“Why do you have to check on me first?" the Marchioness asked in an unfriendly tone.
"You were the former mistress of the household, you should set an example." Jinque lifted an innocent smile.
“What if I am unwilling?" The Marchioness wanted to gain some time, letting her personal maid hide some items.
“Our madam said, if you don’t want to cooperate, then keep running the household. Brother Leng, let’s leave.”
“Don’t go, you must check now." The Marchioness panicked; She didn't want the power of the family that was given away with great difficulty.
If the money was gone, she could return to her parents’ home to get some to support herself and her two children—it would not be difficult.
Before leaving, the marchioness shot Little Sixteen a fierce glare, her eyes blaming her for meddling.
The other concubines of the Marquis Mansion who had private property also glared bitterly at Xiao Jinying; if not for her meddling, they would have lived quite freely.
A hot‑tempered concubine spoke sarcastically: "The heir’s wife has said, from now on no private cooking is allowed. Let’s see how you concubines plan to seduce the marquis."
"The heir’s wife’s rule is good—it prevents certain seductresses from cooking up tricks to please the Marquis."
A concubine in her thirties spoke with glee at others’ misfortune; after more than ten years in the Marquis Mansion, her dowry had been squandered by her own extravagance, leaving little remaining.
"Haha… Miss Sixteen and Concubine Li will drink plain porridge with me every day from now on—just thinking about it makes me so happy."
"Tell me, without rare delicacies, will the marquis still treat Concubine Li well? Will he still visit her courtyard often?"
"Without good food, how is she any different from us? The marquis visiting her—what a joke, haha…"
"You… you all… how outrageous! I’ll fight you to the end." Xiao Jinying said this as she rushed forward to strike.
But two personal maids held her back tightly: "Miss, don’t be impulsive, let’s go back first."
Unable to break free, Xiao Jinying snapped angrily: "Whose maids are you? Let go at once!"
“Miss, calm down, let’s return to find the concubine," the senior maid advised softly.
After finishing her meal, Concubine Li hurried back to her courtyard—likely to hide away her valuables.
Though Xiao Jinying was arrogant, she wasn’t entirely foolish—she knew better than to draw her sister‑in‑law’s attention at this moment.
“Hmph! This young lady won’t argue with you old women." She said this and then ran away.
One of the alluring concubines sneered: "Well now! If you’ve got guts, don’t run off. Such a coward!"
Another young concubine, her face somewhat innocent but her eyes full of malice, mocked: "Miss Sixteen, let’s fight first before talking."
Hearing the mocking voices behind her, Xiao Jinying quickened her pace; though she was the daughter of one of the marquis’s concubines, a mere illegitimate young lady.
But her maternal grandfather was the richest man in Jiangcheng; with the emperor far away, his family thrived under the Marquis' Mansion’s banner, amassing great wealth.
Moreover, her mother was still alive—children with mothers are treasured. With her wealthy grandfather, her concubine‑mother had no need to toil or worry.
Even at thirty she remained dazzlingly beautiful, so the marquis’s favor toward mother and daughter was all the greater.
She was a pampered young lady; in the marquis’s household, others always yielded to her. How could she possibly endure such humiliation?
But today, it really made her furious to death!
Those older women, relying on their age, often gossiped behind her father’s back—saying the marquis was useless, unable even to support himself.
Though Xiao Jinying was willful, she knew her father truly favored her concubine mother.
But she also knew that favoritism was really because her concubine‑mother cooked superbly—and had silver to spend on her father.
After all, her father had no shortage of concubines; if his concubine bore a son, the whole picture would change…
It was like her second brother’s concubine mother—though old and unable to cook well, her father still visited her courtyard.
The more Xiao Jinying thought, the more wronged she felt; her eyes stung, and tears streamed down.
“Sister Sixteen, why are you crying?” A clear, crisp voice rang out, and soon a twelve‑year‑old charming little girl came gracefully forward.
She wore a pink embroidered dress, her hair in twin buns, tassels hanging at her forehead—her whole being lively and spirited.
The newcomer was the marquis’s legitimate daughter, Xiao Jinyu, born of his third wife—two months younger than Xiao Jinying.
A child without a mother is like a blade of grass; Xiao Jinyu always relied on pleasing Xiao Jinying to earn a few coins to support her younger brother.
Seeing her approach, Xiao Jinying quickly wiped away her tears and forced a brave smile: “I’m fine.”
Xiao Jinyu, deeply concerned, said: “How could it be nothing? Sister Sixteen's eyes are red—surely she’s suffered a great grievance. Who would dare bully Sister Sixteen?”
Hearing this, Xiao Jinying grew even sadder: “Who else could it be? Other than those old women, who else!”
"........."
Xiao Jinyu was stunned—how was she supposed to respond to that!
In fact, back in the main hall, she had seen everything clearly, and she too had wanted to step forward to help.
But her eleven‑year‑old younger brother tugged at her, hinting that she needn’t curry favor with Sister Sixteen anymore.
For so many years, the siblings had relied on Sister Sixteen and her mother’s charity to live a little better than the others.
Seeing that Xiao Jinyu didn’t echo her as usual, Xiao Jinying felt displeased and wiped her tears away.
She went on angrily: “My sister‑in‑law had only just married in, yet she seized the household authority and even tried to take my concubine mother's dowry—shameless!”
“Huh? Sister Sixteen, in our household’s situation, does the right to manage even need to be seized?” Xiao Jinyu said, eyes wide.
Her mother served as the household’s mistress for several years, worked herself to exhaustion, and in the end drove herself to death!
She was only three that year, her brother just two; their maternal family never dealt with the marquis’s household, nor cared whether the siblings lived or died.
Xiao Jinying glared at her and shouted angrily: “She’s just a junior—what right does she have to run the marquis’s household and lord it over Father?”
“B‑but Mother didn’t want to manage the household anymore—she gave it up to Sister‑in‑law herself,” Xiao Jinyu whispered in defense.
Xiao Jinying grumbled in discontent: “Let her manage the household if she must, but why take my concubine mother's dowry?”
".........."
Xiao Jinyu wanted to say, “Wasn’t it you who claimed the marquis’s household would consume the mistress’s dowry?”
Since the mistress’s dowry can be consumed, why not the concubine’s dowry as well!
Though Xiao Jinyu thought this, she dared not say it aloud—she could not afford to offend Sister Sixteen just yet.
If Sister‑in‑law fails to keep everyone in line, she’ll still have to scrape coppers from Sixteen.
“Seventeen, do you secretly agree with that foxy Sister‑in‑law’s rotten idea?” Xiao Jinying asked bitterly.
“I didn’t,” Xiao Jinyu said flatly.
“Hmph! At least you’ve still got some conscience. No wonder I often help you siblings. From now on, we’ll all just drink plain porridge together!”
As Xiao Jinying spoke, her eyes lit up—if they weren’t allowed to cook privately, she could always go out to eat!
“Seventeen, I’m going back first.” Xiao Jinying said and ran away holding up her skirt.
Resented by Xiao Jinying, Wen Qingwan wasn’t idle at this moment; instead of tending to the marquis’s household, she was using a “melon‑eating charm” to watch Wen Mingzhu.
🐇♡🐇♡🐇♡🐇
Sixteen (furious): “Big Sister‑in‑law just married in and already grabbed the household reins—now she even wants my aunt’s dowry! Shameless!”
Seventeen (wide‑eyed): “Sister Sixteen… in our mansion, is household authority really something worth stealing?”
Sixteen (still furious): “That is not the point..."
Seventeen (raised an eyebrow): “..."
Meanwhile, Wen Qingwan (resented, but unbothered): “Forget chores. I’ve got my gossip charm—time to watch Wen Mingzhu like a drama series.”
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