The Fang Family residence was plunged into chaos, while the Ning Family residence in Beiliu remained quiet as usual.
This quietness even carried a hint of desolation.
First Lady Ning firmly placed the tea in her hand down, causing the maidservant in front of her to shiver in fright.
"Why wouldn't we participate? Is it that our Ning Family can't afford to build a lantern mountain, or are we afraid to build one?" she said. "What are they asking? However we did it last year for the fifteenth, of course we'll do it the same way this year."
The maidservant repeatedly acknowledged and retreated.
Eldest Madam Ning let out a long sigh.
It's almost August, and preparations for the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth need to begin, yet the county comes to ask if the Ning Family is still preparing a lantern mountain. It's really exasperating; does such a matter even need to be asked? Any prominent family in Yangcheng would naturally do it, and our Ning Family has always been the first.
Eldest Madam Ning also knew why the county was asking, it was naturally because of Ning Yan's dismissal.
Thinking of this made Eldest Madam Ning even more furious.
These people, who look down on others so disdainfully.
Eldest Madam Ning's gaze fell on the table, where two opened letters softened her expression somewhat. One was from Ning Yunzhao, and the other from Second Madam Ning, both mentioning the same thing, which was that not only had Ning Yunzhao not been implicated by Ning Yan's demotion, but he had grown even more esteemed by the emperor, with news suggesting that he would be promoted by the end of the year.
If it were only Second Madam Ning saying this in her letter, Eldest Madam Ning might be skeptical and think she was just trying to comfort her. But since Ning Yunzhao also said the same, there was no doubt.
Her son doesn't need to rely on words to comfort people, her son only relies on truly achieving things to offer comfort.
Look, it won't be long before these people will realize that the Ning Family is still the highly esteemed Ning Family, and her son will also become the pillar of the Ning Family.
Eldest Madam Ning's eyes were filled with pride, but she then thought of something, her expression dimmed a little, and she sighed lightly.
It's just that while they have achieved successes and made careers, the matter of settling down has always remained unfulfilled.
She picked up Second Madam Ning's letter, and in the letter, Second Madam Ning had mentioned several proposed matches, with the family backgrounds and the character and appearance of the young ladies being excellent, yet Ning Yunzhao had refused them all, and he asked Second Madam Ning not to discuss marriage proposals for now, wanting to wait a bit.
Regarding why wait, Second Madam Ning did not specify, but she mentioned that Miss Jun had returned to the capital.
Which Miss Jun was this? Eldest Madam Ning had heard, not long ago when the Duke of Chengguo declared his achievements to the world, he mentioned this Miss Jun, who surprisingly had become the daughter-in-law of his family, leading troops to save the people and fight battles in the northern lands.
Such a major event naturally made the Fang Family embellish it even more in Yangcheng, spreading the word through every street and alley, where everyone viewed this Miss Jun as almost supernatural, a being of legend. Who could remember the coarse girl who once caused so many jokes as a lonely orphan?
She was almost about to forget, but evidently, her son could not, especially since now Second Madam Ning claimed that the previous engagement with the Duke of Chengguo's family was also fake and that she had been cleared of any misconception by the emperor.
Another fake, how many times have this woman's marriages been fake, is there even a real one?
There was one, the engagement with Ning Yunzhao was real back then.
Eldest Madam Ning shook her head, feeling somewhat lost and absorbed; due to one woman, her daughter married early and was withheld by her mother-in-law from returning to her parents' house, and her son grew up without a marriage being arranged, leaving the household somewhat desolate and lonely.
Were the events of the past perhaps regrettable? If they had acknowledged the engagement back then, maybe there would already be grandchildren now, and both the divine doctor and the commendations from the northern lands could be a part of the Ning Family? Surely the family would be very lively now?
"Madam, Madam." A maidservant entered, interrupting Eldest Madam Ning's daze, "The city is really lively."
Eldest Madam Ning hummed.
"What's so lively?" she asked, disinterested.
"De Sheng Chang is in trouble," the maidservant said.
"I vaguely heard, is it because they don't have money?" Eldest Madam Ning said.
Those with some family background all have dealings in the money business. Although back then, due to the matter of withdrawing from the engagement, Eldest Madam Ning declared that the Ning Family would no longer conduct business dealings, yet with the fame of Miss Jun as a divine doctor, many within the Ning Family continued, openly or secretly, to store and exchange money at De Sheng Chang, said to be benefiting from the divine doctor's good fortune, and Eldest Madam Ning turned a blind eye.
The issue of money has always been a matter concerning one's livelihood, so De Sheng Chang's sudden inability to exchange money naturally stirred an uproar, and Eldest Madam Ning had heard of it.
People speculated that it was because Miss Jun's military efforts in the northern lands for saving people exhausted the Fang Family's funds.
"Warfare is indeed most costly," Eldest Madam Ning said, "Even the dynasty can't afford it, how could a single Fang Family think they could?"
The maidservant quickly shook her head.
"Not that, Madam, it's not about being out of money; it's the Fang Family that's in turmoil. The two young ladies are fighting over the family estate," she said with sparkling eyes.
Eldest Madam Ning was taken aback.
"Two young ladies fighting over the family estate?" she asked.
"Yes, it's said that Old Lady Fang had promised to treat them as sons and divide the family estate. Now that Young Master of Fang's health has recovered, Old Lady Fang is reneging on that promise, so the two young ladies have started a quarrel," the maidservant explained. Although the information leaked was fragmentary, the public's imagination was enough to fill in the details.
The intrigue of family secrets and estate disputes is always the public's favorite spectacle.
Back when Old Master Fang and Old Master Fang died, the disputes between the Fang Family and both their entire family and in-laws caused all the citizens of Yangcheng to be unable to eat or drink, lurking daily to watch the drama, with people even starting fights over differing opinions as if they were fighting over their own family estate.
Now with a male heir in the Fang Family, it was thought no more estate disputes would occur, but unexpectedly, with no outsiders, the family's own sisters began to quarrel.
"The women of the Fang Family, they really are..." Eldest Madam Ning didn't know what more to say, "They really have the nerve to do such things."
"Why wouldn't they? The Fang Family has so much money, and the two young ladies have always handled the business. By the time they marry, no matter how big a dowry, it can't compare to the wealth of a bank that generates money," the maidservant said with a knowing smile, "Old Lady Fang is so formidable, her granddaughters couldn't be any less capable."
This kind of stark praise wasn't exactly meant to be complimentary, for Old Lady Fang certainly was formidable, having once cursed, beat, and nearly killed her own mother for the sake of money.
Eldest Madam Ning shook her head.
"Truly, merchants are profit-driven and unfeeling," she said.
The women of the Fang Family truly are mad, any shred of regret from before immediately vanished.
Ning Yunzhao was merely momentarily infatuated, it would fade with time, but provoking such a crazy family of women could last a lifetime.
Eldest Madam Ning picked up the prayer beads beside her and closed her eyes to rest.
Meanwhile, the streets and alleys of Yangcheng were already bustling. The doors of a De Sheng Chang money business were tightly closed, but this did not stop the crowds of people gathering in front.
"The money business on East Street is open," someone brought the latest news.
This instantly stirred the gathered crowd into a frenzy.
"Isn't that place supposed to follow the two Misses' words?"
"Old Lady Fang seems to be angry."
"Of course she's angry, what kind of business is this?"
"You can't say that, the two Misses are also aggrieved, having been worked to the bone since childhood and still unable to marry. Now they're supposed to accept a live-in son-in-law at this age and just be sent off like this, I'd be disgruntled too."
"Women, how could they fight over family property? The property is naturally the men's. If Young Master generously gives them more dowry, it's his generosity and care for his elder sisters; if not, it's also the proper order. Forcing it is indeed disgraceful."
"Oh, when Young Master was a paralyzed invalid in the backyard, why didn't anyone show pity for his sisters working hard?"
The crowd out front grew livelier in conversation, with some even squabbling red-faced, lifting their sleeves ready to argue, making the street more lively than New Year's.
"Truly, shared hardships cannot be shared in wealth and prosperity," an old man watching the excitement on the street sighed, "The ancients did not deceive me."
As his words fell, someone beside him snorted.
The old man turned his head to see a middle-aged, plump man dressed in silk and satin, with a kindly face, though his expression was currently unhappy.
"Ridiculous," he said with a shake of his sleeve and turned to walk away.
This was another wealthy family, probably worried about his own children seeing the situation, or maybe recalling family inheritance disputes he'd experienced before.
Wealthy people have their own worries too, the old man thought gleefully.
The wealthy man turned into an alley, his face darkening further.
Two attendants silently followed behind.
"Master, what do we do?" one quietly asked, "Do we still load the goods now?"
"Load what nonsense now," the wealthy man turned and quietly scolded, "With so many people watching, if we're found out, both you and I are done."
The two attendants hung their heads.
"But Lord Yuan over there is still waiting..." one couldn't help but whisper.
At the mention of the name, the wealthy man's expression showed some fear.
"That useless Old Lady Fang, can't even handle two granddaughters?" he growled angrily, with a hint of violence, "Go, tell her I have no time to wait for her to coax her precious granddaughters."
The attendant nodded and retreated silently.
Compared to the outside bustle, the atmosphere inside the Fang Family residence was heavy.
"Are you all confused? Do you think this won't affect you in the future?" Lady Fang said wearily.
She had tried both anger and reasoning these past few days, but Fang Yunxiao and Fang Yuxiu remained unmoved.
Fang Yunxiao lowered her head, looking uneasy, as if she didn't want this either. Yes, she indeed did not want it, but nonetheless listened solely to Fang Yuxiu.
It was hard to say whether she lacked initiative or was just too stubborn.
Lady Fang was disinclined to deal with her anymore; the biggest issue now was Fang Yuxiu.
"Mother, the future is the future; who knows what it will be like." Fang Yuxiu said, calmly and without anger, "It's better to talk and split things clearly now."
Lady Fang sighed.
"Say it properly with reason; first, open the warehouse, release the accounts," she said.
Talking about it made her anxious, her vision turning black.
Since Fang Chengyu took over the business, she and Old Lady Fang had let go; De Sheng Chang only recognized Fang Chengyu's seal and orders, while Fang Yuxiu and Yunxiao's authority was granted by Fang Chengyu. Now that Fang Chengyu was still on the road and hadn't returned, they couldn't resolve this situation.
"We should discuss matters sensibly within the family; why let outsiders laugh at us? What good is that?" Lady Fang said, "Yuxiu, you're not a foolish child."
Fang Yuxiu smiled, just about to speak, when from outside came Concubine Yuan's voice.
"Old Lady has sent people!"
This voice sounded a bit terrified.
Lady Fang looked out through the curtain and saw more than a dozen burly maidservants entering the courtyard, holding sticks and ropes.
She felt her heart stop for a moment and stood up.
"You've angered your grandmother," she said, trembling, "Have you forgotten what your grandmother's temper is like?"