beat
However, a few days earlier, in the same courtyard of the Bai family, after Fu Lian conveyed her purpose, Lin Xu stood outside the palace in the cold wind for a long time before the Bai family finally allowed her to enter.
That was the first time that Lin Xu's mother-in-law, who was always kind and loving, showed a cold expression towards her. Her usually gentle eyes were filled with displeasure. She knelt quietly in the hall, but Bai Shi didn't even look at her, only silently turning the prayer beads in her hand until Lin Xu's knees went numb. Only then did she slowly speak:
"—Do you know where you went wrong?"
Lin Xu lowered her head and said softly, "Mother, my mistake was that I failed to assist my husband properly and did not pay enough attention to his daily whereabouts. If I had noticed his unusual behavior earlier, perhaps things would not have been exposed until today, thus causing such a big mistake."
Bai said coldly:
"No, your mistake lies in failing to fulfill your responsibilities as a wife."
Upon hearing this, she stiffened and lowered her head even further.
Bai then spoke slowly, her cold, emotionless voice echoing throughout the hall:
“I’ve always known that Yi Huai doesn’t treat you as carefully and attentively as you treat him, and I also know that I, this illegitimate son, am truly an incompetent fool who can’t be disciplined no matter what. Over the years, Huai Sheng and I have long since lost all hope. But now that you have married him and become the daughter-in-law of our Dou family, our Dou family’s rules cannot be ignored, and you cannot sit idly by.”
As the saying goes, "Without rules, there can be no order." Since you're not an outsider, I'll lay everything out in the open with you. Yi Huai is born of a concubine, and his mother is a vicious and ruthless woman, a despicable and wicked woman known to everyone in the household. Yi Huai was young and didn't understand things before, but now that he's approaching adulthood, he's still so useless. I know that even among nine sons of a dragon, each is different. I no longer expect him to be as sensible and considerate as my eldest son. My only requirement for him is that he doesn't cause trouble or bring shame to the Dou family.”
Madam Bai raised her eyes, staring directly at Lin Xu, who was kneeling on the ground. She slammed her hand on the table, the low thud of her anger echoing in every corner of the hall.
"—But you can't even do this most basic thing!"
She had been alone in her room when she felt dizzy after lunch. Just as she was about to rest by the window, Zhu Ling rushed in to report that Madam Bai had suddenly lost her temper and ordered Dou Yanxun to kneel in the ancestral hall, and no one could stop her. At first, she didn't understand what was going on, but she had heard bits and pieces of information from various sources on her way here.
It turns out that Dou Yanxun's daily pretense of reporting to the yamen while actually going out to fool around was suddenly exposed.
At that time, Dou Huaisheng was in a critical period of transfer, and Dou Yanxun's scandal was becoming increasingly serious. Bai was furious and refused to listen to anyone's pleas for leniency. She even directed her anger at Dou Yanxun, who came to plead for her.
Lin Xu was prepared to be scolded mercilessly by Madam Bai, and even to kneel down as punishment alongside Dou Yanxun. But when she heard Madam Bai's harsh rebuke and her merciless accusations against Dou Yanxun's birth mother, Madam Xia, she was still shocked, and her face gradually lost its color.
If he behaves this way in front of her, an outsider, wouldn't his words be even sharper and more embarrassing when he's talking to Dou Yanxun?
A complex mix of emotions surged through her mind, and she felt an overwhelming urge to speak. However, under the watchful eyes of everyone, she could only bite her lip tightly and say, word by word:
"Mother's teachings are true. I will keep them in mind and never slack off again."
She looked down quietly at the cold bluestone slabs in front of her, trying her best to suppress all the resentment, grievances, and even the vague yet surging hatred in her heart.
As she stepped out of the palace gate, feeling utterly disheartened, she heard a deep, unfamiliar voice behind her:
"Sister-in-law, please wait a moment."
Looking back, she could vaguely see a man in a black robe standing in the corridor not far away. His handsome and refined face was full of worry, and he looked at her with a rather deep gaze.
Since Lin Xu married into the Dou family, she has never spoken to Dou Yanzhou, the most favored and valued eldest son in the family.
Dou Yanzhou strode forward, silently looking at her for a long while. A few traces of reluctance and worry flashed in his eyes, but they were fleeting, and he quickly regained his usual calm and composure.
"Greetings, elder brother." Lin Xu gave him a slight, reserved bow.
She was not familiar with Dou Yanzhou, and at that time she had no desire to chat or reminisce.
Dou Yanzhou's gaze narrowed slightly, as if he had sensed her dissatisfaction, and he lowered his voice:
"Did Mother make things difficult for you inside the palace just now?"
Lin Xu said softly, "Thank you for your concern, elder brother. My husband has made a mistake, so it is only right that my mother is angry."
Dou Yanzhou gazed silently at her face, his eyes seeming to hold a thousand unspoken words, but after a moment, only a soft sigh remained. He slowly turned his gaze away and continued:
"Although my second brother is usually unruly and good-for-nothing, I, as his elder brother, have been relatively close to him since childhood. I know that he is not inherently bad, just a bit undisciplined. This matter came suddenly, and Mother is always strict. She was a bit too angry at the moment, and I'm afraid that no matter who pleads for her, she won't listen. I can only ask my second brother to kneel in the ancestral hall for now. I will stay here, and if Mother's anger subsides later, I will go in and try to persuade her gently."
Lin Xu raised her eyes. Dou Yanzhou's eyes revealed concern, and his expression was earnest; it didn't seem like he was putting on an act. She then said softly:
"I will remember my mother's teachings today and will never dare to be negligent again. I also thank my brother for his care and love for my husband."
Dou Yanzhou's gaze lingered on her for a moment, then he nodded, his tone softening slightly:
"It's alright, this is what I, as the elder brother, should do. If my second brother does anything inappropriate in the future, you, as his wife, should also dissuade him in time and not let it go unchecked. I know that he may be too stubborn at times. If you have any problems, just come to me, his elder brother. We are all family now, there is no need to stand on ceremony."
…………
Only a few days have passed, and Dou Yanxun, who had been kneeling for a long time as punishment and whose body has not yet fully recovered, is already sitting here again.
Lin Xu sighed inwardly, took another small sip of tea, bracing himself for any storm that might come. He slowly gathered his thoughts and smiled gently at Bai Shi:
"Reporting to Mother, although things at the villa are a bit busier than usual, they are still quite well-organized."
Bai nodded, fiddled with the prayer beads a few more times, took a sip of hot tea, and then said:
“That’s excellent. I’ve been incredibly busy these past few days. As you know, several stewards and managers who usually work outside came to the manor the other day. I went over the accounts with each of them. I wouldn’t have known this unless I had to ask them, but I was quite shocked. These people are all incredibly shrewd. I only had to glance at them a few times to spot several mistakes. No wonder the family has been losing money year after year. It’s all because these people are treacherous and incompetent.”
It seems that the Bai family already knew the purpose of her visit today. Although she appeared nonchalant on the surface, her words were full of hidden dissatisfaction and warning.
Lin Xu sneered inwardly, but his expression remained humble and respectful.
“Mother is absolutely right. I have heard that you have been in charge of the household affairs for many years, so naturally you are very good at everything and have a clear understanding of things. I should humbly ask you for advice and learn from you carefully.”
Bai glanced at her indifferently and smiled:
"You're quite sensible. Since you're willing to share the burdens of the household, I naturally won't stop you. I suppose you used to help manage household affairs when you were at home?"
Lin Xu nodded gently and said softly:
"Reporting to Mother, my family is small, and the only one in the household is Steward Zhang who is quite experienced. Father also entrusts all kinds of accounts to him. Steward Zhang is very experienced and reliable. So I have only learned a little bit by observing him. My stepmother, Madam Gao, is also intelligent and meticulous. She has taught me a lot in her daily life."
Feng Daizhu had been sitting quietly without saying a word, but now she picked up her teacup. However, after only taking a small sip, she almost burned herself with the freshly changed tea and coughed softly. Zhao Mama behind her was immediately flustered.
Bai's gaze was drawn to it, her brows furrowed, and she rebuked:
"How can you do your job properly? Can't you even control the temperature of a cup of tea? When did our household have such incompetent people?"
The maid who had just changed Feng Daizhu's tea immediately turned pale and trembled like a leaf: "This servant deserves to die. It's all my fault for being careless."
Feng Daizhu covered her mouth with a handkerchief and waved her hand, saying, "Mother, it's alright. I just didn't pay attention. I should have blown on it carefully."
The young maid was extremely grateful for Feng Daizhu's intervention and bowed repeatedly. Bai Shifang impatiently gestured for her to leave.
After the young maidservant withdrew, Madam Bai turned the prayer beads in her hand and slowly looked at Lin Xu, saying:
“The people in the manor are becoming increasingly perfunctory in their duties. I think we haven’t replaced enough people. These lazy ones should be punished as a warning to others so that they won’t dare to act recklessly in the future.”
Lin Xu thought to herself, "What was bound to happen has finally happened." Madam Bai was afraid she wouldn't understand the reprimand she'd just received, so she didn't hesitate to make it public. However, since Madam Bai was doing this, she was happy to play dumb and nodded in agreement.
"Mother is wise, I have learned a lot."
Seeing her respectful attitude, Bai Shi said no more. The group sat and chatted for a while, and soon it was time for Bai Shi to chant Buddhist prayers every day.
Before leaving, Madam Bai called Lin Xu back, looked at her with deep eyes, and said slowly:
"...Second wife, you haven't been in this household long, and you should gradually understand that everything in this mansion has its rules. Now that you are a wife, you cannot act recklessly, because every little detail could affect the safety of the entire mansion. We must not let it happen again like last time, where Yi Hui's actions alone implicated our whole family."
Lin Xu lowered her head and replied, "Mother's teachings are correct. As the second wife, I should abide by the rules and just do my best in my duties in the inner quarters."
A complex expression flashed in Bai's eyes. She pursed her lips and slowly said, "Since you know your place so well, that's good. But if your second branch has any other matters to attend to in the future, you must discuss them with me first. You must not make any decisions on your own."
Lin Xu nodded slightly and replied respectfully:
"Mother, rest assured, from now on I will consult you more often and will not dare to act on my own. Now that my husband is serving as an official in the countryside, I should be even more careful in managing the affairs of the household so that I can live up to the expectations of the Dou family."
Upon hearing this, Bai's expression showed slight satisfaction, and the coldness on her face subsided somewhat. She said calmly:
"Very good. You may leave now. In the future, when you have nothing to do, come here often for instruction. This will also help you to take on more responsibilities in the future."
She acknowledged and took her leave, walking slowly to the outer corridor of the hall. Seeing that no one was around, Zhu Ling softly replied:
"The old lady was far too harsh today..."
Lin Xu raised his head, his gaze falling on the endless rows of courtyards in the distance, a resolute chill gradually rising in his heart.
Dou Yanxun held an awkward and lowly position within the household, and Bai Shi had never trusted her at all. It seemed that the kindness she showed her when she first entered the household was merely a facade hidden beneath the surface, a facade that could melt away at any moment.
She even had a vague feeling that, given Bai's cunning and methods, she could eliminate her and Dou Yanxun at any time without leaving a trace. This threat was something she had never encountered before, either in the Lin family mansion or in Zhiqiong Hall.
As she was pondering, she suddenly heard a series of footsteps approaching from afar. The voices were deep and steady, even carrying a hint of oppression.
She looked up.
But then she saw Dou Yanzhou, dressed in a light gray crew neck suit, walking gracefully towards her. Unlike his somber demeanor that day, he now exuded a relaxed and carefree air.
Lin Xu was slightly taken aback, but then calmly bowed to him.
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