Chapter 28 – The Little Heir Manages the Inner Court

“My face still has the mark from the slap!”

Just one glance from Xie Yixing, and all of Xinghua’s confidence crumbled.

The young heir’s reputation preceded him. Anyone who saw him angry would instinctively want to tuck their tail and run.

Xinghua, who usually worked in the front yard, had rarely seen him.

But today, standing face-to-face at such a close distance, she felt thoroughly guilty.

Even before Xie Yixing spoke, she laid all her cards on the table.
“Young heir, you can’t make a judgment based only on what Miss Yao Yao says! I… I just thought you seemed lonely and wanted to give you a younger sibling or two for some liveliness…”

Hearing her try to coax the young heir, Nanny Zhao could only feel she must be blind.

Childless herself, Nanny Zhao had watched Xinghua work under her for years, always diligent and obedient.

She had even planned to adopt Xinghua as her goddaughter, and once she was old enough to leave the household, help her with a dowry and marry her off to a good man. In the future, when Nanny Zhao became too old to serve in the marquis household, Xinghua could take care of her until her final days.

Now, ha.

Nanny Zhao clicked her tongue and cursed in her heart, “Ungrateful wretch.”

If she had seen through Xinghua’s intentions earlier, she never would’ve let her attend Lady Wei.

Xie Yixing’s expression remained unchanged upon hearing Xinghua’s explanation, but his voice dropped several degrees colder.
“I don’t need that.”

Having Yao Yao by his side was more than enough.

Since when did a servant girl think she could make decisions in the marquis household?

Though Xie Yixing didn’t frequent the front courtyard, he had always understood his role within the family.

He shifted his gaze to his father. Seeing that the Marquis of Chengming was looking away nervously, avoiding eye contact, Xie Yixing furrowed his brows ever so slightly.

This is how the household had ended up under his father’s watch? If he didn’t start punishing people now, they’d be climbing onto the rooftops next.

Useless.

The Marquis, sensing the disdain in his son’s eyes, instinctively turned toward his wife with a pitiful expression, but Lady Wei, instead of comforting him, turned her head away, refusing to look at him.

The marquis was close to tears.

He’d eaten a half bowl of salty noodles on an empty stomach, gotten hit on by a maid, insisted on staying faithful only to be misunderstood, and now both his wife and son were giving him the cold shoulder.

Xie Yixing looked back at Xinghua again, murderous coldness rising in his eyes.

Though he usually only concerned himself with his personal space, within the household, his authority was absolute.

The Marquis was often away from home, leaving both the front and back households to Lady Wei.

But Lady Wei’s gentle nature made her easy to deceive, and many servants took advantage—smuggling household goods and altering account books.

Even when she found out, she could never get to the bottom of it, and things were always left unresolved.

But when Xie Yixing was three years old, a foolish servant extended their hand into his Rui Court.

When he discovered his personal belongings had repeatedly gone missing, he immediately launched a full-scale investigation.

After catching the culprits, he didn’t even let them speak—he ordered their punishment directly.

Once they confessed everything under torture, he bound them up and threw them into the magistrate’s court.

Their families who worked in the marquis household were also expelled, never to be employed again.

Back then, Lady Wei never imagined her young son could be so ruthless.

At just three years old, he handled matters swiftly and decisively, making her feel ashamed of herself.

For a long time afterward, both the front and back courtyards were managed by Xie Yixing himself. It wasn’t until he began his formal studies that Lady Wei, worried the responsibilities were too much for him, resumed management.

Later, when the Marquis was reassigned to the capital, Lady Wei handed back the front courtyard to him and focused solely on the back courtyard.

But now, only half a year had passed, and unrest was already brewing again.

Xie Yixing noticed the slap mark on Xinghua’s tear-streaked face had yet to fade. The shadows of her lashes fell even darker against her cheeks.

This happened during Yao Yao’s birthday—such nerve.

She had personally slapped her, even hurting herself in the process.

His anger toward Xinghua could no longer be contained. He ordered coldly,
“Drag her out. Soak her in the ice vat. Fish her out when she’s half-dead, then send her to the estate.”

Xinghua’s eyes went wide upon hearing the sentence.

But after kneeling for so long, her legs had gone numb. She couldn’t stand, only crawl forward in a desperate attempt to grab the young heir’s pant leg.

But Yao Yao kicked her away.
“You’re dirty! Don’t touch Brother Shizi!”

Even if she didn’t fully understand what “obsessive cleanliness” meant, Yao Yao knew Xie Yixing liked things clean.

He helped her wash her hands and face every night with soap slices, and because of him, she had grown fond of cleanliness too.

Xinghua cried and sobbed, her tears soaking into the strands of hair stuck to her face, looking anything but pitiful.
“Young heir, I was wrong! I won’t dare again!”

“In this freezing weather, if you soak me, I’ll freeze to death!”

Even if she didn’t die from the cold, once sent to the estate, her days would be miserable.

Yao Yao was no longer upset. Seeing Xie Yixing standing up for her, she immediately ran over to take his hand.
“Brother Shizi, let’s not bother with her. She’s bad. She bullied Aunt Wei, and Aunt Wei was very sad.”

Lady Wei, seeing Yao Yao defend and speak up for her, suddenly didn’t feel so bad anymore. Her heart warmed.

Even though Yao Yao wasn’t her biological daughter, after spending so much time together, she already treated her like one.

Still, when she saw her standing beside her son, she felt Yao Yao would make an even better daughter-in-law.

Even Nanny Zhao had grown fond of Yao Yao, often whispering to Lady Wei,
“Yao Yao is a gift from the heavens for our young heir.”

The young heir lacked a soul, didn’t understand love, but ever since Yao Yao appeared, he had learned affection.

Although Xie Yixing’s love was only for Yao Yao and hadn’t extended much to others, the fact that he punished Xinghua in front of Lady Wei was enough to bring her comfort.

At least her son had stood up for her. Even if it was thanks to Yao Yao’s influence, she was still happy.

Xinghua, realizing there was no saving her, broke down completely. In desperation, she pulled out the silver hairpin from her head. Her eyes turned cold, and she lunged toward Yao Yao’s chubby little face.

Just as the sharp tip was about to pierce her skin, Xinghua’s expression suddenly changed.

Blood splattered onto Yao Yao’s face and clothes.

Xie Yixing reacted with lightning speed. He covered Yao Yao’s eyes with one hand, while coldly watching a severed finger fall to the ground, along with the dropped silver hairpin.

Xinghua pulled back her now-missing finger and finally noticed the dagger in Xie Yixing’s other hand—its hilt embedded with a red gem.

Lady Wei, only then realizing Xinghua had tried to harm Yao Yao, shed her usual gentle demeanor. Ignoring Nanny Zhao’s attempts to hold her back, she stepped forward and slapped Xinghua.
“Yao Yao is just a child, and you dared raise a hand against her! Your heart must be made of venom!”

“Guards! Drag her out and soak her in the vat! Don’t even bother sending her to the estate—sell her to a broker!”

“Our marquis household has no room for heartless wretches!”

Seeing Lady Wei rise to the occasion, the Marquis of Chengming broke out in a cold sweat.

Xie Yixing looked down at Yao Yao’s soiled new clothes and ordered the servants who had just entered the room,
“Clean this place up.”

He and Yao Yao had originally come to Lady Wei’s courtyard to retrieve some fireworks, but unexpectedly stumbled upon a chance to punish a delusional servant.

Lady Wei, remembering that she had given Yao Yao some pastries made by Xinghua earlier, suddenly felt nauseated.

She immediately ordered Nanny Zhao to retrieve them from Rui Court and feed them to the dogs. Yao Yao’s birthday gift had to be replaced!

Once the blood in the room had been cleaned, Xie Yixing used his own handkerchief to wipe Yao Yao’s face, though the stains on her clothes couldn’t be dealt with just yet.

With a cold expression, he took her hand, intending to return to Rui Court, but Yao Yao still had her heart set on the fireworks.

Helpless, he could only stay and wait a bit longer.

From the vacant courtyard next door came Xinghua’s screams. Every time she surfaced from the icy water, she screamed anew:

“She’s a jinx!”

“Ever since she came, people in the marquis household have had one misfortune after another!”

“If you keep her around, you’re just waiting for the family to fall apart!”