Chapter 228: Everyone is Sensitive
Third Master He noticed Hua Changxi’s dislike towards him. Although he was somewhat annoyed, he didn’t pay it much mind.
Once he officially takes Hua Wuniang as his wife, the Marquis’s Mansion and the Hua Family will be true in-laws.
What does it mean to be in-laws?
It means forming a good relationship between two families and mutually supporting each other.
In his opinion, even if Hua Jiuniang was currently the person with the most resources in the Hua Family, before she was married, she was still a daughter of the Hua Family, and Old Master Hua was the one in charge of the Hua Family.
What he needed to do was to build a good relationship with the male members of the Hua Family.
Regardless of whether Hua Jiuniang was willing or not, the Hua Family could, to a certain extent, be utilized by the Marquis’s Mansion.
In the carriage, Third Master He, while playing with He Xiao Man, asked Hua Wuniang, “Have you mentioned the matter of Siqi and Sirong to Jiuniang?”
Hua Wuniang shook her head, “No.”
Third Master He frowned, his tone showing displeasure, “Why not?”
Hua Wuniang was actually a little afraid of Third Master He. Seeing his angry expression now, she became even more nervous, lowering her head and fiddling with the handkerchief in her hands.
Seeing her so unpresentable, Third Master He grew even more angry, “In the future, when others speak to you, don’t lower your head. It not only makes you seem petty but also makes people look down on you.”
Upon hearing this, Hua Wuniang’s cheeks and earlobes instantly turned red with shame.
Seeing her like this, Third Master He’s dissatisfaction intensified.
If it weren’t for the Spiritual Energy Revival bringing good fortune to the Hua Family, someone as unpresentable as Hua Wuniang wouldn’t even be qualified to be his personal maid.
“Hua Wuniang, listen carefully. As my wife, Third Master He’s wife, I don’t expect you to be eloquent and adept at handling all situations, but you absolutely cannot drag me down.”
“When we return to the Marquis’s Mansion, I will tell my mother to send a nanny to you. You must diligently shed your vulgar demeanor, lest you embarrass me when we attend social functions in the future.”
Listening to Third Master He’s undisguised contemptuous words, Hua Wuniang’s mind conjured up the image of Hua Changxi.
She recalled the words Hua Changxi often said since childhood.
‘Dignity is something you earn for yourself.’
‘How others treat you is something you allow.’
‘I don’t allow others to disrespect me. Even if I can’t win, I will still curse them a couple of times, letting them know I’m not to be bullied, and that bullying me comes at a price.’
These words echoed in Hua Wuniang’s ears, and a sudden surge of courage welled up in her heart. She abruptly raised her head, looking directly at Third Master He.
“Since Third Master looks down on me so much, why did you bother to make me your official wife?”
Hua Wuniang’s disposition, to put it nicely, was gentle and uncontested; to put it bluntly, she was weak and incompetent.
Third Master He had long understood Hua Wuniang’s character. But seeing her dare to retort to him now, he was truly taken aback, and then he let out a scoff.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
The Hua Family produced a Hua Jiuniang, and the docile Hua Wuniang also dared to show her claws.
Hua Wuniang looked at Third Master He’s undisguised mockery in his laughter, feeling only shame, anger, and embarrassment. Her voice trembled, “Third Master, you said that everything has a price.”
“The He Family wants to form a marriage alliance with the Hua Family. Therefore, accepting me, whom you look down upon, is the price you need to bear.”
“Husband and wife are one. If Third Master mocks and belittles me, aren’t you also mocking yourself for marrying me?”
Seeing that Hua Wuniang did not lower her head in shame as before, but instead dared to provoke him with words, Third Master He became enraged. He grabbed Hua Wuniang’s chin.
“I really didn’t realize, you’re quite eloquent.”
“What, do you think that because I’m making you my official wife, you can be disrespectful to me?”
Hua Wuniang’s chin hurt from the grip, but this time she did not back down, still looking directly at Third Master He.
Third Master He stared at Hua Wuniang for a moment, then flung her away.
The force was considerable, and Hua Wuniang almost fell.
Lying prone on the stool, Hua Wuniang had a conspicuous red mark on her fair chin. Though her chin ached, a smile played on her lips, and a joy she had never experienced before bloomed within her.
So, talking back, fighting back, and disobeying others wasn’t that difficult after all.
No wonder Jiuniang enjoyed going against Grandfather and Grandmother so much; she must have found the pleasure in it long ago.
Third Master He waited for Hua Wuniang to sit properly again. Seeing that she did not proactively admit fault, he was displeased but remembered that he would have to report the Hua Family’s situation to his family upon returning to the Marquis’s Mansion. He could only break the silence first.
“Hua Wuniang, you are right. Accepting you is the price I have to bear. And you? Are you ready to bear the price you have to pay?”
Hua Wuniang frowned and said nothing.
As they were nearing the Marquis’s Mansion, Third Master He, not wanting to waste more words, got straight to the point.
“Siqi and Sirong were sent to Hua Jiuniang at a great cost by the Marquis’s Mansion. For better relations between the Marquis’s Mansion and the Hua Family, you should also persuade Hua Jiuniang to take good care of Sirong and Siqi.”
Hua Wuniang looked at Third Master He, “Third Master, you don’t understand my Jiuniang. She’s not someone who easily listens to persuasion. Sirong and Siqi have helped me. As long as they don’t cross Jiuniang’s bottom line, Jiuniang won’t truly abandon them.”
Third Master He was clearly dissatisfied with this answer. What he wanted was for Hua Jiuniang to give special care and preferential treatment to He Sirong and He Siqi.
However, he also knew that Hua Jiuniang didn’t even listen to Old Master Hua, so she certainly wouldn’t listen to Hua Wuniang.
Third Master He said with indignation, “Aren’t all daughters supposed to respect their elders in all matters? Hua Jiuniang is the most disobedient and unfilial person I have ever seen.”
Upon hearing this, Hua Wuniang frowned and looked at Third Master He, “Third Master, no one likes people who dislike them.”
“People are sensitive and can perceive all good and evil intentions and preferences. Your dislike for Jiuniang, no matter how you try to hide it, with Jiuniang’s keen senses, she will surely detect it. In that case, can Third Master expect her to favor you?”
Third Master He was rendered speechless by her question. Feeling that he had lost face, he ignored Hua Wuniang and focused on playing with He Xiao Man in his arms.
Hua Wuniang also turned her head to look out the carriage window, watching the rapidly passing street scenes, her thoughts churning.
What she had just said had also awakened herself.
Jiuniang wasn’t very close to her family. During this return to the Hua Family, she could clearly feel a gap between Jiuniang and the family.
Was this because Jiuniang sensed that her family’s concern and care for her were not pure, but carried other intentions?
In the blink of an eye, it was the third day of the first lunar month. Hua Minghe and Hua Da Lang began their official duties. Once the father and son left, Hua Changxi also bid farewell to the Hua Family members and left the Hua Family Courtyard.
The Medical Affairs Department did not open until the sixth day of the first lunar month, but Hua Changxi went early. Upon arriving at Number Thirteen Qihuang Hall, she entered the Secret Realm Space.
Within the Secret Realm, Hua Changxi examined the Spiritual Medicine and Spiritual Plants on the first four levels of the Secret Realm while contemplating how to manage and operate the Secret Realm in the future.
‘The arrival of Xia Zhen and others led to the simultaneous opening of eighteen Divine Wood Secret Realms by the Dan Sheng Hall. This indicates that when the Dan Sheng Hall appears in the future, more Secret Realms will be opened. How will my Secret Realm be distinguished from other Secret Realms?’
After considering this question, Hua Changxi felt that she should give her obtained Divine Wood Secret Realm a name.
Also, the Secret Realm needed management. She had to install access control for the Secret Realm and issue Tokens for entry and exit to those managing it, making it convenient for her to manage.
Secret Realm name, Secret Realm access control, entry and exit Tokens.
Installing access control required setting up Array Formations, and crafting Tokens would require Artifact Refiners.
Thinking about these matters, Hua Changxi felt she needed to find Tong Yao.
Tong Yao knew Array Masters, and he himself was from the Artifact Saint Palace. Subsequent items needed for Secret Realm management, such as clothes for the farmers, could be refined by him.
