Chapter 146 Wang Xifeng is besieged
While everyone was playing around, You came to Jia Cong and asked in a low voice, "Master..."
"Sister-in-law, if you call me like this again, I won't respond!" Jia Cong said with a smile.
Yu Shi smiled apologetically, and then said, "Then I'll ask Uncle Cong'er to help! There is one more matter that needs Cong'er's decision."
"Your elder brother Zhen had many concubines before. How should we deal with them? If we keep them..."
Although Jia Zhen is not as good as Jia She of the West Palace, he has more than a dozen concubines.
"Let's send them all away. If they want to go home, we will give them 100 taels of silver. This will be considered as our family not treating them unfairly. If they don't want to go back, they can find a house in the back street and arrange for a maid to take care of them. They will not be short of food and clothing, but don't worry about anything else."
Yu nodded, this approach was to her liking.
After hesitating for a moment, Youshi whispered again, "All the money in the family was spent on the funeral, and I only have seven or eight hundred taels. If it doesn't work, I can pawn a few pieces of jewelry..."
"Our family is not so poor that we need the eldest sister-in-law to pawn her jewelry! Tomorrow, I will put several tens of thousands of taels in the public treasury. The eldest sister-in-law and Keqing in the inner house can use it to support you. Although you can't be extravagant, you don't have to be stingy with what you should spend."
Jia Cong had nearly 100,000 taels of silver from selling ice in the past two years, plus another 80,000 to 90,000 taels of silver from the last house search and the subsequent search of several military generals and several gangs in the south city. Jia Cong also made up for more than 40,000 taels of silver from the previous funeral, plus 30,000 to 40,000 taels of silver from buying a farm and setting up a workshop outside the city. He now has about 100,000 taels of silver in cash.
However, seeing that the farm outside the city had already seen the goods, it would not be long before money would flow in continuously, so Jia Cong did not have to worry about spending.
"Then I'll have someone deliver the pair of cards to Brother Cong tomorrow morning."
Jia Cong waved his hand and said, "Let my eldest sister-in-law take care of the cards. I will be on duty in a few days and will not have time to manage the household. My eldest sister-in-law will still be in charge of our family. She will also make all the decisions on the expenses of the backyard. As for the front yard, if there is any need for flowers, I will ask someone to ask my eldest sister-in-law for money."
Youshi was delighted. If this was the case, her life would be better than before! Although she was the eldest wife before, the power of managing the household was in the hands of Jia Zhen. Now Jia Cong asked her to help manage it. Who of those servants who flattered the powerful and looked down on the weak dared not be respectful to her?
"Is this... not against the rules?"
It is indeed against the rules to help my brother-in-law run the household...
"Why do you care about this, sister-in-law? Is there anyone in the mansion who dares to say anything?" Jia Cong said nonchalantly. Besides, he had no interest in being a housekeeper. He was on duty outside and there was no mistress in the mansion for the time being. If not Youshi to help, who else could take care of the house?
"Just let me work hard for two years, and after I get married, you can take a good rest!"
"Okay!" Youshi agreed happily. As long as she benefited from the housekeeping in the past two years, Jia Cong would remember her kindness. Even after Jia Cong's wife came into the family and handed over the housekeeping power, he would not treat her harshly.
"Madam, the banquet is ready!"
So, Youshi called the girls who were having fun and headed towards her courtyard.
Along the way, Jia Cong held little Xichun in his arms, "Third brother, can I stay in my courtyard tonight?"
"Well, you and your second sister will live in your own courtyard today!"
"Then I want Third Sister and Sister Yun to live with me!"
"Well, let Third Sister and Sister Yun live with you, and Sister Bao live with Sister Lin and Second Sister!"
"Where does Sister Yuanyang live then? Is she going to live with Third Brother?" Xichun asked curiously. Jia Cong couldn't help laughing, "Hahaha, Sister Yuanyang, the task of warming the bed will be handed over to you later."
As soon as these words came out, except for Qingwen who was following Jia Cong and pouted, everyone else burst into laughter! Who among those present didn't know what Grandmother Jia meant by asking her to come over?
"How can Third Master make fun of a maid like me!" Yuanyang blushed with shame and hid behind Si Qi and the others, not daring to speak again.
When they arrived at You's courtyard, there were two tables set up inside and outside. The masters sat at one table in the house, and the maids sat at another table in the small hall next to it.
Seeing that Wang Xifeng was about to slip away to the end, she was stopped by Daiyu and Xiangyun, "Sister-in-law You, the second sister-in-law wants to escape, come and catch her."
"You little girl Lin and little girl Yun, I have served you all the time, but now you are rebelling. You are really not good people!" Wang Xifeng said with a smile and scolded.
Youshi stepped forward and pulled Wang Xifeng to the first position on Jia Cong's right hand side. "Hey, look, whose daughter-in-law is this? Is she shy or scared? She still wants to run away?"
"Humph, bullshit! Who am I afraid of, Second Madam?"
"If you're not afraid, then why are you running? You can't escape this feast today, so just sit here obediently!"
Wang Xifeng quickly turned to Li Wan who was standing opposite her for help, "Sister-in-law, look at this rebellion, you have to help me today!"
"Hahaha!" Jia Cong laughed. "Usually we eat and drink, and Second Sister-in-law stands by to serve us. Now that we are in the East Palace, Second Sister-in-law will be served for once. Just sit down and eat! Keqing, pour some wine for Second Sister-in-law!"
Xiangyun took out a bowl from somewhere, and Keqing poured a bowl of it into her mouth with a smile!
"Sister-in-law You, this is in our East Palace territory! If sister-in-law is not convinced, just use force!" Jia Cong said with a laugh.
"Sisters, it's Second Sister-in-law who takes care of us on weekdays. Now we finally have the chance, why don't we repay Second Sister-in-law? Also, tell the maids outside to get ready to toast Second Sister-in-law. Otherwise, don't blame Second Sister-in-law for making things difficult for them in the future!"
As soon as these words were spoken, all the girls gathered around to join in the fun, and Xiangyun even jumped up and went outside to greet people.
Wang Xifeng's two fists could not fight four hands, so she had to admit defeat, "Forget it, I will follow your wishes today, and I will sacrifice my life to accompany you!"
"You helped me and Keqing the day before yesterday. Today I will show my love to you. Keqing will pour you some wine and I will toast you personally!" Youshi said with a smile as she picked up the wine.
Wang Xifeng sneered, "Well, now you, the eldest lady, also have the support of the eldest master in your mansion. You are really bolder!"
Yu's cheeks turned red with shame, and she said angrily, "Don't say anything else. Just listen to me and let me make you drink two cups of wine today, otherwise you won't be able to leave the East Mansion."
After saying that, he walked up to Wang Xifeng, pinched her chin, and poured a bowl of wine into her mouth.
