With Multiple Babies, Who Still Wants to Be the Marquess’s Wife? - Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Testing Some Tactics

After Madam Zheng finished speaking, she turned to Lan Qingxi. “Are you satisfied with how I handled it?”

Lan Qingxi replied with a face full of gratitude, “I’ve always heard that Mother manages the household with strictness and fairness.”

“Today, seeing you handle this matter personally, I realize that saying doesn’t do you justice. You’re not only strict and fair, but also wise and decisive.”

“I truly admire you from the bottom of my heart.”

Her words made Madam Zheng feel quite pleased with herself, but they also subtly put her in a difficult position.

Madam Zheng thought Lan Qingxi was tactful and easy to appease, so the matter was settled like that.

Xiaoying, trembling with fear, tried to say something but was dragged away by the servant women, her mouth covered.

Lan Qingxi felt no sympathy for Xiaoying, because she knew that the idea to plant the Ruyi Jade on Li Qiu had been Xiaoying’s suggestion to Nanny Zhang—who then passed it on to Madam Zheng.

In a way, Xiaoying’s punishment wasn’t unjust.

There was nothing wrong with Xiaoying wanting to climb the social ladder—but trying to do it by stepping over her and Li Qiu? Absolutely not!

As for Xiulan, she was even less worthy of pity.

That Ruyi Jade had been placed in Li Qiu’s room by Xiulan.

With this, Lan Qingxi had used Madam Zheng’s hand to deal with all the key people involved in harming Li Qiu.

She watched personally as the servant women punished Xiaoying and Xiulan, with Nanny Zhang overseeing the punishment.

As the beating went on, Nanny Zhang’s eyelid kept twitching. She looked at Lan Qingxi, standing there with her gentle and elegant demeanor, and felt something was off.

Madam Zheng had clearly intended to use the incident with Li Qiu to discipline Lan Qingxi—so how had things turned out like this?

Lan Qingxi hadn’t suffered in the slightest, while everyone else involved in the matter had ended up hurt.

Nanny Zhang touched the wound on her head—it still ached terribly.

Lan Qingxi spoke softly, “Yesterday, I acted out of desperation and hurt you, Nanny. Please accept my apology.”

Nanny Zhang replied coolly, “Young Madam, you’re joking. You’re the mistress, I’m a servant. Whatever punishment you see fit—I must accept it.”

Lan Qingxi sighed. “Li Qiu is a servant born and raised in the Lan family. She’s been with me since childhood.”

“Though we are mistress and maid in name, our bond is like sisters. If anyone dares harm her, I will risk everything to fight back.”

Nanny Zhang glanced at Lan Qingxi. Her brows were like paintings, her manner warm and gentle. She didn’t look at all like the person who had smashed her with the Ruyi Jade the day before.

Nanny Zhang chuckled and said, “It’s Li Qiu’s blessing to be so fiercely protected by Young Madam.”

Lan Qingxi looked at her and asked, “And Nanny, do you have such blessings too?”

Nanny Zhang froze.

Lan Qingxi continued, “You were also Mother’s maidservant when she married, and you’ve been by her side for many years.”

“If you got into trouble someday, do you think Mother would protect you the way I protect Li Qiu?”

Nanny Zhang looked at Lan Qingxi. Her eyes weren’t sharp; in fact, they were soft and calm. But the question pierced Nanny Zhang’s very soul.

Would Madam Zheng protect her?

She looked at Xiaoying and Xiulan, who were still being beaten, and felt that it was unlikely.

Knowing Madam Zheng’s personality, she would protect her in minor matters or for appearances’ sake.

But if something big happened and someone needed to take the fall, Madam Zheng would definitely sacrifice her—just like this time.

Nanny Zhang understood this clearly in her heart, though her face remained calm. “Is Young Madam trying to drive a wedge between me and Madam?”

Lan Qingxi smiled. “Nanny, you must be joking. How could I possibly drive a wedge between your relationship with Mother?”

“But since I injured you yesterday, let this silver serve as compensation for your medical treatment.”

After speaking, she handed a pouch to Nanny Zhang, who weighed it in her hand—it was quite heavy.

By then, the punishment had concluded, and Lan Qingxi didn’t linger. She turned and left.

When she returned to her residence this time, the maids and matrons in the courtyard looked at her with a gaze that was different from before.

Lan Qingxi didn’t scold them and walked in as usual.

Xiuyu knelt in front of her. “Young Madam, I beg you, please save Xiulan. Don’t let Madam sell her.”

Xiulan and Xiuyu had entered the household at the same time and were very close.

Xiulan had been beaten with twenty strikes—not enough to take her life, but being sold immediately afterward meant she wouldn’t have time to recover, and she’d bear the shameful label of a criminal servant.

Being sold under those circumstances was practically a death sentence for Xiulan.

Lan Qingxi looked at Xiuyu with a faint smile. “I almost forgot—it was you who came to warn me yesterday, wasn’t it?”

Xiuyu panicked, her face paling. She wanted to deny it.

But Lan Qingxi spoke before she could, “It was the Marchioness who ordered her beaten, and it’s also the Marchioness who wants her sold. So, the one you should be pleading with is her.”

After saying that, she turned to leave, but a matron blocked her way and said, “Young Madam, this is a matter of life and death. Saving Xiulan would be an act of kindness that brings you blessings.”

Lan Qingxi replied gently, “Are you lecturing me?”

The matron quickly said, “I wouldn’t dare. I’m just speaking the truth.”

Lan Qingxi’s gaze was calm and distant. She looked at the people gathered around and said, “There are a few things I’ve thought over, and I think I should make them clear to all of you.”

“First, since Mother placed you all in my courtyard, that makes me your mistress.”

“Second, though I haven’t been married into the marquis’ household long, it’s not hard for me to deal with any of you.”

“Third, I may have a gentle temperament, but that doesn’t mean I’m someone just any stray cat or dog can bully.”

“Fourth, only those who are absolutely loyal to me will be allowed to stay in my courtyard.”

“If you don’t believe any of this, you’re welcome to test it out.”

She then looked at the matron blocking her path. “Move aside.”

Though her tone was calm and soft, the matron felt a chill down her spine and instinctively stepped aside.

As Lan Qingxi returned to her room, the matron muttered, “What is she anyway? Just a merchant’s daughter, and she really thinks she’s the mistress here!”

The others in the courtyard chimed in in agreement, but Xiulan’s situation had clearly unsettled them.

Lan Qingxi didn’t care about their opinions. By now, she was already back in her room.

In her view, as long as these people didn’t cause trouble, she wouldn’t make things hard for them.

But if they ever dared to scheme against her—she had plenty of ways to take them down.

After entering the room, she went to the storeroom and retrieved a new Ruyi Jade scepter. Then she called for Xiuyu and told her to deliver it to Madam Zheng.

Upon receiving the scepter, Madam Zheng was instantly delighted. It was made of top-grade mutton-fat white jade, far superior in quality to the one Lan Qingxi had broken the day before.

She greedily said, “Lan Qingxi really has a lot of good things.”

And soon, all of those things would be hers!

Thinking about Lan Qingxi’s silver and all the treasures in her storeroom, she could hardly wait to seize them all immediately.

Nanny Zhang quietly said, “Madam, this old servant feels that Lan Qingxi is not someone to be underestimated.”

Madam Zheng replied dismissively, “She’s indeed no simple woman—but so what?”

“She’s married into the Marquis’ household. That means she belongs to us now. Everything she owns belongs to the Marquis’ family!”