C6 The Morning and Night Were Different

A few days later.

“Well, Yan Li, do you really think marrying into the Luo family means you can run everything? Think about all the years I've spent carefully planning and managing, only for you to ruin it.”

Today, Yan Li had spoiled her son's chance to shine in front of the Luo family elders. Next time, she might just take away her authority in the household.

With this thought, Mrs. Lau became increasingly restless, clenching her fingers. “No, I can't let her succeed.”

The position of the head of the Luo household was what Mrs. Lau valued most. If she lost it, not only would her sons' futures be in jeopardy, but her own future would be ruined as well.

Nanny Lau's sharp eyes gleamed with a clever idea as she stepped forward with a suggestion.

“Ma'am, why bother getting upset with someone from the countryside? She’s only throwing her weight around because she has Old Master as her backing. Do you really think she has any real skills? If you want to control her, it’s not difficult. Just enforce the morning and evening greetings. She can't escape the rules of being a daughter-in-law here, and no one outside will say a word against you.”

Setting rules for a new daughter-in-law was not unprecedented in the Luo family.

Mrs. Lau's eyes lit up. “Of course, how could I forget? Nanny Lau, go, tell that woman that starting tomorrow, these rules will be enforced. Old Master went to the estate yesterday and won’t be back for at least a couple of weeks. Without his support, Yan Li is nothing.”

Mrs. Lau was thrilled. Wasn't this the perfect time to establish rules? Besides, which daughter-in-law doesn’t have to endure some hardships? Yan Li isn’t anyone special, so there’s no need to be polite. How could she forget she was still in this estate?

But she couldn't blame herself. When she married into the Luo family, Old Master Luo’s mother had already passed away, so she was never “subjected to the rules,” and naturally, she wouldn’t think in that direction.

"Nanny Lau, in the future, you should come up with more ideas like this to save me from worrying," Mrs. Lau admonished.

"Rest assured, ma'am, I will do my utmost," Nanny Lau replied.

With that, Nanny Lau left to attend to her duties.

Mrs. Lau's expression turned smug. No matter what, Yan Li was still her junior, and it was a daughter-in-law's duty to pay her respects morning and evening. She planned to establish the household rules firmly, showing Yan Li her authority and ensuring she wouldn't dare to act out.

In the Banquet Night Courtyard, Yan Li was directing people to move the jasmine plants she had discovered in the garden. The flowers were budding early, and at this rate, they would bloom in a few days, filling the courtyard with a gentle jasmine fragrance. Although jasmine flowers aren't as striking as roses, they possess a sweet richness, a subtle elegance, and a pleasant aroma. Besides their delightful scent, jasmine flowers have medicinal properties; both the roots and flowers can be used in remedies. Jasmine tea is known for its ability to ward off cold and relieve stress, making it a healthy choice for Luo Tingye.

"Not bad," Yan Li thought to herself.

"Ma'am, you're expected to start paying your respects morning and evening tomorrow," Ayuv reported just then.

What? Yan Li was taken aback. It had only been a few days, and Mrs. Lau was already making demands?

The tradition of paying respects morning and evening originated from ancient customs, signifying the daily etiquette of serving one's parents. In farming families, such practices were uncommon since fieldwork took precedence over formal greetings. However, in grand households like this one, it was customary to visit the mother-in-law's quarters at dawn and dusk to show respect.

For others, this routine might not be a big deal, but with Mrs. Lau, it was entirely different. Yan Li couldn't break the rules and give anyone a reason to criticize her. If word got out that she and her husband were considered "disrespectful" or "unfilial," Mrs. Lau would only become more overbearing.

Yan Li found herself lost in thought for a moment. Luo Tingye drank a bowl of medicine as dark as ink and then said, "If you don't want to go, then don't. Just let Father know."

Luo Tingye didn't realize that his tone carried a hint of indulgence and authority as he spoke.

Yan Li shook her head. "Spring has just arrived, and there's plenty to do in the fields. If we leave everything to Father, wouldn't that be too much for him? Besides, we're adults now. It's time we start taking responsibility."

Luo Tingye was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected Yan Li to say something like that. She was only fifteen, after all. Wasn't it a bit early to be thinking about independence?

"So, what do you plan to do?"

Mrs. Lau had started playing by the rules. How would Yan Li respond? This wasn't something that could be settled with just words. Luo Tingye was curious about her thoughts.

A flash of confidence appeared in Yan Li's clear eyes. "She wants me to pay my respects, so I will. As a daughter-in-law, it's expected of us. But whether Mrs. Lau can handle it is another matter."

Luo Tingye raised an eyebrow, surprised by her confidence.

"Really?" He watched with interest.

The next day, Yan Li indeed got up and went to Mrs. Lau's courtyard to pay her respects. Luo looked up at the night sky, still dotted with stars and the moon, and smiled with satisfaction.

It was just dawn when she went, and Mrs. Lau probably wasn't even up yet.

"Interesting woman... clever woman."

Paying respects at dawn, when you think about it, makes a big difference. For instance, now, it's still dark outside. Isn't it too early for such formalities? Mrs. Lau already didn't like her, and disturbing her sleep so early would only make her more irritable. Yan Li wasn't just paying respects; she was adding fuel to Mrs. Lau's fire.

"Master, the Great Young Madam went straight to Mrs. Lau's courtyard and even knocked down the gate."

At that moment, a man dressed in black appeared quietly. He was tall and muscular, with dark skin, and the muscles under his clothes were well-defined, suggesting he was no ordinary person. Yet, such a man spoke respectfully to Luo Tingye.

Luo Tingye squinted slightly, pondering how this woman managed to knock on the door so forcefully that she broke it.

Mo Shang, feeling a bit awkward, explained, "It was just too early, and the gatekeeper was still half-asleep. The Great Young Madam first knocked lightly a couple of times, but when there was no response, she picked up a brick and banged on the door."

Thinking about the Great Young Madam's behavior, Mo Shang found her quite uncouth. How could such a rough woman be worthy of their unparalleled master?

A slight smile appeared on Luo Tingye's lips. "Interesting."

Luo Tingye had to admit that this woman was not only interesting and clever but also methodical in her actions. Take this incident, for instance. She knocked lightly at first, laying the groundwork for her subsequent "door-banging" with reason. If anyone brought it up later, she could easily turn the tables, accusing them of deliberately making things difficult for her.

She was asked to pay her respects, and she went. But when they didn't open the door, she had no choice but to "bang" on it. It was justified and reasonable.

Mo Shang, still puzzled, asked, "Master, should we look further into this woman's background?"