Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Eccentric Eye
Madam Lu ruthlessly rubbed some figurative ointment in her sister-in-law's eye in front of her husband, feeling very pleased with herself as she carried her husband's footbath out of the room, and tossed the remaining bit of foot water straight into the courtyard.
"Ouch!"
"Who?" Madam Lu's hand holding the footbath tightened as she looked towards the pear tree in the courtyard.
Under the tree emerged a young man, soaking wet, frowning at Madam Lu, "Sister-in-law, can't you take a proper look before you throw water?"
It turned out to be her brother-in-law!
Madam Lu was also dissatisfied with her brother-in-law, for who could blame her when the mother-in-law was so biased towards him. She pouted and said, "Young uncle, standing there in the dead of night, who invited you? Who can see whether it's a person or a ghost in this pitch black?"
Zhou Xueli glanced at Madam Lu, knew that this sister-in-law always had a sharp tongue, and didn't bother to argue with her, so he just shook his head and went into the main house.
Madam Lu spat in disdain, muttered to herself, and walked over, listening closely. Her face twisted slightly, and she quickly entered her own East Wing.
Zhou Xuennian was still lost in thought. Seeing her come in, he lifted his eyelids without saying a word.
He had always been unsatisfied with this illiterate wife, who was boorish and not virtuous, unlike the headsman's or the registrar's wives, who were not daughters of noble families, yet were gentle.
And what about Madam Lu?
Her voice was louder than a gong, and if it wasn't for her ample buttocks indicating she was a child-bearing woman, his parents would not have arranged this marriage for him. Indeed, as soon as Madam Lu had crossed the threshold, she bore a son, then a daughter, and later another young son, at least spreading the family lineage.
"What's with the hustle and bustle? How many times have I told you to be more composed? Rushing about like this, what will people think?" said Zhou Xuennian, displeased.
"There, there, my dear husband," walked over Madam Lu, "If I were as slow as you, our Zhou family would be completely overtaken by the young uncle."
Zhou Xuennian frowned, "Talking nonsense about what?"
"Do you know what I just overheard?" Madam Lu lowered her voice, "I heard mother-in-law discussing Xueli's marriage arrangement!"
Zhou Xuennian looked at her; what was so wrong about that? His younger brother was already sixteen this year, arranging a marriage was perfectly normal.
"Do you know how much dowry mother-in-law plans to give for the little uncle's marriage arrangement?" Madam Lu asked again, and upon seeing his indifferent face, she gestured two fingers, "Twenty taels!"
Zhou Xuennian sat up slightly straighter.
Madam Lu scoffed, "All the family's silver is in mother's hands. These years, aside from father's earnings from teaching, hasn't it been you who's been making money from outside? The young uncle has only been looking after the family fields, when has he earned a single wen? Yet mother says she wants to give him a twenty-tael dowry; such favoritism is never done this way. The young uncle is merely marrying a girl from the Liang family."
"Alright, enough, the assets haven't been divided, and mother is the one in charge. After all, the Liang family is also scholarly, so a larger dowry is justifiable," Zhou Xuennian said irritably.
Madam Lu felt even more aggrieved. When the eldest son married her, the dowry was less than ten taels – now the younger one's dowry was doubled. How much money did the family have; she didn't know?
"If it's all used for the young uncle's marriage, there won't be much left for Dajun and Xiuxiu's weddings," Madam Lu said indignantly, "I just don't understand. You're obviously the eldest son, but mother dotes on the youngest son. I get it; common folk love the youngest, but what about father? He is exceedingly fond of Ying Mei. She did such disgraceful things, and he's been covering for her and her mother for years. I don't believe he hasn't helped them out in secret. Our main branch... no one dotes on us and no one cares..."
Zhou Xuennian cast a cold glance her way and lay down again.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone