The soap business flourished under Wang Xifeng's management, with clear accounts and monthly dividends delivered to Kunning Palace on time, without a single penny missing.
Wang Xifeng controlled this business so tightly that even Jia Lian couldn't get involved, let alone anyone else in the Jia family.
Everyone in the mansion was green with envy, but they could only watch helplessly.
That day, Jia She paced back and forth in his study, feeling increasingly resentful.
He slammed his hand on the table and said to the servant beside him, "Go, prepare the sedan chair! I'm going to see the old lady!"
Seeing his gloomy expression, the servant dared not say anything and hurriedly went to make arrangements.
Jia She hurried along the way and arrived at Rongxi Hall. Without waiting for an announcement, he rushed in.
Grandmother Jia was leaning against the couch with her eyes closed, resting, while Yuanyang gently massaged her shoulders beside her.
Seeing Jia She storm in, Grandmother Jia frowned: "What kind of behavior is this, rushing around like this?"
Jia She stepped forward and bowed, his tone urgent: "Mother, your son has an important matter to ask of you!"
Grandmother Jia raised her eyelids slightly: "Speak."
Jia She rubbed his hands together and lowered his voice, saying, "Mother, Feng'er's soap business is booming, but all the money has gone into her private coffers, and our Jia family hasn't gotten a single benefit."
The son thought, "If you, sir, step in and have her share some of the profits with the household, it will help cover the deficit."
Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia's face darkened: "Foolish! That's the Empress's business. It's a blessing for her that the Empress is willing to let Feng'er manage it."
"You actually dare to reach out and take it? Do you know how much the Emperor dotes on the Empress? If you anger the Empress, will the Jia family have a good outcome?"
Jia She disagreed: "Mother is overthinking it. Since Her Majesty entrusted the business to Feng'er, she has tacitly approved of our Jia family benefiting from it. Besides, our household is currently in serious deficit. If we don't find a solution soon, we may even have to sell off our ancestral property!"
Grandmother Jia sneered, "Deficit? That's because you men squandered your wealth! Now you're eyeing the Empress's business?"
She grew angrier and angrier as she spoke, and grabbed her cane, striking Jia She with it.
"I'll beat you to death, you unfilial son! Instead of thinking about revitalizing the family business, you're scheming these crooked ways!"
Jia She couldn't dodge in time and took several blows, wincing in pain but daring not to retaliate. He could only retreat repeatedly, saying, "Mother, please calm down! Your son knows he was wrong!"
Grandmother Jia stopped, panting, and pointed at his nose, yelling, "Get out! If you dare mention this again, I'll break your legs!"
Jia She slunk away, still unwilling to give up.
He cursed the old woman inwardly for being foolish, but dared not provoke her any further.
After Jia She left, Grandmother Jia sighed and said to Yuanyang, "These good-for-nothings are really going to drive me crazy!"
Yuanyang quickly handed over a teacup and gently comforted the old lady, saying, "Please take care of yourself, madam. The master was just confused for a moment."
Grandmother Jia shook her head, her eyes filled with exhaustion: "They're not confused, they're just insatiably greedy!"
She gazed out the window, her thoughts drifting far away.
The emperor's favor towards the empress was common knowledge throughout the court.
The Empress's sixth son, Hongyao, was personally tutored by the Emperor and was clearly destined to become the future crown prince.
If the Jia family still wants to maintain its foothold in the imperial court, it will probably have to rely on the influence of its son-in-law Lin Ruhai and Daiyu.
But Yuan-chun has already angered the Empress. If these men don't stop causing trouble, they might bring disaster upon the Jia family again.
Thinking of this, Grandmother Jia said to Yuanyang, "Go and call Feng'er here. I have something to say to her."
Before long, Wang Xifeng rushed to Rongxi Hall.
As soon as she entered, she saw that Grandmother Jia looked solemn, so she quickly stepped forward and bowed: "Grandmother, what are your instructions for your granddaughter-in-law?"
Grandmother Jia gestured for her to sit down and slowly said, "Feng'er, how are things going now that you're in charge of the Empress's business?"
Wang Xifeng's heart tightened, but she didn't show it on her face. She smiled and replied, "Thanks to the old matriarch, everything is going smoothly. Your Majesty is also very satisfied with the accounts."
Grandmother Jia nodded, her tone suddenly becoming serious: "Just now your father-in-law came to my place, wanting me to help you share some profits with the household."
Wang Xifeng's expression changed, and she quickly knelt down: "Grandmother, you are wise. This business belongs to Your Majesty. I am merely managing it on Your Majesty's behalf. How dare I make decisions on my own?"
Grandmother Jia reached out to help her up and sighed, "Of course I understand. I called you here to remind you that the people in the mansion are extremely envious. You need to be careful and not let them ruin the Empress's plans."
Wang Xifeng said gratefully, "Thank you for your kindness, Grandmother. I will remember it well."
Grandmother Jia patted her hand and said earnestly, "Feng'er, you are a smart girl. It is your good fortune that the Empress is willing to use you."
The Jia family is now in decline, and in the future they will probably have to rely on your and Yu'er's influence to maintain their footing.
Don't let a small gain lead to a bigger loss.
Wang Xifeng nodded solemnly: "My granddaughter-in-law understands."
As Wang Xifeng emerged from Rongxi Hall, she breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, her grandmother was reasonable; otherwise, she would not have wavered even if it meant divorcing Jia Lian.
To think that Jia She would even dare to try and get his hands on the soap business is truly courting death!
She sneered, thinking to herself, "Looks like I need to teach them a lesson, lest they become arrogant and ignorant."
Upon returning to her own courtyard, Wang Xifeng immediately summoned her trusted confidant, Wang'er, and whispered a few instructions to him.
Wang'er accepted the order and left. That afternoon, Jia She's private properties were reported for tax evasion, and the government sent people to investigate and confiscate them, causing a great uproar.
Jia She was furious, but he couldn't find out who was behind it, so he had to swallow his anger.
When the news reached Grandmother Jia's ears, the old lady simply shook her head and said to Yuanyang, "She brought this upon herself, and she cannot live without it."
Meanwhile, Yuan-chun quietly managed the household affairs, gradually filling the Jia family's deficit.
Having offended the Empress due to a moment of folly, he can only keep a low profile now and hope that time will heal all wounds.
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