Chapter 12: Infighting in the Li Family

As soon as Su Xuanming spoke these words, everyone was struck with shock.

Su Yunting and Su Yanyan’s eyes lit up with such joy that the radiance almost illuminated the dark night.

"Big Brother is finally speaking sense. The right to manage the household should have been given to Mother all along." At the thought of his own stalled plans, Su Yunting wished he could press Jing Niang's head down and force her to agree.

He had truly been possessed by a demon back then; just because Jing Niang had given him a precious sword, he thought she would be a fine sister-in-law.

If time could flow backward, he would definitely smack that sword right into her face!

Thinking of those crushed swallow's nest delicacies, Su Yanyan felt even more strongly that life was best when Mother was in charge.

The jade hairpin Jing Niang gave her was precious, but it couldn't be eaten as food.

Hearing this, Gu Nanxi’s heart skipped a beat in terror.

She had worked so hard to push those tasks away, and now this "great son" of hers was actually trying to pull them all back to her?!

As expected of a boy—always so extroverted. This son of hers was simply beyond saving!

Among everyone present, Jing Niang was the one most devastated.

Jing Niang felt like scratching Su Xuanming's handsome face: "I spent all that silver, toiling away day and night, even making harsh threats—and now you want me to give up so easily?!"

Su Xuanming muttered under his breath, "But, you spent the money, yet we never saw any of it. On the contrary, life has become much harder. You toil away, yet the servants in the manor are like wooden stakes now; they only move if you poke them."

Su Xuanming leaned closer to Jing Niang, coaxing her gently, "What does making threats matter? I often tell Grandmother and Mother that I intend to become the top scholar in the future. But with my grades, I'll be lucky to even pass as a scholar."

Jing Niang's face flushed red with anger. This Su Xuanming was like a chicken rib—tasteless to eat, yet a pity to discard!

However, her entire family had invested too much in him.

If she truly fell out with Su Xuanming, all those investments would go down the drain!

Gritting her teeth, Jing Niang said firmly, "Impossible! Your mother has looked down on me from the start. If I back down now, even if I enter the family later, what kind of good life could I possibly have?"

Su Xuanming, however, said with great confidence, "My mother doesn't say it, but I am the one she loves most. Once you enter the family, you will be the First Madam. With Mother's affection extending to those I love, who could possibly mistreat you?"

Jing Niang felt that Su Xuanming wasn't a chicken rib; he was a complete blockhead!

He knew nothing about the struggles between women!

He had no idea that his mother was an incredibly ruthless and capable character!

"Impossible! Having come this far, I cannot give up. Regarding the IOUs, I will resolve half of them for you; you'll have to find a way to deal with the rest yourself."

With that, Jing Niang turned and left.

Hiding behind a rock, Su Yunting snorted. This big brother had no self-awareness; the one Mother doted on most was clearly him! If he so much as coughed, Mother would immediately drop everything to be by his side.

Su Yanyan also pouted. The one Mother valued most was clearly her! She was even given the *Thirty-Six Stratagems*!

Lying on a bamboo chair, Gu Nanxi sneered. *Hah, doting on that piece of burnt charcoal Su Xuanming? The one she clearly loves most is Jing Niang! Look how considerate Jing Niang is, managing the household despite the pressure; she's far more considerate than these children.*

Since nothing changed other than watching the spectacle, the mother and children took their leave.

Returning home in a huff, Jing Niang intended to vent her grievances to Old Man Li, only to be backstabbed by her own family's decision.

Jing Niang said in disbelief, "What?! Give up?! On what grounds?"

Big Brother Li slammed the account book down with a loud thud. "On the grounds that the family is almost out of money! For the past half month, the medicinal herb shop hasn't seen a single cent of income. Even the common folk have run to Tongji Hall. All of this is because you insisted on that lavish funeral!"

Once this topic was raised, Big Brother Li had plenty to say: "I told you back then not to make a scene at their door. Even if you had to make a scene, there was no need to set up a ceremonial pavilion. You should only take on what you can handle. Our family cannot compare to the Marquis of Yongchang; we should have just managed things simply."

"But you insisted on saving face, fearing they would look down on you after you entered the family, and you ended up throwing more than half our family fortune into it."

Jing Niang retorted, "You all agreed to it at the time."

Sister-in-law Li chimed in weakly from the side, "We didn't know back then that the Marchioness was such a formidable character. I truly thought she was a living Bodhisattva; I wasted my everlasting lamp on her."

Jing Niang snorted and crossed her arms. "So what if she is formidable? Her son will still marry me, and the management of the Marquis's household will still be in my hands! No matter how much cunning she has, how can she break this deadlock?"

"I am not afraid of idle gossip. She cares about the reputation of the Yongchang Marquis Estate even more than I do!"

Setbacks make one stronger. Jing Niang felt that after enduring this period of rumors, her heart, which had long since become as hard as iron, could no longer be shaken by anything!

In the next second, Old Man Li's words shattered her resolve.

Smoking his pipe, Old Man Li spoke gloomily, "These past few days, I've been bribing Mother Xing every day, and I finally pried the truth out of that old hag. Guess why the Marchioness gave you the management rights and the Old Marchioness didn't object?"

Old Man Li took a long drag of smoke and exhaled slowly. "Because for all these years, the Yongchang Marquis Estate has only been prosperous on the surface; it has been surviving entirely on the Marchioness's dowry."

Jing Niang's pupils shrank violently as she murmured, "That's impossible!"

"Jing Niang, setting aside whether the family's money can last until your wedding—even if you do marry, can you produce a dowry as large as the Marchioness's?"

Old Man Li seemed to sink into a distant memory. "The Marchioness was raised at the knee of the Grand Empress Dowager. When she married, she had her own dowry, and the Grand Empress Dowager gave her another. Even the current Empress Dowager added to it."

"That grand wedding procession was something not seen for decades. The dowry chests were overflowing, and the porters' footsteps were heavy and powerful. I still remember that scene vividly."

In just one day, Old Man Li seemed to have aged a decade. "Jing Niang, they gave you a chance before to withdraw gracefully, but you refused. Now, she merely dug a small pit, and you've thrown our entire Li family fortune into it. If you continue to be obstinate, will we have to sacrifice the lives of the whole family?"

Sister-in-law Li suddenly fell to her knees at Jing Niang's feet. "Jing Niang, I beg you. I am three months pregnant. For the sake of your unborn nephew, please leave our family a way to survive."

Big Brother Li added, "Two-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere. If you are determined not to marry anyone but Su Dalang, then go become a concubine. He is devoted to you; even as a concubine, he certainly won't mistreat you."

Jing Niang's lips curled into a bitter smile.

This was her family—when they saw profit, they urged her to charge forward. When things went wrong, it all became her fault.

"I, Li Ningjing, will never be a concubine in this life! I will not give up!" Jing Niang was glad she had been cautious and had secretly saved a significant amount of money in a money shop.

Old Man Li said indifferently, "That is not up to you. That money of yours in the money shop will serve as compensation to the family."

(End of Chapter)