Chapter 9: Having a Stepmother Means Having a Stepfather

A-Wei patted the door panel, returned to the table to collect the kitchen knife into the wooden box, and handed it to Nanny Wen to take to the west side room for safekeeping.

Afterward, A-Wei walked behind Lu Nian and gently massaged her forehead.

Compared to two years ago, Lu Nian had recovered significantly, but returning to the manor today to offer incense and facing Lady Cen again inevitably caused her emotions to fluctuate.

As she massaged, A-Wei gently soothed her.

"I took a look at the small kitchen in the courtyard earlier. It hasn't been used for years, but the basic structure is still there."

"In a few days, someone will come to test the heated brick bed and the stove. Once it's cleaned up, I'll cook you something delicious."

"I'm afraid there aren't many old servants left in the manor. We'll make do with the staff assigned to us for now, and then inquire about where the old ones went. If there are any we can trust, that would be best."

"It’s clear that Aunt-in-law doesn't want to be at odds with us, so I'll probe her attitude more later."

"The Marchioness has been married in for thirty years and has deep roots. Don't be impatient; we will take it one step at a time and deal with her steadily."

This was something they had already discussed on the journey back to the capital.

Listening to the preparations that were already etched in her heart, Lu Nian gradually calmed down.

"Haste makes waste; I know that," she smiled, her posture relaxing slightly. "After all, I am a daughter returning home; I must first stand firm before I can challenge Lady Cen. Besides, she isn't fighting alone."

A-Wei had heard Lu Nian talk about Lady Cen's background.

Lady Cen relied on her uncle, Grand Tutor Cen.

No matter how fiercely a stepmother and daughter fought behind closed doors, the Cen family, as outsiders, would find it hard to intervene. But once Lu Nian was determined to make Lady Cen pay with her life for her biological mother, Grand Tutor Cen would not sit idly by.

To move against Lady Cen, they had to hold ironclad evidence that would leave Grand Tutor Cen unable to maneuver.

"Father and A-Jun are unreliable, and as for the one Lady Cen gave birth to, don't even mention him," Lu Nian scoffed, then added, "You're right. Let's start with A-Jun's wife. If she cooperates, things will be much easier for both of us."

After all, Lady Sang held the keys to the household.

A-Wei had a plan in mind.

Beyond understanding Lady Sang's character, the household situation and the political climate in the capital all needed to be sorted out one by one.

As for Lady Cen...

Lu Nian commented, "She is accustomed to putting on a facade. Behind people's backs, she wishes she could kill me, but to my face, she acts as if she's the one being bullied. I suffered quite a bit from that in the past. Today, she even sent a nanny to test the waters; she looks down on me, thinking I'm still as easy to manipulate as before."

At this, Lu Nian sneered.

She knew she had changed.

She was no longer the little girl from her childhood who only knew how to use brute force without any strategy.

The dozen years in the Yu family had completely transformed her.

Now, she would still be reckless—the more reckless she appeared, the less Lady Cen would be on her guard.

But behind that recklessness and directness, there was a calculated purpose.

Lu Nian raised her hand and gripped A-Wei's fingers, which were still massaging her forehead: "In this entire manor, the only ones we can trust are you, me, and Nanny Wen."

A-Wei nodded, gently squeezing her fingers: "I know."

Lu Nian sighed softly.

They were few in number, but they were capable.

Nanny Wen knew how to time the moving of the wooden boxes, and she also knew how to kick down a shed with just the right amount of force, leaving no trace behind.

This autumn rain had been falling on and off for ten days.

The rain was inevitably irritating, but the various people coming to Chunhui Garden to handle business were all quite polite.

They tested the heated bed, cleaned up the small kitchen, and rushed to make autumn and winter clothes. With furniture and decorations gradually being added, the Chunhui Garden, which had been uninhabited for thirty years, lost its desolation and gained a sense of life.

With people coming and going, there was naturally no shortage of news.

Nanny Wen prepared some light snacks and boiled pear drinks. While the subordinates handled their tasks, the managing matrons and nannies chatted.

Back in the day, Nanny Wen had been able to escape the capital alone, find her way to Zhongzhou, and make a living while raising little A-Wei; naturally, she had a silver tongue.

The matrons and nannies were polite at first, unwilling to gossip about the manor's affairs with "newcomers." But once the warm drink hit their throats and they chewed on the tasty snacks, their tongues loosened.

Thus, the threads of the manor's affairs began to emerge.

Nanny Wen carefully sorted them out for Lu Nian and A-Wei.

"The Marquis has been sleeping in the study since the year before last. At first, it was because the Marchioness had fallen ill and was coughing incessantly at night. Fearing it would disturb the Marquis's rest and affect his morning court duties, she asked him to sleep in the study."

"She coughed for about a month. The Marquis had important business at that time and was very busy; sometimes he even slept at the government office. Even when he returned to the manor, colleagues often came to discuss matters, talking until the second or third watch."

"By the time the Marchioness recovered, the Marquis hadn't finished his work. Once he was busy enough to catch his breath, he seemed to have grown accustomed to living in the study and didn't move back to Qiubi Garden."

"The staff serving in the study are all old faces you've seen and heard of, Madam; there's nothing untoward going on."

Lu Nian nodded and said, "That is convenient."

This convenience did not refer to the Marquis of Dingxi's official duties, but to Lu Nian's ability to sow discord.

Why else would they say that having a stepmother means having a stepfather?

Blood ties, fatherly kindness, and filial piety—none of it counted for anything in the face of pillow talk.

No matter how heartbroken Lu Nian cried as a child, no matter how much the Marquis of Dingxi pitied her, by the next day, after a few gentle words from Lady Cen, his pity would turn into cold-heartedness.

Now, as an old married couple, they couldn't compare to the warmth and tenderness of their youth, but the understanding and tacit agreement built over many years remained a problem. If Lady Cen wanted to whisper in his ear, it wasn't impossible, but if they didn't sleep in the same bed or share the same pillow, the wind would be blocked by the wall.

Whether the Marquis of Dingxi stayed in the study for the convenience of his work or out of lazy habit, it was "convenient" for Lu Nian and A-Wei.

Nanny Wen then spoke of Lu Jun: "The Heir is just as you see him—still respectful and fond of the Marchioness. The Heir's wife is from Huainan, and it wasn't until the year before last, when the Marchioness had that major illness, that she took over the household management."

A-Wei's mind was quick, and she asked, "Who came first: her taking over the management or the silver notes and medicinal herbs?"

Mentioning this, Nanny Wen curled her lip in an expression of extreme disdain: "That matter just added another layer of gold to the Marchioness's face!"

"When the Madam's letter arrived, the Marchioness was still in charge. She fell ill while preparing the silver notes and herbs, and people outside even said she was worried sick about the situation in Shu."

"What a load of nonsense! She was deathly ill, and while other household matters could barely be managed, the delivery of the money and herbs hadn't been completed. That's why she handed a portion of the duties to the Heir's wife."

"Therefore, both sides had a hand in the items sent to Shu. And I heard that when the Heir's wife first took over, the old servants from the Marchioness's side gave her plenty of 'advice,' and she was almost forced to do things according to Qiubi Garden's wishes."

"Once the Marchioness recovered and wanted to take it back, the Heir's wife found faults with the subordinates, using both threats and persuasion, and it took her three to five months to finally hold the household management firmly in her hands."

"Because of this, the Heir even had a few complaints against his wife."

A-Wei laughed as she listened.

Although she hadn't grown up properly in the inner chambers of a noble house, she had learned a great deal about the twists and turns through the guidance of Lu Nian and Nanny Wen.

Hearing this now, she understood the situation.

Since Lady Sang was managing the household now, naturally, everyone sent to Chunhui Garden to oversee the work was Lady Sang's people. Why would they speak ill of her?

Before the matter was even investigated, they pushed everything onto Qiubi Garden. Anyway, Lu Nian already looked at Lady Cen with disdain.

"In that case," A-Wei commented, "I'm afraid there is quite a bit of friction between the Aunt-in-law and Lady Cen."

Lu Nian chuckled: "Friction between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is common enough."

She wasn't afraid of Lady Cen and Lady Sang having a grudge; she was only afraid of them being a solid block, which would make it hard for them to strike.

Thanks to book friend Xiao Yuanzi for the tip, and thanks to Xiaoxiang book friend Arielir for the tip.

(End of chapter)