Prince Ning's Mansion.
Liu Zhao sat upright in his study, picking up his brush and painting.
Guard Zhao San walked in and bowed, saying, "Sir, there's a commotion in the East Palace."
Liu Zhao added the finishing touch, his expression cold and stern, "They haven't made enough noise yet. I will personally add fuel to the fire in the East Palace and make them make even more noise."
"Please give your orders, sir!"
Liu Zhao played with the ring on his thumb, admiring his own painting, and said, "Send someone to the hometown of Xu Da Ren, the Crown Prince's Secretary, and set it on fire.
Then send people to Xie Mao's hometown to cut off his source of trouble and make them all nervous.
As for the East Palace, nothing is more useful than a fire in the backyard. The Crown Princess and the Crown Princess are not on good terms with each other. If I don’t make good use of them, it would be a waste.”
"Young Master is wise."
Eunuch Lin Shuping smiled and said, "However, I am worried that the King of Zhao and the King of Yan will plot behind the scenes to seize the benefits and take advantage of the opportunity to become more powerful. We must be on guard against this."
Liu Zhao's face was cold as he said, "The Zhao Palace and the Yan Palace have long been at loggerheads. It would be better for me to sit back and watch the two princes fight it out first, so I can reap the benefits."
The eunuch Lin Shuping said, "I think we can start with Concubine Xue and Concubine Xian."
Liu Zhao nodded and said to Lin Shuping, "I'll leave this matter to you."
"Yes, sir!"
Guard Zhao San added, "The Fourth Young Master and Miss Xiao's wedding date has already been set for July of this year. Shouldn't the Young Master and Miss Gu's wedding date also be set soon?"
The eunuch Lin Shuping also said: "The young master is the eldest, so he should get married before the fourth young master."
Liu Zhao was silent.
Guard Zhao San ventured to guess, "Young Master, are you worried about Miss Gu?"
Liu Zhao narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "There's no need to set a wedding date for now."
Eunuch Lin Shuping hurriedly said, "Won't the young master's wedding date be later than the fourth young master's? What should we do then?"
Guard Zhao San also disagreed.
Liu Zhao was the eldest, so he should have married earlier than the four princes.
Liu Zhao said, "That's fine! A mere wedding date, even if it's a few days later, won't be a problem for me."
The eunuch Lin Shuping and the guard Zhao San frowned and exchanged glances. They both knew Liu Zhao's temper and stopped trying to persuade him.
After the two left the study, the eunuch Lin Shuping asked the guard Zhao San, "Do you know why the young master is not in a hurry to set a date for the wedding?"
Guard Zhao San tried to guess, "Perhaps it's because of Miss Gu. If the wedding date is too close, Miss Gu won't have enough time to prepare her dowry. Unlike Miss Xiao, she started preparing her dowry years ago and can get married at any time."
Eunuch Lin Shuping frowned, "Why did the young master choose Miss Gu as his wife? It seems that Miss Gu is not favored at home, otherwise her dowry would not have been prepared yet. I am very worried. When she marries into the palace, will she be able to compete with Miss Xiao and the princess? I hope she will not hinder the young master."
"Miss Gu is a very nice person, but she has a stepmother who is a concubine and makes many things difficult for her."
Guard Zhao San whispered in defense of Gu Jiu.
Lin Shuping snorted coldly, "Tomorrow, we have to find an opportunity to meet this Miss Gu."
Guard Zhao San frowned slightly and warned the other party, "Don't do anything rash. Miss Gu is the wife chosen by the young master himself. If you do anything rash and anger the young master, you will be in big trouble."
Lin Shuping smiled and said, "Of course, our family wouldn't do anything rash. Young Master must have his reasons for choosing Miss Gu. I just wanted to weigh Miss Gu for you before the wedding."
…
Gu Mansion!
After resting for a few days, Xie finally regained his energy and spirit.
By February, the weather was getting warmer, and Xie was looking for a chance to discuss the housekeeping matter with the eldest wife, Zhang.
Gu Yue came just in time.
"Mother, please make the decision for your daughter."
"What happened again?"
Gu Yue cried out in grievance, "Originally, this was just a small matter, and I shouldn't have bothered my mother. But the more I think about it, the more aggrieved I feel. Not only was I being bullied, but I was also embarrassed. I must speak out about this."
Xie frowned slightly, "Tell me what happened first."
Gu Yue wiped away her tears and said, "For the gold thread used in the wedding dress, my aunt prepared four taels for her daughter, but she prepared eight taels for my second sister.
We're both legitimate daughters of the second wife, so why is the gold thread used in her wedding gown twice as much as mine? What does my aunt mean by that? Does she look down on her daughter, or does she look down on her mother?
Just because the mother is a second wife, does that mean her daughter will be looked down upon as well?"
“Nonsense!”
Xie was furious and turned to Chunhe, "Chunhe, what's going on? Why didn't you report the matter of the gold thread?"
Chunhe secretly glanced at Gu Yue, what a troublemaker.
She bowed and said, "Your Highness, I only learned about this matter this morning. I was just about to report it to you when the third young lady arrived."
Mrs. Xie gritted her teeth, "The eldest wife has gone too far. We can't just let this go. Where is the eldest wife now?"
Chun He said cautiously, "It should be in the meeting hall."
Xie snorted coldly, "Follow me to the meeting hall."
Xie came to the meeting hall in a rage.
The meeting hall was busy with people coming in and out.
Gu Jiu, Gu Zhen and others all followed the eldest wife Zhang to learn how to manage the household.
When they saw Xie come in, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her.
The eldest wife, Mrs. Zhang, saw that Mrs. Xie had come with ill intentions, so she waved her hand and asked the housekeepers to leave first.
"Why is my sister-in-law here?"
Xie snorted twice and looked around, "I came at the wrong time. You are busy."
After saying that, Xie sat down on the chair, sneered, and stared at Zhang.
Zhang picked up the teacup and hid the sneer on her face. "Since my sister-in-law knew we were busy and came here at this time, she must have something going on."
Xie raised an eyebrow, "Of course there is something."
At this time, Gu Yue also rushed over, quietly walked into the meeting hall, and sat down in his seat, thinking that no one would notice.
Little did she know that everyone in the room noticed her and guessed that the reason why Xie came over at this time must be related to Gu Yue.
Gu Zhen looked towards Gu Jiu, asking with his eyes if he knew why Xie came.
Gu Jiu shook her head slightly, she had no idea at all.
She was fine before, but suddenly became angry today. I don’t know who offended her again.
Could it be that she had offended the Xie family?
It’s true!
It’s just that Gu Jiu himself doesn’t know it.
Afterwards, Gu Zhen looked at Gu Shan again, wanting to ask if Gu Shan knew the inside story.
Gu Shan shook her head slightly. She was completely confused and bewildered.
The eldest wife, Zhang, asked, "What's the matter with my sister-in-law?"
Mrs. Xie smiled. "First, I want to discuss housekeeping with my eldest sister-in-law. Our two families haven't split up. This mansion is shared by the first and second wives. It should be managed by you and me together. Am I wrong?"
Zhang smiled faintly, "Of course you are right."
"Then should I also be the housekeeper?" Mrs. Xie pressed aggressively.
Zhang smiled softly, nodded, and said, "Sister-in-law should naturally follow me to manage the household."
Xie immediately revealed a victorious smile.
Unexpectedly, Zhang said, "As the head wife, I should have the final say in this family. If my sister-in-law doesn't mind helping me, I don't mind letting her take care of the housework."
Xie's smile froze on her face. "What do you mean, sister-in-law?"
The eldest wife, Zhang, smiled and said, "Your sister-in-law's plan may be hidden from others, but not from me. She wants to be the housekeeper, simply because she wants to find an opportunity to take over the various businesses that the family has invested in.
I won't hide it from my younger brother and sister-in-law. Over the years, I've used the public funds to buy a number of shops and farms, and I've also invested in two businesses. The returns have been pretty good over the years.
However, I have to be frank. My sister-in-law can help with housekeeping, such as helping with the kitchen and sewing room.
"Don't even think about interfering with the outside businesses, my younger brothers and sisters-in-law. Before the family division, these businesses must be managed by our eldest son."
"Why?"
Mrs. Xie refused to agree. "Our second wife also has a share of the outside property. As the wife of the second wife, why can't I get involved?"
Zhang smiled, but without showing any emotion, she said bluntly, "Because I don't trust my sister-in-law."
"You...sister-in-law, please don't go too far. Could it be that you've been falsifying accounts and embezzling public funds, and you're afraid I'll find out?"
Zhang scoffed, "Don't say that again, sister-in-law. Otherwise, my master has a hot temper and if we start fighting, it won't be a good thing."
Xie was speechless, "Is sister-in-law threatening me?"
Zhang laughed sarcastically, "I'm reminding my younger brother and sister-in-law to be careful of their words. Without any evidence, you dare to accuse me of embezzling public funds. Do you really think I wouldn't dare to take action against you?
I tell you, based on your unfounded accusation, as the mistress of the house, the eldest daughter-in-law, and the future Lord of the Gu Mansion, I have the right to imprison you in the ancestral hall and let you reflect on your actions."
Xie's face turned serious, "How dare you!"
Zhang snorted, her eyes scornful. "You can try, sister-in-law, and see if I dare. Believe it or not, I will lock you up in the ancestral hall to reflect on your actions, and your second brother won't dare to say a word."
Xie's face changed, she was speechless and couldn't utter a word.
Zhang picked up the teacup and took a sip. "Sister-in-law, you should read more books when you have time and review the rules of the mansion. The order of seniority must not be violated. For example, Yue yelled at Xiaojiu. According to the rules, she should be spanked. It's not proper to disregard the distinction between the young and the old. "
Gu Yue's face changed and he quickly lowered his head to reduce his presence.
Xie laughed out of anger, "After listening to what my sister-in-law said today, I've broadened my horizons. I accept that my sister-in-law doesn't want me to manage the properties outside the mansion. But you should at least let me see the account books."
Zhang smiled slightly, shook her head, and said, "I sent the account book to my second brother for review long before the New Year. He looked at it and said it was very good, but didn't say anything else. If you have any questions about the account book, please ask my second brother. I won't answer them."
Xie glared, "How come I don't know about this?"
Zhang said, "Then you have to ask my second brother. I don't understand why he didn't tell you."
Xie's face turned ashen.
After a moment's silence, she said decisively, "Sister-in-law said before that she was going to let me take charge of the kitchen and sewing room?"
Zhang nodded, "Sister-in-law, are you unwilling?"
Mrs. Xie raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Of course I wouldn't be unwilling. My sister-in-law has entrusted me with the management of the kitchen and the sewing room, so naturally I have no choice but to do my duty. But speaking of the sewing room, there's something I want to discuss with my sister-in-law."
"Sister-in-law, please speak."
Xie drank a sip of tea to moisten her throat and said, "Regarding the wedding dresses of the second and third girls, I heard that the eldest sister-in-law prepared eight taels of gold thread for the second girl, but only four taels for the third girl. Why is that?
Both children are legitimate children of our second wife, so why are they treated differently? Does my eldest sister-in-law look down on me and think that the children I give birth to are inferior to those of the second girl?
Zhang smiled softly, "Why are we treated differently? Why are you asking when you already know the answer?
Yue girl married the second legitimate son of the Lord Haixi, so her status was naturally noble, but it was still far inferior to the eldest legitimate son of Prince Ning.
The second girl was personally betrothed by the Emperor, and would marry the Emperor's grandson. Could her wedding gown be made of less than eight taels of gold thread? Of course not.
If your Yue'er can marry the emperor's grandson, or the eldest son of the earl's mansion, I will also prepare eight taels of gold thread for her.
You have to prepare wedding clothes that match the status of the person you marry.
If you prepare a wedding dress that is not suitable for your status, are you deliberately trying to suppress the eldest young lady of the Haixi Marquis's Mansion and deliberately make Yue'er an enemy?"
"Then it should at least be the same as the golden thread on the wedding dress of the eldest young lady of the Haixi Marquis's Mansion."
Gu Yue suddenly spoke out.
Zhang glanced at Gu Yue and said, "The elders are talking, Yue'er, and as a junior, you shouldn't interrupt them casually. Have you forgotten the rules that Nanny taught you?"
Gu Yue's face flushed and she looked at Xie with a weak expression.
Xie snorted coldly, "Sister-in-law is so eloquent. Everything you say makes sense."
Zhang smiled softly and said, "My sister-in-law has misunderstood. It's not that I'm good at speaking, but the truth is there, and everyone knows it.
For example, the dowries of the two children, why did Xiaojiu have a dowry of 40,000 taels, while Yue'er only had a dowry of 20,000 taels?
Isn't it because one married the emperor's grandson and the other married the second son of the earl's family?
When girls are at their parents' home, they are all sisters, and they are very close to each other without any distinction between high and low.
But after the betrothal, the difference between the two is immediately apparent. It's very cruel, but there's nothing we can do about it. My sister-in-law should understand this very well."
As soon as Zhang said this, the girls' expressions became solemn.
Everyone has long felt how ruthless identity, status, and marriage are.
It's just that in the past, no one said it so directly.
Gu Yue felt unwilling and looked at Xie eagerly.
Xie stared at Zhang and asked, "According to my sister-in-law's wishes, my daughter Yue'er can only have four taels of gold thread to embroider her wedding dress?"
"Four ounces of gold thread is a lot. Don't despise it, sister-in-law."
Xie snorted coldly, "What if I want to add two taels of gold thread?"
Zhang raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "If you are willing to pay for it yourself, I will naturally not interfere. However, the Duke can only give Yue'er four ounces of gold thread. I hope you will understand this matter."
This is really too much.
Of course, Mrs. Xie was unwilling to understand Mrs. Zhang. She just felt suffocated.
But the rules were there and she could do nothing about it.
At this moment, the Xie family wanted to split up more than ever before.
After the family was divided, she could be the boss and use as much gold thread as she wanted.
What rules? Go away.
Gu Yue was eagerly hoping that Xie would add two taels of gold thread for her, but after waiting for a long time, she still did not get any promise from Xie.
Two ounces of gold thread wasn't much, and with the labor cost, it wasn't worth much either. But her mother refused to give her even this little bit of gold thread.
Gu Yue was extremely disappointed.
"Is there anything else, sister-in-law?"
Zhang asked.
Mrs. Xie smiled and said, "Since I'm going to be the housekeeper, I have to review the account books first. I plan to stay in the meeting hall and check the account books of the kitchen and sewing room for the past few years."
Zhang was very straightforward and immediately ordered the servants, "Go, send someone to the accounting office and bring all the account books from the kitchen and sewing room for the past five years."
Then, Zhang asked Xie, "Sister-in-law, do you want me to arrange an accountant for you?"
Xie refused bluntly, "No need, I have someone here who can do the accounting."
"That's good."
Zhang smiled and said, "Girls, that's all for today. You can all go home now."
Gu Jiu and others stood up, said goodbye and left.
Gu Yue caught up with Gu Jiu, "Second sister, I have something to tell you."
"What does Third Sister want to say?"
Gu Jiu turned around and looked at Gu Yue.
Gu Yue rushed forward, stood in front of Gu Jiu, and said, "Just because you married the emperor's grandson, you suppress me in every way. I don't accept it."
Gu Jiu looked up at the sky and smiled.
"Third sister, if you're not convinced, go tell the wife. It's no use telling me. As the saying goes, marriage is a matter of life and death, and it's not up to us to decide."
Gu Yue's face suddenly turned red. "What do you mean by that? Are you mocking me?"
Gu Yue's marriage was something she had to fight for, so to be honest, it couldn't be said to be the result of her parents' orders or the matchmaker's words.
Therefore, whenever someone said this, Gu Yue couldn't help but think too much.
She always thought others were making sarcastic remarks about her.
Gu Jiu said seriously, "Third sister, you're worrying too much. I'm just speaking the truth, and I have no intention of being sarcastic. I have other things to do, so I won't chat with you anymore. Goodbye."
"Stop right there, stop right there..."
Gu Jiu ignored her and left immediately.
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