Tingzheng returned home, and Madam Lin quarreled with him.
Tingzheng was already in a bad mood due to the troubles at the Earl of Pingyang's Mansion, and now with Madam Lin causing a scene, his mood worsened. He said, "I have told you, you should manage the back courtyard; the front courtyard is not for you to interfere with."
Tingzheng received the most orthodox education, which dictated that men handle external affairs while women manage the internal. Lin Qinghan's generous gifts to the Lin family had already crossed Tingzheng's red line, and now she was keen on meddling with his business, which, backed by the words of the Chief Steward, made Tingzheng suspicious of Lin Qinghan.
Madam Lin, her face flushed with anger, replied, "I never intended to meddle in the affairs of the front courtyard." She merely felt that the monthly household allowance was too meager. If she managed the finances, she could spend as she wished, no longer constrained.
