MSBCH Chapter 6.2

“Miss! Zhi Xin doesn’t want to leave you!”

Zhi Xin clutched at Wen Ninghan’s sleeve, and if she hadn’t remembered that they were in the Wen household and had to follow the rules, she would have probably already clung to Wen Ninghan’s arm, acting spoiled and pitiful.

Although it wasn’t according to the rules, Zhi Xin knew very well that her young lady was soft-hearted and easily swayed by such tactics.

Wen Ninghan smiled and patted Zhi Xin’s hand. If she pulled any harder, the sleeve would tear.

“Don’t worry, Concubine Su, Zhi Xin is the most well-mannered person. She would never bring shame to the Marquis’s residence. As for my reputation, since I’ve just returned to the capital, under Concubine Su’s care, there shouldn’t be any improper rumors about the Marquis’s residence, right?”

Su Yiniang “…”

What does it mean? Does it mean that any rumors in the future will be due to her not being strict in household matter?

“By the way, Concubine Su, where is my younger sister? You also mentioned that the rules of the Marquis’s residence are different from the Qin family’s. I can’t do anything without attendants by my side, so please arrange the proper number of people. Just make sure to assign two more attendants for me than you did for my sister.”

Su Yiniang ground her back teeth, wondering where Wen Ninghan found the confidence to demand such treatment. She wanted to be treated the same as her precious daughter? No, wait—based on Wen Ninghan’s tone, it seemed like she wanted even better treatment than her Shuang’er!

“After all, Ninghan, as the legitimate daughter of the Marquis’s residence, should not have fewer attendants than a mere illegitimate daughter, right?”

Upon hearing this, Su Yiniang nearly ground her silver teeth to dust. “Concubine” “illegitimate daughter”—those words were the pain of her life. From the moment they met, Wen Ninghan and that insufferable little brat from the Qin family had both emphasized the term “Concubine”. Now, she had even openly pointed out Shuang’er’s status as an illegitimate daughter.

Over the years, they—mother and daughter—had endured countless hardships and humiliations because of their status!

Wen Ninghan pressed her lips into a smile as she watched the anger in Su Yiniang’s eyes, thinking to herself, ‘Wasn’t it Su Yiniang who cried and begged for this status?’

Then let her cry and continue to endure it!

No matter what Wen Ninghan said, at least on the surface, her words were beyond reproach. Even if she tell them to Wen Congyan, she would still be justified.

Watching Su Yiniang, fuming and shaking her handkerchief as she left, the quiet courtyard finally returned to its peaceful stillness. Zhi Xin also let out a relieved sigh.

“You silly girl, what are you afraid of? Do you really think I would abandon you?”

Zhi Xin wiped away the nonexistent sweat on her forehead. “Miss, please don’t make fun of me. I was truly scared.”

Wen Ninghan gave Zhi Xin’s forehead a playful poke, her expression filled with exasperation. Zhi Xin grinned and quickly changed the subject. “Miss, is this the courtyard where you used to live when you were in the Wen family?”

Wen Ninghan nodded.

At that time, she was still very young. For the first year, she was in swaddling clothes, only able to crawl around on the bed. By the time she could run freely, her mother’s health had already deteriorated.

Her world back then was just this small courtyard, and she had no idea about the vastness of the world outside. It wasn’t until the Qin family came to take her away that her life changed.

“Let’s not talk about that anymore. You take charge of the cleaning maids in the courtyard and make sure to bring in the things from the carriage.”

Zhi Xin mumbled, “There’s hardly anything in the carriage…”

As they were talking, a loud voice rang out from the courtyard gate. “Xiao Jiu! Xiao Jiu, are you inside?”

Wen Ninghan: “…”

If it weren’t for knowing that Qin Rongxi was just this kind of person, his loud voice would have made it sound like she was being murdered, shouting as if her life was in danger.

“Seventh Brother… can you keep your voice down? My ears are perfectly fine.”

Qin Rongxi scratched the back of his head with a silly grin, standing at the far gate without entering. He craned his neck, trying his best to peer into the courtyard and get a look at what was going on inside.

Qin Rongxi was two years older than Wen Ninghan and had always been fond of his sweet, soft little sister. Naturally playful, he could be said to have grown up following Wen Ninghan around—not the other way around.

Wen Ninghan had a good relationship with all the Qin family members, especially her brothers, who spoiled her. But if anyone had the closest bond with her, it was Qin Rongxi.

Perhaps it was their similar ages and shared interests that made them so compatible, allowing them to enjoy each other’s company.

Qin Rongxi was always willing to go along with Wen Ninghan’s antics, and over the years, he had often found himself kneeling at the ancestral hall, receiving punishment for it.

When they were younger, Qin Rongxi spent a long period living in the same courtyard as Wen Ninghan, claiming he had to protect his sister and make sure no bad people would take her away.

As they grew older, he received quite a few beatings for his mischief, eventually learning to control himself and realizing that his sister and his younger brothers were entirely different.

His sister’s courtyard, her rooms—those were places that should never be entered recklessly.

Seeing Qin Rongxi standing at the gate, looking all eager, Wen Ninghan couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m still tidying up. I noticed there’s probably no hot tea, so later I’ll treat Seventh Brother to some wine. It must have been tiring for you. Are you heading home to rest, or do you want to stay here for a few days?”

The Qin family also had property in the capital—houses, farmland, shops, and estates—but they preferred staying in Jiangnan. Unless absolutely necessary, they avoided coming to the capital.

Wen Ninghan believed that apart from the difficulty of doing business under the watchful eyes of the emperor and high-ranking officials, the main reason was that this was the place where Qin Xi had passed away, and the Qin family didn’t want to be in such a sorrowful place.

Before Wen Ninghan returned to the capital, Old Master Qin had transferred most of the family’s properties in the capital to her name, leaving only two houses and an estate as a place for the Qin family to stay when they visited.

For example, her maternal uncle, Qin Kaihai, was currently recuperating at the estate.

“I’m not going back!” Qin Rongxi squatted right at the courtyard gate. “I’m staying here to watch over you.”

He had to keep a close watch on how the Wen family treated Wen Ninghan, so that when he left, he wouldn’t be left in the dark about what might happen to his Xiao Jiu. He couldn’t afford to leave it to chance and end up not knowing what she might face in the Wen family.

He didn’t hesitate to assume the worst about the Wen family. No matter how smart Wen Ninghan was, if Wen Congyan used his position as a father to suppress her, she would definitely suffer.

Wen Ninghan was amused by Qin Rongxi’s antics. “You’re going to watch over me? At the gate? Are you planning to build a nest here?”

Qin Rongxi: “…” He knew he looked a bit helpless. But with what he knew of Wen Ninghan, this girl was a master at crossing the river and tearing down the bridge. Now that she was in the Wen family, the next step would be for her to get rid of him.

He understood.

After all, when they played together as children, Qin Rongxi usually ended up taking the blame. Sure, he often did so willingly, but Wen Ninghan never showed him any mercy, either.

Still, the Marquis of Yong’an’s residence was vast; surely they had a guest courtyard to accommodate him.

As he looked up, he saw Su Yiniang approaching with a large group of servants, seemingly having composed herself. However, they were immediately blocked by Qin Rongxi, who was still squatting stubbornly at the gate.

Su Yiniang: “…”

‘As expected of a merchant’s son—utterly lacking in propriety.’

Qin Rongxi paused for a moment. Adopting the mindset of “if I don’t feel embarrassed, then it’s others who will,” he silently stood up and shifted slightly to the side, positioning himself just at the edge of the courtyard gate—barely out of the way, but still blocking part of the entrance. He made sure not to step inside the courtyard, thinking, They can’t accuse me of being improper as an outsider, right?

“Young Miss, I’ve brought the attendants for you,” Su Yiniang announced. “According to custom, you should have four senior maids, two nannys, eight junior maids, and four cleaning maids. Take a look and see if they suit you. If not, I can call for the broker and arrange for replacements.”

Wen Ninghan glanced at the people Su Yiniang had brought. On the surface, they all seemed fine—especially the four senior maids standing at the front.

They were beautiful, charming, and graceful, with an elegant demeanor that suggested careful training. Just looking at them was pleasing to the eye.

As for the two nannys, they looked much stricter. Their sharply arched brows and downturned mouths would have terrified Zhi Xin for sure.

Wen Ninghan, of course, wasn’t one to be intimidated. She simply smiled and said,

“Thank you,  Concubine Su. These people seem quite good, let’s keep them. Oh, by the way, I’m not sure how many attendants my younger sister has. I can’t have fewer than her, otherwise people might gossip that our marquis household has no sense of propriety. That would reflect poorly on me.”

Su Yiniang was seething with rage, yet she had to keep up a smiling facade and play along.

“Yes, yes. Shuang’er also has four senior maids and eight junior maids. However, she only has one nanny and two cleaning maids. She would never outshine the Young Miss.”

People always seem to care the most about what they lack the most, she thought bitterly.

Su Yiniang would always be just a concubine, and that was the sore spot she cared about most. Wen Ninghan loved stepping right on that wound, relishing the sight of Su Yiniang gritting her teeth in silent pain, unable to lash out.

In moments like this, the one who took things too seriously would lose—and the more someone cared, the quicker they would fall.

As long as Wen Ninghan maintained her confidence, Su Yiniang would always be at a disadvantage in front of her, lacking the conviction to argue. That’s why Qin Rongxi didn’t need to worry about her being mistreated in the Wen household.

If anything, she was more likely to be the one doing the mistreating.

Su Yiniang continued, “Shuang’er isn’t in good health and often needs medicine, so there are more maids in her courtyard. However, if the Young Miss needs more attendants, I can certainly arrange for additional ones.”

Su Yiniang put on a show of generosity and cooperation.

“Thank you for your trouble, Concubine Su. These people will suffice. After all, this courtyard isn’t that large. Adding more would overcrowd it. Besides, I don’t have that much to manage. Too many servants would be a waste. We can’t just squander Father’s money on idle mouths, can we?”

Then, Wen Ninghan shifted the topic. “Oh, by the way, now that I’m back, how much is my monthly allowance? And what about the monthly silver I haven’t received for the past ten years? Where has that gone? Also, are the shops and farmlands my mother left behind still here? How much profit do they generate each year, and where has that money been going?”

Su Yiniang: !!!

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