Chapter 5 The Old Madam

"Go to the palace? Beg the Empress Dowager?" She laughed until she was done, then slowly raised her eyes.

"Grandmother, have you been living a life of luxury in this Fushou Hall for too long, and your mind has become muddled?"

"Do you think the Empress Dowager wants to see the General's Mansion in chaos? Does she want to see me suffer? Father will be returning to the capital in a few months. If I suffer any injustice, what do you think he will do? Will the Empress Dowager go against Father for your sake and send a nanny to teach me manners?"

Her tone suddenly turned stern: "Don't forget why Father went to the border for ten years! And why has he returned now!"

"Right now, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor are more eager than anyone else for the General's Mansion to remain quiet and avoid causing any trouble. You should go to the Empress Dowager and see if she will stand up for you at this time and send a maid to discipline me..."

"I still think that you, this old feudal lord who neglects your duties in the inner quarters, indulges the illegitimate branches in bullying the legitimate line, and is completely clueless, are truly unworthy of the Emperor's grace and cannot even live up to the title of Imperial Noblewoman!"

Xie Sangning's words instantly drained all the color from the old lady's face!

She's really getting senile...

As Xie Zhenting's mother, she certainly knew why her son was able to return—his achievements were so great that they threatened the emperor!

The emperor could neither suppress his power nor do he need him to intimidate the four kingdoms!

With Xie Zhenting around, the border is stable and the army's morale is high; if something happens to him, there will be internal and external troubles in an instant!

The emperor dared not allow him to continue developing his career in places out of sight, and could only send him back to the capital to live a life of leisure.

At this time, if the Emperor were to find out that Xie Zhenting's own daughter had just returned to the capital and was being targeted by her own family... the one who would be in trouble would not be Xie Sangning, but only the Dowager Empress and the second wife!

The old lady slumped in her armchair, her lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

She misunderstood.

Xie Sangning slowly stood up: "Grandmother, since you are not feeling well, please take good care of yourself. I will not bother you again. You are getting old, so please worry less about the messy affairs in this mansion to avoid further headaches. I will take my leave."

After saying that, she took Ru Chun's hand and, surrounded by people, calmly left.

The heavy curtains fell, isolating the inside from the outside world.

Inside the Fushou Hall, there was a deathly silence.

The old lady stared intently at the swaying curtain, her chest heaving violently.

"By the way," Xie Sangning's voice came from outside the door, tinged with amusement, "Grandmother, you mustn't fall ill. If you were gone, it would be peaceful, but Father would have to observe three years of mourning, which wouldn't be good for the General's Mansion. You must stay healthy!"

Upon hearing these words from outside the door, the old lady felt dizzy and disoriented. In this round, she had lost miserably.

This has blocked all paths for her to be angered by her own granddaughter to the point of illness and for her to be condemned by others!

Doing so would mean disregarding the future of the General's Mansion!

She had no choice but to swallow her anger and continue living a "healthy" life!

——

Stepping into Ruixuelou, a warm feeling, along with the fragrance of incense, greets you.

Ru Chun stepped forward and took off the cloak from Xie Sangning's shoulders.

Ru Xia presented a glass cup to the table, the blood bird's nest inside steaming hot.

Xie Sangning picked up the jade spoon, took a small sip, and her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly before she placed the jade spoon on the rim of the cup.

"I don't know if it's the wrong place or my mood, but a perfectly good bowl of bird's nest soup tastes like rust."

Ru Chun's expression tightened, and she immediately had the glass cup removed. She spoke softly and gently, "Miss is right. This General's Mansion is no match for our Xi Han mansion. Please bear with it, and we'll take it slowly."

Xie Sangning has worked hard for ten years and built his own power and wealth in Xihan, which is indeed incomparable to this dilapidated general's mansion.

She gave a soft hum, lazily raising her gaze to the four second-class maids standing by the screen, whom Granny Xia had bought from the slave trader.

The ordinary blue cotton jacket and skirt caught her eye, instantly filling her eyes with disgust.

"What kind of filthy clothes are you wearing! Is this the uniform of the General's Mansion? It's an eyesore! Get out!"

Ru Chun immediately kicked the four people out of the room.

Ru Xia served tea and gently comforted her, "Miss, don't be angry. After all, that second wife, Wang, who is in charge of the household, can't even dress herself properly, let alone the servants in the mansion. She's not as well-off and refined as you are, Miss. Besides, what a little maid can't decide. Let's not argue with them."

Xie Sangning snorted and raised his chin slightly: "Let's go and see what exquisite things this supposedly prosperous city of Jinling can produce."

"Yes!" The maids in the room held their breath and lowered their heads.

Outside the door, the four second-class maids were trembling with fear. Everyone in the manor said that this youngest daughter of the main wife had a bad temper and was difficult to serve. They were afraid that they would lose their lives here today.

Upon seeing Xie Sangning emerge, the four of them instantly tensed up.

But Xie Sangning didn't even glance at them. Ru Chun called them over and whispered that the young lady was going to take them to buy new clothes.

The group looked up in disbelief at Xie Sangning standing in front of the door, their eyes brimming with tears.

What bad temper! It's all a rumor! A rumor!

This is clearly a Bodhisattva who saves people from suffering!

What does it matter if someone's words are sharp or not? A gentleman judges by their actions, not their words!

After leaving the mansion, Xie Sangning's sedan chair did not stop at the ordinary market, but was carried straight to the most famous Jinxiu Pavilion in Jinling City, a place that everyone dared to set foot in only after carefully considering their wallets.

As soon as she entered, the shopkeeper's eyes lit up, and he greeted her with a beaming smile.

This young lady's overall demeanor was far beyond that of ordinary wealthy people.

Xie Sangning's gaze lazily swept over the dazzling array of silks and satins, and she frowned.

That's all there is to it.

“This shimmering brocade,” she pointed to the cloud-colored brocade displayed in the center of the shop, her voice not loud, but it instantly silenced the entire shop, “looks alright in the sunlight, let’s put it up.”

This is the most expensive material in the shop! The shopkeeper has always kept it here as a lucky charm and never thought that someone would buy it.

That wasn't enough, Xie Sangning spoke again.

She paused, then added, "The lining must be a soft, light blue gauze. Remember, only the highest grade from Yuzhou, with not a single blemish, so as not to offend my eyes. The shopkeeper should be able to get that, right?"

The shopkeeper's breath hitched.

The shimmering brocade was already priceless, and the soft silk gauze was exclusively for the inner court. This person wanted to make several sets... He quickly bowed and agreed.

Xie Sangning then pointed to another piece of fine, evenly textured, tea-white fabric: "This fine linen cloth looks quite pleasing to the eye."

She picked at it with her fingertips, "Hmm, it's soft enough, not prickly at all. A hundred times better than the coarse hemp and rotten grass they wear."

She glanced at the few quail-like maids and said, "Make two new winter coats and skirts for each of the four maids in my room. They should fit well and look neat."

She paused, then added, "Put a piece of that moon-white brocade around the collar and cuffs to make them look more presentable. Otherwise, they'll look like refugees when they go out with me, and I'll be the one who loses face."

As for Ru Chun and the other three, they were always well-dressed, and Xie Sangning never mistreated them.

The four maids were both surprised and delighted; the finest linen cloth was trimmed with plain brocade! Even the stewardesses of the manor didn't have such a presentable outfit!

This scene left everyone else in the store dumbfounded.