The next day, the usually gentle First Madam lost her temper for the first time in the council hall. With stern words and a severe expression, she harshly reprimanded several old servants for being lazy and deceitful, and for gambling and drinking at night, thus breaking the Earl Manor’s rules.
Among them was Li Shi’s dowry servant—Nanny Zou, who had come as part of the dowry along with Nanny Yu and now guarded the west corner gate.
Li Shi felt both surprised and embarrassed, but since these were people she had brought with her, she naturally couldn’t pretend not to notice. That afternoon, she personally brought some pastries to visit the First Branch.
Who knew this would be the first time she received an unfavorable reception at the First Branch? Although First Madam still maintained a pleasant expression, the words that came out were unspeakably cutting.
“I understand that younger sister-in-law is young. With the New Year approaching, you’re busy with preparations while also concerning yourself with others’ idle matters. It’s understandable that you can’t properly manage the servants beneath you when they’re lazy and deceitful.”
“However, for families like ours, the most important thing is propriety. If I let this servant’s breach of rules slide lightly this time, there will inevitably be a next time.”
Her words gave no face whatsoever.
What did she mean by “concerning yourself with others’ idle matters”? Was she really talking about Nanny Zou drinking and gambling, or was she alluding to something else? What did she mean by “the most important thing is propriety”? Was she implying that Li Shi herself lacked propriety in daily life?!
Even with Li Shi’s usual composure, she flushed red with anger and could barely speak.
But the other party was the Princess Consort, destined to be the future mistress of this manor. Li Shi didn’t dare offend her, so she could only change the subject and bring up Second Master Song’s welcome banquet.
“Speaking of which, Master will arrive this evening. Yesterday they said the people sent to meet him were Lin Hai and others. How is it that suddenly they’re saying Lin Hai isn’t available?” Li Shi carefully gauged First Madam’s expression as she spoke cautiously.
First Madam looked at Li Shi with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “Lin Hai needs to accompany the eldest young master on a trip to Qingzhou. They’ll be departing in the next day or two, so naturally he doesn’t have time to meet Second Master. He must take care of household affairs after all.”
Li Shi swallowed her next words, feeling anger rise in her heart instead.
Song Yi also held an official position. After the New Year, once his appointment came through, he would need to take up his post. Although they currently ate and lived on the family’s support, this family estate was ultimately built by their ancestors. In the future, these siblings would all have their share. First Madam’s aggressive attitude and behavior as the mistress of the house was truly nauseating.
Li Shi had always had a bad temper at home. Years ago, she had once cut off Minister Li’s daughter’s hair with scissors in a fit of disagreement. Though in recent years she had cultivated considerable skill in the art of patience, deep down she still retained the temperament of a young miss from a noble scholarly family, along with some of that pedantic scholarly air.
At this moment, her willow-leaf eyebrows stood on end as she mimicked First Madam’s tone with sarcastic laughter. “No wonder! So it turns out elder sister-in-law’s precious darling is going on a long journey. No wonder such a grand production.”
First Madam frowned. “It’s not as if there aren’t other people to go meet him. It’s just that it won’t be Lin Hai.”
Li Shi let out a cold laugh right in front of her. “The household affairs are now all managed by you, elder sister-in-law. Whether or not to send someone to meet him is entirely your decision, isn’t it? Who goes and how they go—naturally we wouldn’t dare say anything. The eldest young master going on a long journey is a major matter. His uncle merely returning from a long journey can’t compare to the eldest young master’s preciousness. It’s only human nature that elder sister-in-law prioritizes the eldest young master.”
After a pause, she stood up and walked toward the door, throwing her back to First Madam. “If elder sister-in-law finds it troublesome, there’s no need to hold tonight’s welcome banquet. We at least have enough self-awareness not to inconvenience you.”
Since marrying into the family, Li Shi had never spoken to First Madam this way before.
First Madam hadn’t expected Li Shi to give her so little face, with every word and sentence accusing her of only caring about her own son and forgetting about her brother-in-law returning from distant travels.
She felt angry—angry that Song Chuyi had given Old Madam the idea of sending Song Jue to Qingzhou. Qingzhou was far away and remote, with difficult roads. The round trip would take at least two or three months, meaning he couldn’t even spend the New Year at home.
Although Song Chuyi had been somewhat different these past couple days, in First Madam’s view, how could a young girl dare interfere in such important matters? Song Chuyi usually regarded Li Shi as her own mother and obeyed her every word. It was clear this was Li Shi’s idea.
To actually use the First Branch’s people to curry favor with Old Madam, using Song Chuyi as a weapon and pushing her forward as a shield—First Madam wouldn’t fall for such a trick so easily.
Now she had merely complained a couple of times, yet Li Shi dared to mock her publicly with sarcastic words and even threaten her with the welcome banquet!
How could the welcome banquet not be held? Song Yi was Old Master and Old Madam’s legitimate son, and he held an official position as well. First Madam let out a heavy breath.
Nanny Yu had already received the news and was waiting at the door for Li Shi. As soon as she opened her mouth, she said, “You can’t do this!”
Nanny Yu had been by Li Shi’s side for many years. She had been given by Li Shi’s mother and was truly devoted to her with all her heart. Therefore, although Li Shi was in a rage, she didn’t embarrass her. She merely snorted and stormed angrily into the courtyard.
“She uses me to vent her anger and makes me a scapegoat—I accept that! I can endure it. Haven’t I endured these past five or six years?!” Li Shi took a sip of the tea Nanny Yu handed her, her expression extremely poor. “But she shouldn’t treat Second Master as if he doesn’t matter! What kind of person is Second Master? He’s also Master and Old Madam’s legitimate son! How is the Heir Apparent’s son any more precious?! Second Master returns from such a long journey, yet elder sister-in-law not only doesn’t send anyone to meet him but actually intercepts the people—what kind of reasoning is this?!”
Li Shi simply couldn’t stand seeing anyone wrong Song Yi. No one was allowed to.
Nanny Yu stamped her foot and sighed, looking at Li Shi with both anxiety and helplessness. “My dear young mistress! Is now the time to be concerned about these things?! What did you go there for? Wasn’t it about changing the servants in Sixth Miss’s room? How can we possibly make that change now?!”
Li Shi’s hand, already extended halfway, stopped mid-air. Her expression became somewhat strange.
That’s right. She hadn’t originally gone there to pick a fight—she had gone to replace that annoying, troublesome Nanny Xu by the little girl’s side!
All the maids and servants in the household were registered. Who worked where and what they did was all recorded. Li Shi couldn’t simply replace people on her own—she had to inform First Madam.
In the past, this would have been just a matter of mentioning it. Now, however, it clearly couldn’t be accomplished.
At least not in the near future. Thinking of this, Li Shi couldn’t help but feel irritated again. “Elder sister-in-law today—nothing about me was right in her eyes. She truly made things difficult for me. Although I’m a second wife, I still come from a scholarly family! She, on the other hand…”
She didn’t dare continue.
Back then, when noble and meritorious families were being raided and purged under various pretexts one after another, it was a time of great panic. Old Master Song had worried himself sick over his son’s marriage prospects. In the end, after careful selection, he had chosen the Li family, which had already fallen from grace by that time.
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