Chapter 20 Don't Be Shameless When Playing the Submissive: "Why are you here?" "Wanqing has come to pay her respects to her second aunt." ...
"Why are you here?"
"Wanqing has come to pay her respects to her second aunt."
Shumulu's expression of seeing a ghost almost made Shen Wanqing burst out laughing. She had to pinch the flesh of her palm hard to barely hold it in.
"Second Aunt, what are your plans regarding yesterday's matter?" Since she was already there, Shen Wanqing didn't beat around the bush with Shu Mulu and went straight to the point, stating her purpose.
"What plans? The elders in the family haven't even mentioned it, so how can you, a newlywed daughter-in-law, make the decisions? Don't think that just because Yulang has won the Crown Prince's favor, you can do whatever you want. You don't have eyes in the back of your head; no one can predict the future."
Shumulu's words were very serious; she was referring to Shen Wanqing and Yulang, and even more so to what happened back then.
When Shuai Yanbao passed away, his two brothers divided the family property. For those two years, everyone thought that the eldest son, Erhe, would have a brighter future. As the daughter of Shumulu who was separated from the family, she must have felt a little unhappy.
After Erhe passed away, the second wife moved back in, and Shumulu probably felt something like that. Look, it's only been two years; who could have predicted how unpredictable life would be?
“Yes, Auntie is right. No one can predict what will happen in the future.” Shen Wanqing nodded seriously, without a hint of sarcasm or irony.
'Then why did you come?' Shumulu didn't say these words aloud, but her expression clearly showed it. At this moment, she couldn't even tell whether Shen was shrewd and capable or foolish. Did she think she could just give her what she wanted? What a pipe dream.
"To be honest, Second Aunt, I was thinking about the future, which is why I wanted to separate the accounts of the West Courtyard and the East Courtyard." Shen Wanqing saw Shu Mulu's expression but pretended not to notice.
"I had only been married for a short time when I heard many stories about how my mother was overwhelmed with raising Pusa Bao and Fangyi. Although I am young and haven't experienced it myself, I can imagine the difficulties involved. There are probably too many stories to tell."
With an orphan, a widow, and an unborn child, not to mention a family like the Hesheli's, even royalty would have endless suffering.
Few people have talked about this in the past year or two, and everyone in the family seems to have forgotten what happened back then. When Shen Wanqing suddenly brought it up without any hesitation, Shu Mulu couldn't help but show a look of melancholy and sympathy. Back then, when she took over the household management, it would be a lie to say that she didn't feel any sympathy for the eldest son's family.
"They say that having a child means worrying for ninety-nine years out of a hundred, and I never believed it. But when I went back to my parents' home this time and saw my mother, she pulled me aside and asked me about everything from beginning to end, and I realized that she was right."
"What exactly are you trying to say? Stop beating around the bush."
Shen Wanqing's face was full of sincerity, and every word she said made sense. Shumulu was still inexplicably annoyed. If you want to seize power, just say it. Why are you making such a fuss?
"Second Aunt, Tu Nan should be getting married in a few years, right? I heard Hui Zhong is a good student. Shouldn't we find a good academy for her to attend in a few years? And what about the second and third daughters in the family? They look young now, but children grow up quickly. Besides, the older ones are taking care of the younger ones. And Second Aunt is still young. Maybe the West Courtyard will be even more lively in a couple of years."
"They say that even cats and dogs will dislike a housekeeper after three years. Although this is used to criticize people, it's not entirely without reason. In a few years, when your younger siblings are all grown up, do you think you'll still be focusing all your energy on these household chores, Aunt? Even if you do put all your effort into it, can you guarantee that everyone in the family will only remember your kindness?"
Shen Wanqing knew in her heart that now was the best time to bring up this matter. She could be tolerated for whatever she said or did now because she was a new bride, but once this "new bride protection period" was over, she would no longer be able to say or do many things.
If my wife, the eldest grandson's wife, is never mentioned in public or private after entering the family, this household will completely belong to the second branch within three years.
When the second wife's weddings and marriages are held, who can say for sure whether the money used is from the second wife's family, the entire Hesheli family, or the first wife's family?
If they separate now, it can still be said that the second wife helped the first wife during a time of crisis, so everyone can still maintain some dignity. After a few years, as these things gradually fade away, the two families can still treat each other as relatives as before.
However, you can't say it like that; sometimes you have to use deception. Just like how my boss used to deceive me, first he would forcefully intervene, then present the facts and reason with me, giving me a slap on the wrist and a sweet treat afterward. He would bargain and lower his bottom line step by step, finally achieving his goal and leaving me speechless.
"So, I think it's not a bad thing to separate the accounts of the east and west courtyards at this time. I know that Second Aunt doesn't necessarily want to hold onto this damn power of the household. You just feel that you've worked hard for several years, so why should I, a kid, be able to say whatever I want as soon as I come here? It's so infuriating."
Shumulu had never seen anyone so unreasonable and so persistent that no one could speak. You could call her a scoundrel, and she truly was; you could say her words made no sense, yet they could genuinely sway people's hearts.
Shumulu was no fool. It was certainly better for the eldest and second branches of the family to have a good relationship than to be enemies. No matter how much she had tried to suppress the eldest branch in the past few years, as long as she couldn't really wipe out the eldest branch, the position of the family's commander would still be inherited by the eldest branch, so what would she gain?
Just like Shen said, who knows what will happen in the future? A month ago, Shumulu didn't even take Yulang, who insisted on joining the guard camp, seriously, but now he's climbed the social ladder.
"Second Aunt, I know you can't really make this decision. Back then, the old lady felt sorry for my mother, and she had to take care of Pusa Bao and Fangyi while also managing the household affairs. She was too busy to handle everything, so she entrusted these matters to you. Now that you're taking over, shouldn't you wait for the old lady to speak?"
"Yes, it was the old lady who decided to take charge of the household back then. Now that the west and east courtyards are to be separated, it has to be the old lady's decision. Otherwise, what have I become these past few years? If word gets out, it will all be my fault, as if I was the one who coveted this family back then."
After much arguing, Shen Wanqing finally managed to get Shumulu to relent and say what she wanted. From the beginning, she had never intended to take over the management of the East Courtyard in one fell swoop. After all, she didn't even know how well Shumulu had managed the household over the past few years, so how could she just take over without any clear cause?
"Of course I can't let my second aunt be in a difficult position. How could I let you go through all that trouble and not get anything in return?" Shen Wanqing smiled, her eyes crinkling, which made Shu Mulu and Qing Shuang shudder. Only she herself was completely unaware that she now looked like a big fox wagging its tail.
"I didn't come here for any other reason than to learn from my second aunt. If the old lady agrees to separate the accounts of the east and west courtyards in the future, so that you won't have to work so hard every day, I'll be able to handle the job when I take over."
If the old lady thinks I'm too young to handle things, at least I've learned a few things from my second aunt. If my second aunt ever needs help in the future, just give her a call, and I'll be there in no time."
When it comes to playing the subservient role, the most important thing is to not be shameless. Seeing the new grandmother speaking so humbly, Shumulu felt as if a huge stone was pressing on her heart, and she couldn't push her away any further.
What did she say? That I have plenty of maids and servants under my command, and I'll never be short of people? Comparing my nephew's wife to servants—if Shumulu Shi really said that, she would slap herself in the face.
"If you want to stay, then stay. I'm too busy to teach you anything."
"Don't worry, Auntie, I'll just take a look and promise not to disturb you while you're doing your work."
She said she was learning by watching, and Shen Wanqing actually sat quietly to the side and watched, ignoring the ghostly expressions on the faces of the old women and maids who came in and out.
If there was anything she didn't understand, she would take out a charcoal pencil and a small booklet cut to the size of her palm to write and draw. After the stewardess who was supposed to give the reply left, she would ask about each point one by one.
Shumulu was initially impatient, but her attitude changed as she asked more questions. Shen Wanqing wasn't deliberately making things difficult; she was asking crucial questions and things that were easily misunderstood by subordinates. Shumulu had previously taken over the household affairs and had suffered to some extent from areas where Shen Wanqing didn't understand.
Intelligent people may be envied and feared, but they are rarely disliked. These are two very similar yet completely different emotions. Shumulu felt this way about Shen Wanqing at the moment, both wary of this niece-in-law and feeling sorry for her, wondering how such an intelligent person could have ended up with the eldest son's family.
She was busy with this lesson until noon. Before the old woman, who had been stealing glances at her, could speak, Shen Wanqing got up and came out of the west courtyard so as not to disturb her second aunt's midday rest.
"This servant thought that the eldest mistress would stay at the second mistress's place for dinner, why did she come out at this hour?"
“I came here early this morning to cause trouble for her. I’ve been blocking the Second Madam all morning. Now, am I not even going to let her have a peaceful meal? This is going too far.”
Shen Wanqing spoke earnestly, but it made Qing Shuang giggle. Shen Wanqing was puzzled; she hadn't said anything funny, so why was Qing Shuang laughing like this?
"What are you laughing at? Stop laughing right now. Can't you see everyone in the west courtyard is watching us?"
"They only saw my back, nothing happened."
"This servant, this servant just thinks you are too..." Qing Shuang originally wanted to say that it was too harsh, but Shen Wanqing was the mistress, and she would never dare to say that. "You have made the Second Madam so uncomfortable today. Whether we leave or not, she can't eat."
“I didn’t dislike her. At least eight out of ten sentences I said, no, seven out of ten, were flattering her. It’s not that bad.”
Shen Wanqing casually patted Qing Shuang's shoulder and continued leading the group towards the east courtyard. There was one more thing she kept to herself, too embarrassed to say it. Even if she was truly annoyed by herself, there was nothing she could do. She could only hope that Shumulu would adapt soon and that she would be blessed.
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