Chapter 50 – I Can’t Earn It, But I Can Let Shen Nian Earn It for Me!

A few people followed Ning Xiang and quickly arrived at Jinglan Courtyard.

This place was quite close to Shen Nian’s Lingyun Pavilion, about a five-minute walk.

Shen Nian entered and looked around the room, which had been arranged according to the standards of a noble lady. He quietly nodded in approval.

Liu Shi had indeed put some effort into the superficial details, ensuring that nothing could be held against her.

Xia Tian looked around and was very satisfied. The whole house exuded an air of luxury and nobility, and there were even people to serve her. She had finally achieved the leisurely life she had dreamed of in her previous life—living off others and waiting for death.

Shen Nian waited until Xia Tian showed no signs of dissatisfaction before speaking, “You will live here from now on. It’s next to Lingyun Pavilion, so it’s convenient for visiting.”

“Hmm, this place is quite nice.”

“Ning Xiang, you and Ning Xue personally choose the servants here. Don’t let anyone with ill intentions approach the lady.”

“Yes, Lord.”

Listening to Shen Nian’s arrangements, Xia Tian smiled to herself. A man this outstanding—suddenly, she didn’t want to give him up!

Shen Nian stayed for a while, saying he would come back later to have dinner with her, and then left.

Ning Xiang and Ning Xue went off to pick servants. Xia Tian looked around and saw no one else, so she jumped onto the bed with a sigh of comfort, “Now this is what living is all about.”

But unfortunately, before she could get too comfortable, a group of troublemakers arrived in the courtyard.

Xia Tian frowned as she watched a beautiful woman in her thirties enter without even knocking. Who was this? Why was she so rude?

Not knowing what was going on, she decided to hold back from making a scene. With Ning Xiang and Ning Xue still not back, she stepped forward and asked, “May I ask who you are?”

Before the beautiful woman could answer, an elderly woman beside her, looking to be in her forties, shouted, “How dare you! This is the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Wuan’s household!”

Oh, so it was Shen Nian’s biological elder sister, Shen Hui.

“Big sister,” Xia Tian called out.

“Don’t call me big sister. I haven’t acknowledged you as my sister-in-law,” Shen Hui looked Xia Tian up and down and walked confidently to sit in the most prominent seat in the hall.

“Then may I ask, what brings the eldest daughter here?” Xia Tian asked, smiling as she sat down opposite Shen Hui.

“How dare you sit before I speak!” Shen Hui’s elderly servant reprimanded again.

“If that’s the case, this is my own room. Why do I need anyone’s permission to sit?” Xia Tian smiled and shrugged.

“This is our eldest lady’s courtyard.”

“You just said it’s ‘our eldest lady’s,’ but now it’s my courtyard.”

“You…” Shen Hui’s servant was speechless, and Shen Hui snorted in annoyance.

Xia Tian just smiled, unbothered.

Shen Hui, irritated by Xia Tian’s calm demeanor, couldn’t help but speak up. “I heard you used a life-saving favor to blackmail my brother into marrying you. Is that true?”

“Whether it’s true or not, you can ask your brother,” Xia Tian responded coolly.

“My brother values loyalty, and that’s how you took advantage of him. Even if the life-saving favor is true, the position of the Marquess of Wuan’s wife is not something a country bumpkin like you can dream of,” Shen Hui said, raising her chin in disdain.

“Oh? If the eldest daughter is unhappy, she can directly speak to your brother, Shen Nian.”

Shen Hui was momentarily speechless. If talking to her brother was useful, would she have come here herself?

She, a rural girl, had no business speaking to Xia Tian.

“I can offer you money, so you can live comfortably for the rest of your life, as long as you leave my brother,” Shen Hui said, her tone now trying to tempt Xia Tian with silver.

“Oh? How much?” Xia Tian asked, immediately intrigued. She hadn’t expected to be offered something she had only dreamed about in her previous life.

Shen Hui, seeing Xia Tian’s interest, thought she had agreed and sneered, “One thousand taels of silver.”

“Just one thousand taels? I thought it would be much more!” Xia Tian pouted.

Shen Hui, angered by Xia Tian’s response, took a deep breath. “One thousand taels, and you’ll never be able to earn that much in your lifetime.”

“It’s fine, I can’t earn it, but I can have Shen Nian earn it for me!” Xia Tian replied nonchalantly.

“You…” Shen Hui was so furious at Xia Tian’s brazen response that she was momentarily speechless. She put her hand on her chest to steady herself before gritting her teeth and saying, “Ten thousand taels, not a single coin more.”

“Fifty thousand taels. If not, then forget it.” Xia Tian extended her hand casually.

“Dream on. Since you refuse to take the silver, don’t blame me for being impolite.” Shen Hui stood up abruptly, flinging her handkerchief. “Someone!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Throw her out! This is the young lady’s courtyard. No one is allowed to live here without my permission.”

“Wait, wait!” Ning Xiang pushed through the crowd and stood in front of Xia Tian. “Eldest lady, please calm down. The young master instructed that my lady is to stay here.”

“Your lady? Ning Xiang, weren’t you serving the young master?” Shen Hui raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, the young master told me to follow and serve the lady from now on. Ning Xue went to speak with the young master, and if you don’t believe me, you can ask him later.” Ning Xiang was trembling in fear. She had only been away for a short while, and now it seemed like things were about to go awry. If anything happened to the lady, both she and Ning Xue would surely be punished by the young master.

“Hmph, no one’s leaving! Throw her out!” Shen Hui, hearing that someone had already spoken to Shen Nian, became anxious. She knew that once her brother arrived, it would be too late to kick Xia Tian out.

She had waited until Shen Nian had left to come here, but she hadn’t expected things to go wrong.

When the eldest lady entered the courtyard, the guards that Shen Nian had secretly stationed to keep an eye on Jinglan Courtyard had already gone out to find him.

When Ning Xue went to find Shen Nian, he was already on his way to the courtyard.

“I’ll see who dares!” Shen Nian entered the door just in time to hear Shen Hui shouting to throw someone out.

“Young master!” The servants bowed and stepped aside as Shen Nian entered.

Shen Nian looked around and then sat in the chair at the top position before asking Shen Hui, “What are you doing, big sister?”

“Brother, I heard you were out, so I came to visit!” Shen Hui tried to put on a softer tone, sitting down in the seat below Shen Nian.

“Why didn’t you go to Lingyun Pavilion to meet me?” Shen Nian asked lightly.

“I heard you were out, so I came here first.”

“Just now, who were you trying to throw out?”

“Oh, I was asking this young lady to move out. After all, this is a courtyard I used to live in, and I don’t want outsiders staying here,” Shen Hui said, a little guilty. She knew she hadn’t handled things well today.

“That’s not true!” Xia Tian immediately cut in, reporting Shen Hui’s actions to Shen Nian. “She said I’m not worthy of you, that I blackmailed you with a lifesaving favor, and offered me a thousand taels of silver to leave you.”

“You didn’t agree, so you asked for fifty thousand taels?” Shen Hui was infuriated and leaned back, mocking her, “You’re really going to bring this up? Let’s see how much you can get out of this.”

Xia Tian blinked her big innocent eyes and responded, “Yes, I think someone as outstanding as your brother can’t be worth just one thousand taels. At least he’s worth a hundred thousand taels. Since you’re his sister, I gave you a 50% discount.”

Shen Hui was so speechless at Xia Tian’s shamelessness that she couldn’t say a word.