Chapter 444 - 443: Cousins

Chapter 444: Chapter 443: Cousins

Mrs. Jiang Fang and Mrs. Jiang Deng went to Mrs. Xu’s courtyard.

Just after the Mid-Autumn Festival, it’s the best time to see chrysanthemums. A few days ago, even the Imperial Palace bestowed some rare ones, placed in the back garden, among other chrysanthemums, visible from afar.

Accompanying the elegant fragrance of the chrysanthemums was the scent of Jin Guihua.

Mrs. Jiang Fang took a deep breath, slowly released the suffocating air from her chest, glanced at the little maid leading the way, and said to Mrs. Jiang Deng with a serious tone, "Truly ungrateful!

Look at this back garden, how beautiful, and her courtyard, how grand!

In the whole Capital, only the Imperial Palace and the Prince and Duke Mansion are better than this.

But can we, ordinary families, reach those royal families? Even if entering as a concubine, like the one in the Duke Jing Mansion, what good is that?

She married into the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, enjoying the finest delicacies as the legitimate lady of the house. Who does she owe it to?

Is it not me?

If it weren’t for my cousin who married into the Marquis Mansion, could Yunuan have what she has today?

Yet she still cries to me as if she’s greatly wronged!

Among our sisters, she’s the one who married best!"

Mrs. Jiang Deng smiled flatteringly, agreeing repeatedly, finally calming Mrs. Jiang Fang’s temper.

Mrs. Xu was inside embroidering the Buddha pattern, feeling grateful to the Bodhisattva for saving the suffering, letting Mu Liankang survive. She had also arranged with Mrs. Lu to go to Potuo Mountain to offer incense; the Buddha pattern was meant to be presented.

Mrs. Xu’s eyesight wasn’t as good as before, her hands were slower. Hearing that Mrs. Jiang Fang and her daughter-in-law were coming, she couldn’t help but frown.

She truly didn’t want to deal with this cousin anymore.

But the room had a window open, allowing her silhouette to be seen from outside. Mrs. Xu couldn’t shirk it and had someone invite Mrs. Jiang Fang and her daughter-in-law in.

"Cousin, I’m happy for you. I heard from Yunuan that Mr. Kang has been found, right? Oh dear, Amitabha Buddha, after more than eight years, heaven finally opened its eyes, your wait wasn’t in vain." Mrs. Jiang Fang said, smiling.

Mrs. Xu continued her work non-stop and responded indifferently, "Yes, heaven opened its eyes. My son is coming back, bringing along his wife and children. In the future, I have someone to care for me in my old age, no need for others to worry."

Mrs. Jiang Fang’s smile paused.

Back then, for the matter between Jiang Yunuan and Mu Liancheng, Mrs. Jiang Fang had visited Mrs. Xu.

She said that if the older and younger generations bitterly waited, in the future when Mrs. Xu is gone, there would be no sons or grandsons to carry her spirit tablet, relying on the male members of other branches to uphold appearances.

But Jiang Yunuan marrying into the family, to Mrs. Xu, at least is family. When Madam Wu passes, Mrs. Xu grows old; regardless of Mu Lianxiao’s wife’s character, Jiang Yunuan wouldn’t disregard Mrs. Xu.

At that time, Mrs. Xu didn’t refute her, but today she waited here for her.

Mrs. Jiang Fang couldn’t maintain her smile anymore, cleared her throat, and said, "Look at the words of my cousin."

Mrs. Xu didn’t bother to lift her eyelids, saying, "You just came from the Shangxin Courtyard, right? It’s late, better head back early.

Oh, and tell Lian Cheng’s wife not to mention Lian Kang anymore in the future.

Families like ours care about reputation, I fear my daughter-in-law wouldn’t be happy to hear about it."

Mrs. Jiang Fang’s eyes tightened, gritting her teeth said, "That’s not quite right, a mother-in-law shouldn’t fear her daughter-in-law’s displeasure."

Mrs. Xu sneered, "I only have one son and pin my hopes on my daughter-in-law for my final rites, so how can I upset her?

Unlike you, with several sons, their wives compete for favor, seeking ways to please you.

Right, eldest sister-in-law?"

Mrs. Jiang Deng’s heart raced, uncertain whether to nod or not, finally saying dryly, "Aunt, being filial to one’s mother-in-law is a duty of a daughter-in-law."

Mrs. Xu raised her cup to bid farewell; Mrs. Jiang Fang, annoyed and frustrated, didn’t want to say more to Mrs. Xu, stood and left.

Once out of the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, sitting in the carriage, Mrs. Jiang Fang angrily said to Mrs. Jiang Deng, "The older she gets, the harder it is to please!

Did you hear what she said?

Married into the Marquis Mansion, she looks down on me, her cousin, huh, but in the end, isn’t it because the Jiang Family is unsatisfactory?

If only the Jiang Family were more capable, would I have to see others’ faces when I go out!

Now it’s great; even Yunuan climbs up the ladder, dares to contradict me!

Ungrateful wretch! I treated her well for nothing!

I thought she had some ability, but now, not only can she not manage the household, she can’t even give birth to a son! What use is that!

I’m telling you, I don’t feel like visiting her anymore; just seeing her annoys me. Next time you go, make sure to tell her clearly, when her husband returns, to quickly give birth to a son. If she can’t, she should smartly have the two maids I assigned to her accepted as concubines before her mother-in-law puts someone in. Those two are family-born, easy to control, and won’t cause trouble."

Mrs. Jiang Deng secretly lamented; Mrs. Jiang Fang could criticize Jiang Yunuan, but she wouldn’t dare speak ill of her sister-in-law. If Mrs. Jiang Fang gets angry, she’d be the one to suffer.

However, the task Mrs. Jiang Fang ordered seemed too urgent and inexplicable to Mrs. Jiang Deng.

Not to mention how Mu Liancheng treats Jiang Yunuan, even Mu Yuanmou and his wife hadn’t said much, so why was the family in a hurry?

Though she wondered in her heart, Mrs. Jiang Deng still said, "I’ve noted it, next time I will mention it to Yunuan."

Mrs. Jiang Fang snorted, grumpy and silent.

The situation in Shangxin Courtyard was somewhat known by the Lian Family.

Knowing that Mrs. Jiang Fang and her daughter-in-law went from Shangxin Courtyard directly to Mrs. Xu, without visiting Fengyu Courtyard, the Lian Family was furious.

Nanny Zhu kept rubbing her chest.

"This isn’t the first time, is it?" The Lian Family said, gritting her teeth, "When giving the催生 bag to Lian Cheng’s wife, her sister-in-law didn’t come, I assumed she feared catching some illness.

But this time? What reason do they have? Is it because they disregard me?

Just now Lian Cheng’s wife cried again, right?

Now, I don’t understand; she’s my daughter-in-law, yet I haven’t said a harsh word to her, while she went up and punished her with kneeling and scolding. She’s so fond of lecturing; she reprimands her daughter-in-law well, but now she’s getting involved with me!

When Lian Cheng’s wife gave birth to Sister Niang, the medical woman mentioned that her constitution was somewhat cold, and she had an old knee ailment.

This daughter is really hard-hearted; if she continues to harm her and her body is ruined, unrecoverable, where will my grandson come from? Where can I hold a grandson?"

Nanny Zhu frowned, advising, "Madam, the family madam is an impatient type; she reprimanded the second mistress and then went to the third lady; the servant guesses she was scolded.

The cousins have been at odds for years, you know.

The family madam likely in a fit of anger, afraid to say something improper if she came in front of you, certainly didn’t deliberately not come.

Worried about the second mistress’s body, why not let the medical woman check? The second mistress is a filial person; knowing that you care for her, she will repay you exponentially."

"I don’t ask for her repayment," The Lian Family waved her hand, "Everyone has grandsons, except me; just quickly give me a lovely grandson, that’s enough!"

Nanny Zhu comforted the Lian Family and dispatched someone to invite the medical woman, saying she was invited for Sister Niang’s peaceful pulse.

In Shangxin Courtyard, the medical woman examined Sister Niang and then Jiang Yunuan’s knee, gave careful instructions, and prescribed some blood-nourishing medicine.

Nanny Wang escorted the medical woman out, stood under the veranda, shaking her head.

Indeed, everything big and small in this courtyard was observed by the Lian Family.