CHAPTER 180: CHAPTER 180: ANCESTRAL HERITAGE

The sky was blue, clouds white, and a gentle breeze was blowing.

Within the garden of the Duke Mansion.

Xie Jinyu and Xie Jinxiu were flying kites.

Their laughter carried far.

They were playing enthusiastically.

Suddenly, the string broke, and the kite quickly fell down.

"Where did it fall?" Xie Jinxiu asked.

"It seems to have fallen into the Agarwood Pavilion," Xie Jinhuan said.

"What should we do now?" Xie Jinxiu asked.

"What else can we do, we have to go pick it up."

Xie Jinyu tossed the string in her hand to the ground and stepped toward the Agarwood Pavilion.

Xie Jinxiu and Xie Jinhuan exchanged a glance and hurriedly followed her.

When they entered the Agarwood Pavilion and asked a little maid, they learned that the kite had fallen in the backyard.

Xie Jinyu walked straight ahead, but the little maid said, "The Eldest Young Madam doesn’t allow people to enter the backyard casually..."

The little maid hadn’t finished speaking when she received a sharp glare from Xie Jinyu.

Did she not know that people weren’t allowed in the backyard?!

Last time when Princess Shouning came, they were kept outside the gate for half the day!

A perfectly fine backyard, why not let people in, that female bandit must have some secret!

She had waited so many days for her to leave the mansion, it was a heaven-sent opportunity she couldn’t miss!

Then—

She received a solid refusal.

The moon-shaped arch gate to the backyard was not only closed but also locked.

Xie Jinyu stomped her foot in frustration and yanked hard on the brass lock.

Of course, with her strength, it was impossible to break the brass lock; she was just releasing her anger.

She looked around in annoyance and said, "Where is everyone?!"

A little maid ran over from the side and said, "The servant is here."

This maid was responsible for guarding the door.

Xie Jinyu released the lock in anger and said, "Why is it locked?"

"It was locked by the Eldest Young Madam’s maid," the little maid replied.

Again that wretched maid!

Xie Jinyu’s teeth ground as she thought of Xingxing.

"Where’s the key?!" Xie Jinyu demanded.

"...."

This sounded like nonsense to Xie Jinxiu and others.

It was locked; would they give the key to the maid guarding the door? What was the point of locking it then?

Yet there was a key.

The little maid replied, "The key is with the servant."

Xie Jinxiu, "...."

Xie Jinhuan, "...."

There actually was a key!

Was the door locked just for fun?!

"Hurry up and open the door!" Xie Jinyu’s maid urged.

The little maid looked embarrassed.

Usually, when the door was open, the Eldest Young Madam still wouldn’t let the young ladies in, let alone when it was purposely locked, wasn’t this putting her in a difficult position?

Seeing her not unlocking the door, Xie Jinyu’s maid said angrily, "The kite fell into the backyard! The ladies are going in to fetch the kite!"

The little maid nodded repeatedly.

She pulled the key from her sleeve and began to unlock the door.

Hmm.

No matter how long she tried, she couldn’t unlock it.

Xie Jinyu, losing her temper, shoved the maid aside, "Useless, can’t even open a lock!"

With the key inserted in the keyhole, she twisted it hard a few times.

Still couldn’t open it.

The little maid just stood there watching.

Seeing this made Xie Jinyu’s anger flare up.

After a few tries, she tossed the key to the little maid, saying, "This isn’t even the key for this lock!"

The little maid looked at her and shook her head, "It is the key for this lock. The maid of the Eldest Young Madam locked it, and then tested it, intending to take the key with her but left it with me because she was afraid she’d lose it outside."

Xie Jinhuan took the key, tried it, and couldn’t open it either.

She looked at Xie Jinyu and said, "We can’t open the door, can’t get into the backyard to get the kite."

They didn’t know Xie Jingchen’s study connected to the backyard.

Xie Jinyu stomped in frustration.

Whenever dealing with that female bandit, nothing went smoothly!

"I will get in, no one can stop me!"

Having said this, she turned and left.

...

Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

After they were full and satisfied, they all dispersed.

Chu Shun and the others followed Su Chong back to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, while Su Jin and Xie Jingchen returned to Duke Zhen Mansion.

Getting off the carriage, Su Jin was all smiles.

The distant mountains of Qingdai, her skin fairer than snow, her presence radiant, in the sunlight, her exquisite appearance shone with dazzling charm, impossible for anyone to ignore that bold beauty.

Anyone who saw her would know—

The Eldest Young Madam was in a good mood.

Thinking of the bustling scene at the Conscience Ice Shop, where the door was almost broken by the crowd, hardly able to hold back a smile was considered reserved.

Though Duke Chong’s Mansion held immense power over the court, why did it seem like an egg hitting a rock when facing the Eldest Young Madam?

Thinking of the noodle stall, after the Eldest Young Madam ate once, people lined up for noodles.

When the Eldest Young Madam needed charcoal, the charcoal seller’s business flourished.

When the Eldest Young Madam ordered bundles of incense, the incense shop couldn’t meet the demand.

Because Song’s Ice Shop refused to sell ice to her, a once-thriving shop faced the crisis of shutting doors...

The servants recalled the words Xingxing had said in front of the Duke Mansion.

Comply with the bandit to prosper, defy them to perish.

Initially, they thought it was the bandit from Qingyun Mountain being arrogant, but now it seems plainly true.

Exhausted after a day, Su Jin went straight to Agarwood Pavilion.

She needed a little rest.

Compared to the inner room, she preferred the tranquil backyard.

She headed directly to the backyard door.

From afar, she saw the little maid with her back to her, fiddling with something.

Xingxing walked over when she saw the little maid unlocking the door, "Can’t open it?"

A chill ran down the spine.

The little maid shook in fear, dropping the key with a clang, her soul almost leaving her body.

Xingxing looked at the key, glanced at the little maid, and said, "Why are you unlocking the door when there’s nothing wrong?"

Afraid that Su Jin would blame her, the little maid knelt with a thud, "The young lady’s kite fell into the backyard, she came to fetch it, but the key couldn’t open the lock, and she couldn’t get in."

Su Jin furrowed her brow.

Xingxing picked the key up and attempted to unlock it.

Fiddled with it for a while, still couldn’t open the lock.

Su Jin asked, "Did you get the wrong key?"

"No mistake," Xingxing shook her head.

"Then why can’t it be opened?" Su Jin asked.

Xingxing looked at her and said, "This lock was hard to open since it was bought."

Su Jin, "...."

"Then why buy it?" Su Jin said with a dark line on her face.

"It was you who bought it, this lock cost two taels of silver, I couldn’t afford it," Xingxing said.

"...."

Unable to afford it, Xingxing muttered a few more words softly, "I’m not that foolish."

Knowing Su Jin didn’t remember past matters, Xingxing recounted it to her.

Su Chong was a locksmith master, no matter what kind of lock, he could open it with a few fiddles.

Unconvinced, Su Jin, after coming down the mountain, asked if there were locks with good anti-theft effect upon seeing a lock seller.

The vendor showed Su Jin this lock and said, "Miss, this lock is an heirloom. Let alone anti-theft, even with a key, it takes half a day to open."

Su Jin tried it on the spot.

Indeed couldn’t open it.

She was very satisfied with the lock, the vendor, seeing her like it, instantly hiked up the price to three taels of silver.

Luckily, they only had two taels left.

The vendor, fearing that they’d not find another fool like her, "reluctantly" sold it.

This was the only lock the young master couldn’t open.

Su Jin regarded it as a treasure, brought it from Qingyun Mountain to the Capital, and Xingxing brought it to the Duke Mansion, seeing her truly like it, as it was small and compact and didn’t take much space.

This morning, the little maid said she was unwell, another little maid wanted to go out, no one to guard the door, so Xingxing took this lock to secure the door.

Then, now couldn’t open the door.

"Break it open with an axe," Su Jin said, holding her forehead.

"No can do, this lock is very sturdy, can’t break it," Xingxing said.

"...."

"Can’t open it? Just dismantle the door then," Xingxing said wistfully.

"...."