an excuse to leave.
Jing Xiu accompanied the elderly lady in idle conversation and then left the Anxi Hall with Li Ling.
After everyone dispersed, the elderly lady leaned back in her chair, her expression becoming increasingly gloomy.
Xu Mama, who was by her side, quickly approached and handed her a cup of ginseng tea, advising, “You should know the temperament of the second daughter-in-law by now. Don’t let her get to you. Your health is more important.”
The elderly lady took the tea, took a sip, and sighed, placing it aside. She said, “This Guo is truly a hopeless case. She’s already a grandmother herself, yet she remains so foolish. She spends her days playing these petty tricks with her daughter-in-law, as if she’s not afraid of being laughed at.”
Xu Mama advised, “The younger generation will have their own blessings and misfortunes. I suggest you take care of yourself and let them make a fuss on their own.”
“I would love to let go and not bother, but can I really do that? Let’s talk about what she did, bringing the eldest son to live with her. If she were a sensible person, I wouldn’t interfere in these matters. But she’s just clueless, how can she raise the child properly?”
“She just dotes on her grandson, there’s no ill intention.”
The elderly lady snorted and said, “Doting on her grandson? After thirty years of being her mother-in-law, I should know her well. She’s just doing everything she can to prevent the eldest daughter-in-law from being happy.”
The elderly lady took a deep breath, her anger rising. She scolded, “For the sake of her own selfish desires, she even used a three-year-old child as a pawn. What kind of person does that?”
Xu Mama saw the elderly lady becoming more and more upset and quickly changed the topic to something she liked to hear, saying, “The second daughter-in-law is also half a mistress now. Her temperament can’t be changed. Luckily, both daughters-in-law are sensible. The prosperous days of Marquis Zhen’s Mansion are still ahead of us.”
Xu Mama had been with the elderly lady her whole life and understood her temperament the best.
Indeed, as soon as these words were spoken, the elderly lady’s anger subsided slightly. She turned and asked, “Did Ling return yesterday?”
Xu Mama quickly replied, “Yes, he did. I heard that yesterday, the second madam accompanied the first madam to a banquet, and the crown prince personally went to pick them up.”
The elderly lady was genuinely surprised upon hearing this, and a smile appeared on her face. She said, “Heavens, marrying a wife really changes a person, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right. I never expected our young master, who always appears cold, to be so doting.”
The elderly lady nodded in satisfaction and sighed, “A loving couple is the key to a prosperous family!”
Recalling about how her eldest son and daughter-in-law quarreled like enemies, how the once mighty eldest son’s health had declined before fifty. Then thinking of her second son who was hounded to an early grave by his wife, the old lady felt even more saddened.
A couple in discord, the great building will collapse.
Xu Mama saw the sadness in the elderly lady and knew that she must have recalled something heartbreaking. She consoled her, saying, “One generation is withered, another is joyful. You didn’t have a good daughter-in-law, but in your old age, the heavens have bestowed upon you two wonderful daughters-in-law as compensation.”
The elderly lady looked at Xu Mama with a knowing smile and thought of her eldest grandson. She said, “I thought the second son would have more backbone, but I didn’t expect him to give in after just two nights in the study.”
Xu Mama laughed heartily and said, “Our young master has a stubborn temperament. Now, he has finally found someone who can tame him.”
After leaving the Anxi Hall, Li Ling said he had something to attend to and left the estate.
He was someone who couldn’t stay idle. In her previous life, she had spent five years with him and never saw him peacefully resting at home for a day. It was already a rare occurrence for him to sleep in for an extra hour this morning.
Jing Xiu walked back with Zi Yun, but the third miss caught up to them from behind.
Jing Xiu stopped and asked, “Where are you going?”
The third miss gasped for breath and replied, “Didn’t you say last time that you would take me out to get clothes? When are we going?”
Last time, Jing Xiu had casually mentioned it to appease her, but she didn’t expect the third miss to take it to heart.
It wasn’t a big deal, so Jing Xiu smiled and responded, “Whenever you’re free, I’ll take you.”
“How about today then?” The third miss looked at Jing Xiu and smiled, saying, “Sister-in-law, do you have any plans for today?”
“I don’t have anything in particular. I was just wondering if I should inform grandmother before taking you out.”
“I already told grandmother yesterday, saying that I wanted you to take me to get clothes when you have time, and she agreed.”
Jing Xiu hesitated and said, “Then let me go and inform grandmother. We’ll go today.”
The third miss came over and held Jing Xiu’s arm, saying, “Sister-in-law, please don’t go. Grandmother is still angry.”
Jing Xiu had just paid respects to the elderly lady and also noticed her displeasure today, so she asked, “Why is grandmother angry?”
The third miss held onto Jing Xiu’s arm and walked towards Qingfeng Garden. She replied, “She’s angry with Second Aunt again. I heard it’s because grandmother was checking the accounts yesterday and found a significant deficit.”
The third sister-in-law sneered, “The second aunt manages all the accounts in the manor. She must have taken the money to support some poor relative from her maiden family again. Grandmother was furious, saying she would punish the second aunt by making her stay at the family’s ancestral hall for a while to reflect before allowing her to return.”
She was somewhat familiar with this second aunt. The woman had little knowledge and naturally a timid disposition. Though she engaged in embezzlement, she would never dare to be too greedy.
The account checking was just an excuse – the real intent was to send her to the ancestral hall.
Once she went to the ancestral hall, the eldest grandson would naturally return to Xu Wanning’s side.
The true reason for the old lady’s anger was her resentment that the second aunt had taken away Xu Wanning’s eldest son. This was just an excuse to punish her. If she directly demanded the second aunt return the son to Xu Wanning, the second aunt would never dare refuse. But she would definitely realize Xu Wanning had complained to the old lady, and subject her daughter-in-law to even worse mistreatment in the future.
It was evident the old lady had put in a lot of effort for the sake of her eldest grandson and granddaughter-in-law.
(End of chapter)