Chapter 143 The Wicked Stepmother and the Poor Child 36

She suppressed her anger, maintaining a calm and composed expression as she gently set down her teacup.

"Since you're sick, you should take good care of yourself."

His gaze, however, turned coldly to Zhou Jingxuan, who stood with her head bowed to the side. This was the good-for-nothing concubine his son had recently taken in.

In her letter, the son briefly mentioned Zhou Jingxuan, and Madam Gu had already defined and labeled her.

A foolish, wasteful, and unruly concubine.

I heard that it was this concubine who squandered all the money in the household; the son stated it clearly in his letter.

It wasn't enough that she married a spendthrift son as her legal wife; now she's taking another spendthrift son as a concubine. Why is her son so fond of this spendthrift son?

Madam Gu found an outlet for her anger and dissatisfaction with Shen Ci.

How dare a concubine stand before her?

"This is the Zhou family?"

The old lady's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a certain pressure. That's how a mother-in-law treats her daughter-in-law—she can't stand the sight of her.

"Once you have entered the Gu family and become a concubine, you must understand the rules for concubines."

It is one's duty to pay respects to one's master and elders morning and evening.

I noticed that your bow just now was loose and lacked any respect. Is this how the Zhou family teaches its children?

Regardless, they started by giving him a hard time.

Zhou Jingxuan was stunned, not expecting the criticism to suddenly be directed at her. She had been lost in thought, and upon hearing this, she was so frightened that she immediately knelt down.

"Please calm down, Madam. I know I was wrong."

"You admit your mistake?" The old lady slowly stirred the tea foam.

"What's the use of just knowing you're wrong? My family is a scholarly family, and we value rules the most."

Starting tomorrow, you will come to my room at dawn every day to serve me while I wash up and learn how to establish rules.

"Hongjian's wife is ill; you should share her burdens and manage the affairs of the household. If there is even the slightest mistake, don't blame me for punishing you according to family rules!"

She's always been the best at managing her daughter-in-law; before, she was under someone else's control and had no choice.

But now her son is a big shot who passed the imperial examination with top honors, and no woman is good enough for him! Times have changed.

Unfortunately, Shen Ci is currently ill. If I were to go and cause trouble at this time, I would definitely be gossiped about and falsely accused of being an evil mother-in-law.

She wouldn't leave such a handle on herself.

Although Madam Gu appeared to be fair and just, she actually vented all her anger caused by Shen Ci on this unfortunate concubine.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will follow your teachings."

Zhou Jingxuan said respectfully, "This old woman is so fierce as soon as she arrives, she's definitely not easy to get along with!"

But she also needs to take this opportunity to build a good relationship with her mother-in-law in order to gain a foothold in the household. Once she is recognized by her husband and mother-in-law, she will soon become the mistress of the household after giving birth to her son.

Ultimately, this family still belongs to the Gu family.

Gu Hongjian, standing to the side, saw that although his mother did not directly reprimand him, she had set rules. He felt relieved, thinking that with his mother in charge, the inner quarters were finally managed. So he did not speak up for Zhou Jingxuan.

She should learn her lesson.

There needs to be a woman in this household who can manage the inner quarters so that he won't be distracted.

With Mother here, things will definitely return to normal at home.

Old Madam Gu looked at Zhou Jingxuan kneeling on the ground and sneered inwardly.

She can't touch Shen Ci for the time being, but surely she can't control a concubine? Ultimately, she should be the one to call the shots in the inner quarters of the Gu family.

She wanted to see how long her seriously ill daughter-in-law could hide in her room! Could she hide forever?

And this concubine who doesn't know the rules is just the right person to use to establish authority.

Madam Gu had been living far away in Yizhou for many years. Besides her son, the people she missed most were her twin grandchildren.

Blood ties are hard to sever. Although Shen Ci was unwilling to have much contact with her mother-in-law, she did not openly prevent the grandmother and grandson from meeting. She simply sent a few maids who knew martial arts to accompany and carefully watch over them.

In this way, Madam Gu wouldn't find fault, and the children felt that their grandmother treated them quite well.

In the main hall, Zhou Jingxuan seized the opportunity to begin slandering him, speaking in a gentle tone as if it were unintentional.

"Mother, it's fine that my sister is sick and can't come, but the two children haven't shown up yet, which is... a bit lacking in etiquette."

If this continues, I'm afraid it will harm the young master and young lady.

She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear: she was saying that Shen Ci was a poor teacher and unfit to teach children.

Before the words were finished, two clear and tender children's voices came from outside the door.

"grandmother!"

"grandmother!"

Gu Mingzhang and Gu Mingzhu, dressed in brand-new clothes, trotted in and bowed respectfully to Old Madam Gu.

Then they snuggled up to her, tilted their little faces up, and started asking her questions one after another.

"Grandma, are you tired from the journey?"

"Grandma, is our old home in Yizhou fun?"

The two children were lovely and sweet-talking. Their repeated calls of "Grandma" made Old Madam Gu's heart flutter, and the wrinkles on her face smoothed out.

This is her son's flesh and blood, the eldest grandson and granddaughter of the Gu family, so naturally she loves her dearly.

Seeing how well-behaved and sensible the children were, even the resentment towards Shen Ci for claiming illness and not coming dissipated considerably.

Watching this harmonious scene between grandmother and grandson, Zhou Jingxuan felt a surge of jealousy.

I was stunned. The person just showed up as expected. What a coincidence!

Her child hasn't even been born yet, and most of her affection has already been taken away. What will happen to her in the future?

She forced a smile and followed with flattery.

"The old lady is truly loving towards the young master and young lady; it's clear she genuinely likes children."

"If this child in my womb can receive even a fraction of the old madam's affection in the future, it will be an immense blessing."

As if just remembering something, Madam Gu's gaze fell on Zhou Jingxuan's slightly protruding belly, her face still bearing that kind and gentle expression.

"Now that you are pregnant, you should take good care of yourself so that you can have children for the Gu family."

Despite this, she had a different idea in mind.

Children born out of wedlock are ultimately separated by a barrier. If they grow up in the future, will they compete with her legitimate grandchildren for the family property?

She valued rules above all else, and the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was like a chasm in her heart.

Her late husband was a scholar, and she considered herself a scholar's wife, always believing that her family was a scholarly family and that rules and etiquette must never be violated.

Those born out of wedlock must never surpass those born out of wedlock.

Zhou Jingxuan waited for a while, but the old lady did not make any response.

Forget about giving me a small gift, they didn't even say a few words of concern, which made me feel dissatisfied.

Zhou Jingxuan realized that in her mother-in-law's heart, not only did she have no place, but the child in her womb also had no place.

Just then, the two children pestered their grandmother for a gift.

With a smile, Madam Gu ordered someone to bring two brocade boxes. Upon opening them, she found two heavy, exquisitely crafted longevity locks made of pure gold.

The lock is engraved with the names of Mingzhang and Mingzhu respectively, and the patterns are elegant, making it clear that it is a treasured item that has been kept for many years.

"Good children, one for each of you, no one is allowed to take it."

Madam Gu personally put the hairpins on them, her eyes filled with genuine affection.