“I don’t care what method he uses, but it must get it done! Otherwise, I will go out and publicize how harshly our favored general treats his family’s Elders !”
Hearing this, Shang Yukuan was torn between fury and helplessness. Faced with his perpetually domineering and unreasonable Fifth Uncle, Shang Yukuan yearned to land a few solid kicks to vent his frustration but he is helpless as he can’t do anything against this level of brazeness. So he had to reluctuntly agreedd and seeing the main house’s unexpected acquiescence, the members of the fifth branch swiftly began to pull the Fifth Old Man away. As the matter is technically setteled they dared not let him, with a few careless words, ruin the hard-won advantage they had so painstakingly gained. So, Fourth Master Shang and his son “supported” the Fifth Old Man, one on each side, and promptly ushered him out of Yunjinyuan courtyard .
Once they had departed, Shang Yukuan let out a profound sigh. He turned to Madam Wei, his expression tinged with sadness. “Why did you promise them? Liulang may not be willing to do this. If Fifth Uncle truly goes out and causes trouble, won’t he just be bringing more problems for Liulang?”
His son, Shang Ji, having been raised in his father-in-law’s house since childhood, held little closeness with him. Yet, as a father, Shang Yukuan was genuinely happy for his son’s success and wished him well. The affairs of the third and fifth branches were best kept from not involving him as much as possible. Fortunately, they would be moving out soon, and Shang Yukuan always believed he could provide for his two uncles until their dying days. Once they were gone, the people in this courtyard would no longer be a burden on the Duke’s Mansion. At that point, Madam Wei could do as she pleased. But now, it seemed he had once again caused trouble for his son, Shang Ji, filling him with vexation.
Madam Wei, having served him for over thirty years, understood his every thought. She once again deployed her familiar tactics: her nose reddened, her eyes welled up, and she spoke mournfully, “Master, you heard how Fifth Uncle scolded us, and how he slandered my daughter . For all these years, I have supported them like ancestors, yet in the end, I didn’t even receive basic respect. Besides, doesn’t it simply mean they look down upon our influence? Now that the most capable man in the family has returned, it’s only natural that he should take on some tasks. Is it possible that we will always be the ones bearing the burden?” As she spoke, her sadness deepened, leaving Shang Yukuan utterly embarrassed.
On one side was his son, a source of immense pride and joy. On the other, his constant companion, his wife of many years. He wished to spare neither of them sorrow. But as the saying goes, it is difficult for a hero to resist a beauty, and Shang Yukuan was certainly no hero of unwavering resolve. Manipulated by Madam Wei, he was left speechless, only able to shake his head and concede, “That’s all. I’ll go and speak with him. Whether it can be done or not is not my concern afterwards . Sooner or later, the Duke’s Mansion will be handed over to him and his wife . Let them learn to handle this matter on there own.”
“The Master is right. How can anything be accomplished without practice? Besides, don’t worry too much. With Liulang’s current power and ability, perhaps it can be accomplished with just a few words. Wouldn’t that be for the best for all of us ?”
Upon hearing Madam Wei’s cunning reply, Shang Yukuan was at a loss for words. He merely sought an opportunity to broach the subject with his son, but how to begin such a conversation filled him with profound embarrassment.
On the orther hand in Xitang Courtyard, a spy diligently relayed the detailed news to Du Jingyi, and as she listened a scornful smile began to play on her lips. Madam Wei’s eagerness to burden Dongyuan with this affair was met with Du Jingyi’s ready acceptance. She had already gleaned the rough outline of past from Aunt Dou. She had once held some respect for her father-in-law, but now she found it all a laughable farce. A man who couldn’t even discern the true nature of his own wife or daughter, and couldn’t control his own household, was either foolishly blind or spinelessly incompetent. Regardless, in Du Jingyi’s eyes, he was utterly useless.
Yet, these were not words to be uttered openly within Dongyuan. So, she simply gave an order: “I apologize for troubling you two. If you have any new information, please report back to me as well .”
“Understood.” After the two shadowy figures vanished, the maid Yingying brought her a calming cup of tea. “Young Madam, please have some tea to moisten your throat.”
“Mm.” As Du Jingyi sipped her tea, her mind already plotting how to deal with the fifth branch. Madam . Wei was so consumed by her desire to cast blame onto the couple, but thinking too well would never lead to a good outcome for anyone . Du Jingyi mused for a moment, then turned to Yingtao . ” Be Prepare; we’re going out.”
“Ah? What are you doing, Madam? You’re not running away, are you?” Yingtao’s anxious face prompted a smile from Du Jingyi. “When has your master ever run away? We are simply going to inspect our Estater outside the capital The Chinese New Year is two months away. Shouldn’t I be doing my part to inspect it now?” She explained, yet Yingtao still found it odd. Could a mere fifth branch truly force them out of the house? Wouldn’t that be a joke? But Yingtao forgot that the fifth branch was currently keeping a tight lid on the matter; the news hadn’t spread, so there was no talk of being forced to leave.
“Also,” Du Jingyi added, “tell the steward of Dongyuan that if anyone from the fifth room comes looking for me, they are not to be let in under any circumstances.”
“Yes.”Yingtao replied happily.In this way Du Jingyi simply wanted the fifth branch to understand the true difficulty of their task. After repeated rejections, the anger would ignite, and chaos would ensue. thinking about this a subtle smirk played on her lips, as if she were anticipating a grand performance from them. Seeing her young lady’s confidence, Yingtao also stopped trying to persuade her and quickly began packing their belongings.
Du Jingyi then called for Butler He and Aunt Dou, informing them of her impending visit to her Estate ( Zhuangzi). Both were a little bewildered. Why leave at such a tumultuous time? However, they remembered the general’s firm words from their last conversation and offered no objection. They simply dispatched a retinue of capable servants to follow her , along with the team of personal guards Shang Ji had left for Du Jingyi and Liu Xun. Quietly, they departed frommthere home.
The doorman at the main door simply assumed the Sixth Young Madam had simply gone out for a brief excursion and would soon return. Little did he know, she would not be coming back any soon . When news of Du Jingyi’s departure reached Madam. Wei in Yunjinyuan, she gritted her teeth in anger. “She actually left? Did she receive some news in advance?”
Mama Jiao, standing beside her, shook her head. “The people in the fifth house were afraid the news would leak, so they kept a tight lid on it. The Master hadn’t even had time to tell the Young Master yet. From this perspective, the Sixth Young Lady shouldn’t have know.”
“Could it be a coincidence?” Madam Wei mused. Inspecting the Zhuangzi was indeed a task typically undertaken around this time of year. The autumn harvest was complete, and arrangements for the coming year needed to be made. Madam Wei herself had such practices in the past, and Du Jingyi’s dowry included a large farm, so it seemed a plausible explanation.