Chapter 204 Treating her like a money-giving child
The crowd fell silent, waiting for Madam Zhang to come to her senses.
After a moment, Madam Zhang snorted coldly, a calculating glint in her eyes:
"What you say makes sense. We can't let that mother and daughter get all the good things. Tomorrow I'll have her come to Shouyin Hall to pay her respects. If she knows what's good for her, she should quickly give Qingyan some money to supplement her dowry. Otherwise, if she gets a reputation for being unkind, she'll be drowned in spit. Let's see how she'll still have the face to be the aunt! Humph!"
After Zhang finished speaking, she sent her personal maid, Xichun, to Mingyue Residence to deliver the message.
Qiao and Yu Qingyan exchanged a glance, secretly pleased with themselves.
At Mingyue Residence, Su Chengniang had been in high spirits these past few days because of the great news from her daughter's side. After hearing Xichun's story, she assumed that the old lady might want to tell her about her grandson-in-law's safe return. After thinking for a moment, she said:
"Understood, I'll head over first thing tomorrow morning."
Xi Chun hesitated, as if she wanted to speak.
Su Chengniang: "Is there anything else, Miss Xichun?"
Xichun: "Madam, the old lady usually wakes up around dawn."
Su Chengniang understood the meaning behind the words and asked:
"Does the old lady mean I should go there at dawn?"
Xichun lowered her head uneasily.
Su Chengniang chuckled dismissively and said, "I know, but I wonder when the other people in the manor usually go to pay their respects?"
Xi Chun lowered her head even further: "Because Madam Qiao has to manage the household affairs, she always goes there after finishing the affairs of the manor each day. As for the others..."
The others naturally arrived after 7 AM, but Xi Chun dared not say this, and Su Chengniang's lips curled into a sarcastic smile.
After dismissing Xichun, Su Chengniang gave another disdainful smile.
It seems that after all these years, Zhang's methods of tormenting people haven't improved much; they're still as frustrating as ever.
When she first married into the Earl's Mansion, because Madam Zhang disliked her as her daughter-in-law, she made things difficult for her in every way during the morning and evening greetings. For example, she would make her stand in the courtyard early in the morning and wait for one or two hours. This was a common occurrence.
When she first married into the family, she was very careful and yielding at every step. In order not to make things difficult for the Earl, she never spoke about these trivial matters in the inner quarters and silently endured all kinds of difficulties from Madam Zhang. As a result, she suffered a lot.
She was prepared to be harassed when she returned, but to her surprise, on her first day back, Madam Zhang refused to let her go to Shouyin Hall to pay her respects.
Whether it was because Madam Zhang was wary of her having the title of Lady of the Imperial Decree or for some other reason, not having to pay her respects was the best thing for her. She didn't have to worry about Madam Zhang's expression and could finally relax.
She would never again foolishly try to please her mother-in-law like before.
Therefore, ever since she moved into Mingyue Residence, she has never once gone to Shouyin Hall to pay her respects.
This time, Madam Zhang actually sent someone to inform her, perhaps not only because Qingci's husband was about to return safely, but perhaps there was something else?
The next day, Su Chengniang arrived at Shouyin Hall at dawn. Since she had decided to come and pay her respects, she had to be proper and not give anyone cause for criticism.
Just as expected, when Madam Zhang heard the servants say that Su Chengniang had arrived, she simply told her to stand in the courtyard and wait. Then, she slowly and methodically washed and dressed with the help of the servants.
Su Chengniang didn't just stand there dumbly. Her maid, Yingge, picked up the prayer mat she had brought, walked to a bench under the corridor, carefully wiped it with a handkerchief, and then placed the prayer mat on it.
Su Chengniang walked over and sat down comfortably.
The servants who were secretly watching were dumbfounded. Could this really be happening?
When Madam Zhang learned that Su Chengniang was not obediently waiting in the courtyard as before, she was so angry that she wanted to curse again.
Qin, the old nanny beside her, quickly stopped her and reminded her, "Madam, please calm down. If you make a noise now, it won't be good to keep Madam Su waiting."
Besides, you called Madam Su here to discuss important matters, so let's not dwell on these trivialities."
Zhang had no choice but to suppress her anger.
That's true. As long as her mother-in-law doesn't say anything, Madam Su has to obediently wait outside.
They waited for more than an hour. When Madam Qiao led Yu Qingyan and Yu Qingci into the courtyard, they saw Su Chengniang sitting under the corridor, eating her own snacks, fanning herself with a round fan, and whispering a few words to the maid beside her. She looked very comfortable.
Qiao's lips twitched slightly as she stepped forward, curtsied, and said:
"Greetings, elder sister. We've seen you come to pay your respects to the old lady for the first time since you entered the household. You're a rare guest indeed."
Su Chengniang glanced over with her almond-shaped eyes and said indifferently, "You flatter me. The old lady is kind to me and has exempted me from paying my respects. I will naturally follow the old lady's wishes and will not disturb her peace without her permission."
As soon as the old lady sent someone to tell me yesterday, I came here.
"But you, Madam Qiao, I haven't seen you since I entered the manor. And your two daughters went to Mingyue Residence to pay their respects to me, their legal mother. It seems the rules of this Earl's manor aren't very good."
Su Chengniang pointed to her two daughters behind her.
Qiao's face stiffened at the thought of being cornered. How could she possibly go and pay her respects to that vile woman, Su? Not only would she not go, but neither would her children!
However, it was wrong of Qiao Shi that Su Chengniang had said it directly in front of so many servants. No matter how much a concubine was respected, she was still inferior to the principal wife.
Meeting Su Chengniang's ambiguous smile, and with so many servants watching, Qiao Shi could only take a deep breath and turn to her two daughters, saying:
"Qingyan, Qingying, come and greet Madam."
Yu Qingyan and Yu Qingying looked at each other, and under their mother's prompting gaze, they could only reluctantly step forward to greet her.
Su Chengniang sat upright and accepted their greetings, then kindly asked them to stand up and speak.
The commotion outside quickly alerted Madam Zhang inside, and servants came out to invite the group in.
Su Chengniang entered the main hall and saw Madam Zhang sitting solemnly in a carved rosewood armchair at the head of the table, her eyelids drooping as if she had not yet woken up.
The group walked over, with Su Chengniang standing at the front, followed by Qiao Shi and her two daughters. They all bowed and greeted each other, and Zhang Shi raised her eyelids slightly before telling them to get up.
The sisters Yu Qingyan and Yu Qingying stepped forward and sat naturally on either side of Madam Zhang, asking her about her well-being. Madam Zhang quickly beamed with joy, and Madam Qiao occasionally chimed in with a few words, creating a warm atmosphere of maternal love and filial piety throughout the room.
The conversation quickly turned to Yu Qingyan's dowry. Madam Zhang glanced up and saw Su Chengniang sitting calmly to the side, and coldly said:
"Qingyan is about to get married. Her husband's family is the Cheng'an Prince's Mansion, so her dowry must be substantial."
Madam Su, you are Qingyan's legal mother. Logically, it is your responsibility as the legal mother to handle matters such as your daughter's marriage. Now that Madam Qiao is in charge, you are able to relax, but you cannot ignore this matter.
As her legal mother, you should provide her with a dowry. I know you are well-off, your business is thriving, and you own many profitable shops and estates.
"I think you should prepare four well-run shops and two estates of over a thousand acres for Qingyan, and also give her fifty thousand taels of silver to show your kindness and generosity as her stepmother. You don't need to worry about anything else."
Su Chengniang was delighted to hear this; it turned out the old lady was treating her like a money-spending machine.
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