The next day, firecrackers crackled in front of the Pingyang Marquisate.
As the smoke cleared, several stewards were about to order the gates closed when they caught sight of the long-absent Second Master Xiao Xun!?
Speak of the devil… The Marquis had just mentioned Second Master yesterday, and today he had returned!
The servants were stunned and hurried off to report to their respective masters.
“How did the ceremonial washing and offering go for the Marquess’s entry?” Xiao Xun asked as he walked, his steps swift.
The steward rubbed his nose and jogged to keep up with him as he replied:
“Second Master, this morning the Marquess personally went to invite Tai Furen. She stood outside Shou An Ju for a while, but Tai Furen claimed she was unwell…”
“Upon hearing this, the Marquis immediately waived the ceremonial washing and offering and took the Marquess directly to the ancestral temple to pay respects…”
“At present, the Marquess has already been entered into the clan register and is likely heading to Qingshen Tang to meet the younger members of the clan waiting there.”
After the steward stammered through his report, Xiao Xun felt a pang of frustration.
He was a step too late!
He pivoted sharply on his heel and changed direction. “Notify Tai Furen that I have returned and ask her to come to the main hall in the front courtyard.”
The steward acknowledged the order.
…
Xiao Xun, still dusty from his journey, intercepted Xiao Lin and his party.
After a brief exchange of glances between the brothers, Xiao Xun bowed respectfully to Xiao Lin. “It has been many years, yet the Marquis’s health remains frail…”
Xiao Lin stared straight at him, his gaze profound, as if laden with unspoken words. “Isn’t Second Brother the one who knows best why my health has deteriorated to this state?”
Xiao Xun: “…”
“Even if Tai Furen is in the wrong, she is still backed by the Sun Clan of Lu Commandery… The Marquis should still take the Marquess to the main hall. Other formalities may be waived, but the Marquess must at least offer Tai Furen a cup of tea…”
Having said this, he avoided Xiao Lin’s icy gaze and turned to Su Mingyue, clasping his hands in a light bow as a greeting.
Su Mingyue glanced curiously at the man opposite her, whose hair and beard were graying yet still retained a dignified appearance. A faint smile touched her lips as she nodded in return.
So this was Xiao Xun…
Xiao Lin: “…”
The two sides stood in a tense standoff for a moment.
Though Xiao Lin’s expression remained grim, he seemed to disregard the wild and ambitious words Su Mingyue had spoken the day before. Without much emotion, he led her toward the main hall in the front courtyard.
…
When the door opened, Tai Furen was already there.
Seated facing south, she looked up at Xiao Xun, who was pushing Xiao Lin’s wheelchair, and her pupils dilated in shock! Her back instinctively straightened slightly before she hastily averted her gaze.
Su Mingyue could tell that Tai Furen was nervous. She seemed to fear this stepson, who was close to her in age?
A few moments later, Mama Liu, the stewardess beside Tai Furen, stepped forward to guide the ceremony. Su Mingyue respectfully offered tea to the elderly lady but received nothing more than an ordinary white jade bracelet.
Her brow furrowed slightly before she took her seat, facing the younger generation of the household.
Mama Liu immediately signaled for the Xiao Family members to offer tea to the new Marquess.
Xiao Hongyi frowned as he looked at the young girl opposite him, who had nearly become his daughter-in-law. The title “Aunt” was simply too difficult to utter!
While he hesitated, Xiao Hongjin, the Second Master of the Pingyang Marquisate, stepped forward with his wife and children.
The family of four smoothly changed their address without the slightest hesitation.
Su Mingyue curved her lips into a faint smile. After exchanging a few polite words, she presented Second Master Xiao with two rare historical texts on local chronicles and private historical manuscripts, and gave his son a set of high-quality scholar’s treasures.
The second young master of the Xiao family was exactly ten years old this year. Frowning as he looked at the meeting gifts on the tray, he couldn’t help but show a worried expression.
Xiao Hongjin, however, was completely different from him! He could hardly conceal his delight as he carefully put away the gifts, his every movement filled with reverence.
Then, he composed himself and, with a solemn expression, bowed deeply to Su Mingyue, speaking earnestly: “Thank you, Aunt, for your generous gift. I will certainly treasure it with care.”
Su Mingyue nodded with a smile. For the Second Wife, she gifted an exquisite set of ruby hair ornaments; for the second young lady, Xiao Yanchu, she presented tribute silk.
That silk had originally been bestowed upon Su Mingyue by Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. Throughout the entire Capital City, aside from a few ladies in the palace, only she possessed such fabric.
Seeing that the gifts given to Xiao Hongjin’s branch of the family were so precious and invaluable, Xiao Hongyi couldn’t help but feel his heart race.
His gaze gradually fell upon the tray held by the maid beside him… wondering what treasure might be hidden beneath that red cloth?
He nudged Xiao Yunhe with his elbow, but Xiao Yunhe abruptly shifted half a step away, his face darkening as if ink could drip from it.
Yue’er was still Yue’er—he would never call her “grandmother” in this lifetime!
The room fell into a brief silence. Then, the third young master, Xiao Yundi, who was not yet eight years old, was led forward by his mother, Madam Lü.
Madam Lü straightened her sleeves and bowed: “Your niece-in-law pays respects to Aunt!”
Su Mingyue nodded lightly and, to everyone’s surprise, presented Madam Lü with a string of emerald prayer beads.
It was clear that the prayer beads were also extremely valuable!
Yet, Madam Lü’s expression instantly darkened, and her knees began to ache faintly…
Was this new Marchioness warning her, a widow, to live a quiet and well-behaved life?
What an arrogant little girl!
Seeing that there was a valuable gift to be received, Xiao Yundi immediately knelt down and kowtowed heavily to Su Mingyue: “Your grandson kowtows to Grandaunt!”
With a loud “thud,” the sound nearly frightened Madam Xiao and Madam Lü out of their wits, their faces instantly turning deathly pale.
Su Mingyue’s eyes widened in surprise. She quickly ordered Xiao He to help him up, then took the gold necklace handed by Xiao Tao and placed it around Xiao Yundi’s neck: “Your clothes are dirty. Hurry and go with your mother to change!”
Madam Lü said, “It’s nothing,” but remained standing with a livid expression, refusing to leave.
Xiao Hongyi thought to himself that with seniority at play, there was no avoiding it…
Steeling himself, he stepped forward with Liu Lingyi, both awkwardly changing their address. But when the word “Aunt” left his lips, who would have thought that what he received were merely two utterly ordinary pouches!?
Xiao Hongyi was so angry that his eyes widened instantly, a surge of fury rising in his heart, yet he had no choice but to endure it.
The eldest young lady, Xiao Yanning, who had specially returned home, saw that only she and her brother remained. She stepped forward hesitantly: “Yanning pays respects to Grandaunt!”
She lowered her head slightly, thinking to herself: In the past, she and Su Mingyue had shared some acquaintance…
Although Su Mingyue had later gone mad, even going so far as to pettily take back all the gifts she had given her, surely the gift for changing her address wouldn’t be lacking…
One must know when to bend and when to stand firm!
Just as Xiao Yanning was thinking this, she saw Su Mingyue gently place a handkerchief into her hand!?
That… that’s it!?
“Are you insulting me!?” She flung the handkerchief away, her chest heaving with anger. “Why did Second Uncle and the others…”
“Outrageous!” Xiao He stepped forward, eyes wide with anger. “Regardless of whether the gifts are valuable or not, they represent the Marquess’s wife’s intentions. All the gifts for changing forms of address were arranged in order. Who made you, Eldest Miss, change your address so reluctantly?”
By now, everyone in the room could see that Madam Su’s prepared gifts were indeed arranged from most to least valuable, not deliberately targeting anyone.
Was this a show of authority?
It seemed the new wife was not to be underestimated either!
“Enough!” Old Madam Xiao shot a glare at Xiao Yanning, then turned to Su Mingyue. “Having only two maids accompanying you in marriage is certainly insufficient. This old one—”
“Reporting to Tai Furen,” Su Mingyue interrupted her, “I have stayed in the Marquis’s residence for some time and have specific people in mind that I wish to have, only awaiting the Marquess’s approval!”
Xiao Tao promptly presented the pre-prepared list to Xiao Lin.
The six names written on it were all currently in the residence, performing the most ordinary miscellaneous tasks.
The first two were elderly women who had shielded Su Mingyue from disaster in her previous life, both ending up with one dead and the other severely injured.
The four maids following each had their own skills, and all were honest, dutiful, and without attachments.
Such people were the most reliable and easiest to manage.
Xiao Lin looked at the names on the list, momentarily unable to recall any connection between these people and Su Mingyue.
He glanced sideways at Su Mingyue, the coldness between his brows impossible to suppress.
A moment later, disregarding Old Madam Xiao’s displeased expression, he ordered the steward to bring all the contracts of the servants Su Mingyue had specifically named and hand them over to her.
Tai Furen’s attempt to insert her own people into Xuanmao Hall had failed. She abruptly stood up, intending to confront Su Mingyue and Xiao Lin…
But suddenly met Xiao Lin’s icy gaze! Xiao Xun’s expression also darkened…
Pursing her lips, she ultimately said nothing, turned, and left in a huff.
Seeing this, the others, after seeking Xiao Lin’s permission, all dispersed as well.
The vast hall instantly became empty. Xiao Lin did not even spare Su Mingyue a glance from the corner of his eye. The two went their separate ways, each returning to their own courtyard.
Xuanmao Hall had four main rooms, with six side rooms on each side. Besides the rear-facing rooms, there was also a Medicine Hut that Xiao Lin had specifically ordered expanded for her, dedicated to storing and preparing medicines.
The entire courtyard was extremely spacious, even surpassing the Shou An Ju where Tai Furen resided!
“From now on, Mama Kong will manage the scheduling and assignments within the courtyard, Mama Fan will oversee the small kitchen, Xiao He will handle finances, and Xiao Tao will manage clothing and jewelry,” Su Mingyue said.
As for the four young maids, two would be responsible for daily miscellaneous tasks, and the other two would specialize in the Medicine Hut.
…
As soon as Tai Furen’s party returned to Shou An Ju, Mama Liu dismissed everyone and accompanied Tai Furen alone into the room.
Before the door was even fully closed, Old Madam Xiao collapsed into a chair, accidentally knocking over a teacup on the table in her daze.
“Tai Furen, let this servant help you to the couch to rest,” Mama Liu said with concern, yet remained calm.
Tai Furen pondered.
She suddenly asked, “Qiurong, in which year did Lady Bai die?”
Mama Liu’s heart jolted violently.
Lady Bai’s death had been too tragic. She was not very willing to bring up this matter and knew Tai Furen feared anyone mentioning it. Hesitantly, she said, “It must have been about twenty years.”
“Eighteen years,” Tai Furen corrected her. “Xiao Xun has been gone for exactly eighteen years! He said he never wanted to return to the Capital City again… So why has he come back at this time?”
Lady Bai was the principal wife she had personally chosen for Xiao Xun. After Lady Bai was buried, Xiao Xun left, and no one knew his whereabouts.
He had always disdained to concern himself with the matters she busied herself with, so why had he returned now that Xiao Lin had taken a principal wife!?
Was it for Madam Su? Or was it for her?
Mama Liu looked at her uneasily: “Tai Furen, what is the matter? Shouldn’t Second Master’s return be a good thing?”
“You don’t understand,” Tai Furen said sorrowfully, a faint shimmer of tears in her eyes, tinged with emotion. “Xiao Xun hates me.”