Chapter 1891: Chapter 964: Heartache
Fourth night watch, asking for pink votes.
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"Keep your voice down...", Lady Zhang quickly signaled to Lian Shouxin. There were still maids serving in the outer room, and in the west room, Lady Li, Lady Zhang Wang, and Lian Manman hadn’t gone to rest yet. "Don’t get so angry, you just had some wine."
"I can’t help but get angry, thinking about it just fuels the fire." Lian Shouxin took a deep breath at Lady Zhang’s words and lowered his voice, "The things Erlang said, it’s obvious those weren’t his own thoughts; they were all taught by Luo Xiaoyan."
"I said Erlang has no drive; he just goes along with whatever his wife says. He’s just a parrot." Lian Shouxin continued, "And this is just in front of us, where there’s nothing to be afraid of. Imagine what he’s like at home, or outside. Sigh..."
Lian Shouxin couldn’t help but sigh repeatedly.
"So according to you, should a man not listen to anything his wife says and make all the decisions himself?" Lady Zhang shot a glare at Lian Shouxin and asked.
"I’m not saying he shouldn’t listen to anything his wife says. If it’s good advice, he should listen." Lian Shouxin glanced at Lady Zhang quickly and said, "Don’t overthink it, our family’s situation is different from theirs. We live with one heart and one mind, the way you treat me, can that be compared to how Luo Xiaoyan treats Erlang?"
Lady Zhang pursed her lips, didn’t say anything, but she was very pleased in her heart. She liked hearing Lian Shouxin’s words.
"That Luo Xiaoyan treats Erlang like a long-term worker, and still wants to use Erlang’s connections to get us to help her family, help her brothers." Lian Shouxin said.
"You can’t just say it like that." Lady Zhang said, "Erlang’s wife is pretty good to Erlang, in terms of food and clothing, she does pretty well for Erlang. And there’s Er Niuniu, she takes good care of her too."
Lady Zhang said these words with the intention of mediating.
"I don’t see it that way." Lian Shouxin snorted and said, "I don’t see Erlang eating or drinking anything good. He only gets a couple of outfits a year, and he saves what he wears. As for Er Niuniu, with the money and things we give throughout the year, it’s enough to support her well. Just think, how much does Erlang earn in a year? How much of that is actually spent on living? More than half is saved in Luo Xiaoyan’s hands to be left for her brothers."
"Sigh." Lady Zhang also sighed, having to admit that what Lian Shouxin said was indeed true.
As Erlang’s wife, Luo Xiaoyan spent most of her thoughts and most of the family’s money on her maternal family. This was indeed unfair to Erlang. Being a woman of this era, and particularly one who follows the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, Lady Zhang also felt that being with Luo Xiaoyan, Erlang suffered a loss, and Luo Xiaoyan naturally owed Erlang something.
"She really has no choice," Lady Zhang continued to mediate, "when they got married, she also said it was Erlang’s own willingness."
"It’s been years, when will it end?" Lian Shouxin said, "I feel sorry for Erlang, we watched that child grow up, he’s too honest."
The reason Lian Shouxin was so angry was precisely because he felt sorry for Erlang.
"Isn’t Erlang’s wife’s brother getting married now? It’s almost over." Lady Zhang quickly said, "Once that’s through, things will be better."
"Erlang willingly did it, us being anxious doesn’t help. Besides, Erlang is a good kid, but what about the Second Master’s couple." Lady Zhang continued, "If it were someone else, could they have managed that couple? It’s just Erlang’s wife who can keep the Second Master from gambling."
With what Lady Zhang said, Lian Shouxin fell silent.
"They’re just all useless." After being silent, Lian Shouxin cursed dejectedly. The curse obviously included not only Erlang but also Lian Shouyi and Lady He.
"There’s nothing to be done, they just about get by." Lady Zhang continued to mediate. Initially, she didn’t have all these words to persuade Lian Shouxin, but after talking for a long time before dinner with Lady Li, Lady Wu Wang, Lian Zhizhi, and Lian Manman, she learned quite a bit, making it much easier to persuade Lian Shouxin.
"If, as you say, Erlang found someone perfect, especially virtuous and filial, how badly would the Second Master and his wife take advantage of her? Not to mention preventing the Second Master from gambling." Lady Zhang said again, "Erlang’s father, don’t you agree?"
Lian Shouxin thought that Erlang should marry someone virtuous and filial, like Lady Zhang or Lady Zhao, but he had to admit that if that were truly the case, Lady Zhang’s prediction might very well come true.
"Sigh..." Lian Shouxin sighed again, once more feeling bitter at the incompetence of Lian Shouyi and his sons.
