CHAPTER 554: CHAPTER 543: THE MARCHIONESS’S MAID

"Sister, you won’t blame me, will you? I’m young and don’t know how to speak properly," Zhong Yin said in her usual meek and fragile manner, making it seem as if she had been wronged despite Zhong Lan doing nothing at all.

Mr. Zhong, Zhong Huaiwen, already had a look of distress on his face: "Lan’er, don’t be mad at your sister, she’s younger than you."

"Did I say anything?" Zhong Lan looked at her father expressionlessly.

Zhong Huaiwen’s face turned somewhat awkward, and he stopped talking after touching his nose.

"How much younger is she? Barely half a year younger than me! If she can’t speak properly, then she shouldn’t speak at all. She should reflect behind closed doors and let the nanny teach her some manners. Although I am a First-rank Marchioness, I am also her legitimate sister. I can let it go, but outside, no one will indulge her," Zhong Lan snorted coldly, saying she usually couldn’t be bothered to argue with Zhong Yin, but who asked her to provoke her at this time.

"Sister, what are you saying? Because I did something wrong, you want Father to punish me?" Zhong Yin suddenly burst into tears, looking as if she could faint from grief at any moment.

Zhong Huaiwen showed a look of distress on his face, and his gaze towards Zhong Lan was now filled with reproach: "Lan’er, why are you speaking so harshly to your sister? You are a First-rank Marchioness, even if she’s ignorant, can’t you protect her after you go out?"

"I should protect her?" Zhong Lan laughed out of anger, "Why should I protect her? Just because we share the same father? But I never received Father’s love. Why should I care for her? If I take care of her, what about my deceased mother?"

Zhong Huaiwen’s face was a mix of guilt and embarrassment, as well as reproach toward Zhong Lan. He knew he had wronged the Ying Family, but what did that have to do with Yin’er? When the Ying Family was alive, wasn’t Yin’er also obedient to her? Why was Lan’er always targeting her own sister?

Aunt Wei was right, a layer of belly separates hearts, and he should not have held any illusions about Lan’er.

"Let it be, let’s not talk about this anymore. Since you’re married, don’t concern yourself with household affairs anymore, your sister will be educated by me," Zhong Huaiwen said with a wave of his hand, as if heartbroken.

By this time, Zhong Lan was so angry she was speechless. She watched the father and daughter with cold eyes, not missing the smugness in Zhong Yin’s eyes.

Fine then! Since she is a married woman, she has no right to meddle in the family affairs, so they better not bother her in the future! They should also not think about taking advantage of her status as a Marchioness.

"Lady, please don’t stand anymore, we don’t want to worry Old Madam if you overexert yourself. Old Madam said, as a current First-rank Marchioness, aside from a few nobles in the palace, no one should slight you. If anyone dares to upset you, Old Madam will make sure they’re even more upset," Ye Qiu helped Zhong Lan to sit down, stating this very calmly.

Zhong Huaiwen and Zhong Yin’s faces stiffened, their expressions embarrassed, and Zhong Yin even looked scared. Only now did she clearly realize that if Zhong Lan wanted to torment her, not even Zhong Huaiwen could protect her. Zhong Lan was no longer the Miss Zhong of the Zhong Family who could be bullied after losing her mother, but the dignified First-rank Marchioness.

And by the meaning of the maid’s words, it seemed that Zhong Lan was also favored by the Old Marquis? What pride was there to have?

Zhong Yin dug her fingernails deep into her flesh, her level of nobility notwithstanding, wasn’t she still destined to be a widow?

"I’ll go pay my respects to Grandmother and won’t accompany Father any longer," Zhong Lan said with an indifferent gaze at the two of them, her heart feeling ice cold.

When she arrived at Old Madam Wei’s, she was not given any special treatment despite being a First-rank Marchioness. Today, Aunt Wei was much more subdued and did not engage in any dubious talk.

By lunchtime, Zhong Jue had finally returned home from the academy on leave, and the stern look on Zhong Lan’s face finally softened considerably.

"Brother, are you doing well at home?" Zhong Lan was most worried about this brother of hers. Although he was the legitimate eldest son, he was disdained by their father, disliked by their grandmother, and with Aunt Wei and the bastard Zhong Lang lurking threateningly on the side, she couldn’t help but be concerned.

"What could possibly happen to me?" Zhong Jue smiled heartily, "I’m usually at the academy, and even when I come back, I live in the outer courtyard. Aunt Wei can’t get her schemes on me. Even if Father dislikes me, he wouldn’t intentionally ruin my reputation. Now I just need to wait for the Imperial Examination, and then they’ll have no way to deal with me."

"What about your marriage prospects? Is grandmother still using that to control you?"

"She wouldn’t dare now. Ever since you married into the Marquis Mansion, she has restrained herself a lot."

"Grandmother’s temperament doesn’t seem like one to back down, what did you say to her?"

"I told her that if she and Aunt Wei tried to plot against me again, I would not hesitate to drag the Wei Family into the mess, her maternal family. I have to thank your husband for this. Before he left yesterday, he gave me some insider information about the Wei Family."

Upon mentioning this, Zhong Jue grinned. He had not expected his brother-in-law, who always seemed stern as if everyone owed him money, to be so good to him, his brother-in-law. He had dealt with his troubles in an instant. It seems that Marquis Weiyuan has significant influence. When did he start investigating the Wei Family?

"Marquis?" Zhong Lan was startled, not expecting this turn of events.

"Yes, him." Zhong Jue looked at his sister, asking the doubt in his heart, "Did he ever tell you, is the military campaign really as perilous as they say?"

"He didn’t say." Zhong Lan’s face fell slightly, clearly worried once again.

Zhong Jue hastened to comfort her: "Don’t worry too much. I think your husband is quite capable and it shouldn’t be as dangerous as the rumors say. As his wife, you shouldn’t go out casually in the next year or two. Instead, manage the household well for him and take care of the Old Marquis."

"I understand." Having married into the Marquis Mansion for three days, Zhong Lan faintly felt that things were not so simple, but she was indeed very lucky to have married there.

Zhong Lan went back after dinner, still not showing a pleasant face to her biological father and the Zhong Yin family.

Zhong Yin was visibly distressed on her face, but inside she kept cursing Zhong Lan to become a widow, to be alone and unsupported for life.

However, a month later, Zhong Yin’s curse fell through, because Zhong Lan successfully found out she was pregnant.

"Truly a blessing from the heavens!" Second Mrs. Shen said joyfully, "Now, Mother, you can be at ease."

The Old Marquis was also overjoyed. That morning, when Zhong Lan came to greet her, she took the opportunity to keep her for breakfast. Little did she know that a bowl of fish porridge would cause her granddaughter-in-law to retch. She thought her granddaughter-in-law had a weak stomach, especially since when she requested the imperial decree for the marriage from His Majesty, she knew that her granddaughter-in-law was not in good health. Yet, to think the doctor would find out she was pregnant after taking her pulse!

The grandson had left to join the military campaign two days after the wedding, and one month later, the granddaughter-in-law was found to be pregnant. Was this not a delightful surprise?

Although preparations for the military campaign had been made well in advance and it was not as dangerous as rumored, it was still unexpectedly wonderful news that the granddaughter-in-law was pregnant at this time. Whether a boy or a girl, the granddaughter-in-law would be the great hero of their Marquis Mansion.