Chapter Ninety-Seven Entering the Mansion

  "Hmm..." Just as she was speaking happily, Qiu Ju didn't notice Zhen Shi Niang's unusual behavior. "Old Madame asked how old Wen Ge and Wu Ge are, if they're good-looking or not, if they listen to their elders or not, and especially instructed me to bring them next time so she can take a look. She also said that Feng Ge is almost three years old and was thinking of finding him a playmate."

  Mrs. Xiao is thinking of arranging a good future for Wen Ge and Wu Ge through this way.

  For those humble families, having their sons serve as study companions or playmates for the children of high-ranking officials and gaining access to the upper echelons of society is a lifelong treasure!

  Zhen Shining's eyes were slightly moist.

  What virtues and abilities does she have, to be so deeply loved by Elder Mrs. Xiao?

  In an instant, the unease that had arisen from Qiu Ju's unintentional revelation of Jian Wen and Jian Wu's affair completely disappeared.

  She won't enter the general's mansion, nor will she have the opportunity to go in and out with Shen Zhongqiu. The probability of meeting Xiao Yu as his wife is almost zero; Xiao Yu and Mrs. Xiao don't know that she is Shen Zhongqiu's wife, in their eyes, she is just an ordinary little doctor, even if they knew she had two children, it doesn't matter.

  After understanding these things, Zhen Shining's expression also became clearer. After chatting for a while, she again instructed Qiuju that no matter how enthusiastic the other party was, she could not reveal her family's bottom line so thoroughly, and then sent her to wash up and rest.

  Next, Zhen Xiang carefully learned palace etiquette from Zhao's mother for several days.

  Learning etiquette also has its own say, a posture, as long as you grasp the key points and do the actions to the point, it's considered passing, but to what extent is considered to be to the point, this depends on the etiquette teacher, let you maintain a posture unchanged, hold for a while is her, hold for a day is also her.

  It looks like nothing, but for those who learn etiquette, the bitter heads they eat are different.

  This Zhao auntie had accepted bribes from Chu Xinyi before she came, originally intending to deal with Zhen Shiniang. However, Zhen Shiniang handled things calmly and elegantly, showing respect for her in every way while also revealing a sharp wit everywhere. Just looking at that one finger of hers was enough to make Zhao auntie's body tremble with fear, she wouldn't be able to survive if she didn't struggle. If she were to be dealt with and fell, on the first day of the first month when she couldn't enter the palace, her crime would be even greater.

  After some deliberation, Zhao's mother finally gave up on the idea of disciplining her and instead genuinely tried to educate her.

  On the other side of the Chu Xinyi, 180,000 miles away in the Upper Capital City, Zhen Shiniang was learning etiquette on this side and couldn't see if she had suffered or not.

  Zhen Shiniang was of the right age to be selected as an imperial concubine when she got married, and had even prepared for it before. However, the previous emperor issued a decree ordering her marriage, thus exempting her from the selection process. Although she has no memory of her past experiences after switching souls, her body still retains its memories. When Zhao Yiniang briefly reminded her of the complex court etiquette, she instinctively performed them perfectly.

  Knowing that she came from the Shangshu Mansion, Zhao's nanny was not surprised at all. Both of them got off lightly, but it took Zhao's nanny a lot of effort to train Qiuju.

  Seeing Qiū Jú's small face twitching in torment, Zhēn Shí Niáng also felt heartache. But thinking that Qiū Jú couldn't just be a tea-serving and water-pouring little maid, and later when her own medicine factory opened, she and Xǐ Yuè would have to represent her and deal with various parties, she endured it again. She only sent the two remaining batches of high-quality silk fabrics at home to Zhào Mā Ma.

  As the Lantern Festival approaches, a subtle undercurrent surges within the General's Manor.

  "General Rong let his wife go pick up the lady..."

  It was a high-canopied carriage with four wheels...

  "There were also two charcoal basins in the car..."

  On the thirteenth day of the first month, when the servants in the general's mansion met, they no longer used the morning greeting, but instead exchanged a knowing glance, then looked around cautiously and started whispering to each other...

  There is an imperial edict, Zhen Shiniang must pay respects to Shen Fei Niangniang on the Lantern Festival. This isn't anything special, what's special is that the general actually used the highest-grade carriage from the General's Manor... and activated the welcoming ceremony for the mistress. As a result, everyone in the manor is guessing.

  Is the lady going to stay this time she's back?

  "...and actually used a four-wheeled high carriage to pick her up?" Chu Xinyi was checking the accounts, and upon hearing Chunlan's words, she raised her head in disbelief.

  She presided over Zhongfu for five years and generals were not allowed to use that four-wheeled high-canopy carriage!

  "The little servant at the gate saw it clearly and asked in person..."

  "Which dormitory have you arranged to stay in?"

  "The slave asked Hong Lian, she said the general didn't instruct anyone to prepare a room..." Hong Lian was a maid who served Shen Zhong Shuo's daily life.

  So you're saying it's not in the main house?

  Chu Xinyi suddenly burst out laughing.

  "Auntie?" Chunlan wondered if her aunt was being fooled.

  "...She was summoned into the palace by imperial edict, General naturally had to put on a show for His Majesty!" Chu Xinyi sneered coldly.

  "That's to say, madam is only here for a short visit and won't be staying long?" Chunlan asked with a giggle.

  "Chu Xinyi smiled and said, '...It depends on Old Lady then?'"

  The old lady shouted loudly in public that as long as she was around, there would be no Zhen Shiyin. Does Shen Zhongjie have the guts to keep Zhen Shiyin this time?

  ……

  "...I was worried that I would go the wrong way and not be able to find the entrance to General's mansion." Zhen Shi Niang laughed and teased, seeing Rong Sheng arrive with a horse carriage.

  It takes a day to get from here to the capital, and in order to enter the palace, she has to stay at the general's mansion a day in advance. With no one to receive her, Zhen Shining is worried that Chu Xinyi might not let her in when the time comes?

  She did have money to stay in an inn, but if this got out, it would be a slap in the face for Shen Zhongjie.

  Rong Sheng blinked in shock.

  It's been five years since she returned home, but surely she hasn't truly forgotten the entrance of General Manor?

  Among the four guards, Ji Huai Feng was steady and experienced, while Sun Qing Liang was straightforward and hot-tempered, and naturally incompatible with Jian Wu. The two would often quarrel like fighting cocks after just three sentences, so leaving him at home made Zhen Shi Ni uneasy, worrying that Jian Wu would be bullied by him. However, thinking that the inner palace was not like other places, where a single mistake could lead to a death sentence, she finally decided to have Ji Huai Feng keep an eye on him at home, while she took the more gentle-tempered Guo Xiu and Chi Ji Wei with her.

  They set out early and arrived at the general's mansion by dusk.

  Shen Zhong had previously instructed, Rong Sheng directly took Zhen Shi Niang to the main room, and also let someone take Guo Xiu and Chi Jiwei to the guest room for a good rest.

  They have different identities and are all senior eunuchs, so they cannot be treated as ordinary guards.

  The plaque on the doorframe of the main house had long been changed from Ningfeng Studio to Haoran House, and several little maids were frolicking in the corridor. Seeing Rong Sheng suddenly bring two women in, they swarmed around, curiously sizing up Zhen Shi Niang and Qiu Ju.

  Qiu Ju subconsciously blocked in front of Zhen Shining.

  Zhen Shining gently patted her and pulled her aside, gazing calmly at the crowd.

  "Who is she? How did you bring her here?" Hong Lian waved his hand to stop the commotion, and asked Rong Sheng, "You know the general's temper, women are never allowed in this house!" Although this was indeed Zhen Shi Niang's courtyard five years ago, the original maids had long been replaced by Chu Xin Yi, and no one here had ever seen Zhen Shi Niang, the real mistress.

  Rong Sheng secretly cursed in his heart, "Let's bring the person here, how can the general not arrange it beforehand." He loudly explained, "She is the madam, and hasn't come to pay her respects yet." With a sideways glance, he stealthily observed Zhen Shi Niang's expression.

  Others despise Zhen Shining, but she has been by Shen Zhongjie's side, arranging all the affairs in the ancestral mansion. Shen Zhongjie never says it out loud, but he treats Zhen Shining differently from other women in his heart, with a patience and tolerance that even surpasses how he treats Chu Xinyi.

  And so, he became more and more respectful to Zhen Shiniang, already treating her as his superior. Seeing that she was calm and composed, not getting angry at Honglian's rudeness, he secretly let out a sigh of relief.

  General's wife?

  The crowd let out a collective snort, and in an instant, cold laughter, ridicule, and disdain replaced curiosity. Everyone's gaze once again focused on Zhen Shiniang and her servant.

  But no one came forward to pay their respects according to Rong's words.

  "....Isn't the lady already abandoned by the general?" A pretty little maid snickered, "Where did this 'lady' pop out from."

  "How dare you!" Rong Sheng's face turned dark, "The imperial edict orders the madam to pay respects to Shen Fei tomorrow. Are you saying that the madam has been abandoned? Do you want the general to disobey the emperor?"

  The room suddenly fell silent.

  The hat is too big, it's clear that the woman in front of them is a discarded wife, but no one dares to take over, Yunzhu has already quietly slipped away behind everyone.

  Living up to Shen Zhongge's big girl, Hong Lian quickly came back to her senses and scolded the crowd, "Has everyone not lived enough, gathering here to watch the excitement?"

  The crowd dispersed with a loud noise, leaving only Hong Sang, another personal maid who usually served Shen Zhongjie, standing on one side with a smile, coldly watching Zhen Shiniang and her servant.

  Everyone saw that Zhen Shiniang didn't give them a courtesy, so they all ran away. Rong Sheng's lips moved a few times, wanting to call out to stop them, but thinking that the maids in this courtyard were more arrogant than those in other courtyards, and even if he said something, they might not listen, it would only make Zhen Shiniang lose face even more. So he pretended to be ignorant and turned his head to look at Hong Lian, "General ordered me early to bring the lady to Haoran House, Sister Hong Lian, please arrange a room for her first, let her rest, and we'll talk about other things when General returns."

  Shen Zhongge did not live in the same house as Zhen Shiniang at his ancestral home, nor did he dare to let Zhen Shiniang rest in the main house without permission.

  Rong Sheng would never deceive, Hong Lian didn't dare to make things difficult for her, Shen Zhongge didn't instruct her to clean the room, so in this hurry, where did she put the person?

  "I didn't know the mistress was coming, and the room hasn't been cleaned. This cold weather is probably not enough time to warm it up." Hong Lian and Hong Sang exchanged a glance, "Otherwise, why don't the mistress spend a night with me first? The East Wing House is still empty, and tomorrow I'll clean it up for the mistress to move in?" The words were consultative, but the tone was commanding.

  Live with her in the same house?

  Zhen Shining furrowed her brow.

  She never considered herself as Shen Zhongjie's wife, and was brought here by Rong Sheng. She didn't plan to enter the main house, thinking that with so many rooms in the courtyard, even a humble woodshed would be fine for her to spend the night. After meeting Shen Fei tomorrow, she would leave without bothering to argue with these arrogant servants whose eyebrows seemed to reach the sky.

  But now Hong Ye actually lets herself and her squeeze into one room, obviously treating her as a servant.

  Today she really lived in Ya Niang's room, and tomorrow Hong Lian should let her pour water to wash her feet!

  Her gaze gradually turned cold, Zhen Shining slowly swept a glance at Hong Lian, without saying a word, and walked towards the main room.

  The first night she arrived here five years ago, she fell into this courtyard.

  She has especially fond memories of this place!

  Jian Zhen didn't care about herself and didn't say a word, but instead walked straight to Shen Zhong's bedroom. Hong Lian was stunned on the spot, and it took her a while to come back to her senses. "Madam!" She hastily chased after Jian Zhen, "That is the general's bedroom, you can't go in there!"

  Her family's general and old lady are deeply resentful of this madam, today they really put her in, and she must be skinned alive!