The First Phoenix

The middle minister of the Hou Mansion has been in the hands of Aunt Wen all these years, and every house and hospital has to look at her face to act.

In her early years, the old lady never thought of giving the power of running the family to Mr. Tang, but Mr. Tang was unwilling to marry her son.

Moreover, he was a coquettish person. Since he entered the government, he has been hiding in his yard claiming to be sick for three days without seeing anyone.

Mrs. Shi didn't dare to set rules for the Tang family casually.

She is a stepmother herself, and her natal family is somewhat respectable in Ganzhou, but it is not enough when she comes to the capital. How dare you blatantly rub your daughter-in-law to offend the Protectorate?

So even though she had replaced someone else's son over the years, she never regretted it. Sometimes she even secretly felt proud. So what if she was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Huguo's mansion? Wasn't she still at her mercy?

But now the situation was different, the fight for the title was imminent. Resetting her fate was the most effective way she could think of to break the impasse.

If some unsighted people like Mother Chen casually spread the word at this juncture that their Hou Mansion is actually managed by an unworthy aunt, not only will the son's career be affected, but how will the Hou Mansion retain its reputation?

Even more terrifying was the news that someone with ulterior motives had reported him for favoring his concubine over his wife. The current emperor valued both the law and etiquette... The consequences would be disastrous.

Old Madam Shi looked at her granddaughter, who usually kept a low profile and acted in a way that pleased her, and everything she did struck a chord with her. "Xia Jie'er, you're already fourteen years old. Next year, you'll be coming of age, and it will be time for you to get married. Now, the household expenses of our mansion will be temporarily handed over to you. How about you learn how to manage the household?"

Aunt Wen couldn't believe what she heard. "Aunt, Sister Xia... Ahem, Miss An Xia is only a little girl, still a child. How can she manage the family?"

An almost invisible trace of laxity escaped from the corners of Shi Anxia's lips.

Thinking about the coldness of the Imperial City, the former harem, and even the entire North Wing country, she once held it at her fingertips. What does a mere prince's mansion mean?

She looked down on the Hou Mansion, but she didn't want Aunt Wen to get an advantage. Besides, this is a gift she will give to her eldest aunt sooner or later, why not?

Then he stood up and gave the old lady a gentle blessing, "My granddaughter, it is better to obey my orders than to be respectful."

Mrs. Shi looked at her granddaughter who was not surprised by the favor and humiliation, and felt very comforted.

With such courage, are you afraid that you won't be able to find a good husband? The position of Princess Jin is currently vacant, but it is not unthinkable.

When Shi Anxia left He'an Courtyard, she saw Mother Chen kneeling on the ground and turned into a snowman. She sighed softly, "Mother Chen, why are you doing this? Isn't it good to kneel in Mingsongtang? You have to kneel in this ice and snow." . I feel sorry for your inconvenient legs and feet, but you don’t appreciate it.”

Mother Chen also regrets it. If I had known this, I might as well have gone to Mingsong Hall and knelt down honestly. At least there was a soft futon there, and there was no need to get wet in the snow.

She was filled with anger in her chest, but she didn't dare to show it on her face.

She was angry that the old lady was so heartless. When she got angry, she would reveal those shady things to see who would suffer!

Shi Anxia turned a blind eye to the dark light flashing in Chen's mother's eyes, and turned her peripheral vision to Nan Yan who was following beside her.

She saw Nan Yan walking past Mother Chen without any strange look.

No care, no sympathy whatsoever.

Shi Anxia felt relieved, presumably Chen Jinfu hadn't had time to talk sweetly at this time. She had to keep an eye on this silly girl, lest she lose her life by mistake.

Nan Yan's thoughts were completely on their daughter at the moment, and she was in a very happy mood. "The old lady is actually willing to hand over the power of the household to the daughter!"

Shi Anxia smiled and said, "Silly girl, it's not that easy. I can't leave this family in my hands."

"The old lady said it just now." Nan Yan murmured, "Is it possible that I can still regret it?"

Mother Zheng smiled and said, "What you old lady said on impulse is not to be taken seriously. When she calms down, she will think about it again and again. Just watch."

Nan Yan pouted, "Oh. I think our girl is the most suitable person to run the business."

Everyone was amused by her, and a group of people headed towards Haitang Courtyard.

When Shi Anxia came to He'an Courtyard today, it seemed like he was chatting, but in fact, he smashed several big rocks on the calm lake. Some people can't hold their breath.

She didn't know that someone was staring at her back in a daze at this moment, with huge waves rolling in his eyes.

The man was wearing a black fox fur and had a slender figure. He stood motionless at the corner of the entrance to Haitang Courtyard.

This is Shi Anrou who is as quiet as a wisp of air. She dug her nails into the flesh of her palms to prevent herself from looking strange at all.

But her inner fear of Shi Anxia was engraved in her bones and deep in her soul.

Could it be that Shi Anxia was reborn like herself?

Or was Shi Anxia already very thoughtful at that time? Even so, she couldn't possibly know that Shi Yunqi and Shi Yunxing had been swapped.

If it is not rebirth, why is the situation in this life completely different?

She clearly remembered Shi Anxia in her previous life. It took a long time to recover after falling into the water.

Shi Anrou was filled with uneasiness.

Half a month ago, she came back from rebirth and remembered that her brother Shi Yunxing would soon die.

She immediately wrote a letter to her aunt, hoping that her aunt could stop Shi Yunxing from going into the water.

As long as Shi Yunxing survives, he will be her backer from now on, and even the Duke Protector's Palace will be her backing.

But for some unknown reason, the letter was delayed elsewhere and was not delivered to her aunt until the day after Shi Yunxing's death.

By then, it was too late to do anything.

When An Rou returned home last night, Aunt Wen asked her all night how she knew that Xing'er would drown and die?

She only said that she had a dream, and after dreaming about this scene, she wrote a letter and hurried back to Beijing.

In the end, Aunt Wen slapped her and complained why she didn't write more letters? She also complained why she didn't send such a life-saving letter by express horse.

After all, in Aunt Wen's heart, her daughter is not important at all, only her son is important.

When she was beaten by her aunt, she thought viciously that it would be better for Shi Yunxing to die, as he was not a good person anyway.

In fact, His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin did not send Shi Anrou back last night. It was just that the Prince of Jin's carriage was taking a distant cousin of the Shi family to do some business, and she ran into him.

She had met that cousin a few times, so she came up with a trick, saying that her carriage was broken down and she could ask her cousin to take her back home.

That cousin was a staff member of His Highness King Jin, and he went out of the city for errands last night. He agreed without thinking that he was in a hurry.

Shi Anrou thoughtfully refused to let her cousin get out of the car to see her off, which gave the concierge the illusion that His Highness the King of Jin was personally sending her home.

She wanted to let Madam Shi and her aunt know that she was favored by His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin, so that she would not have to go to the Prince of Jin's Mansion as a concubine to secure his favor like in her previous life.

It sounds like a concubine, but in fact she is just a bed-warming girl.

Otherwise, after His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin became the Glory Empress, why would he not even give her a position? He made her unable to hold her head up for the rest of her life, and any palace maid could manipulate her.

She must be a master in this life, and marry His Highness the King of Jin in a glorious manner.