Mei Xuanrui didn't expect that Mrs. Mei would use him and the second son as an opportunity to take action today.
First, Old Lady Mei asked, "Big Boss, didn't you take your concubine, Jin Huanlan, to the farm to stay for a day? You had fun, eating, drinking, and having fun. You enjoyed all the fresh vegetables, fruits, chickens, ducks, geese, and fish from the farm, and then you went to the lotus pond and had someone dig fresh lotus roots for you. I heard you were going to the mountains in a few days and asked the head of the farm to find some hunters to take you two hunting?"
Mei Xuanrui began to sweat. He could tell the old lady was angry, and he subconsciously glanced at his wife. He had kept this a secret from his wife, and now that the old lady had revealed it in public, it was a disgrace to him.
He could only say, "Yes, Mother." Old Lady Mei nodded and instructed, "Don't go hunting, and don't do this kind of thing in the future. If you really want to go hunting, take the whole family with you during the holidays. The bills will be paid by the government. It's not good to disturb the village head, farmers, and hunters every few days."
Mei Xuanrui hurriedly said, "Mom, it was wrong of me to take people out to play without permission, but I paid for it myself, not through the public."
Old Madam Mei didn't say anything. She turned to her second son, Mei Xuanqi, and said, "You too, why did you invite all the shopkeepers to your house? They have their own proper businesses and proper work to do, not just to please your concubine. Instead of letting your shopkeepers spend their time focusing on getting new and interesting things to please your concubine, it would be better for them to manage the family business properly and focus more on the proper business."
Just as the eldest brother, Mei Xuanrui, had quickly glanced at his wife, Mei Xuanqi also quickly glanced at Yuan Zhixi upon hearing this. But unlike his eldest brother, who was worried that Ma Jingling would be upset and start a fight with him, he was extremely wary, wondering if Yuan Zhixi had gone to the old lady to gossip about him.
This look made the old lady even more unhappy. Old Lady Mei said, "Why are you looking at your wife? She hasn't said anything to me. Don't look at her. You made such a big scene yourself. Do you think I'm dead? Several shopkeepers brought their employees and came to our house with things in a grand manner. How could I not know about this big commotion?"
Seeing that the old lady was really angry, Mei Xuanqi hurriedly said, "Mom, please don't be angry. I won't do this anymore. I also feel that it is my own account, so I didn't think about hiding it. Besides, it's not uncommon for the shopkeeper to deliver goods."
Old Madam Mei said, "If our shopkeeper goes to the most prestigious households in Anping Prefecture to deliver goods, that's business, a serious matter. But if our master orders his shopkeeper to run errands for his concubine, that's not a serious matter. Even if you spend your own money and pay your own bills, does your concubine have no legs?"
Your father has passed away, and you two are the pillars of the family, the heads of the household. You must consider the entire Mei family in everything you do, and focus on the right things. Take good care of the fields, farms, and mountains. And you? Take good care of the shops, stores, and businesses, too.
You two can't stop striving for progress. You should always think about opening a farm or a business. The more businesses and land your family has, the bigger our Mei family will become. Why are you just thinking about eating, drinking, and having fun now? Our Mei family can't be the kind of family that rises and falls, only to see its wealth crumble before two or three generations have passed.
It seems that your monthly wages are too high, so you are always causing trouble. I think that from now on, you two will take half of the monthly wages, and your wives will take the other half."
As the two heads of the Mei family, the two brothers received a staggering monthly allowance of 500 taels each, and their annual expenses alone totaled 6,000 taels.
In comparison, the monthly allowance of the two wives was similar to that of the wives of wealthy families in Anping County, which was a constant amount of twenty taels per month. Old Lady Mei herself received forty taels per month, while the concubine received two taels per month, and the first-class maid received one tael per month.
Mrs. Mei said this to test the resolve of her two daughters-in-law. Both of them were good, but she wanted to hand over the huge Mei family to her descendants, so she had to have one who she could trust.
Now it seems that the eldest son is only good at defending the city and is a bit lustful. The reason he hasn't caused any major trouble is simply because his wife is a decent person and he is under pressure from his mother. Although the eldest son is a bit lustful and has a shady mind, he is timid after all.
The second son had once seemed more promising than the eldest, but now it seemed they were about the same, not much different. Although he had two concubines, she didn't think he was as lustful as the eldest. However, her second son's self-proclaimed romanticism troubled her. This preoccupation had delayed many important matters and obscured their focus. If Weng Hui had a crooked mind, who knew what kind of trouble she would bring to the Mei family in the future.
When she finally died, her two sons, one lustful and the other amorous, would be left with no one around to control them. Who could predict the future? Which of them would be able to shoulder the responsibility of the Mei family?
She turned her attention to her two wives. In her opinion, both wives were good, but unfortunately the eldest wife was too tied down by this child. Now, because of this child, Ma Jingling almost gave up the position of the future legitimate son. If she did not have any more children, the concubine's child would sooner or later take over the family business of the first wife.
This is not necessarily a good thing for her and Mei Yinshan's future.
Since she no longer got pregnant, Old Lady Mei advised her to adopt Mei Hexiao as soon as possible and raise him by her side, but she was not sure what her eldest daughter-in-law thought.
Every day she was thinking about treating her own son, and it seemed that she had no long-term plans. This made her feel uneasy. Without long-term plans and preparations for both scenarios, how could she hand over the Mei family?
The eldest daughter-in-law is too soft-hearted, only concerned with the present, unable to make up her mind, unable to make decisions, and always unable to lead the Mei family. Kindness cannot command an army, and the same is true for a housekeeper.
She turned her attention to her second daughter-in-law. She seemed mild-mannered, but as she watched her more carefully, she could see some of her skills. This daughter-in-law was very capable and managed the household with great care and attention. She was relieved, thinking that at last there was someone who could still come out on top.
However, his daughter-in-law also had a grudge because of what her second son, Mei Xuanqi, said on their wedding night. Although she had made plans for herself, giving birth to two sons and then two daughters, her plans were almost just a matter of getting by. Looking at her current calmness, she looked like a monk cultivating her mind.
It was unlikely that she would focus all her attention on the Mei family. Old Mrs. Mei and Old Mr. Mei had a deep and loyal relationship, so naturally she was wholeheartedly devoted to the family. But now she saw that although her second daughter-in-law had the ability, she didn't have the heart to do so.
Today, Old Mrs. Mei decided to try her luck and give it one more try. If her two daughters-in-law still had some courage, they would be able to respond to her words.
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