Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

Xiao Wang spoke gently to Yu Wanran, "Ranran, I understand why you've come. Don't worry, I promise that no one will ever harm you or the Yu family again."

Yu Wanran straightened her back, her face showing a hesitant expression, her eyes red-rimmed.

"Lord Duke, staying in Qingping Village is putting you and your wife in a difficult position. I would like to move my family to another town, away from this place of sorrow."

Xiao Wang was taken aback, and subconsciously revealed his thoughts: "Ranran, don't you want to go back to the Duke's Mansion?"

"Thank you for your mercy, Duke."

Yu Wanran curtsied, her face filled with sorrow.

“But I am an unlucky person. If I shamelessly return to the Duke’s mansion, it will displease the county princess and put the Duke and Duchess in a difficult position. Even worse, it will ruin the reputation of the Duke’s mansion and make people say that the Duke’s mansion is untrustworthy.”

"I will spend the rest of my life praying for the Duke's mansion, hoping that the Duke and Duchess will be in good health!"

Her words, a mixture of truth and falsehood, choked with emotion. Xiao Wang was moved, yet also saddened. He felt he hadn't raised this daughter in vain, and was now willing to put himself in her shoes.

"The world is vast, and with your skills, where can't you find a place to stay? I'll inform the Tongcheng government and tell them not to make things difficult for you!"

Xiao Wang spoke these words sincerely. He had raised the child himself, and naturally, he wanted to see her strength and be proud of her.

As long as it doesn't involve his own interests or those of the Duke's mansion, he's happy to give them face.

Yu Wanran felt a sense of relief; she had achieved her goal!

Since we are currently too weak to contend with the Duke's mansion, maintaining peaceful coexistence is the best policy. With Xiao Wang's words, at least the government will not deliberately make things difficult for her when she moves the Yu family there.

As for Xiao Yao, let's see how the Duke handles it. Once the Duke's mansion is endangered, no amount of kinship will remain.

After having the guards escort Yu Wanran away, Xiao Wang sat alone in the hall with a cold expression. A moment later, he suddenly stood up, picked up the severed head, and headed straight for the inner quarters.

Just then, the Duchess was watching over Xiao Yao as she read. The chair Xiao Yao was sitting in seemed to be covered in countless awls, causing her to sway constantly. The Duchess endured this for a long time, but finally couldn't resist and gently slapped her.

"Sit tight and study hard! You've been studying for half a year and you still can't read a single account book. How will you be a good mistress of the Wei family after you marry into it?"

Xiao Yao pouted: "Don't we have so many servants? We can just order them around. Why do I have to personally oversee everything? What's the point of keeping them around then!"

"You know he's a servant. Can you trust a servant so easily?"

Zheng Peipei had a headache. Ranran had never caused her this much worry before. She always worked hard and tried to please her. But with this biological daughter, there was no end to the trouble.

"Mother, you said yesterday, 'Trust those you employ, and don't employ those you don't trust!'"

Xiao Yao felt extremely annoyed.

The Duke's mansion had countless rules. In addition to paying respects and inquiring about the emperor's health every day, people were also required to walk like pine trees, sit like bells, and maintain an elegant sleeping posture.

If you snore even slightly, the discipline nanny sent by the Duchess will immediately wake you up!

This was barely tolerable; what was unbearable was the entire daytime schedule, crammed full of lessons. She was to learn the Four Books for Women, needlework, housekeeping… and they were even hoping she would learn martial arts!

They keep comparing her to that counterfeit product. They say things like, "If the counterfeiter can learn it, why can't she?"

She even had the urge to devour the counterfeit goods alive!

What kind of thing is this? Get out of the Duke's mansion and still make her life miserable!

Thinking of the men she had sent out, Xiao Yao's eyes darkened. Ignoring the Duchess's unpleasant expression, she waved her hand, instructing a maid to serve her a bowl of honey-steamed bird's nest.

She had been cared for in poverty for sixteen years, and her health had suffered; she needed to recover properly. She picked up a small spoon and stirred the bird's nest in the bowl, her gaze frequently drifting towards the door, wondering when she would finally receive her reward.

She almost burst out laughing at the thought of what might happen to counterfeit goods.

Get rich by running a business?

Bah, wishful thinking!

With her around, counterfeit goods will be crushed in the mud, never to rise again!

Zheng Peipei waited helplessly by the side for her daughter to finish her snack. She thought to herself that it was a blessing that this child could eat more than that child.

The mother and daughter, each preoccupied with their own thoughts, had barely had a moment of peace in the room when Xiao Wang stormed in, shattering the harmony.

While eating bird's nest, Xiao Yao hadn't had time to stand up with Zheng Peipei to bow to Xiao Wang when she was startled by a round, bloody object thrown at her feet, causing her to jump up.

Upon realizing it was a human head, she instinctively screamed!

Cheng Pei-pei was also very surprised!

However, she noticed the Duke's ashen face, his eyes filled with an unprecedented anger and murderous intent, and her heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly pulled Xiao Yao behind her, asking tremblingly.

"Husband, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You still have the nerve to ask me what's wrong?"

Xiao Wang grew increasingly angry, repeating her words in a deep voice, "What a fine daughter you've raised! She's trying to ruin the reputation of our Duke's Mansion and destroy the century-old foundation of our Xiao family—"

The trusted aide who had come with him quickly signaled all the servants in the room to leave, close the door, and leave only the family of three.

Cheng Pei-pei felt wronged.

Could it be that the adopted daughter has caused trouble outside? But isn't the Duke himself the one who has taught that child the most?

She didn't connect it to Xiao Yao at all.

Subconsciously, I felt that my own daughter wouldn't cause trouble, and besides, wasn't she always right under my nose?

But she noticed the Duke's eyes were fixed on Xiao Yao with a fierce glare. Xiao Yao's eyes darted away, and she gradually realized that something was amiss. She looked at her husband with suspicion, then at Xiao Yao, and couldn't help but ask.

"Husband, what happened?"

Seeing his wife's anxiety, Xiao Wang guessed that she was truly unaware of the situation. He swallowed hard and said patiently, "Ask your good daughter! And look at that head... whose is it?"

Xiao Wang bent down, grabbed the severed head, and brought the pale face of the severed head close to the mother and daughter to show them.

This action terrified Xiao Yao, causing her to scream again and shrink into Zheng Peipei's arms. Zheng Peipei was also pale.

"You wretched girl, you actually know fear?"

Enraged, Xiao Wang slammed the severed head aside and pointed at Xiao Yao, berating her: "You've really grown up! You've only been back in the Duke's mansion for less than a year, and you're already directing the Duke's secret guards to indiscriminately kill innocent people outside!"

He turned to Cheng Pei-pei and roared angrily, "I'm asking you, how many bodyguards did you send to her in total? And whose head is this?"

Zheng Peipei was inwardly turbulent with astonishment, glancing at Xiao Yao. But Xiao Yao avoided her gaze, leaving her only able to face the furious Xiao Wang, stammering inarticulate silence.

"Four...four. This one is the elite formation..."

Xiao Yao suddenly raised her head, her eyes bloodshot.

"Father, that imposter dared to kill my personal guard and deliberately delivered herself to my doorstep. This is a blatant provocation against the Duke's Mansion! You cannot let her get away with this!"

"Snapped!"

Xiao Wang, unable to bear it any longer, finally slapped her hard across the face, his finger trembling as he pointed at her.

"Fool! How could I have given birth to such a fool? It's one thing to cause trouble outside, but do you want to drag our entire Duke's Mansion down with you? I truly regret it..."

He spoke each word clearly.

"We'll take you back to the Duke's mansion!"