Chapter 13 Compared to Yaoniang, who was still a novice at managing the household and too young to dare show it, Little Mrs. Jiang had already achieved considerable success in her stewardship. Now she was sharpening her knives, eager and impatient to act.The two branches of the family lived together in one compound—this was a major affair for the entire household. Quite a number of people from the main branch had been transferred over to serve under Little Mrs. Jiang's command.Previously, under Mrs. Yu's management, the main branch had been handled with relative leniency. Unless a problem was truly serious, Mrs. Yu would not make a fuss. Having risen from the lowest ranks to become a lady of an official family, she could sympathize with the hardships of the servants and rarely even resorted to the rod.Little Mrs. Jiang, however, was a different matter entirely. Her rules were strict and her discipline severe. Any defiance was met with punishment according to family law.This lent her already striking features an additional three parts of grim, killing intent.Yet she was not entirely without frustrations. One day after lunch, she remarked to her confidante Mingyue with a sigh: "Over at the main branch, I still have to go every day to request the tally tokens. It's troublesome in the end, and the people from the main branch aren't so easy to command."Preparing the dowry for the future Duchess of the State was no easy task. The wedding was scheduled for the end of the twelfth month, and the twelfth month itself was already busy with New Year preparations. With so many matters at hand and the household needing to prepare for the holidays, Little Mrs. Jiang felt deeply pressed.Mingyue nodded in agreement: "That's exactly right. The mistress of that household is an amiable person. If you were to speak to her, she would not necessarily refuse.""You mean I should go have a word with Third Aunt?" Little Mrs. Jiang was somewhat tempted.Little Mrs. Jiang was a woman of swift and decisive action. Once she decided to do something, she did it at once. After the midday meal, she brought her people over to the main branch. In her heart, she truly looked down on Mrs. Yu—timid in her conduct, always meek and submissive, not daring to manage too harshly. Third Uncle Luo Zhizheng was forever ordering her about.Thus, she felt this would not be a difficult matter.Moreover, she was not seizing power—merely seeing to the eldest young lady's marriage during this period. Having a Duchess of the State emerge from the family would be a great boon for the clan as well.At that moment, Mrs. Yu had just finished her meal with the three young ladies and was speaking of the tutor: "Your father said the tutor will arrive in a few days. Sanniangzi, your maternal family has sent people to fetch you. Would you like to go stay with them for a few days before returning? As for Wuniangzi and Liuniangzi, you should settle your minds these next few days. Once the tutor arrives, you'll need to rise early for your studies—don't be lazy."These words drew laughter from everyone, and Yaoniang deeply admired Mrs. Yu.Regardless of anything, as a second wife, she treated the concubine-born children and the children of the first wife with equal fairness. She never stirred up trouble or discord, giving them the same allowances and the same treatment.Luo Jingrou naturally wished to visit her maternal grandmother, but she also did not want to stay too long. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Little Mrs. Jiang enter.Yaoniang and her two sisters quickly rose to greet her: "Second Sister-in-law."Little Mrs. Jiang smiled: "Oh, you're all gathered here in full force."After everyone exchanged pleasantries with her, seeing that she seemed to have matters to discuss, they tactfully took their leave. But Yaoniang kept her wits about her. Halfway out, she quietly turned back alone, slipped in through the side room, and made a gesture to the young maid, who hurried out to keep watch.From within, she heard Little Mrs. Jiang saying: "These past days I've troubled Aunt far too much, and my heart is truly uneasy. But with this marriage alliance with the Prince's household, there are so many matters to handle, and I'm someone who hasn't seen much of the world. I must deliberate over everything again and again. For the time being, I'm afraid I won't be able to come over to the main branch myself. Would it be acceptable if I sent my maid Mingyue to fetch the tokens instead?"These words were spoken with perfect propriety, but Yaoniang knew Little Mrs. Jiang's plan—first send her maid to fetch the tally, and then she could return it whenever she pleased. If Little Mrs. Jiang herself failed to return the tally, Mrs. Yu would find it hard to reproach her, but it would be terribly improper of Little Mrs. Jiang, and Old Madame Dou would surely gossip about her, and the main branch would also hold a grudge against her. But if she sent a maid out, and the maid didn't return it, then it would only be a dispute with a servant girl.She could put it off as long as she liked. That tally would then be returned whenever Little Mrs. Jiang pleased, and Mrs. Yu would have no way to voice her grievance.Great families generally avoided open confrontation—someone like Mrs. Ren was the exception, and she had been so thoroughly scolded by Old Madame Dou that she couldn't lift her head. Everyone maintained that delicate balance of relations.Yaoniang could hear it, and so could Mrs. Yu, but she was no longer the helpless woman she once was. Her son was healthy now, her husband had even sought out an eminent scholar to begin the boy's education, her daughter was clever and capable—she had some confidence now."Why go to all that trouble? I think it's better this way—Fa-ge's wife, why don't you pick a few people from the main branch you find agreeable to go over and help, and once the business is done, send them back? That way you won't have to run back and forth." Mrs. Yu smiled.Little Mrs. Jiang was momentarily stumped, but she pressed on stubbornly: "But when we open the storehouse…""These next few days, just write me a list of what you need, and I'll have someone organize it and send it over." Mrs. Yu's words made it clear she had no intention of handing over the tally.Little Mrs. Jiang couldn't press further. She vaguely sensed that Mrs. Yu had changed, that she was no longer what she used to be.After Little Mrs. Jiang left, Yaoniang came in from the side room to the main hall. Mrs. Yu tapped her nose playfully: "You little clever one—you never left, did you?""I didn't leave. That second sister-in-law is trying every trick to get the tally again. Good thing Mother didn't agree—otherwise, when the main branch needed to handle matters in the future, we'd have to go to the second branch to ask for the tally. How the relatives would laugh at you!" Yaoniang was also relieved that Mrs. Yu had refused.Mrs. Yu nodded: "Yes, and to be honest, things are going well for me now. With your little brother, you're more attentive than I am—coaxing him to eat, playing with him. Since coming to the capital, he's actually grown sturdier than last year."Yaoniang thought to herself that in her previous life, she had raised the Zhou Prince's heir—a sickly infant who could have died at any moment—so her little brother was nothing in comparison.As the saying goes, heaven creates each person for a purpose; everyone has their own strengths, one just needs to discover them.In her past life, she hadn't been particularly accomplished, and her brother had been sickly too, so Mrs. Yu hadn't dared to hold her head up and contend with others. Now everything was going smoothly, and she had her husband's support—Mrs. Yu truly looked like the mistress of the main branch.That transformation was another cause for joy.Mrs. Yu then reminded Yaoniang: "You know those pastries your third sister often sends? I had the kitchen staff look into it. That pastry-making nurse of hers uses several times the amount of malt sugar and honey, and lard for the flaky layers—she uses even more lard than usual. Even for her butter-oil pastries, she adds plenty of sugar frosting. Eat that for long and it's no wonder you'd gain weight."The schemes of the inner quarters weren't like Mrs. Ren's open shouting and extortion. Rather, Luo Jingrou's situation was very much like a wife and concubine vying for favor—when someone couldn't bear to see a concubine favored, they'd often use food to make her fat, or use every means to make her ugly.Mrs. Yu found it hard to understand as well, because Luo Jingrou was five or six years older than Yaoniang—they weren't peers, there was no question of similar ages, and there was no possibility of Luo Zhizheng favoring one over the other or showing partiality in marriage arrangements. Such tactics were simply too despicable."Mother, do you think I've done something to offend Third Sister?" Yaoniang tilted her head and asked.Mrs. Yu said coldly, "Whatever her reasoning, it shows she's rotten at the core. I have never treated her even slightly poorly, yet she does this to you—it's clear that despite her youth, her heart is wicked. Yaoniang, some people are simply born evil for no reason at all. It's not about how others treat them; they're just bad themselves. You must never look for fault in yourself. As long as we walk upright and sit straight, that's all that matters."Just as she, as the wife of the head of the Luo family's senior branch, had still taught the original wife's daughter and the concubine's daughters how to manage the household, handling matters inside and out with propriety—she had done nothing to wrong them, and she had never whispered poison in Luo Zhizheng's ear. As for being a bit kinder to her own children, that was only natural.At the very least, she had never harmed them. Even when Mrs. Fan had troubles, she had privately taken two hundred taels from her own savings to help her smooth things over.Yaoniang nodded. "You're right.""Actually, your father told me this. When I first married into the family, I was easily influenced by others and would dwell on a single word from someone for an entire day. He told me: never look for fault in yourself. I'm passing those words on to you as well." Mrs. Yu smiled.Moreover, Mrs. Yu absolutely would not let Luo Jingrou off easily—she just wouldn't tell her daughter that for now.Three days later.Luo Zhizheng invited Shen Hongming, known as one of the Four Gentlemen of Wuxing. This man had originally been a study companion to Pei Yuanchang's son, and after receiving his provincial recommendation, he had remained at the Pei household.Now that Pei Yuanchang had returned to his hometown, Luo Zhizheng earnestly invited him to come and teach his daughters to read, and he readily agreed.That was just his nature—he had no enthusiasm for officialdom, but rather enjoyed having a patron and being content with his own pleasures.The ones truly meant to be taught were the three girls of similar age: Yaoniang, Siniangzi Shifang, and Liuniangzi Shiyu. Yaoniang couldn't help but steal a glance at Shen Hongming. He was nearly forty, but well-kept and appearing to be around thirty, with a short beard and a spring-like warmth about him.In her previous life, it hadn't been this Mr. Shen but an older Mr. Wei. Since her rebirth, truly many things had turned out differently.Shizhen and Jingrou, who had originally been prepared to study alongside them, were no longer suitable—they would be coming of age in a few years, and Shen Hongming was too young.Fortunately, they had already studied for five or six years, so Luo Zhizheng didn't insist.Luo Jingrou was puzzled. "Father clearly said before that he would invite Old Master Wei to come. Why did he suddenly invite this Mr. Shen instead?"She had even gone to ask her father when she paid her respects at the Yanping Marquis's residence—why the sudden change.Luo Shizhen, who had always been raised by Mrs. Jiang, knew the answer. "I heard it was your lady mother's suggestion. She said that although Old Master Wei was very good, his temperament was strict, and since the three young girls at home who were just beginning their studies were still small, she feared it would be too harsh. This Mr. Shen, though young, is proficient in everything—qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting—and he's also an amiable person.""I see." Luo Jingrou clenched her fists in frustration.Of course she wanted to learn better as well. At the Yanping Marquis's residence, they had only hired an old tutor. She had originally planned to study at home, but who would have thought Mrs. Yu would ruin that plan.Could it be that she was deliberately targeting her? No, that couldn't be—she hadn't done anything to wrong Mrs. Yu.Yaoniang was holding the six ceremonial gifts personally prepared by Mrs. Yu, each packed in exquisite little boxes. They contained dried meat, celery, dried longan, lotus seeds, red dates, and red beans, all tied with red string.Shiyu's gifts had also been prepared by Mrs. Yu, but Shifang's alone came from the second branch. Mrs. Ren had been so careless as to simply pack them in a food basket. Luo Zhizheng glanced at it and couldn't help but feel that this second sister-in-law was truly improper.He didn't blame Mrs. Yu for not reminding him or preparing a new set, because doing so would only make Mrs. Ren overthink things.Yaoniang knelt down and kowtowed three times, then lifted her eyes and smiled back at her father.No matter what, she was happy now—her parents were both by her side.Back at home, when Mrs. Yu heard that the apprenticeship ceremony had been completed, she breathed a sigh of relief. Then, thinking of Luo Jingrou, she let out a cold snort. You not only tried to drive a wedge between my daughter and her father—I already let you off the hook, treating you as just a jealous young girl. Now, deliberately sending food again? Don't blame me for what comes next.

The Second Wife’s Daughter