The Virtuous Wife

Chapter 13: The Mistress Establishes Her Authority

Su Wei did not realize that something was wrong, and glanced at Bai's mother and daughter: "Are father and mother in the mansion?"

Bai smiled and said: "Replying to the master, the old master and the old lady are in Heshou Hall. I have sent someone to report to the old master and the old lady."

Gu's face became worse after hearing this. First, she called out "Yiyi", and then she said "concubine". In front of the mistress, a concubine dared to use this title to talk to her husband?

Then look at Bai commanding a group of servants to move things, just like the mistress of this family, and Gu is more like an outsider.

Jingyi also noticed that something was wrong. Bai seemed to have overstepped her boundaries. After all, Gu was the mistress of this mansion. She was a concubine. To put it nicely, she was half a master. To put it bluntly, she was just a servant who was higher than a maid!

Gu did not return to her own courtyard first, but went to Heshou Hall with Su Wei to pay respects to the two elders.

The maid outside the door lifted the curtain, and someone inside had already reported to the old master and the old lady. Gu and others went in, and the two elders sat on the main seats on the left and right, waiting for them.

Everyone greeted, greeted, and sat down in turn. Bai, who had been the "master" in the Hou Mansion for nearly half a year, actually sat below Gu, while Jingyi stood beside Gu.

Jingyi had already memorized all the rules and survival rules in some mansions in this world, thanks to Nanny He's daily nagging.

When Jingyi saw that Bai sat below her mother, she knew that she could never sit below Bai. This was a violation of the rules, and it was equivalent to telling the servants in the mansion that Bai's status was above hers in disguise! Therefore, Jingyi chose to stand beside her mother with her head down, which was neither a violation of the rules nor a sign of closeness to her mother.

"After resting for half a year, you look much better? But you are a little thin. Go back and pick out some supplements from the storeroom to replenish your body. Pick some for Yiyi as well." The old man spoke first. Gu smiled and said, "Thank you, father, for your concern! My daughter-in-law's illness has long been cured. It was Yiyi who was reluctant to come back, so she stayed on the farm for a few more days."

Jingyi heard the words, looked up at the old man, raised the corners of her mouth, and said innocently, "Grandpa! Yiyi saw many things on the farm that she had never seen in the mansion!"

"Oh? Come, come to grandpa and tell grandpa, what strange things have you seen? See if grandpa has seen them?"

Jingyi ran to the old man, hugged the old man's arm, and said in a crisp voice: "Grandpa, Yiyi saw many small animals! There are little rabbits, pheasants, frogs, and cows!"

The old man laughed: "My dear granddaughter! Do you like the farm?"

Jingyi nodded: "Yes! There are also many delicious fruits! This time I came back, I also brought a lot for grandpa and grandma."

The old man touched Jingyi's head and said, "Good child, you still know how to respect your grandfather. Grandpa finally loves you well!" Then, he turned to Su Wei and said, "Since this girl likes that farm, keep it as her dowry in the future!" Su Wei nodded. Although Bai was smiling, she could still see her reluctance and unwillingness. The old lady smiled and looked at Jingyi and said, "She is only seven years old, why should she prepare her dowry so early?" Gu's eyes flashed, and she said lightly, "What the old lady said is that Yiyi is only seven years old, and it is indeed not right to prepare those things so early. However, today, when my daughter-in-law returned home, I found that her things could be used and moved at will. If I don't prepare early, I'm afraid that Yiyi will have to marry alone and without anything else." As soon as these words fell, everyone had different expressions. The old man and Su Wei frowned and said nothing. After hearing this, the old lady looked straight at Gu and said in a clear voice: "What are you talking about? Who dares to neglect the legitimate daughter of the Hou Mansion?" After hearing this, Gu looked at the old lady with a smile: "Old lady, there is a reason for my saying this. I dare to ask the old lady, when can I, Dayuan, call the legitimate daughter by her name? When did I, Dayuan, allow my concubine to call myself "concubine" in front of the mistress? Also, I, Dayuan, in front of the mistress, the concubine can only stand, unless I get the permission of the mistress to sit down. I dare to ask Aunt Bai, when did I allow you to sit down?" After hearing this, Bai was shocked and blamed herself for being too comfortable in the past six months. She was careless and forgot the rules. Bai stood up and stood aside respectfully. The old lady narrowed her eyes, glanced at Gu, and then looked at Bai: "Aunt Bai, do you know your fault?"

When Bai heard the old lady ask this, she knew that she was asking her to admit her fault and make amends. Only in this way could the old lady speak for her and not let Gu really punish her.

Bai knelt on the ground, lowered her head and said: "It's all my fault, please forgive me, Madam!"

Gu didn't look at her, but took the tea on the small table next to her and sipped it lightly.

Bai's eyes showed hatred, but she didn't dare to move at all. In front of Lord Hou and the old master, she didn't dare to be disrespectful to Gu. And Su Jingwei, after all, was young, and her anger and unwillingness were all written on her face.

Jingyi looked at the scene in front of her and thought to herself: Is my mother finally going to start to attack Bai? She saw the gold hairpin on Bai's head when she entered the door. Now it seems that my mother may have seen it, so she said what she said just now.

The old lady saw Gu sipping tea leisurely, and her face was slightly annoyed. She tightly grasped the cane in her right hand, as if she wanted to crush it. Finally, Gu put down the teacup, wiped the corner of her lips with a handkerchief, and then slowly said: "Since Aunt Bai has admitted her guilt, then tell me what you did wrong? It will also be good for everyone present to listen carefully, so as not to say that I treat my concubine harshly and get the stigma of a jealous woman." Bai's hands were clenched together, and her long nails seemed to be inserted into the flesh. She took a few deep breaths and almost gritted her teeth and said: "Madam, I called the second lady by her name, which is disrespectful to the master; I called myself a concubine in front of the mistress, which is really inappropriate and violated etiquette; I sat down without the permission of the mistress, which is disrespectful to the master! I did three things wrong, please punish me!" Gu listened, but said expressionlessly: "Old lady, in your opinion, how should I punish her?" The old lady was very angry at this, and she was forcing herself to punish her niece. But the old lady is so smart, how could she do what she wants so easily?

The old lady smiled and said, "Since it is a matter in your courtyard, it should be you who should decide. However, my daughter-in-law, Bai Shi has spent a lot of effort in the past six months when you were recuperating. It is not easy to manage the affairs of the entire mansion. In these years, Bai Shi has never made any mistakes since she entered the mansion. This mistake was also accidental. Maybe she was too busy and lost her mind for a while. If the punishment is too severe, I am afraid it will make people feel cold."

Gu Shi raised her eyebrows, her face was cold. She had long expected that the old lady would excuse her, so she deliberately did not mention the gold hairpin on her head. Sure enough, this old lady is still very protective of her shortcomings.

Gu sneered, "Yes, she has been working hard in the past six months! It's a pity that it's not for the Hou Mansion, but for herself, right?"

The old lady tapped the ground lightly with her cane, looking unhappy: "What are you talking about? Is Bai not from my Hou Mansion? Or are you starting to discipline the concubines as soon as you return home?"

Jingyi listened, her eyes flickered, and she said softly: "The gold hairpin on Aunt Bai's head is so beautiful! It's just that it looks familiar. I just can't remember where I've seen it for a while."

As soon as the voice fell, everyone looked at Bai's bun. Jingwei didn't think there was anything wrong, but Bai trembled all over, and her body tilted and collapsed to the ground.