Rebirth of the Treacherous Official’s Madam

Of course, it was just a little less than half of the capital, because it wasn’t the entire Wen’an Marquis Manor that caught on fire, but rather, just that most expansive and refined courtyard at the center of the Wen’an Marquis Manor, Xun old madam’s residence, Cide Hall.

At the time when the fire started, Xun old madam was lying on the red sandalwood bed carved with cranes, her head resting on the gold thread soft silk pillow, her body covered with a brocade quilt embroidered with a hundred good fortune characters and auspicious clouds, sleeping soundly and deeply, immersed in her sweet dream.

That was probably her most wonderful dream in Tianxu year 14. In the dream everything was all according to her wish. At the Linglong Literature Club, when it was the most lively, the sweet soup spilled onto Yu Lingxin’s clothes. That seemingly obedient lowly girl needed to go change, but right at this time, Xun Xiang’s clothes also ripped, thus inviting Yu Lingxin to go together.

Halfway, Xun Xiang suddenly just started feeling dizzy and uncomfortable, collapsing onto Yu Lingxin. Yu Lingxin, who was used to pretending to be virtuous, hurriedly called someone to come help. At this time, Songxiang, while pretending to be in a panic, asked Yu Lingxin to help carry Xun Xiang to the side, and immediately after, knocked her out with a drug.

In the dream Xun old madam seemingly really saw Yu Lingxin’s unconscious appearance. Afterwards, she also saw, an hour later, how Yu Lingxin got discovered with her clothes in disorder, lying together with Xun Tan.

Hahaha, haha! The corner of Xun old madam’s lips raised higher and higher. Next, she dreamed of after going through noisy disturbances and chaos, in the end, everything was still according to her clever schemes. Xun Che’s wedding carried on as scheduled, just the bride was changed to the genuinely noble and graceful count manor di daughter, Qi Pei, in the last moment.

And Yu Lingxin, that stupid girl that thinks she has a xianzhu backing her, can only submissively marry Xun Tan, that shu son, and properly serve the second madam and her, this old madam!

This kind of beautiful scenery made Xun old madam extremely happy. Especially, in the dream, Qi Pei’s days were extremely blissful, bearing and raising children, while Yu Lingxin suffered in every way possible, being docile and submissive, deferentially kneeling on the ground while serving her the swallow’s nest^[1].

Just, how come this swallow’s nest tasted this weird?

Xun old madam chewed it again, the texture empty like as if there was nothing, and that taste, how come it was like as if burnt?

Swallow’s nest can even be burnt? Is that lowly girl being deliberate?!

Xun old madam was just about to immediately get angry, when the Yu Lingxin kneeling before her suddenly lifted her head, flames emitting from her eyes. Moreover, it wasn’t ‘seemingly’ spitting fire, but really emitting red flames, and also billows of black smoke!

“Oh no, there’s a fire!”

With the loud crashing sound of the windows shutters clashing, Xun old madam was finally startled awake. All the beautiful sceneries in her dream instantly disappeared. The only thing that was the same in her dream and before her were just the red flames and black smoke!

The panic and chaos that ensued naturally didn’t need to be mentioned. The fire got thoroughly put out more than an hour later, but when Xun old madam was getting saved, she ended up tripping, and when getting lifted to another building to get treated, the soft couch she was on suddenly broke, thus falling onto the ground again. When she finally got supported through the door, because of coughing too severely, her head even knocked against the door frame.

That’s why, by the time the Xun family rushed out to invite the imperial physicians over to treat the old madam, Xun old madam who had gotten injured and frightened wasn’t able to speak coherently anymore.

At the same time, Xun family’s second miss, Xun Ying, who’d rushed over to see her grandmother out of worry after hearing about the fire, had also gotten injured and startled. After examining, the imperial physicians came to the conclusion that Xun second miss afraid will end up having heart problems, thus not suited to participate in the imperial selection half a month from now.

TN: All translations outside of are stolen and reposted without permission!

If just solely hearing about the Xun manor catching on fire in the middle of night, then others’ first reaction would just be, ‘isn’t this too inauspicious, will the Xun family heir’s wedding still be able to carry out? Or rather, can he still smoothly marry in time?’

But, to also hear about Xun Ying getting injured and startled, unable to participate in the imperial selection, this matter seemingly just became a bit peculiar.

At present, the Xun family and Zhu family can be considered to have formed extremely deep grudges, and with his Highness Qin Wang, their relationship was also sensitive. If Xun Ying really were to get picked, becoming a prince’s consort, regardless whether it’s marrying Qin Wang, Wu Wang, or Wei Wang, she all might become a hostage, or even the target of retaliation.

That’s why, for the Xun family to look for an excuse, not letting Xun Ying participate, this was something within expectations.

But, if to say that they’d set their own home on fire prior to the heir’s wedding in order to let Xun Ying be exempted from the imperial selection, that would also be too ridiculous.

In any case, on the morning of the fifth, the people of the magistrate office got invited to the Wen’an Marquis Manor, saying that the corpse of the arsonist has been found, a servant girl called Songxiang, who because of having gotten punished by Xun old madam, harbored grudges inside, thus committing arson in the middle of the night. At present, she has already committed suicide in fear of punishment, and so on. This explanation seemingly was more reasonable.

While the capital was still enthusiastically discussing this matter, Yu Linxing had already rushed to the Wen’an Marquis Manor. Because on the night of the fourth, the Xun family’s main disturbances, aside from putting out the fire, was just rushing to go invite the imperial physicians, for the most part all concentrated in north and west side of the capital, the Yu family actually didn’t hear any movements.

Yu Lingxin was eating breakfast when she heard what happened last night through Bai Guo’s report, her complexion immediately just changing on the spot. Although from Bai Guo’s vague wording, she knew that there was something fishy in this matter, but hearing that Xun Ying had gotten injured and startled, she was still very worried, hurriedly changing her clothes, heading to the Wen’an Marquis Manor to visit.

However, when she really saw Xun Ying in person, that breath just completely relaxed.

Xun Ying felt very embarrassed, “It’s all my fault for letting older sister worry. Actually, I’m really fine, just my older brother said that I need to put on an appearance…….”

Yu Lingxin shook her head. Although a bit helpless, but thinking it over, she also understood, “You being fine is more important than anything else. As for putting on an appearance, it also needs to be done properly. With me rushing over like this, in other people’s eyes, it’s also reasonable. It’s better to pretend that you’d actually gotten hurt, so as to prevent getting said by others in the future.”

After saying this, she looked to Ming Huayue and Xun Che sitting on the other side. The two of them both didn’t speak. As such, she couldn’t help but slightly feel skeptical inside.

When Yu Lingxin had just arrived at the Wen’an Marquis Manor, she still didn’t know that Xun Ying getting injured and startled was fake. On the way to Xun Ying’s courtyard, she was just particularly worried. That’s why, when she saw Ming Huayue and Xun Che, she didn’t pay much attention to them, merely just greeting before going to see Xun Ying.

Now, after confirming that Xun Ying was fine, Yu Lingxin made out the heavy look and even dissatisfaction on Ming Huayue’s face, as well as Xun Che’s overly calm and even cold attitude.

“Madam, is everything in the manor well?” Yu Lingxin deliberated for a moment, but still decided to ask.

Ming Huayue’s complexion just became even more unsightly. When getting up, there was a bit of an annoyed anger, “Let Ying’er rest on her own, we’ll talk outside.” After saying this, she just got up and headed out in long strides.

The expression on Xun Che’s face completely didn’t change. In fact, he didn’t even give Yu Lingxin a glance, closely following after his mother.

Yu Lingxin was completely confused, gazing towards Xun Ying. Xun Ying was also puzzled, shaking her head.

Yu Lingxin could only follow out after Ming Huayue and Xun Che first, directly heading to Yuzhu Hall where they drank tea previously.

Just, unexpectedly, as soon as they entered Yuzhu Hall and sat down, before the tea was even served, before even able to say anything, they just heard rushed footsteps outside. Ming Huayue and Xun Che both got up immediately. Yu Linxing, while stunned, also stood up and gazed outwards along with them, seeing the Wen’an Marquis, Xun Nanheng, donned in light armor, angrily entering with the horse whip in hand.

Yu Lingxin couldn’t help but inhale a breath of cold air, and before she could even figure out the situation before her, she just head a ‘pah’ sound. Xun Nanheng had already whipped towards Xun Che!

“Marquis!” Ming Huayue’s face also had anger, but still went forward half a step.

Yu Lingxin had instinctively turned her head. Hearing that muffled sound of the whip hitting the flesh, her entire body just trembled.

Xun Che just bore the whip that landed on his left upper arm while standing, the pain making his entire body tilt towards the right, but immediately after, he just forcibly stood upright, his back and waist still straight and firm, directly looking at his father with a calm look, “Father already knows? Right, I was the one that set Cide Hall on fire.”

Xun Nanheng swung the whip over again. Ming Huayue at this time had already went forward two more steps, pushing Xun Che aside and shooting a glare at Xun Nanheng, “The two of you properly talk!”

Xun Che coldly spoke, “Father doesn’t want to ask me why I set the fire?”

“For what reason do you think you can set fire? Even now, you still feel you haven’t done anything wrong?! Kneel!”

Xun Che’s complexion was still cold, but he still complied and bent his knees to kneel down, “For me to have not let someone have the doors and windows sealed shut then set the fire is already out of filial piety.”

“You bastard thing, speak properly!” Xun Che’s attitude even thoroughly angered Ming Huayue, turning her hand and giving him a slap.

Xun Che just coldly sneered, “Did father meet with Xun Tan?”

Xun Nanheng’s expression finally faintly froze, sweeping a glance at Yu Lingxin who was standing to the side at this time, still not knowing what happened, “Met with him, but that isn’t the most important.”

“How is it not!” Xun Che angrily roared, “The old madam wants to let Xun Tan ruin Huijun’s purity! Don’t say something like the filial piety between the elder and younger generation, Huijun still hasn’t married in! She’s still the Yu family’s unmarried eldest miss! If this matter were to succeed, then that’s just violating an official family’s daughter! Am I the one that’s crazy, or is it the old madam?”

“Bullshit!” Xun Nanheng’s anger once again erupted, sternly berating, “This matter, can it succeed? Are you dead? Can’t even protect your own wife? Never mind Xun Tan voluntarily coming over to inform, even if he didn’t reveal, just based on your wife’s brains, still won’t let them succeed!”

After relaxing a breath, Xun Nanheng pointed at Xun Che’s nose, continuing to scold, “But am I scolding you because of this? This kind of thing, there’s plenty of ways to handle, must you insist on setting fire at this time? Have you thought of your own future, have you thought of your wife’s reputation? If by chance this matter were to leak out, getting reported for attempting to murder your grandmother as the grandson, you don’t want your position as heir anymore? You don’t want the manor’s noble title anymore?”

Xun Che naturally wasn’t convinced, “Could it be that we can only just endure like this?!”

“When it comes to your wife, do you just not have a brain anymore?! Huayue, move aside!” Xun Nanheng pushed aside Ming Huayue, swing over the whip once more, “Say it one more time! How should this matter be handled!?”

“Shenzhi!” Seeing how this whip landed on him again, the force of it already tearing the clothes and drawing blood, Xun Nanheng clearly angered to the extreme, Yu Lingxin who was standing to the side, both heartaching and scared, couldn’t help but call out.

Xun Che naturally faintly trembled all over in pain, but what made him heartache more was seeing Yu Lingxin’s already reddened eyes shedding tears. Thus, he forcibly endured, “Should have Cide Hall surrounded, having all the people involved tied up, waiting for you to come back to invite an imperial physician, reporting that the old madam had a relapse of an old illness, needing to recuperate behind closed doors.”

“You’re just unable to swallow that breath, are you not? Xun Nanheng asked back, “Just for the sake of this breath, you can just have your wife’s reputation, and your own future all hung on the line?”

Xun Che lowered his head, “This son was wrong, why don’t father punish.”

“If I beat you, will you just accept?” Xun Nanheng had the whip in hand tossed onto the ground, coldly snorting, “You’re just unable to swallow that breath. You think your father is foolishly filial, after coming back, even if hearing the old madam plotting this kind of deranged and outrageous matter, still might let you all endure, right? In your eyes, I’m merely just a muddled old man who has no sense of justice and natural order!”

[1] It’s very expensive delicacy, most often made into soup. Overall, it’s solidified swallow saliva that’s used to make nests. It’s also used in traditional chinese medicine for it’s nutritional value, as well as for beauty, since it’s high in collagen.