Seeing that Song Zhaoyang's expression was not feigned, Mrs. Wen suddenly felt a pang of panic.
She quickly said, "I haven't been in charge of the household affairs for several years. If you suddenly hand it over to me like this, do you want our Xue family to be in chaos?"
Song Zhaoyang gave a calm smile and said, "Mother, you underestimate your own ability too much!"
"Before I married the Marquis, it was you who was in charge of the household affairs for so many years. You couldn't have forgotten it all of a sudden. Besides, there's also my sister - in - law! With her as your helper, you won't have to worry too much."
Mrs. Wen clenched her hands tightly. Was Song really stupid or just pretending?
The reason she had handed over the power of managing the household to Song was to empty Song's dowry and let her use it to subsidize the family!
And Song had done a good job in these years, saving her the trouble of worrying about money.
Now that Song was withdrawing from it, wasn't this just killing her?
"No! I'm not feeling well now and need to rest in peace."
Song Zhaoyang narrowed her eyes and then said, "Then I'll give the power of managing the household to my sister - in - law. I'm sure she'll be very happy to be in charge."
Mrs. Wen stiffened. If the power of managing the household was really given to her niece, this niece would probably come to bother her every day!
She said unhappily, "Eldest daughter - in - law, after all that you've said, can't you just work a bit harder?"
Just waiting for you to say this!
A smile curled up on Song Zhaoyang's lips. She said indifferently, "It's not impossible. I can train my sister - in - law before I move out, but there's one condition."
Mrs. Wen's face darkened. "Speak."
Song Zhaoyang found a seat and sat down. She said straightforwardly, "Mother, have you forgotten something?"
Mrs. Wen looked at her in confusion.
Song Zhaoyang said with a half - smile, "I was framed and had a difficult childbirth. You promised my mother in person that the second branch would compensate our first branch well. Now that I've recovered from childbirth, shouldn't the compensation be in place?"
Mrs. Wen frowned. She thought Song Zhaoyang had forgotten about this, but unexpectedly, she still remembered!
She said in a deep voice, "Now the second son has been dismissed from office. He has no salary. If you ask the second branch to compensate you, isn't this a joke?"
Song Zhaoyang put away her smile and said expressionlessly and coldly, "Although the second younger brother has no salary, I'm sure mother has rewarded the second branch a lot over the years! Now the second younger brother is living a very carefree life outside. Yesterday, my sister - in - law came to me to complain that during the child's full - moon banquet, the second younger brother was lingering in the brothels and didn't even come home."
"If the second younger brother didn't have the money, how could he have the guts to enjoy himself outside?"
"If I don't see the compensation from the second branch within three days, I'll send someone to deliver the ledger to mother."
After saying this, she bid farewell and left.
Mrs. Wen watched Song Zhaoyang's departing back and trembled with anger.
Threat!
This audacious Song dared to threaten her!
Disfilial!
"Servants!"
Hearing Mrs. Wen's angry voice, the maidservant timidly stepped forward.
"As soon as Xue Chucheng returns to the mansion, tell him to come to my courtyard immediately!"
As soon as Xue Chucheng returned to the mansion, he learned that Mrs. Wen had been angered by Song Zhaoyang.
He came to Mrs. Wen's courtyard expressionlessly. When he learned that Song Zhaoyang had returned the power of managing the household to Mrs. Wen and also asked for compensation for her difficult childbirth, a glint of amusement flashed in his eyes, so fast that Mrs. Wen couldn't catch it.
"Mother, what are you dissatisfied with?"
Hearing his question, Mrs. Wen roared angrily, "What am I dissatisfied with? Don't you know?"
Xue Chucheng said indifferently, "Of course I don't know. Our first branch is about to move out. It really doesn't make sense to let my wife continue to manage the household. If word gets out, people will think that there's no mistress in our Xue family and we can't even handle such a simple thing properly!"
"Moreover, you promised my mother - in - law compensation for my wife's premature delivery. If you go back on your word, with my mother - in - law's temper, she might come to you to ask for an explanation. She might even enter the palace to see the Empress Dowager and ask the Empress Dowager to uphold justice."
Hearing the words "Empress Dowager", Mrs. Wen trembled.
It was a mixture of anger and fear.
She didn't want this matter to become public knowledge.
She suppressed her anger and said, "Xue Chucheng, after all, Xue Chuzhong is your younger brother. Now that you've made a success of yourself, can't you give him a hand?"
Xue Chucheng looked deeply at Mrs. Wen and asked rhetorically, "Mother, when father passed away, I hadn't returned to the capital yet. What did he say in front of you?"
Xue Chucheng's sudden change of topic made Mrs. Wen stunned for a moment. But when she heard him mention what her husband had told her before his death, her eyes flickered a few times, and then she said perfunctorily, "Back then, your father couldn't even speak clearly before his death. What could he have told me? Didn't I tell you back then?"
Xue Chucheng saw Mrs. Wen's uneasiness and his eyes turned a bit colder.
"Over the years, mother has compensated the second younger brother a lot. Since that's the case, for the sake of harmony between our two brothers, mother can take out her own private money to compensate our first branch. A harmonious family leads to all things prospering. Mother won't care about this little bit of money, right?"
Mrs. Wen was stunned and couldn't say a word for a moment.
-
"Hahaha! Husband, you're so bad. You actually said such things in front of her. Didn't she faint from anger?"
Hearing Xue Chucheng tell her what he had said in front of Mrs. Wen, Song Zhaoyang laughed uncontrollably.
Seeing Song Zhaoyang laughing so happily, Xue Chucheng shook his head helplessly and pulled her onto his lap.
After Song Zhaoyang stopped laughing, he said, "She didn't faint, but she was close!"
Saying this, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
"Back then, before father passed away, he should have said something. It's a pity that she didn't tell me."
Hearing this, Song Zhaoyang put away her smile and said seriously, "Husband, do you suspect that father said something about the family treasure?"
"I'm not sure," Xue Chucheng shook his head. "Don't worry. I've already sent someone to inquire in the clan's ancestral land."
Song Zhaoyang frowned slightly. She remembered that in the previous life, the Prince Rui had coveted the Xue family's treasure and should have sent someone to investigate in the Xue family's ancestral land. If they could really find out, they wouldn't have forced her to confess in prison.
She said to Xue Chucheng, "Husband, the secret of the Xue family's treasure must be known by only a few people in the clan. If you inquire about this matter in front of them, if someone with ulterior motives finds out, it may bring you trouble."
Xue Chucheng gently scraped Song Zhaoyang's nose with his finger.
"Don't worry. Your husband isn't that stupid. I won't ask about this matter directly. I'll just try to get information indirectly."
Song Zhaoyang nodded and let out a sigh of relief. She continued the previous topic.
"Do you think mother will take out her own private money to compensate on behalf of the second branch?"
Xue Chucheng said with a half - smile, "If you want mother to spend a large amount of money, it may be more painful for her than cutting her flesh. But it's not impossible. We must force her into a corner."
Song Zhaoyang thought for a moment, and then a smile curled up on her lips. She had a good idea in her mind.
"Husband, do you think this will work?"
She leaned close to Xue Chucheng's ear and whispered something...