“Aiya, I’m sorry for being late.”
Yuan Xi turned around to see a girl, about fourteen or fifteen years old, with rosy cheeks and almond-shaped eyes, with a graceful figure, running towards them in a goose-yellow pleated skirt. As she entered the room panting, she noticed all eyes were on her, feeling embarrassed, she stuck out her tongue and quietly moved behind Old Marquis, standing there.
The Old Marquis shook his head, saying, “Xuan’er, you’re almost an adult, yet you’re still so loud all the time. What kind of behavior is this?” Though his words were scolding, his eyes were filled with fondness. Yuan Xi immediately understood that she was her little aunt, Xiao Zhixuan, who had grown up by the Old Marquis’s side since childhood.
Xiao Zhixuan quickly smiled and apologized, muttering, “It’s all my fault for sleeping late yesterday. I was afraid I’d miss seeing my sister-in-law if I came late.” She kept glancing at Yuan Xi with her big curious and friendly eyes, and Yuan Xi smiled back at her.
At this moment, another woman dressed decently and with a fair appearance, walked in from outside. She bowed and greeted, “The meal is ready over there, we can have breakfast now.” The Old Marquis nodded and said, “Since everyone is here, let’s have a meal together as a family.” He stood up and paused slightly as he walked past the woman, saying to Yuan Xi, “This is your Aunt Wang.” Yuan Xi quickly bowed to her, and Aunt Wang smiled, holding her hand, saying, “We’re family now. If you find anyone below not serving you well, feel free to come to me, Aunt Wang will make sure everything is arranged properly.” Just then, Xiao Zhixuan jumped over, smiling, “If your brother bullies you, you can come to me too.” Before she finished speaking, a voice came from behind her, “What are you looking for? Late again and not behaving properly, aren’t you afraid of being punished with solitary confinement again?” Xiao Zhixuan immediately drooped her small face, turned around, and made a face at Xiao Du, then properly stepped back. Yuan Xi couldn’t help but develop a lot of fondness for this little aunt who was pretty and romantic.
The group walked through the corridor and arrived at the main dining hall. There were already many maids and servants standing, and the Old Marquis and the princess sat together at the head of the table. Looking back, he said, “Today is Du’er’s new wife’s first day here. Let’s not be too formal, just sit down together and eat.”
Aunt Wang and another woman beside her agreed, and they each found a seat. Yuan Xi noticed that the well-dressed woman had a noble appearance but behaved with careful gentleness, she must be Aunt Cai, who came from a servant background. Aunt Cai sat down next to Xiao Zhixuan, looking at her lovingly with watery eyes.
Yuan Xi suddenly remembered her Seventh Aunt, feeling a twinge of sadness in her heart. She heard from Nanny Li that the Old Marquis had raised Xiao Zhixuan by his side since she was young, even hiring someone specifically to teach her. Perhaps he felt that Aunt Cai’s humble background would corrupt his daughter. Yuan Xi thought, that despite not being favored by her father, at least she could always see her beloved aunt. Xiao Zhixuan, although showered with love, couldn’t be close to her mother, which must have been difficult for her.
Lost in her thoughts, Yuan Xi couldn’t help but sigh: born into a grand mansion, a prestigious family, how many could truly be satisfied? Who could truly understand the fortunes and misfortunes that came with it?
She was so lost in thought that she didn’t realize the many dishes that had appeared on her plate until she turned around and met Xiao Du’s meaningful gaze. Aunt Wang glanced over and chuckled, “Look at the newlyweds, already inseparable after just one night.” Yuan Xi’s face flushed suddenly, not knowing how to respond, and others joined in teasing. The atmosphere at the table gradually warmed up.
Seeing Yuan Xi blushing, Aunt Wang smiled and said, “I’m not exaggerating about our Marquis. With his background and appearance, countless maidservants have tried to climb up the social ladder over the years, but he’s never given them a second glance. Just the other day, a new maid tried to seduce him, and she was promptly sent away. In my opinion, those shameless maids who try to seduce their masters deserve no good ending, they only tarnish the reputation of the mansion.”
As Aunt Cai’s face turned pale, everyone at the table knew she was born a maid and only gained status by giving birth to a daughter. Despite this, she remained silent, quietly serving food to Xiao Zhixuan, as if nothing else mattered except her daughter.
“That’s enough.” The princess, who had been silent all this while, glanced at Aunt Wang and said softly, “Let’s just enjoy the meal. It’s not anyone’s place to praise my son but me.” Aunt Wang’s expression changed, and she quickly apologized, causing the table to fall silent except for the clinking of dishes.
Yuan Xi, accustomed to these household struggles, learned to stay out of it and simply picked up her bowl of porridge to drink. At that moment, Xiao Du spoke again, “Xiao’er, in the future, you should learn from Aunt Wang, learn how to manage this household properly.” Yuan Xi’s heart skipped a beat, choking on her porridge, unable to swallow or spit it out. She coughed violently, and An He, who was standing behind her, quickly handed her a handkerchief. Yuan Xi wiped her mouth awkwardly, then looked up to see Aunt Wang still smiling warmly, saying, “Of course, before, the princess was frail, so I had to take charge a bit, but now that the new wife is here, it’s time to pass on the responsibility. However, the household accounts are complex, and there are many external affairs to manage, so I’ll have to teach you little by little.” Yuan Xi forced a smile and agreed, not understanding why Xiao Du would throw her into this situation on the first day.
During the meal, everyone seemed preoccupied with their thoughts. Since Xiao Du mentioned her learning to manage the household, Yuan Xi felt like various eyes were on her, making her feel uncomfortable. Finally finishing the meal, the maids brought tea to serve the masters. He was about to step forward with tea when she was suddenly bumped by another maid beside her, causing the tea to spill all over Yuan Xi.
The maid who bumped into An He turned pale with fright and quickly knelt, begging for forgiveness, “It was not intentional, Madam. I accidentally tripped just now. Please forgive me!”
Yuan Xi wiped the water droplets off her face with a handkerchief and was about to say something to calm the situation when Xiao Du coldly interjected, “Causing Madam to embarrass herself in public, and just saying it was not intentional, is that all?” Yuan Xi’s heart sank, and the maid burst into tears, pleading, “It’s my fault, please punish me, Master.” Satisfied, Xiao Du stood up and glanced around at the maids and servants in the room, saying, “All of you stay and share the punishment with her, otherwise it will seem like our mansion has no discipline!”
The room was filled with shock at his words. At that moment, a lazy voice spoke up from the side, “Big brother, there’s no need to take it out on the entire household just because you pity the new wife.” Yuan Xi turned to see it was Xiao Qing, Xiao Du’s younger brother and the second young master of the mansion. He wore a green brocade robe with a scholarly air, but his eyes were tinged with bruises, emitting a cold aura. Sitting beside him, the second madam Wang Shiqin quickly tugged at his sleeve, indicating he should not intervene. Xiao Qing glared at her fiercely, causing Wang Shiqin to retract her hand timidly and sit quietly.
Before Xiao Du could respond, Aunt Wang rushed over and sternly confronted Xiao Qing, “The mansion is under the Marquis’s control now. They’re just a few servants; if he wants to punish them, let him. Young Master, please don’t interfere.” Xiao Qing’s brows furrowed in defiance, but he didn’t continue to argue, only snorted softly and turned his head away.
Seemingly uninterested in further confrontation, Xiao Du bowed to the Old Marquis and said, “Father, Mother, you should go rest. Leave these people to me to handle.” The Old Marquis looked at him intently, then nodded and left with his wife. Seeing this, everyone else followed suit, leaving the room full of maids and servants looking at each other in confusion. These maids and servants usually served their respective masters, casually ordering around the lower-ranking servants. Today, they were unexpectedly punished, leaving them all feeling bewildered.
On the other side, Yuan Xi hurried back to her room to change clothes. He, seeing her troubled expression, curiously asked, “Although the Marquis may be harsh with outsiders, he is very caring and considerate towards Miss. He didn’t blame us for what happened last night. Miss should be happy. Why are you still worried?”
Yuan Xi sighed, not knowing how to explain to her innocent maid. She had seen clearly that Xiao Du deliberately tripped the maid, causing her to bump into An He and spill tea on Yuan Xi.
If she guessed correctly, Xiao Du did this to find out who the owner of the broken nail was. The rough servants in the mansion wouldn’t have the chance to keep such long and delicate nails. Only the relatively delicate senior maids in each room would. Only by using this method could he quietly uncover the truth without alarming too many people.
However, while he could investigate, why did he have to put her in such a position? The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. After just one meal, Xiao Du offended her aunt and the maids. He might have gained a reputation for being a devoted husband, but she would probably find it even more difficult to navigate the mansion in the future.
While she was lost in her thoughts, the atmosphere in the dining room was tense and silent. The maids and servants stared nervously at Xiao Du, who sat calmly in the middle with a teacup in hand, unmoving.
Xiao Du leisurely finished his tea and said, “Let’s just use the paddle! Stick your hands out!” The others found it strange but dared not disobey. They lined up obediently and extended their hands. Xiao Du stood up and walked around, inspecting each hand until he stopped in front of one pair. A smile crept onto his face as he asked, “What’s your name? Which room are you from?” The maid, named Zhu Yun, was nearly in tears under his gaze and tremblingly replied, “I’m Zhu Yun, the personal maid from Madam Wang’s room.”
Xiao Du stared at her neatly trimmed nails and asked, “Why did you trim your nails?” Zhu Yun lowered her head, feeling guilty, and said, “I accidentally broke one while working, so I trimmed them all.”
Xiao Du’s smile widened, “Oh, I didn’t know the personal maids in Madam Wang’s room still had to do rough work.” His expression suddenly changed, and he ordered, “Take her out and interrogate her properly!” Zhu Yun was terrified and fainted on the spot.
On the second day, several rumors began to circulate among the underlings within the Marquis’ residence. It was said that the Princess’ favorite maid, Ping’er, had been raped and killed on the night of the Marquis’ wedding and that the one who had killed her was Zhu Yun, a maid in Aunt Wang’s room.
So some people are curious: this Zhu Yun is a woman, how can rape and kill Ping’er. Subsequently rumors: Zhu Yun not only killed Ping’er, but also boldly attempted to blame the wedding banquet for participating in the Zheng General, fortunately, the Marquis of right and wrong, but one day to find out the truth, will be her out.
After a day, there are rumors that after General Zheng met Zhu Yun, had suspicions, it is said that although General Zheng drunkenly can not recognize people, he has always been very sensitive to the smell, only that the fragrance of Zhu Yun’s body is not right. But the marquis holds important evidence, that Zhu Yun is the real culprit, has handed her over to the government, and will be brought to justice in a few days.
However, after two days, and a variety of rumors on the intensification, the subordinate people around this strange case are very interested in, every day when they get together to talk about, will be a variety of news to have nose and eyes, as if their own experience in general.
The fourth day drumming, it is the middle of the night when no one, was covered by the clouds of the moonlight, shining a dark shadow quietly through the corner door, came to the marquis outside the long alley. She carefully probed in all directions, saw no one followed, only secretly relieved, would be in the hands of a packet of things thrown in the alley, and felt uneasy to light a fire.
At this time, she suddenly stiffened her back, turned around to look back, and couldn’t help but scream in fear, and violently planted herself on the ground!