Chapter 17 – Ma.s.sive renovations at Marquis Jingyuan’s mansion (2)
Her eyes were sparkling. She wanted to restore this mansion back to its full glory! She would make the people in the Capital not dare to look down on them once again!
Although her face was beaming from beginning to end, her body still possessed an elegant demeanor fitting of a leader. It caused people to not dare to contradict her. Instead, they were enchanted by her.
For the first time, Old Zhong saw the young lady with this kind of self-confidence. In response to her state of mind, he also felt is blood heating up and boiling in excitement, “Yes Miss! This old servant will go handle it right away!” He walk away with his back straight as a plank.
“Hey! What are you two talking about?” The Chast.i.ty Testing Beast was ignored up until now and was naturally in a bad mood.
Ning Xuemo walked to the iron cage and replied to it in English, “Nothing. Just giving him instructions for some minor matters. It is said that the eastern courtyard of my house is still in pretty good condition. You can live there.”
The Chast.i.ty Testing Beast rocked the iron cage with dissatisfaction, “That’s fine but you have to open this thing for me first. Stop locking up this young master again!”
Ning Xuemo shook her head. “There is a seal on this iron cage. I tried, but can’t open it. If only you can go through that small door.”
The Chast.i.ty Testing Beast rolled his eyes. “This hole is this small! How do you think I will be able to pa.s.s through it?!”
Ning Xuemo shrugged. “Then, I can’t do anything about it. Be a good child and wait patiently in this cage. If I find a way, then, I will release you.”
Right now, if she could pry open it, then this iron cage would be useless.
After all, it currently had the body of a beast, a beast with a bloodthirsty and brutal nature. If it wasn’t the case, numerous young women wouldn’t have lost their life under its claws.
It would be troublesome if she was to release it and it suddenly went berserk.
The Chast.i.ty Testing Beast was discontented, “Then, how are you going to bring me to the eastern courtyard?”
Ning Xuemo sized up it height and discussed with it, “How about you carry the iron cage yourself? You are so big and also a divine beast. You should have this much strength, right?”
Chast.i.ty Testing Beast, “…”[1]
One person and one beast were in the middle of a discussion when, suddenly, from the front yard, the faint sound of someone making a racket could be heard, followed by the sound of footsteps coming directly to the hall.
“Second Aunt Ning, you cannot forcibly charge in. Our Miss’ health is no good. She cannot receive guests…” Old Zhong sounded like he was gasping for breath. It was quite normal since his leg was injured and he still had to chase after the other person.
“What do you mean?! I’m entering my niece’s courtyard, so how can you called it ‘forcibly charge in’? I can’t even come to visit my niece?!” The words were skillfully spoken by a more than thirty years old woman that burst into the hall like a gust of wind.
“Xuemo, Aunt came to visit you.” Two packets of pastries were dangling from her hand which were a small token of her goodwill, but her sharp eyes were greedily set on the opened chest filled with gold ingots.
She hastily walked towards the chest. “Oh? Eldest niece, where did all those gold come from? Do you think those are fake?” Her hand reached out to grab one of the gold.
Bang! Suddenly, the chest closed at lightning speed. The lid almost slammed on the woman’s hand.
The woman lifted her head unwillingly and saw Ning Xuemo leisurely sitting on the chest lid. She looked at her niece with a smile that was not a smile. “Second Madam, are you here under the pretense of family relations.h.i.+p again?”
This Second Madam is the wife of her father’s younger cousin. Marquis Jingyuan was born in poverty. His parents died early. He wandered the streets, homeless and penniless, but none of his poor relatives wanted to help him.
Later when he became famous and was conferred the position of supreme commander in chief, all of his barely related relatives came to his door to claim familial connection. In general, from time to time, they came to Marquis Jingyuan’s mansion claiming to be relatives and, then, asked for favors under the pretense of family relations.h.i.+ps.
Marquis Jingyuan didn’t recall old grievances, considering that they have the same ancestors and he even helped them to the best of his ability.
However, never would he have expected that they were only faking their grat.i.tudes and what they felt deep down in their bones was jealousy and envy.