I see.

Lord Gu glanced at Sixth Master Gu and said resentfully, "No wonder the Xu family spread rumors about my illness after that day."

Qin Yuan forced herself to suppress a smile.

Sixth Master Gu couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly twice: "That's because what he said was so infuriating. I was so angry that I just wanted to beat him up, and then I was afraid of upsetting Third Brother, so I didn't say anything. Who knew they would be so despicable!"

Lord Gu ignored him and instead tilted his head to ask Qin Yuan, "Are you saying we shouldn't urge the Prefectural Governor's Office to cause them trouble?"

Qin Yuan nodded: "That's right. If the Xu family doesn't cause trouble on the day of the funeral, it's as if they haven't completely broken ties in the eyes of others, but to Xu Tang, they're a thorn in his side. Lord Xu wants to please both sides, but Xu Tang has taken the risk with his sister, so the rift between the two sides will naturally grow wider. In the future, we can control Xu, which will also prevent them from joining forces to cause trouble for the Marquis's mansion."

Sixth Master Gu opened his eyes wide and asked, "Then should I continue to sue the Xu family in the future?"

“Of course we should sue. Matters like the dowry must be clarified, otherwise how will we explain it to the children in the future? We can’t just let Xu Shi disappear without any explanation. If the Xu family comes along and says something to the children, black will become white, and right will become wrong.”

Mr. Matsuyama wished he could shake this new disciple's head vigorously.

In other words, he was lucky to be born into the Dingbei Marquis's household.

Otherwise, you might get swallowed whole without even knowing what happened!

Sixth Master Gu looked at Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan nodded, "Of course we still have to sue, to prevent future risks. As for the money, we don't care about it. The Xu family and Prince Jin are entangled, and Prince Jin has ill intentions towards the Marquis's mansion. Who knows what might happen in the struggle for the throne in the future? It's best to nip any potential problems in the bud."

Master Gu suddenly realized and said, "So that means we'll sue after the funeral?"

"Yes!" Lord Gu made the final decision: "After the funeral, you can pursue this matter. Your brother-in-law is two-faced; if we don't confront him, he will surely remain silent and observe the situation, and he won't pursue the matter of the Marquis's mansion accusing Xu Zhen. After the funeral, you should pursue the Prefectural Magistrate's Office to clarify the dowry, pepper payment, and other matters, and leave a record in the government. In addition, the matter of Xu Shi being angered to death by the Xu family must also be addressed, lest the children be instigated to misunderstand you in the future. Just remember these things; you can't exert any effort on anything else. Focus on writing poetry and painting, set a good example for the children, and that will help the Marquis's mansion and me."

After speaking at such a long time, Lord Gu was a little tired. He picked up his teacup, took a big gulp, and then put it down heavily.

Fearing that Sixth Master Gu would lose face, Qin Yuan quickly added, "If future picture books sell as well as the Yu Yuan Tan Poetry Collection, it will be truly remarkable, and Sixth Brother will be credited with a great achievement. Thanks to Mr. Songshan's auspicious words, my little dowry shop might just turn into a large bookstore in Shen Changle's hands."

Sixth Master Gu said happily, "I understand. I will do as I say. I have already said that I can also help Third Brother."

Mr. Songshan nodded in agreement: "When brothers are of one mind, their strength can break even metal."

He swallowed the last part of the sentence, which included the word "frog."

Qin Yuan thought for a moment and then said, "In addition, most of the stewardesses in the manor have joined Zhao Mama's share of pepper. Now, because the manor is busy with its affairs, they can only suppress their dissatisfaction. There are many things to do both inside and outside the manor, and they need to be handled properly so as not to distract them. I think if the manor takes all the pepper and provides them with a safety net, they will inevitably feel resentful when the price of pepper goes up in the future. If we don't take care of it, they will inevitably harbor resentment towards their masters. If someone sets a little bait, they might be lured in. Besides, this is related to my sixth brother's family affairs, so I have no choice but to ask everyone about it."

When Master Gu heard this, his head started spinning.

“This…this…I’ll listen to Third Brother and Third…Young Master Nantang.”

Gu Jinghui glared at him: "Look at you, you always need others to make decisions for you."

Sixth Master Gu defended himself: "I may not understand household affairs, but I don't make decisions recklessly or cause trouble. Isn't that good? We're all brothers living in the same mansion. Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law are capable. What's wrong with me listening to them?"

"..."

Gu Jinghui was speechless, completely at a loss for words.

Qin Yuan, not wanting to get involved in the brothers' affairs, asked, "What is Mr. Songshan's opinion?"

Mr. Songshan shook his head and said, "No matter how things change in this manor, they all boil down to the art of managing subordinates. The title of Marquis has been hereditary for generations, and the family has been employing these servants for generations, creating a deeply entrenched network. It's no different from the imperial court. I haven't been in the manor for long, so I can't say much, but there is something I want to mention."

"Please speak."

"A few days ago, the Marquis's mansion showed compassion to the veterans by providing them with a considerable amount of money and provisions. Everyone praised the Marquis's mansion and said they would serve it even unto death—this is an act of kindness. But those who govern people should combine kindness with severity. This combination is not meant to instill fear, but to let them know the Marquis's standards for reward and punishment, and what they should and should not do. Even if you don't issue orders, everyone will have a clear understanding of what is right and wrong, and thus, they will not harbor any resentment. As the saying goes, 'A kind heart cannot govern an army, and righteousness cannot govern finances.' You are a woman, and perhaps you are still a bit too soft."

Qin Yuan pondered for a while, then sighed, "What you said has enlightened me. The Marquis's mansion is indeed not much different from the affairs of the court. I am indeed a little hesitant and do not want to cause any serious harm or displease everyone."

Lord Gu laughed and said, "You haven't been in the manor for long, and there aren't many reliable people here yet. If we loosen our grip, I'm afraid they might develop other ideas and bully their master. If we tighten our grip, it won't be easy to win people's hearts. It's simple for me to help you with this."

Sixth Master Gu hurriedly asked, "How can we help with this?"

Mr. Matsuyama smiled but didn't say anything, only looking at the couple with a smile.

Lord Gu said confidently, "Before, because of Xu's loan sharking, we tied up Accountant Sun and Steward Zhang. After the funeral, we'll just hold them accountable. Isn't that punishment enough? We'll make an example of them to deter them from betraying us. As Mr. Songshan said, the reward has already been given. As long as you serve your master well, he will take care of you. The rest is up to you."

Qin Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Originally, we wanted to cover this up."

Sixth Master Gu hurriedly waved his hand: "No need, no need. We were worried about disturbing Madam Xu's recovery before, why should we worry about that now?"

Lord Gu agreed with his younger brother's statement.

"At that time, this matter will probably become known throughout the capital in the hall of the Prefect of the Capital. We want to eliminate any potential threats, so it would be better to get rid of this matter cleanly now."