"I am your mother-in-law, how dare you disobey me? Disobedience! You are disobedient!" the old lady said angrily.
"Mother, my kneeling is an act of filial piety! You're punishing me by making me kneel? I'm not only a titled lady, but I also have an imperial pardon that exempts me from kneeling. Are you even more important than His Majesty?"
“You…” The old lady was speechless.
Seeing that the old lady was about to make a scene, Gu Shaoyu said calmly, "Mother, if I were you, I would be more careful with my words and actions!"
"Unfilial! Unfilial! None of you are filial! Xie forged the indenture; who is she trying to harm?"
The old lady was determined to set rules for Gu Shaoyu and Xie Zhaozhao today.
"You steal property, get into a lawsuit, and then blame others?"
"Now that you are gone, everything in Qingpu Courtyard should rightfully belong to the Earl's Mansion!"
"How did you know we were gone? Did you see the bodies?"
"That's what everyone says..."
"Oh, you believed your son was dead just because you heard rumors? And you couldn't wait to divide and sell my wife's dowry?"
"You can't take anything with you when you die; property is meant for the living to enjoy."
"We don't admit to the crimes you accuse us of!" Gu Shaoyu said coldly. "If you want to appeal to the emperor, then go ahead! By the way, you can consider removing me from the household!"
Xie Zhaozhao glanced at the old lady indifferently, who opened her mouth in disbelief and suddenly fell silent, like a chicken with its neck being squeezed.
Now the Earl's Mansion is still relying on Gu Shaoyu to separate out the mansion. The Earl's Mansion has neither money nor power, so it is really finished!
Xie Zhaozhao lowered her eyes, her face expressionless.
Before returning to her residence, Gu Shaoyu accompanied the Tibetan Crown Prince and Princess to pay homage to His Majesty, where she spoke with Consort Xi in Xingning Palace.
When Consort Xi mentioned the Pingyang Earl's Mansion, she became furious, saying, "In the entire capital, you won't find another family as unscrupulous as the Pingyang Earl's Mansion. What kind of family is so eager to snatch up the dowry after their son and daughter-in-law have just passed away?"
He told Xie Zhaozhao about the affairs of the Marquis of Pingyang's mansion in detail. Xie Zhaozhao was somewhat unhappy at the time, but she didn't show it on her face.
Consort Xi said happily, "Although His Majesty has always said that you are gone, I don't believe it. So when your soldiers were sold by the Lady of the Countess, I had someone inform Dong Qin."
"Are all those soldiers in Dongqin?"
“Yes,” Consort Xi whispered to Xie Zhaozhao how Dong Qin had tricked the Earl’s family.
Tu deserved his imprisonment!
She looked unwell ever since she left the palace. Gu Shaoyu thought she was upset about what happened at the manor, so he said, "Don't be upset, I'll handle it."
This lawsuit has severely damaged the Earl's family.
It's normal for the old lady to get angry.
But should we blame her? Should we condemn her for being cruel?
Wouldn't it be a disservice to you if we didn't act ruthlessly?
Gu Shaoyu didn't need to say anything; he retorted to the old lady all by himself.
“Mother, the manor has land and shops allocated by the court according to the rank of nobility, and there is also a monthly allowance. I work in the cabinet, and my income is not small either. As long as we don’t go too far, the manor’s daily expenses are enough.”
Gu Shaoyu said, "My son is a man of integrity; he can't possibly live off his wife's dowry. Why are you still so concerned about Zhaozhao's dowry?"
"You all live a life of luxury outside, how could you know the hardships we face at home!" the old lady cried. "We're almost starving."
"If that's the case, I suggest we make the public accounts public and investigate where all the money went!"
Gu Shaoyu said, "Since my sister-in-law can't manage it, she shouldn't be allowed to. Let's find someone else."
The old lady choked.
Gu Boyu was a little embarrassed and said, "Tu Shi happens to be in poor health, so it would be good for Mother to have someone else manage the household affairs."
The old lady looked at Xie Zhaozhao again.
She didn't want to be called Lu Shi Guan.
The Lu family was in charge of the household finances. Not to mention providing subsidies, that skinflint Lu would always try to squeeze money out of everyone and line his own pocket.
Xie Zhaozhao glanced at Madam Lu, who was on the verge of tears, her eyes filled with pleading.
So he nodded slightly to her.
"Second sister-in-law is thrifty and manages the household affairs quite well. Young mistress is knowledgeable and has a lot of social interactions. It's good that the two of them jointly manage the household affairs, supervise and remind each other."
The old lady disagreed: "How can two people be in charge? Who will the servants listen to?"
Xie Xiangxiang said calmly, "I am willing to manage the household with my second aunt, with my second aunt taking the lead and me just assisting her."
Lady Lu was overjoyed and immediately declared, "If you were to put me in charge of the household affairs, I would certainly save every penny, ensure everyone eats and dresses well, and keep all accounts clear."
As the conversation progressed, the old lady could no longer refuse.
Besides, are there any other people available in the mansion?
Of course, Xie Zhaozhao is the most suitable, but the key is that she doesn't want to take the job. Guan Yingying is also capable, but her status isn't respectable.
After leaving Ci'en Temple, Xie Zhaozhao went to visit Madam Tu.
Upon entering Tu's room, a strong smell of medicine filled the air.
Before Madam Tu's bed, on a small table, sat a bowl of medicine, faintly exuding the aroma of old ginseng.
Madam Tu lay on the bed, her lower body completely paralyzed. Her hands, still not fully healed, were wrapped up like rice dumplings, making it difficult for her to even get up.
Her once jet-black hair has turned almost completely white in just a month and a half, and her once round face now has prominent cheekbones.
The man was emaciated.
Xie Zhaozhao went in, but didn't sit down. She looked down at her carefully, her expression indifferent.
Tu lay on the bed, looking at her sideways with hatred in her eyes.
Granny Wan brought Xie Zhaozhao a stool and poured her some hot water. Xie Zhaozhao sat down and filled a cup with tea, placing it on the table next to her.
Tu looked at Xie Zhaozhao, whose tongue had been bitten off by a fellow female prisoner while she was in jail, and her speech was muffled: "You did it on purpose! You dug a pit for me to jump into?"
Xie Zhaozhao smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, I can hardly understand what you're saying these days. If you're sick, just get proper treatment. Don't worry about things in the manor. Today, Mother handed over the household management to Second Sister-in-law and the Young Mistress. They will treat you well."
When Madam Tu heard that the management of the household affairs had been handed over to Madam Lu and Xie Xiangxiang, she was so anxious that she tried to object by making mumbling noises, but unfortunately her tongue was not long enough and her legs could not move.
Granny Wan went over to comfort her, saying, "Madam, your leg is injured now. The doctor instructed you to lie down and rest."
Following Wan Mama's words, Xie Zhaozhao said, "She needs to rest quietly. There are many and complicated matters in the mansion, and sooner or later they will all be handed over to the young mistress."
Tu Shi: "Mmm..."
Should it be given to Xie Xiangxiang and Madam Lu?
This must have been Xie Zhaozhao's idea!
Xie Xiangxiang hates Yan'er and Aunt Yue to the core, and might even hate herself! She is in charge of the household affairs, and only knows how to punish Yan'er, mistreat Yuebai, and if things go wrong, she might mistreat herself as well.
Lu Shi was her mortal enemy. Xie Zhaozhao recommended her, but instead of giving her ginseng medicine, she would only use her to gradually exploit the eldest son's family and kill them.
Xie Zhaozhao silently exacts her revenge on the eldest son's family, killing without shedding blood!
Seeing the hatred in her eyes, Xie Zhaozhao said quietly, "Sister-in-law should listen to Granny Wan. The affairs of the manor are handled by Second Sister-in-law and Young Madam. You need to learn to let go. You don't need to worry about the affairs of Qingpu Courtyard either."
Tu: Mmm...
Xie Zhaozhao stood up and said briskly, "Sister-in-law, take good care of yourself. The eldest young master and young mistress haven't consummated their marriage yet, have they? Before the birth of the legitimate grandson, you must take good care of your only illegitimate grandson!"
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