After hearing Song Zhaoyang's words, Xue Chucheng raised his eyebrows and asked, "Madam, I feel that you're becoming more and more like a military advisor. How about if one day we can no longer make a living in the capital, you join the army and be my military advisor?"
Song Zhaoyang was both angry and amused. She gently patted Xue Chucheng on the shoulder and scolded with a smile, "Nonsense! If I were to be a military advisor, wouldn't it..."
She rolled her eyes and said, "Make you men seem incompetent."
"Ah! Don't tickle me, hahaha!"
As soon as her voice fell, Xue Chucheng immediately reached out his hand and tickled her underarms.
Song Zhaoyang's laughter spread outside the study. Magpie and Violet Oriole, who were waiting outside, exchanged a knowing smile upon hearing it.
The next day, Mrs. Wen didn't send anyone to invite Song Zhaoyang.
Song Zhaoyang had long anticipated this result. She said to Nanny Xia, "Nanny, send someone to pack our luggage. We'll leave the mansion the day after tomorrow."
Hearing this, Nanny Xia asked in astonishment, "Madam, are we moving to the Marquis Mansion?"
Wasn't it said the day before yesterday that we weren't moving? Why has the decision changed today?
Song Zhaoyang shook her head and said, "No. I plan to take the children to the villa to recuperate for a while."
Nanny Xia was stunned. Then, as if thinking of something, she asked in a low voice, "Madam, has the old madam been making things difficult for you again?"
She smiled faintly and said, "Nanny Xia, don't worry. No one is making things difficult for me. Now I'm just going head - to - head with her to see who will win!"
Nanny Xia was puzzled.
Song Zhaoyang told her what had happened.
Hearing this, Nanny Xia looked at Song Zhaoyang with relief and said, "Madam, you should have done this earlier!"
Back then, when Song Zhaoyang wanted to use her dowry to subsidize the Xue Mansion, Nanny Xia had repeatedly opposed it. But Song Zhaoyang was stubborn and even asked Nanny Xia to keep it a secret from the Song Mansion, which left Nanny Xia helpless and angry.
Nanny Xia was worried that one day Song Zhaoyang would use up all her dowry to fill the Xue Mansion's financial holes, and without telling Xue Chucheng about it. In the end, she would lose both her money and her standing in the Xue Mansion.
Fortunately, Song Zhaoyang was able to cut her losses in time.
Nanny Xia said, "Madam, this old servant will go and pack your and the young masters' luggage right away."
After saying that, she quickly left.
Seeing Nanny Xia's eager look, Song Zhaoyang shook her head with amusement and then sighed.
Nanny Xia had worried about her so much in her previous life. In this life, she would never let those who cared about her worry about her, including her family from her mother's side.
The three - day deadline had passed, but Mrs. Wen still hadn't sent the compensation.
Song Zhaoyang wasn't going to tolerate Mrs. Wen anymore. Early in the morning, she had someone prepare the carriage and was ready to leave the mansion.
"Mother, can we really stay in the villa for a while?" Xue Mingchen asked excitedly.
Song Zhaoyang nodded. Looking at her happy second son, she said, "Yes! Then you can play to your heart's content in the villa."
"Great!" Xue Mingchen jumped up with joy.
Xue Mingxiao looked at his excited younger brother helplessly and reminded Song Zhaoyang, "Mother, with your permission, younger brother will become the king of the mountain in the villa."
Song Zhaoyang burst out laughing. She pinched Xue Mingchen's chubby cheeks and warned, "If you become the king of the mountain, I'll ask your father to become the Buddha and press you under his five - finger mountain. Let's see if you'll still be so arrogant!"
The smile on Xue Mingchen's face immediately froze.
This wasn't fun!
"Madam, the carriages are all ready," the steward reported.
Song Zhaoyang looked at her daughter, who was sleeping soundly. She wondered what nice thing her daughter was dreaming about, for her mouth was smacking.
Her expression softened instantly. Then she said, "Let's go. We're setting off."
She turned to Nanny Xia and said, "Nanny, we'll wait for you at the main gate!"
Nanny Xia said respectfully, "Don't worry, this old servant will be quick!"
After saying that, she gave Violet Oriole a look.
Violet Oriole picked up a stack of high account books and followed Nanny Xia towards Mrs. Wen's courtyard.
Mrs. Wen had been restless for the past three days. Thinking of the words that Song Zhaoyang and Xue Chucheng had used to threaten her, she didn't believe that they could do anything to her if she didn't help her own son's family pay the compensation.
If she was angered by the eldest branch, she would go directly to the Magistrate of the Capital and accuse Xue Chucheng of being unfilial!
Mrs. Wen comforted herself, thinking that the eldest branch would come and apologize. But instead, she received the Xue Mansion's account books from Nanny Xia.
"Old madam, these are the account books of the Xue Mansion. My madam asked this old servant to return them to you," Nanny Xia said.
Mrs. Wen's face changed. She asked, "Where's Mrs. Song? Immediately ask her to come here!"
Nanny Xia said, "My madam said that the emperor has bestowed a mansion on our marquis. For the harmony of the Xue brothers, before the mansion is renovated, she will take the three young masters to live in the villa outside the city first to recuperate."
"From now on, the power of managing the middle - level affairs of the Xue Mansion will be handed over to you, old madam! This old servant takes her leave!"
After saying this, without waiting for Mrs. Wen's reaction, she quickly left with Violet Oriole.
"Good! Mrs. Song, you're really something!"
Mrs. Wen was so angry that her face turned ashen. She had been waiting for Mrs. Song to come and apologize to her, but she didn't expect Mrs. Song to simply quit and leave.
She angrily roared, "If you have the guts, never step into the Xue Mansion for the rest of your life!"
---
"What? Song Zhaoyang has left! Where did she go?" Mrs. Young Wen asked in astonishment.
The nanny said, "It's said that the eldest madam has taken her children and moved to the villa. She'll directly move into the Marquis Mansion when she comes back and won't return here."
Mrs. Young Wen's face changed. She said in a hurry, "She even took the young lady away?"
The nanny nodded.
Mrs. Young Wen was in a complete mess. If Song Zhaoyang took her child away, how could she see the child in the future? How could she build a relationship with the child?
"Let's go! To mother's place!"
Mrs. Young Wen came to Mrs. Wen's courtyard.
Just then, she saw the stewards of the mansion reporting to Mrs. Wen. One by one, the stewards complained that there was no money in the accounts, which made Mrs. Wen's chest heave with anger.
Mrs. Young Wen was stunned. Did Mrs. Song take all the silver of the mansion away when she left?
What a ruthless move to take away the firewood from under the cauldron!
---
Listening to the excited voices of her two sons and looking at the green mountains and clear waters outside, Song Zhaoyang felt much more relaxed.
"Mother, how long will we stay in the villa? I told my tutor that we won't come back for three years and asked him to find another place to teach," Xue Mingchen said playfully, blinking his bright eyes.
Hearing her son's words, Song Zhaoyang twitched the corner of her mouth and exchanged a look with Xue Mingxiao beside her. Xue Mingxiao, who looked like a little adult, showed a helpless expression on his face.
Song Zhaoyang burst out laughing.
She reached out and pinched her second son's cheeks and said, "Do you believe that if you anger your tutor away, your father will find ten strict tutors to supervise you, making it difficult for you to even go to the toilet!"
The smile on Xue Mingchen's face immediately froze, and his happy expression gradually turned into a bitter one.
Just then, the carriage suddenly stopped.
The sudden change almost made Song Zhaoyang and the others in the carriage collide with each other.
After Magpie steadied herself, she sternly asked the coachman, "What's going on?"
The coachman complained, "Madam, a group of people suddenly rushed out. The carriage almost hit them."