First Phoenix Lady - chapter 13

Chapter 13

Shi Anxia stood at a distance, bent her knees and curtseyed, afraid of letting her chilliness drift to those inside. “Greetings to Grandfather and Grandmother, greetings to Father.”

But at this moment, apart from the kneeling Concubine Wen, who would mind her cold air?

Shi Chengxuan stood up excitedly. “Xia’er, did you say the matter is resolved?”

Shi Anxia nodded. “Yes. Seeing your worry and knowing how urgent the situation was, I personally led people to handle it.”

The Old Marquis and Old Madam Shi looked at their sensible granddaughter with growing fondness, beckoning her over to sit down.

She had Nan Yan take off her cloak, then smiled and sat down beside Old Madam Shi.

Old Madam Shi took the opportunity to stuff her hand warmer into Shi Anxia’s arms.

This scene stung Concubine Wen’s eyes.

Why was it that, in just a few days, she had fallen from the clouds, while Shi Anxia had won the favor of Old Madam Shi and the others?

Not to mention anything else, just Old Madam Shi and Shi Chengxuan-these two had always been selfish and never acted without benefit.

When had they ever looked at Shi Anxia directly before? Now it was as if they were bewitched, protecting Shi Anxia as if she were their very eyes.

Concubine Wen propped herself up and asked gloomily, “How did Sister Xia deal with those lowly people?”

Shi Anxia looked steadily at Concubine Wen and said seriously, “For a concubine to address the legitimate young lady as ‘Sister Xia’-isn’t that improper? Our Marquis Mansion may have declined, but rules are still rules. Otherwise, if word spreads, others will say my father’s inner court is in disorder, which would affect his career.” With that, she turned to Shi Chengxuan. “Father, am I right?”

Shi Chengxuan had just been reprimanded by Lord Jiang, and was especially concerned about such things at this moment. He nodded solemnly, his dissatisfaction with Concubine Wen deepening. “You, a concubine, what right do you have to call her ‘Sister Xia’? You should call her ‘Miss’! Have you fed all the rules to the dogs?”

Concubine Wen felt a mouthful of blood stuck in her throat, her face turning liver-colored, and she gritted her teeth to ask again, “How did Miss handle those lowly people?”

Shi Anxia enjoyed seeing Concubine Wen on the verge of spitting blood. She smiled, tilting her head on Old Madam Shi’s shoulder, looking very close-exactly the innocence and naivety she should have at her age. “With silver, of course! Ten taels of silver for each person. There were twenty-four people, so it cost two hundred forty taels in total.”

She seldom smiled like this, but when she did, it made Concubine Wen’s head ache.

She also rarely used such a bright tone, as if every word was filled with a child’s joy in showing off.

Concubine Wen’s heart was already bleeding.

Shi Anxia turned sincerely to Old Madam Shi. “Grandmother, shouldn’t this silver be reimbursed by Concubine Wen?”

Old Madam Shi nodded, becoming even more affectionate. “Of course.” She then instructed Concubine Wen, “You caused this trouble, so naturally you must pay. Later, you’ll reimburse Sister Xia three hundred taels of silver-we can’t let Sister Xia work for nothing.”

“Three hundred taels!” Concubine Wen almost spat blood. I pay the silver, you get the good reputation!

This matter really wasn’t hard to solve. If Old Madam Shi hadn’t made her kneel here, saying all this nonsense, she would have gone out to deal with it long ago.

Weren’t those lowly people just short of money? Low-born wretches!

She had already thought it through-even if she gave each one twenty copper coins, surely that would be enough to resolve the matter with this group of paupers.

But instead, each got ten taels! Those low-born people couldn’t earn ten taels of silver in a whole year!

What infuriated her most was that she paid the money and Shi Anxia played the good person! Concubine Wen felt she was about to faint with rage.

Shi Chengxuan, on the other hand, felt his daughter had handled it perfectly; anything solvable with money was no real problem at all.
At this moment, the more pleasing his daughter looked, the more displeased he was with Concubine Wen. He said viciously, “Three hundred taels is letting you off easy! If you ruin my important affairs, you’ll pay for it!”

Shi Chengxuan soon learned that this woman did, in the end, ruin his important affairs-but that is a story for later.

Shi Anxia returned to Xia Shi Courtyard at the hour of Hai.

Bei Hui had brewed medicine, reheated it several times but saw no sign of her, muttering, “It’s so late and she still hasn’t come back. How can her health improve if she doesn’t take her medicine? I just turned around and the young lady disappeared.”

Shi Anxia smiled as Nan Yan took off her cloak, accepted the bowl of medicine from Bei Hui, and replied gently, “Here I am now, aren’t I? Sister Bei Hui, I was wrong. Next time, I’ll drink the medicine before going out.”

Bei Hui instantly brightened, snatching the bowl back, “Wait a moment, miss, I’ll go heat it up again.”

Shi Anxia watched her cheerful figure and smiled, tears welling in her eyes.

These old friends-how wonderful that they are all still alive.

In her previous life, Bei Hui was the one who stayed with her the longest.

To her, Bei Hui was not a Maid, nor a palace matron. She was a sister, a motherly presence.

Bei Hui had taken beatings for her, suffered the lash, even had her fingers broken; in the Cold Palace, she kept her company in the freezing wind, ate spoiled food, drank poisoned medicine that ruined her throat, and could never speak again.

When Shi Anxia finally controlled both the front court and the harem, ruling from behind the curtain with no one daring to defy her, Bei Hui could not endure the pain any longer and died in her arms.

Bei Hui smiled at the end, mouthing the words, “Miss, in the next life, I want to serve by your side again.”

She did not call her “Empress Dowager,” but “Miss.”

Just like now, “Miss, the medicine is ready! Drink it while it’s hot.”

Shi Anxia took the bowl, frowned, and drank it in small sips.

Bei Hui handed her a candied fruit, holding it to her lips, “Miss, open your mouth.”

Shi Anxia ate the candied fruit, feeling sweetness in her heart. She held Bei Hui’s warm hand, unwilling to let go, her eyes reddening as she acted spoiled, “Sister Bei Hui, I want more.”

Bei Hui lifted her chin, smiling as she took another candied fruit from the jar and placed it in Shi Anxia’s mouth, “The doctor said you must take this medicine three times a day for a speedy recovery.”

Nan Yan giggled on the side, a bit envious that Bei Hui could be so close to the young lady. The other four Maids had all been bought into the mansion later and dared not be so bold.

Shi Anxia’s Xia Shi Courtyard had four first-class Maids, two second-class Maids, and two third-class Maids.

Among the first-class Maids, Bei Hui was brought in by Shi Anxia herself from outside the mansion, also serving as the stewardess, managing all affairs of Xia Shi Courtyard.

Dong Li, Xi Yue, and Nan Yan were personally selected by Tang Chujun and were also first-class Maids. Dong Li knew some martial arts and also served as a female guard.

Hong Que was also sent by Tang Chujun. Because she was young and still had much to learn, she became a second-class Maid.

Aside from these, all other Maids were arranged by Concubine Wen.

Recently, five matrons had suddenly joined Xia Shi Courtyard, making it feel crowded. But for convenience, they had to put up with it.

Shi Anxia had looked into it; the contracts for these matrons were all held by her eldest aunt, and their character was trustworthy.

When the Duke of State Protection Mansion was at its lowest and had no one to rely on, her eldest aunt went to her own family at Dingguo Mansion to bring in help, which allowed her to stand on equal footing with the current mistress of the Duke of State Protection Mansion.

These matrons’ families had served at Dingguo Mansion for generations; unless they lost their minds, they would never betray her.