CHAPTER 327: CHAPTER 323: I AM THE MARQUIS MANSION DOWAGER 12

A very plain-looking carriage departed, with Anning seated upright inside.

Tang Pei, with his big round eyes, curiously looked at Anning: "Great-great-grandmother, where are we going?"

Anning gently patted Tang Pei’s head: "To a fun place."

"Can’t we bring Daddy and Mommy along?" Tang Pei quietly asked.

Anning shook her head: "No, your mother needs to stay in the Capital to have a baby brother, and your dad needs to accompany her. They have company, but your great-great-grandmother is all alone, old and frequently ill, with no one to care for her or keep her company. It’s quite pitiful. Your father let Pei’er accompany your great-great-grandmother out of filial piety."

Although Tang Pei was young, he was exceptionally smart and filially pious.

He blinked, suppressing the longing for his parents: "Then, Pei’er will accompany great-great-grandmother from now on. Pei’er will be good to great-great-grandmother."

"My good grandchild."

Anning was overjoyed, hugging Tang Pei tightly: "Now, your great-great-grandmother finally has someone to accompany her. I’m so happy."

"Pei’er likes great-great-grandmother and is happy to accompany her."

The soft words of the little child made Anning’s heart melt.

An Xin also liked Tang Pei very much; in Anning’s Divine Sense, she hopped around: "Ningning, this little one is so cute, so soft. I really want to take care of him, he’s so adorable."

Anning glared at An Xin: "This is my great-great-grandson."

"So is mine," An Xin laughed, seeming to please Anning a bit: "After so many years of friendship, do we still need to separate yours and mine? Oh, what a lovely child, I want to take care of him."

Anning patted Tang Pei’s head: "From now on, you’ll need to stay with your great-great-grandmother, which won’t be as comfortable and easy as at home. I will take you traveling all over the north and south of the river. Don’t be afraid of hardships."

Tang Pei, upon hearing this, was especially excited: "Really? I like it; I’m not afraid of hardships."

Seeing Tang Pei like this, An Xin liked him even more: "Such a good child. Thankfully, we saved him. It would have been such a pity if he had died, those who harmed this little child are really despicable, to lay hands on such a small kid."

Anning waited until Tang Pei got sleepy, holding him and coaxing him to sleep first. Only then did she cast a sharp glance towards Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion: "Such a stupid and poisonous woman, no wonder the Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion ended up so barren and clean. With such a foolish woman, it’s no wonder they are ruined."

She patted Tang Pei, and started chatting with An Xin: "An Xin, don’t you think the affairs of the Tang Family feel like a book?"

An Xin pondered deeply: "Like a book? Which book? Give me a hint."

Anning smiled: "A very famous book. Remember, we once visited a world where Zhonghua Country had its Four Great Classics?"

With that hint, An Xin quickly understood: "You mean that one, oh, it really is similar."

An Xin further sorted out the plot of that book, along with some affairs of the Tang Family, feeling increasingly that it really was the same.

"Ningning, had you not mentioned it, I wouldn’t have noticed, but once you did, isn’t it just the same? Look, Mrs. Song is just like that Shi-character-bearing woman. If you hadn’t intervened this time, Mrs. Li would surely have died, and afterward your great-grandson would have to remarry. Once he remarries, with Mrs. Song meddling, he’s bound to marry someone not suitable, not presentable, and then Ms. Zhang would rightfully take over the entire Marquis Mansion. And, isn’t your granddaughter betrothed to a third-placer? What if, in the future, both of your great-great-granddaughter’s parents die, and she goes to the Capital to rely on her maternal family?"

Anning nodded smiling: "Exactly, thinking this way, I understand why I had to be suppressed. If I didn’t die, how could Mrs. Song be in charge, how could she make the mansion so chaotic, or else how could the subsequent plot unfold?"

This was indeed Anning’s thought.

She, a shrewd and capable old Dowager, if alive, Mrs. Song would not be able to control the Marquis Mansion. Should that time really arrive, many characters in the plot might not appear, even the male and female protagonists might not be born, and that would truly spoil everything.

Anning’s lips curved upwards: "No wonder I felt this world so strange, like some kind of game, but it turns out, it’s a place for these spirits to descend and undergo their trials."

Thinking of the fate of the Jia family in another world, Anning’s heart grew even sadder.

The fate of the Tang Family in this world was even more tragic.

Suddenly she understood the unfulfilled wish of Granny Sun of Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion. This Granny Sun, probably infuriated by the plot, was more heartbroken for her great-grandson and, to protect him or perhaps her descendants, she yielded Merit and asked for Anning’s presence.

Also, given the original body’s shrewdness, she probably made arrangements for her family before death, perhaps even considering dividing the family wealth among her sons, possibly leaving some wealth and her title to her younger son. However, the original body must have been suppressed even worse, having certain plans in mind but somehow overlooked.

Anning sighed: "It seems I need to intensify my cultivation, or else my precious great-grandson will be tormented and dumbfounded by Mrs. Song, increasingly suffering."

She thought of Tang Baoguo’s family again: "In these past few years, the simpletons have been keeping their peace, and Mrs. Yang has managed to restrain her family members from causing trouble, which is commendable. I hope their eldest grandson can pass on their words so they can leave the Capital as soon as possible. If they stay away from the drama, they might even save their lives."

Duke Zhongyi Mansion

When Tang Baoguo saw Tang Bai entering, he quickly asked with concern, "How is your wife doing now?"

A smile finally appeared on Tang Bai’s face, completely different from his despondent demeanor last time Tang Baoguo saw him, "Uncle, my wife is much better now, I believe she will make it through."

Tang Baoguo was also happy for Tang Bai: "That’s good, that’s good."

He patted Tang Bai on the shoulder: "Your wife hasn’t had it easy, treat her well in the future, don’t take out your anger on her because of the Li family’s affairs."

"I know, I’m not that kind of person, uncle."

Tang Bai sat down and had the servants serve tea and snacks.

He was now both thirsty and hungry, and at his uncle’s house, he didn’t hold back, he grabbed the snacks and ate voraciously: "The food at uncle’s house suits my taste better, at our home, Mrs. Song’s cooking is too heavy, makes every meal uncomfortable for me."

Tang Baoguo chuckled and took a sip of tea.

After Tang Bai had eaten and drunk his fill, he finally burped comfortably, "Uncle, grandmother has returned."

Upon hearing this, Tang Baoguo’s teacup fell directly to the ground.

"My lord."

Just then, Mrs. Yang, knowing that Tang Bai had arrived, wanted to check on him and console him. However, upon entering, she saw Tang Baoguo drop his teacup and was startled, thinking that Tang Baoguo and Tang Bai were quarreling.

Full of excitement, Tang Baoguo grabbed Mrs. Yang and made her sit down: "Bai’er just said mother has come back."

Mrs. Yang, with a face full of shock, replied, "Mother? Which mother?"

That’s when Tang Baoguo remembered that only he and Tang Dingguo knew the truth about Anning not being dead but just having returned to her hometown; Mrs. Yang did not know and had thought Anning was dead.

Tang Baoguo glanced at Tang Bai, who went out to check that no one was around, then returned to the room and nodded to Tang Baoguo.

Tang Baoguo then whispered to Mrs. Yang: "Don’t tell anyone else, mother didn’t die, she just went back to her hometown."

"Ah?"

Mrs. Yang was greatly startled, covering her mouth to stifle a cry: "Why... why would she do that?"

Tang Baoguo quietly told Mrs. Yang about someone plotting against the Tang Family: "Mother did it to save her own life, using this ruse to deceive everyone."

Mrs. Yang nodded, her eyes immediately reddened with tears: "Thank heaven, mother is blessed with great fortune."

Tang Baoguo then looked at Tang Bai: "Where is your grandmother now? Hurry and take us to pay respect to her."

Tang Bai shook his head: "Grandmother has already left; she came mainly to save Pei’er, and now she has left the Capital with him."

Tang Baoguo knew Anning would inevitably leave, but was somewhat disappointed that she didn’t visit her own son.

Tang Bai defended Anning: "Grandmother couldn’t stay long, nor dared to."

Tang Baoguo nodded understandingly.

Tang Bai then relayed the message Anning had given him: "Grandmother told me to tell uncle that the Capital is no place to stay for long, urging uncle to take the family and leave the Capital as soon as possible, otherwise..."

His voice lowered even more: "otherwise, I fear for our lives."

Remembering his elder brother’s mysterious death, Tang Baoguo shivered: "I understand. Given this, you shouldn’t stay long here either, go home early."

As Tang Bai was leaving, Mrs. Yang saw him out, softly advising him, "Take good care of your wife when you return; we are all not around, you alone...well, if you can bear it, just bear it. If it becomes unbearable, you and your wife should pretend to be fools, just endure it and it will pass."

"Thank you, aunty."

Tang Bai bowed deeply, sincerely thanking Mrs. Yang.

Mrs. Yang waved her hand: "Hurry back home."