Chapter 15: Don't you realize your position is insecure?
Seeing that the kitchen manager was very nice, Bitao nodded and turned to leave.
Granny Li turned to the kitchen staff and said, "Although Young Master Sun was born to the second son of a concubine, he is the only male grandson of the Duke's mansion. It's one thing if you don't like his food, but how can you let him get sick from it? If this happens again, I won't cover for you."
The cooks in the kitchen all agreed, which made Granny Li's expression improve. Actually, she didn't take the matter too seriously. Although Young Master Jiang Yunkang was the only grandson of the Duke's mansion, his father was born out of wedlock and was in poor health, so his family had no presence in the mansion.
Moreover, the eldest young mistress has only given birth to a daughter after so many years, while the second young mistress, who was born out of wedlock, gave birth to a son. How could the eldest young mistress be happy about that? The eldest young mistress is in charge of the household, and they, as servants, naturally have to watch their mother's mood.
......
Meanwhile, Bitao returned to the courtyard of the eldest young mistress, Zhang Xiangling. After seeing Zhang Xiangling, she reported that Zhang Xiangling had scolded the kitchen manager because the young master, Jiang Yunkang, had an upset stomach.
Seeing Zhang Xiangling nod indifferently, she said, "I heard from the old woman in the kitchen that the Duke and the young lady will be having dinner together tonight."
After hearing this, Zhang Xiangling sat up straight and murmured, "The Duke first assigned Granny Liao to her, then said that he personally arranged the people in her courtyard, and now he's having dinner with her. What does the Duke mean by this?"
Bitao thought for a moment, "Is it because the Duke feels that the young lady has just returned and is afraid that the manor will neglect her, that's why he did this...?"
"In all these years, have you ever seen the Duke care so much about anyone in the manor?" Zhang Xiangling asked.
Just then, a maid's voice came from outside, "The young master has arrived."
Zhang Xiangling snorted and leaned back on the couch. At that moment, the curtain was lifted, and Jiang Jiarong, dressed in a silver robe, walked in dashingly.
He sat down next to Zhang Xiangling with a smile, and seeing that she looked unhappy, he said with a smile, "Who made our young mistress unhappy?"
Zhang Xiangling snorted again, "Why is the young master not out with your little darling? What is he doing here?"
Jiang Jiarong smiled and moved closer to Zhang Xiangling, "No one outside is as good as you?"
Zhang Xiangling pushed him away, "So you've run out of money and come to me for more, haven't you?"
Jiang Jiarong's face stiffened slightly. Zhang Xiangling looked at him mockingly and said, "My dowry isn't a mountain of gold and silver; it can't withstand your squandering."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiarong stood up abruptly and said, "If you don't want to give me the money, then don't. Stop with this nonsense."
"We're in dire straits right now, and you're still out fooling around every day," Zhang Xiangling said, exasperated.
Seeing the expression on her face, Jiang Jiarong's expression darkened as well. "Every time I come, you're all hostile. If you don't like me, you shouldn't have married me in the first place!"
Zhang Xiangling trembled with rage. "If I had known you were like this, I would never have married you. Have I had a single good day since we got married? I found out on the second day of our marriage that you had a bunch of concubines. We've only had one daughter in all these years of marriage. Don't you realize your position is insecure?"
"You blame your womb for not being able to give birth to a son, but you're blaming me instead." Jiang Jiarong snorted and sat down to the side, then said:
"My position is insecure? Even if that sickly second son has a hundred sons, he'll still be a son born out of wedlock. How can he compete with me?"
“I wasn’t talking about him,” Zhang Xiangling said.
"Who else could it be but him? My father has a mistress?" Jiang Jiarong said dismissively, "A mistress's son is not as good as a son born out of wedlock."
Zhang Xiangling took out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes, saying, "You saw with your own eyes how different the Duke treated my younger sister when she came home today. Later, he assigned Granny Liao to her, and the people in her courtyard were also personally selected by the Duke. Now the Duke is even having dinner with her."
After hearing this, Jiang Jiarong frowned for a moment and said, "What trouble can a little girl like her cause?"
Zhang Xiangling snorted, "You don't know that the Great Qian Dynasty produced an empress?"
"You're always daydreaming. It's not that easy for a woman to get ahead." Jiang Jiarong got up and walked out. Zhang Xiangling sat on the couch and murmured, "If I had that ability, would I be here putting up with this humiliation from you!"
She picked up her cup and took a sip of tea. Bitao walked in and asked softly, "Young Madam, is that young lady really a threat to the young master?"
Zhang Xiangling snorted, "It's not that easy for a woman to rise above others. Only one empress appears every thousand years. Our young lady grew up in the streets and all she's good for is her petty cleverness. I was just trying to scare the young master."
Bitao breathed a sigh of relief and went behind Zhang Xiangling to massage his shoulders...
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