Trading a Three-Courtyard Residence for My Six-Courtyard Residence

Zhou Wanwan's lips twitched. Had she lost weight?

I have indeed lost weight, but not from starving myself; rather, it's from the exhaustion of boxing every night.

Breakfast today was also good: scallop and sea cucumber congee, cold bamboo shoot salad, stir-fried fresh mushrooms, pickled lotus root slices, honey-preserved lotus seeds, crystal cake, steamed crab roe buns, braised tender pigeon breast, sweet and sour jade dew cake, soft and glutinous osmanthus cake, pine nut pastry, and refreshing bamboo fungus soup...

Zhou Wanwan really loves bamboo shoots; she ate two large bowls and was so full she could barely walk.

She smiled and said, "I'm tired of the food in the palace. The food in the Imperial Kitchen is indeed delicious, but I can't eat it every day."

The eldest princess sighed and said, "This Noble Consort Ning is too arrogant. Relying on her position as regent, she acts recklessly."

Zhou Wanwan smiled faintly and said, "It's alright, let's just wait and see."

The eldest princess nodded. Just as Zhou Wanwan was about to leave, she saw Old Madam Zhou leading her family over and saying, "Oh! Isn't this Zhou Wanwan? She actually came out of the Cold Palace."

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said, "Oh! Isn't this Old Madam Zhou? You're still alive!"

Old Madam Zhou was furious. "Zhou Wanwan, what are you saying? I'm perfectly fine!"

Just as Zhou Wanwan was about to leave, Old Madam Zhou said, "See that courtyard over there? We bought that one; it's not much worse than yours."

Zhou Wanwan rolled her eyes and said:

Don't you find it uncomfortable to live so close?

Your courtyard has three courtyards, while mine has six; the difference is quite significant.

Old Madam Zhou's lips twitched repeatedly; Zhou Wanwan's courtyard was indeed large and impressive.

She looked at Zhou Wanwan and said:

"Your family only has a few people, so you don't need such a big yard. How about this?"

Let's change the yard; I have lots of good things in my yard."

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said, "You really thought of trading your three-courtyard house for my six-courtyard house? You're shameless!"

Old Madam Zhou smiled faintly and said:

"It's alright if you don't want to. I'll talk to the Empress Dowager when I go to the palace later."

The Empress Dowager will surely stand up for me then.

The Empress Dowager, for reasons unknown, was completely taken aback by Old Madam Zhou.

Now they've directly bestowed upon Old Madam Zhou the title of First-Rank Virtuous Lady, making Old Madam Zhou incredibly powerful.

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said, "Then go and talk to the Empress Dowager! Let's see if she'll do something like that."

It's impossible to just give someone else's house to Old Madam Zhou, right?

However, she underestimated the Empress Dowager's methods. Old Madam Zhou actually entered the palace and gave a tearful account.

The Empress Dowager looked at her and said, "It's just a house, isn't it? I've made the decision. Have them move out immediately, and you can move in directly."

Zhou Wanwan was eating at home when she almost choked. "Is this Empress Dowager out of her mind? She actually wants to seize someone else's house?"

The Old Scholar Tree's face also looked grim; little did it know that the people in the palace were so foolish.

Zhou Wanwan sighed and said, "Let's go somewhere else!"

"What about here?"

"Move what you can move, and move what you can't move."

"Just leave an empty shell." Zhou Wanwan was too lazy to bother with these people.

She has too many houses; one more won't make a difference.

Her older brothers are all at the academy recently, and she remembers there's a really big courtyard next to it, so she'll move there!

They moved the yard quite quickly, in just one afternoon, and everything inside except the house was moved out.

Even the flowers and plants have been moved away. What has become of this yard? It's all mud, and even the bricks have been taken away.

Zhou Wanwan took the eldest princess, Liu Su'e, Zhou Fusheng to other houses.

The eldest princess sat in the carriage, trembling with anger. "Why did she do this to me? She did it on purpose."

Zhou Wanwan nodded, looking at her and saying, "Yes, she just wants everyone to know that you, Princess, have suffered a complete defeat, are utterly useless, and have nowhere to go."

The princess's eyes reddened. "I used to think of her as my mother, but I never expected her to treat me like this."

Zhou Wanwan looked at her and said, "Because she isn't!"

The eldest princess held Zhou Wanwan's hand and said:

"It's all Grandma's fault for being useless and dragging you down with her. Maybe I should move to the village on my own!"

Even if we move now, it won't make a difference; it would only benefit them.

The Zhou Family is overjoyed.

Zhou Fuyu smiled and said, "Mother, your move was really brilliant! That six-courtyard house is ours now!"

Old Madam Zhou smiled faintly and said:

"Now the Empress Dowager and I are of one mind. She hates the Eldest Princess so much, she will definitely help us. We can have whatever we want."

"Yes! That six-courtyard house will be ours from now on."

Zhou Qingzhou looked at her and said, "You are truly a prophet. If it weren't for you saving the Empress Dowager, we wouldn't be living the life we have now."

Zhou Fuyu nodded and said:

"These days are just too good! Qingzhou! If you can pass the imperial examination this time and become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination)..."

Then our family will truly stand tall in the capital, and we'll find you a good daughter-in-law to carry on the family line."

Zhou Qingzhou nodded and said:

"I am now nominally the son of the Eldest Princess and the grandson of the General Dingbei's Residence."

With that status and position, who would dare to underestimate them?

Madam Zhou smiled and said, "Do your best in the exam this time. If you pass, I'll go to the palace and ask for an imperial decree to grant you a marriage."

Zhou Qingzhou's eyes lit up and he said, "Does that mean I can marry anyone?"

Madam Zhou laughed heartily and said, "Of course, my grandson deserves the best."

Zhou Fu'an asked, "So when are we moving?"

Old Madam Zhou thought for a moment and said, "Let's move now! Better to wait until things get complicated. If we go now, we can still see how pathetic they are!"

Zhou Fuyu laughed and said, "Many people know about this, and they'll be sending us housewarming gifts soon. Let's hurry over there and get ready."

Old Madam Zhou nodded and said, "That's right, that's right."

Now their family is highly sought after in the capital; everyone knows that the Empress Dowager favors them.

Therefore, many people will gather around them.

In addition, since Old Madam Zhou was skilled in fortune telling, more and more people were asking her to tell fortunes and look at feng shui.

Old Madam Zhou is now making a fortune.

The household now has servants who travel by carriage to the neighbor's house. It's just one street away; you could walk there without a carriage.

As soon as Old Madam Zhou reached the intersection, she saw several ladies approaching and saying, "Grandma, we heard you're moving today, so we came to see if there's anything we can do to help."

"And these gifts are for you; I hope you like them."

Old Madam Zhou looked at them and said:

"Oh dear! Since you're already here, why bring a gift?"

"Let me show you the courtyard. The Empress Dowager saw that I wasn't used to my current residence, so she moved me to a larger courtyard."