Chapter 21 Chapter 21 She Has No Son
Aunt Yao almost couldn't breathe.
The wife is the mother. No one will care if you call her mother in private, but you cannot do that in public.
I risked my life to give birth to a child who had a distorted figure, suffered from morning sickness, and developed waist, back, and leg pains. I endured unimaginable pain that ordinary people could not imagine, and the child I gave birth to could not even call me mother!
This is my concubine.
No matter how much the master dotes on her or how promising the two children are, she is just a concubine who is not worthy of being on the stage.
You will be inferior to others all your life!
Why?
Aunt Yao bit her lips until they bled.
A trace of embarrassment crossed Zhang Biying's face, and he bowed again to Madam Jiang. "In a hurry, my aunt's words were inappropriate. Madam, please forgive her for this time, for the sake of our son."
Mrs. Jiang sighed, "Your autumn examination is approaching, so of course I won't disturb your thoughts. Anyway, come in and talk."
Zhang Bi bowed his head and said "yes," but the next moment he frowned at Xiaoman. "Third sister, Auntie is your elder, so you should still address her as 'concubine mother'. Even if she does something wrong, it's not your place to criticize her. You must never forget the hierarchy of seniority."
Xiaoman raised an eyebrow. "Your aunt has schemed against me so many times, constantly urging Master to beat me to death today and imprison me in the countryside tomorrow. And I'm supposed to be so respectful to her? Even a clay figure has some earthiness."
"Regarding seniority, first see if your aunt respects the Madam." Xiaoman snorted and helped Madam Jiang walk away.
Aunt Yao hurriedly pulled her son aside to explain, "Because your father loves me more, the mistress sees me as a thorn in her side. Now that she knows you're going to pass the imperial examination and become an official, she's even more intolerant of me, fearing that I, through my son's status, will threaten her position."
"The old lady and the master had to obey her because of the face of the Pingyang Marquis's Mansion, but I didn't do anything! I might die quietly one day..."
Aunt Yao burst into tears. "Your sister's marriage was also snatched away by them. First they got rid of me, and then they sent your sister away without any care, leaving you alone and struggling. My son, my life is worthless, but you are the legitimate masters of the Zhang family and should not be treated like this."
After all, she was his own mother. Seeing her crying with tears in her eyes, Zhang Bi felt really bad.
"Don't worry, Auntie. Madam has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. She may say something unpleasant, but she won't kill anyone. Maybe there's some misunderstanding."
He soothed her softly, "Auntie, please go back to the courtyard and rest. I will find out the whole story first and I will never let you suffer any injustice."
Aunt Yao: "Let's wait for your father to come back and talk to him together."
Zhang Bi disagreed. "Madam should be in charge of matters concerning the inner court. I'll go now. It would be bad to keep Madam waiting for too long."
Aunt Yao secretly complained. This son was brought to the old lady's side when he was born. He was raised to the outer courtyard when he was three years old, went to a private school when he was seven, and entered an academy when he was ten. He was taught by those bookish old men and became a scholar. He was far less caring than the daughter who was raised by his side.
His mother is almost being driven to death, yet he still sticks to the idea of distinguishing between insiders and outsiders!
Zhang Bi was completely unaware of his biological mother's complaints. He came to the main courtyard and knelt down without waiting for Mrs. Jiang to ask him any questions.
Early this morning, he suddenly received a message: Aunt Yao was framed and was about to be sent to a nunnery and secretly executed!
The person who delivered the letter was Shuqing, who served the fourth sister. No matter what she asked, she said she knew nothing and just kept crying. Shuqing was so anxious that he didn't even bother to ask for leave. He threw down his pen and ran back.
Zhang Bi bowed his head to the ground. "My aunt is of humble origin and lacks education. If she showed any disrespect to you, it was all unintentional. Your Excellency is magnanimous. Please do not take it to heart."
Mrs. Jiang was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly and shook her head. "You didn't even ask what your aunt had done wrong? It seems you're convinced I was sentencing your aunt to death just to vent my anger."
Zhang Bi hurriedly said he didn't dare.
Xiaoman couldn't help but interrupt, "As children, we all don't want to think too badly of our mothers. This is human nature. Don't be too sad, mother."
Zhang Bi looked at Xiaoman in surprise.
"Big brother, you're so devoted to reading the sages' books that you're usually too busy to even go home. It's a rare opportunity today, so why not listen to what your aunt has been up to?"
From disrupting the Four Seasons Banquet, Zhang Junyi intercepting Liu Jin's letter in the small garden, Yao Yi Niang's people deliberately bringing her to the old courtyard to ruin her reputation, to instigating Madam Zhou to stop the sedan chair in the street...
Xiaoman kept talking, pouring out all the information like a bamboo tube pouring beans.
"It was the old lady's decision to send Aunt Yao to the nunnery, and the master also agreed. Big brother, please ask for mercy. At least you found the right person."
"I didn't ask her to become a nun, I just asked her to serve the old lady closely. Aunt Sun has been in the nunnery for almost ten years, and I haven't seen her dying or living. No wonder the old lady is angry."
Finally, Xiaoman didn't forget to retort, "Since you know your aunt is disrespectful to the wife, why don't you persuade her to behave? Instead, you tell the wife not to care, as if the wife would be jealous and petty if she cared."
"Looks respectable, but actually sanctimonious. Humph, a selfish hypocrite!"
Xiaoman rolled her eyes.
"Shut up!" Mrs. Jiang shouted at Xiaoman repeatedly but to no avail. She was so anxious that she almost covered her mouth with her hand.
Zhang Bi was so angry that his face turned purple, but he didn't lose his temper. He just lowered his head and thought about something. When he looked up again, there was a hint of shame on his face.
Madam Jiang said, "Get up now. Xiaoman is right. The final decision on whether your aunt stays or goes is made by the old lady and the master. If they say she should stay, I will not hesitate."
Zhang Bi kowtowed deeply, "Madam's kindness, I will always remember it in my heart."
Madame Chiang waved her hand wearily.
Zhang Bi kowtowed again and was about to leave with a red face.
Xiaoman stopped him, "Big brother, please remind Fourth Sister not to go out these days. Miss Lu has said that she will be beaten whenever she sees her. The master absolutely dares not confront Housekeeper Lu head-on. If she gets beaten, she will suffer in silence."
Zhang Bi didn't understand what was going on, but Xiaoman refused to say anything more, so he had to leave in confusion.
On the way back, she and Mrs. Jiang were both silent.
The only son of the Zhang family came forward to plead for mercy, and the autumn examination was approaching. Not to mention the soft-hearted master, even an old lady as cold and hard-hearted would probably have to give this precious grandson some face.
"Will the old lady send Aunt Yao away?" Xiaoman couldn't help but ask.
Mrs. Jiang smiled bitterly and shook her head.
If Xiaowu's blind date fails, the old lady will definitely blame her, and there is a 99% chance that she will keep Aunt Yao to disgust her.
She sighed tiredly and gently advised Xiaoman that she shouldn't speak to Zhang Bi like that, and it's not good to accuse Aunt Yao in front of Zhang Bi.
Xiaoman asked with a smile, "Just say that I scolded Aunt Yao. Do you feel comfortable listening to it?"
"That's great!" Mrs. Jiang laughed, but her smile didn't reach its fullest before she sighed heavily.
"How long can I protect you? He is different from Yao, he is a good person. If you have any problems in your husband's family in the future, he will have to come forward. As a woman, you can only stand firm if you have someone in your family."
Xiaoman didn't care at all. "It's better to rely on myself than on others. If I have money and property, and my in-laws dare to make things difficult for me, then..."
She clapped her hands and said, "Let's break up!"
"You kid." Mrs. Jiang shook her head repeatedly and was about to scold Xiaoman when Xiaoman suddenly mentioned looking at the account book, "I want to learn how to be a housekeeper."
It is indeed time to learn, otherwise you will be completely clueless when you go to your husband's house, which would be a laughing stock.
Mrs. Jiang didn't think much about it and immediately asked Mother Fang to get the account book.
"Not only the accounts for the inner courtyard, but also those for the outer courtyard and the farm shops were delivered." Xiaoman added.
Mother Fang was stunned for a moment, and seeing that Mrs. Jiang had no intention of objecting, she left as she was told.
The accounts for the inner court were in her hands, and the rest were with the steward.
The housekeeper quickly brought over the account books. "This is the flow and details of the three farms in the outer courtyard and the capital. The old lady has the account books for the farms in northern Jiangsu, Huizhou, and Xuzhou. I can't ask about it."
Those are my wife’s dowry!
Mother Fang's eyebrows twitched violently twice. "When did this happen? Why didn't you tell Madam?"
The housekeeper lowered his head and said humbly, "The account was settled two years ago. The old lady has sent word that she will explain it to Madam, so we dare not say anything. When it comes to the year-end accounts, it is Madam Sun who will send the account book, and then I will pass it on to Madam."
Mother Fang returned to the house with a lot of lawsuits on her mind. She drank two bowls of cold tea before she could calm down. Just as she was about to go to the main room, she suddenly remembered something and looked through the account book again.
Her face gradually became overcast.
In the evening, Fang's mother appeared in a small house on the back street of Zhang's house.
Her nephew Fang Yuan lived there and was surprised to see her. He quickly ordered his wife to serve tea and snacks. "Aunt, if you need anything, just call me in. It's so hot, it's hard for you to come all the way here."
Mother Fang waved her hand to tell his wife to go down, then threw the account book in his face, "You did a good job!"
"What did I do?" Fang Yuan rubbed his face aggrievedly.
Mother Fang was angry at her nephew for not living up to her expectations. "Because you are my nephew, Madam gave you the job of purchasing goods. But instead of doing your best, you try to make money. How can you be worthy of Madam? Where can I put my old face?"
"So that's what it was about." Fang Yuan relaxed instantly. "It's just a few hundred taels of silver, what's the big deal? Look how scared you are! Everyone does this, I took the least. There are those who are so ruthless, they can easily steal thousands of taels."
"What?!" Mother Fang stood up suddenly, pressing the handle of her chair. "Who are these people? They are so evil-hearted and rotten-hearted! I'll arrest them one by one and send them to the authorities!"
Fang Yuan advised her, "Aunt, don't waste your energy. Those are the elderly people that Madam brought over from the Jiang family. If you make a big fuss, you will be hated and Madam will be embarrassed."
Mother Fang could hardly believe her ears. "Impossible! They were all carefully selected by the old man and the old lady as companions. They have been under the protection of the Jiang family for generations. There is no reason for them to betray Madam."
"It's been so many years, and only my aunt remembers the old master's family." Fang Yuan shook his head repeatedly, his eyes revealing a bit of pity.
"Our wife has no son."
Fang Yuan's voice was very soft, but it sounded like a thunderclap in Fang's mother's ears, making her head buzz and her whole body go limp and fall into the chair.
"No matter how much we serve the Lord, what's the point? Not only does the Zhang family belong to the eldest son, but when the Madam dies, her dowry will also belong to the eldest son."
"Madam brought half of the Jiang family with her. She can't spend it all in three lifetimes. Rather than letting those ungrateful Zhangs get away with it, it's better for it to fall into the hands of our Jiang family."
"We are not heartless people. We will serve Madam well until she passes away. Burning paper and offering incense for her on her death anniversary will be worthy of our relationship as master and servant..."
Pah! Mother Fang slapped her nephew in the face.
The force was so great that Fang Yuan covered his face and was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses.
Mother Fang said angrily, "You heartless thing, hurry up and make up for the money you embezzled, or I'll pretend you're not my nephew!"
Fang Yuan also became angry. "I don't have money, I can't make up for it! Aunt, why do you have to be angry with me for outsiders? You have no children, I am your only relative, and you still have to rely on me to take care of you in your old age and see you to the end."
"I don't need it! If my wife dies, I'll just hang myself and go to the underworld to continue serving my wife!"
Mother Fang slammed the door and left.
*
"She has no son, so she is destined to never defeat me."
The bright candlelight illuminated Aunt Yao's smug face. Her makeup was exquisite and the gold ornaments on her head sparkled, without any trace of the embarrassment she had during the day.
"Look, as soon as my son came back, the atmosphere in the backyard immediately changed. Not only did the master send someone to comfort me, but even the old lady relented. I only need to stay at home and reflect on myself, and there is no need to go to the nunnery."
The table was filled with various fruits, vegetables and snacks, and there was no trace of the sadness of seclusion at all.
Zhang Junyi was still in a very low mood. He forced a smile but didn't say anything.
Aunt Yao looked towards the main courtyard, her eyes filled with ambition and unwillingness. "My poor son has been kneeling for a whole hour. Madam is so cruel. The old lady was waiting for him to plead for mercy, but she refused!"
"I am also the daughter of a good family. If your grandfather hadn't committed a crime, I would be a lady from a noble family just like her!"
"A hen that doesn't lay eggs, let's see how long she can be proud. Sooner or later, I will be the mistress of this house."
Aunt Yao said she was tired and stopped to take a sip of tea. Only then did she realize that Zhang Junyi had not spoken for a long time.
She thought her daughter was still frightened and hadn't recovered yet, so she gently stroked her daughter's face and said, "Mom remembers that Lu Jiayi and you had a good relationship. How did you offend her again?"
Zhang Junyi dodged her hand and said, "It's no use telling you..."
Aunt Yao sighed helplessly and really put the matter aside, but asked, "Then tell me, when did you talk to Princess Jingxuan?"
Zhang Junyi replied, "Last year on Qixi Festival, my brother and I were out for a stroll and we encountered a princess who had sneaked out of the palace. Two scoundrels were pestering her. My brother couldn't stand it, so he helped them. That's how we met."
Aunt Yao's eyes lit up. "Tell her everything she said today, word for word!"
Zhang Junyi repeated it honestly.
"For academic success, the most effective remedy is to pray to the Emperor Wenchang in Confucius Temple... A princess, yet she's so concerned about the Autumn Examination..."
Aunt Yao's eyes became brighter and brighter, and the smile on her face became more and more intense. In the end, she covered her mouth and laughed so hard that she fell backwards.
That laughter was very different from the gentle voice of the past, and Zhang Junyi felt a little panic in his heart.
Aunt Yao finally stopped laughing and slowly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "I told you, she has no son. All her hard work is in vain. In the end, she is just making wedding clothes for others."
"Send a note to the princess, saying that you have grown a wonderful water lily and invite her to your house to appreciate the flowers." She pushed her daughter to the desk.
Zhang Junyi was in a dilemma. "Forget it. She hasn't opened her residence yet. It would be a hassle for her to leave the palace. And if it's not something important, she may not be able to come."
Aunt Yao glanced at her daughter and said, "She will definitely come. You are said to be smart, but sometimes you are cutely foolish. Even now you still don't understand why the princess is on good terms with you."
Zhang Junyi was stunned.
"You have to let your brother stay for a few more days..."
Aunt Yao lowered her head and concentrated on thinking, not noticing that her daughter's face had turned as pale as window paper.
-
The night was dark and the Zhang family's courtyard was no longer clear. Only the vague outline of the eaves and a few dim lanterns were visible.
Aunt Sun looked at the table full of dishes, then looked at her daughter who was staring at the table, and sighed softly, "Eat quickly."
Zhang Anyi swallowed his saliva, looked out the window without moving his chopsticks, and asked, "Should I ask my grandmother for permission?"
They lived in the west wing of the old lady's yard, and the old lady could hear every burp.
Aunt Sun said, "Madam is a considerate person. Before she prepares the special meal for us, she will definitely give the old lady something better. Don't worry about eating."
Zhang Anyi then began to eat with big mouthfuls. "After Aunt Yao's incident, I thought Madam had no time to bother with me anymore, but I didn't expect her to still send me delicious food."
Because his mouth was full of food, his speech was unclear.
"Swallow it before you speak, be careful not to choke." As Aunt Sun spoke, her nose suddenly felt sore and she almost burst into tears.
Although the child was a daughter of the Zhang family, she had lived with the old lady in a nunnery since she was young. The old lady said that one must be pious when serving the Buddha, and she did not allow the mother and daughter to eat meat. They only ate vegetables, tofu, or pickled radishes.
She doesn't care, but how can a growing child not eat?
She had no choice but to secretly get some meat for her child.
The old lady said she was practicing asceticism, but she ate delicacies from land and sea every day, and her clothes and things were more luxurious than those of the other lady.
The ones who were practicing asceticism were the mother and daughter.
Although I am reluctant to let her go, it is better for Anyi to stay at home. At least her food, clothing and other necessities are much better than those in the nunnery!
Aunt Sun sighed softly.
"Auntie," Zhang Anyi said in a low voice, "Today I met the young master of the Pingyang Marquis's Mansion."
Aunt Sun immediately perked up, "How is it?"
Zhang Anyi shook his head awkwardly. "No way. I get nervous when there are a lot of people around. I can't even speak clearly. People just look down on me."
Although she didn't hold much hope, Aunt Sun couldn't hide her disappointment, but she still did not forget to comfort her daughter.
"It doesn't matter. If this one doesn't work out, there's always another one. After all, you're the daughter of a minister. At the very least, you can marry into an official family and become his first wife."
Her eyes fell on the large black lacquered cabinet at the head of the bed. At the deepest part of the cabinet was a mahogany box, locked inside which was the real farm account book.
"Don't worry, An'er. Auntie will definitely prepare a generous dowry for you, so that you can go out with honor and gain a firm foothold in your husband's family. No one will dare to look down on you..."
The moon hid in the clouds, the night grew darker, and the Zhang family's yard merged into the darkness.
The next morning, Mother Fang brought the account book to the main courtyard with dark circles under her eyes.
A day passed and her nephew still ignored her. She had no choice but to use her own money and sell some jewelry to fill the hole her nephew had.
But she knew in her heart that the accounts of the outer courtyard could not withstand scrutiny.
Maybe there was something fishy about the accounts in the inner courtyard, but she just didn't notice it.
The old lady took over the mistress's dowry farm. Such a big thing, but they didn't hear a word about it. You can imagine how many things the managers did in collusion to hide from them!
Mother Fang didn't know how to explain this to the wife.
Mrs. Jiang wasn't very good at finances. She flipped through the account book briefly and handed it to Xiaoman. "Men are in charge of external affairs, and women are in charge of internal affairs. Generally speaking, the master is in charge of the accounts for the outer courtyard, and the mistress is in charge of the accounts for the inner courtyard."
"Our family is a little different. When I married your father, he only had three tiled houses in his hometown in northern Jiangsu. My parents certainly wouldn't let me get married in northern Jiangsu, so they helped buy this house."
Xiaoman widened her eyes in surprise, "Oh my God, I've never heard of that!"
Mrs. Jiang smiled and said, "I was afraid your father would lose face, so he kept saying it was bought by the Zhang family."
Xiaoman blinked, "The Zhang family's farm and everything..."
"The old man died early, and the old lady managed fifty acres of land, which was barely enough for him to study. How could there be money to buy a farm?" Mrs. Jiang patted the account book on the table. "This is all my dowry, so the accounts of the Zhang family's outer courtyard are also under my management."
Xiaoman clicked his tongue twice, "Getting something for nothing, Master is really good at it!"
"You're talking nonsense again. Be careful your father will find out and scold you." Mrs. Jiang made a gesture to hit him. "Husband and wife are one. Why should we distinguish between you and me? The right thing to do is to live a good life."
Xiaoman shook her head noncommittally, flipping through the account book, her curiosity piqued again, "Why are all the talents from the farms coming from here? Didn't my grandparents also give me a shop as a gift?"
Mrs. Jiang was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "There were seven shops. Because the court forbade officials above the fourth rank from engaging in business, the old lady was afraid it would affect your father's career, so she sold them all and exchanged them for farmland in northern Jiangsu."
Xiaoman fell silent, flipping through the account book for a while, then looked up and asked, "Master, you've been an official for so many years, and you haven't bought anything for the family?"
This time, Mrs. Jiang remained silent for even longer. "Men have so many social engagements. It's too much trouble for them to ask me for money every time."
In other words, Zhang Wen must have purchased properties privately, but he never brought money home.
Xiaoman couldn't hold it in any longer and slammed the account book shut. "He's taking advantage of me! You support his mother, his concubines, and a bunch of illegitimate children, and he's stingy and still bosses you around. What a jerk!"
He openly called Zhang Wen a good-for-nothing, so brazenly that Mrs. Jiang and Mother Fang were left speechless.
"You..." Mrs. Jiang didn't know what to say to her, "He is your father. If you scold him, it is disobedience. No matter how reasonable you are, it becomes unreasonable."
Xiaoman pursed her lips and muttered, "I've never seen a father who yells at his daughter all day long. Mom, farming is not as profitable as doing business. Jinling City is full of gold, and you can make money by just opening a shop. There are many people who own shops, and I've never seen anyone impeached."
She changed the subject in time, and Mrs. Jiang didn't want to talk about those troubles anymore, so she smiled and said, "I still have some spare money on hand, it's just sitting there, but I don't know what the market is like now."
Fang's mother interrupted, "Buying a store isn't like buying vegetables. You have to choose the location, look at the structure of the building, and check if there are any legal disputes. It's a complicated matter. It's not as simple as the third girl says."
Xiaoman's eyes lit up, "I don't understand, but I know who does."
"who?"
"Chen Ling'an!"
The quiet air suddenly became filled with waves.
Mrs. Jiang was the first to shake her head. "Others will definitely think he's using the Zhang family to make money. It'll be hard to explain him later. It's not good for the Zhang family, and it's not good for him either."
Mother Fang pondered for a moment, then said they could give it a try. "No one knows the city's situation better than the Jinyiwei. None of us have ever owned a shop before. With his help and advice, we can definitely avoid losses, not to mention making money."
"If Master is worried about the bad influence, why don't we just keep it a secret from our family? Everything requires evidence. Even if someone wants to implicate our family for something Master Chen didn't do, it's in vain."
After Fang's mother finished speaking, she noticed that the two people opposite her were looking at her strangely.
"Did I... say something wrong?" She rubbed her hands nervously.
Xiaoman jumped up and hugged Mother Fang, laughing. "Mom, you're so right. You're worthy of being the number one mother of the giants. You're just like Sun Zhongmou or Zhuge Kongming in the opera!"
"What are you talking about!" Mother Fang blushed. She was not used to such close contact and twisted her body unnaturally. "Young lady, stop teasing me."
Xiaoman smiled and let go of her hand, looking at Mrs. Jiang expectantly.
Mrs. Jiang looked at her, then at Mother Fang, and finally nodded, "Then let's try it first."
Xiao Man said, "It's better to do it now than to wait for a day. I'll go find Chen Ling'an now."
Mrs. Jiang refused to let her go. "You're too impatient. The dragon boat race just ended, and he's been busy for so many days. You should at least give him a few days to rest."
The mother actually began to feel sorry for Chen Ling'an!
This discovery made Xiaoman feel happy and he felt much more cheerful.
After looking at the account books for half a day and having lunch with Mrs. Jiang, Xiaoman was ready to return to the yard.
She secretly waved to Fang's mother.
Mother Fang waited for Mrs. Jiang to rest and then left quietly.
It was lunchtime, and the servants did not dare to disturb their master's sweet sleep. Those who could hide went out, and the yard was silent and devoid of any sound.
During the rainy season, the sky is always foggy, like a dense and airtight net, making people feel suffocated.
Mother Fang took a deep breath, walked to the corridor and bowed slightly, "What do you want, young lady?"
Unlike her happy face just now, Xiaoman now had a frown on her face and worry in her eyes.
"Mom, there's something wrong with the account book."
Her soft words sounded like thunder to Fang's mother.
But she could tell there was something wrong with the account book just by flipping through it, without even using an abacus? Even the accountant who had been there for many years wouldn't dare to say that.
Could it be that someone told her?
Mother Fang was confused for a moment and said, "How did the young lady know this? Not to mention that I am nosy, but if those in charge knew this, they would definitely try to trip you up."
Xiaoman tilted her head slightly, "My mom told me."
"Me? Are you kidding me, girl?"
"Mom has always disliked my closeness to Chen Ling'an, and she's even more worried about the relationship between her and Master. I've often urged her to be more lenient, but today my attitude is completely the opposite. How can this not arouse suspicion?"
"When Mom came in with the account book, she looked listless, with a dazed look in her eyes, as if she was worried about something. When she was looking through the account book, you hesitated to speak, obviously having something difficult to say."
"Also," Xiaoman pointed at Fang's mother's left wrist, "where is the jade bracelet that Mom never takes off?"
Mother Fang subconsciously covered her wrist and said with a wry smile, "The girl is very observant."
Xiaoman smiled. As a person who had been displaced since he could remember and lived in fear of being sold all day long, he still had the ability to read people's expressions.
Mother Fang hesitated whether to tell the truth. She was originally a little wary of the third girl, but after observing her for these days, she found that she was an honest person.
Especially on the day of the dragon boat race, the third girl did not follow Eunuch Lu's words to compliment the master, but instead tried her best to praise the mistress. Although the master lost face and the Zhang family lost face, why did she feel so happy!
In the entire Zhang family, only the third daughter remembers the lady's kindness.
Mother Fang was so worried that she felt uncomfortable. Seeing that there was no one around, she whispered everything she could to Zhang Xiaoman.
Xiaoman remained silent for a long time.
Mother Fang's face was filled with worry. "I'll have to make up my mind to check the accounts. If things start to get out of hand, it's bound to involve a long list of people, and I'm afraid it won't end well."
The slaves of the wealthy families were also divided into different levels of power. The Zhang family's slaves were roughly divided into three groups: the maid brought by the stepmother from her natal family, the slaves bought by the master after he entered the officialdom, and the fellow villagers from northern Jiangsu who voluntarily sold themselves to join the Zhang family.
As Zhang Wen's official position became higher and higher, the old servants of the Jiang family, who were once in a prosperous position, were gradually suppressed and even lost their positions as chief stewards.
If we conduct a thorough investigation, it will not be difficult to get rid of these people, but where can we find people to replace them?
Once a position becomes vacant, it will be immediately filled by the old lady and the master's people. If the stepmother has no one to use, life will be even more difficult in the future.
Xiaoman understood what Fang's mother meant, but if she didn't check, it would be too frustrating!
"Let's take it slow." Mother Fang sighed deeply. "Once we have a reliable and suitable candidate, it won't be too late to deal with those stubborn slaves."
Xiaoman shook her head. "By the time you investigated, they had already emptied out your mother's things, and you couldn't get them back even if you tried."
Mother Fang was in a dilemma, her brows furrowed.
"They don't give me the respect I deserve, so why should I care about their reputation?" Xiaoman sneered. "Even the concubines dare to bully their mistress, so imagine the other stewards are even worse. We should just cut off their source of income."
Mother Fang asked her if she had any good ideas.
Xiaoman raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Mom has been helping Mother with the household for many years and is very experienced. She will definitely have a solution. I know you are thinking about Mother, but there are some things that are better for her to know. Mother is not the type to act rashly. She only loses her temper when she encounters Aunt Yao."
"Okay, I should go back and prepare the gifts. Chen Ling'an is very picky, and I can't let him find fault with me, otherwise I'll suffer the consequences."
After walking a few steps, she turned back and said with a smile, "I meant it all when I praised Mom! It's thanks to Mom's dedication to protecting this den of wolves that Mom wasn't completely eaten alive."
A wolf's den? How dare she say that!
Mother Fang was startled at first, and then a wave of heat that was sweet, bitter and sour arose in her heart, making her want to cry.
She pinched her palm hard, and the pain cheered her up. She stomped her feet, gritted her teeth, and walked out of the yard.
In the room, Mrs. Jiang, who should have been asleep, kept her eyes open, staring blankly at the closed window.
After a long time, Fang gently pushed open the window.
A cool breeze carrying the smell of rain blew through the window, making the account books on the table rustle.
The storm is coming.
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