Favored Concubine

  Murong Jin saw that it was Yun Shu causing trouble again and couldn't help but furrow his brow. He walked past her to the old lady's side, bowed his head in apology, "Mother, what's going on? Did Yun Shu do something wrong to offend you? Whether it's punishment or scolding, I'll listen to you, just don't get angry and hurt your body. Wanyu, as the eldest sister, why didn't you advise her at all, just watching her cause trouble?" His brow was furrowed, his tone somewhat stern, but his eyes were very gentle.

  The old lady immediately stopped as soon as she heard her son complaining about her granddaughter, raised her head and glared at Murong Jin, "It has nothing to do with Yuwan, don't drag her in. You've spoiled your daughter so much that she even dares to refute my words, dare to talk back to me? I've raised the three of you, which one of you dared to talk back to me? Today, I'm really opening my eyes."

  Still somewhat angry about this, chest heaving up and down, obviously residual anger has not dissipated.

  Wan Yu cleverly stepped forward, "Grandma, don't be angry, it's all my fault, I was not careful..." She also looked wronged with red eyes, at times like these, she couldn't be strong.

  The old lady couldn't help but understand that her granddaughter was thin-skinned and afraid of being talked about, so she comforted her by holding her hand: "Good grandchild, don't cry. Grandma knows you're having a hard time. Grandma knows you're a well-behaved good child. You've always done very well. Grandma has taken note."

  Wan Yu leaned into the old lady's arms, "I'm just afraid...afraid that I won't do well and will drag down my sisters."

  In ancient times, the emphasis was on guilt by association. If one girl in a family had a bad reputation, all the girls in that family would be considered unsuitable for marriage. Yuwen's greatest fear was this very thing. If she didn't handle her relationship with Rui Cheng carefully and someone like Yun Shu saw them, they would gossip about it. It was one thing if she herself suffered the consequences, but to drag down her innocent sisters as well would be unforgivable.

  Murong Jin roughly understood that Yun Shu was jealous and said some things she shouldn't have, suddenly exposing the old lady's unspoken thoughts and thoroughly angering her.

  Li realized it too, and suddenly became furious. She took a step forward, glaring at Yun Shu, "I think this mother of yours has been good to you, you haven't lacked anything in food or clothing, and your monthly allowance is even five taels more than Yun Qing's. It was I who secretly added it from my own household expenses. What have I done wrong to you? You want to pierce my heart like this?"

  The Li family has always been gentle and tolerant of others, everything can be discussed, can be tolerated, even Lin Niang's spoiled and arrogant behavior was tolerated, but the only thing that cannot be tolerated is mistreating her children, otherwise she would dare to show her teeth even to Murong Jin, let alone Yu Qi who was raised by her since childhood.

  Murong Jin looked at Li Shi, whose eyes were red from crying, and thought of the late He Yiniang. Then he looked at his eldest daughter, Wen Xiang, who was gentle, obedient, and filial, and his heart couldn't help but lean towards her a bit. However, he also treated Yun Shu well, as she would become the official wife in the future, and the family she married into would not be inferior due to their honor and prestige in the imperial court.

  Although I don't want anyone to cross Yuwen, it's not like Yunshu will be spoiled either. The nanny didn't bring them over for nothing, did she? In the past, in the northwest, when the children were still young and he was busy with many things, Li already had three children and couldn't raise another one. Who knew that after a while, the children all grew up, and only then did they hastily send her back to learn etiquette, thinking that as long as she understood the situation and was sensible, it would be fine? In the future, she will also get married, and with their family background, they won't be able to mistreat the child.

  I didn't expect this child to be spoiled because of her own negligence, so she was even more disliked by Lin Niangniang. In the past, He Niangniang would never do such a thing, always following in Li Shi's footsteps and learning from her, never doing anything out of line.

  "Let Aunt Lin stay at home, what do you think?" Murong Jin thought for a moment and felt that there might be a shadow of Aunt Lin secretly plotting behind her back.

  The old lady felt a bit more relieved, after all, her son still believed in himself. He nodded and said, "I just said the same thing, good children were spoiled by her, look at these few, which one is like her?" After finishing, he also glanced at the honest and kind Yunqing, who was a bit dull but understood reason and knew gratitude, and was not bad either.

  Murong Jin was not a fool, and he naturally understood his mother's hint. He smiled wryly, "It's not the son's fault, it's because the child is young and in the northwest, having some family joy in the harsh land of the northwest makes life more bearable. I didn't expect that when I came to my senses, the child was already half grown up. Mother, it's not the son's fault, don't get angry and hurt your body."

  The old lady thought of her eldest son, who had been stationed in the northwest for many years and could not return home even once a year. He could only come back to live for a few months when he was summoned by the emperor. Li Shi was often left alone at home, taking care of herself and the young ones without any complaints. Her heart softened a little more.

  "Punish her by copying Buddhist scriptures, calm her mind. If it weren't for your wife and my dear granddaughter, I wouldn't have spared you today." The old lady hummed.

  Mr. Li said, "Since you look down on my daughter and also look down on my son, then from now on, do as you please." This was openly saying that her son would not support her in the future.

  To know that a daughter's marriage is entirely dependent on her father and brothers, the elder brother is extremely important as a support for the maternal family. Li said this was not just an empty threat, but truly chilling.

  Murong Jin slightly furrowed his brow, while the old lady seemed to be smiling yet not smiling as she gazed at her son, ultimately saying nothing and pretending she hadn't heard.

  Wanyu handed a cup of tea to Old Father and Li, smiling and saying, "Father and Mother, have a cup of tea. You drank wine tonight, I brewed some hawthorn and plum tea, it can help you sober up." As she spoke, she gave a signal to Li's mother, meaning for her to take her down first, as everyone was unhappy and could only get angrier.

  Mrs. Li pulled away Yun Shu who remained silent and retreated.

  Murong Jin took the tea and drank a mouthful, the sour and sweet taste was just right to sober up. "Hm, Wanyu don't be petty with your sister, she's not good at rules...". He himself felt very embarrassed, didn't know what to say, both hands were awkward.

  Wanyu quickly took over, "Dad, don't worry, she's my sister, it's nothing at home, just absolutely can't say these things in front of the Fourth Prince, I'm afraid he'll laugh at our family for being uneducated." After finishing, she forced a difficult smile.

  "Indeed, let her learn a lesson. You also saw it earlier when you paid your respects, don't drag our family's daughter into disrepute." She said with disdain and turned her head away.

  Murong Jin thought of the scene at the door, and Yun Shu's behavior was indeed embarrassing. He steeled himself and said: "Let the nanny take good care of her, be strict with her if necessary. The Murong family cannot have children who lose face, just say it was me who said so. If she doesn't obey, let her go to the ancestral temple. I don't want to clean up after her mess." After finishing speaking, his eyes had already become cold and calm.

  The old lady nodded with relief, but saw that Li's face was a bit tangled. Although she disliked Yun Shu, she didn't want to let a child go to the ancestral temple either. Therefore, she felt especially relieved. With a kind and principled mistress and a resolute and stern patriarch, the future of the Mu Rong family could be entrusted to her, even after death, she could face the old master.

  "This is right, I'm afraid this child is too extreme and will harm the Murong family in the future." The old lady said with a heavy heart.

  The troublemaker is really annoying, and constantly collecting and spreading rumors makes people even more annoyed.