Chapter 37: Obedience

“Lord Hou?”

Meinang looked up to see Xu Jun Ying frowning slightly, his expression solemn as he stared at the lamp, seemingly lost in thought. She tentatively called out to him.

Xu Jun Ying immediately withdrew his gaze, straightened his expression, and looked at her curiously.

Meinang smiled sweetly, casually moving the tea cup on the table, and said, “The tea is cold. I’ll have the maid bring another cup. Lord Hou doesn’t seem to like floral tea, so I’ll brew some Bi Luo Chun instead!”

She intentionally paused after saying “Lord Hou” to let Xu Jun Ying notice her change of address. She remembered he had once told her not to call him “husband,” but only to address him as “Lord Hou.”

After weighing the pros and cons and thinking it through this husband of hers, Heng Ge’er’s father, the Wei Yuan Hou, Xu Jun Ying, handsome and imposing, yet a man with a big ego who didn’t understand how to cherish his wife, a typical patriarchal figure fine, she would endure it. From now on, she would do as he said, even if she disagreed. She would act in full compliance with the “husband’s wishes”! For the sake of managing the household, gaining control over the money, and ensuring her little one was well taken care of as a hostage under the old woman’s watch, her own dignity and shame didn’t seem worth much.

She took her seat, determined to maintain her position and secure her interests, knowing that enduring humiliation and hardship would pay off eventually.

Cui Xi entered with fresh tea, which Meinang took, weighing it in her hands before carefully handing it to Xu Jun Ying:
“The tea is just right, Lord Hou, please enjoy!”

Xu Jun Ying watched as Cui Xi lifted the curtain and left, then took the cup of tea. “There seem to be a lot more maids and servants in the corridor outside. Have you hired more?”

Meinang replied, “I haven’t mentioned it to Lord Hou yet it’s the old lady and madam’s decision. They said that now that I’m in charge, I’ll need more people to assist, so they sent over 20 to 30 people. Wang Mama selected a few, and now there are just about ten capable and strong maids and servants, with seven or eight little girls around ten years old serving outside. Those who will be working in the house will be Cui Xi and a few others. Lord Hou, do you think we should send more little girls to the East Garden? Although Rui Zhu and Rui Bao were given by the old lady and are clever and capable, they are getting older…”

Xu Jun Ying took a sip of tea. “As long as you’re satisfied with the outside help, that’s fine. The East Garden doesn’t need any more people. Don’t worry about Rui Zhu and Rui Bao, the old lady will handle them.”

Meinang obediently responded, “Yes, I understand!”

Xu Jun Ying looked at her. Meinang lowered her eyes. “Lord Hou is right! I’ve been too headstrong in the past. From now on, I will follow Lord Hou’s commands. Whatever you say goes, and I will only act after consulting you.”

Xu Jun Ying watched her, who was now lowered in gaze and meek in her manner. He had suspected this, Meinang wouldn’t easily give up her position as the housekeeper.

Knowing when to advance and when to retreat this was good!

He had once liked Qin Meinang, married her, but had never fully understood her. The reason was simple he hadn’t spent enough time with her. But, curiously, on the night she came back to life, when he looked into her unusually bright eyes, he felt a strange connection his heart and hers were in sync! He could sense her inner world, but what was inside, he couldn’t say, nor did he want to delve into it. A woman he had let go of was no longer worth his deep exploration!

She had the title of madam, her son was his firstborn, and she wanted to manage the household fine, a woman from a poor family with no power or influence could do that, as long as she could bring in some small profits, though she had no capacity to stir up trouble. Within the Hou household, he had temporarily allowed her to do what she wanted, but she had to obey him completely and not deviate from his will.

“You understand best.”

Xu Jun Ying put down his tea cup. “Managing the household is not easy, especially with so many trivial matters in the inner court. Be more careful… The old lady still needs your service, you can’t forget the rules of filial piety just because you’re busy. The brothers and sisters in law must get along harmoniously, but also with proper boundaries. Don’t meddle in other people’s private affairs. As for the third brother, the second wife has already found a good woman for him, and the old lady approved it. I happened to be there when it was settled. But when you interfered, the third brother refused to accept it, and the second wife wasted her efforts trying to rearrange the marriage. If she finds out that you intervened on behalf of Rulan to invite a doctor, no matter how good your intentions were, it will only anger her. Even I will be caught in her ire. The Hou family is full of capable people, and I inherited the title of Duke as the eldest grandson. The main household controls the household finances, I can’t be involved in the second household’s affairs. Where does that leave the second wife? You women should understand these household matters. You shouldn’t need me to teach you.”

Meinang lowered her head. “Lord Hou is right, I’ll remember.”

“Since you insist on doing this, then learn carefully, do it properly, and don’t let anyone find fault with you. Actually, I think Jing Yu would be a better choice for managing the household. After all, her family is similar to ours, and she’s used to managing things. You, on the other hand, will find it harder!”

Xu Jun Ying silently recalled the day when the old lady, trembling with her white hair, pointed at him and scolded, “One day, you’ll regret this! She’s from a humble family with no education, how can she handle such a title? Even in your own courtyard, she won’t be able to control things!”

He had been too young, too full of himself, not listening to the elders. Now, he was paying the price!

At the same time, Meinang had her own thoughts: “You look down on my lowly birth? Where were you when I needed you? Back then, you rushed to marry me for my beauty, and now you’re saying all these things. Is that really interesting?”

Under all the pressure, nothing was impossible to learn. She had climbed up from a small family, and she wasn’t afraid to face the challenges of managing the household.

When Xu Jun Ying stood up, Meinang quickly followed, hesitating before asking, “There is hot water in the inner chambers, would you like to take a bath, Lord Hou?”

Xu Jun Ying glanced at her. “No need.”

He said this and walked straight out.

Wang Mama and Cui Xi entered the room, seeing Meinang staring intently at the hourglass on the cabinet. She didn’t turn to them but asked Wang Mama, “Has he gone to the East Garden?”

Wang Mama nodded, looking at Meinang with a hint of sadness. “The lord is likely busy with official documents.”

Meinang replied, “Which of the two concubines had a miscarriage? Are they alright?”

“It was Yi Niang. She’s almost a month along now. Strangely, after Yi Niang had an issue, Xiu Yi Niang fell ill, and the lord hasn’t been to see them since.”

It wasn’t strange at all. It was the first wife’s doing. To clear the way for Zheng Mei Yu, the two concubines had to be sacrificed.

Did Xu Jun Ying really dislike Zheng Mei Yu? But he didn’t seem to mind her. They were so comfortable together. Meanwhile, Meinang, his official wife, couldn’t even get close to him without feeling like he was a corpse.

She touched her face, remembering how in her past life she had bright eyes, a beautiful smile, and a healthy, open personality. This life, in Qin Meinang’s body, she was even more beautiful, but after having Heng Ge’er, it seemed like she couldn’t hold on to him.

She hadn’t even fully grown into a mother, maybe because she had been ill for so long. Her body was slender and weak, like a flower still in bloom, and yet, he had grown tired of her?

There’s a saying, isn’t there? “The one you can’t have is always the best!” Had he returned to admire the childhood sweetheart, the cousin Zhuang Yu Lan? If that were true, what should she do?

Meinang tried to pull herself together and said to Wang Mama, “From tomorrow, quietly observe Lord Hou’s movements in the house. Also, prepare two meeting gifts for me. I’ll visit those two concubines tomorrow!”

Wang Mama quickly stopped her, “What’s the point of the madam visiting concubines? Just have them brought over here!”

“It doesn’t matter. They’re ill, after all. They’ve borne the lord’s children, so even if they haven’t contributed much, they have suffered. I’ll

go visit them.”

Wang Mama fell silent. Cui Xi sneered, “Madam is so kind-hearted. When she was ill, those concubines never once came to see you!”