Fierce Consort

Chapter 85

Shen Yi Yao went in and out of the estate every day. Those who understood naturally knew she was busy with the matter of her daughter's marriage. Those who didn't understand or didn't want to understand, such as the old madam, naturally wasn't pleased.

On this day, the old madam called Shen Yi Yao over to the Rongan Hall by herself.

"I see you bustling about every day and wanted to bring it up a little later. But now that you're back, you can't let Xue-shi continue managing the household. How improper is that if word gets out? It's better if you took things over. After all, you are this estate's proper madam."

Shen Yi Yao sat below and answered submissively: "Mom is right, but your daughter-in-law is busy with discussing Ah Yan's marriage and doesn't have time to manage the household. Your daughter-in-law feels eldest sis-in-law is doing a pretty good job. Why not let her continue managing it?"

Her answer was extremely reasonable so the old madam could only drop it.

From that day onwards, the old madam started nitpicking everything Xue-shi did.

It was mostly to do with managing the household. Xue-shi suffered frequent abuse and couldn't even raise her head. The entire estate knew the eldest madam made the old madam unhappy. This also affected Yan Ru's mood. These days when she occasionally came to the Ningxiang Chambers, Yan Ru seemed preoccupied.

"Eldest sis, what's wrong? You seem unhappy these couple of days. You're not even working as hard on etiquette anymore."

Yan Ru sighed and put the needlework in her hands down.

She was truly busy recently. Xue-shi wished to have her learn a whole lot in a short amount of time. She learned etiquette from Nana Chang in the morning. She and Yan Ling weren't as familiar with this as Yan Yan was, and it was a lot of work. In the afternoon she still had to learn household management from Xue-shi. When she occasionally had free time, she still had to practice her mediocre needlework.

Yan Ling rubbed her neck. She continued her needlework while saying: "Isn't it because of that old woman seizing onto the principal mother every day? She's picking at the slightest faults and laying them all out."

Her attitude nowadays was similar to Yan Ru's. Yan Ru was in a hurry due to her age. As for Yan Ling, she had to urge herself on due to her status.

Yan Yan was the most relaxed out of the group. At this time, she was half leaning against the pillows on the kiln. Compared to Yan Ru and Yan Ling who couldn't even rest their hands, she seemed leisurely enough for others to be envious.

But second aunt pampered the third miss. When that Nana Chang asked about their embroidery skills, Yan Yan had said straightforwardly that since she didn't want to learn it, her mom said it was fine.
Nana Chang understood the implication and didn't say anything about it. But while Yan Yan dared to say so, did Yan Ru and Yan Ling? Yan Ru didn't want her mom to fuss at her while Yan Ling wanted to improve herself.

They had thought themselves decent at needlework before, but Nana Chang picked out a bunch of issues. Actually, Nana Chang didn't have to teach these things. But she felt that since etiquette only took up half the day, it wasn't good to idle the other half away. Since the master's household had paid the silver, she decided to instruct them in needlework in her spare time.

Xue-shi felt this nana was more than worth her price. Shen Yi Yao however recalled her own daughter managing to prick herself full of holes when she picked up needle and thread. She could only shake her head and sigh.

This won't be mentioned for now. Yan Yan's eyes flashed and she said: "She can't last much longer."

Yan Ru was restless. She decided to put away the needlework and leaned over. "Do you know something?"