Chapter 10: Giving Advice

Rongguo Mansion, Grandmother Jia’s quarters.

Returning from the school, Grandmother Jia watched the tea leaves rising and falling in her cup, remaining silent for a long time.

As the matriarch with the highest seniority and status in the Jia family, she had never been led by the nose by a junior like this before.

In the past...

Although things were not as they used to be, even when the eldest brother-in-law of the Ning Mansion was still alive, Shen Ning would never have dared to speak to her in such a manner. Her boldness had certainly grown.

Grandmother Jia’s brows knit together involuntarily.

"Old Ancestor, the eldest sister-in-law is clearly targeting our Baoyu!"

Though she had to feign virtue in front of outsiders, once back in her own home, Lady Wang still hoped to put up a fight. "Couldn't you send someone to speak with the eldest brother? Why must the children of our Ning and Rong mansions be forced to attend the clan school?"

Had Shen Ning forgotten that she was still carrying a child in her womb?

"And that 'remembering bitterness and thinking of sweetness' meal—is that something our Baoyu can eat? Our ancestors fought with their lives so that their descendants could live in wealth and luxury, not so that their descendants would have to endure the hardships they suffered back then. For the eldest sister-in-law to do this..."

"Then why didn't you say so at the time?"

If she had spoken up earlier, would she have been led by the nose by a sister-in-law from another branch?

Coming back to her senses, Grandmother Jia looked displeased. "Is there any use in saying it now?"

She was clever enough when it came to scheming against her own kin, but in front of outsiders, her brain seemed to turn to mush, always a beat or two behind.

This was what Grandmother Jia disliked most about her second daughter-in-law. "Don't you know what your eldest brother is like?" If there was something that would make the second branch suffer, he wouldn't just refrain from stopping it; he might even fan the flames.

Glancing at Lady Xing, who was busy studying the patterns on her teacup, Grandmother Jia felt even more stifled.

Come to think of it, she once had a daughter-in-law who could compare to Shen Ning.

Alas...

Grandmother Jia sighed inwardly. "Enough. Baoyu is frail, and I cannot bear to see him suffer. From now on, just push the blame onto me."

She could push the blame, but between Baoyu’s expenses and the donations from the three of them, it would mean an extra thousand taels of expenditure a year.

A thousand taels!

Lady Wang felt so angry and heartbroken that she couldn't help but clutch her chest.

Since the family title was inherited by the eldest branch, she considered all that silver to be rightfully hers.

In fact, her two sons were simply more promising than Jia Lian.

Zhu’er was studying at the Imperial Academy and had the support of his father-in-law, Magistrate Li; he was sure to pass the imperial examinations and become an official. Though Baoyu was young, he was also a promising student. The future of the Jia Mansion would depend on her two sons to uphold its prestige.

For Shen Ning to do this...

Lady Wang was so furious that she went to lie down as soon as she returned to her courtyard.

Lady Xing was no better off.

One hundred taels of silver—her monthly allowance was only twenty taels, so this single demand took away nearly half a year’s worth of her stipend.

Oh, my!

Lady Xing also retreated to her couch, unable to even eat dinner.

Wang Xifeng, however, managed to coax a smile out of the Old Ancestor with Baoyu’s help before returning to her own small courtyard.

"Ping'er, find out which of the maids in the mansion like to gossip."

Fengjie had learned a lesson today. "Some of the maids and matrons over at the Ning Mansion certainly won't be able to escape either."

"Does that mean, Grandmother, that this matter isn't over yet?"

Ping'er had been terrified all day.

"Over?"

Fengjie’s brows furrowed. "Looking at the eldest aunt's demeanor, this is only the beginning of the trouble."

"But the Old Ancestor and the ladies were all unhappy today."

Ping'er whispered.

"...The eldest aunt has already nearly lost her life once; do you think she cares who is unhappy?"

Fengjie sighed. "Just wait. If it isn't handled tonight, there will surely be news by tomorrow."

"Dealing with the maids and matrons shouldn't have anything to do with our Rong Mansion, right?"

"..."

Fengjie shot Ping'er a sidelong glance. "The servants of the two mansions are all interconnected. Once the Ning Mansion's side is moved, given the eldest aunt's temper today, the Rong Mansion definitely won't be spared."

After donating so much silver, neither the Old Ancestor nor her aunt would dare to cross that eldest aunt again over the trivial matters of servants.

"Then we..."

Ping'er thought for a moment. "Should we give a heads-up to the people below?"

"Absolutely not!"

Fengjie had originally wanted to give a warning.

She could command her aunt's people as well.

But...

"The eldest aunt is a shrewd person. She didn't manage things before only because she didn't want to, but not wanting to manage doesn't mean she doesn't know what the people below are like."

Fengjie actually admired that eldest aunt quite a bit. "Sister-in-law You has been managing the household for nearly four years, but look at today—with just one look from the eldest aunt, those maids and matrons knew exactly what they should and shouldn't do.

If you try to pull any tricks at a time like this..."

Fengjie hissed. "You might end up dead without even knowing how."

That eldest aunt was truly capable of taking action.

Look at how clean and decisive she was today; not to mention those who were beaten or punished, even that family that had to pack up and leave probably didn't dare to utter a single word of complaint.

Fengjie felt she should learn from her eldest aunt.

"Let's just keep this between the two of us. As for the rest... we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

In any case, she had been married for less than half a year.

Whatever happened, it shouldn't involve her. "We have the Old Ancestor and the ladies."

If they couldn't handle it, and she stuck her neck out... she might as well be waiting for death!

"Feng'er!"

Jia Lian rushed in, his footsteps hurried. "Quick, come with me to see the Old Ancestor and the ladies."

"What's wrong?"

Fengjie was startled.

The young couple were still in their honeymoon phase, and seeing her husband's face pale and distorted, she feared he had also run into trouble and been beaten. She began checking his backside while she asked.

"Don't ask. The Master is making me go to school too."

What?

Seeing Jia Lian slap his thigh, both Fengjie and Ping'er were stunned.

"Am I the type to study?"

His family held a title; he had absolutely no need to suffer the hardships of schooling!

Jia Lian grabbed Fengjie. "Feng'er, I'm going to cry in front of the Old Ancestor. Do you think it will work?"

Would it work?

Fengjie blinked, suppressing the laughter in her eyes. "I'm afraid not!"

Studying was good; if he were studying, he wouldn't have time to fight her for control of the household.

"The Old Ancestor pities Baoyu and doesn't want him to suffer. You saw it yourself—she didn't want to agree at the time, but she was backed into a corner by the eldest aunt's words, and in the end, she even lost a thousand taels of silver. If you go over there now crying about not wanting to go to school..."

Fengjie thought for a moment. "The Old Ancestor can't bear to be angry at Baoyu, and she can't do anything about the rules that have already been set, so she will inevitably vent her anger on the Master. You know the Master's temper; if he's unhappy, he won't let anyone else be happy, and in the end, you'll be the one who suffers the most."

Jia Lian: "..."

There was no way out.

Jia Lian wanted to cry.

"Be good. Actually, I think that instead of begging the Old Ancestor, you'd be better off going to the eldest aunt."

Go to the eldest aunt?

Jia Lian stared at his wife.

"The school will definitely hire new teachers, but can an outside teacher manage all the affairs of the school?"

A special light shone in Fengjie's eyes. "Even Jiao Da can't do it. So... why don't you talk to the eldest aunt and Brother Zhen about managing all the affairs of the clan school while you study?"

The clan school was flush with money now.

Even before, there was no shortage of silver.

"Or just manage all the affairs of the clan school directly."

Looking at her husband, if he really had to study, he would probably be beaten eight out of every ten days.

Fengjie still felt a bit of pity for him. "If you, the eldest nephew who is an official, go and ask her, the eldest aunt will agree nine times out of ten."