Quick Transmigration: Reversing the Life of a Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character

Zhao straightened her back and didn't tell the truth: "Don't worry, Aunt, it's nothing serious. It's my first time handling this, so I made some mistakes and the shopping was a little late."

"Really? That's good. If you manage this birthday banquet well, the master will be happy, and I'll have a chance to help you get things done next time. Fourth son is short on money and can't even buy things to his heart's content. If you take charge, your lives will be a little more comfortable." Aunt Lian urged. Her son was an illegitimate son, and she herself was past her prime. The master's affection for her wasn't enough for her to fight for much for her son. If her daughter-in-law could step up, at least they could accumulate more wealth.

"Okay, okay, I understand, Auntie." Zhao replied perfunctorily, her mouth full of blisters and her throat swollen.

"You're busy, but if you need anything from me, just have someone come find me."

"Send the concubine back," Zhao instructed her maid, pressing her hand to her cheek, which ached.

A hint of displeasure flashed in Aunt Lian's eyes. She had only been in charge for a short time, and she was already looking down on her as a concubine? When Zhao Shi first entered the family, she said that she was also a concubine's daughter and her mother was a concubine, so she could understand the feelings of a concubine and would definitely treat her as a mother-in-law in private. Now it seemed that those were just empty words she said in front of the fourth prince.

If the old lady came, would Zhao Shi dare to sit there so casually and have her maidservant escort her out?

Fourth Madam Zhao was not a perceptive person. At this moment, her mind was filled with thoughts of the birthday banquet. She had spent all the money on it and hadn't gained anything; in fact, she had lost a lot. Now that things had come to this, if the banquet went wrong again, she would lose all face and dignity. She had no mind to care about whether the etiquette was wrong.

Moreover, it's not that Zhao, as the principal wife, failed to rise and see off a concubine; it's just that she lacked a bit of human sentiment.

At Lu Zhiyao's place, Chunmei returned from outside, looking rather unwell: "Madam, the tea and ice in the manor are urgently needed for the birthday banquet. The steward said that the tea and ice in the storeroom have been suppressed by the Fourth Madam."

Lu Zhiyao was sitting on the couch playing a literacy game with Zining when she heard this and looked up to ask, "Don't the other masters have tea and ice either?"

"Other masters have their share, but Fourth Madam said that you are not in good health and cannot drink tea or eat ice. Since there wasn't enough food for the birthday banquet, your portion was used instead, and it will be replenished next month."

Isn't this ridiculous? Just because they're hosting a birthday banquet, they're already giving away next month's allowance? Do you think the Zhou family would get a Zhao family steward? Are you kidding me?

If the allowances of the other masters were deducted, Lu Zhiyao would still show her some respect. But deducting the allowances of the fifth branch of the family, who does she think she is?

The next morning, Lu Zhiyao went to the old lady's courtyard to pay her respects. She had a stern face, and the servants behind her also had solemn faces. After entering, she nodded to the three sisters-in-law present and sat down.

The First Madam and the Second Madam exchanged a glance and said, "Fifth Sister-in-law, you've arrived early today."

"Hmm." Lu Zhiyao gave a faint "hmm."

The fourth wife, who arrived last, saw Lu Zhiyao's cold face as soon as she entered. Her heart skipped a beat, and she took the initiative to speak: "Fifth sister-in-law doesn't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"

I feel uncomfortable.

Zhao wanted to slap herself. Why did she have to look so upset when she was being so nice?

"Hehe, why don't you go back and rest first, Fifth Sister-in-law? I'll talk to the Old Madam for you."

"How can I let my fourth sister-in-law do everything for me? I'm not mute." The tone was utterly sarcastic.

Zhao felt a little uneasy. She had withheld the expenses from the fifth branch of the family. The male head of the household was not at home, and the one who was at home was weak and the other was small. She had diverted the things that the two of them could not use to the birthday banquet. Otherwise, taking back the fifth branch of the family would have just benefited the servants. She did not think it was a big mistake, but her fifth sister-in-law had a stern face and a strong presence, and she regretted it a little.

After Old Madam Zhou came out, Lu Zhiyao spoke first: "Old Madam, First Madam, is there any difficulty in the manor?"

"Where shall we begin?" Old Madam Zhou paused in her movements.

Zhao was about to speak when she was startled by Lu Zhiyao's sudden movement of standing up, and hesitated for a moment.

"Yesterday, the people around me went to collect the allowance for the fifth branch of the family, but the storeroom didn't give it to them, saying it was being used for the birthday banquet the day after tomorrow. Our Zhou family isn't some small household that doesn't hold a banquet once every ten or eight years, so why should our normal allowance be deducted for a birthday banquet?"

"What's going on? Which servant is so audacious as to confiscate the master's things?" Old Madam Zhou asked sternly. She really didn't know about this. No matter how much she disliked her youngest son and daughter-in-law, they were still her legitimate children, and she had no right to let them trample on her.

Sweat beaded on Zhao's forehead as she stood up and hurriedly explained, "We're a bit short on supplies for the birthday banquet the day after tomorrow. I figured that my fifth sister-in-law and Zining don't use ice and tea much, so I just used the fifth branch's share. I'll make up for it for my fifth sister-in-law once we get through this."

"Fourth Sister-in-law only took the fifth family's share to fill the hole?" Lu Zhiyao asked in a light, nonchalant tone.

"Yes, my sister-in-law is in poor health, so it's alright if she uses less," Zhao said self-righteously.

"no."

"What?"

"I said no. What does it matter to you whether I'm weak or not? What difference does it make whether I use it or not? Why should we, the fifth branch, be deprived of our rights? You deduct from others' rights but mine? Are you looking down on Fifth Master or on me?" Lu Zhiyao's tone remained indifferent, but her words were anything but, quite sharp.

Zhao's mouth was slightly open, and she didn't know what to say for a moment. It wasn't that she hadn't taken things from the Fifth Branch before, and Lu Zhiyao had never argued with her. The steward of the Fifth Branch had always turned a blind eye and never made a fuss about it until the Lu family sent Tao Shi over. She heard that Tao Shi was sent by the Marquis's Mansion, and that's why she hadn't taken things from the Fifth Branch for the past few months. This time, for the birthday banquet, she only used tea and ice. What was the Fifth Sister-in-law doing?

"Sister-in-law, isn't this all for the birthday banquet? If you use it a few days later, it will save face for the banquet. Don't be so unreasonable."

Lu Zhiyao snorted coldly, too lazy to argue with a fool, and looked directly at the old lady and the first lady: "This is not about those things. I don't lack those things, but I can't let people bully me like this. Whether I use them or not is my business, but the things must be delivered to the fifth branch in full. Mother, eldest sister-in-law, you are the people in charge of the household. Since fourth sister-in-law insists on diverting the fifth branch's things, then please give the fifth branch a share of your allowances."

How you guys fight is your business. I'm just a nobody who hasn't even watched the show and I don't want to get involved. Verbal battles are tiring, and she doesn't have the energy for that. So let the two leaders take over.

Zhao was shocked. She could understand Lu Zhiyao arguing with her, but she couldn't have come up with such a bizarre move as to directly ask the old lady and the first lady to replenish the supplies.

"Sister-in-law, please don't involve the old lady and sister-in-law. This was my fault. I will make it up to you after the birthday banquet."

Idiot!