The sudden news stirred different thoughts among those in Rongshou Hall.
Concubine Wang was overjoyed.
Heaven has eyes! That shrew Wen Li has finally lost her backing!
Madam He felt somewhat dazed. With Old Master Wen’s passing, she wondered about the Wen Family…
Never mind, the Wen Family’s affairs were not for her to consider. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse.
Madam He’s eldest daughter, Xu Ru Li, tightened her grip on the teacup and pursed her lips.
Would the eldest young lady still be so reserved and delicate in the future?
Old Madam Xu wore an expression of grief.
“Ah, let us go to Zhixia Courtyard and inform A Sheng of this news. With her maternal grandfather’s passing, she must be deeply saddened.”
As soon as the group arrived at Zhixia Courtyard, Madam He exclaimed in surprise,
“Mama Liu, why are you here in the eldest young lady’s courtyard instead of attending to your duties in Rongshou Hall?”
Mama Liu knelt with a thud.
“Old Madam, for some unknown reason, the eldest young lady punished Qinglian by making her kneel under the scorching sun. This old servant thought, Qinglian kneeling for a while is of little consequence, but if the eldest young lady punishes servants so indiscriminately, I fear…”
Madam He nearly laughed aloud. With Xu Rusheng’s backing, punishing a servant was nothing—even if she beat one to death on the spot, who would dare say a word against it?
Her sister-in-law had grown increasingly low-key over the years, causing the household servants to gradually forget the Marchioness of Linjiang’s decisive and ruthless methods.
Thinking of this, Madam He couldn’t help but glance at Concubine Wang, who was enjoying the spectacle.
If Old Madam Xu hadn’t threatened to take her own life back then and written a deed of sale, her sister-in-law would have forced a bowl of poison down Concubine Wang’s throat…
As Mama Liu performed her solo act with tears and snot, Concubine Wang chimed in from the side,
“Old Madam, look at how arrogant the eldest young lady is. With the madam not in the residence, you should discipline her.”
Old Madam Xu shot Concubine Wang a disappointed look. After all these years, why hadn’t she learned any better?
Old Master Wen was dead, and the Wen Family was no longer a force to be reckoned with. What was the hurry?
“Grandmother has arrived. Your granddaughter failed to welcome you properly.” Xu Rusheng emerged gracefully to greet them.
“Second Aunt and younger sisters are here too. Please come in.”
Concubine Wang stood to the side, nearly tearing her handkerchief apart. Xu Rusheng hadn’t spared her a single glance from start to finish.
“Why did the eldest young lady punish Qinglian for no reason?” Concubine Wang couldn’t swallow her anger. With Old Master Wen dead, how dare she still act so arrogantly!
Xu Rusheng lowered her head to glance at the floral brocade pattern on her skirt, her eyelids drooping slightly. “Mama Wu, slap her.”
Upon hearing this, Mama Wu stepped forward and delivered a heavy slap, immediately swelling Concubine Wang’s well-maintained face.
Before anyone could react, Xu Ruzheng screamed.
“Ah, ah! How dare you hit my mother! How dare you hit my mother!”
Only eight years old, her originally tender face now twisted with a hatred that belied her age, her eyes red and glaring fiercely at Xu Rusheng.
“Your grandfather is dead, and your mother has no sons. When my brother inherits the marquisate, I’ll have him sell you and your mother to a brothel!”
Old Madam Xu was the first to react, slapping Xu Ruzheng on the head on the spot, scattering her two pigtails.
“Silence! Who taught you to say such things? Who taught you? Someone, take Third Young Lady to the ancestral hall to kneel. Without my orders, she is not to eat or rise.”
Xu Ruzheng was dragged away with her mouth covered, while Concubine Wang, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, wailed at the top of her lungs.
“Old Madam, Sister Zheng is still young, she was just talking nonsense…”
Zhixia Courtyard was thrown into chaos, but Xu Rusheng stood rigidly still, stunned. Her maternal grandfather had died! No, that wasn't right—it was only early spring, just the third month. She remembered her grandfather had passed away after the Dragon Boat Festival!
Why had it happened so much earlier?
Had her rebirth disrupted the natural order?
Mama Wu watched as her young mistress's face turned pale. Upon hearing of Old Master Wen's death, she was overcome with grief and covered her face, weeping.
"I must enter the palace. I must see my aunt."
Xu Rusheng made a decisive decision. Since her rebirth, the person she most wanted to see was Empress Wen.
Only with Empress Wen present could she calm her mind and think clearly.
Old Madam Xu's eyes darkened upon hearing this, and she spoke up to stop her.
"The palace is busy with many affairs, and royal rules are strict. One careless move could offend the nobility."
"Now that your grandfather has just passed, His Majesty, in remembrance of his teachings, will certainly not treat the Wen Family poorly. You should stay quietly at home these days and not go out."
This was meant to confine her!
Xu Rusheng hadn't expected that as soon as her grandfather passed away, the Xu Family would become so impatient.
Old Madam Xu was afraid. The Wen Family was a prominent clan in Qujiang. After His Majesty ascended the throne, he had suppressed many noble families, but only the Wen Family—with Old Master Wen as the Emperor's teacher—had received leniency.
But now, with her grandfather gone, her aunt having no sons, and her uncle commanding an army of two hundred thousand troops, His Majesty must have long harbored suspicions.
Throughout history, few military generals had met a good end…
The seemingly prosperous Wen Family was actually already walking on thin ice.
Xu Rusheng looked at Old Madam Xu, her heart sinking to the depths. A few words escaped her throat, "What is Grandmother afraid of?"
Old Madam Xu hadn't expected her thoughts to be so easily seen through by her granddaughter. For a moment, her expression turned awkward. She raised her eyebrows and scolded:
"What do I have to fear? From today onward, you will stay in Zhixia Courtyard and properly observe mourning for your grandfather. Do not leave the courtyard until your father returns."
With that, she turned and left. Concubine Wang, supported by others, glared fiercely, about to speak, but was immediately dragged away by two maids.
Madam He looked at Xu Rusheng with a complicated expression and finally sighed. "Don't be afraid. With everything in chaos now, it's better not to leave the courtyard. If anything happens, come to the second branch and let me know."
After speaking, she led her two daughters away as well.
Mama Liu and Qinglian, kneeling on the ground, were left utterly bewildered.
Who still remembered that this whole matter had started simply because Qinglian was being punished by kneeling?
Madam He hurried back to the second branch, her two daughters lagging behind, whispering to each other.
The fourth young lady, Xu Ruxiao, spoke fearfully to her elder sister in hushed tones:
"Second Sister, Eldest Sister is truly formidable. She dared to strike Concubine Wang right in front of Grandmother—just as formidable as Auntie."
Her eyes sparkled with admiration and envy.
Xu Ru Li lowered her eyelids, her long lashes casting a shadow as she murmured to herself, "Yes, she has always been different from us. But perhaps from now on, she will be just like us."
"Second Sister, what did you say?" Xu Ruxiao hadn't caught it clearly.
Xu Ru Li smiled brightly, "Nothing. Eldest Sister is different from us. What would you like to eat for lunch?"
The sisters' figures disappeared into the spring scenery of swaying willow branches.
Xu Rusheng, however, was pondering how to enter the palace to see her aunt.
With her mother absent, as an unranked legitimate daughter of a marquis's household, she had no right to submit a request for an audience.
"Young Miss, Sister Qinglian is still kneeling." Qingbi cautiously reminded her. After all, she couldn't bear it—they had grown up together as sisters.
Upon hearing this, Xu Rusheng glanced at Qinglian, who was nearly on the verge of fainting.
What a nuisance! She was currently in a state of utter turmoil.
No, her rebirth had caused her grandfather to pass away earlier than expected. Who knew what other changes might occur? Qinglian had betrayed her mother in her previous life, becoming Princess Chunyi's lackey. There was no telling whether she would become even more dangerous in this life, potentially threatening her mother's life.
She couldn't be kept around. Killing her would be the safest option!
"Ah, it hurts."
The moment Xu Rusheng's mind flashed with the thought of killing Qinglian, it felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck the crown of her head. A sharp, intense pain overwhelmed her, plunging her vision into darkness as she lost consciousness.