My sister became the empress, but I'm still growing vegetables and raising chickens

Chapter 235: The Disharmony of the Family

This was a habit she'd developed in Songji Village. Aunt Jin was a careful and somewhat stingy person, but she couldn't resist Si Muyan's constant insistence that money should be spent and that food, clothing, and daily expenses should not be skimped upon. She also said that money wasn't saved, it was earned.

Furthermore, now that she had returned to the capital, the rumors circulating about the Si family girls were certainly not favorable. Aunt Jin couldn't bear to see the girls she had watched grow up suffer any injustice. She was eager to use everything she had and give it all to them.

Si Muyan didn't care and asked again: "Based on the current expenses, if they double, how long will the money last?"

Aunt Jin's accounting skills had become quite good after being taught by Si Muyan and her younger sister. She fiddled with the abacus quickly and figured it out in no time.

"Combined with the Marquis's annual salary, even if we double the current expenses, it would be enough to live in the mansion for eight years."

"Eight years... not bad." Si Muyan nodded.

But Aunt Jin shook her head. "Young lady, the mansion only has the Marquis's annual salary, which is far from enough to cover expenses. Not to mention the etiquette between the various mansions, even the three young ladies' weddings will require a considerable amount of money. I'm afraid the Empress Dowager's reward won't even cover the dowry for one young lady!"

As Aunt Jin spoke, her fingers were not idle either, and she tickled the abacus even faster. She roughly described the scale of the weddings of daughters from wealthy families today, but she felt that the money at home was still too little.

Mother You had returned a long time ago. When she heard that the eldest daughter was talking to Mother Jin in the lady's courtyard, she did not go in but waited outside.

However, the door was not closed, so she could not hear the sounds inside, but she could see everything clearly.

Seeing Aunt Jin's fingers flying on the abacus, her eyes almost popped out.

But I didn't think that people who came back from the countryside were all stinking of money. I just thought it was no wonder that Jin's mother was so valued. It was not only because of her loyalty, but also because she was really capable.

Si Muyan scratched his head and said, "No rush..."

"Why aren't you anxious?" Aunt Jin was anxious. "The girl is already seventeen. Normally, a girl of seventeen would have been engaged and just waiting to get married. But these girls just came back and haven't settled down yet. Once they do, the three letters and six ceremonies will have to be expedited. There can't be any delay."

Speaking of this, Aunt Jin started to have a headache again.

Si Muyan laughed heartily: "It's alright, I don't plan to get married. My second sister is now obsessed with her law and obviously still misses her late husband. She certainly has no plans to get married again. Only my youngest sister has a chance. I can always come up with the money to marry off a girl in the past two years."

Aunt Jin didn't like what she heard, and glared at her like an elder: "Young lady, you're lying! What girl wouldn't marry when she's grown up? If I meet a lady I know at the flower viewing party the day after tomorrow, I'll definitely look for someone for you!"

Si Muyan smiled and leaned on Aunt Jin: "I don't agree. I don't want to get married. And even if I do, I must make the decision on my own!"

Aunt Jin couldn't do anything about her, so she patted her head lovingly: "Now we are in Kyoto, not a place like the countryside where rules are not followed. Girl, you must be more careful..."

Si Muyan lazily asked, "Aunt Jin, have you visited the farm and shop given by the Empress Dowager?"

Aunt Jin shook her head. "There are many things going on in the mansion. I sent people to check on it, but I didn't go myself. If you are worried, I will go and check on you whenever I have time."

"Don't bother. I just wanted to go to the farm and take a look." Si Muyan said softly, afraid that others might hear, "What if I could grow vegetables and raise chickens?"

Aunt Jin was speechless. She was already the eldest daughter of the Marquis's Mansion, yet she was still thinking about growing vegetables and raising chickens!

"By the way, Aunt Jin, don't be so busy by yourself. When you have time, let me go and look at the shop and think about renting it out or starting some business on my own."

As for Zhuangzi, Si Muyan still planned to go and see it in person.

Only after Aunt Jin left did Mother You come in and pay her respects.

"girl."

Si Muyan straightened up a little: "Mother You, how is the matter I asked you to investigate?"

"Miss, I've done some research. There are two main families that have had some issues with the Si family in the past. One is the Zuo family of Pingyuan Duke's Mansion, and the other is the Zhu family of Weiyuan Earl."

The Zuo family of Pingyuan Gong was the Empress's maternal clan. Previously, the Zuo family was as famous as the Shao family of the General's Mansion. One was a scholar, the other a warrior, and they were the late Emperor's right-hand men. Their daughter was also the late Emperor's chosen Crown Princess.

However, there was no harmony between the civil and military factions. Duke Pingyuan had always looked down on the General's Mansion, believing it to be a group of reckless men from top to bottom. The Shao family army also looked down on Duke Pingyuan's Mansion, believing it was only good at talking and making high-sounding speeches, but would be of no use if a real issue arose in the court.

But what is the situation with the Zhu family of Weiyuan Earl?

Si Muyan managed to remember it based on the limited memory of the original owner and the complicated relationships between the aristocratic families that he learned about after returning to Beijing.

"The Zhu family is because Madam Zhu is the daughter of the Zuo family?"

"It's true that Madam Zhu is Miss Zuo, but the discord between the Zhu family and the Marquis's Mansion began before the marriage between Zuo and Zhu."

As mentioned earlier, the noble families that were hostile to the Si family included the Zuo and Zhu families. This could be discovered with a little inquiry, and it was also her job as the eldest mother.

But the real contradiction within is the true sincerity of You's mother.

Si Muyan pointed to the spring stool in front of her: "Mom, you have worked hard. Sit down and tell me in detail."

"Thank you, young lady." Madam You bowed and sat down. "The conflict between the Weiyuan Marquis' Mansion and our Anle Marquis' Mansion dates back three generations. Back then, both grandfathers were barons and were companions to Emperor Houde, so they had a very good relationship. But when Emperor Houde ascended the throne, it was our grandfather who was conferred the title of Marquis, and the Weiyuan Marquis's grandfather was not very happy about this. But after all, it was a case of thunder and rain, so no one dared to say anything, and the slight estrangement between the two families was nothing serious."

"Then there was the generation of your great-grandfather, your daughter's grandfather. Originally, there was an aunt who was engaged to the eldest son of the Weiyuan Marquis's mansion. However, after the eldest son of the Zhu family came of age, he immediately arranged a marriage with the sister of the then-favored Consort Rong. He also said that the aunt of our Si family was weak and unable to have children, and since he was the eldest son, he absolutely had to have children."

Si Muyan was a modern person, but she also knew that in ancient times, if an engagement was broken off, regardless of who was responsible, the outside world would criticize the woman far more than the man. What's more, the Zhu family hadn't discussed it and blamed the problem on the woman.

"Does the Zhu family not care about the relationship between the two families at all?"

Mother You responded, "Not only that, the Zhu family also said that it's hard to change this marriage, so they let the Si family's aunt marry the Zhu family's second son. But that second son is not even a concubine's son, he was raised outside and only recognized as a concubine's son for half a year!"

Si Muyan's eyes widened unconsciously. Noble families pay attention to matching each other. The Si family's marquis is originally higher than the Zhu family. Marrying into the Zhu family is a downgrade. How dare the Zhu family use a concubine to humiliate the Si family?