62: Chapter 62: Each Has Their Own Calculations 62: Chapter 62: Each Has Their Own Calculations Old Lady Zhou’s room was entirely fixated on looking out for her younger son, Zhou Xueli, whereas the room of the eldest son, Zhou Xuennian, was similarly self-serving.
Madam Lu was still ‘crying’, lamenting Old Lady Zhou’s partiality and unfairness, how she and her daughter suffered bullying and grievance, mere invisibles next to her precious youngest son—and that included her, Zhou Xuennian.
Zhou Xuennian had just been rebutted by his old mother, and his mood was already sour.
Now, irritated by his wife’s grumbling, he felt even more indignant.
“Stop crying already.
Your crying has filled the room with bad luck.
Aren’t you being troublesome?” Zhou Xuennian barked.
Madam Lu’s crying halted; she glanced at her husband with the corner of her eye, catching his dark expression and drooping eyes.
Knowing him well after all these years, she realized he was truly enraged.
She hurried to the table, poured a cup of tea, and offered it with a hint of flattery, “My lord, am I not aggrieved?
My suffering is of no consequence—who am I but the eldest daughter-in-law?
Whatever the mother-in-law says, I have to bear.
But you, you are the eldest son!”
Madam Lu’s tone was respectful as she said, “After father-in-law’s passing, you are the head of this house.
In a wealthy family, you are the proper master.
Shouldn’t you be the one to make decisions on all the household matters, big and small?”
This brought dissatisfaction to Zhou Xuennian again, for what Madam Lu said was true; by all means, after his father’s passing, him being the eldest son, the head of the family, it was indeed his role to take charge of the home’s affairs.
But what was the actual situation?
Forget having a say in big or small matters; if he needed some silver for expenses, he still had to hold out his hand to his old mother, and probably had less on hand than his younger brother!
Now that Madam Lu had voiced his plight, it only added to his displeasure and dissatisfaction, and he glared at her fiercely.
“What else do you want to say?” Zhou Xuennian drained the cup of cold tea in one gulp.
Madam Lu’s heart quivered.
I just think that if you were a bit firmer, my lord, who would dare object?
Under her husband’s glare, she pursed her lips, not daring to utter the rest of her thoughts.
She hadn’t completed her sentence, but Zhou Xuennian could very well discern the implied meaning—that he was too obedient, henpecked by a woman.
Zhou Xuennian’s cheeks burned slightly with shame, yet he refused to be belittled by his wife.
“What do you understand?
The current emperor governs with benevolence and filial piety; filial duty is obligatory for everyone under heaven.
In this world, not just me—a mere Child Student—even His Excellency the Prime Minister who holds up the sky wouldn’t dare be unfilial.
My actions are merely out of filial respect.” It wasn’t a sign of weakness.
Madam Lu quickly put on a smiling face, “Yes, my lord, you are unsurpassed in filial piety.”
Zhou Xuennian’s expression softened slightly.
“But my lord, it’s our duty to serve mother-in-law given her age, yet we must consider our children’s future too, mustn’t we?
Xiuxiu is aggrieved, and it pains my heart—I wish I could take her suffering upon myself.
You, more than anyone, dote on our girl.
And Dajun is near the age for marriage.
My lord, we ought to have some plans—to ensure we don’t utterly deplete our household just because the younger brother is taking a wife!”
It all came back to the matter of silver.
All the grievances and quarrels were nothing but pretexts.
“Enough, I’m well aware of the situation.
Mother wouldn’t truly empty out our coffers for my brother’s betrothal to the Liang Family,” Zhou Xuennian said, slightly vexed, then turned over and lay down on the bed.
Madam Lu muttered under her breath, thinking how complacent he was, not seeing the extent of his mother’s bias.
And then, thinking of Wufu, her face twisted with resentment and she bit out bitterly, “And what about Ying Mei, my lord?
“With father gone, I am the father.
I know what I’m doing,” Zhou Xuennian turned over again and said no more.
Seeing this, Madam Lu had to drop the subject, cursing the mother and daughter Wufu to herself.