Chapter 3 — The Husband and Little Uncle Fake the Disaster, My Sister and I Clean Up the Marquis' Palace

The Marquis's palace looks airy from the outside, but inside it has long been hollowed out. Over the past few years, my work as an official has not been very good, I am top in spending money, no matter what I wear, I have to show my face, and every year there is a deficit on the books. This remaining bit of money is barely enough to support oneself, but when used to pay off the debt, it is only a fraction enough. Tieu Ngoc Xu picked up a blue enamel vase, turned the bottom of the vase to see the title, then laughed coldly.

“Imitation.”

She put the vase back and brushed the dust from her hands: "That old man sold the real thing a long time ago, leaving behind a pile of fake goods to support his face and defraud him for so many years." I wasn't surprised at all.

"First, choose the gold and silver items to put in the chest. Choose the real ones to take away with the antique paintings. Leave the fake items to the old lady as a memorial."

Tieu Ngoc Xu had already begun to act, searching and saying: "Today you are very majestic at the old lady's place, those people in that clan will not let you go."

"They won't wait too long. They will come again tonight."

“What are you going to do?”

I used silk cloth to wrap a whole set of pure gold jewelry: "Whoever comes will die." The movements in Tieu Ngoc Xu's hand did not stop and suddenly changed to another topic.

“Do you know why I say you're crazy?”

I don't answer. She continued to herself: "Because you are like me, in the end you don't want to endure anymore. Before, I endured, because I thought that at the end, someone would look at me and think for me. Later I discovered, no one thinks for me. The more I endure, the more they feel that I deserve it." She held a stack of scrolls and stood up to look at me.

"So you asked why I laughed. Because I've lived for twenty-six years, and this is the first time I feel there is hope."

Outside the door came the sound of footsteps. The great maid Xuan Hanh next to the model.

“Young lady, great aunt, it's not good!” Xuan Hanh ran to the point of being unable to breathe, "The third lady led someone to block the lobby, said... said she wanted to ask the Young Lady to give an explanation!"

I put down the things in my hand.

“Explain what?”

Xuan Hanh stammered: "Saying that the Young Lady... saying that the Young Lady is a young widow holding all the power alone is not in accordance with the rules. Also saying that the Marquis' estate cannot fall into the hands of outsiders, they want to nominate a new administrator." Tieu Ngoc Xu looked towards me, his eyes filled with "I don't think I'm wrong". I brushed the dust off my dress.

“Go, go to the lobby.”

Xuan Hanh was stunned: "Young lady, are you just going like that? Do you need to negotiate with the old lady first..."

“No need.”

I walked across the threshold without looking back.

"Clean up those relatives who don't know what's good or bad. There's no need to ask for instructions yet."

There were indeed seven or eight people standing in the lobby, the son of the third room was leading, and next to him were two clan elders following, displaying a very complete formation. When I walked in, they all looked over, their eyes filled with scrutiny and calculation. The third son of the third chamber opened his mouth first: "Tri Vi, you came at the right time. The elders of the clan are all here, there is something that must be clearly stated in front of you. The Marquis Palace is now in great trouble, it is true that you are Thua Duc's wife, but Thua Duc is no longer there, how can a young woman like you alone hold the power of the Marquis?" government? If it spreads out, how will people outside view the Tieu family?” A clan elder next to him stroked his beard and nodded: "This is indeed the truth. What the old man means is, choose a few good people from the clan, and take care of things with me, so you also have someone to rely on." I stood in the middle of the hall, listening to what they were saying, not in a hurry to open my mouth. The third-room son-in-law thought I was scared, his tone became a bit stiffer: "Just now you were in the old lady's room saying something without letting anyone intervene, these words really hurt others. What is called chi th? One stroke of a pen cannot write the word Tieu. If the Marquis Palace collapses, can people like us live well?"

“So you guys came to help?”

“Of course I came to help.”

“Okay then.”

I pulled the book out from my sleeve, made a "pop" sound and placed it firmly on the table.

“The outside Marquis owes 120,000 taels of silver. Next month the creditor will come to collect the debt. If you elders are so enthusiastic, please help me pay this debt first."

The books were opened, each item written clearly and distinctly. The face of the third chambermaid changed. The two clan elders looked at each other, no one spoke anymore.