The table was laden with a dazzling array of food, piled high like a mountain, clearly not enough for just one person.
Furthermore, since Bai Qishi and Xie Wenyin were having a meal, Yang's words seemed to carry a deeper meaning.
Bai Yujing frowned slightly, about to speak, but was gently stopped by Jiang Huaiyu.
"Sister-in-law, I am truly flattered by your words. How could I possibly enjoy such a sumptuous feast by myself? These dishes were all carefully selected by my husband for the whole family."
She redistributed the sweet pastries to the two children of the eldest son's family, asking with a beaming smile, "What are your names, little ones?"
The eldest son and daughter, who looked to be about six or seven years old.
The two children stared wide-eyed at Jiang Huaiyu, seemingly shy and hesitant to answer.
Bai Jinxiao laughed loudly and teased, "Still shy? This is your little aunt, why don't you hurry up and greet her?"
Encouraged by their father, the two children stood side by side and bowed respectfully.
"My name is Feng Yun."
"My name is Huiyi."
"We've met Auntie." The two children said in unison, their voices clear and crisp.
Jiang Huaiyu looked at them, a hint of pleasure flashing in her eyes. She handed them the whole plate of sweet cakes and said in a gentle voice, "Enjoy them quickly, children."
As soon as she sat down, she heard Madam Yang continue, "That's right, Huiyi, Fengyun, your aunt is calling you to eat, so hurry up and eat. It's hard to say whether we'll be able to enjoy this delicious food again next time."
Although Jiang Huaiyu was not a wise man, he could still perceive the profound meaning hidden in Yang's words.
"Sister-in-law, I don't quite understand what you mean by that."
Madam Yang turned her gaze to her, a brief smile flashing across her lips. "Second sister, because of my second brother's recent marriage, my eldest branch of the family has spent a lot of money, and now the family is in dire straits. I heard that the village head mentioned that your collection of books is quite valuable. Why not pawn some of them to alleviate the family's financial pressure?"
The crux of the matter was still money. Jiang Huaiyu had long understood that Yang had always harbored resentment towards her.
While the idea of selling the books was certainly a temporary expedient, she found it difficult to accept.
“Sister-in-law, my collection of books is indeed very valuable, but once sold, it means that I will lose it all forever. Books are treasures that can be passed down to future generations, and when accumulated, they are a precious asset for the family. I really don’t want to pawn them.”
Yang curled her lip in disdain. "If you refuse to sell books, are we supposed to starve for the rest of the year?"
Her face was filled with anger. "Second sister, do you know that in order to marry you, your father-in-law did not hesitate to withdraw half a year's salary in advance, hoping to rely on your dowry to get through the difficulties temporarily? But you are unwilling to sell or pawn it. How are we supposed to cope with the days to come?"
This is indeed a major challenge.
Jiang Huaiyu was already aware of the Bai family's poverty, but she never expected it to be this extreme. No wonder in her previous life, Jiang Shuqin always brought a cart full of valuables whenever she returned to her parents' home.
She pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Mother-in-law, sister-in-law, you don't need to worry, I have my own way of making a living."
In her previous life, although she was closely monitored by the Marquis's mansion, in order to consolidate her position, the mansion also gave her many benefits, allowing her to control most of the mansion's assets.
Therefore, she is very adept at business operations.
However, Madam Yang sneered contemptuously, "Look at your weak and helpless appearance, I'm afraid you can't even handle household chores, yet you dare to talk about making money?"
“You come from an official family and are a newlywed. As your sister-in-law, I shouldn’t be making these demands on you at this time. But as the saying goes, it’s best to be upfront about what’s unpleasant to say. I’m not afraid of offending you, so I’ll just be frank.”
She lightly counted on her fingers, “Let’s put aside the question of how to make a profit for now, but look at our family’s current situation, as you can see with your own eyes. Day after day, we have to do laundry, cut firewood, cook meals, and there’s a lot of work to do in the fields. My second brother needs to focus on his studies, and your eldest brother is working hard in the county school. I don’t have any expectations for them. Mother is getting old and should be enjoying her retirement. My two children are still young, and only Wenyin often helps me out.”
Now that you've entered the family, as a daughter-in-law of the same clan, shouldn't you also share some of the household chores?
Bai Yujing frowned, "Sister-in-law..."
Yang interrupted him without allowing any further explanation, "Second brother, I know exactly what you mean. Your wife is indeed extraordinary, she is of noble birth, but in any case, there is no reason for me, the eldest sister-in-law, to serve a sister-in-law. You should understand this, shouldn't you?"
These words were indeed reasonable, and Jiang Huaiyu had no reply.
However, she really knew nothing about these household chores...
Jiang Huaiyu pondered for a moment, then gently lifted his sleeve, and after a long while, finally pulled out an exquisite handkerchief embroidered with lotus patterns.
"Sister-in-law, take a look, how about this handkerchief?" she said gently, handing it over.
What do you mean by this?
Yang took the handkerchief somewhat blankly. The handkerchief was of fine texture and had an exquisite pattern. Did she intend to use it to please herself?
Thinking of this, Yang couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.
The seemingly delicate and frail sister-in-law before her was actually quite sensible. Madam Yang thought to herself, since she was so understanding, she might as well give her face and let her adapt to the Bai family for a few days, and discuss the rest later.
Just as she was about to put the handkerchief into her bosom, she suddenly heard Jiang Huaiyu whisper, "I embroidered this myself before my marriage. Sister-in-law, do you think this handkerchief might be worth a few copper coins in the market?"
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