When Wen Qingwan heard the inner thoughts of Madam Hou, her eyes widened, wanting to curse, and at that moment a voice sounded in her mind.
[Host, taking over the Marquis residence’s household authority will earn you one thousand merit points. Besides, saving a single life surpasses building a seven‑tier pagoda.]
Yo! What a good deal—one thousand merit points can buy lots of mind‑reading charms and gossip charms!
Managing a mere Marquis residence is no difficulty; in her past life, overseeing the vast imperial harem was not exhausting either—only because Zhao Jue dumped memorials on her to review did she end up worn to death.
Wen Qingwan gave Madam Xiao Wang a long, searching glance; the way she looked now was almost crazed.
It was very much like the Crown Princess back then at times, but far more severe.
Do women in love always end up so restless—ready to live or die for a man?
Good thing she has never fallen in love in either lifetime—love looks downright scary.
Wen Qingwan resolved from now on to seal her heart and lock away love, to be beautiful alone.
Whatever sympathy she’d felt for the Marchioness was gone—after all, the pitiful often have their flaws.
They are not worthy of sympathy at all!
“Jin’er, Wan’er has already finished serving tea to the elders. Come sit down now, and let the younger siblings serve you tea.”
Madam Xiao, smiling with narrowed eyes, spoke; her gaze kept following Wen Qingwan, growing more and more satisfied.
“Thank you, Grandmother.” As Xiao Jin spoke, he pulled his little girl over to sit down, but then he heard his stepmother’s voice.
“Now that the Young Heir’s wife has entered the house, from now on the power of running the Marquis Mansion will be handed over to you.”
“Thank you for Mother’s trust. As your daughter‑in‑law, it is more respectful to obey,” Wen Qingwan said calmly and unhurriedly.
Her voice was cold and pure like jade, as though a stream in the winter chill, giving a sense of transcendent beauty.
Xiao Jin’s left leg was already weak; startled by his little girl’s words, his footing faltered, his body swayed, and he nearly fell.
Seeing he was about to make a fool of himself, Wen Qingwan swiftly extended her arm; he seized her forearm and used her strength to steady himself.
Xiao Libo raised his eyebrows, a trace of regret flashing across his face; he had really wanted to see his elder brother make a fool of himself.
At the same time, he secretly rejoiced in misfortune, thinking this sister‑in‑law of fairy‑like beauty would not live for many more years.
With his little girl supporting him, Xiao Jin walked steadily to his seat and sat down, though inside he was gripped by panic.
“You don’t need to serve tea—just come collect the change‑of‑address fee." His voice was like cold steel, revealing the alienation deep within him.
His little girl was so mischievous, unwilling to heed his words, and insisted on opposing him.
What can he do!
Can only spoil her, that’s all!
Tomorrow he'll invite back two experienced house‑managing matrons; he mustn’t let the little girl be overworked.
Xiao Jin originally had no wish to deal with the Marquis residence’s troublesome affairs, but since his little girl was managing the household, he had to pull himself together and earn money to support this whole pile of useless people.
“Greetings, elder brother and sister‑in‑law. I am the second son, Xiao Libo. From now on, I ask for your guidance.” Xiao Libo called out respectfully on the surface.
In truth, he felt disdain. Though born of a concubine, he ate far better than Xiao Jin, for his mother was favored.
He was the same age as Xiao Jin, only three months younger. Xiao Jin had long been without a mother, while his own concubine‑mother was still alive.
What made him even prouder was that his maternal grandfather had risen to Minister of Revenue a few years before.
“Second Brother looks gentle and courteous; he will surely have a bright future. Jinlan, give Second Young Master his red envelope for the change of address." Wen Qingwan spoke calmly.
Based on her past‑life experience in judging people, this second son was definitely not a good man.
She had just taken over the management rights of the Marquis residence; one thousand merit points had already been credited, enough to buy many mind‑reading talismans.
When there’s time, we’ll see just how wretched Second Brother’s inner world truly is.
“Greetings, Sister‑in‑law. I am the third son, Xiao Litao." A sinister, low voice rang out.
“Third Brother’s face was stern as stone; though still young, it seemed carved by years. Jinlan, give Third Young Master his red envelope for the change of address.”
Wen Qingwan’s voice carried a cold resonance, as if it froze the surrounding air.
Xiao Litao couldn’t help but look at her directly, and in his heart he felt regret.
This sister‑in‑law, as beautiful as a flower and jade, will soon wither in the foul atmosphere of the Marquis residence!
He was born of the Marquis’s second wife, eighteen years old now; if not for his maternal grandfather’s constant protection, he would have long since met the King of Hell.
The marquisate was hereditary and unchanging; though the Marquis of Cheng’en had been demoted, the household no longer possessed the former splendor of the Duke Protector’s estate.
It could still make many uninformed nobles look up to them, especially since in the eyes of many, his Marquis father appeared gentle, courteous, and refined.
He made countless women bow to him; his mother was one of them. Though his maternal grandfather held high office, he could not withstand his daughter’s insistence on marrying.
Yet though she married the man she longed for, she never lived a single day in comfort, and even at her death she could not stop worrying about him.
He still remembered, at the age of five, his mother—lingering on her sickbed with only one breath left—still held his hand.
She spoke weakly: “Tao’er, don’t blame your father. It’s your mother who is useless, unable to kill your elder brother, that evil star.”
“I could not stay with your father and you until the end. If only I had set aside my status back then and become your father’s concubine—how wonderful that would have been!”
“We three—mother, father, and son—could have lived happily together. It’s all because your grandfather refused back then. Now that I’m gone, what will you and your father do?”
Whenever he recalled his mother’s dying words, his whole body turned cold, and even now he couldn’t help but shiver.
Xiao Litao lifted his eyes again toward his father seated above; indeed, he looked like bright moon and gentle breeze, refined and upright.
He lives so well—doesn’t his conscience ache?
When the eldest brother grew up, he openly disregarded their father; he and his maternal family also despised him.
Perhaps the whole capital despises his father, yet many, while despising him, also envy him!
Don’t believe it? Just look at the women in his back courtyard—rows upon rows of beauties.
Every one of them, lovelier than blossoms, chose to stay in the Marquis’s mansion—bringing up their children, content to scrape by on thin porridge.
No one knows how much dowry that sister‑in‑law, lovelier than flowers, contributed to the Marquis’s household.
In Xiao Litao’s memory, all his younger siblings happily accepted the red envelopes from Wen Qingwan for changing their form of address, and inside there were actually ten taels of silver.
Only then did Wen Qingwan realize that her Marquis father‑in‑law was truly prolific, with eleven legitimate sons and daughters in total—except that Xiao Jin’s own mother bore only one.
The five later wives each bore two children, and a crowd of concubines helped him produce twenty‑one illegitimate sons and daughters.
The eldest, Xiao Jin, is twenty‑one this year; the second son of concubine birth is also twenty‑one. A married daughter has returned today, bringing her child with her.
No wonder the Marchioness secretly grumbled in her heart—her parents gave out many red envelopes during festivals.
Each of Wen Qingwan’s red envelopes held only ten taels of silver, yet now more than five hundred have gone—her heart aches at the loss.
“Eldest Sister‑in‑law, we’re hungry,” thirteen‑year‑old Xiao Jinying shouted loudly.
Her eyes were filled with arrogance and an air of invincibility; she was clearly the embodiment of domineering insolence.
“If you’re hungry, call someone to set the meal. After eating, return to your own courtyards. Once I’ve sorted out the estate, I’ll establish the family rules.”
Wen Qingwan’s icy voice rang out; at that moment her full aura was unleashed, and she looked nothing like someone to be bullied.
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