After transmigrating into the book, I helped my mother reconcile with her divorced husband.

The Commandant's Office and the Garrison Battalion are the only two armies that can roam the streets. The Garrison Battalion is responsible for maintaining order on the streets, while the Commandant's Office is responsible for searching for strange people and spies from Southern Chu.

With Xie Yubai's assistance, the Southern Chu spies who had been mingling among the common people were all captured in just one night. Those bitten by the strange man were also taken care of and observed by the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital. If it weren't for the emperor's order to close the streets for three days, they would have long since returned to their own offices and camps to live a peaceful life.

"The Commandant's Office operates on a two-shift system, while the Garrison Battalion operates on a three-shift system. Apart from those on duty, all the other brothers have come and are waiting outside."

Captain Ma looked smug, never dreaming that one day he would be able to mobilize the garrison troops.

Of course, they came because of the Xie family, the madam, and the young lady, but they also gave him a real taste of what it means to be a fox borrowing the tiger's power.

Seeing everyone's attention focused on her, Lu Zhiyuan quickly said, "Thank you, Commander Ma! Although I am the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's family but not recorded in the family genealogy, I cannot leave the Marquis's family unless my grandmother and father expel me. I, Yuan'er, cannot be an unfaithful and unfilial person. Please ask Commander Ma and the brothers of the garrison to help my mother move."

“Look at what you’re saying, Miss. We’re just here to help Madam move.” Captain Ma scratched his neck. “Madam, just tell us what you want to move! Don’t worry, Madam, we’ve already reported today’s matter to Lord Xie and the Emperor. We’re just doing our duty by imperial decree.”

Eunuch Xu came on behalf of the Emperor and Empress. The imperial decree had been issued and the matter was settled. He exchanged a few words with Xie Chaoyun and then left.

Seeing that Xie Chaoyun was determined not to budge, Old Madam Lu set her sights on Lu Zhiyuan.

“Yuan’er, please help your grandmother persuade your mother.”

"What does Grandmother want me to persuade? To persuade Mother to keep half of her dowry?" Lu Zhiyuan said innocently, "But I see there's not much left on that dowry list! Mother is not like Father; she will definitely have a hard time after the divorce. Does Grandmother want Mother to have no money to live on after leaving the Marquis's mansion? Grandmother is so cruel."

“You silly child, your uncle is the richest man in Beiliang, how could she not have money to spend? It’s your father who has a hard time supporting this huge manor.” Old Madam Lu stamped her foot anxiously: “Don’t forget that your surname is Lu, don’t forget that after your mother left, you will live with your father.”

“Yuan’er hasn’t forgotten, but Grandmother and Father don’t remember that Yuan’er’s surname is Lu.” Lu Zhiyuan crossed her little hands: “Grandmother forgot that long before Mother and Father divorced, Mother was in charge of the expenses in Yuan’er’s courtyard. Yuan’er’s food, clothing, housing and transportation have nothing to do with the Marquis’s mansion or the Lu family. Even if my eldest uncle is the richest man in Beiliang, the money he earns is spent by my aunt. Unlike Father, my eldest uncle doesn’t spend money on Mother or Yuan’er, but only on those shady people outside.”

“Your mother and your maternal uncle are siblings, so what’s wrong with that? It’s only natural for an older brother to spend money on his younger sister.”

"According to Grandmother, it's only natural for a younger sister to spend money on her older brother. But Grandmother is the old lady of the Marquis's mansion, so why don't her brothers live in the mansion, but instead live in the remote countryside? And what about Grandmother's nephews? Have they ever spent a single penny of Grandmother's or the Lu family's money?"

"A married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl. Your grandmother is from the Lu family, how can she help her own family?" The old clan chief couldn't help but speak up: "It's alright to help out occasionally."

“If you can’t help your maternal family, you can’t just ask them for things, right?” Lu Zhiyuan smiled sweetly and was very obedient: “My mother has been married for many years and can’t even spend my father’s money. How can she have the nerve to spend my uncle’s money? Even if my uncle was willing, my aunt wouldn’t be!”

As she spoke, she gave Xie Yu'an a wink.

Xie Yu'an coughed lightly, turned his face away, and said to Xie Yubai, "It's over. If Dad finds out I'm reluctant to spend money on my sister, he'll definitely beat me."

Xie Yubai wanted to laugh, but he held it in.

Having said all that, even the thick-skinned Old Madam Lu couldn't bring herself to argue further. Seeing the wealth that was within her grasp slip away, Ji Wanwan gritted her teeth and whispered a few words to Old Madam Lu. Old Madam Lu glanced at Xie Chaoyun a few times, took a deep breath, and said to Xie Chaoyun, "Since we're mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, let's have a farewell meal. That way, people outside won't say our Marquis's mansion has mistreated you."

"No need, the old lady's small kitchen is probably out of rice."

“The old lady doesn’t have any, but you do. As her mother-in-law, you can’t just stand by and watch the old lady starve to death. Besides, you can’t take rice with you. If you load it onto the cart, people will laugh at you. In my opinion, it’s better to leave it for the old lady, so you can maintain a good reputation for being filial.”

"Sister, you're overthinking it. As long as you don't babble, no one will know I took the rice and grain." Xie Chaoyun glanced outside. "Even if they do know, it's not a shameful thing. On the contrary, the Marquis's mansion not only covets my dowry as a divorced wife, but also my rice and grain. That's what makes people laugh."

Ji Wanwan's expression changed.

“Look at what you’re saying, sister. We’re not the kind of people who talk too much. If you don’t want to eat, you can have a cup of tea. This is a treasured tea that the old lady only brings out during the New Year.”

Ji Wanwan gave a wink and had the maid bring over the tea that had been prepared.

"After drinking this cup of tea, you will no longer be the mistress of the Marquis's mansion. I hope you will take good care of yourself after leaving the mansion." Ji Wanwan raised the teacup: "This is a toast from your younger sister!"

A smile masking a dagger; there's definitely something fishy going on with this tea. Remembering what she'd said to Old Madam Lu that day, a plan formed in her mind.

"This vast manor will be a great help to you from now on, sister." He handed the tea to Ji Wanwan. "Please, sister!"

As she raised her glass, Xie Chaoyun deliberately nudged her, causing Ji Wanwan, who had been pretending to drink, to gulp it down. The tea was bitter with a sour taste, and Ji Wanwan was so startled that she quickly tried to vomit. When she came to her senses, she realized that everyone was staring at her.

"younger sister--"

"There's no poison in the tea. I vomited because a tea stalk poked my throat."

"So it was a tea stem that poked it." Xie Chaoyun spilled her tea on the ground. "It really was a tea stem. It seems that the old lady's tea leaves have been switched. This tea can hardly be considered good tea."

There's no food left, let alone good tea. This tea was from Ji Wanwan's room; she used it to poison someone. That idiot! Not only did she fail to poison Ji Wanwan, but she was also clumsy and confessed without being asked.

Madam Lu was so angry she felt dizzy and picked up the teacup beside her, drinking it all in one gulp. The maid behind her wanted to stop her, but seeing the teacup was empty, she swallowed her words. Fortunately, the old lady showed no signs of distress, and the maid secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that only the two cups of tea that Ji Wanwan had taken were poisoned.

Xie Chaoyun remained calm, put the teacup back in its place, and instructed Qingzhi to move some things.

"The people Miss brought will naturally be taken back to the Xie family, as will the servants, maids, and old women Miss bought." Qingzhi counted on her fingers: "I roughly calculated that there are at least fifty or sixty people. I'm afraid the General's Mansion can't accommodate them all."

“The General’s Mansion is only temporary. I had my elder brother help me buy a new house.” Xie Chaoyun took out the land deed: “Besides what I brought from the General’s Mansion, the rest will all be settled in the new house. Find them some work to do so they won’t slack off.”

"The tables, chairs, benches, pots, pans, and ladles in this mansion were all bought by Miss."

"Move everything that can be moved, and chop, cut, burn, or smash what can't be moved," Xie Chaoyun said. "Except for Yuan'er's Fangfei Courtyard."

Qingzhi nodded: "This servant knows, and will not let them get away with it."

A dozen or so carriages, escorted by the Commandant's Office and the Garrison Battalion, departed the Marquis's residence in a grand procession. Unfortunately, the common people of the capital would not be able to witness such a magnificent scene.