Without Nannan, this family would fall apart!

Jian Zhang only learned that the Old Madam wanted to marry Xilu into the Shi Family when he returned that evening.

"The Marquis didn't agree, thanks to Nannan." Min pressed a hand to her chest, still shaken by the memory. "We need to start looking for a match for Xilu right away. It's not the ten thousand safe chances we fear, but the one that goes wrong."

Min quietly told Jian Zhang the Shi Family's secret. The Marquis probably knew about it by now, too.

A household like the Shi Family was absolutely no place to send her.

The Old Madam certainly wasn't brewing anything good by trying to marry Xilu into that family.

"Take Nannan along when you look at prospective matches." A moment's thought was enough for Jian Zhang to understand. His father must have heard Jian Ruonan's inner voice as well.

Without Nannan, this family would fall apart.

The business with the Shi Family was outrageous, but if Nannan had said it, it had to be true.

Even if they told others, most people probably wouldn't believe them.

That old man Shi Fan was shrewd and vicious, treacherous in everything he did. After so many years, he would have long since destroyed the evidence.

Besides, Shi Fan knew how to play every side and had deep roots at court. If he discovered that his family's secrets had leaked, it might bring disaster upon their entire household.

Until they could bring Shi Fan down in one stroke, they absolutely could not act rashly.

After warning Min to keep this confidential, Jian Zhang asked, "I heard Father smashed quite a few things in the Joy and Longevity Court?"

"Yes," Min said quietly. "He probably found out about the coachman. The stewardess just brought over the Marquis's Estate's authorization tallies. Father wants me to take charge of the household affairs starting tomorrow."

"Thank you for your hard work, my dear." The more Jian Zhang looked at Min, the more he appreciated her. How could he have been so foolish before, neglecting such a wonderful wife and thinking about his concubines every day? Fortunately, it wasn't too late to mend his ways.

Jian Zhang held Min's hand, his gaze warm, paying no heed to the maids and older servants nearby. "The Old Madam is petty. After a few quiet days, she's bound to stir up trouble again. You'll have to suffer more injustice, my dear."

Min's cheeks grew warm. "It's my duty as your wife."

"I want to take Nannan with me to the office from now on." Jian Zhang instructed a maid to prepare water. Lately, he had been spending his nights at Westglow Garden.

"She might not want to go," Min said with a smile.

"Why?" Jian Zhang asked.

Nan Nan had clearly been very interested in the office.

That afternoon, he and Zhang Ying had kept watch at the gates of the Imperial Palace. Sure enough, they had found prohibited drugs in the eunuch's "chrysanthemum." Caught red-handed with the evidence, the eunuch had confessed every last detail.

After he cracked the major case, Emperor Deyuan had personally summoned him and rewarded him with a piece of calligraphy. He had also done the Embroidered Uniform Guard an enormous favor, and their Commander had even shared drinks with him that evening.

He planned to take Nannan to the office and clear up all the wrongful convictions and unsolved cases from the past few years in one go.

"Nan Nan can't get out of bed," Min said, shaking her head with a smile.

"..." Jian Zhang remembered. His youngest daughter couldn't endure the hardship of rising early.

Ever since Jian Ruonan returned to the estate, the affection between Jian Zhang and Min had suddenly warmed.

Jian Zhang spent several nights in a row at Min's quarters, waking Jian Ruonan without fail every day when he left for court at Yin Hour.

To sleep in to her heart's content, Jian Ruonan proposed moving out of Min's Green Gauze Alcove.

Their daughter was growing up and ought to have a courtyard of her own, so Min settled her in Deer Song Courtyard in the southwest of the Marquis's Estate. It lay between Jian Chuxue's Fragrant Rain Pavilion and Jian Xilu's Clear Wind Hall, so it wasn't particularly out of the way.

Jian Ruonan brought Zang Chun and Wen Xue back to her courtyard. Min selected quite a few young maids for her and personally taught her how to train them.

Once she had her own courtyard, Jian Ruonan could sleep straight through until noon.

That day, it was already broad daylight, and Wen Xue's legs were nearly numb from standing at the door, yet Jian Ruonan was still fast asleep beneath her covers.

Two century-old osmanthus trees stood directly in front of the side rooms in Deer Song Courtyard. The other members of the household disliked the poor light, so no one had lived there for years. Jian Ruonan, however, thought it was perfect. With the osmanthus trees blocking it, even the midday sun couldn't shine inside.

Wen Xue knew the Fifth Miss's habits well and could only wait at the door. She had replaced the washing water several times, but the Fifth Miss still showed no sign of waking.

"Fifth Sister isn't up yet?" Teng had a day off from his studies and came to Deer Song Courtyard early that morning to look for her.

Wen Xue gave a wry smile. "Not yet. It's only the beginning of Si Hour. She won't be up for at least another two hours. Why don't you come back later, Fourth Young Master?"

Teng was still thinking about that juicy "chrysanthemum" gossip from last time. "Then I'll go to Mother's first. When Fifth Sister wakes up, send a maid to fetch me."

"Yes, Fourth Young Master." After Teng left, Wen Xue continued waiting at the door.

Although she knew the Fifth Miss wouldn't rise until nearly noon, she didn't dare leave, afraid her young mistress might wake to find no one outside. Her young mistress might be lazy, but the lady of the household kept a close eye on things. Servants like them dared not slack off.

Wen Xue had originally been a second-class maid in Min's courtyard, as well as an eye the Old Madam had planted there.

With her gossip system, Jian Ruonan wasn't afraid of Wen Xue playing tricks right under her nose. She could even use her to keep track of the Old Madam's movements.

Plucking out that eye rashly would only rustle the grass and startle the snake. If the Old Madam made another move afterward, they would be left on the back foot instead.

And so Wen Xue stayed.

While Jian Ruonan was still asleep, Teng left Deer Song Courtyard with his hands behind his back, only to be pulled into Fragrant Rain Pavilion by Jian Chuxue's senior maid.

"Teng." Jian Chuxue's eyes lit up at the sight of him. "Come here! Fourth Sister has something tasty for you."

"Fourth Sister!" Jian Huateng ran over with a grin. "Fourth Sister, why haven't I seen you lately?"

"Father confined me to my courtyard." Jian Chuxue frowned and sighed. "By the way, I saw you coming out of Fifth Sister's courtyard. What happened? Didn't she welcome you?"

"No, Fifth Sister's still asleep." Teng grabbed a handful of melon seeds and sweets.

"She's still asleep at this hour?" Jian Chuxue's eyes widened in disbelief. "Father and Mother let her sleep?"

"Yes!" Teng said indignantly. "All because she..." He stopped halfway through, then continued, "All because everyone favors her!"

"Mother seems very fond of her," Jian Chuxue said, pursing her lips and twisting the handkerchief in her hands.

Before Jian Ruonan came, she had clearly been everyone's favorite. She hadn't been confined for long, yet it was as though the entire Elder Branch had forgotten her, all their attention falling on Jian Ruonan.

What was so good about Jian Ruonan, anyway? She had heard that she was lazy and gluttonous. Why did everyone like her?

"Yes," Teng said with a grin. "Eldest Sister likes her, too."

"What about you? Do you like her?" Jian Chuxue rubbed the handkerchief between her hands, her heart uneasy. "I heard she beat you last time."

Teng scratched his head sheepishly. "I was in the wrong last time. Fifth Sister was right to teach me a lesson."

Noticing Fourth Sister's awkward expression, Teng rolled his eyes thoughtfully. "Fourth Sister, let's play a game of chess."

Some of the clouds of gloom lifted from Jian Chuxue's face, and she had someone bring over a chessboard.

But before they had even finished one game, a maid from Deer Song Courtyard began peeking around outside the room. Teng knew Fifth Sister was awake.

Teng's large, dark eyes shifted. "Fourth Sister, I just remembered Mother wanted me for something. I'll be going now."

With that, he skipped away.

After Teng left, the young maid stationed at the door returned to report, "The Fourth Young Master went to the Fifth Miss's courtyard."

Although Min and Jian Zhang had not publicly revealed Jian Chuxue's true identity and still treated her as a legitimate daughter, word had spread throughout almost the entire estate that Jian Chuxue was the former Concubine Zhou's child, while Jian Ruonan was Min's own flesh and blood.

No wonder the Fourth Miss had fallen out of favor as soon as Jian Ruonan returned.

Jian Chuxue gritted her teeth, twisting her handkerchief into a braided knot. After pondering for a moment, she called a maid over. "Tell Grandmother I want to attend the Eldest Princess's flower-viewing banquet."

She wasn't going to lose their favor so easily!