Raising a wife? The mistress of the Hou family divorced and remarried her younger uncle

Chapter 19 Lu Jing
Su Qingwan has a complicated feeling towards Lin. The Lu family's prosperity today is inseparable from her help. The Lu family is a century-old clan. They have produced two queens, three prime ministers, and many talented people. Lu Shaoqing's father's lineage is very distant and has no relatives. Old Master Lu passed away early, and only the old lady raised her children and lived a hard life. When Lin married into the Lu family, Lu Shaoqing was only a scholar and had not yet passed the imperial examination. Because of her poor family, she studied in an ordinary academy. Lin threw away her face and made friends with the Lu family. She didn't know how much she suffered from hardships and ridicule, but finally got a word from the Lu family's eldest lady. Lu Shaoqing and his brothers were sent to the Imperial College one after another. The two brothers were very competitive and lived up to Lin's hard work. They passed the imperial examinations and entered the officialdom one after another.

If Lin had not given up her dignity and begged for help, the Lu brothers would not have had a successful career. Therefore, Lu Shaoqing respected his first wife very much. Even though he and Aunt Zhou were in love, he never favored his concubine over his wife. Lin also did not suppress his illegitimate children. Although he was partial, he never tortured them.

After the eldest son got married, he handed over the housekeeping power and often took Xie Zhaolan with him when he went out for social events. He taught her how to behave and how to manage household affairs. Everyone praised her as a good mother-in-law, kind and virtuous.

Su Qingwan thought that Lin was not only shrewd and scheming, but also very good at showing weakness. Her words were sincere and loving, but if you listened carefully, they were enough to make her sister, who came from a merchant family, feel inferior and guilty. In other words, Xie Zhaolan, our family does not despise you for your humble background. You are marrying into the Lu family because you are marrying up, so you should give everything for the Lu family.

Among the four classes of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, merchants are the lowest class and cannot help Lu Feng. Instead, they will bring him ridicule. His sister will only willingly spend all the family wealth for the Lu family and work like a slave.

This is probably how Lin controls her sister. Now she feels that Li Xueying is difficult to control and is afraid that she and Li Xueying are of the same blood, so she will show weakness to her.

"Mother said she loved me, but Lu Feng and Li Xueying got married a year after I passed away. It takes time to discuss marriage. I'm afraid you will start matching horoscopes and choosing an auspicious date as soon as I'm buried."

Lin thought that she was really resentful about Feng Ge and Li Xueying's marriage, which was why she was so disobedient. Lin wiped her tears and said, "Mother was against this marriage at first. Our family is too far behind the Earl's Mansion. But Li Xueying wanted to marry. A higher-ranking official can crush someone, not to mention the Earl's Mansion of Anping. We can only listen to them and arrange the wedding. Zhaolan, mother loves you the most in her heart."

Su Qingwan wanted Lin and Li Xueying to fight each other, so she didn't plan to play a trick on Lin, otherwise Lin would use her as a knife. She said lightly, "It's too late for mother to say anything, and I'm disappointed."

Lin secretly cursed Xie Zhaolan for being stubborn. Showing weakness was useless, so she talked about the pros and cons, "Zhaolan, Feng'er and Li Xueying are newlyweds and have a strong relationship. She is also pregnant. If she gives birth to Lin'er, your position and situation will be very awkward. Mother is an experienced person. Listen to my advice. For a woman to live in a deep house, having offspring and respect from her husband are the most important. You should not be angry with Feng'er, so as not to become estranged. While Li Xueying is pregnant, you should try to please Feng'er. If you have a child in the future, you don't have to adopt Li Xueying's child. The child is closest to you because he is related to you by blood."

No matter whether the person in front of her is Xie Zhaolan or not, as long as she has a child, she will be a member of the Lu family. When the time comes, the mother will die and the child will be kept. All of Xie Zhaolan's dowry will be in her hands.

"The fate of having children is determined by heaven. We have been married for three years and have no offspring. Perhaps I am not destined to have children." Su Qingwan's voice became even weaker. "Mother, Li Xueying has sent 8,000 taels of silver to Meilan Garden. When will you give me the 5,000 taels you owe me?"

Lin was furious. "Zhao Lan, you have been the housekeeper for several years, you should know that the family does not have much surplus. You also ordered the Xie family to stop paying money. Do you really want to be so ruthless?"

"If I really did something wrong, I should ask mother for the money she has given me as a housekeeper over the past few years. Will mother settle the bill with me?"

Lin took a deep breath and suppressed her anger. "Zhaolan, you have the support of the princess, so you have the confidence to talk to mother now. Don't forget that although your father is a fifth-rank official, Sanlang is the deputy commander of the Jinyiwei. Go and find out what the reputation of the Jinyiwei is. If the Xie family business offends the Jinyiwei, can it still gain a foothold in the capital?" Su Qingwan stood up. "Is mother threatening me?"

"I'm telling you that we all prosper together and we all suffer together, and we're talking about the pros and cons." Lin said with a smile, "Sanlang is the most promising son of our Lu family, and we are also Sanlang's backers. If you insist on disturbing the peace of the family, he will not let you go."

Su Qingwan returned to Meilan Garden with a gloomy face. Luzhu was out and had not returned yet. The weather was hot, so Su Qingwan changed into a long gauze dress. The peony flowers on the windowsill bloomed more brightly under the scorching sun, soothing her restless emotions along the way.

Luzhu bought many exotic fruits, a duck in pickled sauce, and some fashionable jewelry from the capital for Su Qingwan. She returned home with a full load and a big smile on her face.

She pulled Su Qingwan to the dressing mirror to try on the jewelry, and praised Su Qingwan as a fairy who had descended to earth and the most beautiful woman in the world. Su Qingwan's worries disappeared and she laughed heartily.

Nanny Li brought in two bowls of sweet soup, placed them on the warm bed, and invited them to come and eat.

Luzhu drank while praising the wet nurse's cooking skills, and Su Qingwan also sat on the warm bed.

"Miss, you have been in a bad mood since you came back from Lin's courtyard. Did she bully you?" asked Nanny Li.

Su Qingwan shook her head slightly. Showing weakness failed to induce her. It was just intimidation, not bullying.

"Mother Li, what kind of person is Sanlang Lu? You and Qiuxiang rarely mention him."

Nanny Li thought for a moment and said slowly, "In fact, we rarely see him. Zhang, the Third Young Master, and the Third Young Lady live in the West Garden, which has a corner gate. The Third Young Master is busy with official duties and is rarely at home. Even when he is at home, he goes through the West Garden gate. In the past few years, we have only seen him during festivals. When the Third Young Master was young, he followed General Chen to guard the border in the northern border. After returning to Beijing, he joined the Jinyiwei. He is usually taciturn and ruthless. The maids in the second house dare not spread gossip about the Third Young Master."

She turned sideways again and lowered her voice to say, "After the Third Young Master joined the Jinyiwei, he was deeply favored by the Emperor. Lin had an idea and sent the beautiful maid in her courtyard to the Third Young Master's courtyard. The next day, she was sent back by Zhang. Lin was not giving up and wanted to marry her cousin from her mother's family to the Third Young Master. Two years ago, she invited the cousin to live in the mansion for a while. Zhang did not want to marry into the Lin family, but who knew that the cousin was also very brave and broke into the Third Young Master's courtyard in the middle of the night under the influence of alcohol. The Second Master left early, and the Second House In the early years, the eldest wife was the one who took care of the matter. The third son usually respected Lu Shaoqing and Lin. It was reasonable to drive them away. I don’t know what taboo the cousin had violated. She was beaten to a bloody pulp and thrown out of the courtyard. Lu Shaoqing thought he was too cruel and wanted to punish him with family rules, but the third son used his official power to suppress her. The cousin’s injury was healed, but her leg was lame. The Lin family did not dare to do anything to the third son, but blamed Lin, and she and Zhang also had a quarrel. ”

(End of this chapter)