As she watched Li Shiyue being led to the back to have her face cleansed, all the kindness on Old Madam Xu's face vanished, replaced by a gloomy and unpleasant expression.

"The young men are all grown up now. If they don't have anything to do, they shouldn't go to the backyard anymore."

Madam Yang was not surprised. Sanlang acted without thinking today. First, Silang had lustful thoughts, and now Sanlang also had his own thoughts. It seems that neither of them is the most perfect in Madam Xu's heart.

"If I may be so bold, I wonder what arrangements Mother has in mind regarding Jiaojiao's marriage?"

Old Madam Xu raised her eyes. Madam Yang was the matriarch of the Xu family whom she had personally chosen, and she had lived up to her expectations. Madam Yang had married the eldest son when she was young. The two had no affection for each other before their marriage, but after decades of marriage, she had seen that her son truly loved Madam Yang.

Not only was the backyard peaceful, but Yang also consulted with the family on all matters, big and small. Yang managed the Xu family affairs meticulously, and the Duke of Rongguo was equally dedicated to his work outside.

Madam Xu sighed and said that Li Shiyue's marriage was just a desperate measure decided by her and Madam Li.

But her own age was a factor. If she were to pass away after her death, she could rest easy knowing that her eldest son and his wife were at ease, but what about others? Her eldest son had his own husband and wife. If she didn't make proper arrangements, she feared she wouldn't be able to die in peace when that day came.

"Qilang and Liuniang are the second pair of siblings you have. In the future, please have Qilang come to visit me more often."

Madam Yang was not surprised. Old Madam Xu felt sorry for Li Shiyue. Her second son was the heir apparent, and his wife would be the future matriarch of the Xu family. She would have many affairs to attend to, and Old Madam Xu probably wouldn't agree to it because she felt sorry for Li Shiyue.

Besides, in her heart, feeling sorry for her niece was one thing, but how could she possibly make good plans for her own son? It wasn't that she looked down on Li Shiyue, but when it came to interests, she ultimately favored her own son more.

Moreover, her easy-going son is the one who's impossible for her to persuade when it comes to domestic matters. If she really wanted to force a change, it's unlikely anyone could make that decision for Xu Yunci.

"Actually, Goro is not bad either."

Madam Xu raised her eyes slightly, quite surprised that Madam Yang had brought up the fourth branch of the family.

Madam Yang smiled and said, "Whether it's Fifth Brother or Seventh Brother, it mainly depends on Jiaojiao herself. He's the man she'll spend her life with, so she should find someone she likes and who will cherish her."

"We don't ask for anything right now, the most important thing is that the children are happy. If Jiaojiao really has no interest, the decision about the marriage is in our hands anyway. In a couple of years, when there is a suitable match, we will let Jiaojiao choose for herself and marry out of the Duke's mansion in a grand manner."

"Last night, the Duke told his wife that he must prepare a dowry for Jiaojiao. We cannot let the girls of our Xu family be looked down upon. Yuan Niang will marry His Highness at the age of eighteen. The customs of Dayong are open. When a girl comes of age, she is betrothed. The three letters and six rites are followed. In fact, she will be married at the age of seventeen or eighteen."

"With your daughter-in-law here, and the Duke and Erlang, who would dare to say a word of gossip? If you love her, keep her by your side for two years. Even if she's not included in the Xu family genealogy, you won't have to worry about not seeing her once she marries into the capital."

Madam Xu nodded with satisfaction: "What you said makes sense. If Jiaojiao really likes Wulang and Qilang, I will make arrangements for them. If they don't have that kind of affection, then you can keep an eye out for them."

“We don’t care about noble birth. As long as the person has a clean family background, good character, and is willing to care about Jiaojiao, I’ll accept it.”

Madam Yang chuckled and took half a step forward: "You're just too worried. Sixth Sister is eighteen this year, and she's only just started looking for a partner. Jiaojiao is only of marriageable age this year, and the end of the year isn't even over yet. This can't be rushed."

Indeed, it cannot be rushed; a woman's marriage is a once-in-a-lifetime event. With the Xu family's example before them, how could Old Madam Xu easily marry off Li Shiyue?

The customs of the Dayong people were not so backward. It was considered bad for a girl to marry too early, so they would get engaged when she came of age. The three letters and six rites were complicated but indispensable. A girl who was seventeen or eighteen years old was in good shape and was at the perfect age to get married.

The latest they married off were no more than nineteen, especially in noble families. It was extremely rare for them to marry off their daughters as soon as they reached marriageable age, as if they were desperate to get married.

When the two saw Li Shiyue come out, they tacitly refrained from bringing up the previous topic again.

Li Shiyue had washed her face, but her eyes were red, making her look like a frightened rabbit with swollen eyes.

Madam Xu patted the spot beside her and pulled Li Shiyue to sit down: "Go back with your aunt later and let her take a look at it for you. You can also tell your aunt what you're planning to do."

“There are some things here. When you have free time, come to the main courtyard and learn how to manage accounts from Sixth Sister. Even if you don’t become the matriarch of the family in the future, you can’t be completely ignorant.” Madam Yang said with a smile, reaching out to take Li Shiyue’s other hand.

"These things can be difficult or easy, and you can learn them if you want. If you get tired or exhausted, you can take a break."

Learning about management is something Li Shiyue had never encountered in her previous life.

"I'm just afraid I'm not smart enough, Aunt, please don't dislike me." Li Shiyue smiled, her eyes bright, clearly very interested.

Madam Xu also said, "Diligence can make up for lack of talent. Your aunt is right. Even if you don't need it in the future, you still need to be familiar with the surface. You can't be completely ignorant."

·

Li Shiyue followed beside Yang Shi and heard Yang Shi ask, "What are your plans to do?"

"I think we should leave the things my mother prepared for me untouched for now, and sort through the dowry chests that will be brought into the mansion later, keeping my mother's things. As for the things prepared later, I think we should exchange them for cash according to the list."

"I still have enough cash on hand. I want to give the money I exchanged to my aunt so she can help me buy some better estates and shops."

After a moment of contemplation, Madam Yang said, "Alright, it's troublesome for you to carry cash. It would be better if I had someone break it down into banknotes. Let that Steward Wang work for you. Since you were willing to bring him from Yunzhong County, he must be very loyal to you and your daughter. You can rest assured that he will manage things."

"When the time comes, send the ledger to me, and I'll have someone write a copy for you and send it over every month. You can then learn to read it, and if there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me."

Li Shiyue lowered her eyes and smiled gently: "I am at ease with your thoughtfulness, Aunt. Please continue to trouble you."

Madam Yang chuckled and took her hand, saying, "What are you saying? You're closer to Sixth Sister, so I love you even more. Why are you saying such formal things?"

"However, I'd also like to remind you that it's good to have money on you, but don't become a spendthrift. The things that were sent over before all looked very valuable to me; I'm afraid you opened your own dowry chest."

Li Shiyue remained silent. Madam Yang sighed softly, "Keep those things safe for yourself. I'll arrange everything for you. If you like anything, just have someone go to the street to buy it for you."

"Those things were left to you by your aunt after all. Even if you give away all the good ones, there won't be many left."

That was all she had to say. The child was strong-willed, and if she were forced to use the Duke's mansion's public accounts, Li Shiyue herself probably wouldn't be willing. Yang Shi didn't say that after all.