Chapter 697 This pit is really deep!

After saying all that, in short, Shen Wantang would never do any housekeeping work.

If she does a good job, she'll be doing a great service for Meng Yunlan; if she doesn't, she'll easily be disliked by her mother-in-law.

She's caught in the middle, so why bother?

Instead of wasting her time, she should earn more money to support herself.

Madam Gu was a shrewd woman; how could she not understand Shen Wantang's meaning?

She originally didn't want Shen Wantang to have any control over the household, lest she grow up to be greedy and seize power and benefits from the main branch of the family in the future.

But when Shen Wantang actually refused to take any responsibility for managing the household, she felt a little uncomfortable.

How could anyone really avoid a butler like the plague?

The inner quarters are just a small plot of land, and the only space for women to exert their influence is in managing the household. Whoever has the power to manage the household has the right to speak, and even the men in the mansion have to show them respect, because when they want to use a large sum of money, they have to get the head mistress's approval.

Needless to say, once you step outside, the people there are even more snobbish. From princes and nobles to commoners, everyone who knows who's in charge of the household will try to curry favor with them.

Moreover, housekeepers actually make a lot of money, so taking advantage of the situation can make life much more comfortable and prosperous.

Madam Gu originally thought that Shen Wantang, coming from a humble background and without any money to spare, would definitely be eager for the steward to take advantage of the situation.

But she didn't.

For a moment, Madam Gu didn't know whether to be happy or angry. Her daughter-in-law, who came from a humble background, had better qualities than she had imagined. She was not greedy for fame or fortune, and she would not bow down for profit. Of course, she also did not listen to her.

At this moment, she suddenly felt that Shen Wantang was actually very similar to Gu Qianhan—both of them were rebellious and stubborn, and would refuse to do anything she asked!

Moreover, Shen Wantang is likely to be even more difficult to deal with than his son!

Because her genius son was proud and arrogant, unwilling to humble himself, and stubborn, he only liked to do things by force.

However, Shen Wantang came from a humble background and suffered at the hands of her stepmother since childhood. She was flexible and adaptable, able to switch freely between being tough and gentle. She could easily neutralize all your attacks, leaving you with no leverage or weaknesses.

You couldn't read a single true emotion from her face; she even rejected people so gracefully!

She has absolutely no weaknesses!

As Madam Gu pondered, sweat began to bead on her forehead. Oh no! It seemed she had married a formidable daughter-in-law! If Shen Wantang truly wanted to seize power from the eldest son's family, how could Meng Yunlan possibly be her match?!

Add to that Gu Qianhan's wolfish ambitions and cunning schemes, and the eldest branch of the family is in danger!

No, the management of the household must not be handed over to Shen Wantang under any circumstances!

It's easy to hand it over, but it will be difficult to get Meng Yunlan to take it back later!

Madam Gu coughed and said, "Since you, Tang'er, are unwilling to manage the household, then I will have to take over for a few days. It seems that even in my old age, I cannot enjoy my retirement. I still have to personally take charge of household affairs. You can't be relied on one or two of you. But, Tang'er, don't say that I didn't give you a chance, or that I favored the eldest son's family. You didn't want this management power yourself."

Is this an attempt to shift the blame onto her?

Shen Wantang smiled slightly. Did her mother-in-law think she was someone who could be easily manipulated?

She said calmly, "Mother is right. Your words have made me feel ashamed. I really shouldn't have troubled you. Here, you rest, and I'll take care of the household!"

Madam Gu was stunned: "You—"

She was just trying to put Shen Wantang in her place with her words, but why did Shen Wantang change her mind so quickly?!

This change of heart is faster than turning the pages of a book; it's simply impossible to handle!

"Mother."

Shen Wantang seemed oblivious to the unusual expression on Madam Gu's face, maintaining her respectful and amiable demeanor: "Since your health is not good, why not let her rest for a few more years? How can one year be enough? I think at least five years is necessary! I have studied medicine and read many medical books. This physical depletion is a serious matter and requires slow and careful recuperation; it cannot be rushed."

Five years?!

Madam Gu and Meng Yunlan were both shocked! Her appetite was so huge!

"no!"

"No!"

The two spoke almost simultaneously, their desire to prevent Shen Wantang from monopolizing the power of the housekeeper was obvious.

Why not?

Shen Wantang looked at Madam Gu with a puzzled expression, then her expression turned aggrieved: "Mother, do you think your daughter-in-law can't manage the household? But your daughter-in-law hasn't even started managing it yet, and you don't trust me at all. Isn't that a bit too arbitrary?"

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant, I..."

"What does 'mother' mean?"

Shen Wantang interrupted Madam Gu, her expression even more aggrieved: "Or is it that Mother is actually biased? My sister-in-law can manage the household for as many years as she wants, but I can't?"

Madam Gu's face stiffened: "What nonsense are you talking about, child? I've never been biased."

Shen Wantang's eyes welled up with tears: "I know that I come from a less privileged background than my sister-in-law, and I don't have a powerful family, so it's easy for people to look down on me. But I believe that my mother isn't that kind of materialistic person, otherwise she wouldn't have agreed to let me marry into the family in the first place!"

"Daughter-in-law, I implore Mother to give me a chance to prove myself. From now on, I will manage this Duke's mansion, and I will definitely give you a satisfactory explanation!"

"Mother, from today onwards, you and sister-in-law should both rest and not overwork yourselves!"

"Housekeeper, hand over the cards, sister-in-law!"

Mrs. Gu was dumbfounded!

What does this mean? So all that desperate refusals and refusal to take over the family business was just a prelude to this?!

This pit is really deep!

Meng Yunlan was also filled with disbelief. It seemed as if Shen Wantang was about to become the head mistress of the Duke's mansion.

Telling her to rest is clearly a way of pressuring her and taking the opportunity to sideline her! And it's not just for a short time, Shen Wantang intends to sideline her for a long time!

She's not even in charge of the household yet, and she's already so aggressive! If she were to actually take charge, controlling everything, how could the eldest son's family possibly have a good life?

Meng Yunlan looked to her mother-in-law for help, only to find her mother-in-law also looking blank. Clearly, her mother-in-law had not expected to be outmaneuvered by Shen Wantang.

She gritted her teeth and forced a smile: "Mother, actually... actually, I'm not that weak. I'm not so weak that I can't even manage the household. It's just that you're making a fuss and coming here to say all sorts of nonsense. How can you let your sister-in-law handle the household affairs? It's too much work. I'll do it!"

"Yes, Yunlan is right!"

Madam Gu snapped out of her daze and immediately nodded in agreement, afraid that if she nodded too slowly, Shen Wantang would interrupt her again: "You are the eldest sister-in-law, so it is natural for you to take care of these things. Tang'er, you have just gotten married and you and Qianhan are in the midst of your passionate romance, so don't worry about those messy things. As long as you two are loving and harmonious, that is more important than anything else!"