Reborn, the daughter of the Marquisate went crazy

The sky was as gloomy as ink, and the snow flying all over the sky was like falling goose feathers, carrying a devastating force, as if it would swallow up all things in the world in the vastness.

In front of the gate of the Marquis' Mansion, the servants swept vigorously with bamboo brooms. Amidst the flying snow foam, they managed to clear a piece of open space in the falling snowflakes.

Suddenly, there was a creaking sound. Six or seven carriages came crashing down on Qiong Yao, breaking through the snow. When the carriages stopped, a burly man jumped out. He looked up at the sky, spat, and cursed, "Bah! This damn weather! I almost froze into icicles."

Then he turned around and saw several servants standing there, dazed, leaning on their brooms. He shouted, "What are you standing there for? Go and tell the Marquis that Qingzhou has come to deliver New Year's goods."

The servants were so frightened by the shouting that the leading steward stumbled and crawled into the mansion to report the news. About half an incense stick of time had passed before Zhao Lu, Xie Jingyuan's trusted servant, came trotting out, his clothes in his hands.

When he came closer, Zhao Lu first politely bowed before putting on a smile: "Oh my Third Master Xie, you are finally here! The Marquis has been talking about it every day these days, saying that the New Year goods from Qingzhou should have arrived. It's just that unfortunately..."

He lowered his voice and leaned closer, saying, "The Marquis is currently attending to important matters. Third Master, please come with me to the guest house to rest. It's so cold and snowy, I'm sure you've had a hard time traveling here."

Xie Laosan followed Zhao Lu through several layers of hanging flower gates and came to the guest house, but after drinking three pots of tea, there was still no sign of Xie Jingyuan.

He stood up suddenly and paced back and forth in the room. Over the years, whenever he had delivered New Year's gifts to the Marquis' Mansion, Xie Jingyuan would always come out to greet him the moment he arrived. Why was he being treated so coldly today? Could it be that he had found someone else who was more powerful and looked down on them, his powerless relatives?

Over there, in the warm room of the study, the gilded Suanni censer was emitting green smoke from the fragrance of agarwood, and the silver charcoal fire filled the room with a spring-like warmth.

Xie Jingyuan was wearing a sky-blue satin robe and sitting upright like a pine tree. He held a black jade chess piece between his fingers, not letting it fall.

Across from her, Princess Shuhua leaned against a golden python pillow, carelessly toying with a white jade chess piece. Her eyes, honey-like and sharp-edged, were glued to Xie Jingyuan's inky black pupils. Suddenly, her bare hands moved like lightning, grabbing Xie Jingyuan's wrist holding the chess piece.

Xie Jingyuan gasped. Even though his wrist, which had been dislocated by Leng Shuang that day, had been reattached, it still ached. He lowered his eyes slightly, twisted his wrist, and quickly withdrew his hand.

Princess Shuhua suddenly stood up and threw the chess piece in her hand into the chess box fiercely, her face showing a hint of anger: "Xie Jingyuan, you have repeatedly rejected my kindness. Could it be that you are still thinking about Jiang Muxue? If so, why did you send me a letter to invite me to your house today?"

Xie Jingyuan's heart trembled, realizing he had violated a grave taboo. The sterilizing poison in his system hadn't yet been resolved, and he still had to take the medicine prescribed by Young Master Wuwang daily, which also prevented him from having sex. Unexpectedly, the more he resisted, the more he piqued Princess Shuhua's interest in him. He hadn't imagined his playing hard to get would go too far, truly angering this empress.

His face was pale, and beads of sweat oozed from his forehead. He suddenly lifted his robe and knelt on the ground, his azure hem spreading out like a lotus. "Your Highness, please understand. The relationship between this humble minister and Jiang Shi has long been severed. The only thing in this humble minister's heart is Your Highness..."

Princess Shuhua raised her eyes slightly, but her voice was still cold: "If it is really as you said, why did you kneel in front of the mansion gate that day and beg Jiang Muxue to stay? Why did you avoid me like a snake when I touched you just now?"

Xie Jingyuan's Adam's apple rolled, and he was silent for a moment before he spoke in a hoarse voice: "Your Highness, I am wise. I was helpless that day. General Jiang has great power, while I am as insignificant as dust. In order to save the lives of the entire Xie family, I had no choice but to kneel..."

"As for Your Highness..." He suddenly raised his head, tears in his eyes: "Your Highness is as bright as the moon in the clouds and as pure as the lotus in the snow to me. I dare not humiliate Your Highness..."

Princess Shuhua's eyes sparkled with tears. She suddenly leaned forward, her whole body nestled into Xie Jingyuan's arms like a weary bird returning to the forest. Her voice was as soft as spring willow catkins: "Xie Lang, I know that you have me in your heart. It is worth all the thought I have put in these days. Will you marry me? With me here, the Jiang Mansion has nothing to fear."

Xie Jingyuan's eyes suddenly darkened, and his arms suddenly tightened, locking Princess Shuhua firmly in his arms, and said in a muffled voice: "Your humble servant... obeys your command."

The two people in the warm room were showing affection to each other, but Xie Qingli, who was hiding in the back window and watching them, felt a churning in his stomach and almost vomited. This scene was so similar to the eye-catching scene when Xie Jingyuan and Qin Bitong had a secret meeting!

In the corridor outside the warm room, Zhao Lu paced back and forth like a trapped beast. He didn't dare to disturb the Marquis and the Grand Princess, but over in the guest house, Xie Lao San must have been going crazy waiting.

After hesitating for a long time, Zhao Lu could no longer delay, so he made up his mind and knocked on the door gently: "My Lord, please forgive me, there are important matters in the front yard... in the front yard waiting for you to deal with..."

Xie Jingyuan's back suddenly tensed up. He knew that it must be Xie Lao San who had arrived, so he tried his best to coax Princess Shuhua with soft words.

Princess Shuhua was satisfied with Xie Jingyuan's approval today, so she stretched her waist lazily, put on fox fur and hood with the help of her maid, and walked out of the room leisurely.

After watching Princess Shuhua's carriage leave, Xie Jingyuan turned around and hurried to the guest room.

Xie Jingyuan arrived late. Xie Lao San, who was impatient, said sarcastically upon seeing him enter, "The Marquis is really busy with all sorts of things these days, yet it's so hard for a humble person like me to wait. Could it be that the threshold of the mansion is too high, and it's holding the Marquis back?"

Xie Jingyuan's eyes darkened slightly, his heart filled with unhappiness. This Third Brother Xie was becoming increasingly unruly. If he hadn't taken such a risk back then, how could the Xie family be so prosperous today, let alone Third Brother Xie's current status?

But a smile appeared on his face, and he said gently, "Third brother, you are joking. I really have something important to do today. I am sorry for keeping you waiting for so long."

Xie Laosan was not one to care about things. Seeing Xie Jingyuan apologize seriously, he scratched his head awkwardly and said, "No blame, no blame."

Thinking of the important matter, Xie Lao San's expression faltered. He stretched out three fingers and shook them, lowering his voice and saying, "Brother, this is the amount allocated to the Marquisate this year. The loaded carriages have entered from the corner gate. Brother, please order them to unload the cargo quickly. The snow has made the roads difficult to travel these days, and we have to return to Qingzhou before the New Year."

Thirty thousand taels!

Xie Jingyuan felt a surge of ecstasy, the pain he'd felt that day when Madam Jiang cut his flesh vanishing instantly. He patted Xie Lao San's shoulder and said gently, "Third brother, even if you have an urgent matter, you need a hot meal before you leave. Otherwise, I'll be haunted. Please wait a moment, I'll make arrangements. I'll have a drink with you today."

Xie Jingyuan quickly stepped out of the door and whispered to Zhao Lu: "Go and move all the 'New Year's goods' on the Qingzhou carriage into the study. You guys have to guard them personally, and there must not be any mistakes..." Zhao Lu bowed and retreated quickly.

Xie Jingyuan instructed the steward to prepare the banquet, then he straightened his clothes and slowly walked back to the room.

When Xie Lao San saw Xie Jingyuan come in, he slapped his thigh and shouted, "Oh, brother! I almost forgot to ask you, have you seen Xie Jingcheng these days?"