After leaving the main hall, Su Shuyao moved to a new courtyard. She didn’t want to take a single step into the place tainted by that adulterous pair.
This Marquis Residence was no longer fit to stay in either. But the imperial court didn’t allow single women to register a household independently. As an unmarried girl, there was nowhere she could go.
To leave the Marquis Residence, she would need to plan carefully.
Su Shuyao stayed behind to oversee the maidservants moving her belongings. Just a few days later, one of Su Mingzhu’s maids came over. “Eldest Miss, Second Miss asked me to come and see—since you’re not living in Qixiang Courtyard anymore, would it be alright if she moved in?”
“Sure,” the girl replied coldly.
“Thank you, Eldest Miss.” As the little maid walked off, Qiushuang grumbled indignantly, “Eldest Miss, why does Second Miss always covet your things?!”
“She’s not just after your courtyard… she even took your—” husband.
Qiushuang was heartbroken. Ever since Miss Mingzhu was found, her own young miss had suffered countless grievances.
“It’s just a courtyard. If she wants it, let her have it,” Su Shuyao said calmly, “Life is long. Sooner or later, the day will come when I settle the score with her.”
Under Su Mingzhu and Su Mingpei’s relentless efforts, Madam Wan and the Marquis of Weiyuan reluctantly agreed to Su Mingpei’s marriage.
When Su Shuyao heard the news, she only smiled faintly and went back to her account books, calculating how much money she had poured into the Marquis Residence over the years.
Madam Wan was no manager. Since the old madam’s death, the residence had suffered deficits year after year. Most of the landholdings had been sold. Still, the family refused to cut down on luxuries, insisting on keeping up the appearances of nobility.
Su Shuyao realized that couldn’t go on and used the private funds left to her by the old madam to open a spice shop.
Originally, it was just a way to learn how to manage her dowry, but the business unexpectedly flourished. It grew quickly and opened several branches, nearly dominating the entire capital.
Two years ago, in the fifth month, Madam Wan came crying poverty. Su Shuyao voluntarily took over the inner household affairs. From then on, the public deficits were all covered by her.
From this moment on, she would not only stop giving, but she would reclaim every coin she had paid.
“How’s the porcelain and paintings I asked you to buy?”
Qiushuang whispered, “They’ve already been delivered and are stored in your private treasury, Eldest Miss. Would you like to take a look now?”
Su Shuyao closed her ledger and smiled. “Let’s go have a look.”
Inside her private treasury were two rosewood chests. One was opened to reveal dozens of porcelain pieces neatly arranged.
She picked up a painted enamel floral tripod censer and examined it closely.
Su Mingpei had an identical one in his room. His was genuine. This was a private kiln imitation, with a price difference of at least a hundredfold.
Every porcelain piece in the box matched one found in the rooms of the residence’s masters.
The other chest held imitation calligraphy and paintings by famous artists.
The Marquis of Weiyuan, though a military man, liked to pretend to be cultured and took up the habit of admiring paintings like a scholar. Back then, Su Shuyao had helped him purchase numerous authentic masterpieces—spending tens of thousands of silver taels.
He knew little about art. Replacing the originals with fakes wouldn’t raise suspicion anytime soon.
“Find a way to swap them all out.”
In this world, nothing was truly reliable—only real silver in one’s hands gave peace of mind.
She did a quick mental calculation. If she replaced everything and sold the originals, the amount still wouldn’t cover what the Marquis Residence owed her.
She needed to think of more ways to recover her silver.
Once she reclaimed most of it, she would leave this place of endless trouble.
Qiushuang’s eyes widened like copper bells. “Eldest Miss, all—all of it?”
“All of it,” Su Shuyao said with a serene smile. “No need to rush. Do it slowly. Start with the rooms of the lesser masters. As for Madam Wan’s, wait until she leaves the residence.”
“Mm, mm. I’ll be careful.” Qiushuang suddenly felt that her young miss had changed somehow.
As they left the private treasury, Su Shuyao ordered, “Cook two bowls of bird’s nest porridge. Also bring a plate of osmanthus cake, butterfly pastries, and hibiscus cakes. Set it under the wisteria tree so we can enjoy the view while eating.”
In her past life, whenever delicacies arrived at the residence, they always went to Madam Wan first. Madam Wan used to say she was full of vital energy and didn’t need such nourishing things like bird’s nest porridge.
Trying to please her, Su Shuyao never touched it.
Ever since she learned she was just a foster daughter, she had treaded carefully and tried to please everyone in the residence, fearing even the slightest misstep would earn their dislike.
Especially with Madam Wan, she always obeyed.
Looking back, she had truly wronged herself in the previous life.
But no matter how much she endured and gave up, no one ever appreciated it.
Now that she had a second chance, she had to be kinder to her past self.
She liked bird’s nest too.
So this life, if she wanted to eat, she would eat—no need to care about others’ opinions.
Qiushuang was momentarily stunned. “Eldest Miss wants two bowls?”
“One for me, one for you,” Su Shuyao said, pulling her down to sit.
“Ah?” Qiushuang was shocked. “Eldest Miss, such a precious thing like bird’s nest… I can’t eat that.”
“I said you’ll eat it, so you’ll eat it.”
In her past life, Su Shuyao had both legs broken and was locked in the woodshed. Qiushuang ran around begging for help, angering Madam Wan in the process and ending up beaten to death.
This life, she would protect this loyal maid no matter what.
With that, she took Qiushuang’s hand and sat her down beside her.
~
Meanwhile, Su Mingpei couldn’t wait to share the good news with Litang.
He brought his manservant to Spring Orchid Courtyard, but found Litang’s room tightly shut. There wasn’t even a servant in sight.
He pushed the door open. The room was dim. A figure lay motionless on the bed.
“Litang?” Su Mingpei stepped forward and saw her lying unconscious, lips dry, face pale.
“Peilang~” Litang sensed movement beside her and slowly opened her eyes.
Su Mingpei reached out to touch her forehead. It was burning hot.
“What’s going on?” His eyes were full of concern. “Why didn’t you send someone to tell me you were sick?”
Litang weakly covered her mouth. “Peilang, stay back… cough… don’t catch my illness… cough…”
“Miss had a slight fever yesterday,” the maid explained. “We called a street doctor and got medicine, but not only did she not get better, her illness worsened.” She brought over water to help wipe her down.
“A street doctor knows nothing!” Su Mingpei shouted. “Go! Call the Imperial Physician!”
The maid was stunned. “I-Imperial Physician?”
Did Young Master Su hit his head? When had anyone in Spring Orchid Courtyard ever been important enough to call an Imperial Physician?
Even the manservant Shuqi looked dazed.
Even when the masters of the Marquis Residence fell ill, they couldn’t summon one—where would they get an Imperial Physician now?
“My Lord, shall I go find another doctor?”
“Doctor? I said, bring an Imperial Physician!”
In his past life, their residence had two Imperial Physicians on standby at all times—even the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau could be summoned.
Seeing Shuqi hesitate, Su Mingpei finally remembered—this life, he was still just the Heir of a Marquis Residence. He hadn’t even passed the Imperial Exam yet.
“Forget it. I’ll go myself.”
When the news spread that Su Mingpei was going personally to summon an Imperial Physician for Litang, the entire Spring Orchid Courtyard was shocked.
“Has Young Master Su been possessed?”
Su Mingpei arrived at Physician Wang’s residence but was stopped at the gate. “Young Master, to meet our master, you’ll need to present a calling card.”
Su Mingpei thought for a moment. “I am Su Mingpei, Heir of the Marquis of Weiyuan. I’ve come to ask Imperial Physician Wang to visit the residence for a consultation.”
In his past life, he had saved Imperial Physician Wang’s life.
The man had treated him with great respect ever since.
In this life, was it too much to ask him to examine Litang?
Hearing that he was the heir to a marquisate, and seeing him dressed in fine silk, the gatekeeper knew this was someone important and hurried to lead him into the flower hall to wait.
Physician Wang was tending his plants when he heard the report. “Heir of the Marquis of Weiyuan? What fallen noble is this now? I don’t know him. Send him away.”