TBIC

46-55

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Mu Xi Yao got up early on this day. As soon as she sent Zhong Zheng Lin off, she began to trim ginkgo bonsai in the courtyard. Just as Ruo Lan passed her the scissor, Zhao momo came over along with Shu Tao.

"This servant pays respect to cefei." Mu Xi Yao told her to rise. She then heard Zhao momo say that lady Tang's shu sister sought an audience outside the estate, wanting to visit her di sister and, in passing, greet cefei.

Mu Xi Yao contemplated a little. She had no impression of Tang Yi Ru's shu sister in her mind. She ought to be an irrelevant person. Mu Xi Yao was disinterested. She didn't make things difficult for her and let her in.

"She's dismissed of greeting. Immediately have people take her to shufei."

Later, when Ruo Lan returned she told them that on her way back, she met Shu Mei who was sending a young woman out of the inner yard. They happened to run into his Highness who was heading to the study from Danruo courtyard. As the two paid respect to his Highness and respectfully saw him off, apparently an argument broke out. In the end, that young woman with a face full of cockiness went out of the estate's gate, infuriating Shu Mei so much that she angrily went back to Shuihui courtyard to report this matter.

Mu Xi Yao's brows slightly knitted. Tang Yi Ru's shu sister came to visit, however, it wasn't to curry favor. On the contrary, she made a ruckus which caused the two to part on bad terms. Although Tang House of Shengjin was a bit better than her household, it was far from reaching the point of taking no regard of the imperial prince's estate. Even if di sister was a shufei, she was still a proper member of the prince's household. How strange.

This Tang Yi Ru and her shu sister's abnormality was maybe worth to look into. Unfortunately, she lacked manpower nowadays. She didn't have people that were able to avoid Zhong Zheng Lin's eyes and ears to assist her. She could only passively wait and see. Only when time to establish a residence outside of the palace came, she would be able to plant her people discreetly. Zhong Zheng Lin's eyes and ears, though not very clear, she also knew a little.

The fourteenth day of the second month, the twenty-eighth day of Hui An's calendar. It would be the last day of the lunar year in another two days. A family feast would be held in the palace. The chief steward sent a list of gifts intended for each palace and residence to Dan Ruo courtyard so that Mu Xi Yao could look over and see whether changes should be made. Mu Xi Yao took a rough look. After careful thought, she used a brush to highlight several spots. Subsequently, she added the congratulatory gifts from Jia Yi workshop that were prepared beforehand. She then sent the list to Tian Fu Shan and instructed him to deliver the gifts on time in two days.

Tian Fu Shan originally thought this was cefei's first time managing affairs in the estate. Moreover, she was so young, ought to be still inexperienced. However, to one's surprise, those few spots that were modified seemed to be reasonable, justified and more thoughtful. Perhaps, she had long well-considered the matters. Furthermore, she was very skilled at housekeeping. If so, why was she usually so unwilling to manage household affairs? Other cefeis fought endlessly over the position of principal consort's aid. Their cefei, on the contrary, refused profusely. Tian Fu Shan was couldn't understand.

Mu Xi Yao was naturally unwilling to meddle excessively with the estate's matters.

Firstly, when Zhong Zheng Lin marries and goes out of the palace, all these serving people, beside the most capable few stewards, has to be sent back to the imperial household department. She couldn't take them with her.

Secondly, if she performed too well and shone brilliantly, wouldn't she be only looking for herself a trouble after the principal consort enters the estate? She already had a child before the legal wife. If she also took over the household affairs. It'll be no different as clamoring to your immediate superior, "You've got nothing to do here. Go and have fun somewhere else."