Chapter 181, Take Charge and Sing

Main courtyard.

Daohua saw Madam Li leisurely tending to the flowers and plants, and looked at the sky which was already getting dark: "Mother, father has gone to Shuangxin Courtyard."

Madam Li didn't even turn around and continued trimming the potted flowers. She said calmly, "Isn't it normal for your father to spend the night at Shuangxinyuan? What's there to say about it?"

Daohua was speechless. She didn't believe that Madam Li didn't know what she meant. "Mother, you rejected Madam Zhu today. Aunt Lin and Third Sister will definitely tell Father."

Madam Li was unmoved: "Just say it, it's not something shameful."

Daohua tilted her head and looked at Madam Li. Did she really not know what she meant, or was she pretending not to know?

"Mom, what if Dad is persuaded by the people from Shuangxinyuan to agree to let Zhu Xiuyun come to our house to study?"

Only then did Mrs. Li put down the small scissors in her hand and turned to look at Daohua. "I was wondering why you stayed in my room today. So you were thinking about this?"

Daohua didn't hide it and directly expressed her thoughts: "Mom, I don't want Zhu Xiuyun to come to our house to study. I think the current classroom atmosphere is good, and my three sisters are very well behaved. If there is one more person, who knows what kind of trouble will happen."

Mrs. Li smiled and walked over to sit next to Daohua. "Didn't mother refuse everything today?"

Daohua glanced at Madam Li and said, "You refused, but doesn't my family have a father who can't handle his concubines? What if he agrees?"

Madam Li tapped Daohua's forehead and said, "How could you talk about your own father like that?"

Daohua looked up. "If my father is honest and fair in his work, I naturally have nothing to say. But does he? It's not the first or second time that he's sided with Shuangxinyuan. Anyway, I don't trust him at all."

Hearing this, Madam Li was silent for a while. After a while, she spoke: "Don't worry, this time, no matter how much trouble Shuangxinyuan makes, your father will not agree."

Daohua looked at Madam Li, whose expression was extremely confident, in surprise: "Why?"

Madam Li said angrily, "Where's your usual cleverness? You don't even need to think about it. You know your father won't agree."

Daohua was stunned for a moment, thought for a moment, and then immediately said, "Is it because my father turned the tables and sang?"

Mrs. Li: “.”

After a few seconds of silence, Mrs. Li tapped Daohua's head, looking speechless. She probably understood what her daughter meant.

It simply means that now that the master has been promoted, he no longer has to worry about Instructor Zhu.

"Do you think your father is you? Do things only for immediate pleasure?"

Daohua rubbed his forehead and wondered, "Isn't it?"

Madam Li: "Yes, there are some! Teacher Zhu is indeed quite knowledgeable, but he is a bit too aloof. Also, coming from an aristocratic family, he is arrogant and has embarrassed your father on several occasions."

"You know, your father has no foundation in the officialdom. Faced with these colleagues in the government who have family backgrounds, in order to smoothly carry out government affairs, he had to indulge them a little. Sometimes, he even had to lose face and beg them."

"Tell me yourself, if you were your father, what would you do?"

Daohua straightened her back and said, "Needless to say, I will definitely not give them a good face."

Madam Li shook her head. Knowing her daughter was still young, she patiently explained things to her: "Official affairs are complicated, and interpersonal relationships are intricately entangled. How could your father do whatever he wants?"

"No matter how unhappy he is with someone, he won't show it very obviously."

"Although the Zhu family has fallen on hard times, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. The Zhu family's connections in Zhongzhou Province are definitely stronger than ours."

"Look, didn't they say they were transferring me to Xingzhou?"

"Even if we don't like this kind of family, we have to give them some face. First, to prevent them from doing something behind our backs; second, what if they become prosperous again in the future?"

Daohua: "Then why did mother reject Madam Zhu?"

Madam Li smiled and patted Daohua's head: "Ever since the young prince came to our house a few times, our family has become a popular place in the eyes of every family in Xingzhou City."

"If we agree to let Miss Zhu come to our house to study today, just wait and see. Tomorrow, Miss Qian from the Tongzhi family and Miss Wang from the Tongpan family will also have to come to our house."

"Tell me, would your father agree?"

Daohua stood up immediately and patted her head: "Yeah, why didn't I think of this!" She had been worrying for a whole day in vain.

Madam Li smiled and said, "You are still young. You will learn these things slowly. With more exposure, you will naturally see clearly."

Just then, Ping Xiao covered his mouth and walked in with a smile on his face.

Daohua: "Sister Pingxiao, did you find some money? Why are you so happy?"

Ping Xiao grinned and said, "I'm happier than finding money. Madam, Miss, I just heard from Butler Sun that the master punished the third young lady and also talked about Aunt Lin."

Daohua looked surprised: "The sun is rising from the west? Could it be that father has a fever?"

Madam Li glared at her and said, "Speak properly!"

Daohua shut up immediately.

Madam Li smiled faintly: "In front of an outsider like Madam Zhu, Yishuang dared to openly contradict me. If the master doesn't punish her, then it will be really hard to understand."

"A concubine of the Lin family dared to interfere in the family's social activities. Being criticized was the least she could do."

Upon hearing this, Daohua seemed to be thinking about something.

Is this cheap dad trying to appease mom?

Yes, after being promoted to the prefect, the family became increasingly busy, and Madam Li was needed more and more. As long as my stepfather was not stupid, he would know that it was Madam Li who supported the Yan family together with him, not Aunt Lin who only knew how to ask for things.

Zhu Mansion.

When Teacher Zhu saw Madam Zhu and Zhu Xiuyun returning, he immediately asked, "How was your chat with Madam Li today?"

Thinking of the cold reception she received at the Yan family today, Madam Zhu's face turned grim. She snorted coldly, "After all, she was born into a merchant family. Once she gained a little power, she became arrogant. Now, just because she's the wife of a prefect, she looks down on others."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jiaoyu's heart sank to the bottom. He knew his wife's temper. She had never treated Madam Li well when they were in Linyi County.

At the beginning, Lord Yan was just a county magistrate, and he didn't think much of it. But things are different now. Thinking of the news that his family just brought him, Teacher Zhu became extremely anxious.

"Did you show Madam Li your displeasure again?"

Madam Zhu was furious: "What do you mean by 'I gave her a bad look'? She gave me a bad look, okay? I went there today, and it would have been fine if she didn't come to see me in time, but she actually let Lin, a concubine, to receive me. What do you think she meant?"

Zhu was silent for a moment. "I told you not to have too much contact with that concubine of the Yan family, but you refused to listen. Now, with Madam Li's actions, you can only swallow your anger."

Mrs. Zhu was speechless.

This was indeed her own fault.

If the wife of the principal wife becomes close friends with a concubine, people will just laugh at her if they tell others about it.

Teacher Zhu looked at Zhu Xiuyun and asked, "What about Xiuyun studying at the Yan family?"

Speaking of this, Mrs. Zhu started to get angry again: "We were rejected, and they rejected us without hesitation. They didn't show us any mercy at all."

"You have to work for Master Yan anyway. Tell me, why is Li so ruthless?"

Zhu Jiaoyu sighed, his face somewhat disappointed. "It's my fault. I didn't control you and Xiuyun well back then, which led to the relationship between our family and the Yan family not being close at all."

Zhu Xiuyun stepped forward and pulled Teacher Zhu's sleeve: "Dad, go talk to Master Yan and ask him to let me study at the Yan family. I don't want to study at home alone."

Zhu Jiaoyu gave a wry smile and said, "Since Madam Li doesn't agree, Lord Yan will definitely not agree."

Madam Zhu looked over and asked, "No room at all?"

She had heard that Master Shen, hired by the Yan family, was the most prestigious female teacher in Xingzhou. If her daughter could receive her instruction, her reputation would be better in the future.

Teacher Zhu looked at Madam Zhu and said, "Do you know how many families in Xingzhou City are eyeing the Yan family right now? Let's not talk about other families, just look at the Zhou family, the most prestigious family in Xingzhou."

"The eldest daughter of the Zhou family often comes to the Yan family. Besides the friendship between sisters, is there no encouragement from adults?"

Madam Zhu was stunned: "Has the Yan family become so powerful?"

Zhu Jiaoyu handed the letter he had just received to Madam Li: "Take a look at it yourself."

Mrs. Zhu took the letter and read it quickly. Then, she exclaimed in surprise, "An extra one or two dan of winter wheat! Is this true?"

Zhu Jiaoyu said, "The wheat is in the field. How can this be fake? Anyone with connections in Zhongzhou Province knows about this." He sighed, "Master Yan's achievements over the past three years are considered solid."

I went to the hospital to see a dentist and came back late.

(End of this chapter)