eurekapd Chapter 241 The Head of the Zhang Family
Chapter 241 The Head of the Zhang Family
Chapter 241 The Head of the Zhang Family
"Young Madam, the Old Madam requests your presence," Mu He said respectfully, but her eyes betrayed a perfunctory expression.
Qiao Shi said expressionlessly, "I understand."
On her way to the old lady's courtyard, Qiao Shi suddenly remembered the story her mother had told her the night before her wedding about the Zhang family's rise to power.
The late Mr. Zhang was a poor scholar, while his wife was the daughter of the Yang family, the richest family in Jiangnan. Mr. Zhang promised to be with his wife for life, and in return, the Yang family acquired property for him.
The couple had four daughters and one son. All four daughters are married. Their son, Zhang Zhiwen, had one wife and three concubines, and had two legitimate sons, three illegitimate sons, and five illegitimate daughters.
Zhang Zhiwen was the official head of the Zhang household, but in reality, the matriarch was in charge. Zhang Zhiwen, along with his eldest son Zhang Hongbin and three sons born out of wedlock, held official positions in the court, while the second son, Zhang Jinxuan, was a businessman.
The Zhang family's business empire grew and prospered not because of Old Master Zhang or Zhang Zhiwen, but because of Zhang Jinxuan. Zhang Jinxuan had a business mind from a young age, and at the age of eight, he began managing the old lady's private property. Later, the old lady entrusted him with managing all the family's businesses.
Remembering her mother's advice not to offend the old lady and Zhang Jinxuan, Qiao Shi's expression turned somewhat unpleasant. She had always kept her mother's instructions firmly in mind; how could she have lost her composure yesterday over a dress?
Thinking of this, Qiao Shi felt somewhat resentful towards Zhang Hongbin for meddling. She was clearly in the wrong regarding the "Yi Chang Ge" matter, yet Zhang Hongbin still insisted on using public funds to buy her jewelry, deliberately bringing the matter to the old lady's attention, and even telling her that she had been wronged.
Originally, she had only offended Wan Yu, but now she has also offended Zhang Jinxuan and displeased the old lady.
Before Qiao Shi could figure out how to prevent the old lady from getting annoyed with her, and how to prevent Wan Yu from pursuing her offense at "Yi Chang Pavilion," she heard Dao Muhe say crisply, "Old Madam, the eldest young mistress has arrived."
The old lady gave a soft "Mmm" and then fell silent. Mu He slightly raised her right hand in a gesture of invitation, signaling Qiao Shi to enter the house.
Wanyu sat on a low stool, gently massaging the old lady's legs with both hands. The old lady squinted her eyes slightly, her right hand lightly stroking the top of Wanyu's head.
Zhang Zhiwen's wife, Jing Beiyan, watched Wanyu and the old lady's interaction with a smile. Qiao Shi looked somewhat awkwardly at the harmonious scene of the three generations, feeling that her presence was somewhat superfluous.
"Shi'er greets Grandmother, Mother, and Princess," Qiao Shi took a deep breath and curtsied.
The old lady did not respond. She slightly opened her eyes to glance at Qiao Shi, then looked down at Wan Yu's expression, before closing her eyes again to rest.
Jingbei Yan hesitated, wanting to tell Qiao Shi to get up but afraid of upsetting the old lady. Most importantly, her second daughter-in-law, Wan Yu, had a long face and didn't even glance at her eldest daughter-in-law, Qiao Shi.
No one told her to get up, and Qiao Shi didn't dare to get up on her own. She raised her head and said softly, "Princess, I'm sorry, I misspoke yesterday."
Wanyu said sarcastically, "I can't accept your apology. You're my sister-in-law, I should be the one respecting you."
Jingbei Yan smiled gently, "Wanyu, your sister-in-law knows she was wrong, so please forgive her this time!" The old lady also chimed in, "Wanyu, that's enough."
As a princess, Wanyu disdained the infighting in the inner quarters. Whether it was the eldest son's wife or the second, third, and fourth sons' wives, Wanyu never targeted them. She only wanted to live her own life.
Knowing that she had to give face to the old lady and Jingbei Yan, but she was not one to be trifled with, Wanyu didn't miss a single word. She quickly repeated the conversation between Zhang Jinxuan and his brother, and finally said that it was all up to the old lady to decide.
The old lady chuckled and praised, "Wanyu is such a worry-free girl," then said coldly, "Hurry up and help the eldest young mistress up."
Mu He responded immediately, helping Qiao Shi, who was kneeling on the ground struggling to maintain her balance, to a chair nearby. Qiao Shi smiled.
She thought this matter would be difficult to resolve today, but unexpectedly, the old lady and Jingbei Yan pleaded for her. Even more unexpectedly, the willful Wanyu let her off easily.
The old lady removed a jade pendant, its surface entirely green, from her neck. A look of reminiscence crossed her face. "Wanyu, this jade pendant is the Zhang family heirloom, and also the token of the Zhang family head..."
Watching the old lady personally place the jade pendant around Wanyu's neck, Jing Beiyan's expression changed slightly. What did the old lady mean by handing the family heirloom jade pendant to Wanyu, bypassing her and Qiao Shi?
Qiao Shi's smile vanished, replaced by displeasure. With her mother-in-law, Jing Beiyan, above her, and herself as the eldest granddaughter-in-law, it was hardly her place as the youngest daughter-in-law to manage the household.
"Wanyu, your grandmother is getting old. From now on, you and Jinxuan will be the actual heads of the household. The management of the household will be temporarily handed over to your mother-in-law," the old lady said as she handed the account books and keys to Jingbei Yan.
Knowing that Wanyu disliked managing household affairs, the old lady handed over the management to Jingbei Yan, while also making it clear that Wanyu would decide who would manage the household after Jingbei Yan stepped down.
Jingbei Yan calmly accepted the account books and keys. Heh, so the old lady hadn't forgotten her; the power of housekeeping had been handed over to her as promised.
When she married into the family, the old lady said that she would hand over the management of the household to her at the appropriate time. Thirty years have passed, and the old lady has kept her word.
Having secured the management rights, Jingbei Yan no longer agonized over whether the person with real power in the household was her husband, Zhang Zhiwen, or her youngest son, Zhang Jinxuan, and his wife. Ignoring Qiao Shi, who sat beside her with a sour expression, she followed Mu He to the next room to check the account books.
Qiao Shi's face turned even uglier at this moment. She had misunderstood earlier, thinking it was about the housekeeper's power. But now, seeing Jing Beiyan leaving with the account books, she realized that Wan Yu and her husband were the heads of the Zhang family, with even more power than her father-in-law, Zhang Zhiwen, who was the nominal head of the family.
The old lady glanced at Qiao Shi, shook her head slightly, and thought, "A concubine's daughter is a concubine's daughter; she lacks tact and perspective." "Wanyu, you go back first. I want to talk to Shi," the old lady sighed. For the future of the Zhang family, she had to give Qiao Shi a warning.
Wanyu was still confused about why the family heirloom jade pendant had been handed to her when she heard the old lady telling her to go back. So, she got up, gave a curtsy, and turned to leave.
Zhang Jinxuan was the emperor's confidant. He managed the emperor's private property and handled matters the emperor couldn't personally intervene in. The old lady dared not tell Qiao Shi these things, only revealing a few that she could.
She calmly mentioned the official positions of her son Zhang Zhiwen, her eldest grandson Zhang Hongbin, and her three illegitimate grandsons, and then slowly said, "Having served in the court for many years, none of the four have ever been summoned by the emperor alone. However, Wanyu is on good terms with the empress and often enters the palace to accompany her. Jinxuan even has the privilege of entering the palace without being summoned."
In conclusion, in the long run, handing the Zhang family mansion over to Zhang Jinxuan and his wife is the best choice.
Qiao Shi was still unconvinced, but she obediently said, "Shi'er understands." The old lady waved her hand and said, "I'm sleepy."