Tan Chun entered, dressed in splendid attire, a gold and jade hairpin adorning her hair. Her exquisite face glowed with a rosy radiance, and her graceful entrance exuded the mature, alluring charm of a woman who had transitioned from a young girl to a married woman.
"Feng Jie, Madam Rong."
"Oh dear, don't say that. If I still call you Third Miss, the Old Madam will gossip about me behind my back." Wang Xifeng seemed to have regained some energy, leaning against the bed, barely managing to sit up.
"Don't say that. At home, I've always been Third Miss."
Compared to the dejected state of the Jia family, Tan Chun's radiant appearance seemed somewhat out of place. The married daughters, it seemed, were doing better.
"Feng Jie, I've brought a doctor. Let him examine you. This is a female physician my husband brought from Liangzhou."
"Alright, alright, Third Miss is so kind." Wang Xifeng dared not put on airs anymore. She sat up and let the female physician take her pulse.
"Third Miss, are you back home today to visit your family? I remember Second Madam went to see Aunt Xue, didn't she?"
Tan Chun nodded. She had always regarded Madam Wang as her mother; only in this way could she maintain her wealth and power, and ensure her own well-being.
The difference between a concubine's child and a legitimate child was naturally enormous. Forget about favoritism; how could a child born to the principal wife and a child born to a concubine be treated the same?
"Mother is at the mansion with Aunt Xue. I came here specifically to see Sister Feng. Firstly, to check on Sister Feng's health, and secondly, to ask Sister Feng's help to help the Jia family through this difficult time."
Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng's face changed. This meant she was to go and serve Lu Ming!
She was, after all, a wife who deeply loved her husband Jia Lian; how could she possibly do such a thing!
It must be said that the women of the Wang family seemed to place particular importance on chastity and reputation. "Third Miss, I was born a member of the Jia family, and I will die a member of the Jia family. This will never change!"
This was a roundabout way of stating her position—it would absolutely not change! Even now, in her decline and destitution, it would never waver in the slightest!
"Sister Feng, don't worry, it's not about asking you to do anything. My husband has asked me to temporarily manage the three departments: the Medical Department, the Education Department, and the Textile Department. I don't understand the intricacies of these departments, so I'd like to ask Sister Feng for your help."
Tan Chun had her own motives; she wasn't there to act as a matchmaker, but genuinely seeking assistance.
"Now that the family is in decline, it's precisely the time for us to work together to overcome this difficulty. I begged my husband for a long time before he finally agreed to let me recruit people from my family. We've all witnessed Sister Feng's methods of managing the household," Tan Chun hurriedly explained. She didn't want to mess things up, but she knew that this power would inevitably have to be relinquished later.
She didn't believe she could hold onto this power long-term, so the best approach was to place as many of her own people as possible for a smooth transition.
"I won't go, fine, Third Miss, are you saying I was too shrewish before! I have no choice, this whole family, I have to manage everything inside and out, and I have to appease everyone during holidays. Besides, I'm not up to the task, so let's find someone else for those three positions." Wang Xifeng harbored resentment towards Lu Ming, believing that once she left the Jia family, she would be mistreated.
Right now, she didn't want anything, she just wanted to stay quietly.
Tan Chun had tried everything to persuade her, but Wang Xifeng remained unmoved.
If Tan Chun weren't now considered Zhou Mu's wife, she would definitely have kicked her out. The governor's wife was still quite powerful, at least much better than the impoverished Jia family.
Actually, the Jia family wasn't completely ruined, it's just that this generation of young people were mostly tied down.
Even if they had to pay Jia She 20,000 taels of silver in compensation, it wouldn't have been a big deal.
The real problem was that without the support of officials, even the wealthiest family was just easy prey. This was what Wang Xifeng found troublesome.
Furthermore, the Wang family had declined, leaving her with even fewer connections.
Now, she felt utterly helpless and desperate; she even contemplated suicide!
A few days later, the Jia family began to face harassment.
They couldn't buy good vegetables, were ripped off when entering or leaving the city, and goods from outside the city couldn't be brought in—they were obstructed at every turn.
The only recourse was to file a complaint, but even appealing to Bao Zheng was futile.
The rules were such that entering or leaving the city required paying money.
Following the rules, taxes had to be paid to enter the city, so even Bao Zheng couldn't do anything about it. As long as one acted within the rules and didn't break them, he wouldn't say anything.
The Prefect's Mansion.
With a high-pitched moan from Tan Chun, Lu Ming roared, biting down hard on her delicate white toes and thrusting forcefully inside.
Suddenly, Lu Ming felt the tender, red flesh inside her vagina gripping him tightly, no longer contracting. Excited, he trembled uncontrollably, and a stream of white semen spurted from his glans, all of it shooting into Tan Chun's vagina.
Then he gasped for breath.
"Master, someone outside requests an audience. They say it's your aunt," the maid Xinghua reported, blushing as she looked at her mistress lying on the bed.
"I know. Tell her to wait. Go fetch some hot water for Madam to wash." Lu Ming rolled off Tan Chun, lying on the bed panting.
Such a beautiful and delicate girl, he could never get enough of her, and she was capable of managing the household affairs, keeping the mansion in perfect order. This alone was enough to make Lu Ming think highly of her.
Despite her exhaustion, Tan Chun nestled in Lu Ming's arms, licking his cheek like a kitten.
"Husband, you're amazing! I don't even have the strength to get out of bed!"
What could be more pride-inducing than hearing a woman praise his prowess in bed?
"They're probably here to plead for mercy, Tan Chun. Take a good look at the regulations for the Three Departments. The four major families have women wanting to come in; you handle that. Don't rush to generate revenue. Train them properly first, even if it takes a month. The scale will definitely expand later, and you'll also be handling things there. Don't worry, we don't lack money. We're just giving you a place to pass the time and cultivate some enjoyment." Lu Ming stroked Tan Chun's smooth skin, and as he spoke, he began to snore and fall asleep.
After the maids entered, Tan Chun made a shushing gesture, signaling them not to wake Lu Ming. She took the blanket and covered Lu Ming with it, while the maid used a hot towel to wipe their genitals.