Ren Yaoqi returned to the main room with a heavy heart. Li was still sitting on the kang with Ren Yaohua, and Nanny Zhou was standing beside her reporting something. Maybe because Li had asked her to teach Ren Yaohua about household chores, she reported in more detail today.
"...Summer clothes for the maids and servants have also begun to be made, using the sewing team in the mansion. The masters' clothes have been handed over to Tan's Tailor Shop in Yunyang City. Many of the masters' winter clothes last year were made by Tan's Tailor Shop, and the old lady praised their excellent craftsmanship. Originally, these matters were in charge of the Fifth Madam, but recently the Fifth Madam has been unwell and unable to take charge, so the First Madam has handed the seasonal clothing responsibilities to the Eldest Young Mistress. It just so happened that the mansion purchased a batch of summer cloth at the beginning of the autumn two years ago. The material is excellent, but the masters may not like the patterns, so it is perfect for making summer clothes for the maids."
"Sister-in-law is really capable. This will save a lot of money for the family." Ren Yaohua turned around and said,
To Li.
Unexpectedly, Nanny Zhou said, "The eldest young lady is very capable, but... she is still young and has not experienced much..."
Ren Yaohua heard that Nanny Zhou seemed to have something else to say, so she looked at her with some confusion, waiting for her to continue.
Nanny Zhou said, "The older wives and servants in the mansion didn't mind what the eldest young lady did, but the younger maids used to follow their masters in selecting the latest seasonal fabrics for their clothes. While the fabrics weren't as good as the mansion's, the colors and patterns were all fashionable at the time, and they were happy wearing them. So, although the eldest young lady did this with good intentions, it might not end well in the end. People are like that; if they take advantage of someone, they think it's their due, but if they feel they've suffered even the slightest loss, they'll blame the person who did it."
"If that's the case, doesn't my aunt know about it after managing the household for so many years? Why didn't she tell my sister-in-law anything, but instead let her do it?" Ren Yaohua was a little puzzled.
Upon hearing this, Nanny Zhou glanced at Li. On normal days, she wouldn't have said anything, but Ren Yaohua was not old enough now, and if she didn't teach her some things now, it would be too late later. This was also the reason why Li asked her to do these household chores for Ren Yaohua.
So she sighed and said, "No matter how good this mother-in-law is, she is not my biological mother after all."
After a moment's thought, Nanny Zhou continued, "The eldest mistress may not disregard the eldest young mistress, but she also has her own considerations. Aristocratic families have always passed down the family line to the eldest son, and the Ren family will eventually let the eldest young master take charge. However, the eldest master and the eldest mistress are now in their prime, and the eldest young mistress will have to live under the eldest mistress's care for many years. If the eldest young mistress's first experience with household affairs goes smoothly, the elders may value their grandson's wife over their daughter-in-law. Then, when the mother-in-law takes charge, she will have less authority over her daughter-in-law."
Seeing Ren Yaohua looking a little stunned, Nanny Zhou spoke earnestly, "That's why mothers-in-law always have to give their daughters-in-law a few warnings at the beginning. Think about it, if the eldest young lady doesn't do well this time, everyone from the old lady to the maids and servants will complain about her. And then the eldest mistress comes out to protect the eldest young lady and clean up the mess for her. What will happen to the eldest young lady in the future?"
Ren Yaohua frowned: "Will the sister-in-law be more respectful to the aunt in the future and dare not easily go against her opinion?"
Nanny Zhou nodded in satisfaction. "The eldest wife only needs the eldest young lady to be obedient to her mother-in-law and be on the same page with her. She doesn't need her to go over her mother-in-law to gain face in front of the old lady. In this way, she will naturally protect the eldest young lady and prevent her from suffering any great loss."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com