Chapter Thirty-Five: Only by becoming his concubine can he be legitimate.
Upon hearing Xie Yanzhi's cold voice, Yuan Qing quickly stepped forward.
"Sir, what are your orders?"
"Go and find the person who delivered the charcoal."
"Yes, sir!" Yuan Qing quickly ran out and soon returned with an old woman, making her kneel before Xie Yanzhi.
Ling'er looked at the old woman on the ground, her eyes filled with anger.
After noticing Ling'er's expression, Yuan Qing asked, "Do you know her?"
Ling'er said somewhat angrily, "Of course I know her. This is Granny Zhang. She brings us things every day."
I've given them a hard time most of the time.
The old woman slightly raised her eyes to look at Xie Yanzhi.
His handsome face was as cold as ice, his gaze piercing, and his expression slightly annoyed.
The old woman felt an invisible sense of oppression coming towards her.
I must have forgotten to check the almanac today, how did I end up bumping into the Crown Prince?
"Did you send this charcoal?" Xie Yanzhi asked, squinting.
"Reporting to Your Highness, it was this old woman who delivered it."
"Only the servants in your household use charcoal, so why are you sending charcoal to Qian Yue Ju as well!"
Xie Yanzhi's face clearly showed displeasure, and his hands were already clenched into fists.
But Granny Zhang quickly begged for mercy: "Young master, I was just following orders to deliver this to Miss Chen."
She was respectful to Granny Zhang, but in reality she looked down on Shen Qingnian.
What's there to care about Shen Qingnian, this poor relative who's always trying to freeload?
"Whose orders are these?" Xie Yanzhi was eager to know who needed to keep an eye on Shen Qingnian.
Granny Zhang opened her mouth, wanting to speak but not daring to.
"Is it that you don't want to talk about it, or did you take it upon yourself to do so?" Xie Yanzhi slammed his teacup down on the table.
"Young Master, please calm down! This old woman has been in the Marquis's mansion for thirty years and knows the rules. I would never dare to make decisions on my own."
Xie Yanzhi was clearly getting angry. Granny Zhang dared not hide it.
"Yes...it was the Second Madam who ordered it."
"The Second Madam instructed that all treatment at Qianyue Residence should be in accordance with the rank of a third-class maid."
"If you don't believe me, you can ask the person in charge."
As she spoke, Granny Zhang took out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Anyway, I told you the Second Madam wouldn't let her go, not to mention the Young Master could deal with her right now.
She had no idea what good fortune Shen Qingnian had to win the prince's favor.
A poor man begging for handouts, he'll use his pretty face to seduce people.
Pooh!
Xie Yanzhi caught a glimpse of the expression on Granny Zhang's face.
He said calmly, "Do you know who lives in this Shallow Moon?"
"What this old woman knows is Miss Shen! Aunt Su's niece."
"Good to know. Yuanqing, take Granny Zhang back to the servants' quarters! And bring the charcoal with you."
Granny Zhang breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. She had previously thought she would be severely punished by the young master.
Not only was there no punishment, but there was also a reward.
The Crown Prince still cares about these old folks after all.
It wasn't her fault to begin with. Fortunately, the young master was wise enough not to even give charcoal to the hooves at Qian Yue Ju.
Granny Zhang looked smug and rolled her eyes at Ling'er.
He had an attitude of "What can you do to me?"
Ling'er bit her lip in anger.
Yuan Qing shoved Granny Zhang into the servants' quarters and said expressionlessly, "The young master has ordered that all the charcoal must be burned today, not a single piece is allowed to remain."
"This damp charcoal smoke is so pungent, wouldn't we die?"
The prince still wanted to punish that cousin.
Once Zhang Pozi had figured it out, she was about to escape from the house.
But Yuan Qing grabbed him and tied him to a chair.
Granny Zhang struggled with all her might.
"I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness! I was disrespectful to Miss Chen!"
"Ah... Your Highness... This old servant was wrong...!"
Yuan Qing found a rag and stuffed it into Granny Zhang's mouth.
She sobbed, unable to speak.
After lighting the charcoal, he closed the door and left.
Only Granny Zhang was left with her eyes wide open...
A maid noticed choking black smoke coming from Granny Zhang's room and opened the door. Granny Zhang's face was covered in soot, and there was some white foam at the corner of her mouth; she was clearly poisoned.
After Yuan Qing left with the old woman, Xie Yanzhi asked Ling'er, "Have you been living like this at Qian Yue Residence all this time?"
Ling'er knelt on the ground and said, "Yes. The young lady and I only light some charcoal when we can't stay up at night."
"Then why not go to Aunt Su?" Xie Yanzhi asked, puzzled. Her aunt always protected her to some extent.
"Miss doesn't allow it, afraid it will cause trouble for Aunt."
Ling'er's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke.
She noticed that Xie Yanzhi's expression was growing increasingly grim.
Xie Yanzhi glanced up at the person inside the gauze curtain. Was this really the kind of life she was living in the manor?
Even with life like this, she still rejects his advances.
Her stubborn image flashed through his mind again. Xie Yanzhi couldn't understand what she wanted.
Since Aunt Su can't protect her, then he will be the one to protect her from now on.
Of course, it would only be legitimate for her to become his concubine.
Shen Qingnian slowly woke up in the afternoon.
Upon seeing this, Ling'er immediately put down her embroidery frame, overjoyed: "Miss, you're finally awake."
Shen Qing was still feeling a little dizzy. Her mouth also tasted bitter.
"Am I sick?" Shen Qingnian touched her forehead.
"Yes, the young master invited a doctor to take a look, and he said it was a cold."
"The young master? Why would he help me find a doctor?"
Because the eldest young master likes you, Miss. But Ling'er dared not say it. She was afraid that her young mistress would not be able to accept this terrible news.
Finally, all that was left was a stammering reply: "I don't know. They came early this morning, but didn't say anything."
Shen Qingnian was also puzzled as to why Xie Yanzhi had come to see her and even summoned a doctor. In any case, she owed this young master a favor.
I'll pay it back later.
She was a little hungry now.
"Ling'er, I want to eat that purple sweet potato cake."
Shen Qingnian pointed to the bundle on the table.
When she fell ill and felt unwell, she suddenly longed for her mother to be by her side.
The food from Jiangnan can help alleviate homesickness.
As Ling'er picked up the purple sweet potato cake, she thought:
The young lady chose Young Master Xiao.
What about the eldest son?
Moreover, it seems that the eldest young master is more protective of the young lady than the young master Xiao!
Ling'er thought for a moment and said, "Today, the eldest young master also had a lot of silver frost charcoal delivered."
"The eldest young master said that from now on, our Qianyue Residence will follow the same allocation system as the young ladies in the manor."
"I used to think the eldest young master was very fierce, but now I think he's quite nice."
Hearing Ling'er speak up for Xie Yanzhi, Shen Qingnian smiled and asked, "Why do you keep mentioning the young master today? What benefits has he given you?"
Ling'er shook her head and stopped talking.
Let the eldest son speak for himself.
Shen Qingnian held the purple sweet potato cake in a daze, wondering when Xiao Huaiyi would return and how her mother was doing.
I now owe Xie Yanzhi a favor, and I don't know how to repay it.
The shop situation is still unresolved. Shen Qingnian plans to wait until she recovers from her illness and then go out to see if any shops are willing to sell their properties on her behalf.
She had almost run out of money. She needed to find a way to earn some more. Shen Qingnian glanced at her dressing case, which contained several hairpins.
As for the most valuable one that the old lady gave me last time, let Ling'er take it out and pawn it tomorrow.
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