Chapter Fifty-One: The Domineering Wife

Sun was completely shocked, her emotions showing, her face revealing her undisguised reluctance.

Upon seeing this, Meng Dongyuan immediately frowned and asked with displeasure, "Madam, are you unwilling?"

Coming to her senses, Sun stammered in the face of her husband and mother-in-law's domineering attitude, "Husband, this...this dowry is my personal property, how...how can you make me use my dowry to make up for it?"

Hearing the reluctance in her words, Old Madam Meng's face darkened, and she retorted, "Madam Sun, now that you've married into the Yongchang Marquis's Mansion, you're a member of the Yongchang Marquis's Mansion. How can you speak like two different people when you're family?"

Sun choked up, thinking to herself that Zhou had also married into the Yongchang Marquis's Mansion and was also a member of the Yongchang Marquis's Mansion. How could Zhou's dowry be allowed to be taken away by that little slut Meng Jinyao?

After all, she was the woman he had married despite his father's pressure. Seeing Sun's aggrieved expression, Meng Dongyuan softened his tone: "Madam, this is out of necessity. Once our Yongchang Marquisate is restored, we will definitely compensate you. If we have to draw money from the manor, our family will be even more strapped for cash."

Sun remained silent, but considering that she was a daughter-in-law of the Meng family and would have to stay there for the rest of her life, losing the hearts of her husband and mother-in-law would surely make her life difficult. If her husband took a few more concubines, it would be even harder for her.

Therefore, after weighing the pros and cons, Madam Sun suppressed her grievances, forced a smile, and nodded in agreement: "Alright, let's do as my husband and mother say. We're all family, and we shouldn't be too fussy. I was just being narrow-minded."

Madam Meng nodded in satisfaction: "It's good that you think that way. After Chengzhang and Chengxing take the imperial examinations and embark on their official careers in a few years, our family's life will get better." She paused, then gritted her teeth and said, "It won't be too late to avenge our humiliation then."

Upon hearing this, Madam Sun's eyes lit up. Once her son Chengxing passed the imperial examination, he would one day be able to hold his head high. That little slut Meng Jinyao would never have a child, and who knew how miserable she would be in the future.

Madam Meng then instructed, "Don't go out these days. The same goes for Ayu; don't go out unless it's urgent. Wait until things calm down before going out."

Madam Sun nodded in agreement. She didn't need her mother-in-law's instructions; she wouldn't go out anytime soon. Going out would just be handing herself over to others to mock. Just thinking about Meng Jinyao's smug face made her grit her teeth in hatred.

-

The Changxing Marquis's Residence.

Meng Jinyao was in a good mood and ate an extra half bowl of rice at noon. When she put down her chopsticks, she let out a very unladylike burp. When she saw Gu Jingxi look up at her, she smiled faintly.

For some reason, she felt that Gu Jingxi was making fun of her. She looked embarrassed, her cheeks turned red, and she pursed her lips, looked away, and pretended to be dead.

Gu Jingxi had heard about what happened that morning. Seeing that she was in such a good mood that she ate until she was stuffed and even burped, he teased her, "Madam has a really good appetite today."

Meng Jinyao glanced at him and nodded: "Yes, it's pretty good, and I'm in a good mood too."

Gu Jingxi chuckled softly. He could tell that the girl was walking with a swagger, which showed how good she was.

Meng Jinyao frowned: "What are you laughing at, husband?"

Gu Jingxi replied, "Madam is quite unique; she lives life with great clarity. If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn't be able to eat right now."

"Without expectations, there will be no disappointment," Meng Jinyao said calmly. When she was a child, she had expectations and tried to please them. But after being rejected so many times, she realized that no matter how much she tried to please them, she would not win her father's and grandmother's favor. So she stopped expecting anything and just treated them as familiar strangers.

Gu Jingxi paused for a moment, looking at her with a hint of pity that comes from an elder looking at a downtrodden junior.

Meng Jinyao and Gu Jingxi met eyes and fell silent. There was no need for him to look at her like that, which made her want to call out: Uncle Gu.

She's not actually pitiful; at least she's never gone hungry, making her much luckier than the little beggars on the street.

In life, nothing is ever perfect. To live happily, you have to lower your expectations based on your actual situation. If you don't have the warmth of a family, you can ask for enough to eat and wear. Once you have enough to eat and wear, you will be content.

After a moment, she looked away and said, "I've finished eating, husband, please continue." With that, she stood up and left the table.

Meng Jinyao returned to her inner room and casually flipped through the account books of her mother's dowry shops and estates. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a sandalwood box next to her. It was given to her by Gu Jingxi and contained silver notes, warehouse keys, and some other private property entrusted to her for management.

After a while, Gu Jingxi came in and saw her holding the wooden box, lost in thought, as if pondering something. He walked over to her and asked curiously, "What's wrong, Madam?"

Meng Jinyao raised her eyes to look at him, handed him the wooden box, and said, "Husband, I'm not short of money now, so I'm returning this to you."

Gu Jingxi was slightly taken aback, then replied, "If Madam has money, that's Madam's. I'm not so poor that I can't even support my wife. Who would let their wife live off her dowry after marrying into the family? Madam's money can be deposited in a bank to earn interest, or she can do some small business to pass the time like other wives. As for my private property, Madam can manage it first to gain experience. This will give her experience in managing the household affairs of the Marquis's mansion in the future."

His tone was gentle, and his expression was one of complete entitlement. It was merely out of a husband's responsibility to his wife and his trust in her, and had nothing to do with romantic feelings.

When Meng Jinyao heard him say the words "manage the household affairs of the Marquis's mansion," she was slightly taken aback. She quickly realized that the three branches of the family would eventually divide the property, and as Gu Jingxi's wife, she should be in charge of managing the household affairs. So she accepted the task of managing Gu Jingxi's private property, which would become public property after the division of the family estate, and she would have to manage it sooner or later.

only……

Thinking of the 30,000 taels of silver notes, she hesitated and asked, "My husband has given me all the money, so what will you do when you go out to socialize?"

Gu Jingxi gave her a strange look and said, "Who said I gave you all the money?"

Meng Jinyao was taken aback: "My husband has a secret stash of money?"

Gu Jingxi raised an eyebrow slightly and asked playfully, "Can't your husband have his own money? My wife is so domineering, managing things so strictly."

Look at the way she's talking, as if she were some kind of stern tigress.

Meng Jinyao blushed instantly, feeling extremely awkward. How could she dare to question Gu Jingxi? She shook her head repeatedly and explained, "That's not what I meant. I was asking if my husband has any money to spend. Since he does, I'll accept this banknote without any guilt."

Gu Jingxi nodded and said, "I have something to do and I'm going out for a bit. We'll talk about it later." After saying that, he went to get some clothes, changed behind the screen, and then went out.

The weather is nice today, perfect for going out.

After resting for a while, Meng Jinyao ordered someone to prepare a carriage and took Ningdong and Qingqiu out.