Chapter 7: Regaining Consciousness   

“Young Master, Mo Yan is here to serve you your meal.” 

Out of respect, the servants would always announce their presence before moving Xie Yunzhi’s body. 

Xie Yunzhi could tell that it was indeed Mo Yan’s voice. It seemed he was recovering in his courtyard. 

He couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of astonishment. Never did he imagine that he would end up in this state. 

The discomfort was undeniable, but compared to the soldiers who perished on the battlefield, he was far better off. 

What right did he have to feel disheartened? 

Guan Qi helped Xie Yunzhi sit up and propped him against the bed’s headboard, then carefully opened his mouth. 

Mo Yan took a spoonful of liquid food and gently guided it down the Yunzhi’s throat, allowing him to swallow on his own. 

Xie Yunzhi clearly felt the servants’ careful handling and could almost picture how he must look right now. 

He tried to control his body, but his efforts were in vain. 

Eventually, he had no choice but to give up. 

He wondered just how long he had been unconscious. 

The fact that his consciousness had returned meant his body was slowly recovering. 

Perhaps there was still hope for full recovery. 

There was no need to be too discouraged. 

“Young Madam, are you inside?” Suddenly, a maid’s voice came from outside the door. “Heng’s light meal has arrived.” 

Without realizing it, Xu Qingyi and Heng had been there for quite some time. 

The Eldest Young Master had finished his entire bowl of liquid food. 

Mo Yan was now wiping his mouth. 

“Yes,” Xu Qingyi responded. She then said to Mo Yan and Guan Qi, “You may continue taking care of the Eldest Young Master. I will take Heng to have his meal.” 

Mo Yan and Guan Qi both quickly nodded, “Of course, please don’t worry, Young Madam.”

Xie Yunzhi was stunned. What “Young Madam”? 

The people in this room were familiar to him—Guan Qi and Mo Yan were his servants, and Heng was his young son. 

But who was this “Young Madam”? 

Xie Yunzhi wasn’t a fool, and it didn’t take him long to figure it out. 

The only person in this household who could be referred to as “Young Madam” had to be his wife. 

Perhaps, during the time he had been unconscious, his elders had taken matters into their own hands and arranged a marriage for him. 

“…” 

There was a common belief in the folk tradition of “warming the bed” to bring good fortune, and this Young Madam was likely brought in to do just that. 

Xie Yunzhi had never believed in such superstitions. 

He felt no particular connection to this woman who had been brought in for such a reason. 

He wasn’t the sentimental type, and he certainly hadn’t planned on marrying before this. 

Otherwise, at the age of twenty-six, he would have already been married and had children. 

But now that he was married, and his sons indeed needed a mother to care for them, 

Xie Yunzhi thought that as long as they could treat each other with respect, that would be sufficient. 

Xu Qingyi led Heng back to the room next door. 

The small kitchen had delivered a few light dishes: minced meat porridge, egg custard, tofu with fish, cold shredded chicken, and a bowl of pearl corn soup. 

In early summer, mornings often left one without much appetite, but Xu Qingyi was starting to feel hungry by now. 

The cold shredded chicken looked appetizing, and it seemed like something the adults could eat too. 

She lowered her head, meeting Heng’s eager little face, and asked, “Heng, are you hungry?” 

Heng stared at the food on his mother’s table, swallowing his saliva and nodding eagerly, his face full of longing. 

Children’s appetites were quick to develop, and they were better suited for small, frequent meals. 

Heng had gotten up early, and after a quick breakfast from the nursemaid, he was ready to go visit his grandmother, Madam Qin. 

Now, he was already quite hungry.

“Then sit down and eat.” 

To be honest, Xu Qingyi had no experience raising children. She had only observed how her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law raised their nephews. 

Still, she had a good head on her shoulders and just needed to put it into practice. 

Little Heng stretched out his small hands toward his mother, and the nursemaid who was there to assist him paused in surprise. 

She watched as her young mistress picked up Heng and sat him on her lap. 

In large households, it was uncommon for the mistress to raise children like this. While they might keep the children in their own courtyard, the daily details of food and care were usually handled by the maids and nursemaids, with the mistress merely overseeing things from the side. 

The nursemaid couldn’t help but marvel at how her young mistress took a hands-on approach to everything, never seeming to mind the hard work. 

Xu Qingyi didn’t know how the mistresses of large families raised children. She only knew that sincerity breeds sincerity. 

Once these three children grew up and succeeded, it might take ten or even twenty years, but she could retire early. 

By then, she would be in charge, and a life of comfort was clearly within her reach. 

Heng, eating with his mother for the first time, sat up straight, his small figure perfectly upright. 

“One should not talk while eating, nor should one speak before sleeping. Even the act of holding chopsticks should be done with grace.”

Heng had been raised in the manor since he was one year old, and after three years, these rules had become second nature to him. 

Xu Qingyi’s dining etiquette could not be said to be poor, but it felt completely out of place next to Heng. 

It was as though he were eating in a high-end restaurant while she was in a small, humble eatery. 

She set down her chopsticks with a sigh. “Heng, doesn’t it tire you to eat like this?” 

Heng trembled slightly, looking helplessly at his mother. Had he not done well enough? 

He panicked. If he had upset his mother, would she send him back to his grandmother’s courtyard? 

Thinking this, Heng started to cry, his golden tears falling because he didn’t want to return to his grandmother’s courtyard. 

He liked his mother now. 

“?” Xu Qingyi was at a loss. Why was he crying? 

She quickly pulled out a handkerchief and wiped Heng’s tears. “What’s wrong? Why is our Heng crying?” 

Heng, hearing his mother’s gentle voice soothing him, started to doubt himself. Was it possible that his mother wasn’t angry?

“Hmm?” Xu Qingyi was actually indifferent toward children. In the past, she had always dreaded encountering children when going out.  

Suddenly being tasked with raising three children of different ages was no small challenge for her. 

“Mother… is it because I didn’t learn the rules well enough?” Heng asked cautiously. Though he was young, he could sense that people didn’t quite like him. 

Xu Qingyi was taken aback for a moment, then finally realized where the issue lay. 

Heng was not particularly outstanding in appearance, and it seemed that the manor had raised him to be cautious, sensitive, and the type to constantly seek approval. 

The Pingyang Marquisate had indeed caused this, and as for Xie Yunzhi… 

It couldn’t be said that Xie Yunzhi was wrong. His intention to adopt war orphans had been noble. 

But with his busy official duties, coming and going from dawn to dusk, he hadn’t realized that a child’s growth required more than just food and warmth—it needed to be nourished with love and care. 

Heng was a reflection of the three children. 

None of them were of the Xie family’s bloodline, and their status was awkward. They likely never dared to consider themselves as true Young Masters of the Marquisate.

“Heng, your manners are great,” Xu Qingyi said, holding Heng’s little face with sincerity. “Mother is very happy with you. I like you very much.” 

To make her words more convincing, she even leaned in and kissed Heng’s cheek. 

Heng was stunned, not knowing how to respond at first. 

Xu Qingyi continued to explain, “What I meant just now is that you don’t have to be so formal all the time. Those manners are for others. In Mother’s courtyard, you can relax and be yourself.” 

Heng appeared confused, with a look of shock on his face. 

The rules his mother had just mentioned were so different from the ones he had been taught ever since he could remember. 

“…”  

The nursemaid standing nearby hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back. It was only natural for the Young Master of a large family to learn proper manners. 

Furthermore, a legitimate mother should set an example through both words and actions. 

Wasn’t the young mistress making a mistake in guiding the children this way? 

However, seeing Xu Qingyi using her own chopsticks to serve food into Heng’s bowl, the nursemaid held back and said nothing. 

It was still early days, and fostering the bond before focusing on discipline seemed acceptable. 

Heng’s eyes widened as he noticed his mother eating… it seemed like she wasn’t following all the rules!

Was that really okay? 

Xu Qingyi, through both words and actions, showed him that it was perfectly fine. 

Children learn quickly, and after being given permission, Heng soon became casual and carefree with his own eating habits. 

Before long, he had oil all over his mouth and had picked out the corn kernels from the soup that he didn’t like. 

Glancing at his mother to see if she would scold him, he happily picked up the soup bowl and drank it all in one go. 

He placed the empty bowl on the table and said, “Mother, I’m done!” 

Xu Qingyi gave him a thumbs-up. “Good boy.” 

The nursemaid quickly brought a cloth to clean Heng’s face and hands. 

Young children, after eating, often become sleepy. 

But Xu Qingyi noticed that this little one, despite being so tired that his eyelids were drooping, still obediently sat at the table, forcing himself to stay awake.

Xu Qingyi finished her meal and lazily wiped her hands. “If you’re tired, go to sleep.”

Heng immediately woke up with a start, his eyes widening as he shook his head. “It’s almost noon, I have to wait until after lunch to sleep.”

It was a rule—lunch was a time for the whole household to gather, and unless there was a valid reason, no one could skip it.

Upon reflection, Xu Qingyi realized that the Marquisate indeed had such a rule, one established by the first wife, Madam Qin. 

As the second wife, Madam Qin was very conscious of avoiding anything that might make her seem petty or of a lower status. 

So, her actions and style of conduct often emulated those of the noble families, particularly the former first lady of the family. 

However, she only learned the surface-level aspects and never grasped the essence. If she had, she wouldn’t have been so inconsistent in her standards. 

She was willing to impose harsh requirements on others but couldn’t bring herself to do the same with Xie Huaian. 

“You can sleep now,” Xu Qingyi, as the legitimate mother, made the decision. “Nursemaid, Heng’s room should still not be ready, so please carry him to my bed.” 

“Yes, Young Madam,” the nursemaid nodded. 

Heng hesitated, torn between the fear of being scolded by his grandmother, Madam Qin, and not wanting to disobey his mother.

In the end, Heng obediently followed the nursemaid to go sleep. 

Outside, the maids and servants were bustling around, finally finishing the arrangements for the boys’ rooms. 

Afterward, the nursemaids and maids assigned to the three boys came to pay their respects to Xu Qingyi, bowing and introducing themselves. 

As the new wife of the family, Xu Qingyi met each of them, offering some rewards after their introductions. 

“Now that you’re in the Danhuai Courtyard, you must follow the rules here and do your best in the future.” 

“Yes, thank you, Young Madam.” 

At lunchtime, Mama Cai, who was responsible for looking after Heng, said, “Young Madam, it’s time for lunch. I’ll take Heng to have his meal.” 

Xu Qingyi took a sip of tea. “Heng has already had his light meal and is asleep. There’s no need to disturb him.” 

Mama Cai was surprised. “But, Young Madam, this isn’t following the rules. Madam said…” 

“Heng is just a child. It’s natural for him to have smaller meals and sleep more. If the situation doesn’t allow, there’s no need to follow the rules strictly.” 

Xu Qingyi inwardly rolled her eyes. Didn’t they know that a child’s physical and mental development was closely linked to sleep? 

No wonder, after three years, Heng was still so dark and thin. 

If things continued under Madam Qin’s way of raising the children, all three of them would eventually be harmed. 

Lin might grow up to be clever and successful, but that would have nothing to do with the Marquis’s wife. It would simply be because Lin was naturally intelligent. 

Moreover, on the surface, everything might seem beautiful and splendid, but who knew what was hidden in their hearts, whether it was joy or sorrow? 

Mama Cai, accustomed to following Madam Qin’s orders, looked troubled. “Young Madam, please don’t make things difficult for me. I’m only following orders. If Madam finds fault, I won’t know how to explain.” 

Xu Qingyi furrowed her brows, and her usually gentle face gained a touch of authority. “Mama Cai, you’re now part of my courtyard. You should listen to my orders. If you’re only loyal to Madam Qin, then go back where you came from. Heng doesn’t need your services anymore.” 

“Young Madam, this…” Mama Cai panicked. “I didn’t mean it like that.” 

The Young Madam, who seemed so gentle, had a surprisingly firm demeanor. 

Then again, she wouldn’t have married a comatose heir and agreed to carry on the family line if she were weak-willed. 

Xu Qingyi said, “Then do as I say.” 

“Yes,” Mama Cai quickly understood and withdrew.