Seven requests for peace and hundred postures (one)

  Describing the infighting in this household as a war without gunpowder is not an exaggeration, especially in the complex Wen family.

  Legitimate son against legitimate son, legitimate son against illegitimate son, illegitimate son against illegitimate son... they scheme and intrigue, mutually plotting against each other.

  If you're not careful, you might get caught in the crossfire and become cannon fodder, especially for someone as insignificant as her.

  Wen Jiu's sister straightened her waist, lowered her head, and cheered up, but she didn't forget to maintain a low profile on the outside, closely following behind Jiang Shi.

  Wherever the eye can see is Chiang's obviously light and cautious steps.

  Alas...

  The ninth sister couldn't help but sigh in her heart, and Jiang's family was also anxious in this situation. Originally a concubine, she came from a merchant family, and her husband was unreliable.

  She and her father-in-law, Wen Chonghu, had taken the imperial examination for many years but to no avail. He later became an official through donation, but due to his lack of achievements, he was never promoted and remained a fifth-grade employee, living on meager salary.

  It was their brother, the fourth young master of the Hou Mansion, Wen Jingyu, who was not bad. He had just turned fourteen and had already passed the county-level examination twice, and was waiting to take part in the spring exam next year.

  This was still the most promising one among Wen's brothers, so he got special care from the old lady and was temporarily exempted from all morning and evening greetings, only reading books in the yard.

  The son's success gave the Jiang family some face in front of the Wen family, but at the same time also brought a lot of jealousy and resentment.

  "Third Mistress, Ninth Maiden, Tenth Maiden, please come in quickly!"

  As soon as they entered the door, a pretty maid in a crimson cotton jacket came out to greet them and lifted the curtain for them. It was Cui Feng, the senior maid beside Old Mistress.

  "Thanks, Cui Feng." Jiang Shi smiled at Cui Feng, and the tenth and ninth sisters also nodded to greet her.

  "Cui Feng sister, the jacket you're wearing today is really beautiful and elegant!" Cui Qiao, who was following Jiang's side, warmly held Cui Feng's hand and secretly handed her a silver ingot.

  Cui Feng was taken aback for a moment, and then his expression quickly returned to normal. He looked at Cui Qiao and said, "What's so good about it? It's just something new that I put on today. Once the color fades after washing, it'll be nothing special..." As he spoke, he suddenly covered his sleeve with a smile, "Hmm... sister, your taste is just like Second Madam and Fourth Madam."

  "Really?" Cuī Qiāo listened and immediately let out a surprised cry.

  But Chiang, who was standing with one foot inside the door and one foot outside, hesitated for a moment, then puffed out his chest, raised his head, and tugged at the smooth, unwrinkled hem of his garment before walking in.

  The ninth sister naturally saw all of this and couldn't help but secretly shake her head in her heart.

  Her stepmother's anxiety in her heart is probably no less than hers. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to exchange messages with silver...

  Outside, the cold wind is piercing, while inside it's warm as spring.

  Through the purple sandalwood inlaid ivory lattice window with clear glass, Wenjiu's gaze fell on the old woman sitting at the end of the Huanghua pear cloud head kang, surrounded by a crowd of people.

  A long face, a head full of silver hair combed without a single strand out of place, wearing an amber-colored gray squirrel fur jacket with a sharp-edged lapel and sleeves, a dark iron-line skirt, it was the most powerful and oldest qualified person in this marquis's mansion - Old Lady Li.

  As for Li Taijun, Jiu's impression of her was still not bad, although Li Taijun's gaze rarely fell on her, and occasionally swept over her with a faint glance.

  Many children and grandchildren, themselves are not outstanding, in the eyes of this old man, they are just like a passerby.

  But she had never treated herself with indulgence, her treatment was the same as that of Wen's sisters, and that was enough, she had always been a grateful and contented person...

  ".... Fourth Grandma touched and what happened, can only Third Grandma touch, Fourth Grandma cannot touch?"

  "Fourth brother and sister, what are you competing with a child for? It's not that I'm spoiling him, but he's still so young, only half a week old, what does he understand... Yuan Yue, quickly take Bao Ge out to get some fresh air, otherwise he'll cry again later..."

  Suddenly a voice full of discontent and annoyance mixed with the sound of children sobbing rang out, followed by a beautiful woman with a flowing cloud bun holding a pouting little boy with tears in his eyes rushing out quickly.

  "Third Aunt is well!" The woman and several others exchanged a glance with Jiang Shi, immediately bowing to her.

  "Hmm, what's going on here?" Jiang looked at the woman and then at the little boy.

  "What else can we do......" The woman muttered to herself, not saying much more, her gaze falling on the ninth and tenth sisters behind Jiang.

  "Pay respects to elder sister-in-law!" Ninth Sister hastily pulled Tenth Sister to pay her respects.

  The lady in front of her is the daughter-in-law of the second wife Miao, Feng Shi, who was born into a prominent family in Jiangnan and has a clever mouth, being eloquent and articulate.

  Feng's wife was like the second lady back then, married into the Wen family for less than a year and gave birth to a boy, giving birth to the eldest grandson of the Hou Mansion. For this, she deeply won the heart of Old Lady, and her son Bao Ge is also the heart of Old Lady.

  "The ninth and tenth sisters are really changing day by day, each one becoming more and more elegant." Madame Feng immediately looked at the two sisters with a warm smile.

  Two sisters blushed and lowered their heads.

  "I'll talk to you and the other sisters another day, I'm leaving first." Then Madame Feng looked at Bao Ge in her arms, who started making crying faces again, and hastily left.

  "You're almost at the age where you should be a daughter-in-law in someone else's family, why don't you know how to be more steady..."

  Several people entered the inner chamber and heard Mrs. Li scolding a woman beside her.

  The woman was wearing a half-old lilac-colored silk jacket with a gourd pattern, and she looked pretty good, except that her cheekbones were a bit high, giving her a somewhat pinched look. She was none other than the wife of Wen Chonghu, the fourth old master of the Hou Mansion, Zhen Shi.

  Zhen Shi also came from a famous family, unfortunately she was just an illegitimate daughter.

  She was originally a concubine's daughter and married to a concubine's son, with a low social status. Her dowry was also very modest. With many things not going as she wished, her personality gradually became somewhat arrogant and overbearing, making it inevitable for people to dislike her.

  "The old lady scolded, 'The daughter-in-law has certainly changed, don't be angry!' After being severely reprimanded by the old lady, Zhen Shi hastily bowed her head and admitted her mistake."

  The old lady didn't say a word, she just took the tea handed over by Cuiping with a cold face.

  On the other side of the old lady, a woman wearing a mud-gold embroidered jacket with a proud temperament was even more disdainful and curled her lips.

  This woman was the wife of Wen Chonghe, the second master, Miao Shi, who came from a noble family and could win the favor of the old lady, and was the most favored daughter-in-law in front of the old lady.

  When she was dressed in a crowd of younger generations, she was hung in the middle of the house. Zhen's family hated that almost all her teeth were bitten to pieces, secretly resenting the old lady's partiality.

  She just touched that treasure brother, didn't expect that little scoundrel to be so young and yet so ruthless, while this old turtle spirit is so biased, it's infuriating!

  However...the matters of the four houses still rely on this old woman and the second house, she can only hold her breath and swallow her voice.

  In an awkward and indignant moment, her gaze suddenly fell on Jiang Shi who had just entered the door. In an instant, her eyes sparkled with a smile, "Third Auntie, you're here! I thought Old Lady would not only excuse your family's fourth son from paying his respects, but also yours."

  Her words made Jiang's face change, and Jiu also furrowed her brow instantly.

  Human nature is indeed despicable, for the sake of oneself, trampling on others...

  ……

  Digression

  It's getting late, I've played too much, sorry about that! Happy New Year, everyone!