Xie Jinzhao flushed crimson at their words.
He knew that once his younger brother's wife married into the family, everyone in the Marquis's Residence would live well, and he would have a larger silver allowance to squander.
Old Madam told him, "Listen to your younger brother. He will manage the household from now on. Go compensate Qing Da and his daughter and apologize. Spend some silver to shut those servants' mouths. You mustn't offend them again."
"Yes." After answering, Xie Jinzhao gave Xie Jinqiu another resentful look. "What if Qing Da and his daughter refuse my apology?"
"Jinqiu, go tell Qing Da that Qing Sheng's reputation is already ruined. Either she is drowned in a pig cage, or they take the money and let the matter rest."
Xie Jinqiu was smug. "All right."
"Grandmother, isn't drowning... drowning her going too far?" Xie Jinzhao asked quietly. He had only wanted to try Qing Sheng out, not kill her.
If she lost her chastity, couldn't he take her as a concubine?
"Third Brother, they will definitely take the money. Don't concern yourself with it," Xie Jinqiu said with a smile. Once he managed the household, the wife he married would become its mistress. Why would he worry about not having a chance to turn his fortunes around?
As soon as he left the Charity Hall, he found Xu Rourou waiting for him with the child in her arms. "Fourth Master, Huai Shan keeps crying whenever he can't see you."
Xie Jinqiu glanced at the child, then touched the Sharira hanging around Xie Huaishan's neck and asked,
"Did Master Yuantong really say that Huai Shan is the imperial descendant foretold in the prophecy? That he will be entered into the Imperial Family's genealogy? If so, it would be easy for him to send the Marquis's Residence soaring to the heavens."
If that were true, acknowledging Huai Shan as his son would be no loss to him.
As a concubine-born son himself, without the aid of a true dragon's bloodline to enter officialdom, he would never have a chance to rise.
"Of course. Master Yuantong is the only enlightened monk at Golden Mountain Temple. Every prophecy he makes comes true. He once said that His Majesty had the destiny of the Son of Heaven, and afterward, His Majesty really did become emperor."
Xu Rourou spoke softly, secretly raising her eyes to glance at Xie Jinqiu. Of all the men in the Marquis's Residence, Fourth Master was the most handsome.
Apart from his slightly pale complexion, that gentle, jade-like face was far more handsome than Xie Jin'an's.
In her mind, Xie Jin'an was still a black lump of coal.
"Yes, I know about that. To deceive my eldest sister-in-law, Grandmother claimed that Huai Shan was my illegitimate son by a secret mistress. You've suffered an injustice too. You've been with my brother for so many years. You should have been my sister-in-law."
Xie Jinqiu sighed and stroked Xie Huaishan's face again, not daring to look at him any longer.
Xie Huaishan was only two months old, yet his eyes lacked the innocent clarity of a child's.
Instead, they revealed an adult's shrewdness.
It was truly eerie and unsettling to behold.
Could a favored son of heaven possess wisdom from birth?
Xu Rourou lowered her head and said softly, "Thank you, Fourth Master, for being willing to help us. I will tell Huai Shan to remember your kindness forever."
Xie Jinqiu smiled with refined grace. "Bring him over more often. Little Sister-in-law, your hairpin is crooked."
He reached out to straighten Xu Rourou's hairpin, smiled, then turned and left.
Xu Rourou stood where she was, her heart pounding.
A figure hiding in the distance witnessed the scene.
The figure disappeared.
Wang Xia came to Liu Wan's courtyard and whispered a few words in her ear.
Liu Wan smiled faintly, then turned to find a chubby little face staring at her eagerly, babbling away.
She seemed very displeased.
[Mother, is there more juicy gossip? Why won't you tell me? I want to hear too!]
[What could possibly be off-limits to a distinguished VIP like me? Tell me! I'll pay for a membership, all right?]
[Boohoo, why can't babies talk? Babies deserve fair treatment too!]
Little Wanwan could already sit up. She planted both hands on her waist, her cheeks puffed up with anger and flushed bright red.
The tiny little human cub stared at Liu Wan just like that.
Liu Wan picked her up, but she turned her little face away, her soft cheeks still puffed with indignation.
"Eldest Madam, the young miss certainly has a temper. Shall I take her outside to play?"
Pan Chun pressed her lips together to hide a smile. She was responsible for looking after the children around Eldest Madam.
Zi Mu always buried himself in his books and gave her no cause to worry.
Zi Xing claimed to be the bravest, yet he was frightened to tears at the slightest thing.
Although the young miss had only been born recently, Pan Chun had already seen her lose her temper many times. On several occasions, she had even pitched herself out of Pan Chun's arms.
She thought that if the young miss could run and jump, she would probably have gone looking for someone to fight long ago.
[Hmph, I don't want to look at the lousy feng shui in the Marquis's Residence. Not a single man born here is any use!]
[The Imperial Family has the best feng shui. Whenever Mother takes me to the palace to admire the scenery, I'll forgive her!]
Little Wanwan thought to herself.
She desperately wanted to hear the gossip, but since Mother wouldn't tell her, she could only give Mother a way to save face.
They should go to the Imperial Family's palace. She still wanted to be buried in the soil so she could grow properly.
Only Auntie Empress Dowager would bury her.
None of the others would.
She was furious. Luckily, she could crawl on her own.
"Eldest Madam, Qing Da and Qing Sheng wish to see you," Wang Xia said.
"All right!" Liu Wan handed the little one in her arms to Pan Chun and went out to see Qing Da and his daughter.
[What gossip?!]
Little Wanwan kicked and kicked in Pan Chun's arms, shouting, "Ah, ya, eee, eee, eee..."
I want gossip! I want gossip, boohoo!
Seeing how fiercely she was fussing, Pan Chun carried her along too.
The moment Qing Da and his daughter saw Liu Wan, they knelt. "Thank you, Eldest Madam, for saving my daughter's chastity..."
"If Eldest Madam hadn't instructed me to take Father along, Third Master would have defiled me. Eldest Madam, you foresee everything with divine insight. I am willing to toil like an ox or a horse to repay you."
Qing Sheng's eyes were moist, as though she had been crying.
Only after she returned home and thought over what had happened did she understand. Eldest Madam's discerning eyes burned like torches. She had known all along that Xiao Guo would harm her, and had devised a way for her to bring her father...
Otherwise, she would now have become that beast's concubine.
Liu Wan glanced at Qing Da. By doing this, she had repaid his kindness in offering incense for her in her previous life.
"Get up. How did they decide to handle the matter afterward?"
His daughter pulled Qing Da to his feet, and he said indignantly, "Fourth Master said that Qing Sheng's reputation was ruined. Either she gets drowned in a pig cage, or we take Third Master's money and keep our mouths shut, and that will be the end of it! I thought Fourth Master was compassionate. I never imagined he would help that beast too!"
"Eldest Madam, please forgive me for speaking out of turn, but if you don't manage the household, the Marquis's Residence will fall into chaos sooner or later!"
Qing Sheng lowered her head and tugged at Qing Da's sleeve, urging him to say no more.
How could Qing Da understand? He patted his daughter's hand and said, "Don't be afraid! At worst, I'll fight him again! We have backbones too. We would rather die than bow our heads to evil."
Then he turned to Liu Wan and asked, "All I know is that in this entire residence, Eldest Madam is the only one who won't harm us. Eldest Madam, we came to hear your advice!"
Liu Wan smiled faintly. "Since Third Master has apologized, why not ask for more silver?"
Before you continue