"You stupid girls!" A shout was heard coming from the village head's home. The villagers walking past looked over at the closed gate curiously. Past the gate next to the laundry line Tao Ming (Tao Fang and Tao Chun's Muqin) glared at her two daughters who stood in front of her looking at the ground.
"Muqin please," Tao Chun said softly, glancing up at her, slightly nervous.
Tao Ming huffs and finishes hanging the rest of the clothes before grabbing the basket off the ground walking to the door of the house. Behind her Tao Fang and Tao Chun followed her, glancing at each other nervously. Tao Ming dropped the basket at the door entering the house.
"Sit down," Tao Ming said, waving to the small table near a window facing the home's garden. Tao Ming angrily boiled water and by the time she was done she walked over calmly handing them a cup.
"Now, please tell your dear Muqin how you two went in and couldn't keep attention on yourselves and away from one girl." Tao Ming sipped her drink and smiled stiffly. The two girls glanced at each other one more time.
"Well, Muqin at first we separated the two as much as possible after they slept with each other." Tao Fang started off,
"Then when Zhangfu wasn't home we made her do the hard labor like preparing the garden, doing laundry, and what-not." Tao Fang continued, Tao Ming's brows furrowed at her words.
"Although we stopped after Zhangfu corrected us." She quickly tried to calm her down by saying this. Tao Ming just sipped her water quietly waiting for them to continue speaking. Tao Chun saw the conversation going down hill and stepped in.
"Well, besides that we also tried putting her down and showing how disliked she is. We even tried to say she is a burden so she would feel too ashamed to try and get close with Zhangfu." Tao Chun's voice slowly got quiet as she spoke ending on a whisper by then end as Tao Ming's face darkened.
"Is that all?" Tao Ming asked quietly, taking another sip of her drink trying to keep calm. The two nodded at her feeling like they might have messed up.
"So, what you're telling me is you made Bai Chun sympathize with her by giving her all the house chores." She took a sip of her drink before slamming the empty cup on the table making Tao Fang and Tao Chun jump and shakily take a sip of their drinks.
"Then you made her seem very pitiful by bullying her." She said angrily, glaring at the two. They looked at her wide eyed terrified.
"Muqin we really didn't mean to! We thought it should be simple to keep them apart by doing so." Tao Fang said quickly, panicking. Tao Chun nodded her head quickly as well, agreeing.
"No! It's never that simple! I even told you to focus on having a child! Did you not listen to me?!" Tao Ming almost started shouting, barely keeping her voice down. The two quickly dropped to the ground with teary eyes bowing.
"Muqin please! We are sorry!"
"Muqin please!" They cried out. After huffing in anger she poured another cup of hot water and shakily took a sip trying to calm down.
"Get back in your seats." She said with a sigh while gazing at them with disappointment. They stood back up gently and sat down.
"Look, all you two honestly needed to do was sleep with her the most and try to have a son first. The family hasn't made it to a point of needing to fight like that. You all are in the same small house and it hasn't been expanded as of yet. I know you entered the house through some dubious means but fighting won't make him like you more." She explained while rubbing her temple.
"But with what you're telling me it's already gone too far. Bai Chun might now have a bad impression of you two now. Tell me how is the relationship between Bai Chun and that wild girl." She asked.
"Well when we left Zhangfu had just finished practicing his writing and was cuddling next to Sister Bai while she massages her wrist." Tao Chun said softly.
"Hmm they must have gotten closer because of you two. Well it shouldn't be too late to fix this." Tao Ming mumbled before taking another sip of her drink.
"You two must listen to me. If you wish to target the girl you must get with child to have that above her. If she is with child first don't do anything to her or you will anger Bai Chun. Now, it's too late to pretend to be nice but avoid making trouble for the girl. Understood?" She glared at the two who nodded meekly.
"Goodness, you two married and forgot manners at your new home. Must be too much freedom. Just know when your family gets to a point where it can afford maids I will send your father's sister's daughter over there she will be a fall back in case you two can't keep favor. Remember the point is for you to gain and keep favor and send money back to the family." She said sternly. Tao Fang and Tao Chun's faces darkened.
"Muqin there is no need for that right?" Tao Fang said, sounding slightly annoyed. Tao Ming glared at her.
"If you were better at managing a household and keeping favor there would be no need right?" She said back, Tao Fang's face dropped at her words but she kept her mouth shut.
"Besides, your cousin is a sweet girl and has a personality similar to that wild girl but more appealing." Tao Ming said matter of factly while standing up and cleaning off the table.
Tao Fang and Tao Chun stood up at her signal.
"Well, Muqin we will leave now it's getting late and we must go home to cook dinner." Tao Fang said while Tao Chun fixed her head cloth to cover her hair and half her face. Tao Ming walked them to the gate and quickly put on a happy smile.
"Well girl, visit your dear Muqin more often. I hope to hear news of a child soon!" She said while waving at them. The passing villagers looked over curiously before continuing walking by.
After closing the gate, Tao Ming, still angry, went and cooked dinner for the night.