Chapter 55: Showing Promise

Dou Hongyan's smile deepened as she pinched Erya's cheek. "What a good girl. Let Liuyun take you to change into a new dress. This one has soaked up your tears and bad luck, so we won't keep it anymore. Is that all right?"

Erya nodded obediently again. "Mm-mm! I'll listen to Mother."

Taking advantage of the time Erya was taken away to wash up and change, Dou Hongyan finally had a moment to converse with Nanny Zhao, saying with some surprise, "I never expected that you would come personally to instruct the child."

This woman was a veteran of the imperial palace.

She was also a deeply trusted nanny by Xiao Ze's side.

Nanny Zhao smiled faintly. Shedding the stern and unapproachable rigidness she usually displayed before strangers, she spoke in a gentle and soft tone, "His Highness's intention is that while old slave instructs the child in proper manners, I can also speak to you about matters within the palace, so that you may be better prepared."

"That way, you won't be completely in the dark in the future."

Dou Hongyan's smile froze.

The palm hidden beneath her sleeve suddenly clenched, and her heart grew heavy.

She had let her guard down... She never expected that Xiao Ze would seize this opportunity to harbor the intention of having her enter the palace. If she were to enter the palace alongside him in the future,

wouldn't she completely lose any chance of cutting ties with him?

Without changing her expression, she nodded at Nanny Zhao, a trace of wariness rising in her heart as her heavy thoughts churned.

After pausing for a moment of seemingly unintentional contemplation, she spoke considerately, "Thank you for your trouble, Nanny Zhao. The Marquis's Estate is vast and grand, and I have many trivial matters to attend to. It will not be too late to follow your earnest guidance on manners once I have free time."

***

That scoundrel... To think he wants to bind me to the imperial palace so early on.

If I don't figure out a way to cut ties with him, sooner or later I will be completely devoured by him.

Dou Hongyan smiled faintly, maintaining a harmonious facade with Nanny Zhao.

Meanwhile, Liu Xin'er found Shen Yishu, plunged into his arms, and wailed tearfully, "Husband! Look at Madam! How could she be like this? How could she join forces with the Dowager to snatch Erya away from you and me!"

"She is our very own flesh and blood!"

Sobbing, she wept pitifully in Shen Yishu's arms.

Having listened to her sniffling and wailing through the whole story, Shen Yishu frowned and pushed Liu Xin'er away disapprovingly. "Since she is willing to invite noble figures from the palace to instruct the young lady of the Marquis's Estate, isn't that a good thing? You must not act with petty benevolence and ruin the prestige of the Marquis's Estate."

Buoyed by the lingering warmth of Dou Hongyan's gentle words from last time, he said with calm complacency, "Lady Dou is the mistress of the Marquis's Estate. It is only right for her to attentively instruct the young ladies of the estate, considering they are all my offspring."

"Husband..."

Liu Xin'er harbored secret resentment in her heart.

With a sudden shove against Shen Yishu, she covered her face and burst into bitter tears. "That is a child I carried in my womb for ten months! Now that she lives in someone else's courtyard, how can I possibly have peace of mind!"

Covering her face, Liu Xin'er inwardly scorned Shen Yishu for failing to distinguish right from wrong and letting himself be deceived by Dou Hongyan's pretty face.

Would she treat Erya well after taking her away?

***

Wouldn't she do the exact same thing as her—waiting until the child grew up, only to marry Erya off to some high-ranking official or wealthy family in exchange for favors?

This was a fat sheep in her own hands; how could she easily let Dou Hongyan harvest the fruits of her labor?

Therefore, she urged Shen Yishu, "It's not that I don't trust Madam, but I truly miss the child and want to go take a look at her, so that my mind can finally be at ease..."

"That's hardly a problem."

Softened by her tears and satisfied with Liu Xin'er's complete devotion to him, Shen Yishu stood up and said, "Then let's go take a look. If Lady Dou hasn't treated her properly, I will discipline her myself!"

"We should also bring the young masters along; they miss Erya too," Liu Xin'er said with malicious intent.

She wanted the others to witness firsthand how Lady Dou mistreated Erya. From then on, none of them would ever hold even a shred of favorable feeling toward Lady Dou.

With a formidable momentum, the group marched straight toward Erya's new courtyard.

The moment they paused outside the door, Liu Xin'er's sense of absolute victory vanished into thin air, and panic seized her.