novelhk Chapter 19: The Husband's Authority Is Weak?
Chapter 19: The Husband's Authority Is Weak?
Yunguang Courtyard, Main Building
Upon learning that Wen Zongji had consumed the medicinal diet, Granny Feng breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Pei Rujing had been married into the Marquis's mansion for a month, and this was the first time she had ever seen Wen Zongji lose his temper.
It's often said that the better a person's temper, the more severe it can be when they lose it.
Granny Feng was genuinely worried that Wen Zongji might sever ties with Pei Rujing in a fit of anger.
Pei Rujing seemed to have a lot of freedom in the Marquis's mansion, but as she said, she hadn't left Yunguang Courtyard since she married in a month ago. Wasn't that a kind of constraint?
If her relationship with Wen Zongji sours again, Pei Rujing's life will only become more difficult.
Granny Feng sighed and glanced at the still, motionless inner room.
Qinghe asked softly, "Granny, should we wake the princess?"
Granny Feng shook her head: "Since there's nothing else to do, let the county princess sleep a little longer."
Pei Rujing was furious last night and tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time. When she finally woke up, it was already broad daylight.
Qinghe and the others helped her change clothes and wash up. Granny Feng said, "Princess, this old servant has sent a letter to the main courtyard and Hongyi Courtyard, so we won't be playing mahjong today."
She had originally planned to write to Yu Cuiting, but when she saw Chang Dong leave early in the morning, she knew that Wen Zongji had already made arrangements.
Pei Rujing remained silent with a cold expression.
Granny Feng continued, "His Majesty has bestowed upon the County Princess a plum garden. Now is the season for appreciating plum blossoms. The County Princess is in a bad mood, so why don't you go and stay at the plum garden for a few days? There are also hot springs in the plum garden, so the County Princess can take a soak to relax."
Pei Rujing's face darkened: "If I leave now, wouldn't that mean I'm afraid of him?"
Granny Feng said helplessly, "Princess, how can a husband and wife be so fixated on competing to see who is better?"
Pei Rujing refused to back down: "I did nothing wrong! Don't expect me to forgive him until he apologizes!"
Soon, everyone in Yunguang Courtyard knew that the two masters were having a conflict.
They stopped eating together, and Wen Zongji moved to the study for several days without any intention of moving back.
Pei Rujing's temper worsened day by day, and the maids would be scolded for the slightest thing they did, including the senior maids like Qinghe.
Pei Rujing is like a firecracker these days, ready to ignite at any moment.
Only Granny Feng, who was Pei Rujing's wet nurse and had taken care of her since childhood, was spared from being implicated.
But despite all the advice and persuasion from Granny Feng these past few days, it had no effect whatsoever.
On the other side, Wen Zongji received an invitation to a gathering where all the attendees were candidates for the provincial examination who would be taking the metropolitan examination.
Wen Zongji hadn't decided whether to participate when Wen Zongjing arrived.
He immediately brought up the matter of the invitation: "Third brother, it would be good if we went together so we could look after each other."
These days, Wen Zongjing is also preparing for the imperial examination. He must be feeling very cooped up and wants to take advantage of the gathering to get some fresh air.
Wen Zongji then said, "Alright."
We are all scholars who have passed the imperial examinations; exchanging ideas with each other will help us improve.
Wen Zongjing laughed: "Third brother has changed quite a bit since his marriage. If it were in the past, he definitely wouldn't have agreed to come with me."
Wen Zongji: "Second brother is joking."
Wen Zongjing stood in the study, looked around, then paused, pointing to the bedding on the bed beside him: "Third brother, what's this?"
Although Wen Zongjing was not married, he was not ignorant of the feelings between men and women. A month into their marriage, when they were at their most passionate, Wen Zongji actually slept in the study.
For a moment, Wen Zongjing's expression became somewhat strange.
Wen Zongji's expression remained unchanged: "I was reading too late last night, and returning to my room would inevitably disturb the county princess."
He certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to confess that he and Pei Rujing slept in separate rooms.
However, the study where he had slept for several days was enough, and Wen Zongji was already thinking about going back to his room to sleep.
Although he hadn't seen Pei Rujing these past few days, Changdong had been keeping Wen Zongji updated on his wife's situation. He knew that his wife's temper was getting increasingly volatile, and he had to keep her calm to prevent her from doing anything irrational.
Wen Zongjing was taken aback at first, then looked at Wen Zongji with pity: "I understand."
Wen Zongji: "..."
I don't know what he understood.
Wen Zongjing patted his shoulder: "Even Mother doesn't want to offend the County Princess, so I'm sorry to have troubled you, Third Brother."
He had previously envied and been jealous of Wen Zongji, but seeing that Wen Zongji was afraid of disturbing Pei Rujing and didn't dare to go back to his room to sleep, and could only make do for one night in the narrow study, he felt that it was not good for his wife to be of such high status, as she did not have any sense of husbandly authority.
Wen Zongji spoke up for Pei Rujing: "The county princess is still a very good person."
Aside from having a bad temper and getting angry easily, it's actually quite good.
During their recent cold war, Wen Zongji continued to provide medicinal meals and ginseng soup, and did not return to the Princess's residence to complain.
Wen Zongjing increasingly felt that Wen Zongji was living a stifled life: "I understand. Third brother, I see that there don't seem to be many people from our Marquis's mansion in your Yun Guang Courtyard. Should we ask Mother to arrange a few servants for you?"
Previously, when Granny Feng was managing Yun Guang Courtyard, she expelled those who were disobedient or cunning.
Pei Rujing brought a large dowry, enough to manage Yunguang Courtyard. In fact, Yunguang Courtyard couldn't even accommodate all of Pei Rujing's dowry, as some of it was used to look after Pei Rujing's estate.
Wen Zongji shook his head: "The affairs of the inner quarters are handled by the county magistrate. If she feels she needs more people, she will ask my mother for them."
"Third brother, you—you're so foolish!"
Wen Zongjing was somewhat exasperated: "The entire Yunguang Courtyard is staffed by the County Princess. I'm afraid you, as the proper master, can't command them."
"Second Brother, that's an exaggeration. I am the master of Yun Guang Courtyard. Who dares disobey me?"
"You! I thought you had changed, but you're still as dull as ever! Forget it, I can't be bothered with you. Let's go to the banquet together tomorrow."
Seeing that Wen Zongji was stubborn, Wen Zongjing didn't know what to say. After all, he was an outsider. Wen Zongji didn't mind Pei Rujing sidelining him, so what could Wen Zongjing say?
Wen Zongjing gave Wen Zongji a complicated look before leaving.
Chang Dong scratched his head: "When did Second Young Master become so kind?"
Both being sons of concubines, Wen Zongjing passed the imperial examination earlier than Wen Zongji, and he always felt superior to Wen Zongji.
Wen Zongji returned to his desk and sat down: "Perhaps he knows I'm not doing as well as he imagines."
That's just how people are!
I'm afraid my brother is suffering, and I'm also afraid he's driving a Land Rover!
Wen Zongjing would be jealous of Wen Zongji because he married Pei Rujing, and he would also care about Wen Zongji because Wen Zongji was not in control of himself in Yunguang Courtyard and was even being sidelined by Pei Rujing.
Wen Zongji appreciated the gesture, but didn't want to fuss over such trivial matters.
The affairs of the inner quarters should be left to Pei Rujing. Granny Feng is a sensible person, and the servants she has trained would not be able to recognize only the mistress and not the master.
Besides, apart from Changdong and Anfeng, no one else in this Marquis's mansion is his person.