Compared to Yao Niang, who is still a novice in housekeeping and is still young and dares not show her abilities, Jiang, the young housekeeper, has made great achievements and is now sharpening his knife and cannot wait to get started.

It was a major event for the whole family for the two wives to live together, and many people from the first wife's house were transferred there to be under the command of the younger Jiang.

In the past, the people in the first house were generally quite relaxed under Yu's supervision. If the problem was not very serious, Yu would not do anything. She herself rose from the bottom of the society to become a lady from an official family, so she could sympathize with the hard work of the servants and did not even punish them often.

Little Jiang was different. The rules were very strict and harsh. If anyone disobeyed them, they would be punished according to the family rules.

This made Jiang's beautiful face look even more murderous.

But she was also a little unhappy. After lunch that day, she lamented to her confidant Mingyue: "I have to go to the big room every day to ask for a pair of cards. It's troublesome, and the people in the big room are not so easy to use."

It was not an easy task to prepare the dowry for the wife of the Duke. The wedding was scheduled for the end of December, which was almost the Chinese New Year. There were many things to do, and the family had to prepare for the New Year. Little Jiang felt very embarrassed.

Mingyue also nodded: "That's the case. The lady in the mansion there is a kind person. If you tell her, she may not refuse to give it to you."

"You want me to talk to Third Auntie?" Little Jiang was also somewhat tempted.

Little Jiang was a fierce and aggressive person. She did what she said. After lunch, she brought people to the main room. She really looked down on Yu in her heart. She was submissive and obedient. She didn't dare to be too harsh. Third uncle Luo Zhizheng often ordered her around.

Therefore, she found it not difficult.

Furthermore, she was not trying to seize power. She just wanted to arrange the eldest daughter's marriage during this period. It would be a great thing for the family to have a duke's wife.

At this time, Yu had just finished her meal with the three girls and was talking about the teacher: "Your father said that the teacher will be here in a few days. Third lady, your maternal grandparents are coming to pick you up. Do you want to go there and play for a few days before coming back? As for the fifth and sixth ladies, you have to concentrate on your studies these days. When the teacher comes, you have to get up early and study. Don't be lazy."

These words made everyone laugh, and Yao Niang also deeply admired Yu.

No matter what, as a stepmother, she treated illegitimate children and children born to her ex-wife equally, and would not find fault with them. She treated them all equally.

Luo Jingrou naturally wanted to visit her grandmother, but she didn't want to stay too long. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Xiao Jiang come in.

Yao Niang and her two sisters quickly bowed, "Sister-in-law Fa Er."

Little Jiang smiled and said, "Oh, you guys are quite complete."

After everyone greeted her, they saw that she looked like she had something to do, so they all left. But Yao Niang was cautious. She walked halfway and turned back alone, went into the side room, and made a gesture to the little girl, who quickly went out to keep watch.

I heard the young Jiang inside saying, "I have troubled my aunt too much these days, and I am very uneasy. But marrying into the royal family means there are too many things to do, and I have never seen the world, so I have to think about everything. I am afraid I can't come to the main room for the time being, so I will let Mingyue, who is by my side, come and get it, how about that?"

This was a high-sounding statement, but Yao Niang knew what Xiao Jiang was planning, so she let her maid take it first, and she could return it whenever she wanted. If Xiao Jiang didn't return the right cards, Yu couldn't say anything to her, but it was too undignified for Xiao Jiang to do so. The old lady Dou above would definitely say that Xiao Jiang was gossiping, and the first wife would also have opinions about Xiao Jiang, but she pushed a maid out, and the maid didn't return it, and she just quarreled with the maid.

It's as long as you can get away with it. Then Jiang can pay it back whenever he wants, and Yu can't say anything about it.

Big families usually don't quarrel with each other, and the Ren family is a minority, so they couldn't even raise their heads when being scolded by Old Lady Dou. Everyone maintains that kind of relationship delicately.

Yao Niang could hear it, and so could Yu Shi, but she was no longer the helpless woman. Her son was now healthy, and her husband was even looking for an outstanding scholar to educate him. She was confident that her daughter was smart and capable.

"Why go to so much trouble? I think it would be better if you, Brother Fa's daughter-in-law, picked a few people you like from the main room to help. When the work is done, you can ask them to come back. This way, you don't have to run around so many times." Yu said with a smile.

Little Jiang choked, but still explained: "If we open the warehouse..."

"Just write me a list of what you need in the next few days, and I'll have someone pack it up and send it over." There was no hint of Yu's intention to hand over the cards.

Little Jiang didn't know what to say. She vaguely felt that Yu had changed and was no longer the same as before.

After Xiao Jiang left, Yao Niang went from the side room to the main room. Yu scratched her nose and said, "You are so smart. You never left."

"No, the second sister-in-law is asking for a match of cards in various ways. Fortunately, mother did not agree. Otherwise, when we have things to do in the first house in the future, we will have to ask the second house for a match of cards. How will the relatives laugh at you?" Yao Niang was also glad that Yu refused.

Yu nodded: "Yes, it's because I'm happy now. You've been more attentive to your brother than I have been, coaxing him to eat and playing with him. He's actually healthier since coming to the capital than he was last year."

Yao Niang thought to herself that in her previous life, she had raised the Prince of Zhou, a sickly baby who could die at any time, let alone her younger brother.

As the saying goes, everyone has his or her own strengths, we just have to be good at discovering them.

In her previous life, perhaps because she was not very ambitious and her brother was not in good health, Yu Shi did not dare to stand up and fight with others. Now that everything is going well and she has the support of her husband, Yu Shi is truly the wife of the eldest son.

This change is another good thing.

Yu reminded Yao Niang, "You said your third sister often sent snacks. I asked the kitchen staff to check. Her nanny who knows how to make snacks always adds several times the amount of maltose and honey, and uses lard to make the puff pastry. She even puts a lot of lard in the butter-stuffed snails. It would be strange if she doesn't gain weight if she eats like this for a long time."

The tricks in the harem were not like Ren who openly scolded and cheated people for money. Instead, Luo Jingrou's situation was very much like wives and concubines competing for favors. Some people couldn't stand seeing their concubines being favored, so they often made her fat with food, or used all means to make that person look ugly.

Yu Shi also found it difficult to understand, because Luo Jingrou was five or six years older than Yao Niang, not the same age, nor was they of similar age, and there was no such thing as Luo Zhizheng favoring one over the other in marriage. This method was simply too despicable.

"Mom, do you think I have offended my third sister in some way?" Yao Niang tilted her head.

Yu said coldly, "No matter what she thinks, she is a bad person. I have never treated her badly, but she treated you like this, which is enough to show that she is young and has a bad heart. Yao Niang, some people are born bad for no reason. It's not because of how others treat her, but because she is bad herself. You must not look for the reason in yourself, we just need to be upright and do what we should do."

Just like she, as the wife of the head of the eldest branch of the Luo family, still taught her original wife, stepdaughter and concubine's daughter how to manage the household and take care of the house. She had never done anything unfair to them and would never gossip in front of Luo Zhizheng. As for being nicer to her own children, there was nothing wrong with that.

At least she never harmed them. Even when Fan got into trouble, she would secretly give her two hundred taels of silver to help her out.

Yao Niang nodded: "You are right."

"Actually, these are what your father told me. When I first got married, I was easily influenced by others and would always think about what others said for a whole day. He told me to never look for the reasons in myself. I'll give you this sentence as well." Yu smiled.

Also, Yu would definitely not let Luo Jingrou off easily, but she would not tell her daughter now.

Three days later

Luo Zhizheng invited Shen Hongming, who was known as one of the Four Gentlemen of Wuxing. Shen Hongming was originally a companion to the son of Pei Yuanchang, the third assistant. After receiving the hometown letter, he had been staying in the Pei family.

Now, after Pei Yuanchang returned to his hometown, Luo Zhizheng strongly invited him to come to his home to teach his daughters, and he gladly agreed.

He is just like this, not keen on a career in politics, but instead has a shelter and enjoys himself.

The ones who really needed to be taught were of course the three girls of similar age, Yao Niang, the fourth lady Shi Fang, and the sixth lady Shi Yu. Yao Niang couldn't help but glance at Shen Hongming. He was nearly forty years old, and he looked like a man in his thirties, with a short beard and a spring breeze.

In my previous life, I was not Mr. Shen, but an older Mr. Wei. After my rebirth, many things are really different.

Shi Zhen and Jing Rou, who were originally planning to come here to study together, were no longer suitable because they would be coming of age in a few years, and Shen Hong Ming was too young.

Fortunately, they had already received five or six years of education, so Luo Zhizheng did not force them.

Luo Jingrou was puzzled: "Dad clearly wanted to invite Mr. Wei before, why did he suddenly invite Mr. Shen?"

Even when she went to pay her respects to the Marquis of Yanping's residence, she asked her father why he had suddenly changed.

Luo Shizhen had been raised by Jiang, but she knew: "I heard that your wife said that although Mr. Wei was very good, he had a strict temperament, and the three little girls in our family were all young, so he was afraid that he would be too strict. Although Mr. Shen was young, he was proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and he was also a kind person."

"So that's how it is." Luo Jingrou sighed.

Of course, she also wanted to learn better. She just hired an old teacher to teach her in the Marquis of Yanping's Mansion. She was originally planning to study at home, but she didn't expect that Yu would ruin her plans.

Could it be that he was targeting her on purpose? No, that couldn't be possible. She hadn't done anything to let down Yu.

Yao Niang was holding the six gifts that Yu had prepared herself. These were all packed in exquisite small boxes. There were six kinds of gifts in total: dried meat, celery, dried longan, lotus seeds, red dates, and red beans, all tied with red ropes.

Yu also prepared Shi Yu together, but Shi Fang was from the second house, and Ren was so foolish that she put it in a food basket at random. Luo Zhizheng took a look and couldn't help but feel that this second sister-in-law was really outrageous.

He didn't blame Yu for not reminding him or preparing a new one. If he did, Ren would have to think too much.

Yao Niang knelt down and kowtowed three times, then looked back and smiled at her father.

No matter what, she is very happy now, with her parents by her side.

When Yu heard that the apprenticeship ceremony had been completed, she breathed a sigh of relief. Then she thought of Luo Jingrou and snorted coldly. Not only did you try to sow discord between my daughter and her father, but I let you off the hook, thinking that you were just a jealous little girl. Now, you're sending me food on purpose, so don't blame me.