The old lady stretched out her voice and said word by word: "It stands to reason that I am not your biological mother, and in your eyes, it is just a dispensable ornament. I shouldn't have talked too much to please you, but since the lord respectfully calls me a mother, I will take care of this matter. Let me ask you, who is more important in your mind, Mrs. and Zhang's family? ”

Fang Jinglan was stunned, and after a while, he could not think about the words and said: "Mrs. takes care of the housework and presides over the inner house, which is of great help to her son. Zhang is empathetic, gentle and skillful, she is lonely and committed to me, but her son can't give her what she wants, so she can't help but pity a little more--- in his son's heart, Mrs. and Zhang's are indispensable---" Under the old lady's increasingly sneering eyes, her voice gradually lowered until it was silent.

The old lady looked at him for a long time, and sighed suddenly: "According to the master's meaning, this Zhang family should have been the head of the Fang Mansion, but because I ---- it, it is my wife's son." If the master wants to spoil whoever he wants, he can spoil whomever he wants, and it is okay to promote the Zhang family as the wife of the main house. It's just, what should the wife do? Divorce her, or reconcile with her? ”

Fang Jinglan was stunned, and suddenly looked at the old lady, and he couldn't figure out the situation for a while. Instead, there was a strange sound in the room, which was particularly loud in the silent room.

Fang Jinglan looked behind the old lady with suspicious eyes, and Li Qingjia, who was waiting on the side, hurriedly said: "Could it be that the old lady who couldn't sleep all night last night and the rat with long eyes came out to fool around again?" I'll take a look. ”

Fang Jinglan said: "There are still rats in the mother's room? This was so remarkable that the son immediately sent for rat poison to pick it up. ”

The old lady said, "Why do you need to ask about these little things? As an official of the court, the lord should be concerned about national affairs, but if he can't even manage his family house well, what else can he be an official? Master, in our house, there is a wife who has long been disgruntled, and a great concubine, as the days go by, sooner or later there will be an incident, how does the lord plan to deal with it? Is it to spoil the concubine and kill the wife, or to correct and suppress the concubine? Let's give me an explanation. ”

Fang Jinglan was sweating on his forehead, and moved his knees slightly, it was cool in summer, only wearing thin cotton trousers, kneeling on the hard floor, only to feel that his knees were painful. But he did not dare to get up, because the old lady was really angry. He has always been in awe of this stepmother, and the old lady is very kind to him, he can go all the way from Jingshi to Wupin, and he also has a share of the old lady's credit. He has always treated her as a respected elder, so that he does not dare to have the slightest disobedience.

Now the old lady is dissatisfied with his aunt Zhang's so much, and she does think that it is a bit too much, but that Zhang is a weak and pitiful and touching, every time she goes to her, he can't help but give her the best, he knows that this is extremely unreasonable, but he can't control her crying pear blossom tearful face, and his heart softens every time.

The old lady seemed to know his thoughts, and the corners of her lips sneered, "The old man knows that it is not in line with the rules to raise his aunt, but he can't control himself, I guess right?" ”

Fang Jinglan was shocked, and said "ashamed" in his mouth, and his face became more and more gloomy, but he said in a low voice: "What my mother said is extremely true. Son, son--- is useless. ”

The old lady said slowly: "If the old man is useless, how can he go all the way to the official envoy of the Xuanfu Division, this is a fat difference for many people." If the old man doesn't have some ability, how can he take this errand into his hands? ”

Fang Jinglan was sweating more and more, and he was able to be promoted to the head envoy of the Xuanfu Division, thanks to the help of the Yue family. According to the rules of officialdom, most of the positions such as the Xuanfu Department are recommended or released, and this requires excellent connections. And the positive envoy has a very different treatment, and if you want to change from deputy to regular, in addition to boiling qualifications, you also have to try your luck. Fang Jinglan's predecessor Xuanfu Division is in the prime of life, unless he is promoted, or demoted, he will not take the initiative to vacate the position for him as the deputy envoy, the only way out is the promotion of the Xuanfu Division in front of him, which is why his position was promoted, otherwise, if you want to be promoted from the deputy envoy of the fifth rank to the main envoy of the fifth grade, I don't know how many years it will take. And the promotion of the envoy was also personally appointed by the Yue family, who commanded the envoys, so there was a supply vacancy for Fang Jinglan.

Of course, Fang Jinglan is cautious and thoughtful in dealing with people, never disagrees with people, does not form gangs, has a good reputation in the officialdom, and he is also exquisite, long-sleeved and good at dancing, and is more kind to others, coupled with the help of the Yue family, he was promoted to the head of the Xuanfu Division, which is also expected by everyone in the end. However, the relationship between the people in the officialdom would not be so smooth without the relationship network of the Yue family. Smarter people know that they are better for their wives, and they are good at picking up the Yue family.

And Fang Jinglan knew that the Yue family had helped him a lot, but he always had trouble with the Li family for the sake of the concubine, which was extremely unwise in the eyes of outsiders.

The old lady's shrewdness lies in the fact that she never talks much, never raps, and points to the end, giving people leeway and saving your face. It is precisely because of what she should say and what she should not say that Fang Jinglan treats her more and more respectfully and treats her like a biological mother.

After the old lady saw that he understood her tone, she said: "The old man is a person who understands, I believe that how can I not have to talk more about my wife next?" ”

Fang Jinglan hurriedly bowed his hand, with a grateful face: "My son thanks my mother for reminding me of the teachings, it's all my son's confusion, my son is useless, and my mother has to worry about everything." My son deserves to die. He said that he couldn't afford to kowtow for a long time.

Li Qing's family got the old lady's eyes, so he stepped forward to help him up, and said, "Why do you blame yourself? How can this person be perfect, who hasn't committed foolishness? Li Qing's family said the word "confused" very seriously, how did Fang Jinglan not know that she was implying Aunt Zhang, and his heart became more and more bitter, he loves and hates Aunt Zhang now, it is true that her background is pitiful, and it is true that she is lonely and miserable, but every time she offends his wife for her, offends the Yue family, and then makes the old lady angry, but he is really unfilial, and he really deserves to die. And it's even more damn that she is herself, knowing that this is not in accordance with the rules, but she still has to come.

However, thinking of Zhang's gentleness and affection, I was stumped for a while.

The old lady looked at him coldly, her expression became more and more ridiculed, and she said lightly: "The master is in the officialdom, since he has taken the path of the Li family, he must not remember the Zhang family anymore." What's more, it is the Li family that has your official position and your wealth, and it has nothing to do with the Zhang family. The old man still remembers that this Aunt Zhang was just the dowry girl of the Li family, and the old man favored a slave of the Li family but did not put the main master in his eyes. ”

The old lady said this seriously, but the reason is obvious, Fang Jinglan is not stupid, how could he not hear the power of this, and he didn't dare to refute a word when he was said, so he could only respond with a whisper, and go back to discipline Zhang strictly, so that she could also learn to behave.