After the Changxin Marquisate fell into misfortune, they immediately demoted her from wife to concubine, seized her dowry, and in the end, she was tormented to death by their hands.
Seeing that her young mistress had not responded for a long while, Chunliu looked up and noticed tears welling in Xia Xing’er’s eyes, instantly growing anxious.
“Young mistress, what’s wrong? If you don’t want to hear it, this servant won’t say another word. I’ll go fetch the dowry list right away.”
Chunliu brought the dowry list. “Young mistress, over these three years, the cash alone used to subsidize the General’s Manor amounts to forty-five thousand, eight hundred and forty-three taels, two mace, and forty-five wen. The shops, estates—none of these have been touched. And the items your parents privately gave you remain untouched as well.”
“Mmm,” Xia Xing’er murmured, staring at the list in a daze. Her father and mother had given her such a generous dowry precisely because they feared she might suffer hardships in the General’s Manor. The thought that all these things would ultimately benefit that ungrateful family later on sent a sharp pang of pain through her heart.
“Young mistress, shall we return to the Marquisate then? Might Madam blame you? Perhaps we should hide at Mei Shan for a while first, and return only after Madam and the others have cooled down?”
Chunliu asked nervously from the side.
Thinking of how her family had all met tragic ends in the end, with not even a soul left to collect their bodies, a sudden ache pierced her heart. “We will return to the Marquisate. Father and Mother will surely approve of my decision!”
“But if you leave like this, won’t you just be giving them what they want?”
Xia Xing’er said calmly, “Then let them have it. Even if I stayed here, it would only mean wasting my life away in the end.”
Chunliu thought of how the master, madam, and the young masters doted on her young mistress. If they knew of the grievances she had endured, they would certainly support her decision and even seek justice on her behalf.
“Young mistress, are we going back just like this?”
A cold glint flashed in Xia Xing’er’s eyes, though a faint smile touched her lips. “Of course your young mistress won’t return empty-handed. I must visit the palace first. This marriage was originally bestowed by the Empress Dowager. If I am to leave, I must obtain a Divorce Decree with imperial approval.”
As the legitimate eldest daughter of the Changxin Marquisate, even her departure must be dignified.
With only three days left, she had to make the most of her time and prepare some supplies to prevent the tragedies of her past life from recurring.
Just then, a voice called from outside: “Young Madam, the Old Madam requests your presence.” Chunliu whispered, “It’s Granny Gui from the Old Madam’s side. The Old Madam summoning you now is surely to persuade you to agree to that female general entering the household.”
The corner of Xia Xing’er’s mouth lifted slightly. “Then let’s go see.”
In her previous life, because Helian Zhi had come to plead with her, she had agreed immediately, so this scene had never occurred.
Under the bright spring sun of the third lunar month,
the General’s Manor had been bestowed by the previous emperor upon Helian Zhi’s grandfather. In the past, the General’s Manor could be described as bustling with visitors, but now it was so deserted that sparrows could be caught at its gate.
Helian Zhi’s grandfather had only one son—Helian Zhi’s father—who did not inherit his father’s bravery and skill in battle, finding little success in his official career.
He then fathered Helian Zhi, a younger brother named Helian Hui, and a sister named Helian Rong. The heavy responsibility of restoring the General’s Manor to its former glory fell entirely upon Helian Zhi’s shoulders.
A significant reason he had sought to marry Xia Xing’er back then was due to her family background.
Xia Xing’er brought Chunliu to the Old Madam’s room. The Old Madam appeared rosy-cheeked and showed no signs of illness whatsoever.
Truly, it reflected the saying: joy brings vigor to the spirit.
Seeing Xia Xing’er arrive, she smiled and said, “Xing’er, you’ve come.”
In the room were Helian Zhi’s father, younger brother, and sister.
“Father, Mother,” Xia Xing’er greeted and paid her respects, using the same address as before.
“Xing’er, come, sit by your mother’s side,” the old madam affectionately took her hand and had her sit on the edge of the bed.
She said with relief, “Now that Zhi’er has returned, you too have finally seen the light after enduring the darkness. You’ve suffered these three years.”
The old madam was indeed a seasoned player, but Xia Xing’er was not buying it.
Xia Xing’er withdrew her hand from the old madam’s grasp: “Mother, did you meet Ye Qingyu, General Ye, today?”
The old madam hadn’t expected her to deviate from the intended script, and the smile on her face began to falter.
She quickly regained her composure and said with a smile, “I did. Her looks can’t compare to yours, and perhaps because she leads troops, her temperament is somewhat rough.”
Xia Xing’er then smiled and asked, “So, does that mean Mother doesn’t like her?”
The old madam spoke earnestly, “Whether I like her or not isn’t something I can say just yet, after all, we’ve only met once. But Zhi’er likes her. These three years, while you weren’t by his side, it was Qingyu who shared hardships with him. Such affection is truly rare. They have now earned military merits and will directly request the Emperor to bestow a marriage. This is already an unchangeable fact.
In the future, she and Zhi’er will continue to earn military achievements together in the army, while you manage the inner quarters of the General’s Manor, enjoying the military honors they fight so hard to earn. Isn’t that quite good?”
Xia Xing’er was nearly driven to laughter by such shameless words, as if she were gaining some great advantage.
“What Mother says is true, that does sound quite good. But is General Qingyu willing to be a concubine?”
The old madam, thinking she agreed, smiled and continued, “Silly child, what nonsense are you talking? Qingyu is an official of the court, how could she be a concubine? She will be an equal wife, on par with you in status.”
Xia Xing’er said, “Oh, is that so? When did our dynasty establish such a rule? An equal wife and the principal wife having no distinction in status? It seems I’ve been too secluded in the manor these three years, somewhat ignorant of the world.”
The old madam immediately turned cold: “Xing’er, since you have married into the Helian family and become a Helian wife, you must prioritize the interests of the Helian family. This time, Zhi’er and Qingyu have both earned merits. In the future, as a united couple, they will achieve more military successes. Combined with you managing the household affairs, we can surely restore the General’s Manor to its former glory.”
Xia Xing’er said expressionlessly, “If they are united as husband and wife, what role is there for me?”
The old madam said displeased, “How is there no role for you? Aren’t you in charge of the Household Management of the General’s Manor?”
Xia Xing’er took the keys from her waist and placed them on the table, saying, “Previously, when Mother was unwell, I temporarily took over the Household Management of the manor. Now that Mother has recovered, it would be best to return the responsibility of managing the household to you. I will have Chunliu bring the account books to you later. From now on, I will no longer involve myself in the affairs of the manor.”
Upon hearing this, the old madam was alarmed and immediately said, “Xing’er, I haven’t fully recovered yet. Besides, everyone has been quite satisfied with your management these three years. You should continue to manage the household.”
A mocking smile touched Xia Xing’er’s lips. How could they not be satisfied? For these three years, all the expenses of the General’s Manor had been subsidized from her own pocket. Otherwise, how could they have lived so comfortably?
Just the old madam’s annual medical expenses alone amounted to several thousand taels of silver.
The clothing and jewelry for the masters of the manor throughout the four seasons, as well as the monthly allowances for the servants—all had been covered by her, the fool who footed the bill.
She used to not mind these things because she wanted to live sincerely with Helian Zhi, but now, she wasn’t going to be the fool anymore.
She stood up directly. “It’s settled then. From now on, I won’t manage the affairs of the household anymore.”