When Mother Pei shouted, Pei Muzheng’s face turned pale with fright.
He knew his mother wanted outsiders to learn that Jiang Yao had splashed her husband, to let everyone know she was a shrew.
But the reason Jiang Yao had splashed him could absolutely not be discovered by outsiders.
If it became known that he had returned because of Miss Shen to question his wife about why she had saved that child, and that he believed a human life was less important than Miss Shen’s grievances—
Just as Jiang Yao had said, if this spread, his official career would be affected.
Pei Muzheng’s scalded-red face now turned even paler.
He flusteredly tried to stop her, “Mother, this is a family matter. Let’s not argue about it in front of the doctor.”
Old Madam Pei also noticed something unusual, sensing her grandson’s unease.
Since her grandson was so panicked, it was clear the reason Jiang Yao had splashed him couldn’t be revealed to outsiders.
“Shuhui, say no more. Take Xingyu to Yongshou Hall for the meal first. I’ll handle things here,” Old Madam Pei said.
Shuhui was Liu Shi’s name—Liu Shuhui.
But Liu Shi had the brains of a pig and clearly didn’t grasp her son and mother-in-law’s intentions.
She was currently consumed with hatred for Jiang Yao, wishing everyone could know what this little wretch had done—how she herself feasted on delicacies while neglecting the whole family, and how this was already the second time she had laid hands on her husband.
“Mother, this little wretch just needs to be taught a lesson. This is already the second time she’s hit Mu Zheng. What kind of wife have we married into this family? She’s nothing but a shrew…”
Jiang Yao would never let such an opportunity slip.
Seeing Liu Shi making a scene, she followed suit and started crying again.
“You’re all bullying me! Today I did a good deed, I saved a child…”
The old doctor pricked up his ears.
He, too, was very curious about why the Zhuangyuan Lang’s wife had splashed the Zhuangyuan Lang with hot water.
He heard the Zhuangyuan Lang’s wife say she had saved a child.
He knew about this incident—in just half a day, over half the capital had heard of it.
He hadn’t expected the Zhuangyuan Lang’s wife to know some Qihuang Arts; it seemed she even had quite a talent for medicine.
“Jiang Yao!” Pei Muzheng forgot the pain on his face in his rush to stop her.
But Jiang Yao was already crying out, “Yet the first thing my husband did when he returned was to question me—why did I save that child? Why did I let Shen Yuanwu become the subject of public gossip and ridicule? So in my husband’s eyes, a child’s life is less important than her reputation! He even blamed me for saving the child. I am your wife—even if you don’t praise me for saving a child, you shouldn’t question me for it. I knew there must be something between you and Shen Yuanwu! Back at the Guogong Fu, I already suspected you two. Husband, it’s not that I forbid you from taking a Qie. If you truly like her, just bring her into the household. Why must you always target me?”
Her words struck right at Pei Muzheng’s weakest spot.
The person he held most dear in his heart could not be insulted like this.
Even if he were to be with Shen Yuanwu, it would be through marriage, not by having his beloved enter the household as a Qie.
Jiang Yao glanced at Pei Muzheng and indeed saw him trembling with rage.
Serves you right!
Old Madam Pei’s body swayed, her face deathly pale.
So that was the reason.
It’s over, it’s over. Now an outsider has heard it too. If this gets out…
The old doctor was even more shocked.
Heavens, what had he just heard?
In the Zhuangyuan Lang’s eyes, was a human life really less important than Shen Junzhu’s reputation?
How could he still blame his own wife for saving someone?
Isn’t it the common people who suffer when such a person serves in officialdom?
The old Langzhong was looking at Pei Muzheng with a strange expression.
The old Langzhong cast a disdainful glance at Pei Muzheng while continuing to treat his burns, his ears perked up to hear more.
Liu Shi and Pei Xingyu finally realized the seriousness of the situation.
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Pei Xingyu glared at Jiang Yao. “Who knows if you’re making up lies to slander my brother? My brother isn’t that kind of person.”
Jiang Yao cried, “If I speak a single false word, may I be struck by lightning and die a terrible death, torn apart by five horses. But if your brother just blamed me for saving that child and making Shen Yuanwu lose face, then may his official career be completely ruined, and may all of you in the Pei family die horrible deaths. How about that?”
The entire Pei family fell silent.
Hearing Jiang Yao’s final words, they couldn’t help but tremble inwardly.
Liu Shi wailed again, “You little bitch! How dare you curse our Pei family so viciously!”
She tried to rush at Jiang Yao again to scratch her face.
Chen Momo and two other maids stepped forward to stop her.
Chen Momo, unable to contain her anger, stepped on Liu Shi’s feet and pinched her hard while pushing and blocking her.
“Enough! Stop this commotion!” Pei Muzheng roared. “Mother, grandmother, Xingyu, all of you return first. I’ll handle the rest.”
Liu Shi was still unwilling to give up.
“My son, this little bitch deserves to be taught a lesson. How dare she splash hot water on you? Even if you—”
“Mother!” Pei Muzheng’s voice turned completely cold, devoid of any emotion.
Knowing her son was truly angry, Liu Shi didn’t dare to speak recklessly anymore and fell completely silent.
Old Madam Pei sighed deeply, giving Jiang Yao—whose eyes were red—one last meaningful look.
After all the Pei family members had left, Jiang Yao asked with concern,
“Langzhong, is my husband alright? I—I was just too anxious earlier. I didn’t realize the tea would be so hot.”
The Langzhong, having heard all the Pei family’s gossip by now,
“Young Madam, don’t worry. Fortunately, the tea wasn’t boiling. Lord Pei’s face isn’t seriously injured. After I finish treating his burns, I’ll prepare some burn ointment for him. Remember to apply it daily, and his face should recover within ten days.”
Tsk, what a pity.
Jiang Yao showed no expression. “Really? That’s wonderful.”
After the Langzhong finished treating Pei Muzheng’s burns, he had a maid from the manor accompany him to the Medicine Hall to fetch the prescription and ointment.
Pei Muzheng also hurried after the Langzhong, wanting to tell him not to spread rumors outside.
After he left, Jiang Yao paid him no more mind.
She told Zhenzhu, “Zhenzhu, bring out the previous account books for me to review.”
When she married, her parents had given her many dowry properties—shops, residences, and manors—but not much silver. There were about thirty thousand taels in banknotes as emergency funds.
Not much of that thirty thousand taels remained.
It had mostly been spent on the Pei family.
Her shops, residences, and manors were quite valuable, but these were assets that couldn’t be easily liquidated.
Her parents had given her three residential properties as dowry.
One was the current Pei Manor they lived in, another was where Pei Xingyue lived, and the third was rented out.
There were five shops in the capital as part of her dowry.
Three of them she managed herself, dealing in porcelain by leveraging Jiang Fu’s business connections, which brought in some monthly income.
One was rented out, and the largest, most prosperous shop had been taken by Old Madam Pei.
At that time, she hadn’t even married into the Pei family yet when Old Madam Pei learned she possessed such a prosperous shop as part of her dowry.
The old madam approached her saying, “Yao Yao, your grandmother has something to discuss with you. You know how our Pei family was demoted from the Hou Mansion to commoner status. This was our family’s fault, but it ultimately implicated my maternal family as well – even all their official positions were revoked. Now they’re living in extreme poverty. I dare not ask too much of you – you’ve already helped our Pei family tremendously, and we remember well the kindness of both you and the Jiang family. But my maternal relatives are suffering terribly. They recently came begging before me, hoping to borrow one of your shops to run a business.”
That was when her feelings for Pei Muzheng were at their purest and most profound.
After some hesitation, she ultimately agreed.
She gave the largest three-story shopfront to Old Madam Pei’s maternal relatives for their business.
During this past year after marrying into the Pei family, Old Madam Pei had repeatedly tried to coax her into handing over the property deed as well.
But she always remembered her mother’s warning: they could live in the houses and borrow the shops for business, but the property deeds must never be transferred to them.
The Tang family had been using this prosperous shop for three years already – it was time to take it back!
Jiang Yao murmured to herself: “How could I have been so foolish back then?”
She truly wanted to slap herself.
Jiang Yao raised her hand to touch her fair, tender cheek, but couldn’t bring herself to actually strike it.
This lifetime, she would be kinder to herself.
As long as the property deed hadn’t been handed over, everything was fine. She intended to reclaim that shop too.
She planned to take it back and start a different business.
She couldn’t keep relying on the Jiang family forever – she wanted to earn more silver herself, so she’d always have options regardless of what happened.
The monthly income from her other two shops, combined with the rental income from her properties, had previously just barely covered the Pei Manor’s expenses.
As for the grain from her estates, she mostly kept it for consumption, donating any surplus to the Charity Hall.
Regarding what business to run, Jiang Yao already had some ideas.
For now, her priority was reclaiming that shop first.