Chapter 144 The Wicked Stepmother and the Poor Child 37
She didn't initially value her granddaughter much, but the twins were considered an auspicious sign, and her son's career flourished after their birth, which made her treat her twin grandchildren differently.
It's not right to favor one twin over the other, lest we ruin this blessing.
Seeing how much his mother loved the two children, Gu Hongjian felt gratified and thought the time was right, so he spoke up.
"Mother, now that you're here, it's best if you take charge of managing the household affairs."
Zhou is young and incapable of shouldering heavy responsibilities.
As he spoke, he gestured for Zhou Jingxuan to hand over the steward's token, keys, account books, and other items. He then instructed the servants to immediately prepare another spacious and comfortable courtyard in the mansion for his mother to live in.
Upon hearing this, Madam Gu did not refuse at all. She had come to lend her son a hand, so she readily accepted the offer, speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"That's natural."
Now that I'm here, it's only natural that I should be in charge of this household.
"Hongjian's wife is ill, and you, as a concubine, are ultimately without proper status. From now on, all matters concerning the household must be reported to me for decision."
Zhou Jingxuan had barely warmed the pair of cards when she had to hand them over. Although she was extremely unwilling, she dared not show it in front of the old lady.
She didn't want to hand it over, but she had no money to spend and had to deal with a bunch of messy things. She wanted to be in power, but only to enjoy it.
Zhou Jingxuan could only force a smile and agree, but couldn't manage a smile as she watched the pair of tiles fall into the old lady's hands.
At least, she didn't return it to Chen Ci, she comforted herself.
In the future, the people who will need to please the Gu family are probably Gu Hongjian and his mother-in-law. As long as they are pleased, what is impossible?
After Old Madam Gu took over the management of the household affairs, the atmosphere in the Gu family changed drastically.
She was strict and disciplined in managing her household, and servants would be punished for the slightest mistake. For a time, the servants in the mansion were terrified.
In the past, Zhou Jingxuan was too lax in managing the household, which made the atmosphere in the whole mansion lazy. But now she has gone too far and become too strict.
As the saying goes, "a new broom sweeps clean," and the old lady's first act was to target Shuyuxuan. On the grounds that the concubine had overstepped her bounds and violated the rules, she sent people to confiscate all the luxurious and conspicuous furnishings, as well as the excessively expensive clothing and jewelry, from Zhou Jingxuan's room.
She left behind only items befitting a concubine, leaving no reason to argue that her actions were wrong.
Zhou Jingxuan was exhausted. Looking at the house and courtyard that she had carefully decorated for so long, now mostly empty, her heart was bleeding. But she dared not speak out. During this time, she had to keep a low profile and not provoke anyone.
Originally, she was raised as a proper young lady in the Zhou family, but now she has to get up before dawn every day and rush to the old lady's courtyard to serve her washing up, combing her hair, and she has never missed a morning and evening greeting.
When it was time to eat, the old lady would sit down to eat, while she would stand to the side, serving dishes and adding rice. She had no right to sit down and eat. None of the old maids around the old lady were easy to talk to.
Pregnant Zhou Jingxuan was tormented like this every day, and was already physically and mentally exhausted.
She was furious inside, cursing the old lady and the witch in her heart every day, but on the surface she couldn't tell. She pretended to be more and more respectful and considerate, which finally made the old lady's attitude towards her improve a little.
The time was almost up, and Zhou Jingxuan seemingly unintentionally brought up Shen Ci.
"Alas, I don't know how my sister's health is. She hasn't been able to come and pay her respects even once since Mother came to visit."
This is such a neglect! If it were me, I would crawl over here even if I were sick.
If word gets out that my sister is unfilial, it might harm my husband's official position.
She tried to stir up the old lady's dissatisfaction with Shen Ci so that she would have a better impression of her. However, she didn't know that Shen Ci and the old lady had a deep-seated grudge against each other and there was no need to stir things up.
The old lady rolled her eyes at her.
"climb?
Are you trying to let everyone know that I'm a harsh and unreasonable person who mistreats my wife?
Zhou Jingxuan choked, fine, she wouldn't say anything more, the old hag always had a point.
Inside the main courtyard, Shen Cile found peace and quiet, claiming illness and refusing to leave, determined to fully embrace the need for rest and recuperation.
She had already given orders that the main courtyard should guard the gates, and that even if the old lady herself came, she should not be allowed to enter without prior notice. She made it clear to everyone in the courtyard that the only masters of the main courtyard were herself and the two young masters.
As time went on, Old Madam Gu finally couldn't hold back her anger any longer.
Zhou Jingxuan kept nagging about this matter every day, and Shen Ci's unyielding and avoidance attitude made her feel that her authority had been challenged.
That day, with a gloomy expression, she and her little follower Zhou Jingxuan finally arrived at the main courtyard gate.
Sure enough, just as he was about to go in, he was stopped by the old woman guarding the gate. Whoever gives him the monthly allowance is the real master. The Gu family now operates under a system of two governments under one administration.
"Please forgive me, Madam. Your health is not yet fully recovered and you need to rest quietly for a long time. You have instructed that no one should be allowed to disturb you without prior notice."
When had Old Madam Gu ever been obstructed like this, especially in her own son's residence! She was the mistress of the house, free to go wherever she wanted; this was her son's home! Her expression immediately changed, and she said sternly.
"How dare you! I am the matriarch of this household, her mother-in-law!"
She's sick, so I should visit her! What kind of logic is this—a mother-in-law being turned away at the door by her daughter-in-law?! Where's the etiquette?!
No matter what, the gatekeeper wouldn't let us in, blocking us firmly outside the yard, and wouldn't let us in no matter how much we pleaded.
Who picked the doorman? They deliberately chose someone so stubborn.
Just as the atmosphere was tense, Dan Gui hurriedly came out from inside, bowed, and said in a humble yet respectful manner.
"Please calm down, Madam. Madam just woke up and, upon hearing of your arrival, specially ordered me to invite you in."
Her words were both polite and made it clear that Shen Ci had allowed her to enter. If Shen Ci hadn't allowed it, she wouldn't have been able to enter now. The lady had just woken up, and she was allowed to enter as soon as she woke up. This was not intentional neglect.
Dan Gui knew just how much trouble this old lady could cause.
With a livid face, Old Madam Gu snorted coldly before leading Zhou Jingxuan into the main courtyard.
As soon as you enter the courtyard, you see the two little ones, Gu Mingzhang and Gu Mingzhu, practicing their horse stance under the guidance of a martial arts instructor. Their little faces are flushed red, but they are very serious.
Madam Gu immediately frowned and looked at Dan Gui with displeasure.
"What are you doing? Why aren't your sons and daughters being sent to school to learn manners and reason? What's the point of teaching them these crude and clumsy skills?"
Dan Gui bowed her head and replied.
"Reporting to Madam, this is Madam's intention."
Madam Gu was even more displeased. She stopped talking and quickened her pace toward the inner room. As soon as she lifted the curtain, a strong smell of medicine hit her, making her instinctively cover her nose with a handkerchief. It smelled even worse than the medicine she had been drinking.
I almost threw up everything I ate this morning.
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