Aunt Lai only quarreled with Mrs. Lai occasionally, and she was confined in the small house next door where she and her daughter ate, but normally their meals were taken in the big house.
Relying on Hongji’s father’s affection for her, she was able to eat at the table, unlike other concubines from wealthy families, who served their masters like maids.
That is why she didn’t think life was so bad, even though she had married an old man, it was after all not like marrying a country fellow, toiling from sunrise to sunset, enduring wind, sun, and rain.
Although she was just a concubine, her living conditions were quite good, living a life as comfortable as a young madam.
Aunt Lai’s coquettish voice rang out:
"Eldest Young Master, our Lady has been bullied!"
Hongji stopped his meal, the house being so crowded, his parents and the concubine, along with his wife, sat at one table, while his children and the children of his father’s old age were seated at another.
Aunt Lai and her mother sat to the left and the right of his father, facing him and his wife, and every mealtime he felt those opposing gazes upon them.
He and his wife both disregarded these gazes.
Hongji didn’t respond to Aunt Lai’s words, instead asking his wife, and seeing her calm expression, he didn’t think anything was amiss.
Glancing again at his daughters who also didn’t seem to have any issues, he felt that Aunt Lai was making an unnecessary fuss!
"What happened, children’s mother?"
Mrs. Li looked up at Aunt Lai, sensing she was stirring up trouble again. How could they play into her hand?
So, she calmly said, "A few daughters from the Ye family have set their sights on the Tang Family’s young master, they wanted news of the young master from the Tang Family, and this morning they blocked the road with their people, only to be beaten off by his guards.
Therefore, they held a grudge against our two daughters and blocked their way in the evening!"
Hongji always doted on his daughters like a nursing father, especially towards the youngest one, his affection for his daughter was no less than for his son, he even had more affection towards his daughters.
At that moment, hearing his wife say that someone wanted to bully their daughters, children were his weakness, how could he let people trifle with them casually.
He was no longer the man who had been bullied by others years ago.
"Ye Zhiwei’s ugly daughters are crazy, wife, hire a few guards specifically to guard the house and escort the Lady when she goes out."
Mrs. Li nodded in agreement, that was exactly what she had in mind, initially, she only had the uncle take people.
Now that her husband mentioned hiring guards specifically, she understood, her daughter was growing up and really starting to draw attention.
Ye Shiqi... Aunt Lai was again using this matter to cause trouble, why was this woman so annoying!
Ye Fengqi and her elder sisters exchanged glances, thinking they should teach this woman a lesson, she actually thought they were easy to bully.
Upon hearing that Hongji was going to spend more of the family’s money for his daughter, Aunt Lai almost fumed with anger, it wasn’t following her script, how hateful!
Upon entering, Aunt Lai had early on regarded the Ye family’s wealth as her own, and now every penny spent felt like digging into her own flesh.
"Eldest Young Master, you work hard to make money, and it’s not easy for the family’s business to earn a bit of money, it shouldn’t be wasted casually! Old Master, don’t you think so?"
As she said this, her eyes looked plaintively at Hongji, then weakly at Hongji’s father, with that frail expression.
"Hmph, hiring a few guards to protect the house, to guard the young Lady is necessary, you don’t get a say in this. My mother hasn’t even spoken, so what are you, a mere concubine, meddling for?"
Aunt Lai... Was this still the man she fancied? Wasn’t she young enough, even younger than his woman?
Under the gaze of so many eyes, Aunt Lai lowered her proud head, set down her utensils, and took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
With such an expression, she seemed as if she has been the one bullied, seeking protection from someone else’s man.
Mrs. Lai... she applauded her son, having long found this woman disagreeable, yet having no power to deal with her.
Her son and daughter-in-law were like quail, and if she spoke, her husband would threaten to divorce her.
"Hongji is right, you are just a concubine, the house is managed by the Old Masters and the young madam.
You, a concubine, have no right to oppose the Eldest Young Master’s arrangements. Hmph, know your place!"
Aunt Lai... she turned her head angrily to glance at Mrs. Lai, her eyes filled with malice, feeling that if this old woman wasn’t dealt with, she would become a stumbling block.
A malicious thought formed in Aunt Lai’s mind, and at that moment she decided, it was time to teach Mrs. Lai a lesson.
"Old Master, I’m also trying to save money for this family, wuwu!"