The maid's road to success

Two days before New Year's Eve, the women of Huaiyuan Marquis's Mansion finally returned to Kyoto. They had been away for seven years and suffered for seven years. Even though they later wanted revenge and were no longer oppressed, they slowly took control of Liangzhou.

It no longer had the former luxurious appearance. The old ancestor's head of white hair hurt An Wenniang's eyes. The moment she saw the old ancestor, An Wenniang couldn't stop crying. An Zizhong tried hard to restrain himself from hugging the old ancestor and his mother.

An Wenniang could not help herself and trotted to the front of the carriage. She raised her head and looked at the old face of her ancestor, tears streaming down her face.

"Ancestor."

After such a long time, I finally saw my ancestor. She was safe and sound. Even though she had suffered some torture, her fingers were thick and wrinkles were all over the corners of her eyes, she was still as kind and gentle as before.

"Good boy, good boy."

The old ancestor couldn't control herself as soon as she stuck her head out and saw An Zizhong and An Wenniang. Over the years, these two children were the ones she was most worried about.

Chen Luoxi transformed into An Zizhong to seek revenge. He encountered so many difficulties and obstacles along the way. It was unknown how dangerous it was and how much effort it took to get here from Gongzhou and successfully restore the innocence of Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion.

And there is Madam An Wen. She simply bought the child from a human trafficker and brought her back to the mansion, had someone teach her some skills, and brought her to Fu Shou Tang for a few years, so that she can really protect Luo Xi forever.

This is no ordinary favor. The Huaiyuan Marquis' Mansion had used up the last of its hidden strength to barely save Luo Xi. Wen Niang was just a child who had just become a good citizen, and she had come this far for her own request.

Without An Wenniang, they would not be able to feel at ease during their exile. Chen Luoxi was seriously injured and he survived alone. There was a high possibility that he would lose the will to live.

Even if the ancestor still has someone he can contact, Chen Luoxi would probably not be alive by the time he tries to contact them in the place of exile.

On the day when the house was ransacked, the old ancestor saw An Wenniang in the crowd and begged her not to rush over rashly. He suggested that she go find Chen Luoxi. He felt relieved when he saw that she agreed. She was old and had enjoyed the wealth and comfort of the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion for many years. She was not afraid of death, but she was afraid that the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion would be extinct from then on.

If those villains really succeed and the incense supply to the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion is cut off, it will be her sin.

The old ancestor reached out and stroked An Wenniang's cheek. When An Zizhong wrote to her, he said that they had saved the Yuan family's offspring. Now that they had used medicine to change their appearance, one could still tell what An Wenniang looked like when she was a child.

"Please walk back with me, old lady. We have been away for so long that I have forgotten what Kyoto looks like."

An Wen Niang supported the old ancestor and looked at her sisters Yulan and Yumei beside them. Both of them had their hair combed into women's buns. She thought they got married in Liangzhou.

Turning around, I saw Bihe, Chunlu and the others behind me, all of whom were laughing and crying happily.

Bai was still chatting with the people of the Bai family. They hadn't seen each other for many years. They had finally come back and naturally had endless things to talk about. There were also the Third Madam and the Eighth Miss. There were quite a few people behind them, a huge group of people, and An Wenniang didn't pay much attention to them.

When we helped our ancestor into the city gate, we saw many young people standing on the roadside watching. At first there were only a few, then more than ten, and when we walked into the streets, there were many people standing on both sides.

"Congratulations to the ancestor of Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion for returning to Beijing!"

"Congratulations to the ancestor of Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion for returning to Beijing!"

"Congratulations to the ancestor of Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion for returning to Beijing!"

An Wenniang looked at the people around her. Although she didn't recognize many of them, she recognized a few of them. They were the children of the former charity. The Huaiyuan Marquis' Mansion in Kyoto had always allocated money to the charity to support many poor children. When the incident happened, many people ran to the front of the Marquis' Mansion and begged for mercy from the higher-ups.

But they are all ordinary people, all pitiful people. How could they know that what happened in Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion was caused by the selfishness of the people above them?

An Wenniang left early and took An Zizhong with her to leave Kyoto. She didn't know that when the women of the Huaiyuan Marquis's Mansion were exiled, many people kept seeing them off, and it was the officers and soldiers who drove them away.

Today, the children of the charity have grown up, and some have even married and had children, but they have never forgotten the kindness of the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion and always keep it in their hearts. When they heard that the women of the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion had returned, they all came out to greet them.

The old ancestor looked at these people with a sad heart, and finally understood why the old marquis had told her to do more good deeds before his death, so as to preserve the marquisate's chance of survival.

Wen Niang is the good result of her good deeds, and these people in front of her, aren’t they all the kindness accumulated from her good deeds?

Back to the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion, these days, the Princess of Prince Li has sent people to renovate the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion, searched the Imperial Palace's inner treasury and Cheng'en Palace, and moved back as many old things as possible from the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion.

Even if they cannot be found, they will be replaced with better ones. Princess Li knows that Prince Li has no face to step into the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion now. He always feels uneasy when he thinks of the old marquis and the fate of the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion.

Princess Yong'an is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Huaiyuan Marquis's Mansion. Although she has lived in the Prince Li's Mansion for so many years, she is still the daughter-in-law of the Marquis after all. When she heard that the Marquis' Mansion had been rehabilitated, she immediately moved back with her brother.

The marquis' mansion, which had been sealed for many years, was restored to its former splendor in the shortest possible time, but everyone's mood was different.

Princess Yong'an exchanged greetings with the old ancestor, and with red eyes, she asked her brother to pay his respects to the old ancestor.

"You are an unfilial grandson-in-law. You cannot serve the old ancestor. I will let you suffer in Liangzhou."

The old ancestor patted her hands and told her not to cry.

"I know you are an obedient person. You can protect Brother Zong for Luo Yuan, which is the most important thing to do. I received a letter from Kyoto. You have worked hard these years. On the one hand, you are on guard against those people who hurt Brother Zong, and on the other hand, you are trying hard to send money and things to Liangzhou."

The old ancestor talked to Princess Yong'an for a while, and then Princess Yong'an left. Now Princess Yong'an was the only one who could manage the Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion. Everyone was exhausted after the long journey, and the parents and brothers of the female relatives from each family were eager to come over.

Endless thoughts.

The Huaiyuan Marquisate has returned to Kyoto, and Prince Li is the next emperor. Everyone can tell from the behavior of Prince Li's wife that Prince Li wants to reconcile with the Huaiyuan Marquisate.

Soon, many people will come to visit Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion, including Huaiyuan Marquis Mansion’s own relatives and many noble families who will take action based on the wind direction.

An Wen Niang was always pulled to the front of the old ancestor, and even when she sat down, it was Sister Yulan who moved a small stool and sat with the old ancestor.

The old ancestor was talking to many people, and from time to time he looked at the well-behaved Wen Niang beside him, feeling very comfortable.

Yulan and Yumei followed her to Liangzhou, so she was not too worried. Bihe and Chunlu had suffered too much, and when they first arrived in Liangzhou, their ancestors were very distressed. It took constant consolation for them to feel much better.

Only Wen Niang, the youngest of the maids, who did not even have anyone to share the burden with, took An Zizhong back to his birthplace alone, settled An Zizhong's identity, and has been with him until now. The fact that she has been out of sight is the most worrying thing.

Wen Niang knew about the affairs of the second wife, Wang. Whether for survival or to take revenge on her natal family, she followed Hu Yan, the governor of Liangzhou.

But for so many years, the old ancestor and his family were able to control Liangzhou thanks to the help of the second lady. This time when they came back, the second lady had been following the old ancestor quietly, without saying a word and without going back to the second house's courtyard.

"Mrs. Wen, do you have something to say to the second son's wife?"

The old ancestor had been paying attention to Wen Niang, and naturally noticed that she looked at Wang with hesitation and thought that she was wondering why the second son's wife would follow him back to Kyoto after following Hu Yan.

"I, the Second Madam, have found out that the Second Young Master has a child outside!"

As soon as the words fell, the Second Lady, who had been lifeless, suddenly stood up in surprise, looked at An Wen Niang, her eyes suddenly turned red, and she quickly walked up to An Wen Niang, holding her hand, very excited, and indeed could not utter a word.

"Second brother's wife, don't get excited, let Wen Niang go first."

Yulan and Yumei also came forward and helped Wang to sit down nearby. Wang stared at Wen Niang without blinking.

"After the Huaiyuan Marquisate was rehabilitated, the Sixth Prince restored the title of the Huaiyuan Marquisate, but now the only surviving heir is Brother Zong. Prince Li has become the most likely heir to the throne, so he has announced that Brother Zong will not inherit the Huaiyuan Marquisate."

When Wen Niang thought of the skinny and pitiful child, she felt very distressed.

"At this time, there was a woman who kept asking about Princess Yong'an. We paid more attention to her and sent people to investigate. The woman had been kept by the Second Young Master for a period of time many years ago. She was a secret prostitute, but the Second Young Master soon became tired of her. When she found out she was pregnant, she wanted the Second Young Master to be responsible, but the Second Young Master was interested in the Second Young Master's wife, so he said that she was a prostitute who served many men, so who knew who she belonged to."

"That woman was determined not to give up. She wanted to give birth to the child and ask the old ancestor to make a decision. But something happened in the Huaiyuan Marquis's mansion. She was about to give birth. She wanted to drown the child, but the child was lucky and survived. She was saved by a firewood woman."

"Because of this, the woman gets angry when she sees the child. After giving birth, her figure is out of shape and she can't get any business, so she beats the child. This time, I heard that Huaiyuan Marquisate was rehabilitated, and Master Zong will not inherit the Marquisate. The Marquisate has no male heirs, so the child is the best candidate for succession."

"I just want to find Princess Yong'an and let this child recognize his ancestors."

The more Wang listened, the more excited she became. She clenched her hands involuntarily and listened attentively to Wen Niang's words.

"We have seen the child, and he looks very much like the Second Young Master. He should be the Second Young Master's child. We have also inquired about it. The woman had only been in contact with the Second Young Master for nearly half a year before she became pregnant. Now the child is being raised with me. I would like to ask the Second Madam what she thinks."

Wang was so excited that she couldn't speak. She could only nod and nod over and over again. She held Wen Niang's hand and rested her head on it. Her hot tears dripped onto Wen Niang's hand, making her sigh with emotion.

In the past, the Second Lady was pampered by her son, the Second Master, and was always very arrogant. She would never lower her noble head. It was only after she was exiled, suffered a lot, and was abandoned by her parents that she discovered the goodness of the Second Master.

However, her doted-on son and her protective husband both died. After helping the marquis's family to take control of Liangzhou, she retired from the society. She had originally agreed with her ancestors to open a small Buddhist temple in the backyard of Fushou Hall and lived there ever since.

She even felt that she was not worthy of returning to the second house, but now she heard that Luo An still had a child living outside, she still had hope of atonement and keeping the second master's family line alive.

"Okay, okay, okay, this is great news, second son's wife, why are you still crying? Hurry up and get the second room out. This child has only you as a relative now. His biological mother is heartless and ungrateful. I don't recognize her. Give her some money and let her go far away. This child will depend on you in the future. You must raise him well, so that you can be worthy of the second son."

After hearing this, Wang stood up excitedly. After thanking her ancestor Wen Niang, she looked around in panic, not knowing what to do first.

"Yulan, go and take some people with the Second Madam to clean up the yard into a habitable place. At least bring the child in first and then think about other things."

Yulan happily helped Wang out of Fushou Hall. Wang finally calmed down a little and held Yulan's hand as they walked and asked.

“What do kids like these days?”

"He is weak, should I prepare some medicinal food for him first?"

"Do you think he will like me?"

The old ancestor was happy to see that Wang had finally recovered.

"You and Luo Xi are both good kids."

Wen Niang looked at Wang's back and felt very sorry for this woman.

"The fourth young master said that the second lady did some things that were not very good in the past, but she was not a bad person. She was just a little confused because of the second young master. She was hurt too badly by the Wang family and had to follow Hu Yan. But she also paid a lot for the redress of our mansion. If she hadn't taken care of Hu Yan, it would not have been so easy to conquer Liangzhou."

"What the Fourth Young Master meant is that we can no longer enjoy the benefits brought by the Second Madam's betrayal and then despise her for following another man. We should repay her as much as we can."

The old ancestor nodded, and everyone around her went about their own business. They had just returned today, and except for Princess Li and the Bai family, the third lady's family had come, no one else had been invited.

Fu Shou Tang was much emptier at this moment. The old ancestor looked at Wen Niang and spoke to her gently.

"You have done a great favor to our mansion. It is not an exaggeration to say that you are our mansion's benefactor. You are also a good person. From now on, do not call yourself a slave. Luo Xi and I are not your masters. You are the lady of our mansion, a legitimate lady."

"I have discussed with the Madam. After we have dealt with the affairs of the Marquisate, we will open the ancestral temple and register you under the name of the Madam. From now on, you will be the eldest daughter of the Marquisate. Are you willing?"

For some reason, An Wenniang suddenly thought of An Zizhong. She hesitated and did not answer, when An Zizhong suddenly rushed in.

"No, she cannot be registered under her mother's name, and the Huaiyuan Marquisate cannot recognize her as a lady."

An Zizhong's sudden words made the old ancestor look displeased. He was about to scold him, thinking that his grandson should not be such a conscienceless person, but when he saw An Zizhong's expression, he immediately understood why he refused.

He looked up at An Zizhong and An Wenniang with complicated feelings, his heart instantly in a mess and he remained silent for a long time. Just as An Zizhong was about to say something, he was interrupted by the old ancestor.

"There are too many things to do today, let's talk about this later. Wen Niang, you haven't had a good talk with Bi He yet, that girl misses you so much, go find her."

An Wenniang naturally knew that the old ancestor wanted to get rid of her, and she also understood the old ancestor's complicated feelings. She didn't say much and got up and left.

An Zizhong wanted to grab her sleeve, but An Wenniang dodged and quickly left the main hall.