Chapter 399: Family Unrest
After returning from Rongguo Mansion with Yu Qian, Sun Shaozong called his two nephews and had lunch together in the front hall. Then they focused on discussing Sun Chengtao - as expected, he did not pass the examination to become a Shujishi.
Another thing that was not unexpected was that he really wanted to seek a transfer to a remote area, and he planned to go to an old, remote, poor and ethnically diverse area to perform the feat of changing the world.
Of course, this idea was unanimously suppressed by everyone at the table.
Taking into account the boy's rebellious nature, Sun Shaozong finally decided to find him a county town of moderate size near Jiangnan, so that the Jinling clan could take care of him at any time.
After eating and drinking, Sun Shaozong returned to the backyard. He was about to take off his robe, pants and boots, lie on the mat and drink a bowl of iced sour plum soup to get rid of the annoying heat.
Ruan Rong hurriedly called him to stop, pointing to the west wing and said, "Xiangling is bathing in the room. She should be almost done by now. Master, why don't you go over and help her - those two maids are small and weak, and they really can't help."
"Didn't we send her two strong maids?"
Sun Shaozong asked in confusion, but the person had already walked out.
Ruan Rong raised her voice and said, "The two maids broke the rules this morning, and I kicked them out in a fit of anger. Let's ask Butler Zhao to find two more honest and steady ones tomorrow."
All kicked out?
Sun Shaozong was a little puzzled. Those who were chosen to serve the pregnant woman should be the more stable elders in the mansion. Besides, Xiangling was not picky by nature. Why did the two maids suddenly break the rules?
But since Ruan Rong didn't mean to say it clearly, he didn't ask any further questions.
When he got outside, he first told the maid who was feeding the parrot in the corridor to lock the courtyard door. Then Sun Shaozong walked leisurely into the west wing.
Hearing the sound of water splashing in the inner room, it was obvious that Xiangling was still bathing, so he knocked on the door a few times with his fingers and shouted, "It's me, open the door quickly."
When the two maids inside heard the Second Master's voice, they hurried forward and bolted the door without asking Xiangling.
Sun Shaozong pushed the door open and saw Xiangling hugging her shoulders in the bathtub, looking timid. He waved his hand and said, "I'll be here, you two can go down."
The two maids retreated obediently and closed the door considerately.
Xiangling then asked timidly, "Why is the Second Master here? In my current state of health, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it's not convenient..."
"What are you thinking about?"
Sun Shaozong rolled his eyes, took the hand towel, scented soap and other things, and explained: "Your sister Rong was afraid that the two maids couldn't hold you steady, so she asked me to come over and serve you well - is there anything that hasn't been cleaned? Let me show you my skills!"
How could Xiangling dare to accept the word "serve"?
He hurriedly said that it had been washed.
Seeing that she refused to speak, Sun Shaozong stepped forward and scrubbed her thoroughly from head to toe, then wrapped her up with a bath towel and put on a loose robe.
Xiangling was feeling extremely warm in her heart, but he picked her up by the waist, carried her out of the wing room without saying anything, and went straight to the main hall.
"Second Master, this..."
"Don't worry, the gate is locked."
Sun Shaozong didn't give her any explanation and carried her to the inner room of the hall in one breath. He carefully placed her on Ruan Rong's couch, then turned around and said to Ruan Rong: "Since there is no maid watching her, let her rest in your room today to avoid any trouble at this critical moment."
“Pah, pah, pah~!”
Ruan Rong spat several times and said unhappily, "In broad daylight, can't the master say something auspicious?"
As she said this, she stepped forward and held down Xiangling who was about to get up, and said with a smile: "Alright, why are you being so polite in front of me? Just lie on the bed."
Sun Shaozong at the side also took off his clothes and lay on the couch with Xiangling in a 69 position. While massaging her swollen legs, he recounted what he saw and heard in Rongguo Mansion that morning, adding exaggerations.
It was originally just a joke.
Unexpectedly, just as Sun Shaozong finished describing the messy trivialities in Rongguo Mansion in a vivid and colorful manner, Shi Liu, who was standing beside him, suddenly interrupted him indignantly, "Second Master only knows about the troubles in other families, but not ours..."
"Pomegranate, what nonsense are you talking about?!"
Ruan Rong immediately stopped her and pointed outside, saying, "Go get two watermelons and freeze them in the well. Take them out when you want to cool off in the evening."
Pomegranate pouted and walked out reluctantly.
"return!"
Sun Shaozong spoke to call back Shi Liu, and then used his eyes to stop Ruan Rong from talking. He called Shi Liu to the bedside and questioned her thoroughly.
It turned out that after Sun Shaozong took Yu Qian away in the morning , a small dispute broke out in the kitchen.
The two parties in the conflict were the two strong old women in Xiangling's room and Siqi, the head maid in Jia Yingchun's room.
The cause was nothing more than a bowl of iced sour plum soup.
At first, Siqi ordered a bowl of sour plum soup in the kitchen. Coincidentally, when she went outside to relieve herself, the two maids also went to the kitchen to ask for sour plum soup for Xiangling.
Because the cook couldn't find Siqi for a while, and knew that Xiangling was now a twin and was treated very differently in the mansion, she took the initiative to give the sour plum soup to the two maids.
Unexpectedly, just as the two maids were about to leave with the sour plum soup, Siqi hurried back. When she heard that the sour plum soup she ordered was given to someone else, she started to make a fuss and relied on Jia Yingchun's name to say that it was a violation of hierarchy and decorum.
The two old women wanted to settle the matter peacefully at first, but seeing her unreasonable attitude, they could not help but retort.
So the matter became more and more serious, and finally it came to Ruan Rong.
Because Siqi insisted on the issue of "higher status and propriety" and refused to give in, and Ruan Rong was only a concubine after all, it was not easy for her to argue with her. In the end, she had to follow her wishes and demote the two maids.
"Second Master, you didn't see it!"
At this point, Shi Liu said indignantly: "When that little hoof left, his eyes were so high that he looked up to the sky. Not to mention my aunt, I'm afraid he didn't even take you seriously, Second Master!"
If Sun Shaozong said that Siqi dared not to take him seriously, he would definitely not believe it.
But this little girl is really a troublemaker!
But Jia Yingchun's temper could not control her. Besides, she was now half a concubine and knew some secrets that could not be spread, so she acted more and more "righteously".
"master."
Seeing Sun Shaozong frowning and saying nothing, Ruan Rong hurriedly comforted him, "It's not a big deal anyway, and she is right, so let's just let it go - there's no need for us to get estranged from the first wife over these trivial matters."
Are things becoming awkward?
The person in the world who is least likely to have a quarrel with Jia Yingchun is probably Sun Shaozong.
But he naturally couldn't say it out loud, so he pondered for a moment and said, "She probably just came to our house not long ago, and she's still not used to it. How about this, when my eldest brother comes back from the military camp tomorrow, I'll ask him to write a letter and ask Siqi's parents to come to our house as well, so that the family can be reunited, and she should be quiet ."
This statement appears to be for Siqi's own good, but secretly it is meant to use the family as leverage to control Siqi.
In addition, this can also prevent Siqi from taking risks and betraying the secrets of the Sun brothers without any worries when she is punished in the future.
Ruan Rong had been a housekeeper for two years, and her emotional intelligence had long been developed, so she knew the truth as soon as she heard it, and was about to praise Sun Shaozong for his brilliant plan.
Unexpectedly, Shi Liu got there first and said happily, "Right, right, right! Bring her family over here and assign them some menial tasks. See how she can still act so arrogantly in the future!"
"presumptuous!"
Upon hearing this, Sun Shaozong's face immediately darkened and he sternly scolded, "You think you can discuss this matter? Go and find Zhao Zhongji's family to receive the five-stick family law!"
Siqi's arrogance must be suppressed, but Shiliu has also been jumping up and down recently, so she must be suppressed as well.
Before Shi Liu could say a few words, Ruan Rong had already drunk the drink.
After Shi Liu left the house, Ruan Rong said, "Master, don't worry. When Si Qi's parents arrive, I will arrange some noble jobs for them. I will never let her complain."
This is the correct principle of managing a family.
Only something that is held in your hand but not used can be called a handle. If you only know how to retaliate, how can you have peace in the future?
