“My husband’s belongings are not for me to decide. When he returns from his business, I will remind him,” Ye Hui thought to herself. When Master Qin returns, she would prepare another explanation to prevent her mother-in-law from claiming her interests.
“Yu Hang is out?” Madam Qin looked disappointed.
The servant Fu smiled and explained: “There’s a batch of local specialties from Jinshui Town that needs to be transported to the shop in the capital. The manager responsible for escorting the goods fell ill, so the second young master went to take a look and bring the goods back.”
“This child should have brought some gifts to honor his mother before leaving, considering how much effort I put into his wedding and banquet,” Madam Qin complained.
Madam Qin called Fu to give the prepared silver bracelet to her second daughter-in-law. Ye Hui accepted it with both hands, noticing its crude craftsmanship, typical of common folk. She casually handed it to Mo Qi and prepared to offer her own gift – a handkerchief pulled from her sleeve.
Ye Hui was not stingy, but her previous life’s experience had taught her that showing sincerity to unreasonable people would only make them disregard her. If she maintained a high stance and suppressed the other party, they would respect her more.
“Mother-in-law, this handkerchief was purchased for two silver taels from the most famous Li’s Embroidery Workshop on the imperial street. It’s said to be embroidered by their master craftsman and quite impressive. Look how lifelike the peonies are.”
The handkerchief was actually embroidered by Mo Qi and worth far less than two silver taels. But as they say, you can’t hit a smiling face! Madam Qin’s inner anger was masked by a forced laugh: “Looks quite nice. Get up. You’ve knelt for so long; your knees must be soft.”
The narrative continues, revealing the complex family dynamics, social expectations, and subtle power struggles within this traditional Chinese household.
