CHAPTER 317: CHAPTER 314: I AM THE MARQUIS MANSION DOWAGER 3

Anning rested for another half a month.

During this half month, aside from taking medicinal baths, she also consumed some Medicine Pills.

Moreover, with daily exercise, taking several rounds in the courtyard to move her body, after the half month, the once feeble Anning was now lively and bouncing again.

Tang Dingguo and his brothers were especially happy.

But Mrs. Tang Song could not find any joy at all.

She had cursed Anning more than once in private, calling her an undying old witch and the like.

When Mrs. Tang Song first married into the family, the original body’s great-grandmother was still alive. Starting as a granddaughter-in-law, her life was far from satisfying.

Mainly because at that time the world had just been pacified, Anning and Tang Fang were both very busy and often not at home.

And Mrs. Tang Song had to take care of the great-grandmother.

The original body’s great-grandmother was not easy to get along with.

With strong arms and having established great merit, along with her noble title, her mother-in-law did not dare to make things difficult for her.

Thus, she vented her frustrations on Mrs. Tang Song.

Mrs. Tang Song had suffered years of frustration before she finally saw the end of the great-grandmother.

No sooner had she breathed a sigh of relief at the great-grandmother’s passing than the grandmother handed over her military power and came home for her retirement, requiring Mrs. Tang Song to wait upon her once again, truly leaving her without a single day of relaxation.

Just as she had once wished for the great-grandmother’s death, she now secretly chanted daily for Anning’s demise, longing for her to pass quickly so she could take charge of the household.

Just as it looked like Anning was done for, Mrs. Tang Song hadn’t even had a few days of joy before Anning was up and about again, even appearing more robust than her.

Mrs. Tang Song feared she might die before Anning, so naturally, she wore a glum expression.

After Anning’s recovery, she began to ponder over matters.

Not knowing the wishes of the original body, she wandered around the Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion, looking for any insufficiencies.

Then, Anning discovered that her two sons were overly filial and decent enough, but lacked talent.

And neither of the daughters-in-law was any good.

Mrs. Tang Song was harsh and short-sighted, only caring about the matters within the inner court without a clue about state affairs.

Moreover, Mrs. Tang Song was particularly vicious.

Tang Dingguo and Mrs. Tang Song now had two sons and one daughter, all born to Mrs. Tang Song. Aside from her offspring, there were also two concubines born to concubines.

Tang Dingguo’s illegitimate children included only two concubines, not a single bastard.

Moreover, the concubines’ mother had also passed away early. Anning never believed there was no foul play by Mrs. Tang Song involved.

Although Mrs. Tang Yang was not as vicious as Mrs. Tang Song, she was not of a kind disposition either.

With such daughters-in-law and such sons, their ability to uphold the Marquis Mansion seemed unlikely.

Anning then observed the grandchildren, and none were up to par either.

The legitimate grandson was raised to be decent enough, but also incompetent.

The illegitimate grandsons were timid as mice. The illegitimate granddaughters were full of petty household airs, not at all like the daughters of a noble family.

Only the youngest granddaughter seemed promising, but she was too young to predict her future.

After observing these children, Anning sighed inwardly; if she were to pass away, with these people alone, the Marquis Mansion simply could not stand.

Apart from observing the children, Anning these days also wandered to assess the Feng Shui of the Marquis Mansion.

And in doing so, she discovered a problem.

She had no idea who had tampered with the Feng Shui of the Marquis Mansion.

It seemed impressive at a glance, but Anning, who had lived through countless lives and was already a Grandmaster Level in Feng Shui, noticed the issues within just a turn or two.

Something ominous had been buried in the pond of the back garden, the entire Marquis Mansion was enveloped by the constantly emanating Evil Qi, and there were issues with several trees in the back garden too.

There were also Feng Shui deficiencies in the main courtyard where Anning resided.

Anning also deduced that the Feng Shui issues within Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion seemed like the interference of someone.

It had been only three to four years since problems had arisen, suggesting that they occurred after the settlement of the empire and their move here, by someone’s hands.

Moreover, the manipulator was quite skillful. An ordinary person would not be able to detect the Feng Shui inadequacies at all.

After discovering this, Anning spent a few days drawing the entire layout of Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion and carefully calculated the issues that could arise from the tampering with Feng Shui.

She finally deduced that, based on the mansion’s Feng Shui and the dispositions of those who lived there, Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion was bound to fall to a state of deserted cleanliness.

Anning therefore understood.

The original body likely wished to preserve Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion and prevent her descendants from falling on hard times.

Later, when Mrs. Tang Song came to pay respects, Anning also took the chance to examine Mrs. Tang Song’s physiognomy.

She is a life of wealth and nobility, but she is fated to die with no place for burial.

She has calculated that the decline of Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion is primarily because of Mrs. Tang Song.

Thus, Anning began to view Mrs. Tang Song with displeasure.

When the day came for Tang Dingguo and his brother to pay their respects, Anning read their faces and calculated their destinies, finding that both brothers were fated to die young.

Moreover, Mrs. Tang Yang’s face also showed signs of a lonely and widowed destiny.

Anning grew increasingly alarmed.

After pondering for a few days, she devised a plan.

This day was the Imperial Court, and the current Emperor was the second ruler of the Dajing Dynasty, Emperor Jianyuan.

He was a diligent ruler, and now in the prime of life, he would surely attend court early on the day of the Imperial Court.

On this day of the Imperial Court, as civil and military officials filed in, Emperor Jianyuan noticed something different.

He pointed at the group of ministers below: "Why has the Duchess Zhongyong come?"

Indeed, Anning had gone to court.

Dressed in her court attire and standing amongst a group of military officers, Anning was indeed very conspicuous.

She stepped forward: "I was ennobled by the Grand Ancestor, and although I have been uninvolved in worldly affairs for many years, I am still an official of the court, naturally entitled to attend."

Emperor Jianyuan then remembered that the Duchess Zhongyong herself held a noble title and was also a Lady Marquis.

He smiled: "It is my oversight, but I am curious, what does Marquis Zhongyi have to report?"

Anning chuckled softly: "I have come to court for a private matter."

"Oh?" Emperor Jianyuan was somewhat curious: "What is it? Present it then."

Anning handed over her petition, and after reading it, Emperor Jianyuan fell silent for a long while: "It is for this matter?"

Anning nodded: "Indeed, I have but two sons. My eldest has inherited my husband’s title of Marquis Zhongyong, and naturally, I wish for my younger son to inherit my own title. My appeal to court was to request this matter."

Emperor Jianyuan fell silent again.

After a while, he finally said: "Granted."

Anning smiled as she withdrew.

Many ministers at court began to envy the Tang brothers.

For many years, quite a few ministers had forgotten about the title that Anning herself held.

They just thought that the Tang brothers, with the elder inheriting the title and the younger being incapable, would fare well while their parents lived, but once both the Duke and Duchess passed away, their days might turn difficult.

Who knew that the wife of Marquis Zhongyong would stage such a scene, going to court to secure a title for the younger son.

But her reasoning was particularly solid, and nobody could refute it, right?

Both members of the Tang couple held titles that could be inherited by their offspring; the elder son inherited the title of Marquis Zhongyong, so you couldn’t give Marquis Zhongyi’s title to him as well, right?

Thus, Marquis Zhongyi’s title could only be inherited by the younger son.

To say it shouldn’t be passed to the younger son—does that mean Marquis Zhongyi’s title couldn’t be inherited? What about the credibility of the court?

The title of Marquis Zhongyi was not something easily obtained; it was earned through battle with each stroke of the sword and thrust of the spear.

Now, among the ministers able to stand in the court, there were some who owed their lives to Anning, and others whose ancestors had been saved by her.

Not to mention anything else, even the Grand Ancestor Emperor himself had been saved by Anning.

Now, with Emperor Jianyuan’s succession, he too ought to bear this in mind.

Anning stood aside, patiently waiting until court was dismissed before unhurriedly returning home.

No sooner had she returned than a eunuch bearing an edict arrived.

Then, the entire Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion became busy.

Setting up the incense table, opening the central doors to welcome the nobleman, and kneeling to receive the imperial edict.

When the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, Tang Baoguo was completely dumbstruck.

Not just Tang Baoguo, but Tang Dingguo was dumbstruck as well.

Kneeling behind was Mrs. Tang Yang, nearly overjoyed to the point of stupefaction.

Anning accepted the imperial edict and gave gifts to the eunuch before personally seeing him off.

When she turned back, she called her two sons and two daughters-in-law to the main room.

Upon seeing Anning, Tang Baoguo was uncontrollably excited: "Mother, you have taken on worries for your son."

Anning smiled: "I have but two sons; if I don’t worry about you, who else would I worry for?"

Once the four of them were seated, Anning said: "Now that you both hold titles, my second son will have a Marquis Mansion of his own, hence, I shall decide to divide our household."

Hearing about the division, both brothers knelt down at once: "Mother, how can we divide the household? Even if we are unfilial, we can’t... we can’t divide the family while you are still alive."