The second lady drank a cup of tea and saw that the back hall was still quiet. She couldn't help but slightly frown, "Hasn't Madam Lin come out yet?"

  "Still talking to the old lady, no one stayed except Nan Chun."

  The second lady puckered her mouth and said after a moment of contemplation: "Go find Nan Chun to make some inquiries, see what they have to say."

  Zhaoyi hesitated for a moment before retreating, but Nanchun had always been tight-lipped and only listened to the old lady's words, so it was feared that her mouth could not be pried open.

  At the same time, Xiaofang arranged for four girls to play together. After watching them gather and play, she stood up and said: "You guys play for a while and then lie down, otherwise, tomorrow morning will be shouting headaches again."

  Dan bamboo made a face and said: "Except for sister-in-law, no one else has ever shouted headache because they didn't take a nap."

  "You're really narrow-minded, I'm kind enough to remind you, but you make fun of me. I've decided, there won't be any fruit this afternoon," said Little Fang, pinching her waist and shaking her head: "I have a headache, so I need to eat more fruit, can't help being greedy."

  Four girls were amused by her appearance and burst out laughing.

  "Alright, I won't tease you guys anymore," Xiaofang said, putting down her hand and reminding them: "Play for a while and then go to sleep, but don't make too much trouble."

  Four girls saw her off at the door and as soon as she turned around they huddled together talking.

  "I've never been to Yangzhou, cousin, tell us what's fun about Yangzhou?"

  Xiao Fang's face fell as soon as he walked out the door, and he quickly returned to his own courtyard, rushing straight into the room where Shang Mingyuan was still fast asleep.

  "Oh dear, oh dear, easy does it, girl..."

  "Lighter? You tell me, what are you up to? My father doesn't ask, my brother doesn't like to talk to him, how come he goes and asks her?"

  Shang Mingyuan pushed everyone out of the house and only then said in a low voice, "Can you keep your voice down? Do you think this courtyard is made of copper walls and iron walls, with no leaks at all? If it reaches that person's ears, no matter how many plans we have, they will all be ruined."

  Xiao Fang snorted and shouted loudly, "I'd like to see who dares to stick their tongue out! If I don't pull out her tongue root, I won't be surnamed Shang Mingyuan. Don't change the subject, tell me honestly, what have you been doing behind my back again?"

  Xiao Fang sat down on the couch, her face cold as she looked at Shang Mingyuan, "Alright, now can you talk?"

  Shang Mingyuan rubbed his ears and sat opposite her, saying: "You're not unaware that my father-in-law and eldest brother-in-law are no better than me, what's the point of asking them?"

  "Is that all Lin Auntie is capable of?" Little Fang's anger was stirred by his belittling of her own father and brother.

  Shang Mingyuan's spirit was shaken, and he said in a low voice: "She's really formidable. I only knew she was good at reading books, but I didn't know her other means were not weak either. This time going to Yangzhou, I have gained some experience. Those Sun and Liu officials, although they are under my uncle's command, also carry some official authority, and I still feel a bit constrained in front of them, but she can discuss state affairs with them."

  He looked around cautiously and lowered his voice even further: "Except for Uncle and those two gentlemen, I'm afraid no one else knows that she also approved Uncle's documents."

  Mr. Fang was astonished, "Then how did you know?"

  "I overheard Liu and Sun talking in the garden, they were praising Lin's aunt, regretting that she was a woman, otherwise she could have taken her father's place."

  Shang Mingyuan continued, "That's not all, the Lin family's vast business is entirely managed by her. You all think it's your uncle who did it? But in fact, your uncle only made decisions, and everything else was taken care of by her single-handedly."

  Shang Mingyuan clicked his tongue in surprise, "Even I've been managing the household for so many years, and my grandmother and second aunt also listened to me more often than not. But she took over and controlled the entire Lin family with just one move. Do you think she doesn't have any tricks up her sleeve?"

  Xiao Fang hesitated, "But such a big thing, you just believe her?"

  Shang Mingyu sneered, "At least she's better than the people at home. She doesn't have any interest in harming me since we don't have a stake in each other's interests, and besides, she still owes me a favor."

  Shang Mingyuan proudly said: "Previously in Yangzhou, I didn't hesitate to run errands for her. Moreover, my relationship with my uncle's son is not inferior to that of my second brother, so she won't harm me."

  Xiao Fang let out a sigh of relief, leaning back on the couch and saying: "Actually, whether or not I become an official is not something I strongly desire. Our family living in Suzhou peacefully and happily isn't so bad either."

  "What about the future?" asked the woman. Shang Mingyuan sneered, "When Second Brother grows up and we're not young anymore, with kids in tow, will the second wife still let us two manage the household?"

  "If we were to divide the family property, what would my good aunt give me? By then, after dividing it out, we would have become a side branch. After two generations, who knows how our descendants will turn out?"

  "We are the main branch of the Long House..."

  "Now the title is your second uncle's, do you think he will not pass it on to his own son and give it to me?" Shang Mingyuan's face darkened, "Don't dream about it, saying that I'll get the title back when I'm older, but I came of age last year, and no one mentioned it. Who still remembers the promise from back then?"

  Xiao Fang pursed her lips and didn't say anything.

  Shang Mingyuan also stopped continuing the topic, stood up and said: "You pay attention, when I send Lin Aunt back to Lin Mansion later, I'll discuss it with you again."

  Xiao Fang replied with a "yes".

  Lin Qingwan didn't stay until evening, after taking a nap and having afternoon tea with the old lady, she bid farewell.

  The old lady was reluctant to part with her and pulled Lin Qingyan's hand, inviting her to come home and sit down whenever she had nothing to do.

  Lin Qingwan smiled and agreed.

  The second lady also smiled and invited her, "Yubin is close to her cousins, if she can come often, the sisters can play together."

  Jianming changed into his going-out clothes, apparently to send people to the Lin Mansion. He couldn't help but sigh: "It's a pity that Ming Jie went out with his uncle today, otherwise he would have let him and Mingyuan take you back together."

  Lin Qingwan smiled and said: "It's a good thing for children to have something to do, always turning around in front of us, what's the point?"

  She glanced at Shang Mingyuan and said, "It's all thanks to Daxiong's carefulness and patience that he can run errands for us."

  The second lady smiled stiffly and reminded Shang Mingyuan: "Take good care of your Aunt Lin on the way home, don't sneak out halfway to have fun."

  Shang Mingyuan immediately spoke with a glib tongue: "Second Aunt, rest assured, I will escort my aunt to the door of her home before leaving."

  Although the two families were in different neighborhoods, with a carriage, they didn't have to hurry. Lin Qingyuan returned home and invited Shang Mingyuan inside, letting someone lead Yu Bin down to rest before taking Shang Mingyuan to the flower hall to talk.

  It's different at the Lin and Shang families. At this time, Lin Qingwan was sitting cross-legged on the mat, very relaxed, and asked: "Do you really want to be an official?"

  Shang Mingyuan rubbed his nose and sat down opposite her, saying: "At least I have an identity that doesn't let people bully me."

  Lin Qingwan said with a smile, "That's easy, wait until your second uncle gives you the title, it's just a demotion to inherit the title, you'll be a county boy anyway, and when you have a title, you can follow your second uncle's example and take office."

  "What about my second brother, how can I get this title?" A few years ago, he still had this hope, but in the past two years, he has seen his older cousin become more and more capable. The originally manageable household chores have also become difficult, and the servants under him are secretly disobedient. Even the old lady often scolds him, and his second uncle frequently sends letters criticizing him for being useless. It's clear that he didn't like reading books before, but nobody said anything about it. However, in the past two years, it has suddenly become a huge sin, as if not reading books would be a betrayal of their ancestors. He's not stupid and knows that the second branch of the family wants to go back on their word.

  For the past two years, he was first unwilling and then in pain. Even in private, he didn't give up struggling, but not to mention flowers, he couldn't even create a drop of water. His sister said it right, under such circumstances, even if he were given a noble title, could he sit firmly on it?

  It's better to use this as bait and get more things from the first wife.

  But Second Uncle and Second Aunt were too stingy, they took the title but didn't even want to give anything in return.

  But he also has a way, as long as he can serve, isn't it just borrowing money from Zhao Sheng's house?

  He can't use his own and his wife's private money, but instead takes money from the government to fill it up, and in the end, it still ends up on the head of the second house.

  Second Aunt was willing to let her natal family's brothers undermine her own foundation, what good advice did he have? At most, it would only end in a scolding, and the old lady couldn't kill him.

  But the key is that Erniang and Zhao's family keep their promise, to get him a position in the Ministry of Rites, otherwise he would have been scolded and punished for nothing.

  He couldn't possibly tell Lin Qingwan these things, but Lin Qingwan had been guessing people's thoughts too much lately and had more or less figured out some of it.

  She thought for a moment and told the truth: "The Zhao family can't help you get a position in the Ministry of Rites, even if your uncle intervenes. With so many families watching, if you have talent or prestige, your uncle might be able to fight for you if he were still alive. But since you lack both, promoting you would make other families resentful."

  "Zhao's family," Lin Qingyuan sneered, "They don't have that kind of ability yet."