Marrying a treacherous official

Wang Mama's face broke into a smile, and she began to speak:

"Hearing that the First Madam is ill, the Lady of the Marquis specifically instructed me to come and inquire about the cause of her discomfort."

"Thank you for your concern, Mother. It's just a childhood ailment that flares up when it's cold. It will subside after a while and will get better when spring returns and the sun warms up."

Yunji breathed heavily as she spoke.

Granny Wang immediately became anxious, frowning and saying:

"How can that be? If this acute illness isn't treated properly, it could develop into a serious one. I'll inform the Lady of the Marquis as soon as I get back and ask the imperial physicians to come and examine the First Madam."

Upon hearing this, Chunxuan twisted the embroidered handkerchief in her hand, her movements becoming visibly strained.

Yun Ji gave her a reassuring look and said calmly:

"When I was still unmarried, my aunt invited Physician Xue from the palace to come and examine my pulse. The physician said it was asthma, and that I should stay calm, avoid cold and seek warmth. He said the illness would heal itself without treatment, so I wouldn't have to trouble you, nanny."

Granny Wang gave a stiff, cold smile, but didn't insist further. Instead, she followed up on the topic:

"Since the First Madam is ill, she should rest and recuperate properly. It just so happens that I came here today and happened to see the palace's gifts being carried into the courtyard, so I helped the First Madam put the things into the mansion's storeroom, saving her the trouble of doing so."

These words are spoken lightly, yet every sentence is appropriate.

But who doesn't know that the mansion's storeroom is under the control of the Lady of the Marquis? If the gold, silver and silk that the new emperor bestowed upon Cui Zeming were handed over, what difference would it make from confiscating them?

Chunxuan's face changed in surprise. She wanted to argue something but hesitated, but due to Wang Mama's suppression, she dared not say anything more.

Even Huo Xi, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but turn pale.

Looking at the different expressions on the three people's faces, Yun Jiduan couldn't help but recall that in her previous life, Granny Wang had come empty-handed and left with a full load.

At that time, she still had to rely on the Lady of the Marquis to get by in the mansion. She tried to persuade Granny Wang, but Granny Wang, relying on the Lady of the Marquis's support, never took her seriously, let alone listened to her advice.

But the tide has turned, and now Cui Zemin has gained power in the court. The Lady of the Marquis has even set her sights on the storeroom of Qinghui Courtyard, so there is no choice but to cut off her arm.

She avoided Wang Mama's sharp question and asked lightly, "What good things has the palace bestowed upon the master?"

Huo Xi took a step forward, but before he could even raise his hand to greet her, Wang Mama cut him off.

"A gold and jade belt, ten thousand taels of silver, three thousand bolts of silk, three hundred acres of farmland, and a pair each of rhinoceros horn cups, ivory carvings, tortoiseshell artifacts, and jade ruyi scepters."

Granny Wang continued with a beaming smile:

"When I passed by the outer courtyard, I was thinking that I would have to help the First Madam with the inventory and cataloging later. I was not comfortable leaving these valuables to the servants to handle, so I wrote them all down for the First Madam."

Seeing her shamelessly begging for a beating, Yunji calmly said:

"Does the old woman know that this reward has been transferred to the manor's treasury? Whose name should it be credited to?"

"Of course I'm the boss."

"It is the Marquis."

Yun Ji looked at her with a sneer, her clear eyes flashing with coldness. "If it belongs to the master, it should be placed in the storeroom of Qinghui Courtyard. If it belongs to the marquis, it should be placed in the storeroom of the mansion."

Wang Mama never expected that the usually cautious and prudent First Madam would be so determined to argue with her on this matter.

She immediately put on a stern face, adopting the demeanor of a governess, intending to teach the First Madam a lesson for the Lady of the Marquis's temper.

"Madam, you are being too polite. To put it bluntly, all the internal affairs of the Cui family's inner quarters are under the control of the Lady of the Marquis, let alone this small storeroom in Qinghui Courtyard."

"Not to mention that the Cui family is a distinguished family and does not tolerate the stingy manners of those poor families outside, who are so calculating about everything, even though the entire family is united and will not tolerate anyone interfering or sowing discord between father and son."

Chunxuan couldn't stand the old woman's veiled insults.

What do you mean by "small family"? You're just talking about the Gu family, a lowly sixth-rank official. What do you mean by "petty and calculating"? This old woman is clearly trying to steal the reward that the palace is giving to the master, and she's even trying to shift the blame here.

She stepped forward angrily and said, "Granny, watch your words and don't offend the Madam."

Without uttering a single word, Granny Wang raised her hand high, ready to slap Chunxuan across the face, but then a cold, angry voice came from the seat:

"With the entire nation in mourning, does the old woman understand what it means that this reward has come to the Marquis's name?"

"What are you saying, Madam?"

"Accepting honors during the period of national mourning is contrary to propriety and righteousness, and is not tolerated by ancestral rules."

Yun Ji's expression turned solemn, and he spoke with piercing precision:

"The old man risked his life to support the crown prince's ascension to the throne and has made great contributions. Now that he is being rewarded, he must be wary of impeachment by the court officials and censors, and must act with utmost caution."

"Your Excellency has yet to perform any meritorious service in supporting the new emperor. If you rashly claim the reward as your own, what will the new emperor think of you? What will the court officials think of you? Do you, Madam, want Your Excellency to bear the eternal infamy of being unrighteous and heartless?"

How could Granny Wang bear such a crime?

She broke out in a cold sweat and trembled uncontrollably.

Yunji didn't stop there, and continued, "Was this request for rewards the idea of ​​the old nanny, or Mother's?"

How could Granny Wang dare to drag Lady Hou into this mess?

She was speechless and panicked, not knowing how to respond. Her legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground in fear.

Yunji, having found her Achilles' heel, said:

"I suppose it wasn't Mother's intention. After all, Master is a well-known filial son. If Mother wants anything, she can simply ask, and Master would certainly give it to her."

"It's all this old servant's fault!"

Granny Wang knelt on the ground, repeatedly begging for forgiveness, saying, "This old servant was confused for a moment and said the wrong thing, offending the Madam. Please, Madam, have mercy and forgive this old servant this time."

Yunji looked at Granny Wang, who was prostrate at her feet, without feeling the slightest bit of pity.

"The wet nurse is the Lady of the Marquis's wet nurse and an elder of the mansion. I have no right to punish the people of Minghe Hall, but this matter concerns the Marquis's reputation."

She seemed to be caught in a dilemma, and after deep thought, she finally spoke:

"Huo Xi, report this matter to the master, and he will deal with Granny Wang."

"Your subordinate obeys."

Having personally experienced the power of his wife and witnessed her methods of managing her subordinates, Huo Xi dared not disobey.

Upon hearing that she was to be handed over to the master for punishment, Granny Wang felt as if the sky had fallen. Her face turned ashen, and she collapsed to the ground, having exhausted all her strength, unable even to stand.

Chunxuan called over the rough-looking old woman outside the door, who helped Wang Mama back to Minghe Hall.

"What a brazen old servant! I don't know where he got the guts to bully the madam."

She kept cursing angrily, but then she couldn't help but worry.

"Madam punished this wicked servant, which was satisfying, but I'm afraid that the Lady of the Marquis will hold a grudge against you and try to trip you up in the future."

"What does this have to do with me?"

Yunji suppressed Granny Wang to establish her authority, so that no one in the mansion could ever step on her again.

"The reward was put into the storeroom of Qinghui Courtyard by the master, and the person was handed over to the master for punishment. I think the Lady Hou's resentment is not my fault."

Chunxuan smiled sweetly, her almond-shaped eyes crinkling, "What you say is absolutely right, Madam."

Having experienced all the hardships of her previous life, Yunji had long seen through the sordid affairs of this mansion, and that Cui Zemin and Lady You, the wife of the Marquis, were at odds.

Back then, the Cui and You families formed a marriage alliance. The eldest daughter of the You family married into the Cui household and became the mistress of the house. After giving birth to Cui Zeming, she passed away a few years later.

To consolidate their power, the You family married off their illegitimate daughter to become the second wife of Marquis Cui, who is now the Marquis's wife. They only hoped that she would cultivate virtue, correct her words and deeds, and raise Cui Zemin into a benevolent and righteous gentleman.

But after Lady Hou married into the family, she became pregnant with the Second Master before her eldest sister was even seventeen years old. Later, she gave birth to the eldest daughter and the Third Master in succession. She never treated Cui Zeming sincerely, so how could he not hate her?