On New Year's Eve, Madam Chu had her four children and family dinner together.

With nowhere else to go, Madam Chu invited her over.

When Zhu Cui excitedly recounted Sheng Lingtian's miserable state, Meiniang laughed so hard she almost fell over.

"Hmph! What goes around comes around! I think Sheng Lingtian's misfortune is definitely getting its comeuppance. Who told him to treat his master like that..."

"I think so too. You didn't see the general's condition. He was wrapped in bandages all over his body. He looked terrible! Tsk tsk tsk... It was truly... satisfying!"

Zhu Cui echoed her with a smile.

Seeing the two of them so excited, Chu's lips curled into a pleased smile.

She would have burst out laughing if the children hadn't been there...

After all, no matter how bad Sheng Lingtian is, he is still their father. It's not appropriate for her to gloat in front of the children!

Mrs. Chu carefully observed the expressions on her children's faces.

Sheng Wenjin remained indifferent, sitting there pouring himself a drink. He only occasionally glanced up at them, his eyes detached, as if looking at strangers, devoid of any emotion.

Sheng Wenze smiled broadly, seemingly quite pleased that his own father was in trouble.

Sheng Wenyu focused on removing fish bones from Sheng Wanwan's bones and showed little reaction when he heard that Sheng Lingtian was injured.

As for Sheng Wanwan, she listened to the commotion with a smile on her face while happily eating the fish that Sheng Wenyu had picked out for her.

Seeing this scene, Chu felt a pang of heartache.

Sigh! They're all children who never experienced fatherly love...

After chatting and laughing happily over their New Year's Eve dinner at Dongyuan, they went to the courtyard to set off fireworks.

The Chu family was wealthy, and their children loved to play. So every year at the end of the year, they would prepare a lot of fireworks.

After the meal, Madam Chu gave all the children lucky money, including Meiniang and Zhucui.

She watched these two grow up, and in her heart, they are like her children.

Meiniang and Zhucui smiled broadly as they received their New Year's money.

Then, Madam Chu gave each of the servants in the East Garden ten taels of silver as New Year's money. After they happily received the money, they gathered together to set off fireworks.

Brilliant fireworks illuminated the sky above Dongyuan, their vibrant colors lighting up the entire dark heavens and reflecting the joyful scene of everyone in Dongyuan exchanging New Year's greetings.

As Chu Shi gazed at the dazzling fireworks display filling the garden, a slight smile curved her lips, her eyes sparkling like stars.

...

While the East Garden was bustling with activity, the other courtyards of the General's Mansion were gloomy.

The old master and matriarch of the Sheng family were naturally not happy to see their most promising son in such a state.

He barely ate a few bites of the New Year's Eve dinner before ordering the table to be cleared away.

At this moment, seeing the fireworks blooming in the East Garden, everyone looked unhappy.

"Hmph! This Chu woman is living a carefree life. Even with Ling Tian in this state, she still has the mind to set off fireworks!"

Judging by this, I bet all the servants in the courtyard are going to join in!

"You really don't know how to manage money! Wouldn't it be better to use that money to support your in-laws? It's truly unfilial!"

Old Madam Chu spoke angrily, growing angrier the more she thought about it, wishing she could immediately rush to Chu's courtyard and give Chu a good scolding.

"That's right! Mother! There are so many children in the manor, and she bought fireworks but didn't share them with them. She doesn't consider herself a member of the Sheng family at all!"

The second wife of the Sheng family also complained. You see, before Mu Rou'er came, every year during the New Year, Madam Chu would not only distribute these expensive fireworks to the children in each courtyard to play with, but also provide each courtyard with new clothes, jewelry, and New Year's money.

They didn't need to worry about anything for the New Year; the Chu family would take care of everything perfectly.

But this year, there's nothing...

She was angry just looking at how luxurious and bustling the East Garden was!

"Hmph! You're only just realizing it? The Chu family is unfilial! And stingy!"

Hearing Madam Sheng's words, Old Madam Sheng became even angrier...

"Mother! Why did you hand over the management of the household to a concubine? If you hadn't taken away Chu Shi's management, we wouldn't have been living such a miserable life these past two years!"

Although the Emperor has bestowed two profitable shops upon our family, look at that Aunt Mu! She has absolutely no manners! She didn't prepare anything for us for the New Year! She's nothing like how generous and considerate she was when Madam Chu was in charge!"

The third wife of the Sheng family couldn't help but complain.

She really didn't know what her mother-in-law and older brother were thinking.

Aunt Mu's family was not as prominent as the Chu family's. After Aunt Mu took over the household, the various courtyards went hungry for a while!

The mother-in-law never said a bad word about Aunt Mu.

She knew her mother-in-law better than anyone, and this whole affair was suspicious.

"Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask!"

Old Madam Chu rolled her eyes at Madam Sheng and said coldly.

"Fine, we won't ask. Anyway, in this family, Mother only favors the eldest son's family! We, the second and third sons, know nothing and can't participate in anything!"

Madam Sheng made a sarcastic remark.

She had long known that there was a secret in the family, and that her parents-in-law and elder brother must be hiding something from them.

Isn't this a case of not treating their second and third wives as family at all?

"Second brother, third brother, do you two think the same way?"

When Madam Sheng heard her third daughter-in-law say that, her face immediately darkened...

"No, Mother! Without our eldest brother, we wouldn't be where we are today. Both of our branches of the family are supported by our eldest brother, and my second brother and I both know that. But Mother, we brothers are also part of the Sheng family, and you can't just keep everything from us!"

"Yes, Mother, we are very grateful to our eldest brother! But Mother, we are family after all, can you be honest with us? Why do you always favor one concubine?"

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