Volume 1, Chapter 26: Clear Out a Courtyard for the Heir’s Consort

Several guards exchanged glances, sizing each other up, none daring to speak, yet no one dared to continue blocking the gate of the Marquis Cheng'en’s mansion.

The vermilion door stood wide open.

Xie Shu lifted her eyes to look inside—it was like a bottomless abyss, as if the next moment it would swallow her into a quagmire from which she could never climb out or turn her fate around.

Scenes of bitterness and suffering from her past life surged in her heart.

But when she thought of her father and eldest sister, struggling on the frontier, those terrifying memories vanished in an instant.

She lifted her foot and stepped forward.

“Young mistress, we are with you,” Lu Liu came up from behind, supporting Xie Shu’s arm and spoke softly.

Xie Shu turned to look back; behind her were the Xie family members beating drums and gongs to cheer her on.

Yes, what was there to fear?

This time, she was not trapped alone in this devouring Marquis Cheng'en mansion.

“Let’s go! Clear a courtyard for this young mistress!” Xie Shu called out, raising her arm. Everyone immediately followed her, bustling toward the eastern garden residence without waiting for any servants from the mansion to guide them.

“That’s! That’s where the masters live!” The servants in the outer courtyard wanted to scold them, but when the words reached their lips, they swallowed them back with a whimper.

There were so many of them, and all seemed capable—they dared not offend them.

The commotion outside the gate of the Marquis Cheng'en mansion naturally reached the ears of those inside the main residence.

The maids who were sweeping hid behind the fake hills, pretending not to see.

The guards and attendants, who protected the residence, dared not utter a word; who knew what the emperor’s personally bestowed young mistress might do! She had once cut off half an ear of Wang Mazi right on the street.

Passing through the flower-adorned corridor, crossing two arched bridges, then following the plum grove eastward for a while, with a slight lift of the eyes, she could see the courtyard surrounded by high walls not far off.

In her previous life, Xie Shu had been the young mistress of the Marquis Cheng'en mansion for six years, so she knew the layout by heart. There were vast eastern and western gardens, but due to the mansion’s financial troubles, the western garden had long been abandoned, overgrown with weeds. If not for Xie Shu’s painstaking efforts to maintain it, the mansion would have soon become a wilderness.

But now, she would not be the scapegoat.

If she were to live here, it would be in the eastern garden.

As for the western garden, whoever wanted it could have it.

“We’re here! Throw out anyone who’s not related to the young mistress!”

With Xie Shu’s command, dozens of people rolled up their sleeves and set to work. All the bedding, unused tea cups, and messy sundries were moved out of the walls in an orderly fashion.

Because these workers had served in the General Zhenyuan’s mansion, although everything was moved out, everything was kept neat and undamaged.

Those trained by the Xie family always knew how to behave.

So, although the items were thrown out, none were broken or carelessly discarded. The maids and young servants in the mansion dared only to be angry in silence.

Well, just think of it as moving house.

With Marquis Cheng'en absent from the mansion, Lady Li, who was in charge, fainted.

Everyone looked around uncertainly, but in the end, Steward Wang, who guarded the outer courtyard, gritted his teeth and ran toward the west wing of the eastern garden, “Hold them off a bit; I’ll go find the young master!”

Hold them off? How could they?

Everyone around the young mistress was armed with long swords!

In the spacious courtyard, Lu Liu brought over a grand chair, “Young mistress, rest your feet first.”

Then Lu Liu set up a stove on the spot, brewed tea and warmed wine, and brought two plates of freshly made peach blossom cakes from Mingpin Pavilion to Xie Shu.

Indeed, it was a moment of indulgence.

Xie Shu stretched out on the grand chair, crossing her legs, sipping tea, and watching the gradually emptied rooms, feeling utterly delighted.

“What are you doing! Doing what! This is my courtyard! Mine!” Lady Li was still faint from before but was disturbed by the hurried footsteps and the thumping of moving furniture outside, giving her a headache.

Nanny Liu had gone out to take a look and saw the Xie family moving swiftly and decisively, with a commanding military air. Worried, she quickly withdrew and said to Lady Li, “Madam, let them make a fuss. We’re just waiting for the Marquis to return. Once he’s back, it’ll all be settled.”

Lady Li had suffered several setbacks recently and was still fearful.

She had thought to endure quietly, but just as she was about to lie down and rest, the door was suddenly kicked open.

“Oh, it’s the lady of the house. Not faint anymore?” Lu Liu led the way inside, her tone immediately dripping with sarcasm upon seeing Lady Li.

Lady Li grabbed the quilt covering her, wrapping herself tightly, suspiciously pointing at Lu Liu, “What do you want? I tell you, I am the lady of this house—the mistress here!”

Xie Shu heard the voice, put down the half-eaten melon seeds, tapped the seed shells in her palm lazily, then rose from the grand chair and stepped inside. After a glance at Lady Li, she raised her hand in greeting, “Mother-in-law, we meet again!”

“Get out! Get out of here,” Lady Li’s fingertips trembled, cursing her misfortune in her previous life for having such a troublesome daughter-in-law.

Xie Shu waved her hand and glanced down at the floor, which was rather dirty. She swept her skirt lightly and chuckled, “I’ve just entered the Marquis Cheng'en mansion and don’t even have a place to stay. If the emperor found out, wouldn’t he think you’re neglecting me and disrespecting him? As your daughter-in-law, I’m here to ease your burden. Since no one arranged anything, I’ll arrange it myself.”

“I think this room is fine. Mother-in-law is kind-hearted and will surely give it to me,” Xie Shu smiled sweetly, but in Lady Li’s eyes, she was a soul-stealing demon!

“Xie Shu, don’t make things irreversible! I am your mother-in-law! You will serve me from now on!” Lady Li was furious, clutching her chest, gasping for air, truly on the verge of fainting from anger!

“Of course. As your daughter-in-law, serving my mother-in-law is only proper,” Xie Shu replied, then turned to Lu Liu, “Mother-in-law’s health is poor and she should rest quietly. The Crane Mountain Hall in the western garden is quiet; let’s move her there now.”

Crane Mountain Hall?

Wasn’t that just a broken fake hill and two long-abandoned rooms?

Quiet indeed—it hadn’t been lived in for over ten years! Probably haunted, and no one would know!

“Who dares to touch me! Who dares!” Lady Li raged like a madwoman, flailing her hands wildly, terrified of being dragged out.

Xie Shu clicked her tongue, “Why get angry? Wang Po, Aunt Li, carry the lady of the house out.”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

Wang Po and Aunt Li were wives of military men, usually doing chores like chopping wood, tending fires, and cooking. They were tall and strong. At Xie Shu’s command, they rushed to the bedside, wrapped Lady Li tightly in the thick quilt, and carried her out of the eastern garden.

Lady Li was wrapped up and sweating from fear.

“Damn it! Damn it!” Nanny Liu followed, shouting, “How dare the daughter-in-law drive out her mother-in-law! Aren’t they afraid of divine retribution!”

Divine retribution?

Xie Shu thought: Clearly, it’s a blessing from heaven.

“You all! Are you defying heaven?”

Ning Rongsheng had heard the news and was running over.