Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

Seeing this, Sanchun, Xiangyun, and the others felt uneasy. They couldn't let anything happen to the old lady!

Tan Chun walked straight behind Grandmother Jia, patted her back, and with a gentle expression, softly comforted her:

"Grandma, please relax! You've seen it all. Today, Madam and Second Sister-in-law are just overwhelmed by all these things and haven't quite figured things out yet!"

"It's all because of the wicked servants below. Seeing that Third Brother was ruthless, they knew they wouldn't have a good end, so they made wild accusations and stirred up trouble."

"My wife always taught us children to be united and loving, saying that harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things."

"My second sister-in-law treats us and Brother Bao like her own siblings. She always thinks of us first when there's something delicious or fun to do. How could she not understand?"

"Please calm down, there's no need to be so harsh. They must have figured things out by now!"

"For a large family like ours, unity is the most important thing. As long as we are of one mind, no matter how big the storms outside are, they cannot defeat us."

"Please continue to guide us. With you and Third Brother here, I believe our household will only get better and better!"

Tan Chun's words made Grandmother Jia glance at her slightly, as she had always known that her third granddaughter was a talented person.

Now that he's said something like this, it's clear he's a wise person.

Grandmother Jia's expression softened somewhat, and she regained a bit of her spirits. She patted Tan Chun's hand, and with a touch of melancholy, said in a hoarse voice:

"Third Sister is right! You mothers and sisters-in-law have been managing the household for so many years, yet not a single young lady understands this."

"Our family is a large and prosperous one, with no shortage of wealth or food. What we need is unity and harmony."

"As long as we are united, the legacy and wealth left by our ancestors are more than enough for us to enjoy. What is there to fight over?"

"Fighting and arguing, brothers glaring at each other, tearing the family apart—that would be a joke!"

"We women don't need to be great. The most important thing is to be a good wife and mother, manage the household affairs well, and maintain good relationships with relatives and friends."

"You must remember this in the future, be careful with your words and actions, and set an example for the younger generation! You must be clear-headed and not be a muddle-headed wife."

"Nothing else, however great, can surpass the bond of blood ties. Do you understand?"

Grandmother Jia stared at Lady Wang and Wang Xifeng, then glanced at the three sisters and Li Wan beside her, and earnestly gave them a lecture.

Madam Wang and Wang Xifeng listened respectfully, and regardless of what they thought in their hearts, they responded in unison:

"Daughter-in-law (granddaughter-in-law) will remember the old lady's teachings!"

Grandmother Jia's expression softened slightly, and she said:

Listen to their words and observe their actions. "Get up, all of you! Don't let the younger generation laugh at us!"

Madam Wang, Wang Xifeng, and Madam Xing then stood up with the help of their respective maids.

Grandmother Jia then asked Jia Jing:

"Jing-ge'er, you've done your job of disciplining the servants in the manor. Now, who do you think should be in charge of managing the household from now on?"

As soon as Grandmother Jia asked this question, everyone present changed their expressions and turned their gazes to Jia Jing.

Now, the long-time servants of the Lai, Wu, and Shan families have been wiped out, and whoever is in charge now holds real power without any constraints.

Wang Xifeng, along with Madam Wang and Madam Xing, have already been stripped of their household management rights by Grandmother Jia, so they are naturally not being considered for the time being.

After counting and comparing, it seems that only Li Wan is suitable!

As the eldest grandson's wife of the Jia family, Li Wan had a good status and character, but she had one drawback: she was a widow and it was not appropriate for her to appear in public.

Facing the gazes of the crowd, Jia Jing put down his teacup, his expression softening, and said calmly:

"Now that the rules of the household have been established and the root of the trouble has been removed, the next step is to establish a new atmosphere. The person in charge of the household needs to be shrewd, capable, honest, and strict. What does the old lady think of Third Sister?"

Appointing Tan Chun as the housekeeper was a choice Jia Jing made after much consideration.

Besides Madam Wang, Madam Xing, and Sister Feng, there were actually not many other people in the household who could be chosen as stewards, only a handful such as Li Wan, Yingchun, and Tanchun.

Judging from her temperament and talents, Tan Chun is undoubtedly the most suitable.

In the original novel, there is a scene where Sister Feng is ill and Tan Chun manages the household. Tan Chun promotes reforms in the Grand View Garden, eliminating abuses and promoting benefits, demonstrating her strong personal opinions and abilities.

When Tan Chun first started managing the household, everyone thought: "We've just added Tan Chun, and we all think she's just a young lady who hasn't left her boudoir yet, and she's usually the most peaceful and serene."

Therefore, they didn't care and became much more lax than before Sister Feng.

However, after a few days, it became clear that Tan Chun's refinement was no less than Feng Jie's.

When Wu Xindeng's family came to inquire about the amount of money to be given as a reward for Zhao Guoji's funeral, Li Wan originally decided to give forty taels, the same amount given to Xiren's mother.

However, Tan Chun inquired about the old practice of rewarding Wu Xindeng's family and did not allow him to make excuses. In the end, she changed it to twenty taels according to the practice.

Aunt Zhao was dissatisfied with this and came to make a scene, but Tan Chun did not show any favoritism to Zhao Guoji just because he was her uncle.

Ping'er came to deliver a message saying that Fengjie said she could consider adding more, but Tanchun insisted that she was unwilling to make an exception.

During this process, Tan Chun did not back down easily. Her words were forceful yet reasonable, which made everyone take her seriously.

All of this demonstrates Tan Chun's clear-headedness, integrity, strictness, and willingness to confront difficulties, showcasing her shrewd and capable character.

What Jia Jing needed was precisely this kind of strong, strict, magnanimous, and decisive steward.

A military-style family cannot be well managed without a strong and decisive personality.

Therefore, after much consideration, Jia Jing chose Tan Chun.

When Jia Jing spoke, everyone's faces showed undisguised surprise.

They all thought that Li Wan would be the person in charge of the household, but Jia Jing actually chose Tan Chun.

Although Tan Chun is good, she is still an inexperienced girl who is not yet married. Can she manage hundreds of people in the household?

Madam Wang twirled the prayer beads in her hand, her eyelids twitched almost imperceptibly, and she quietly glanced at Tan Chun.

Thinking to herself: Third Sister is not bad. She is close to me and Baoyu, and she is from the second branch of the family. It might not be a bad thing!

At this moment, Sister Feng sat in her chair, her bright rouge unable to conceal the disappointment in her eyes.

Without her control over the household, she felt as if her spine had been removed; her once bright and spirited phoenix eyes were now staring blankly at the ground.

Upon hearing Jia Jing instruct Tan Chun to manage the household, she clenched the handkerchief in her hand.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Li Wan's eyes. Although she didn't care much about the power of managing the household and had never thought about fighting for it, she only had one thing in mind: to raise her son Jia Lan to be a good person.

But the fact that Jia Jing didn't choose her at this time still left her feeling somewhat uneasy.

Could it be that my abilities are not as good as those of a young lady like Tan Chun in the eyes of the Marquis?