The old lady realized that she had said something wrong, so she quickly changed her words.

“Before Mingqian returned, it was understandable that this official position was left to your maternal family, since they could also lend a helping hand.”

But now Mingqian is back. After suffering so much hardship and pain for so many years, he has finally returned to our side, giving our Lu family a pillar of support.

Do you think it would be inappropriate to leave the official position to your brother from your maternal family at this time?

No matter how close your brother is to your maternal family, he is still an outsider. If he gains power and becomes successful, his first thought will still be his wife and children. There is absolutely no way he will benefit you.

But your husband is different. With Mingqian's ability, it's no problem for him to rise through the ranks after becoming an official. You might even become a noble lady later on. Which noble lady in the capital wouldn't envy you?

The reasoning behind this is obvious if you use your brain a little; I don't need to explain it further.

The old lady's rambling made Jin Shu yawn.

"Okay, how about this, I'll take you to the palace tomorrow, and you can tell Her Majesty the Empress about this."

"Why should I go? I'm not the one who won first place!"

"Yes, you know you didn't win first place. I thought there was someone else besides me who won first place that day, otherwise how could you so casually say something like changing officials?"

"How can you talk like that, child? I'm only saying this for the good of the Lu family!"

Jin Shu stood up and spoke slowly.

“If it’s for the good of the Lu family, then you should go and fight for it yourself. I’ve done enough for the Lu family over the years. Now that Lu Mingqian is back, let him show his skills too.”

Alright, it's getting late. You must be tired from your journey. Get some rest.

After saying that, Jin Shu suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, by the way, I'll send someone to add an extra pillow and a quilt to my room right away. It's been so many years, and I have so much to say to my husband."

Lu Mingqian kept a straight face and didn't say anything.

The old lady was also furious. When she saw Jin Shu push the door open and leave, she finally couldn't help but curse out loud.

"You traitor! You've been eating and using the Lu family's food for so many years, and now you're giving all the good stuff to your own family!"

"Mingqian, it's all your fault! You should have come back a long time ago! Now she has the entire Lu family under her thumb, look at the kind of life Mother is living!"

Lu Mingqian lowered his eyes, deep in thought.

He had thought about coming back, but his beloved did not like being bound by feudal ethics, so he kept putting it off for her sake.

But we can't delay any longer.

Jin Shu held the Lu family firmly in her grasp, and the Lu family was about to become hers. Moreover, he heard that Jin Shu had helped her family obtain an official position. The thought of such a good thing benefiting an outsider made the old lady impatiently write a letter urging him to return.

He thought that as long as he showed up, everything would be easy to solve.

First, we should take back the power to manage the household and return it to the old lady.

Incidentally, and also to prevent the official position from falling into the hands of others.

He never expected that Jin Shu would become so unfamiliar after not seeing her for several years; he almost didn't recognize her!

Just then, Ayu urged him from the doorway.

"Master, it's getting late. Madam is waiting for you to go back to your room and rest."

The old lady patted him.

"Have a good talk with her tonight. Women need to be coaxed. If you coax her, she'll agree to anything."

“Ah Qiao is also in the manor. What will she think if she finds out? I’m not going.”

Upon hearing this, the old lady wished she could beat him with a stick.

"You wicked child who can't distinguish between what's important and what's not! You're still thinking about that vixen! She's been pestering you for so many years, hasn't she had enough? And now, at this crucial moment, she's getting in your way!"

The old lady had no liking for that commoner woman named Deng Qiao.

Compared to her, Jin Shu is much more pleasing to the eye.

A wild woman with no family background had actually kidnapped her son for nearly ten years! If it weren't for Lu Mingqian and Lu Gu, she would never have let that woman into the house!

Lu Mingqian frowned in displeasure.

"Ah Qiao is the best woman in the world, Mother, how can you say such a thing about her! When I was seriously injured and had nothing, what did she want from me? Didn't she still give me everything without hesitation?"

"That woman was a wild woman, without any parental agreement or matchmaker's words, she just gave birth to the child in a muddle! What kind of behavior is that! Now my grandson is almost unable to show his face in public! I'll settle this matter with you later, but right now you must appease Jin Shu!"

Otherwise, you'll regret it later!

Seeing his beloved person belittled to the point of being worthless, Lu Mingqian angrily raised his sleeves and rebuked her.

"Mother! This is why I don't want to come back! You always say I'm unfilial for leaving you, who is old, behind and refusing to come home."

But look at this house now, what is there for me to cherish? From the moment I walked in, I'm faced with your feudal and corrupt ways every day, Jin Shu and I. Life feels meaningless to me!

The old lady was too exhausted to argue with her son about these things. She couldn't understand what he meant by "feudal and decadent" and "freedom and independence," so she simply gave him a death order.

"If you want to stay with that woman forever and want the Duke's mansion to be handed over to you smoothly, then you'd better do as I say!"

Jin Shu now holds sway over the Duke's mansion and has the Jin family as her backing. Now that her brother has entered officialdom, don't you understand the current situation?! If you don't appease Jin Shu, the Duke's mansion might be handed over to someone else!

Lu Mingqian looked disdainful.

"Give it away so easily? What makes her so capable? She's just a woman from the inner court!"

"Enough with the nonsense! If you don't go to her room today, I guarantee I'll kick that woman out first thing tomorrow morning!"

The old lady got angry, and Lu Mingqian, who had been living off his parents his whole life, instantly fell silent.

"I'll go, but I will never lay a finger on Jin Shu."

The old lady looked disappointed in her son, but out of love for him, she could only sigh helplessly.

"Anyway, you have a child now, so you can do whatever you want from now on. Just don't anger Jin Shu or cause any trouble."

Lu Mingqian agreed verbally, but in his heart he still looked down on him.

What kind of trouble can a daughter stir up? She can only fool an old lady who hasn't seen much of the world.

Besides, what is there that Jin Shu can do but A Qiao can't?

Just wait and see. He was too lazy to come back and get involved before, but now that he's back, he'll never let Jin Shu cause trouble at home again!

That evening, Lu Mingqian was taken directly into Jin Shu's room.

Upon hearing this, Deng Qiao, who was assigned to the outer room, immediately turned pale and sat there with a displeased expression. The old lady's attempts to persuade her were to no avail.

"Mingqian is the son of a Duke. So what if he has three wives and four concubines? Does he expect him to stay with only you?!"

Deng Qiao is not a feudal ancient person, and she doesn't buy into this kind of thing at all.

"In my world, there is only one person for life! There is no such thing as having three wives and four concubines!"