Chapter 2: Putting Down Starts with Delegating Power
"Oh, Mother, don't worry. The Marquis and I will handle this matter properly."
Upon receiving Min Qiao's affirmation, Wu couldn't suppress the smile in her eyes.
“Now, you two are in charge of the Marquis’s mansion, so don’t push everything onto me.”
Madam Min Qiao continued, "Especially you, Madam Wu, you are now the Lady of the Marquis's Mansion, the rightful mistress of the mansion. You should take some responsibility. Stop coming to me for advice on everything."
"I'm old now, it's time for me to enjoy a few days of peace and quiet!"
Upon hearing this, the smile in Wu's eyes was instantly replaced by shock.
She looked at Madam Min in disbelief, "What do you mean by that, Mother?"
From the time she married into the Marquis's mansion until now, a full seventeen years have passed, and Min Qiaoshi has always been in charge of all matters, big and small, in the mansion.
Even though she is now the Lady of the Marquis's Mansion, the rightful mistress of the mansion, and nominally in charge of the household affairs.
However, Madam Min Qiao never truly relinquished power; in reality, Madam Min Qiao was still the one who called the shots in the Marquis's mansion.
It would be strange if Wu was not shocked to hear Min Qiaoshi say something that sounded like she was delegating power.
Min Yuexi, standing to the side, also looked completely incredulous.
"From now on, I will no longer concern myself with the affairs of the Marquis's residence."
Madam Min Qiao had no time for idle chatter with the mother and daughter, and simply said, "I'll have Granny Fang inform everyone that the stewards should come to you if they need anything. From now on, I won't interfere in the affairs of the Marquis's mansion."
Wu was both surprised and delighted, and couldn't come to her senses for a long time. It was only when Min Yuexi tugged at her sleeve that she was pulled back from her shock.
"Thank you for your trust, Mother!"
Ms. Wu was agitated, her voice was high-pitched, her eyes were red, and tears were streaming down her face.
"Mother, rest assured, your daughter-in-law will manage the Marquis's residence with utmost care and diligence. I will never let you worry about trivial matters again."
Looking at Wu, who was emotional and full of gratitude, Min Qiao couldn't help but curl a sarcastic smile at the corner of her mouth.
Ambitious but incompetent, that perfectly describes Wu.
In her past life, she never relinquished the right to the Marquis's mansion, not because she coveted power.
Rather, it was because, after years of observation, she finally came to the conclusion that Wu was simply not a qualified mistress of the Marquis's mansion! With Wu's knowledge, character, ability, and methods, she was simply not capable of controlling the Marquis's mansion!
If the Marquis's mansion were truly handed over to Madam Wu, it would likely fall into chaos within a few years!
In her past life, for the sake of the stability of the Marquis's mansion and to ensure that her three sons had no worries and could focus on their careers, she worked tirelessly and diligently to manage all the affairs of the mansion.
But what she got in return was Wu's resentment towards her.
In her past life, Wu was one of the people who poisoned her!
Among those who ridiculed and mocked her at her bedside was Ms. Wu!
What Wu wanted was the power to manage the Marquis's mansion!
Since Madam Wu wants it, then she will give it to her!
As for whether the Marquis's mansion will become a mess?
Ha! What does it have to do with her?
She just needs to manage her Songhetang Hall and live her own life well!
"Alright, everything's been explained, and I'm tired. You can all go back now."
Min Qiaoshi began to impatiently dismiss people.
Upon hearing Madam Min's words of dismissal, the mother and daughter were not angry at all. Instead, they stood up with smiles, respectfully took their leave, and departed.
As soon as they stepped out of the Songhe Hall courtyard, Madam Wu's smile faded, and she asked Min Yuexi with a puzzled look, "Xi'er, don't you think your grandmother is acting strangely today?"
Min Yuexi thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "It is a bit strange. Grandmother is being too easy to talk to today!"
"I thought Grandmother wouldn't agree to break off the engagement. I didn't expect her to agree so easily."
Madam Wu frowned slightly and echoed, "That's right. Given your grandmother's temperament, breaking off the engagement will be extremely difficult."
“I’m all prepared. Once she refuses, I’ll have your father beg her. If even your father’s pleading doesn’t work, I’m prepared to have you pretend to commit suicide.”
"I never expected that all my preparations would be useless. She just agreed! It's truly baffling!"
Min Yuexi wholeheartedly agreed, but after thinking it over, she still couldn't understand why Min Qiaoshi had suddenly changed her mind.
Unable to figure it out, she stopped thinking about it. Min Yuexi became happy again.
"Oh, isn't this a good thing? Anyway, I can cancel my engagement with the Lu family! Mother can also get the management of the Marquis's mansion as she wished! Why bother with so much else?"
"you're right!"
Ms. Wu also put on a smile again, saying, "No matter why your grandmother changed her mind, it's a good thing for us."
The mother and daughter left happily.
Inside Songhe Hall, Madam Min Qiao instantly stopped smiling and began to close her eyes to rest.
She was reborn.
She was reborn just as she was getting angry after hearing that Lu Ming had come to the Marquis's mansion, but before he could even enter, he was driven away by Wu and her daughter.
Then, the Wu mother and daughter came to ask her to break off the engagement.
In her past life, for the sake of the Marquis's reputation and the future of her children and grandchildren, she worked like a slave, never complaining.
But what he got in return was resentment, hatred, betrayal, and harm from his children and grandchildren!
They conspired to bribe her servants, scheme against her finances, undermine her power, and even poison her, leaving her penniless and plagued by illness.
Even when she was dying, he humiliated and provoked her, which angered her to death!
Reborn, she decides to give up!
If your children and grandchildren want to court death, then let them die!
As long as she's happy and content!
As for the reputation of the Marquis's mansion? The future of her children and grandchildren? What does that have to do with her?
In this life, all she wants is to be a carefree old ancestor who doesn't care about anything and does whatever she wants!
Once she had made up her mind, she no longer hesitated.
Opening her eyes, she instructed Granny Fang, "Ah Xing, go and inform everyone that I will no longer be involved in affairs. Tell them to go to Madam Wu if they need anything."
Upon hearing this, Granny Fang was startled and hurriedly said, "Madam, how can you hand over the power of managing the household to the Lady of the Marquis?"
After hesitating for a moment, Granny Fang still said, "This old servant shouldn't have said this, but the Lady of the Marquis is really not a person who can take responsibility!"
"If the Marquis's mansion is handed over to the Marquis's wife, isn't the Grand Madam afraid that it will become a mess?"
"If something goes wrong, won't the Grand Madam have to clean up the mess? It's better for her to take care of it herself."
When Lady Wu, the wife of the Marquis of Xuanping, entered the household, it was a time when the Xuanping Marquis's mansion was in turmoil.
At that time, families of equal social standing were unwilling to marry their daughters into the Xuanping Marquis's household, whose future was uncertain.
Therefore, Min Rong had to lower his standards when looking for a husband.
Even if they looked for the lowest-paying families, good families were unwilling to push their daughters into a pit of fire.
It's easy to imagine what kind of good family and good girl would be willing to marry her daughter into that family back then.
That's more like a dream!
Thus, Wu, who came from a family of fifth-rank officials in the Ministry of Works and whose appearance, talent, character, and knowledge were all mediocre, was married into the Marquis's mansion by sheer luck.
Who could have imagined that three years later, the Xuanping Marquis's family would climb up to Grand Secretary Lu and miraculously escape disaster?
Now, he has regained his former glory and firmly established himself as a first-class noble.
In this situation, Wu's mediocrity and incompetence were exposed.
Wu's background and upbringing destined her to lack the ability to manage the Marquis's mansion and become a qualified matriarch.
It is precisely because she saw through the true nature of the Wu family that Min Qiaoshi has not relinquished power all these years.
Granny Fang had been watching all of this.
Therefore, she did not understand why Madam Min Qiao was suddenly relinquishing power to Madam Wu.
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