The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 573 - 540: Sophistry (First Update)

The General Mansion was holding a funeral, and on this day when Xu Jia returned to her parent’s home, she dressed particularly simply.

In keeping with etiquette, Tang Yuan also changed into a simple robe.

His acting was superb, showing a smile when facing the Yue Family and, in conversation, not forgetting to express concern for his new wife.

Mrs. Xu, whose heart had been hanging, was relieved after seeing Tang Yuan, secretly praising the Tang Family for their cultured background, being far beyond what an ordinary family could compare to.

Xu Jia remained silent throughout, only pulling a smile when Tang Yuan’s gaze landed on her.

She didn’t want her mother and brother and sister-in-law to worry about matters in her husband’s family.

The couple went to offer incense at the old lady’s coffin, then had a meal, after which Tang Yuan was called away by Xu Shu, while Mrs. Xu took her daughter-in-law Song Fang and daughter Xu Jia to the back hall to talk.

Mrs. Xu asked her how she was doing at her husband’s home in recent days.

Xu Jia said she was fine and that her husband’s family was taking good care of her.

Mrs. Xu was busy handling the old lady’s funeral arrangements and had no time to have someone privately inquire about Xu Jia’s news. However, seeing the young couple so affectionate, she felt there seemed to be no big issues and breathed a sigh of relief.

Song Fang, however, seemed hesitant to speak.

Having lived under the same roof for several years and with similar ages, she understood her sister-in-law somewhat.

Even though Xu Jia covered it up well, several small details had long revealed the fact that the couple was maintaining a facade of harmony.

It seemed that the matter she proposed last time couldn’t be delayed; they must quickly ask her third brother to step in and save face for her, so the Tang Family wouldn’t look down on her.

With this in mind, after Tang Yuan left with Xu Jia, Song Fang quickly summoned her maid, Mei Zhi, to go to the Song Mansion.

When Mei Zhi arrived at the Song Mansion, Song Wei was assembling a non-aggressive small mechanical beast, just sent from the Divine Soldier Bureau, to give to Jinbao as a toy.

After hearing what Mei Zhi had to say, Song Wei nodded, "I know."

He originally planned to personally visit after Old Sir Tang returned, but hearing his little sister’s tone, it seemed like Xu Jia’s situation at her in-laws wasn’t too good. He thought for a moment and asked Mei Zhi to tell Song Fang not to worry. Qi Bao’s full month banquet was coming up, and they would invite Tang Yuan and his wife as guests then.

...

Tang Yuan accompanied Xu Jia back to her parent’s home, which infuriated the little boy Tang Yong. Seeing Xu Jia there, he ran to the Zilan Courtyard, stood in the courtyard, and shouted loudly for Xu Jia to get out, saying she wasn’t allowed to stay in their house.

Inside, Xu Jia was holding a book to pass the time, seemingly oblivious.

Mo Xiang stood beside her, her face darkened, frequently glancing at Xu Jia’s indifference, and finally couldn’t help but speak, "Miss, the young master is a bit too..."

Too rude.

He is the young master of the main house, and the miss is the legitimate wife of the second branch. Even if he was raised under the second master’s knee due to losing his father early, what right does he have to drive the second lady out?

Moreover, the little master had been cursing for a long time, and not a single servant dared to step up to stop him, showing just how arrogant he usually was in the mansion.

"No need to bother." Xu Jia turned a page of the book, her tone indifferent.

Mo Xiang also wanted to ignore it, but Tang Yong’s cursing was really too unpleasant. She didn’t know where a young master from a cultured background learned such filthy words at a young age. She held back and held back but couldn’t stand it, "Miss, if you don’t address it, the servants in the courtyard will laugh at you."

Xu Jia gave a faint smile, "He’s only four years old. If I went out, what could I do? Hit him or scold him?"

Mo Xiang replied, "Of course, you can’t hit him or scold him, but at least send him to the lady’s presence, or send him to the second master for discipline! You can’t let him just point a finger and curse."

Xu Jia glanced out the window, "How do you know he’s not waiting for me to send him to see the lady or the second master?"

Mo Xiang was stunned, "He...he’s only four, how could he have such scheming?"

"At four, that’s the age for picking up and mimicking words." Xu Jia turned another page of the book, "As long as those teaching put in a little more thought, there’s nothing impossible."

Xu Jia said this, but Mo Xiang didn’t quite understand, "The young master has been raised under the second master’s knee since young. The second master wouldn’t teach him such things, would he?"

Xu Jia shook her head, "He only lost his father, not both parents."

The implication being, he’s missing a father, but still has a mother.

Mo Xiang took a deep breath. The grand lady, who was said to have gone to the villa to guard her husband’s memorial after his death, was overstepping her boundaries by meddling in the affairs of the second household?

Just as she was about to speak, she heard the sound of someone wailing outside. It turned out that Tang Yong, after scolding for a long time without being heeded, lay down on the ground in a fit of anger, rolling around and crying loudly.

Mo Xiang clenched her fists, her little face turning green with anger once again, "What on earth does he want to do?"

Xu Jia chuckled, "If you really can’t stand listening to it, just find something to block your ears. But for heaven’s sake, don’t go out, or you’ll truly have no way to explain yourself."

Feeling indignant at heart, Mo Xiang couldn’t help but feel wronged for her lady. She originally thought the Tang family was truly a noble and courteous literary household, but now it seemed nothing remarkable.

Mo Xiang had sensed that the son-in-law’s attitude towards her lady was evidently one of dislike.

If he didn’t like her, then why did he pursue the marriage in the first place? This family is really outrageous!

The master and servant each harbored their thoughts when suddenly the cries of the servants rang out, "Not good! Young Master Yong has fainted!"

"Quick, call a doctor!"

The crowd hurriedly scrambled to carry Tang Yong back to his room.

Mo Xiang cursed in anger, "These brazen lackeys, they didn’t show up when the scolding happened, but once he fainted, their voices were the loudest. Outsiders would think that you, my lady, really did something to Young Master Yong."

Xu Jia put down her book, picked up the teacup, sipped quietly, and listened as the noise outside gradually subsided.

A quarter of an hour later, someone from the main courtyard came, it was a servant woman from Mrs. Qiao’s chamber.

With her head held high, she had no good countenance upon meeting Xu Jia, and with her chin raised, she said, "Second Madam, please."

Mo Xiang was about to speak, but Xu Jia stopped her with an imperceptible shake of her head and stood up to follow the servant woman to the main courtyard.

Tang Yong was merely pretending to faint, but now lay on the bed unwilling to wake up, as the doctor was checking his pulse, Mrs. Qiao and Tang Yuan sat anxiously by his side.

Seeing Xu Jia come in, Tang Yuan shot her a glance that seemed to have thorns, "This child is so young, and you can still lay your hands on him, Xu, just what do you want to turn this family into to be satisfied!"

Xu Jia found a seat to sit down and only then met Tang Yuan’s gaze, "With Young Master Yong still unconscious now, who is it that told you I laid a hand on him?"

"If it wasn’t you, then who else?" Mrs. Qiao was furious, "Yongyong is only four years old, even if he did something wrong, as an aunt and elder, do you not have even this much tolerance?"

Xu Jia smiled, "All told, I’ve been in this family for less than ten days, in such a short time, it’s impossible for me to learn all of the Tang family rules. I didn’t know that the rule of the Tang family is for the main house’s heir to go and scold the second house’s wife and tell her to scram, nor did I know that when he faints from scolding, the one scolded has to take responsibility. Had I known earlier, I would have surely thrown him out. As a mother-in-law, overseeing the household, one would think she would understand that the new daughter-in-law’s ignorance is not a crime, surely she would have at least that much tolerance."

Mrs. Qiao was left speechless.

Tang Yuan furrowed his brows deeply, "Xu, stop making unreasonable arguments!"

Xu Jia wasn’t afraid of him, "Young Master Yong hasn’t said a word himself, yet the moment I came in, Second Master said I laid a hand on him, is that not an unreasonable accusation?"

Without waiting for Tang Yuan to speak, she continued, "However, fainting does have its merits."

"What?" Tang Yuan’s brow furrowed with more lines.

Xu Jia looked at the fainting pretender Tang Yong in bed, "Had he not fainted this time, I wouldn’t have known that a four-year-old from a literary family could freely spout such foul language. Is it someone deliberately teaching him to speak this way, or did he not learn well himself?"

Not learning well clearly implies no upbringing, doesn’t it?

Tang Yong running to Zilan Courtyard to insult Xu Jia was something already reported to Tang Yuan.

He truly hadn’t expected his nephew would suddenly pull such a stunt.

Earlier, worried about his nephew’s condition, he couldn’t help but show excessive anger towards Xu Jia. Now calmer, he felt a tinge of regret.

Just as he was about to speak, Xu Jia said again, "The young master of the Song Sicheng Mansion, who is four years old like Young Master Yong, I met him several times before marriage. Even at his young age, he is extraordinarily bright. Not to mention he could already read at four; at the very least, I’ve never heard him utter a single curse word. Personally, I believe, that the young master of a literary family wouldn’t be inferior to the later-starting Song family. Has my understanding been wrong?"

Upon these words, Tang Yuan’s face blushed with shame.

The Song Sicheng Xu Jia referred to is none other than General Mansion’s uncle Song Wei, who since Emperor Guangxi’s ascension, is one of the most favored ministers. His eldest son, Song Hao, at just fourteen, had already emerged as a top scorer, and even the four-year-old second son, Song Jin, had a reputation for early wisdom in the circle.

With Xu Jia leveraging the Song family, Tang Yuan couldn’t refute a single word.

After Xu Jia finished speaking, she pulled out a double-red invitation card from her sleeve, "This is an invitation to the full moon banquet at the Song Sicheng Mansion. Whether to go or not, Second Master, it’s up to you to decide."