SGEIRS -Chapter 14 She Is Not Simple

After this incident, the servants of Weirui Pavilion all changed the way they looked at Meng Jinyao and immediately became much more respectful.

Who would have thought that this seemingly delicate and gentle lady actually had such strong methods? In front of the Marquis, she punished two second-rank maids, sent them off to the countryside estate, and even gained the Marquis’s support.

The commotion at Weirui Pavilion was so great that it naturally spread to the main branch, the second branch, and even to the Old Madam.

Madam Zhang, the First Madam, frowned and asked the maid who brought the news, “Are you sure the Marquis was present at the time?”

The maid nodded. “It’s said that the Marquis had just returned. When he saw the maids being punished, he asked about what had happened. After hearing the whole story, he supported the Marchioness’s decision—twenty slaps and exile to the estate.”

Madam Zhang waved her hand, signaling the maid to leave. After the maid went out, she turned to her husband, Gu Jingsheng, and said, “Husband, it seems our third sister-in-law is not simple.”

Gu Jingsheng said indifferently, “She’s just a sixteen-year-old girl, even two years younger than our Xiuyuan. What’s so special about her?”

Seeing that her husband had no sense of crisis at all, Madam Zhang felt both anxious and resentful. She analyzed, “She just married into the family, and Mother already gave her the heirloom bracelet. Third Brother is helping her establish her authority. You should know that Third Brother never interferes in inner-courtyard affairs. Yet in just one night, he’s already protecting her.”

Gu Jingsheng pondered for a moment, then revealed a somewhat ambiguous, even lewd smile. He chuckled softly. “Men are like that. As long as pillow talk is done well, their resolve won’t be very firm. Third Brother never cared about women before, and suddenly he gets a beautiful wife. Even if he himself isn’t capable, he can still find other ways to have fun. Maybe Third Sister-in-law is very skilled and has completely satisfied him?”

Hearing this, Madam Zhang glanced at her husband and fell into thought. In fact, his words were not without reason. He himself was often bewitched by young and pretty concubines. Men were all the same—lecherous by nature.

After a while, Madam Zhang raised another doubt. “But all the maids in Third Brother’s courtyard are quite pretty. If he wanted pleasure, why didn’t he act before?”

Gu Jingsheng thought for a moment and replied, “Maybe he hadn’t figured it out before. Plus, he himself wasn’t capable of being a real man, so he felt inferior and didn’t think in that direction. That’s why our Third Sister-in-law is impressive.”

The sense of crisis in Madam Zhang’s heart grew stronger. Worried, she said, “Husband, it seems that the household management rights will soon fall into her hands.”

Gu Jingsheng said matter-of-factly, “Third Brother is legitimate-born, and she is the Marchioness. Isn’t it normal for her to take charge of household affairs?”

Hearing this, Madam Zhang was so angry that her liver hurt. People said the eldest was honest, the second was clever. Her husband, the eldest, was just a fool—neither as shrewd as the second nor as capable as the third.

She lowered her voice and analyzed the pros and cons. “Husband, I’ve managed the household finances for over ten years, with Second Sister-in-law assisting. We supervise each other, and neither of us can take advantage. But if Third Sister-in-law takes charge, it’ll be different. Mother won’t let me or Second Sister-in-law help. She’ll let her hold all the power alone. Then wouldn’t it be easy for her to benefit the third branch? Once she controls the household, we’ll be even more disadvantaged.”

Gu Jingsheng was instantly enlightened.

Among the three brothers, he was the most incapable. He only got a leisurely post thanks to family connections. The second brother was a Langzhong in the Ministry of Rites—low rank, but a real position. The third brother was Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, already among the Nine Ministers at a young age.

At present, household authority was in the hands of the first branch, with the second branch assisting. That gave their branch confidence in everything they did. If they lost this power, their branch would become the weakest—worse off than the second branch.

Gu Jingsheng said in a low voice, “Madam, we can’t let the household authority fall into her hands.”