Chapter 2: Serene Without Blemish (2)

Chapter 2: Serene Without Blemish (2)

Zhe Wan knew best how to deal with Su Shan. She said, "Tomorrow is the crucial day. If anything goes wrong, we'll be the subject of gossip. We'll have to pay respects to our in-laws, meet three sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews... and also Little Chuan."

Little Chuan was the child left behind by her elder sister, the legitimate one. Pausing for a moment, she continued, "If I don't get enough sleep, how will I have the energy? I can't do this alone; I need your support. If you don't help me, who else will?"

Su Shan was so frightened that she fell asleep. Zhe Wan found it amusing, lay down beside her, and leaned her head against Su Shan's side, soon drifting off into a deep slumber.

When she woke up the next morning, the sky had already started to brighten. Su Shan brought water to assist her in getting dressed and whispered, "The First Young Master hasn't returned yet."

Behind her were two matrons, dressed in affluent attire, with robust figures and an air of authority. Zhe Wan was familiar with them.

One was Mother Yu, who had been the most trusted servant of her deceased elder sister and now served by Little Chuan's side.

Her elder sister had passed away three years ago, and now Little Chuan was three years old, already old enough to remember things. His closest relative was the Duchess of Yangguo, followed closely by Mother Yu.

No matter how much kindness Zhe Wan showed him in the future, he would always hold Mother Yu in higher regard, possibly even choosing to distance himself from Zhe Wan for her sake.

Zhe Wan fell silent for a moment before turning her gaze to the other matron, Mother Tang.

Back in her maiden days, she was a concubine's daughter, with no personal maid to attend to her needs; only Su Shan, a simple servant girl, was at her service. Thus, when she was suddenly betrothed to Li He Chun this year, her legal mother decided to bestow upon her the capable Mama Tang.

In her previous life, for the next five years, everything she did was under Mama Tang's authority. Mama Tang was the embodiment of her legal mother, overseeing and controlling her every move. Any misstep, and Mama Tang would report it to her legal mother, resulting in a scolding.

Zhe Wan recalled how meekly she had lived back then, earning the disdain of her sisters-in-law. It was a gradual realization that led her to slowly rebel, eventually sending Mama Tang away to the family's country estate.

Afterward, she dedicated herself to learning how to manage the household and the Marquis' residence. For fifteen years, she showed respect to her parents-in-law, kindness to her stepson, and devotion to her husband, never shirking her duties as a homemaker. Despite the hardships and injustices she faced, she gradually transformed into the composed and capable woman she aspired to be, leaving her with no regrets.

Yet, now that she has returned to the age of fifteen, she realizes there were many regrets from her past life. For instance, why had her younger self been willing to endure Mama Tang's tyranny for so long?

Zhe Wan was determined not to live her life as she once did. She refused to continue living in such a timid and fearful manner.

She wanted to be kinder to her fifteen-year-old self.

Rising to her feet, she told Mother Tang, "I suppose Eldest Young Master won't return until later in the morning. Therefore, I'll proceed to the Mountain Sea Courtyard first to pay my respects to Duke Ying and Lady Dowager."

The Mountain Sea Courtyard was where Duke Ying and his wife resided.

Mother Tang and Mother Yu exchanged glances, surprised by her initiative. Before arriving, they were certain that she would timidly ask them, "Mothers, should I wait for Eldest Young Master to return before paying my respects or go ahead on my own?"

The two of them exchanged amused smiles, clearly looking down on Zhe Wan. Little did they expect that their assumptions would be proven wrong so soon.

Mother Tang looked at Mother Yu, who nodded in response. Then Mother Tang said, "This old servant will accompany you then."

Mother Yu replied, "Madam has just arrived, and the dowry brought yesterday is still in disarray. Mother Tang alone cannot manage it all, so this old servant was called to lend a hand. Since Madam is going to the Mountain Sea Courtyard, this old servant will stay behind to sort out your trousseau."

Zhe Wan was indifferent. She lifted her skirt and walked out, with a quick-witted maid leading the way.

Upon arriving at the Mountain Sea Courtyard, Lord England and his wife were already seated in the reception hall, while the others had yet to arrive.

Neither of them expected Zhe Wan to come so early. Seating arrangements were made, and Zhe Wan knelt to serve tea, receiving two red envelopes in return.

Lord England, who was due for his official duties, took his leave first. Lady England, Zhao, had always looked down on Zhe Wan. Upon hearing that she had even gone to the kitchen to order food last night, as if she were a starving ghost reincarnated, she felt resentment building up inside her, her eyelids drooping, and her expression solemn.

She had never approved of this marriage. After the passing of Lady Da Zhe, she had intended to arrange a remarriage for her son with the daughter of the Minister of War. The betrothal had been quietly discussed, but the Minister's wife suddenly learned from somewhere that her son had an intense astrological chart, indicating he was a wife-killer. In a hurry, she hinted that the marriage should not proceed.

Lady Zhao was furious, but coincidentally, during the Dragon Boat Festival, Lady Zhe visited and seized the opportunity to suggest renewing the marital ties between the two families.

Lady Zhao was against it, but after consideration, her husband and son agreed.

Though she was reluctant, she had no choice but to swallow her pride and accept it. However, her anger shifted onto Zhe Wan, finding fault with everything she did.

Noticing the expression on Lady Zhao's face, Zhe Wan couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia: Lady Zhao's demeanor was truly intimidating, and it was no wonder that her younger self had been terrified of her like a mouse before a cat.

But back then, she had been foolish, believing that if she gave her all, she would earn favor. It wasn't until she was almost thirty that she realized how deeply ingrained people's prejudices could be, making them difficult to dissolve.

Her heart grew colder. Yet, her personality had its flaws, and she still couldn't let go of her resentment. Holding her breath, she worked even harder at managing the household, hoping for a word of praise from others.

Even at the moment of her death, she didn't achieve complete enlightenment. But the experience between life and death had made her wiser. In this lifetime, she refused to expend any more effort to please Lady Zhao.

If you can't stand me, then so be it. Since you've married me, you can't just dismiss me, right?

Although she hadn't yet figured out how to live a beautiful life in this new existence, she was determined to be kind to herself. To treat herself well meant to live comfortably, and she found the most comfort in silence when facing Lady Zhao.

So, she sat quietly in her chair. If Lady Zhao remained silent, she would be silent as well.

In a short while, the rest of the household from the Duke of England's residence arrived, filling the room with their presence, followed by another round of greetings.

The Duke of England had five sons and four daughters. Among them, Lady Zhao had given birth to the eldest daughter, the eldest son, and the third son.

The Eldest Miss had been raised under the Empress Dowager's care and had already passed away. Eldest Master was Li Hechun.

Third Master now held an official position in Jiangnan, leaving Third Miss alone to fulfill her filial duties at home.

The other young masters and misses were all from concubine-born lines. Second and Third Misses were already married, while Fourth Miss was still unmarried and currently being courted.

Second and Fourth Masters had also taken wives and had children. Fifth Master's marriage had been arranged, and he would wed in a couple of years.

Though not an excessively large family, they were still numerous. Zhe Wan had spent her life interacting with them and was quite familiar with each member.

Today's brief encounter was like a fleeting glimpse of a garden, but it was enough to consider them acquainted in this lifetime. After sitting for a while longer, Madam Zhao checked the time and instructed someone to bring Little Chuan over.

Little Chuan was already three years old. Zhe Wan couldn't actually recall his appearance as a child; she only knew that he had a cold and distant personality, similar to his father, and was a man of few words.

She had invested the most thought and effort into him since raising him from infancy, so she always hoped he would treat her kindly. Yet, in the end, she never received any comforting words from him.

Madam Zhao held Little Chuan and sternly addressed Zhe Wan: "Though you are young, as a wife and mother, you need to be mature and sensible. Your incapability to handle major responsibilities... that needs to change, or else I cannot entrust Little Chuan to you with peace of mind."

Zhe Wan vaguely recalled Madam Zhao delivering a similar lecture in her previous life. On the second day of her marriage, she had given Zhe Wan a public warning in front of everyone.

What had she answered then? What had she done?

Zhe Wan couldn't recall. But she knew what she should do now.

She rose and spoke softly, "I shall fulfill my duty. However, I am still young, so I hope Mother can guide me."

Madame Zhao was momentarily surprised, but her brows relaxed. "Then let him stay with me for the time being. We'll send him over when you're more familiar with him."

Zhe Wan nodded and sat back down.

In her previous life, she hadn't managed to take Little Chuan home for nurturing today either. Back then, she had been naive. Her stepmother and Nurse Tang had constantly taught her that marrying in meant helping to raise Little Chuan. They had also emphasized the urgency of bringing the child back home. So, when Madame Zhao had suggested it, Zhe Wan had hesitated for a moment before foolishly agreeing, only to be criticized by Madame Zhao and lose face.

Zhe Wan exhaled slowly and picked up her teacup, sipping it leisurely. Overjoyed at holding Little Chuan, Madame Zhao dismissed everyone.

Zhe Wan didn't engage in conversation with anyone else and simply returned to her residence with Su Shan and the others.

The courtyard she currently resided in was called Cangyun Pavilion, named by He Chun. However, many roses, which her elder stepsister adored, were planted within.

Even the furnishings inside the house reflected her elder stepsister's preferences. Despite the change in owner, all her belongings remained untouched.

Zhe Wan had no complaints about her elder sister or her belongings. On the contrary, she rather liked her. Her elder sister was beautiful and kind-hearted. In her childhood, Zhe Wan had met her a few times and always received some treats and guidance from her.

Zhe Wan cherished any kindness shown to her and eagerly sought opportunities to repay it. She was willing to repay her elder sister by protecting her son and her possessions with all her heart.

Therefore, she had no intention of replacing anything in this room for the rest of her life. However, she desired to add some ornaments that she personally enjoyed.

She called Su Shan over, "Did we bring the Ru kiln tea set we loved back home? I remember we did."

Su Shan nodded, "It's in the dowry."

Zhe Wan then asked her to retrieve it. Lowering her head, Su Shan whispered, "Miss... No, Madam, the key to the dowry is with Mother Tang."

Zhe Wan replied, "Then ask Mother Tang to come here."

Before Su Shan could leave, Mother Tang arrived on her own. With a frown, she said, "Madam, allow this old servant to speak frankly. You've made a mistake today. You should have fought to bring Chuan-ge back to raise."

Zhe Wan found the haughty expression on her maid's face amusing, and she chuckled self-deprecatingly. "If it doesn't sound good, then let's not mention it."

She extended her hand. "Where is my dowry key?"

Madam Tang was in a daze for a moment.

Looking at Zhe Wan with surprise, she examined her carefully before frowning. "Young Lady has changed."

Zhe Wan felt that she hadn't changed. She still acted cautiously and wasn't particularly clever. However, she was grateful for the past fifteen years, where she constantly tried to improve and struggled diligently, even though she was timid and fearful. This allowed her to at least stand tall in front of servants.

She even knew how to set a trap to send Madam Tang to the manor within half a year.

This realization made the roses outside her window appear even more beautiful. She spoke deliberately, "I need to open my trunks to fetch something. Are you going to stop me?"

Madam Tang was slightly taken aback but, due to their master-servant relationship, reluctantly handed over the key.

Zhe Wan continued, "Go attend to your duties. I'll fetch what I need with Su Shan."

She hurriedly walked towards the door.

Sushan followed her, feeling her heart pounding with anxiety. She couldn't believe it. "Miss, did you just bully Madam Tang?"

Zhe Wan chuckled. "I didn't bully her. I am the master, and she is a servant. Even if she was sent by my mother, she's still a servant. How can I be bullying her when I'm just asking her to do tasks? Besides, she's also a servant of the Zhe family. If she were to interfere in the affairs of the Duke of Ying's residence and order me around, would this place be the Duke of Ying's residence or Mother's Zhe Manor?"

In her previous life, she hadn't understood this principle, so she had always been bullied.

Handing the key to Sushan, she said, "From now on, only you will manage our belongings."

Sushan was dazed. "Uh? What if Madam Tang tries to snatch them?"

Zhe Wan tapped her forehead with her finger. "Simpleton, come tell me if that happens, and I'll settle it for you."

Sushan murmured, "Miss, you've become so domineering. I love it."

It turned out that being a bit more assertive felt so satisfying.