“Alright, then you can sit here for a while.” Madam Chi nodded, then turned to look at Steward Wang.
The latter touched his nose, straightened his expression, and finally lowered his stance because he needed her help. He smiled obsequiously and said, "Oh, Second Madam, you know that there is now a young master in the manor. The old lady said that everything should be done for that person first, so the expenses have increased!"
He counted on his fingers, his tone exaggerated, "Food, clothing, and daily necessities—everything costs money!"
Madam Chi frowned, feeling a little uneasy.
It's not that she's petty; she did contribute to the public funds before, but at least that was spent on the whole family. Now, she's even blaming her for the pregnancy of the eldest son's concubine. What's going on?
But the child that Shen Xiwei is carrying is not her son's!
But Madam Chi didn't say anything. She wasn't one to hold grudges, and she also felt inferior to the eldest son's family, so she couldn't be assertive. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let the eldest son's family control her for so many years.
She hesitated for a moment, about to give in, after all, it's better to avoid trouble.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, the daughter-in-law next to her suddenly spoke up: "Wait a minute."
The two turned to look, and Shen Tangning's face showed surprise, as if she hesitated: "Am I right? Steward Wang has come to ask Mother for money? When did the Marquis's mansion fall into such a state?"
Don't doubt it, she did it on purpose.
In her previous life, she knew the inside story. Before she married into the family, the second madam had been secretly using her dowry to supplement the entire Marquis's mansion. She came from a merchant family, and her maternal family was a well-known wealthy merchant family, so she was naturally not short of money.
After Shen Tangning took over the management of the household, she felt that things were not going in the right direction and that it would be detrimental to Chi Jingyu's reputation if word got out. So she ordered that the second branch of the family should no longer be asked for money.
Both of them looked uncomfortable.
Madam Chi found it difficult to talk about.
Butler Wang felt somewhat embarrassed. He had been a steward for many years and was a respected figure in front of the Lady of the Marquis and the Old Madam. How could he be questioned like this by Shen Tangning, who had just arrived?
Butler Wang gave a forced smile: "Second Young Madam, you may not know this, but this has always been the way things are in the Marquis's mansion. This tradition existed even before you married into the family. Moreover, the Second Young Madam has agreed to this."
Shen Tangning looked at him with a half-smile: "Just because it has always been this way, does that mean it's right? I have never heard of any wealthy family whose expenses come from their daughter-in-law's dowry."
Butler Wang's face froze for a moment.
Even in ordinary families, a courtesan's dowry would be looked down upon!
Not to mention the illustrious family of the Marquis's mansion; if word got out, people would laugh them to death!
But this had been going on for a long time, and he gradually came to think it was a matter of course. Now that Shen Tangning had torn off his fig leaf, he felt a little embarrassed.
He stubbornly insisted, "This was the Second Madam's own idea..."
Shen Tangning glanced at Madam Chi, whose eyes were filled with complex emotions and who was about to speak. She pressed down on Madam Chi's hand and said, "Then Steward Wang doesn't need to come anymore. From today onwards, our second branch will no longer subsidize the public funds."
She paused, speaking slowly and deliberately, "If the old lady has any needs, then it is only right for the second branch of the family to offer some filial piety. But to use the second branch's money to raise the young master's child, I must ask the young master whether he knows about it or not. What kind of logic is that?"
Not only did he fail to get any money, but he was also ridiculed. When he left, Steward Wang looked extremely upset.
After he left, Shen Tangning stood up and apologized to her mother-in-law: "I overstepped my bounds just now, please forgive me, Mother."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
