After hearing Dongmai’s words, Shangguan Jin cursed the Empress Dowager three more times.
That old hag, staying in the palace all day, with nothing better to do than stir up conflicts between families!
“Did Zhuqing see clearly?” Shangguan Jin asked.
Dongmai nodded with certainty.
“He saw it clearly—it was the Second Young Master Song from the Wudinghou family. He was wearing a stone-blue brocade robe, a jade-colored hair crown, and holding the folding fan he never parts with.
The woman was dressed entirely in plain white, even the hairpin in her hair was white jade, as if she were in mourning and hadn’t had time to change her clothes.
Miss, believe me, Zhuqing’s eyesight is excellent. Even threading a needle in the dark is no trouble for him—his eyes are even better than mine!”
Shangguan Jin remained silent.
Thinking of Shen Qingyao’s delicate appearance…
Damn it, she’s run into a scumbag!
“Miss, please think of a way. If the Guogong were here, he’d surely grab a sword and storm their gates.
But the Guogong isn’t coming back now. If Eldest Miss really marries into that family, she’ll be tormented by that scoundrel!
That Second Young Master Song indulges in drinking, gambling, and visiting brothels—he’s never done a decent thing in his life.
But when it comes to trouble, he’s never absent.
Miss, let’s find another family for Eldest Miss. At worst, we could do as they do in the storybooks and take in a son-in-law.
The Guogongfu is big enough; we can afford to keep an obedient idler.
If that doesn’t work, I’ll give him all my monthly allowance.”
Dongmai grew angrier as she spoke.
Shangguan Jin sensed that if that so-called Second Young Master Song were here, Dongmai would smash a teapot over his head.
“I understand. It’s just the Wudinghou family, right?
On the day of Old Madam’s birthday celebration, their family will send someone. We’ll deal with it then,” Shangguan Jin said.
Seeing Shangguan Jin so calm, Dongmai was somewhat surprised.
“Miss, are you saying you’ll confront the Wudinghou family that day?”
Shangguan Jin nodded.
That’s right—she planned to make a grand scene right in the Wudinghou family’s face that day.
Over the past couple of days, she had scrutinized all the noble families and finally settled on the Wudinghou family as the sacrificial lamb.
With the Dingguo Gongfu reappearing in public after three years of silence, there would surely be many people trying to test the waters.
If she didn’t make an example of someone, who knew what might happen in the future?
As for this Wudinghou family, they relied on the backing of the Empress Dowager’s maternal family, the Anguo Gongfu, and were distant relatives of the Empress Dowager herself.
Shangguan Jin, who already deeply despised the old Empress Dowager, immediately singled out this family as her target.
If they behaved themselves and didn’t cause trouble, fine. But if they dared to stir up trouble, Shangguan Jin would make sure they were humiliated in front of all the nobility in Jingcheng.
As for Shen Qingyao suffering after marrying into the Wudinghou family…
At worst, she just wouldn’t marry into that family. It was just a marriage arranged by the Empress Dowager—who knew how many more years that old hag had left to live…
Bah! These thoughts were fine to keep to herself, but she absolutely couldn’t say them out loud!
Beside her, Dongmai looked on with admiration once again.
She believed in her mistress—she would definitely protect Eldest Miss.
All she needed to do was help take care of the young masters and misses.
Thinking of this, Dongmai suddenly remembered something she had thought about while falling asleep last night.
“Miss, there’s one more thing I think we should pay attention to,” Dongmai cautiously leaned closer to Shangguan Jin.
Shangguan Jin looked at Dongmai’s serious expression.
She sensed that if Dongmai was being this earnest, it was probably about money.
“Is it because there isn’t enough money in the accounts? If not…”
“Miss, no, it’s not about money in our household.
I’m thinking about a problem—what if the gifts sent by those who come to deliver them are different from the ones our household sent out?” Dongmai spoke very seriously.
“How could they be the same? No matter which family sends gifts, they can’t just send back exactly what we gave them before!
If they send it back exactly as it was, that’s a slap in the face, meaning they don’t want to accept your family’s gift.” Shangguan Jin laughed.
Dongmai shook her head.
As she refilled Shangguan Jin’s tea, she carefully explained further.
“Miss, you don’t understand what I mean.
What I mean is, let me give you an example!
Suppose the congratulatory gift our household sends to Wudinghoufu is worth a thousand taels, but the gift Wudinghoufu sends back is only worth five hundred taels.
Wouldn’t we be at a loss?
Also, when each family sends gifts, those congratulatory gifts are carried in on poles, covered with red silk.
And along with them comes a gift list.
Is what’s written on the gift list really what’s there? What if the gift list doesn’t match what’s under the red silk?
That day, the household will be busy, everyone will be busy, and even if we find out, we can’t say it in front of everyone.
After all, for both sides, it would be embarrassing.”
Dongmai explained very thoroughly.
Shangguan Jin listened very carefully.
Dongmai’s concerns were quite reasonable.
Switching things around was entirely possible.
If it were the old Shangguan Jin, she would definitely have said, “We’re all respectable families, they wouldn’t play tricks over such small congratulatory gifts.”
But the current Shangguan Jin didn’t think so.
What if someone had calculated that you would think this way and was purely trying to annoy you?
What would you do? Just swallow it?
Heh, Shangguan Jin had worked hard all this time, not for you to slip a blank piece of paper into a red envelope and come freeloading.
Chicken, duck, fish, and meat are quite expensive too!
Shangguan Jin had once attended a friend’s wedding where the gift-receiving table had a money-counting machine set up.
Counting it on the spot saved everyone trouble.
However, the problem now was that on Old Madam’s birthday, she couldn’t just take the gift list and check each item one by one.
It wasn’t that she was afraid of looking bad; it was mainly that this didn’t seem to fit her character.
Shangguan Jin’s mind quickly turned, and she soon had an idea.
“Dongmai, have I treated you well?” Shangguan Jin smiled as she looked at Dongmai, who was about to pour herself a cup of tea.
“Of course, Miss is the best person in this world.” Dongmai immediately put down the teapot.
“Then on Old Madam’s birthday, if I assign you to do something, can you do it well?” Shangguan Jin continued to smile.
“I’ll definitely do it well, Miss. Tell me, what do you want me to do?” Dongmai immediately declared.
Shangguan Jin beckoned Dongmai closer, signaling her to come near, then whispered a few words in her ear.
The more Dongmai listened, the brighter her eyes became.
Miss is truly Miss, no matter what she does, she leaves no loopholes.
“Do you know what to do now?” Shangguan Jin asked, holding Dongmai’s hand.
“Don’t worry, Miss, I know. I definitely won’t let you down.” Dongmai patted her chest in assurance.
Shangguan Jin nodded with satisfaction.
Good, Dongmai’s temperament was perfect for this task; she wouldn’t make any mistakes.
Suddenly, Shangguan Jin began to look forward to Old Madam’s birthday.
That day should be quite lively, and the commotion wouldn’t be small either!
Thus, under the gaze of every household in Jingcheng, the Dingguo Gongfu, which had remained silent for three years, finally bustled with life once more.