But it was said that Mi Niang had already brought Xian Ge'er and met Fang Weiyan. Fang Weiyan saw Mi Niang's outfit and wanted to compliment her, but there were too many people, so he didn't dare to say it. Mi Niang was very happy: "We have been waiting outside the palace for a long time, and your son is almost sweating because of me."

Neither Fang Weiyan nor Mi Niang were the kind of people who agreed that their son should wear more clothes to keep warm. They envied their brother because he was afraid of the wind today, so he wore three layers of clothes inside and outside. He even wanted to take off his hat, but was held down by Mi Niang.

"It's warm inside the palace, you can take off your hood."

"good."

As Mi Niang spoke, she took off her son's hood. Fang Weiyan said hurriedly, "Come here, Mi Niang. I'll introduce someone to you."

It turned out to be the colleague who was on duty with Fang Weiyan today. Mi Niang originally thought that it would not be a good idea for her and Xian Ge'er to come with two such burdens, but she did not expect that the other party had so many wives, concubines, children and even servants sitting together.

Seeing this, Mi Niang thought to herself that if she had known earlier, she would have asked her two younger brothers and mother to come as well. They don't have anything to do at home anyway.

"This is Lord and Mrs. Xiao," Fang Weiyan introduced.

Mi Niang greeted him hurriedly, but she always gave people a sense of alienation. It was not because she had a stern face, but she was like this in her previous life in the palace. Even when she smiled, it was just a faint smile and she didn't have much friendliness.

Moreover, she was too beautiful, which made ordinary people a little scared.

Mrs. Xiao was about fifty years old. Mi Niang took the initiative to let Xian Ge'er call her aunt. Xian Ge'er was never shy and quickly called out, "Aunt Xiao."

Mrs. Xiao's grandsons were all grown up, but when they saw the envious boy wearing a tiger-head hat, with a pair of big grape-like eyes sparkling and a chubby face, they immediately said happily, "This child is so cute."

Mi Niang smiled and said, "I think your children are all well-born."

A few words dispelled the awkwardness. Mrs. Xiao felt a little embarrassed that her family was too large. Mi Niang smiled and said, "Today we have guests, so my son and I came. In the past, there would be many people coming. But don't laugh at me, I brought a lot of food boxes."

This table was served. After the three of them sat down, the table was already filled with snacks such as fresh small flowers, five kinds of fruits, five kinds of fried food, pheasant, double corn bones, large silver ingots and large oil cakes, five kinds of wine, four kinds of vegetables, three kinds of soup, two large steamed buns, horse, beef and mutton rice, and five cups of wine.

Mi Niang first picked out the things to be given as gifts and put them in a food box. Of course, she only gave a small dish to each room, and the wine was given to the Marquis of Dong'an.

She also said to Fang Weiyan: "My husband, I will remove the bones for you."

She looked like a good wife and mother, but Fang Weiyan got angry.

You're right, right? When she ate crabs and shrimps at home, she was afraid of splitting her nails, so she often asked him to peel the shells for them. Of course, that was when the servants were not around. Now that he was being served like this, Fang Weiyan felt that he couldn't bear it.

He whispered, "No need, just eat quickly."

"How can this be? I usually serve you like this at home. It's hard to see you like this outside. No need to say more, husband." Mi Niang stood up and removed the bones for him.

Many officials in the imperial lecture hall around could not help but nod their heads. This was a virtuous wife. Fang Shijiang was so lucky.

Of course, Mi Niang was just pretending, because the food at the banquet was really good. There were three kinds of soups: peony soup, chicken cracker soup, and pork and longsong soup. The horse, beef, and mutton rice was also delicious. Mi Niang served a small bowl to Xian Ge'er, who ate the hot milk she brought from home, and the bowl was empty in a short while.

Mi Niang naturally couldn't let her eat too much, so she quickly gave her a snack. She herself was quite frugal, but because everyone was in a good mood today, they were all chatting and laughing, and in the end, Fang Wei Yan even helped to pack up.

Because the emperor allowed everyone to take the bowls and chopsticks back home, Mi Niang naturally did not miss any. After the imperial banquet, everyone was happy.

The big oil cakes they brought back were cut into several pieces with a knife when they got home. If there were men at home, such as Dong'an Hou, Fang Weijun and Fang Weiting, they would be given an extra pot of wine. The same was done for the rest of the people, who were served on small plates and used bowls and chopsticks that were also given by the emperor.

Whatever was left was divided among the people in the yard.

Fang Weiyan was stunned: "How come you brought so many back? I didn't even see how you pretended to be so?"

"I didn't eat much myself. I brought it back to share."

"Why is that?"

"Just two words: 'happy'."

Seeing Fang Weiyan's disapproval, Mi Niang said, "Your career is too smooth. You don't know that it's hard for ordinary people to even pass the imperial examination, let alone become a lecturer. Some people who enter the Hanlin Academy may be editors for their entire lives, or they may be transferred to the Southern Ministry of Rites for honors. How can such a happy thing be unworthy? Like my father, he was a second-graduateclass, but he didn't get selected into the Hanlin Academy. It was a pity."

As for studying, some people may not be able to pass the imperial examination even if they go to the capital. Fang Weiyan himself does not think it is a big deal, but Mi Niang thinks it is really amazing.

He then asked, "If you think it's good, I can go to eat with you next time I get promoted to a senior official."

"It's only once. If I have to take them with me every time I go, I don't want to do that."

It is truly rare to have someone who is genuinely happy for you and knows how difficult it is for you.

Dong'an Hou was very happy when he received the wine. What was important was not the quality of the wine, but that it was a gift from the emperor and was extremely rare. The Yu family, the Yu family, and the county lord all received the same amount of wine, and no one was treated unfairly.

Two extra jugs of wine were given to Fang Weijun, firstly to celebrate his wedding and give him more, and secondly to show their closeness.

Although the servants in Fengwu Court did not get much, they all shared in the joy.

Chang Yuzhu was having dinner with Fang Weijun. Seeing him fill up the glass directly, she couldn't help but laugh and said, "I thought the prince would wait a few days before drinking it. It was a gift after all."

Fang Weijun said with a smile: "My brother has plenty of them. He is a close minister to the emperor, and I am afraid he will have even more in the future."

With a title like him, as a guard in front of the imperial court, he could brag about being assigned to guard the gate of the Purple Palace most of the time. Every time he saw these officials who talked all day chatting and laughing, he was very envious.

Chang Yuzhu curled her lips slightly. It was obvious that she and Fang Weijun were the protagonists, but she stole the limelight. It was just a little leftover soup, but she made such a big fuss about giving it away.

But she was a new bride, and even though she felt a little uncomfortable, she didn't show it.

He also said that he went to pay his respects to Mrs. Xu the next day. Chang Yuzhu had already arrived. Mi Niang saw that she was already there and had only drunk half of her tea. She couldn't help but laugh and said, "Sister-in-law, you're here so early."

Chang Yuzhu said quickly, "I don't have anything to do either. I might as well come earlier to pay my respects to mother."

This mother was called affectionately. Generally, in a family like the Marquis' Mansion, Fang Weiyan and Fang Yaqing would call Xu "Madam". Although Mi Niang was not used to it at first, she followed her husband and called her "Madam". She never thought that Chang Yuzhu would call her mother.

Mrs. Yu happened to come over and couldn't help but praise: "Fifth brother's wife is really hardworking."

"Oh, I also want to sleep more, but I have never realized it since I was a child, and it is really unbearable." Chang Yuzhu took a sip of tea and felt a little troubled.

However, she soon asked Yu: "How did you sleep last night, sister-in-law? I have a lot of Hotan dates, which are the best for replenishing blood and taste better than the dates here. I will send some to sister-in-law later."

Yu declined: "Don't bother me. I'm not good at anything."

"It's nothing. It's not worth much money." Chang Yuzhu smiled.

Only then did Yu accept it.

The county lord did not come today, and sent someone to tell Xu that the child was feeling a little unwell. Xu looked at Mi Niang and thought, could there be something wrong with the banquet she had yesterday? But she couldn't say it in front of so many people.

I just want to secretly remind Mi Niang not to be so mean in the future.

Mi Niang naturally had the same idea in her mind, but she was not the kind of person who would throw away food because of choking. She was just sending the food over to you, and it was up to you whether to eat it or not.

Sure enough, when they were about to leave, Xu asked her to stay for a while. Chang Yuzhu didn't know that Xu had always cared about Mi Niang. She thought Xu wanted to tell her something in private, and felt a little unhappy.

Yu took her leave from Xu and went to the Songhe Hall of Old Madam Weng. Second Madam Yu was waiting there. When Yu saw her, she asked hurriedly, "How is the old lady?"

"You can get up now, but you still need to rest." Yu served Old Madam Weng. Old Madam Weng felt sorry for them, an orphan and a widow, and seeing how well she served, she only praised her a few words in front of Xu, and did not mention anything else.

Yu was also somewhat disheartened. She knew that Xu meant well. The other sisters-in-law were able to come out and move around normally, but she was the only one who couldn't. What should the servants say?

Mrs. Yu didn't usually interact with anyone in this house, but she still sympathized with Mr. Yu. No one else was willing to serve the old lady, but the madam sent Mr. Yu to serve her. She did a lot of work and no one said a word. Everyone subconsciously Ignored her.

She felt very sorry for her second younger brother's wife, so she would come to see her whenever she was free, though of course she would never make a big fuss about it.

"In a few days, the fifth sister-in-law will be the new housekeeper. She is different from the fourth sister-in-law. The fourth sister-in-law rarely chats with us and she just stands by and watches coldly on many things. The fifth sister-in-law is a warm-hearted person. I will talk to her about your matter." Yu knew that she had no face in front of Xu and it would be bad to say anything. As for the fourth sister-in-law, they would usually only say a few words to her when they met to pay their respects and would not have many private contacts.

Yu smiled bitterly: "Then I'll trouble you, sister-in-law."

She had no right to blame anyone. In fact, her fourth brother's wife was already pretty good. She always thought of her when there was something delicious. She even sent someone to deliver some cakes to her yesterday.

But she is not a particularly enthusiastic person and doesn't like socializing very much.

Yu said quickly: "What's this?"

It's just a case of sympathy. When a man makes a mistake, it is the women and children who suffer.

Inside the house, Xu's wife, Mi Niang, talked about this matter: "You have good intentions, but they may not think so. What if she blames you for giving her something that made her stomach upset? What should we do?"

"Madam, I understand, but when it comes to such a big event for the Fourth Master, the whole family would be happy. I can't let her ruin my good mood."

"You have to be more careful. Children have weak spleens and stomachs. If they get sick from eating, it would be nothing but a grudge."

Mi Niang admitted her mistake: "You are right, I was not considerate enough."

Xu was also considering her, so Mi Niang didn't say anything more.

"Go back soon and be more careful next time. You mean well."

"yes."

After returning to Fengwuyuan, Mi Niang started reading calligraphy and painting as usual. This habit was not easy for her to change. The people in Fengwuyuan also knew her habit and never disturbed her easily.

Compared to serving in other courtyards, there are only three people in Fengwu Courtyard, so it is much simpler.

Moreover, the rewards were generous, and if anyone had a headache or a fever, Fourth Grandma would be considerate.

The servants and the maids all got a share of the homemade bowls and chopsticks from yesterday's banquet. They felt like they had found a treasure and could become a family heirloom.

After finishing a painting, Xian Ge'er got up. It was cold in winter, so Mi Niang wanted him to sleep a little longer. When he saw Mi Niang with sleepy eyes, he wanted to hug her. Mi Niang had practiced dancing, so she was not a weak person. She hugged him and the mother and son were very affectionate.

The jealous boy likes to be with his mother the most. He can play and have fun, and his mother will run around the house with him.

However, it is said that Chang Yuzhu returned home three days later, and when she came back, she had begun to develop in a cheerful and enthusiastic direction. Yu's father was seriously ill, so she secretly sent red ginseng to him. Xiangjun's son was often unwell, and she knew that Xiangjun believed in gods and Buddhas, so she specially gave Xiangjun a statue of Green Tara.

As for Yu's proposal to stop Second Madam Yu from serving her, she mentioned it once when paying her respects, but Xu did not agree, so Chang Yuzhu had no choice but to apologize to Yu.

How could Yu blame her?

Chun Tao was getting a little anxious, and said hurriedly: "Recently, Fifth Grandma has become quite famous. People from all walks of life praise her as a kind-hearted person."

It wasn't mainly the servants, but the grandmothers in the mansion who all praised her. You know, their own grandmothers had help in the past.

Mi Niang smiled and said, "Unless you can be a good person for your whole life, it's useless to be a good person today but not tomorrow. Besides, no matter who you are friends with, don't get too close to them. Being too close is the beginning of disaster."

After listening to it, Chuntao understood a lot.

Because Mi Niang no longer needs good relationships with people, she has her own relationships with people. With her poetry and painting, she won the favor of Mrs. Zeng. From then on, all major poetry societies would invite her when they knew her name. Instead of sitting there and chatting about family matters and saying meaningless words, it would be better for her to paint one more picture or write one more calligraphy.

Also, she has always maintained a good figure and dances whenever she has time. Especially since she started dancing, she has become more energetic.

Her belly is flat.

There is also Xian Ge'er. After she is busy, she spends more time accompanying Xian Ge'er. Playing with him is more important than hiring a famous teacher.

Moreover, most children are taught by example. Your parents play and chat every day, and the children see it, so they will naturally do the same. Look, the two sons of the eldest wife are sent to study in the Shen family because the Shen family studies hard.

This atmosphere may not necessarily exist in the Marquis's Mansion.

Fang Weiyan was one in a hundred, but looking at the sons of noble families, those who could pass the imperial examinations and become officials were extremely rare.

She knew how difficult it was for her father to take the imperial examination. Her father came from a family of officials and was encouraged by his grandfather. Later, the family became poor and he desperately wanted to change his circumstances through the imperial examination. However, the family already had everything they needed, so they lacked the spirit to strive for success.

"Mother, the color has been applied."

Mi Niang would draw a simple picture and let her son color it with gouache. This is to cultivate the child's sense of color and make him interested so that he can learn well.

"Wow, that's great, my envious boy, come on, let me give you a thumbs up on your forehead, okay?"

The jealous boy ran over with a "dengdengdeng" sound. Mi Niang pressed a thumb on his head and he giggled. After the mother and son had lunch at noon, they took a nap together.

Life is very comfortable.

The whole of Kyoto was freezing in the winter. Mi Niang was afraid that Fang Weiyan would get frostbite, so she made him a pair of gloves that only showed his fingers. Fang Weiyan was surprised and said, "You are the only one who has so many wonderful ideas."

"No, the more you use your brain, the more active it becomes. The less you don't use it, the more rigid it becomes."

When Fang Weiyan was on vacation, Mi Niang knew that he could play the sheng, so she suggested that the two of them play together. Fang Weiyan was also a passionate person, but he always restrained himself. Now that Mi Niang was by his side, he seemed to have liberated his nature.

The two of them played in harmony, and the servants in Fengwu Courtyard were intoxicated by their music.

Chang Yuzhu heard about Fengwuyuan and couldn't help but sneer: "I think they are really exaggerating about Ruan. She is just a person who likes to sing about the wind and appreciate the moon. She has no talent."

Although Xu asked her to be the housekeeper, she did not let her do it alone right away. Instead, she asked her to follow her around and see how things go. This was normal. Even when Yu came in and assigned tasks, it took several months, not to mention Mi Niang. It was impossible for her to be in charge of big things right away.

But as the second-in-command, Chang Yuzhu felt very frustrated.

Because she had looked at the account books, she knew that the financial situation of the Dong'an Marquis's Mansion was not very good. Each branch paid little but spent a lot, especially Old Madam Weng, who took medicine like water. Yu from the second branch often asked for ginseng and deer antlers, and the same was true for the county lady from the third branch, who liked to show off. The fourth branch paid a good salary, but compared with what they spent, it was just about equal, especially the fourth branch, who used up pigments very quickly.

This is just the older generation. The expenses for the next generation of children are really high. Fang Weichang has three legitimate children, two illegitimate children, several children from the second wife, and although there is only one child from the third wife, the expenses are also not small.

In addition, there were also relatives and relatives who came to ask for money. Xu always treated them well. It was said that Xu had done this once before, but was rebuffed, which caused gossip everywhere, so that the Marquis asked his aunt to be the housekeeper to slap Xu in the face. Now Xu had no temper left.

"When I really become the housekeeper, there will be some money left in this house."

Zihong is the maid whom Chang Yuzhu trusts the most. Her original name was Zhuhong. She and Juanbi came here together, but because her name was similar to Chang Yuzhu's, her name was changed to Zihong. She is a smart girl and has become very familiar with everything in just a few days since she came here.

She said, "You still have to take it slow. Although you are the wife of the prince and have a higher status than other grandmothers, you still have several mothers-in-law above you. There is also a very picky aunt. You have sent her palace flowers these days, but she only sends things to the fourth room. Although she is not a concern, you also know that your foundation in this mansion is not deep."

"That being said, I can't always be so afraid. I must make this New Year's Eve beautiful." Only when the mother-in-law sees her true strength will she give up power.

But Chang Yuzhu did not have the opportunity to show her talents on this New Year's Eve, because old lady Weng passed away. She was fine during the day, but fell asleep at night.

The next morning, it was Mrs. Weng's maid who first discovered it and then ran to Mrs. Xu's place.

Fang Weiyan was about to go out at this time, but when he heard about this, he quickly asked someone to report Ding You, saying that as a grandson of Mrs. Weng, he only needed to observe mourning for one year.

Mi Niang had already changed into plain clothes and had also changed an outfit for Xian Ge'er. She had also changed all her hairpins into silver ones. Before she could say anything more to Fang Wei Yan, she was called away by Mother Tang.

"Fourth Grandma, something terrible has happened. Our wife is having chest pains."

Mother Tang was also extremely anxious.

Mrs. Xu had been having a hard time preparing for her son's marriage a few days ago. After the new daughter-in-law came into the family, she had to help her get familiar with the household chores. Moreover, there were many things to do during the New Year holidays, and she happened to come across the matter of Old Lady Weng, so she immediately turned away.

Along the way, Mi Niang did not dare to delay. The wet nurse held her envious son in her arms and did not dare to say she was tired even though her hands were sore.

Fengwuyuan was quite far away, and when they arrived, Chang Yuzhu was already outside.

Mother Tang was a little embarrassed when she saw Chang Yuzhu: "Why is the prince's wife here?"

Mrs. Xu did not ask Chang Yuzhu to come over. She knew that Chang Yuzhu was a new bride. Although she heard that she could do the job at home, funeral affairs were not something that ordinary people could handle.

There cannot be any mistakes in a funeral like this. Old Madam Weng is of a very high seniority and is very old, making her the oldest person in the mansion.

Besides, Xu still had important things to tell Mi Niang.

Chang Yuzhu was not embarrassed at all, but said calmly: "I heard that Madam had chest pain, so I came to see her."

I heard Xu say from inside the house, "Is that Miss Zhu? Please ask a doctor to check the old lady's condition for me. I have something to tell your fourth sister-in-law."

Chang Yuzhu had no choice but to leave first, but her heart was eager to know why Xu had called Ruan here.

Mi Niang came in. Xu was wearing home clothes, with her hair loose, and she kept rubbing her chest. When she saw Mi Niang coming in, she couldn't help but smile: "The old problem has come back."

"Are you okay?" In fact, Mi Niang had a pretty good impression of her mother-in-law. As a mother-in-law, Xu did a better job than most mothers-in-law in the world.

Xu waved her hands and said, "It's okay, it's okay. I have some medicine here. It will be better after it is dissolved. I called you here to tell you something. The old lady has passed away. I have sent someone to guard her private property. When the time comes, I will take out some small amounts and distribute them to everyone, but the bulk will be given to you and Wei Yan."

Mi Niang was shocked: "No, this is not allowed."

Xu whispered, "Child, you can do anything about it. I have no control over the things of the Marquis, but since the old lady is gone, I should leave these things to you. And my share, when I am gone, I will leave it all to Xian'er."

"This..." Mi Niang thought that Xu's decision was great.

Xu said firmly: "The title has been given to Weijun. I know you can only rely on yourselves from now on. When the old lady leaves, Weijun will have to worry about his position. He needs money to get a reinstatement. You don't have to be polite to me."

In this case, Mi Niang will not be pretentious.

Xu was very concerned about the funeral of the old lady, but she was not in good health, so she said, "I know your ability. Your sister-in-law is young after all. You will take charge of the funeral for me this time. There must be no mistakes."

Mi Niang thought, how can we do things this way? She smiled and said, "My sister-in-law is young, and she is not like me. She has a burden to look after all the time. How about this? Except for my second sister-in-law, who is not convenient to come out, you have four daughters-in-law. We can all work together, each doing our own job, and discuss things together every day. As the saying goes, one person can see the shortcomings and two people can see the advantages. What do you think?"

Xu nodded. "That's good of you to say. It also shows my fairness."

So, Xu sent a message through Mother Tang, asking the four grandmothers to preside over the funeral together. When this news reached the ears of each family, everyone had different thoughts.

Although Mrs. Yu from the first wife's family had helped with one or two small matters before, she had never thought of presiding over such a major event as the funeral of Old Madam Weng. She also heard from Mother Tang, "The Madam said to let the eldest grandmother and the other three grandmothers discuss it and each do their own job. She is not in good health and cannot let outsiders laugh at her."

Yu was afraid of making mistakes. She had managed the household before and was quite capable. However, when she was with her sisters-in-law, she could not avoid comparisons with each other. Although she did not like to stand out, it was not good for her as the eldest sister-in-law to be outdone.

The Lady of the Third House was even more nervous. Although she was a Lady of the Third House in the palace, there were actually many people in the palace, and her mother's status was not high enough. She only found a few maids to teach her before she got married because they were afraid that she would embarrass herself. Therefore, she couldn't help feeling worried.

Then I heard the maid Lan Ru say: "I think the madam is worried about the prince's wife because she is too young, so she wants to do it together. If someone takes the lead, we will all do the work but not take the responsibility. But if everyone does their own job, it will be bad. If it is done well, there will be no mistakes, and no one will say anything. But if it is not done well, I am afraid..."

Tong Ye immediately replied, "If you are not careful, you will become a laughing stock. Fourth Madam Ruan is smart and capable. Although she avoids the limelight of Fifth Madam, she is not an ordinary person and should not be underestimated. And the eldest Madam, although she seems not to like to stand out, is usually calm and peaceful. She is always kind and generous. Even if she makes a few mistakes, the servants will not blame her. she has just entered the family, she is very powerful and is probably ready to accomplish some major things. Moreover, she has the support of the wife and her status is there. Who would be so stupid as to be disliked by her?"

Servants tend to bully the weak and fear the strong. Yu was able to hold back the gossip and was not prepared to stand out. Even if she was outdone, she would swallow her pride. What about her?

She is different from Yu. She is a daughter of the royal family and has a noble status. If she is criticized, it will bring shame to the royal palace. Yu is a weak and incompetent person. Fang Weichang has many beautiful concubines outside, and she is eager to send money to him. But how can she be the same as Yu?

As for Chang Yuzhu, she was the most dissatisfied. She was the wife of the prince, and her mother-in-law was ill, so she should be in charge. But now, she and the other three had to take care of it together.

She was very angry.

Zihong couldn't help but persuade him, "In that case, you should show us your skills and let everyone in the mansion see who has real skills and who is a fake."

Chang Yuzhu could not help but nod her head: "Everyone praises that Ruan. Even my mother-in-law secretly called her over to discuss things that day. I have never seen her true ability since I came in. The eldest sister-in-law is weak, and the third sister-in-law is just an empty shell. As long as she is here, I don't believe I am worse than her. This time I must do better than her."

The girls around her also came to cheer her on.

The most tranquil one was Mi Niang. Fang Weiyan said, "You all have to go to discuss matters tomorrow, why don't you go ask Mama Lian first?"

Mi Niang smiled and said, "I've been married for a few years, and I still need to trouble others. Doesn't that mean I'm incompetent? I, Ruan Mi Niang, have always been like this. I don't want to work hard and then quit. But if you want to stand out, you have to rely on your ability."

Fang Weiyan recalled the day of the imperial lecture when she specially picked out his bones for him, so that now several people who attended the imperial lecture together all praised her for her virtue and envied her. They did not know that at home, he was the one who picked out the shrimp shells and fish bones. He knew Mi Niang's methods too well, so he became more determined to curry favor with his wife.

If you can't afford to offend, just join.

Then he asked, "Do you need my help? If so, just ask."

Mi Niang glanced at him and said, "You are aware of current affairs."