Plans

"Jinhua, tell the two masters what happened." The old marchioness was unwilling to waste her own breath and simply gave Matron Jin the order.

Matron Jin then recounted everything in full detail.

Once she had finished, the old marchioness said, "If we let our own flesh and blood remain out there, who knows how the people in the capital will laugh at us?"

She looked at the second master. "So tomorrow, you and your wife will go and bring the child back. She's young and doesn't know any better, so speak coaxingly to her. Don't make her angry and unwilling to come back. Whatever she needs to be taught, we can deal with it after she's home."

She stared at her shu-born son. "That wife of yours can't see things clearly. She lost the child back then, and now someone else has helped us find her, just look at the sour face she's pulling, as if someone had done her harm. With her acting like that, who knows how she'll treat the child tomorrow? I'm telling you, if you don't bring the child back, your branch of the family can split off."

The second master, Zhao Yuanliang, was a shu-born son with no particular abilities of his own. Unwilling to split from the family, he dared not show the slightest temper before his legal mother.

He meekly agreed, then explained on his wife's behalf, "Lady Wei just feels ashamed that she lost the child and that others have laughed at her. She's upset with herself and has no other thoughts."

"Hmph. She did that foolish thing herself, disgracing the whole residence and making the child suffer hardship outside for more than ten years. She doesn't think about any of that, only about her own face. How big does she think that face of hers is?" the old marchioness said mockingly.

Zhao Yuanliang dared not make a sound.

"All right, go back. Steward Liu and Matron Ruan will go with you tomorrow. You two had better weigh your actions carefully." The old marchioness was tired of looking at his face. Having given him a warning, she sent him away.

In a small courtyard of the marquis's residence, Zhao Ruyu sat at the desk in her room, staring blankly at a painting she had made.

She had remained in that position ever since returning from the old marchioness's quarters.

Her head maid, Fushu, could no longer bear to watch and spoke up to comfort her. "Miss, didn't the old marchioness and the marchioness say so? They're only bringing Miss Xi back; they won't send you away. Please don't overthink it."

She did not mention the second madam. She knew that, in front of the old marchioness and the marchioness, the second madam always pretended to dote on the young lady, but in private she was very cold toward her. Even when the young lady fell ill and the second madam was informed, she would at most have a physician summoned, never coming to see her herself. It was nothing like how she treated the young master, whom she truly doted on.

So if the old marchioness and the marchioness really made up their minds to send the young lady back to the Xu Family, the second madam would definitely not stand in their way.

But the old marchioness and the marchioness had both just said they would not send her back, and Fushu could not understand why the young lady still looked so gloomy.

Zhao Ruyu sat there staring at the painting only because she did not want Fushu to see that she was lost in thought. Her mind had long since wandered far away.

Even so, Fushu still would not leave her in peace. She could not help feeling a little irritated and waved a hand. "I'm fine." Then she simply found an excuse. "I feel a little dizzy. I'm going to lie down on the bed for a while."

With that, she lowered the bed curtains herself without waiting for Fushu to help and lay straight down without even taking off her clothes.

Seeing this, Fushu grew even more worried. But the young lady looked as though she did not want to talk, and there was nothing Fushu could do. She could only fetch an embroidery hoop and sit by the bed, keeping watch for fear that something might happen to Zhao Ruyu.

Only after shutting out all distractions beyond the bed curtains did Zhao Ruyu find some peace and quiet. She resumed pondering her own concerns.

In her previous life, she had married Fu Yunlang, the second son of the Marquis of Pingnan, without a hitch. Later, the marquis and his heir had died in battle one after the other. In recognition of their family's loyalty and sacrifice, the emperor had not revoked the title, allowing Fu Yunlang to inherit it and become the Marquis of Pingnan. She, too, had become a marchioness.

Although she had not lived very long in her previous life, dying in a difficult labor while giving birth to her third child at twenty-three, her marriage had been a very happy one, not only among the sisters at the Marquis of Suiping's Residence, but even among her peers in the capital. She had held a high position, her husband had treated her well, and he had not a single concubine or even a bedchamber maid.

Xu Xi's fate, by contrast, had been utterly miserable.

After being reborn, she had felt that, aside from not getting pregnant again after her second child to avoid dying in childbirth, there was no need to change anything. As long as no one interfered with her, she could simply follow the same path as in her previous life.

But upon realizing that Xu Xi might also have been reborn, she immediately panicked. Xu Xi was an unpredictable factor, without a doubt. Xu Xi's previous life had been miserable, while her own had been happy. Would Xu Xi try to steal her happy life?

For a moment, countless thoughts raced through Zhao Ruyu's mind. She even considered poisoning Xu Xi and making her disappear from this world altogether. But she rejected the thought as soon as it arose.

She was not the Marchioness of Pingnan now, and apart from Fushu, she had no one she could use. Although there were other maids and servant women in her courtyard, none of them were loyal to her. Any action would leave traces. If she made a move and people found out, the old marchioness and the first madam probably would not spare her life, whether she was of use to them or not. After all, Xu Xi was of the marquis's blood, whatever else might be said of her.

Besides, she still did not know what was going on with Xu Xi. Perhaps it was not as she suspected. She truly could not bring herself to take someone's life for no reason.

Moreover, she had been reborn. Whatever she did, she would only do better than in her previous life. She had taken great pains to attract Fu Yunlang and had married him without a hitch in her previous life. In this life, she knew both Fu Yunlang's and the Marchioness of Pingnan's preferences and temperaments better than they did themselves. If Xu Xi could still snatch this marriage away from her, she would be far too useless.

Besides, she had decided to apply to the Women's Academy in the capital. With the talent she had accumulated over two lifetimes, she should pass the entrance examination easily. Once she entered the Women's Academy, she would be even more accomplished than in her previous life. Even if Xu Xi lived another life, with her stupid brain and her ill-bred nature, she would never be a match for her. Just what was she afraid of?

With that thought, Zhao Ruyu gradually relaxed. Yesterday, when she learned that Xu Xi would return to the residence today, she had remembered her previous life and slept poorly all night. Now, lying on the bed, she grew drowsy and fell asleep at once.

Fushu was still worried. Hearing no movement from behind the bed curtains for a long time, she put down her needlework and gently lifted a corner. Only when she found Zhao Ruyu fast asleep did she set her mind at ease.

In Xu Family Village, Madam Xie had been restless all day. Only when she saw her husband, Xu Yongyi, return that evening did she feel somewhat at ease. Without waiting for him to put his things down, she told him what had happened that day.

Xu Yongyi looked in surprise at Xu Xi, who had heard him return and was coming through the door. "Miss Xi, is what your aunt said true?"

Xu Xi nodded. "It's true." But she had no intention of discussing it and asked Xu Yongyi eagerly, "Uncle, did you ask around for me?"

Xu Yongyi nodded. "I did."

He looked at Xu Xi, thinking that this niece of his was a young lady of the marquis's residence, a complicated look in his eyes. "I heard there's an examination. If you pass, you can get in." He hesitated. "But are you really not going back to the marquis's residence?"

"I don't want to go back." Xu Xi looked at Xu Yongyi with resolve. "I want to study at the academy."