Chapter 6: Old Current Events

Cherry knew that today was the first time her lady and the general were going to meet the people in the Duke's mansion, so she needed to pay more attention to the tea ceremony, just like the second day after the wedding.

After thinking about the attire that Shang Ji had just prepared, she brought a set of willow-dyed horse-faced long skirt, paired with an embroidered jacket, which made her look gentle and elegant.

Du Jingyi took a look and nodded in agreement.

After putting it on, it did look good.

Especially the clothes complemented her skin tone, and Du Jingyi was already fair and delicate, but now she looked even more so.

"Madam, shall I style your hair into a morning cloud bun and pick a few jade hairpins for you?"

It was Li Zhu who spoke. She was skillful with her hands, so she could do many trendy hairstyles.

Du Jingyi was already a beauty, so after this careful dressing, she looked even more stunning than before.

After everything was ready, Du Jingyi gave orders.

"Go and call the general."

"Yes."

Before leaving, Du Jingyi thought for a moment and then went back to the jewelry box, opened it, and picked out four or five gold bracelets with decent quality.

Li Zhu was puzzled and immediately asked, "Madam, why do you need so many gold bracelets?"

"Have you forgotten about the people from the third and fifth branches who love to show off? They have forgotten that the Duke's mansion is a real big family."

Li Zhu suddenly realized that they had been living comfortably, so they had forgotten that the Duke's mansion was a real big family.

There were loyal and brave patriots in the mansion, but there were also parasites who were not willing to give.

The former emperor was cruel and caused great suffering to the people, so there were uprisings everywhere several decades ago.

The current emperor was only the second emperor of the Great Xing Dynasty, and he had taken over the country from the previous dynasty only a few decades ago.

Therefore, among the nobles and officials in Suian City, there were many rough and tough people from humble origins.

The late Duke of Shang was one of them.

He was a fellow villager of the founding emperor and followed him in raising the flag and starting the uprising.

Originally, he just wanted to get some food for himself, but unexpectedly, he hit the jackpot!

Not only did he become a loyal minister who helped the new emperor overthrow the old regime, but he was also given the title of Duke and a mansion.

His siblings and their families also benefited from his success.

The Shang family was a large family with three sons and two daughters. Except for the second daughter who married and stayed in Changzhou, the other siblings and their families all sought refuge with their brother, the Duke of Shang.

The fourth sister of the Shang family was better off than her brothers.

Many years ago, under her brother's arrangement, she married a young man from the same village, and now she had come to Suian City with her husband and children, seeking protection and hoping to make a living on their own.

With the Duke of Shang's help, they bought over a hundred acres of land on the outskirts of the city.

They were hardworking, and their children were mostly honest and reliable, so they had been living a prosperous life for these years.

On the other hand, the two brothers from the third and fifth branches who were not successful had become a burden that the Duke of Shang could not get rid of, so they had to stay in the mansion.

They had been there for decades.

Even though the Duke of Shang had passed away many years ago and had left them some property before his death, the people from the third and fifth branches still pretended not to know anything and insisted on relying on the main branch.

They lived in the two courtyards in the northern garden, and now they even had great-grandchildren, but they still refused to move out and live on their own.

After all, as long as the elder brothers of the third and fifth branches were still alive, they could get some benefits.

If the third and fifth elder brothers of the Shang family were no longer alive, their descendants would have no right to stay in the Duke's mansion.

As Du Jingyi got up, she remembered a family banquet last year.

The people from the third and fifth branches had "borrowed" a lot of her valuable jewelry, and they still hadn't returned it.

If Du Jingyi didn't learn to be smart, then it would be her own fault.

There is a saying that jade is priceless, but gold has a price.

These gold bracelets were the most suitable way to deal with them.

"In that case, I will find some embroidered boxes to put them in."

"Okay."

The embroidered boxes were large and heavy.

It was perfect to use them to deceive the people from the third and fifth branches.

After everything was ready, Du Jingyi waited at the gate of Xitang Courtyard with Cherry and Li Zhu.

Before long, Shang Ji, who was followed by Luo Yuan, also came out of the study.

There were two Chinese junipers in front of Xitang Courtyard, which Du Jingyi had bought at a high price. They were also known as money pines, and they were her "treasures" for attracting wealth, so she took good care of them.

Shang Ji didn't understand the significance of these trees, but he found them interesting.

Soon, they saw Du Jingyi.

The appearance she had carefully dressed up today looked a bit different from the familiar scenery she used to see.

The Duke's mansion was indeed large, but it lacked elegance.

It didn't have the pavilions and towers of the Jiangnan region, nor the carved beams and painted rafters. It was clear that it was the home of a military family.

It couldn't compare to the carefully crafted Xitang Courtyard by Du Jingyi.

Mr. and Mrs. Shang Ji walked in the Duke's mansion. It was their first time there, so there were more than a few maids and servants who stopped to sneak a peek.

Feeling the probing gazes behind them, Shang Ji furrowed his brows slightly.

On the other hand, Du Jingyi stood tall and straight, not giving anyone a reason to look down on him!

The Duke's mansion was indeed peculiar.

Despite being a huge mansion with hundreds of servants, the manners were not very good. It was not proper for the household servants to look around in the master's house.

It was said that when Lady Gu, Shang Ji's birth mother and the original wife of the Duke, was still alive, the rules were very strict.

However, after the concubine Wei became the legitimate wife, things became more relaxed.

Just by observing the conduct of the housekeeper He and the nanny Dou under the management of the Duke's mansion, one could see the difference.

Du Jingyi was deeply affected by this.

After crossing a garden, the couple arrived at the center of the Duke's mansion's backyard, where the words "Cloud Brocade Pavilion" were written with vigorous strokes on a plaque.

Shang Ji looked up at the plaque, his eyes showing a complex emotion with a hint of disgust, as if he was reluctant to step inside.

Du Jingyi understood his meaning and stood still without saying a word.

It wasn't until a moment later, when he saw Shang Ji's face return to its previous indifference, that he briskly said, "Let's go in."

"Okay."