CHAPTER 340: CHAPTER 334: I AM THE MARQUIS MANSION DOWAGER 23

After so many years, Anning once again entered Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion, and she couldn’t help feeling quite emotional.

Tang Bai supported her as they walked forward. Not far along, Anning stopped in her tracks: "Bai’er, let’s first go have a look at your place."

Tang Bai’s head was lowered, tears dripping down steadily: "Perhaps, perhaps we better not go."

"Go."

Anning’s face immediately turned stern: "I need to see what kind of life my eldest grandson has been living these years."

Thus, the group headed straight for the back courtyard.

It wasn’t until they reached the stables near the east wing that Tang Bai pointed at a courtyard that was indeed quite nicely renovated, but not very large: "Grandmother, this is where your grandson resides."

Anning narrowed her eyes slightly: "And Taotao? Where do the two of them live? This tiny place can’t possibly accommodate them."

Tang Bai quickly replied: "Just in that small courtyard not far from the main house, those few rooms in the back building there."

Anning turned her head toward the stables, not far from the courtyard: "Have you been living here all these years?"

Tang Bai nodded: "Yes, it’s been fairly well maintained."

"Ha!"

Anning scoffed coldly: "Well isn’t that nice, living every day with the stench of horse manure, everyone must be reeking of it by now."

She turned and headed towards the main house, with Tang Bai hurrying after her: "Grandmother, Grandmother, where are you going?"

"To find Mrs. Song."

Anning’s face was cold, and she walked briskly. Tang Bai followed as best as he could, sweating profusely.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Song was being informed by Jade that the Old Master had arrived with a young man and woman, and she had no idea whose family they belonged to. Regardless, it seemed the Old Master was quite close to these two people, who were also said to be particularly good-looking.

Tang Rong was also present and upon hearing they were attractive, he curiously asked: "What do they look like? How good-looking are they?"

No sooner had he spoken than the door to Mrs. Song’s room was kicked open and a figure appeared at the doorway: a woman wearing a pale blue long dress with an air of Evil Qi about her, yet her beauty was absolutely stunning.

Mrs. Song, upon seeing this woman, was so frightened she almost curled up into a ball.

And for good reason—this woman bore too strong a resemblance to her mother-in-law, the Sun Family matriarch who had oppressed her for half her life, apart from being younger, she looked just like her.

"This...sister..."

Once Tang Rong saw Anning, it felt as if two taels were lifted off him; his soul almost taken away by Anning. He hurriedly advanced with a smile, trying to take Anning’s hand.

Anning swung and pushed him aside: "Stay out of the way over there."

If it weren’t for the fact that Tang Rong was her great-grandson, Anning would probably have given him a good beating already.

After pushing Tang Rong aside, Anning quickly stepped forward and grabbed Mrs. Song’s collar, lifting her: "What a Mrs. Song you are, to have not progressed at all after so many years."

Mrs. Song was terrified and shivered uncontrollably: "Who, who are you?"

The maids and old women in the room were also terrified, but it was Jade who had the courage to run out and call for help.

"I am your ancestor."

Anning cursed, extending her hand to sharply slap Mrs. Song’s face twice.

The crisp sound of the slaps, along with Anning’s fierce and intimidating mien, successfully made Tang Rong burst into tears.

"Don’t hit Grandmother, you..."

Tang Rong sobbed, clearly frightened, but he still knew to shield Mrs. Song, showing he wasn’t beyond redemption.

Anning glared back at Tang Rong: "Shut up, no crying."

Tang Rong, frightened, quickly wiped away her tears.

Mrs. Song was clearly distressed too, but she now found the courage to confront Anning: "Who do you think you are, daring to run wild in Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion..."

Anning released her grip, and Mrs. Song dropped onto the chair.

Anning stepped on the side of the chair, pinching Mrs. Song’s chin with one hand, her eyes filled with fierce anger as she stared down at her, a perfect image of a tyrant: "Mrs. Song, do you really think there’s nobody in this mansion to discipline you? My dear Baier, you dare send him to live beside the stables, making a laughingstock of him as ’Stable Lord’ among the people of the Capital. My dear Pei’er you dare to harm, Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion? Is there still a Marquis here? The legitimate son who has inherited the title, the lord of the house, is forced to have nowhere to live, while the branch family that should’ve split off long ago resides in the main house openly and unabashedly. Mrs. Song, you’ve disregarded all propriety and decency."

Anning articulated each word, berating Mrs. Song, who trembled with fear but did not dare to retort.

At this moment, Tang Bai hurried in: "Grandmother, please spare her for now."

Anning let go, Mrs. Song’s chin already marked with purplish bruises, and she kept wincing in pain.

"Do you really think you can do whatever you want just because you are the Old Madam of this house?"

Anning sneered, pulling out a piece of jade from her chest to show it in front of Mrs. Song.

Mrs. Song’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of the jade: "This is, this is the Marquis’s token, how did it end up in your hands?"

The jade seal Anning produced was the token historically used by the lords of Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion. In case of important matters, only letters sealed with this token could truly mobilize the mansion’s connections.

For example, the garrison forces in the northwest, many households who had received favors from the old Marquis Zhongyong and his wife, and some of the old Marquis’s lifelong friends, they only recognized the token, not the person.

Why has Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion decayed over the years? It was because Mrs. Song did not possess the token; she couldn’t truly mobilize the mansion’s connections, and no matter how urgent it was, she could only watch as the mansion fell into decay day by day.

Anning tucked the token away: "Naturally, it was given to me by the Grand Empress who is my sister and the Dowager of Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion. Before her passing, she saw through your true colors. Worried you would engage in misconduct, she had someone deliver the token to me. Also, when you and Ms. Zhang harmed Pei’er, I happened to arrive; I saved Pei’er and have been teaching him these years. Now he has become the top scorer, and today he is returning home through the front door of the mansion in broad daylight."

This statement nearly made Mrs. Song spit blood.

It was precisely because Tang Pei was clever and greatly favored by Tang Dingguo that Ms. Zhang, out of envy, harmed him.

At that time, Mrs. Song thought it would be good if he died. Without Tang Pei, she could manipulate the future transfer of the title to her branch in a few years.

But what happened? That little brat didn’t die and even became the top scorer.

She recalled how her own Tang Ze had died while attempting the Imperial Examination. Why could that little brat achieve the top scorer?

Her eyes were filled with hatred and malice.

Anning had half a mind to slap her a few more times.

But Tang Bai saw this and quickly held back Anning: "Grandmother, please calm down. If the Old Madam did something wrong, just reprimand her properly. There’s no need to hit her, so you won’t hurt your hand."

Mrs. Song felt a bitter sweetness in her throat, and this time she genuinely felt like spitting blood.

Anning smiled at Tang Bai: "Very well, for the sake of my eldest grandson, I’ll spare her this once."

Anning was still contemplating how to deal with Mrs. Song in the future, but before she could plan further, the Emperor had already sent Eunuch Wu with an imperial edict.

Tang Bai and Mrs. Song were terrified, and they quickly opened the central gates and set up an incense table to receive the imperial edict.

Eunuch Wu, upon seeing Anning, had a beaming smile on his face: "Please stand, the Emperor said you don’t have to kneel."

Anning stood boldly, while Mrs. Song and the whole family knelt on the ground, performing three kneels and nine bows.

Eunuch Wu quickly read the imperial edict. Its gist was praising Sun Family’s lady for her grace and intelligence, gentle and virtuous nature, in short, a suitable candidate for the role of Empress. The Emperor proclaimed her the Supreme Empress and was to be welcomed into the palace immediately.

Apart from the imperial edict, Eunuch Wu brought several nannies to serve Anning.

After Eunuch Wu left, Mrs. Song knelt on the ground overwhelmed by bitterness and fear.

Even Tang Bai was so scared he didn’t dare to stand up.