Chapter 632 I Can Also Manage a Household
Song Chunxue stopped and found the man's words amusing.
So she decided to listen a little longer.
"Fifth Aunt, you've misunderstood. Aunt Song is richer than my father. She can casually give my father two pieces of Huizhou ink. Can you do that?"
Xie Lingyun was somewhat displeased. "Auntie, you don't need to persuade me. The Chang family has gone too far in bullying me, and Chang Yunxuan has no backbone. I misjudged people back then, and now I just want to divorce him."
"Divorce?" the woman sneered loudly. "Do you think you're a princess? Divorce? Even the emperor might not agree to a princess's divorce."
"That's because no one will bully the princess; only the princess can bully the prince consort. I'm not afraid of divorce, and Fifth Aunt doesn't need to worry that divorce will bring harm to your family, since your daughters are all married anyway."
"Ha! You and your father have really been corrupted. You used to be quite kind to your own family, so why are you so tough this time? I want to see what kind of vixen your father brought here is."
The woman said sarcastically, "You're just a girl running the household. You won't even know if you get sold off. In the end, you'll just be putting money in that woman's pocket. You don't even understand such a simple principle."
Xie Lingyun said firmly, "Fifth Aunt, please go back. The children are very sleepy and need to take a nap."
"At this critical juncture, why are you still sleeping? Call that old hag over here and let me have a go at her."
As soon as she finished speaking, Song Chunxue stepped into the courtyard.
"No need for that, I came by myself. I wonder what this young lady wants to do with me?"
With her hands behind her back, Song Chunxue walked briskly down the steps, her back straight, and looked at the woman with a half-smile.
Xie Lingyun's fifth aunt, Yu, was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, quite prosperous-looking, but a little mean-spirited. She had a small nose and small eyes, but was still quite pleasing to the eye.
"Aunt Song, please excuse my rudeness. This is my fifth aunt, Xie Zhao's mother." Xie Lingyun looked at the maid and said, "Bring tea."
Fifth Aunt sneered and said irritably, "Yun'er, this is not right of you. When I came, you chased me away, but when an outsider came, you served tea. Anyone who didn't know better would think she was your real mother."
Xie Lingyun smiled slightly, "My aunt always says I'm too straightforward and too bookish, that I'm too old-fashioned. I'm a simple person. I'm good to whoever is good to me, even if it's just for a short time and I don't have any ulterior motives."
The implication was that Fifth Aunt was unwilling to give any benefit and only wanted to take advantage of others.
These words were quite blunt, and Fifth Aunt looked uncomfortable. She opened her mouth, but then hesitated to speak.
Song Chunxue sat down directly on the steps in the shade, without rushing to speak.
At this moment, the maid brought over tea and walked up to Song Chunxue first.
"Madam Song, please have some tea."
"Thank you." Song Chunxue took the teacup, and when she looked up, she saw the woman's disdainful expression.
Song Chunxue smiled slightly, "I'll drink first."
Madam Yu originally intended to interrogate her in a superior manner, but seeing that her expression did not seem like someone to be trifled with, she turned her attention to Xie Lingyun.
“Yun’er, I know you’re upset that your aunt isn’t on your side, but you never associate with us either. My mind is on the other children, so I rarely have time for you. If you ever encounter any difficulties, just tell us, and that Chang family boy won’t dare to bully you.”
Xie Lingyun smiled and lowered her head, casually playing with the handkerchief in her hand.
"Auntie, have you forgotten? I came to your house with my child before, asking you and Uncle Wu for help, but you advised me that women shouldn't be too strong-willed, and you didn't even give me a meal before sending me away."
"There's no point in saying more. I've made up my mind. If you want what's best for me, Auntie, please stand by my side. I'll remember our relationship when I'm managing the household in the future."
Her tone was calm and composed, her demeanor arrogant, showing no sign of the dejection of retreating back to her parents' home.
These words shocked and enraged Madam Yu. She immediately sat up straight, craned her neck, and demanded, "What do you mean? From now on, you're in charge of the household and you want to take back all the shops? What is my Zhao'er then? A servant who can be summoned and dismissed at will?"
She stood up angrily and pointed at Xie Lingyun, "What do you two mean by this? My Zhao'er traveled all the way to Jincheng to help manage the shop, but your father felt she was no longer needed and sent her back. Now she's helping your family look after the shop in the capital. She's worked hard, even if she hasn't done anything meritorious. And now you're discarding her like a used millstone?"
She pointed at Song Chunxue, "Was it this woman who instigated this? I knew you were no good. You dress like a respectable person, and you're supposedly a Taoist priest, but I think you're just a charlatan!"
As she spoke, she rolled her eyes at Song Chunxue, "Xie Zheng is so simple-minded that he's easily fooled. Who knows where this woman is having children and how many lovers she has?"
Song Chunxue wasn't annoyed. She raised an eyebrow with a half-smile and said "Oh."
"Yun'er only said that she would manage the household in the future. Why are you so angry? Are you afraid that you won't get any benefits?"
She remained calm and composed, saying, "Your family just wants Xie Zhao to take Xie Zheng's place since he doesn't have a son. Why are you making sarcastic remarks about me? If Xie Zheng marries me, I'll be family, and you're taking advantage of the situation and then feeling wronged?"
Xie Lingyun responded calmly.
"Why humiliate our distinguished guest, Fifth Aunt? It makes people think that the Xie family has no manners. Seventh Brother has been using the revenue from our shop to cover his gambling debts for the past two years, and I've turned a blind eye. My father has never said anything either. Besides, he doesn't even go to the shop as often as I do each month. Where is his hard work?"
“It’s my own property, I can pay someone to watch over it, why should Seventh Brother make the decisions for us? Why is Fifth Aunt so angry? Isn’t it only natural for me to manage my father’s property?”
“It’s only natural?” Madam Yu pointed at Xie Lingyun, her chin held high and her jaw clenched tightly.
Xie Lingyun watched calmly as she jumped into the trap.
“You’re a young woman; you’ll get married and have someone else’s children in the future. How can we let outsiders take over the Xie family’s things…”
“Auntie, I can also find a son-in-law to live with me, and the children he has will take my surname, so they will still belong to the Xie family.”
“You…” Madam Yu pointed at her angrily, but when she noticed the calm smile on her face, she realized that she was being led by the nose and that she only cared about her family’s property.
"You silly child, you're already married into the Chang family, and you're still thinking about finding a son-in-law to live with you? Aren't you ashamed!"
Song Chunxue, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but nod in admiration. If her Hongying had studied for a few more years when she was young, would she have been just as intelligent?
Xie Lingyun understood immediately and remained calm. Judging from her tone, she had become very knowledgeable about her family's affairs over the past few years.
Therefore, she was able to handle them with ease when they made bold proposals.
"What's there to be ashamed of? Even princesses have brothers vying for power, but my father only had me. He dotes on me, trusts me, and wants me to inherit the family business and continue the family line. What's wrong with that?"
Just then, a man stormed into the courtyard.
"Xie Lingyun, how can you be so shameless? Where did you learn about traditional Chinese virtues?"
"As a daughter-in-law of the Chang family, you're already thinking about finding a son-in-law to live with you. I really misjudged you!"
Looking at the young man with a livid face, Song Chunxue guessed that this must be Xie Lingyun's husband, Chang Yunxuan.
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