CHAPTER 559: CHAPTER 548: THE MARCHIONESS’S MAID

"Can’t the servants just handle those accounts?" Zhong Yin said nonchalantly.

Aunt Wei furrowed her brows: "What if the servants deceive you?"

Zhong Yin huffed: "Dare they? If they dare to deceive me, I will sell them off to the brothel."

For the first time, Aunt Wei felt that her daughter really needed proper guidance: "What is a young lady like you doing talking about such a filthy place as a brothel? Don’t ever mention it again. You must carefully review and earnestly learn the accounts. If you don’t understand them, how will you know whether the servants are deceiving you or not?"

Zhong Yin was somewhat startled, and she replied weakly: "I understand, Mother."

Aunt Wei did not want her daughter to suffer, but at the same time, she had to be stern. Thus, she spoke to her gently once more: "Yin’er, you are already sixteen, and there hasn’t been any talk of marriage prospects yet. Your mother is just a concubine, so if you don’t make yourself outstanding, how will you get a better marriage proposal?"

Speaking of marriage, Zhong Yin felt a bit embarrassed and asked softly: "Mother, do you have your eye on any family’s young master?"

At this point, Aunt Wei felt a twinge in her heart. She was a concubine, and her daughter was a concubine daughter; at normal times, the ladies of official families wouldn’t even think to invite her to gatherings, and those who did invite her were either lower ranking than Zhong Huaiwen or, like her, also a concubine. The Old Lady was getting on in years and didn’t enjoy socializing, and so she truly had few suitable options.

She had also mentioned to her husband more than once about paying attention to ambitious young men. However, though he was a Vice Minister, he was one without real power, an Assistant Minister of Rites, and his social circle consisted of noble but powerless literati who fittingly would require a dowry to subsidize them if Yin’er were to marry into one of their families. What was the use in that?

All things considered, their biggest reliance turned out to be Zhong Lan, who had married into the Marquis Weiyuan’s Mansion, but their relationship with this legitimate daughter was not at all good; Aunt Wei was awfully worried.

"Yin’er, you study the household management at home properly. Mother will plan these matters for you. Rest assured; Mother will definitely not let you marry beneath you." Aunt Wei was already planning to persuade the Old Madam to go to the Marquis Mansion to talk to Zhong Lan. No matter how high Zhong Lan’s status was now, she was still a daughter who had come from the Zhong Residence. If her younger sister married too low, Zhong Lan should lose face as well, right? And with filial piety prevailing, she surely couldn’t refuse the Old Madam’s request.

But the most critical issue at the moment was Zhong Jue’s upcoming participation in the Imperial Examination. If he scored well, what would become of Lang’er in the future?

"Lady, do you think that with Eldest Young Master doing so well in this exam, Aunt Wei might harbor any ulterior motives?" After serving Zhong Lan her midday meal, Ye Qiu voiced her suspicions.

"What could she possibly be scheming? The Imperial Examination is in three days, and she can’t influence His Majesty." Zhong Lan was oblivious.

But Ye Qiu was not as carefree as her lady supposed; after all these years of Aunt Wei’s scheming, which had even worn down Mrs. Ying, it would be odd if she just allowed Eldest Young Master to outdo Second Young Master.

"Lady, what if she plots to prevent Eldest Young Master from attending the Imperial Examination?"

"What do you mean?" Zhong Lan frowned.

"What if on the day of the Imperial Examination, Eldest Young Master gets a stomach upset or catches a cold, and thus can’t attend the exam? Missing this chance means waiting another three years, and who knows what the situation will be like then."

"You mean Aunt Wei would harm my elder brother?" Zhong Lan’s eyes widened, "She dares?"

"There’s nothing she wouldn’t dare. A woman would do anything for her own children. Lady, think about it; if the Princely Heir or your daughter were in trouble in the future, wouldn’t you fight tooth and nail for them?"

"Of course, I won’t let anything happen to them."

"Similarly, Aunt Wei would absolutely not allow Eldest Young Master to have it too easy. If Eldest Young Master’s career does not go smoothly, and Second Young Master achieves great success in the future, do you think Father would, under Aunt Wei’s influence, hand over the family business to Second Young Master?"

"My big brother is the legitimate son!" After Zhong Lan uttered this sentence, she said no more, obviously realizing that although her brother was indeed the legitimate son, who could say for certain that Zhong Lang would remain a bastard his whole life? When Aunt Wei entered the family, she was treated as a good concubine, and a good concubine could be made legitimate. It was clear that Father was also foolishly inclined towards her side.

Being a married daughter, no matter one’s status, she could not intervene in her parental family’s affairs. Thinking this way, she felt her brother was truly in constant danger.

"Then I will send someone to remind my brother to be more cautious immediately."

"It’s best to employ a physician, to check everything he consumes beforehand."

"You have considered all aspects thoroughly."

In the days that followed, Zhong Lan was endlessly grateful for Ye Qiu’s warning today, because indeed a problem was found in Zhong Jue’s food.

"Father, you must give me an explanation today. How could there be laxatives in the porridge I drank?" Zhong Jue looked coldly at the people in the room, especially when his gaze landed on Aunt Wei, the chill intensified.

Aunt Wei’s body trembled, yet her face showed no sign of it: "Jue’er, this is my fault, I did not keep a close enough watch on the servants."

"Oh? So, Auntie means to say this was done by the servants on their own? Would a servant dare to do this without someone’s instigation?" At this moment, Zhong Jue stopped looking at Aunt Wei and instead fixed his stare on Zhong Lang, as if his eyes were communicating, ’why not admit it openly instead of resorting to these schemes and tricks.’

Zhong Lang’s face turned crimson with embarrassment, feeling his Aunt Wei had not been careful enough in her schemes. Since they intended for Zhong Jue to miss the Imperial Examination, why hadn’t they been more secretive about it?

"What you mean is someone deliberately framed you?" Zhong Huaiwen was particularly displeased with Zhong Jue’s attitude, his face a thunderous shade of blue, "We’re all family here, who would frame you? You’ve also passed the Imperial Examination, you should be careful with your words."

"Does that mean Father doesn’t believe me?" Zhong Jue shook his head with a sarcastic smile, his face devoid of disappointment as if he had foreseen this scene, "Then why not severely interrogate that servant who poisoned the food?"

Zhong Huaiwen didn’t speak, and Aunt Wei opened her mouth weakly: "Jue’er, isn’t interrogation too harsh? If word of this gets out, it won’t be good for your reputation. Since you’re alright, why not let it go, we can simply sell that servant."

After Aunt Wei finished speaking, Zhong Jue saw that Zhong Huaiwen actually nodded in agreement, and felt as though his understanding of the world had collapsed. There was no need to doubt anymore, his father was truly bewitched by Aunt Wei, a complete fool.

"Who would say I’m wrong for dealing with a person who tried to harm me?" Zhong Jue retorted, "Besides, aren’t we all family? How could it possibly get out? What do you think, Aunt Wei? Younger brother?"

Being named directly by Zhong Jue made Zhong Lang somewhat uneasy, and he forced a stiff smile: "Eldest brother is right, matters of the family naturally wouldn’t get out."

Zhong Jue’s smile grew even wider: "Mhm, I have always had faith in Auntie’s ability to manage the household. Auntie must be careful in overseeing the servants to avoid such mistakes in the future. What would we do if such an incident occurred during younger brother’s Imperial Examination?"