Chapter 248 : Calculations (2)

The next day, it drizzled.

Yuxi didn’t even wait for Zisu to say it, but she took the initiative to speak, “Bring me that cloak.” It was cold in the eleventh lunar month, but it got colder after the rain. At this time, even the wind could make people tremble. She had good health, but she would still catch a cold because of the chilly wind, no matter how good her health was. After studying pharmacology, Yuxi paid more attention to this aspect.

Once they arrived at the Master Courtyard, Yuxi was walking outside the room when Liuyin came over and whispered. “Miss, the Lady didn’t sleep all night last night and didn’t even eat her breakfast.”

When Yuxi entered the house, she saw Qiu Shi sitting on the couch with a depressed look on her face. When she saw Yuxi, she squeezed out a smile. “Xi-er is here!”

Yuxi inquired, “Mother, I just heard from Liuyin that you haven’t eaten your breakfast yet?”

Qiu Shi replied, “I have no appetite.” Thinking about what happened yesterday had made her so frustrated, causing her to have trouble eating and sleeping.

Yuxi lost her smile. “Mother, isn’t she just a concubine? If you don’t like her, just keep her in her courtyard.” In fact, Yuxi really could not understand. With Qiu Shi’s position, even if she killed Concubine Mei on the spot, she would only be scolded by the Old Lady and the Duke. No one would dare to punish her. But instead of using her advantages, she was sulking over a concubine until she couldn’t eat or sleep well. Yuxi really didn’t know what to say.

Qiu Shi let out a bitter smile. “You don’t understand.” In the twenty years since she married into the Han family, she had taken care of the internal affairs, raised her children, and obeyed her in-laws, doing everything to the best of her ability. She even believed that she had been a qualified mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Now, however, she felt that she had been a failure. It was just as well that her husband’s heart was not on her side, as she had long since given up hope on him anyway. But she had been genuinely filial to the Old Lady and had not done a single thing wrong over the years. Now came Wen Shi first, and then Concubine Mei, which caused Qiu Shi’s heart unspeakably sad. Just as sad as the translator when a few people didn’t read this chapter at xinshou blogspot com.

It became clear in Yuxi’s heart. Perhaps yesterday, the Old Lady had said something that had upset her mother. Yuxi smiled and said, “It’s fine if Mother thinks that way. Mother has been so busy all these years as Mother has never stopped working. Now that Dage and Er Ge have grown up, Mother doesn’t need to work so hard anymore. Just leave the chores in residence to Dasao and Er Sao. If Mother feels bored, Mother can invite people into the house to talk and sing or listen to the opera, which is lively and fun. What do you think, Mother?” Yuxi actually did not entirely agree with Qiu Shi taking care of a child. Although having a child in the courtyard would add extra life and make the yard lively, raising a child was actually very tiring. Besides, although Lu Xiu was pregnant, she might not be willing to give her child for Qiu Shi to raise. Yuxi never had a child, but when she thought about it, she knew that no one would want to give her son to someone else to raise. Even if that person was her mother-in-law. Moreover, to put it mildly, with Han Jianye as a precedent, Yuxi was not really comfortable with the idea of Qiu Shi raising another child.

After hearing this, Qiu Shi’s heart became much more comfortable. That was why it was better to have a daughter. A daughter would be more considerate of her mother. “I’m not that old yet!”

Mama Li was very moved by what she heard, so she interjected, “My Lady, I think the Fourth Miss is right. Eldest Master and Second Master are brilliant and filial. Both Da Nainai and Er Nainai are intelligent and capable. It’s time for my Lady to let go and have a few days of relaxation.” No one knew better than Mama Li what kind of life Qiu Shi had led over the years.

Qiu Shi told Yuxi, “Your Er Sao and Jia Shi are both pregnant right now. How can I just let go of my hand at this time?”

Yuxi smiled a little. There was a good saying, raising children for a hundred years and worrying about them for 99 years. There were very few people who could put aside the affairs of their children and just enjoy their old age in peace. But with Yuxi’s understanding, Qiu Shi’s expression eased.

Seeing this, Mama Li immediately ordered the maid to bring up the breakfast. Qiu Shi at least ate an egg, a steamed twisted roll, and finally a bowl of chicken soup.

After breakfast, Qiu Shi drove Yuxi back. “I’m fine here. You can go about your business!” Yuxi’s daily schedule was very tight, and Qiu Shi knew this.

Before Yuxi could leave, she heard the maid outside announcing the arrival of Concubine Mei. In a few moments, Concubine Mei came in with the help of two maids. When she entered the room, she pushed the hands of the two maids away, curtly walked up and bowed. “Greeting my Lady and Fourth Miss.”

Yuxi asked with a smile without waiting for Qiu Shi to speak, “What? Didn’t Concubine Mei learn the rules from the mama before entering this room? You can’t even bow properly.” After a pause, she continued, “Although a concubine does not have to be too polite, she still has to have the proper etiquette and rules. Otherwise, it would not be good if she were to bump into guests who come to the residence one day.”

When Concubine Mei heard this, she cried out in pity. However, this pitiful look would only work on men. Not only was this act useless to women, but it would also be too tiresome for one to look at.

It was at this time that the Duke of State walked in.

Qiu Shi didn’t want to expose Yuxi to these bad things and urged, “Yuxi, you should go back first!” Seeing Yuxi’s reluctance, she said, “Don’t worry, Mother will be fine.”

Since her mother’s words had come to this point, it was not good for her not to leave. Yuxi bowed to the Duke and went out. But she left Zisu behind so that Zisu could take a look at the follow-up situation.

Not long after Yuxi returned to the Taoran House, Zisu also came back. Zisu informed Yuxi, “Miss, after you left, the First Lady quarrelled with the Lord Duke.”

Yuxi stroked her forehead. Mother’s fighting power is really…….good thing Yuxi had other plans. She did not mean to rely on Qiu Shi to solve this problem. “Go see if Dage is in residence? If not, have someone send me a message when Dage returns.”

Zisu was a little hesitant as she advised, “Miss, it’s not good for Master Shizi to interfere in this matter!” Although Master Shizi was the real head of the State Residence, it was not appropriate for a son to interfere in his father’s bedroom matters. Zisu felt that this was inappropriate behaviour on Yuxi’s part.

Yuxi felt that Zisu had been saying stupid things lately. “I’m not out of my mind yet. Why would I let Dage meddle with father’s concubinage?” As far as Dage’s nature was concerned, he wouldn’t even be bothered with the affairs of the inner chambers.

Zisu was full of questions, “Then what are you doing looking for Master Shizi?” Usually, when Yuxi went to find Han Jianming, Zisu never asked. But this time, the timing was just too coincidental.

Yuxi smiled a little. “There are some questions I want to ask Dage.” To solve it, let’s get to the root of the problem. There was no point in making small fights.

Zisu was unconvinced.

Coincidentally, Han Jianming was at home that day. In fact, last night, he had heard from his attendants that the Duke had brought back a pregnant woman, but Han Jianming did not take this information to heart. She was just a plaything, so there was no need for him to take the matter seriously.

Han Jianming knew that it was a bit strange for Yuxi to look for him. Mainly because if Yuxi looked for him, it wouldn’t be a small matter. If it was a small matter, Yuxi would find her own way to solve it without bothering him. The wind had dropped recently, and the waves had subsided in the residence and the outside world. Thus, Han Jianming could not figure out what could happen to Yuxi.

When Yuxi reached Han Jianming’s study, she asked bluntly, “Dage, did you know that Father brought a concubine back to the resident yesterday?”

Han Jianming nodded gently and asked, “Is this the reason you sought me out?”

Yuxi said, “Dage must have not known that Father had a fight with Mother yesterday over that concubine. Just now, Father had another fight with Mother over her again.”

Han Jianming looked at Yuxi and asked, “If you want to say something, just say it.” Han Jianming practically knew, for Yuxi to look for him was definitely not as simple as telling him about their parents’ quarrels.

Yuxi didn’t respond to this but said it as if she was talking to herself. “I heard from Mama Li that when Mother married into the family, the residence was unable to make ends meet and relied on the sale of shops and properties to maintain the daily expenses of the house. Does Dage know about this?”

Han Jianming nodded a little. As the actual head of the family, he naturally knew about these things.

Yuxi said, “Since Dage knows what happened in the past, Dage should also know the current family fortune?” Qiu Shi was very good at financial management. A year after she married into the family, the State Residence had stopped selling its shops and fields. And after more than twenty years under Qiu Shi’s management, not only had she managed to fill in the holes, but she had also acquired quite a few properties. Nowadays, the State Residence had a considerable balance every year, in addition to its expenses.

The Duke of State was a man who only knew how to spend money, not make money. As for Han Jingyan, he was the type of man who only knew how to take but didn’t know how to put them back in. It could be said that the current family fortune was all earned by Qiu Shi. This made Yuxi feel that Qiu Shi was too upright. It was apparent that Qiu Shi was the most significant contributor to the current Han family. However, this meritorious person was treated the most unfairly by the family.

Han Jianming probably knew what Yuxi was going to say. “Yuxi, one is my father, and one is my mother. What do you think I should do?” Even if the Duke of State was a jerk, he was still his birth father. If a son went against his old father, he would be struck by lightning.

Yuxi did not ask Han Jianming to deal with Han Jingdong. At that moment, she just said, “Dage, Mother has done so much for this family, but she has never lived a comfortable life. I don’t want to talk about her past anger, but it will be tough for her to suffer much more at such an old age. Don’t you know, Mother was so angry yesterday that she didn’t sleep all night and couldn’t even eat her breakfast.”

Han Jianming was silent for a moment before saying, “If you have any thoughts, there is no harm in saying so.” Han Jianming thought much the same as Yuxi. Both of them felt that Qiu Shi was overthinking. That woman was only a concubine. Hence, it was not worth it for Qiu Shi to not be able to eat or sleep. If she didn’t like what she saw, she could just throw that woman to the family country estate.

Yuxi said, “If we want Mother to truly live comfortably, we must get to the root of the problem. And this matter, only Dage can do it.”

Han Jianming’s face remained unchanged as he stated, “As long as I can do it, I definitely won’t put it off.” Han Jianming was also highly filial. It was just that he was so busy that he rarely had time for Qiu Shi.

Yuxi’s method was simple. “Dage, as long as Dage forcefully inherits the title, Mother will be able to live a comfortable life.” If Han Jianming inherited the title, he would be the Duke of the State and the rightful head of the State Residence’s household. Those women could provoke the Lady of the State, but they didn’t have the guts to offend the Duke of the State’s biological mother. T

/N

Han Jianming’s face changed slightly. “Do you know what you’re talking about?”

Yuxi naturally knew what she was talking about. “Dage, in the past 20 years, has Father done anything for his family with the Duke of the State title? Dage, over the years, you have been unable to recruit the talents you need, and most of the reason lies in Father’s bad reputation. But if Dage inherits the title, it would be different.” The Duke of the State and a shizi of the Duke of the State were two different concepts.

Seeing that Han Jianming didn’t say anything, Yuxi continued, “Dage, the Duke of the State title is actually optional for Father. He spent the whole year having fun climbing the mountains and enjoying his time in the rivers unrestrained anyway. Even if he wasn’t the Duke of State, he could still live like that. But this title is different for you. Once you assume the title, you will be the rightful head of the State Residence’s household. As long as those people know of your talents, how can they not defect to you? With enough helpers, there will be no problem for Dage to revitalise the status of the State Residence.”

The three principles and five virtues were something that had been engraved to Han Jianming’s bones. Therefore, even though Han Jianming was not happy with Han Jingdong, he never wanted to go beyond him by inheriting the title through force. However, Yuxi’s words did make sense. Han Jianming fell into deep thought for a moment.