Chapter 14: If You Cannot Sweep Your Own Room, How Can You Sweep the World?

Jing Niang’s fury erupted toward Gu Nanxi: "If it weren't for you, how could I have fallen to such a state today?"

"You are clearly as venomous as a snake or a scorpion, yet you insist on pretending to be a Bodhisattva to deceive everyone."

Su Yunyan glared at Jing Niang, feeling that her mother's good intentions had been dragged through the mud: "Li Jingning, watch your mouth! If you dare to be disrespectful to my mother again, I'll slap you across the face!"

Jing Niang, feeling as though she had lost everything, decided to throw caution to the wind and demand justice for herself.

She wailed plaintively, "Brother Su, Brother Su, the Marchioness has made my life a misery! She knew full well that managing the household was a pit of fire, yet she pushed me into it."

Su Yunyan immediately snapped, shouting loudly, "Did my mother force you with a knife? During the funeral, you could have chosen not to come, but you insisted on setting up your own ceremonial canopy and leading a mourning procession just to act as the person in charge."

"When we let you manage the household, we didn't ask you to pay out of your own pocket. There were already established customs in the manor, yet you insisted on changing them, as if you couldn't prove your competence unless you did."

"And if you wanted to change things, fine, but you were afraid the servants wouldn't listen to you, so you thought to buy their silence with money."

Su Yunting, who had rushed over hearing there was a commotion, chimed in: "Isn't that exactly right? That night, Big Brother advised you to relinquish the management rights. Who was it that swore they could do it and refused to back down no matter what?"

Su Yunting patted his chest, took a breath, and continued, "From beginning to end, my mother agreed to Big Brother marrying you. It was your own father who sent you in as a concubine! If you have the guts, go cause a scene with them; don't bully my kind-hearted mother."

Jing Niang, however, felt that these young masters and ladies were all being fooled by Gu Nanxi: "This is all the Marchioness's conspiracy! She predicted my every move—she even predicted that my father and the others would abandon me!"

The more Jing Niang thought about it, the more she believed the Marchioness was deeply calculating: "Brother Su, I don't want to be a concubine! Concubines can be sold into trade, and the Marchioness will surely sell me off! Save me!"

Su Xuanming felt a massive headache coming on and kept trying to soothe her: "Alright, alright, no concubinage. I will marry you."

Jing Niang looked panicked and full of despair: "I have no dowry and no family to back me. Even if I marry in, what good life will I have? Eventually, you and I will grow to loathe each other. Haha, this is a dead end! It's a dead end!"

Jing Niang laughed until tears flowed: "It turns out that from the day we became close, my fate was sealed to walk a path of ruin! Brother Su, I regret it! I regret it so much my heart is breaking! Why did I have to provoke you!"

"No, Jing Niang. I was the one who provoked you. Tell me, what do you want to do? I will listen to you."

To Su Xuanming, Jing Niang's words felt like a knife, carving stroke after stroke into his heart!

"I don't dare to think of anything anymore. I only want you to stay by my side at all times. I'm afraid that if I'm separated from you, you'll never see me again," Jing Niang said weakly.

"Fine. Mother, I'll take a leave of absence from the academy," Su Xuanming agreed immediately.

Jing Niang shot a sinister and provocative look at Gu Nanxi.

Since her life was ruined, she would drag down Gu Nanxi's most precious eldest son along with her!

Marry? Become a concubine?

Hah, it was impossible for her to enter the Yongchang Marquis Manor! Neither as a wife nor a concubine!

Gu Nanxi was utterly bewildered by Jing Niang's glare. What did this have to do with her?

Even the nagging "Benevolent Mother System" had gone silent.

Once Su Xuanming carried Jing Niang out of the main hall, Su Yunyan wiped her eyes in anger: "What a troublemaker. We haven't even blamed her for making a mess of the Marquis Manor, yet she dares to turn the tables on us."

Su Yunting opened his bright eyes and looked at Gu Nanxi: "Mother, she can't manage the household anymore. Isn't it time for you to take over?"

It was like a bolt from the blue!

Gu Nanxi stood there dazed. How could she have forgotten about this?!

Gu Nanxi coughed twice: "My son is rebellious; it wounds my heart. I may need to stay in bed for a few days to recover. As for the household management, leave it to Yunyan for the time being."

Hearing this, Su Yunyan's mouth fell open in disbelief: "Me?! Mother, I don't know how."

Gu Nanxi smiled and had Lv Mei bring a set of keys: "I divided my dowry into five parts long ago. One for each of you three siblings, one for me, and the last one is for the household's common funds."

Recalling her cheap husband who had been at the border for a long time without sending a single cent home, Gu Nanxi decided not to give him any face: "Your father's monthly allowance has all been sent to the border. We are living off our savings. Yunyan, your burden is heavy."

Su Yunyan's hands nervously rubbed her belt, her small face a mix of anticipation and nervousness: "Can... can I do it?"

Gu Nanxi solemnly pressed the keys into Su Yunyan's hand and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Yunyan, your eldest brother is ruined, your second brother is in poor health, and you have high ambitions. You are the most promising person in our family. If you cannot manage a single room, how can you manage the world? You must practice for the future."

Su Yunyan's gaze gradually became firm: "Mother, you're right! I will not let you down!"

Before leaving the room, Su Yunyan turned back: "But Mother, what should I do?"

"This manor has established customs, as well as the rules Jing Niang laid down. You can decide for yourself. Even if mistakes are made, it doesn't matter; your second brother is here."

"Alright, Mother."

Su Yunting was stunned: "Me? But I am a man."

Gu Nanxi gave him a sharp look: "Can you join the army and achieve greatness, or can you take the imperial examinations?"

Su Yunting's eyes flickered: "My constitution isn't up to it either."

"In that case, you will assist your sister. If she makes a mistake, you go and fix it. If she cannot handle it, then it's your turn!"

Gu Nanxi's tone left no room for argument.

Su Yunting had been certified by the Benevolent Mother System as the smartest person in the manor.

Since he was so smart, he should do more work instead of running off outside all day.

Having one female protagonist like Jing Niang in the manor was troublesome enough; if she brought home a "master thief" as well, how chaotic would it become?

Having successfully pushed the household management onto someone else and found work for her youngest son and daughter in the process, Gu Nanxi could finally enjoy her life of "lying flat" in peace.

As for her eldest son, Su Xuanming, who was being held captive in the manor by the female protagonist, Gu Nanxi wasn't worried at all.

If he didn't want to go to school, then let him not go. Forcing him at this age would only trigger his rebellious nature.

Most children in puberty were like that; Gu Nanxi had seen it all too often.

Just as Gu Nanxi was ordering the servants to buy a sample of every delicious food from every stall in the night market—ten portions a day to taste one by one—the outburst in the main hall by Jing Niang began to spread quietly.

In an instant, those long-buried past events began to surge forth like an undercurrent.