Sheng Hong took a sip of wine and looked at the letter in his hand, unable to keep from sighing.
"Ah, who would have thought Ziyan was so capable? In one stroke, he seized control of the prefecture. Of course, Lord Fan did not make things difficult for him and was happy to see him succeed, but it was truly impressive. Such a major event, and there had not been the slightest word of it. Only when the main branch wrote did we learn what happened. This really is..."
After lamenting for a while, he could not help shaking his head again. "And Hualan too. Not one word about it in her letters home. I know what it feels like to be left out in the cold. Is that such an easy seat to sit in?"
"And now you are blaming Hualan? How would women of the inner household know so much about the affairs of you men? Wang Yan probably feared Hualan would worry, so he did not tell her about these matters."
Lady Wang spoke up in Hualan's defense, then said with displeasure, "The people of the main branch truly have no shame. Tell me, all these years, has their business not depended on your support to sail along smoothly? Now that they see our family's son-in-law has made something of himself, they are actually arranging to send him another concubine. How did that elder brother-in-law even manage to say such a thing?"
"What a woman's view."
Sheng Hong snorted and sighed. "Wang Yan has accomplished something great and is in the height of his glory. Which wealthy household in Hangzhou does not want to marry into his family? Just consider the main branch's business dealings in Hangzhou—the countless shops they bought, the dye works and distilleries they