Lan Xi's words already carried a hint of flattery, an attempt to subtly close the distance between her and Qiao Zhan. It remained to be seen how much of it the composed Qiao Zhan had actually taken to heart.
Qiao Zhan's handsome face remained unchanged. He nodded silently and gestured for Lan Xi to continue.
"I then analyzed the pros and cons for Fourth Madam," Lan Xi said, secretly glancing at Qiao Zhan. Both of her victories against Fourth Madam were achieved thanks to Qiao Zhan. If he knew she had once again fabricated a story about him, she wondered what he would think.
When Qiao Zhan saw Lan Xi suddenly become hesitant, he remembered what she had said that morning and knew that she must have brought up himself again and made up a high-sounding story. However, he was not angry. Instead, he was interested in hearing how she would try to distort the truth and fool the other side of the story.
"I only said that you wanted to break Chunying's arms and legs and throw her out of the manor. It was I who stopped you and begged you to send her to the estate to be married off to someone else, so that she could live." Lanxi lost the righteousness she had in front of the Fourth Madam and spoke in a low voice like a child who had made a mistake, while secretly observing Qiao Zhan's expression.
Qiao Zhan suppressed the urge to twitch his lips; as expected, there were no kind words. However, if Lan Xi hadn't intervened, his punishment of Chun Ying might have been even harsher. He nodded with a calm expression, leaving Lan Xi undetected. He said in a deep voice, "Continue."
Even so, while the Fourth Madam is still angry, she will not be forced to rush to give gifts to Lan Xi.
"I saw that Fourth Madam was really unhappy. I thought that she was an elder, so I couldn't let her keep her angry." Lan Xi became more assertive as she spoke, and said crisply, "I comforted her and told her that you are very filial. If she said that Chunying was given to her by Fourth Madam, you would naturally let Chunying go back."
Some things are known to everyone in private, but if you put them in the open, they will be exposed and disappear.
“But Fourth Madam just said it’s not necessary.” Lan Xi looked completely innocent, but the mischievousness in her phoenix eyes was clear. “I have no choice but to obey.”
Lan Xi finished speaking in one breath and then shut her mouth tightly like a clam. A hint of unease still lingered in her expression; she awaited Qiao Zhan's conclusion.
"Filial piety is the most important virtue, and you've become increasingly polite. That's very good." Qiao Zhan's voice was as calm and even as ever. Lan Xi took a moment to react before realizing: Was Qiao Zhan praising her for doing a good job? Right? Right!
So Qiao Zhan is actually a brooding and cunning guy! Seeing his serious face all day long, I never expected him to be so full of bad intentions! Lan Xi twitched her lips slightly, and gained a new understanding of Lord Qiao.
"Your Majesty's teachings will be remembered." Lan Xi smiled and curtsied, saying, "I will certainly be even more filial to the old lady and all the elders in the future!"
After the two reached a pleasant consensus, the previously tense atmosphere suddenly eased with these two sentences of conversation, and the distance and estrangement that had existed since their first meeting seemed to have faded considerably. Lan Xi secretly breathed a sigh of relief; Qiao Zhan was her immediate supervisor, and she preferred to work in a relaxed environment.
"My lord, please sit for a moment. I'll bring you the things that Fourth Madam sent over." Lan Xi called to Qiao Zhan, then turned and went into the inner room, where she found the ruby jewelry and two packets of medicine that she had previously put away.
Lan Xi presented the items to Qiao Zhan, first opening the sandalwood box at the back of the set, then giving Qiao Zhan a shy smile. "Thanks to Your Excellency, I have received such a valuable set of jewelry for free."
Qiao Zhan glanced at the jewelry in the box and nodded, saying, "It is indeed valuable. Fourth Madam has gone to great lengths."
“That’s right.” Lan Xi said with a happy expression, “I was so tired of wearing those two sets of headdresses, and this one just happened to come along. It’s like my wish came true.”
Upon hearing Lan Xi's casual remark, Qiao Zhan's eyes flickered slightly, but he remained silent.
"It is said that these are nourishing medicinal herbs." Lan Xi pointed to the two bundles and was about to unfold them for Qiao Zhan to see, but Qiao Zhan suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Just leave it for now. Tell the steward what you need." Qiao Zhan meant no harm; he was just trying to stop Lan Xi. He then released her hand and instructed, "We have plenty of herbs in the manor. Just keep these herbs of unknown origin."
The moment her hand was grasped, Lan Xi felt her heart skip a beat. She desperately suppressed the urge to pull away and tried to appear natural. After all, Qiao Zhan was still a stranger to her.
Unlike Lan Xi's nervousness, Qiao Zhan remained calm, as if he had done the most ordinary thing. Even if he didn't like Lan Xi before, they were still husband and wife, so holding hands was naturally no problem for him.
Undeniably, Qiao Zhan's words warmed her heart. She hadn't planned to use the medicinal herbs herself, but she still nodded obediently.
“It should be carefully stored away.” Lan Xi readily agreed, a slight smile playing on her lips. “This isn’t some unknown medicine; it’s from Fourth Madam’s room, its origin is crystal clear.” She paused deliberately for a moment before whispering, “It might come in very handy later!”
Qiao Zhan immediately understood Lan Xi's meaning, and they exchanged a knowing look. A faint smile appeared in his eyes, like a gentle gaze, responding to Lan Xi's charming smile.
It seems... there's a tiny bit of tacit understanding between them?
******
Although the atmosphere between the two was harmonious, Qiao Zhan ultimately did not stay, and did not even have dinner in the main room. Yue Lin and the others all showed expressions of disappointment, and their gazes towards Lan Xi were filled with caution and sympathy.
Lan Xi was quite content to be alone and carefree. To her, Qiao Zhan was just a stranger, even though he had striking features, deep-set eyes, a handsome face, and a tall, well-built physique—all her type. Treating him as a leader was pleasing to the eye, and she could quickly get into the mood. But accepting him as a husband was not so easy.
"Madam, don't be sad. The Marquis came to see you, so he still cares about you!" Tang Li saw Lan Xi holding a storybook and looking at it with a worried expression, and assumed that she was upset about Qiao Zhan's departure.
Tang Li chattered on and on beside Lan Xi for a long time until Lan Xi finally couldn't stand her noise and looked away from the storybook.
How did she act like a complaining woman? It was just that the storybooks were all in traditional Chinese characters, and she, who was used to simplified characters, found some characters difficult to recognize, requiring her to rack her brains to remember them.
"Hmm." Lan Xi glanced at Tang Li, who looked even more worried than her, and couldn't bring herself to say anything perfunctory. The people who were still by her side at this moment were all honest and kind, and although their abilities were limited, their hearts were sincere towards her.
“This can’t be rushed.” Lan Xi comforted Tang Li instead. “Over the past two years, I have gradually alienated the Marquis. It’s understandable that he might not change his mind for a while. You don’t need to worry. Once the Marquis sees that I am different from before, his attitude will naturally change.”
Lan Xi was telling the truth. The mess left by the original owner couldn't be cleaned up overnight. The only way forward was to take it slowly and gradually change Qiao Zhan's impression of her. Ultimately, the most important thing was to make Qiao Zhan realize that she wasn't a useless teammate, and perhaps could even be developed into a valuable assistant!
Only then can she live comfortably in this world. (Just Love Network)
Chapter 65
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The Qiao family's affairs are not over yet. The old lady has already become suspicious. The fourth wife will not make any moves for the time being, but she will not give up. There are also the second and third wives whom she has not yet met, plus the cousins in the third branch... Lan Xi has a headache. How far is she from a leisurely and carefree life as a landlord's wife?
"Have Banxia come over for the night watch later. I have something to ask her." Lan Xi suddenly remembered the round-faced maid she had seen in the old lady's courtyard during the day. She dared to remind her in front of everyone, so they must have some connection.
Tang Li nodded and called Yue Lin and Ban Xia in to help Lan Xi wash up and change into her nightgown before resting.
"Banxia, who was that round-faced maid in the light green vest who held up the curtain for me today?" Lanxi sat up and let Banxia sit on a small stool with her clothes on, and the two began to talk quietly. "She looks familiar, but I can't remember her for the moment."
“She is Yu Chan, and she is related to Zhu Tao’s family by marriage,” Banxia explained. “Before she came to serve the old lady, her parents were dying and couldn’t afford medical treatment. It was you who gave her two gold hairpins and helped her parents get medical treatment, which helped them recover. Yu Chan is a kind person and has always remembered your great kindness.”
So that's how it is. It seems the original owner's gentle nature had earned her some good karma. The old lady has her own people around her... We should start keeping in touch with them in the future. The old lady is keeping a close eye on the Marquis's mansion, so it would be good to get any information in advance.
Lan Xi silently planned in her heart, and asked Ban Xia many questions about the affairs of the manor. Ban Xia answered all the questions she knew.
The clock had just struck midnight, and Lan Xi hurriedly told Banxia to go to sleep on the large kang bed by the window. She then lay down herself, half-asleep and half-awake, pondering the things she had to deal with over the past few days.
We can only take it one step at a time.