Peaceful Farm Life

Chapter 2511: Chapter 2512: Return to Tianyun (78)

Su Xing smiled and said, ”Let me be honest with you, anyway, you guys don’t have the favor of Taoming Hai, your elder brother. Even if he becomes the Martial Champion and a high-ranking official, you won’t benefit at all. It’s possible he might oppress you even more, just as you’ve told me you’re worried that your days might become more difficult. If you offend him, he still looks down on you and doesn’t see you as brothers; even if you don’t offend him, it’s the same outcome. It’s better to take this opportunity to make more connections with the housekeeper’s offspring to pave the way for the future. Do you think your sister-in-law is right?”

”Sister-in-law is particularly insightful, so naturally, she is right. But we are not afraid of offending him, or offending our legitimate mother, we’re just afraid that father...” They weren’t fools, they wouldn’t naively hope that Taoming Hai and Mrs. Cao would be nice to them, as they knew they wouldn’t. They were only concerned that their father might resent them for doing so, as their father had always treated them quite well.

Su Xing said, ”As long as you are not afraid of offending him and Mrs. Cao, it’s fine. As for father, just tell him it was my insistence, and you had no choice but to do as I said. And right now, father is just hoping I can become a top scholar next year, and since he’s so supportive of me as his daughter-in-law, he won’t mind this little matter.”

Compared to bringing glory to the family, having a Commons Son entertain guests is indeed a trivial matter.

Taoming Ye also spoke up, ”You should follow your sister-in-law’s advice, and if anything happens, she and I will take responsibility.”

Tao Mingsheng and Tao Mingqing were overjoyed, ”Elder brother and sister-in-law genuinely care for us, and if one day we achieve success, we will surely repay them well.”

Su Xing immediately put on a serious face, ”We’re all family, do we need your repayment?”

Tao Mingsheng and Tao Mingqing were even happier, ”Yes, yes, we are a family, no need for formalities.”

Maybe in the past there was some sense of distance, but now, Tao Mingsheng and Tao Mingqing only felt closer to this elder brother and sister-in-law.

...

In the following days, more children of the housekeepers requested to meet with the top female Scholar, but Su Xing didn’t agree, always saying her husband was unwell, and as a woman, it was inappropriate for her to meet them.

She continued to let Tao Mingsheng and Tao Mingqing entertain those children of officials, and those children of officials also found Tao Mingsheng and Tao Mingqing eloquent and courteous, and all expressed their desire to maintain contact in the future.

Tao Chengyin originally disapproved, but it was well-known that Su Xing didn’t get along with Taoming Hai. Now, Su Xing insisted on having Tao Mingsheng and Tao Mingqing entertain guests for her, thinking maybe next year Su Xing would become a Martial Champion and bring more glory to the Tao Mansion, so Tao Chengyin let it slide, ignoring it, which made Taoming Hai, Mrs. Cao, and Wan Banyan incredibly frustrated.

Later, understanding spread among the children of officials that Su Xing, being a woman, wouldn’t meet outside men, so many official’s daughters came to see Su Xing.

Su Xing did meet with them, but she always brought Tao Mingxiang and Tao Mingfang along, and those who got along with Tao Mingxiang and Tao Mingfang soon became friends after several visits.

However, Su Xing always brought Tao Mingxiang and Tao Mingfang when meeting female guests, deliberately excluding Wan Banyan.

How could she, being a Marquis’ Mansion young lady, not match Tao Mingxiang and Tao Mingfang, those two Commoner girls, in entertaining guests?

Her father, Lord Wan, even specifically sent someone to remind her to be patient and not offend Su Xing, fearing that Su Xing might achieve top scholar status next year and become a favored figure by the Emperor, with boundless prospects...

In any case, Wan Banyan was so upset, she even lost her appetite.