He Sanlang pursed his lips, held back the frustration in his heart, and said, “Grandmother, it’s not that I’m not willing to let Lian’er manage the household. However, she’s still young and she’s only just come of age. There were so many ladies in the Ying Estate, how could they have taught every single one properly? She’s lacking in many areas! Let her follow at your side and learn everything slowly. Once she’s familiar with the household, it’s not too late to ask her to shoulder bigger responsibilities.”
Once Matriarch He heard that that was the original meaning behind his words, she stared at him in rebuke.
“So our Sanlang is someone who pampers his wife. Well, you’re right. Your wife is still rather young; she should come and learn by Grandmother’s side. Don’t worry, Grandmother won’t forget about your wife. Grandmother must have been born to toil; I still have to worry over these things even when I’m already this old.”
However, there was some sense in what He Sanlang had said. Chu Lian had lost her mother at an early age, and as the saying went: ‘With a new stepmother, fathers turn into stepfathers’ 1. It was already a miracle that Chu Lian was this ignorant and meek, having grown up in those circumstances. They couldn’t be too demanding on the rest. Back in the Ying Estate, she probably hadn’t been taught much. So, Matriarch He thought it was indeed sensible to have Chu Lian learn the necessary skills by shadowing her. Chu Lian seemed to be smart; the duty of managing a household would fall upon her sooner or later, and it was best to have her prepared when the time came.
He Sanlang had achieved his goal, so he inwardly heaved a sigh of relief and quickly refuted his grandmother’s claim of being old.
Actually, Matriarch He really couldn’t be considered that old. She hadn’t even reached sixty years of age. Although she had some minor ailments here and there, her body was in rather good condition thus far.
For He Sanlang, only one thing mattered. As long as the power of managing the household didn’t fall into Chu Lian’s hands, her little ploys were unlikely to succeed!
“Why hasn’t anyone come back to report?” Matriarch He was starting to get impatient from waiting.
He Changdi had been about to get up and find out what happened when he saw a few people walking in from the garden outside. The person leading them was actually Madam Zou!
Following behind Madam Zou was one of her senior servants. Walking right at the very end was Laiyue.
He Changdi and Matriarch He were floored by this sight.
It was Matriarch He who reacted first. She leaned heavily on her cane as she stepped forward to welcome them. Her personal maidservant hurriedly supported the old matriarch.
“Eldest Granddaughter-in-Law, you’re fine?”
Madam Zou pinched the space between her brows and entered the parlour. She then supported Matriarch He from her other side and got her to sit back down on the soft couch. “Grandmother, Granddaughter-in-Law is fine. Please don’t worry too much.”
Upon hearing that Madam Zou was fine, Matriarch He still carefully inspected her, sweeping a gaze up and down for any injuries. After confirming that she looked absolutely alright, Matriarch He was finally able to relax.
Following that, she turned to look at He Changdi with a strange expression. “Sanlang, what’s this? Your Eldest Sister-in-Law is just fine. Why did you come here in a panic asking for an imperial physician?! You’re just making trouble!”
He Changdi was also stunned. Countless thoughts tumbled about in his head.
What? How? In his previous life, Eldest Sister-in-Law had clearly suffered serious burns. She had even lost a leg because they hadn’t been able to get the imperial physician here in time. Chu Lian had also taken over the management of the He Household because of this fire. She had then proceeded to steal from the household funds, funneling all that money into Xiao Wujing!
However, Eldest Sister-in-Law was now standing completely undamaged before him.
He Changdi’s expression turned dark. He pressed his thin lips together, speechless.
Luckily, Madam Zou reacted quickly. “Grandmother, please don’t panic.”
Madam Zou took the teacup from a maidservant’s hand and passed it to Matriarch He before she slowly explained. “Granddaughter-in-Law came here to report that the main kitchen caught on fire. Granddaughter-in-Law was about to enter the main kitchen to brew some medicine for Mother at the time. If I hadn’t bumped into Third Sister-in-Law in the gardens outside and chatted for a short while with her, Granddaughter-in-Law might’ve really been injured! Third Brother must have heard the servants along the way mention that I had gone to the main kitchen, so that’s why he thought that Granddaughter-in-Law was injured.”
When she finished speaking, Madam Zou turned to He Changdi. “Third Brother, wasn’t that what happened?”
Everything had been messed up. He Changdi struggled to maintain his composure and nodded towards Matriarch He. “Yes, Grandmother. I thought that Eldest Sister-in-Law was injured.”
Madam Zou’s reasoning made sense. Matriarch He nodded.
“How did the main kitchen catch on fire? Are there any casualties in our household? What’s the situation like now?”
Laiyue came up to report at this time. “Reporting to Matriarch, we don’t know the cause of the fire yet. As it happened around mealtime, quite a few senior and junior servants, as well as the cooks, have been gravely injured. I’m afraid Cook Zhou isn’t likely to survive the night…”
Matriarch He froze for a moment before sighing with great pity. At the same time, she addressed Laiyue with an order. “Inform the main steward. Tell him that he needs to find the cause of this fire, as well as take care of the injured servants. As for Cook Zhou… If you have the time, arrange a visit with her. After all, we’ve enjoyed the sweets she’s made for so many years… It would only be proper to say a few words.”
Laiyue hurriedly went off to obey the orders.
Madam Zou patted the back of Matriarch He’s hand in reassurance. “Grandmother, please don’t worry. What happened was just too sudden; there wasn’t anything that could be done. We can only say that it was Cook Zhou’s fate.”
Matriarch He held Madam Zou’s hand and patted her. “Luckily you made it out alright! If anything happened to you, how would Grandmother answer to Dalang and your two little girls?! Thank goodness for Sanlang’s wife. That girl carries fortune with her; she might even be our He Family’s lucky star! She’s so young and you’re her elder sister-in-law. Do take more care of her. Since she was talking to you in the garden, she must have seen the fire personally. She might still be in shock right now! Do visit her and take a look at her tomorrow when you’re free.”
Madam Zou warmly smiled. “I understand. I heard that Third Sister-in-Law likes brewing sencha; I have some good quality sencha with me, so I’ll send some to her when I visit tomorrow.”
“That’s good!” Matriarch He patted Madam Zou’s hand.
Waves were churning in He Sanlang’s heart as he listened to his grandmother and sister-in-law speaking.
What… What was going on? How did that wicked woman get such a high evaluation in their hearts this time around?!
1. With a new stepmother, fathers turn into stepfathers – meaning that fathers don’t treat their children as well once there’s a new wife in the house.
