Seeing Xie Mianmian leading Nanny Qi to move into Wenzhao Court, Xie Siyu and Xie Rujue exchanged looks of utter astonishment.
Xie Mianmian had accepted it so calmly and quickly?
That was the courtyard their grandfather had personally supervised the decoration of!
"Mother! Are you really letting that lowly, barbaric wild girl live in Wenzhao Court? How is she worthy!" Xie Rujue could not accept it.
On ordinary days, he didn't even dare to act out when he went there to play. How could they let that wild girl who just returned to the manor live there now?
Xie Siyu blinked, her expression delicate and understanding as she spoke, "Mother, Sister has been outside for ten years with no one to teach her right from wrong. Giving her Wenzhao Court might cause trouble. If Sister still wants Qiyun Yuan back, I'll… I'll give it back to her. I can live anywhere…"
The Marquess's Wife squeezed Xie Siyu’s hand, her face full of heartache. "Siyu, you stay put and rest easy. Mother won't let you suffer any grievances; Qiyun Yuan can only be yours. Since she wants to live in Wenzhao Court now, she will have to bear whatever consequences come with it."
Xie Siyu hugged the Marquess's Wife, her eyes full of filial devotion. "Thank you, Mother! Having Mother’s love is enough for me; I'm happy living anywhere. I'm just worried about Wenzhao Court, if Grandfather finds out…"
"You are just too soft-hearted and kind." The Marquess's Wife gently stroked Xie Siyu’s back. "I tried to arrange the West Garden for her and she refused; she brought this on herself."
Thinking of Xie Mianmian, the Marquess's Wife's expression became incredibly complex. "She has been wandering outside for ten years. Who knows what places she's been or what things she's experienced. Her manners and conduct are extremely poor. I originally wanted her to gradually adapt to the fine food and clothing of the Marquess's Manor, but I didn't expect her to be so greedy for luxury. Then let this be a lesson to her, to change her character."
"Mother is still the most thoughtful." The corners of Xie Siyu’s lips curled up slightly as she buried her face in the Marquess's Wife's sleeve. "I hope Sister can understand Mother's painstaking efforts."
The Marquess's Wife couldn't help but lament, "If only she were even half as sensible and graceful as you."
"How could someone so vulgar and barbaric be compared to Sister Siyu!"
Xie Rujue snorted coldly, restating his stance. "Anyway, I won't acknowledge her. I don't have such an embarrassing sister!"
Just as he finished speaking, hurried footsteps were heard from the doorway, followed by a voice full of concern: "Mother! Siyu! I'm back!"
A maid lifted the door curtain, and a young man in a white brocade robe strode in, heading straight for the bedside. "I heard someone bullied you?"
"Rujin is back." The Marquess's Wife had just started to speak when she saw Xie Rujue already rushing forward to meet him.
As if he had found his pillar of support, Xie Rujue rushed forward and hugged Xie Rujin, aggrievedly recounting the day's events.
"Big Brother! You're finally back! If you hadn't come back, we would have been bullied to death by that wild girl!"
He lifted his reddened wrist. "Look, she pinched me the moment she returned!"
"She defied Mother!"
"She even forced Sister Siyu to give up her courtyard, nearly causing something terrible to happen to her!"
"She wasn't satisfied with the courtyard arranged for her and ended up snatching Grandfather's Wenzhao Court!"
…
Xie Rujin listened to these incidents one by one, his reaction shifting from disbelief to burning rage.
He looked at the Marquess's Wife, and she did not deny it.
He then looked at Xie Siyu. "You’ve been wronged."
Xie Siyu said nothing, but her eyes were brimming with tears, like pear blossoms bathed in rain.
Xie Rujin had always doted on Siyu. Seeing her suffer such great grievances without saying a single word against the culprit only made him feel she was more gentle and kind.
"Don't worry, Big Brother will go and avenge you!"
When he first heard the news of Xie Mianmian's return to the manor, Xie Rujin felt surprised and somewhat at a loss.
On the way back, he had even thought about being kinder to the sister who had been missing for ten years.
After all, he was the one who had taken her to the Lantern Festival all those years ago and ended up losing her.
He had felt guilty for years and searched for her for a long time.
Later, when he had a new sister, he compensated for his guilt by doting on the new sister instead.
But he never expected that the moment he returned to the manor, he would hear reports from servants saying that Xie Mianmian had bullied his family!
Now that it was confirmed, the slight warmth Xie Rujin felt toward Xie Mianmian turned into a desire to demand accountability.
"This is outrageous! To be so insolent the moment she returns to the Marquess's Manor! She really has grown wild out there. I'll go find her right now and teach her the rules of the manor!"
The Marquess's Wife hurriedly grabbed him, advising him with unconcealed worry, "Rujin, don't be impulsive! She has been displaced and wandering for ten years; her nature is wild, her conduct is poor, and she doesn't know her own strength. What if she hurts you?"
These words were meant to calm Xie Rujin, but instead, they stung his pride.
His chest heaved violently, and his tone carried a hint of shame and annoyance: "I am a man! Could I possibly be afraid of a mere woman? Her manners were poor outside, but this is the Marquess's Manor now! I must teach her a good lesson today so she understands the hierarchy between elders and juniors!"
Seeing she couldn't stop him, the Marquess's Wife advised gently, "Rujin, wait a moment. Your father will be back soon. It won't be too late to scold her when we eat together tonight."
Xie Rujin knew his mother made sense, but the anger in his heart could not be extinguished. He struggled to restrain himself, saying, "When Father returns, he will naturally discipline her himself. I’m just going to take a look now; I can't let Xie Mianmian run wild in the manor!"
With that, he stomped toward Wenzhao Court in a rage.
Seeing this, Xie Rujue didn't want to miss the show of the arrogant wild girl being taught a lesson and followed closely behind.
The Marquess's Wife was uneasy and ordered the maids and servants: "Quickly, follow them! Be careful not to let the young master get hurt!"
…
Wenzhao Court.
The pavilions and buildings were elegantly arranged, with exquisitely carved beams and painted rafters; every step offered a magnificent view.
The sound of flowing water trickled through the courtyard, which was filled with precious flowers and plants, all kept in perfect order.
Inside the rooms, the tables, chairs, and furniture were all made of top-quality red sandalwood, spotless and pristine.
The calligraphy and paintings on the walls, as well as the porcelain vases and ornaments on the desks, were all rare treasures.
Lian Qiao directed the servants to move their trunks and set up the rooms.
Nanny Qi observed everything from the entrance to the interior, unable to hide her suspicion. "Does Young Lady know who originally lived in this courtyard?"
The arrangement was truly meticulous and quite sophisticated.
Xie Mianmian’s fingertips brushed against the exquisite embroidery on the edge of the daybed as she searched her childhood memories.
Perhaps because she had seen familiar people and scenery after returning to the manor, slight memories were slowly being pulled to the surface of her mind.
"It seems like… a place one couldn't easily enter. I don't know what it's used for now."
Nanny Qi nodded slightly, understanding in her heart.
To suddenly change from such a desolate, dilapidated courtyard to one where so much effort had been spent on the arrangement…
Without needing to guess wildly, Nanny Qi, who had seen far too many palace struggles, knew that the Marquess's Wife’s move was not for the Young Lady’s sake, but rather to bring her trouble.
Glancing at the servants outside, Nanny Qi added, "Young Lady, the servants to attend you haven't been sent over yet. I'll go urge them."
"Alright." Xie Mianmian began to familiarize herself with the courtyard on her own.
Not long after, Nanny Qi returned with Butler Hu and several maids and older servant women.
At the same time, Nanny Qi learned that this courtyard had been prepared by the Old Marquess to host distinguished guests, making her even more cautious.
The few maids brought over were average in appearance but decently dressed; the older women looked a bit sluggish.
Butler Hu stood at the door with a respectful expression. "Miss, these are the people arranged to serve you. They are all domestic servants born in the manor. The Madam said that next time she buys more from the slave traders, she'll let you pick."
Xie Mianmian’s gaze swept over them, and Nanny Qi stepped forward to inspect them one by one.
Seeing their shifty eyes and lack of discipline, Nanny Qi frowned slightly and spoke sharply, "Regardless of whose hands your sell-service contracts are in, now that you are here, you must follow the rules of Wenzhao Court and serve the Young Lady well. If anyone has divided loyalties…"
Lian Qiao happened to walk in. Looking at the group, she reached out and grabbed a bamboo pole standing to the side. "If anyone has divided loyalties, bites the hand that feeds them, or refuses to obey orders…"
With a "crack," the bamboo pole snapped and shattered in her hands.
The maids and servants seemed to snap out of a dream, immediately swearing their loyalty: "We will keep the rules of Wenzhao Court in mind! We will serve the Young Lady well!"
Butler Hu was somewhat shocked, yet felt a secret sense of joy.
Finally, someone was experiencing the same kind of fright he had!
…
By the time everything was settled, it was nearly dusk.
The setting sun filtered through the lattice windows, casting a warm golden glow over the room and making the rice paper on the desk look even softer.
Xie Mianmian walked to the desk while Lian Qiao attended to grinding the ink.
When the ink spread on the tip of the brush, it carried a faint scent of pine smoke.
As the brush touched the paper, the handwriting was elegant and powerful, with a hint of sharpness.
Lian Qiao couldn't help but admire, "Young Lady's calligraphy is truly beautiful! It has the air of a great master."
"Of course," Xie Mianmian gave a bright smile. "The master who taught me calligraphy has extremely high attainments."
Her Highness—brilliant, talented, and proficient in many fields—calligraphy was just one of them.
Regarding the situation on her first day back at the manor, she naturally had to let His Highness know, lest he worry.
The letter had just been written and not yet folded when a sudden rush of footsteps was heard outside the courtyard.
Then came the angry roar of a strange man: "Xie Mianmian! Get out here!"
Xie Mianmian carefully folded the letter and put it into the silk pouch in her bosom.
Nanny Qi, who was training and arranging the new servants, looked displeased. "Young Lady, the Eldest Young Master has come with ill intent."
Xie Mianmian walked to the door. Looking at the white figure approaching rapidly in the distance, her eyes gradually grew cold.
As the eldest son of the Marquess's Manor, to be so foul-mouthed and full of hostility—she didn't like it.
Xie Mianmian flexed her wrist and lightly tapped the desk, murmuring, "Since I have nothing to do anyway, I'll show some mercy and teach you a lesson."