TRBDM -Chapter 6 Moving into Lan Courtyard

Xie Lan looked as if he had seen a ghost.

Had the Old Madam been possessed?

Why was she suddenly defending him like this?

He instinctively bent his knees halfway, unsure whether he should kneel or not.

“Starting tomorrow, stop wandering about everywhere. You’ll attend the private academy and study.”

“Mother!”

This time, Xie Lan was truly shocked.

“You… you’re allowing me to study at the private academy?”

Wei Zhaorong shot him a glance. “What else? Let you run around causing trouble so I have to clean up after you? I might as well lock you in the academy and have the teacher discipline you properly.”

Though he was misunderstood, Xie Lan still felt happy.

At last, he smiled. “Mother, I will study diligently and never cause trouble again.”

In his previous life, Wei Zhaorong had known full well that Xie Lan was intelligent, eager to learn, and gifted. Yet fearing that he would outshine her two biological sons, she had forbidden him from attending the private academy.

There had not even been brushes, ink, paper, or inkstones in Xie Lan’s room.

Later, no one knew how he managed to learn, but he had somehow become literate and even worked as a clerical assistant at the government office.

This child was a pearl covered in dust. With just a little guidance, he would surely have a boundless future.

“Remember this: you are a son of the Mingde Marquis Manor. Outside, you must not disgrace the manor’s name. If anyone dares to bully you, strike back. The Marquis Manor will support you, so fear nothing. But there is one condition—you must study hard and earn a respectable degree. My Marquis Manor does not raise useless people.”

Xie Lan wiped the smile from his face and bowed respectfully. “Mother, rest assured. Your son will not disappoint you.”

“I will recover the jade pendant that was taken from you. You need not concern yourself with it.”

In other words, he was not to stir up trouble at the authorities’ office.

“I will obey Mother in all things.”

Xie Lan naturally understood. Though he had lost his mother’s jade pendant, what he gained tonight was far greater.

It all felt like a dream, unreal somehow.

“That’s enough. Go back and rest early.”

After Xie Lan left, Nanny Qi could not help but speak up. “Miss, why were you so kind to Third Young Master today?”

Reclining lazily on the chaise longue, Wei Zhaorong asked, “Among the Marquis Manor’s three sons, which do you think is the most capable?”

“Naturally the Second Young Master. He has already obtained an official degree and serves in the palace—he’s the pride of our manor.”

“Pride? Heh.” Wei Zhaorong let out a disdainful laugh.

In her previous life, until the day she died, Xie Sheng had risen only one rank—from a seventh-rank Investigating Censor to a subordinate sixth-rank Investigating Censor.

After taking so much money from the Marquis Manor, even if he had used silver to grease palms and secure backdoor promotions, he should not have spent ten years stuck at merely a subordinate sixth rank.

Xie Sheng was full of petty cleverness but crooked at heart—he would never achieve anything truly great.

Xie Lan, on the other hand, possessed resilience of character. Having suffered greatly since childhood, he lacked the debauched habits of idle young nobles. With proper guidance, he would surely accomplish great things.

“In a couple of days, I will visit Master Dong and ask him to accept Xie Lan as a student.”

“This…”

Nanny Qi clicked her tongue. Master Dong had once been the Crown Prince’s tutor. Countless scions of noble families had begged to enter his tutelage, yet failed.

And now the Old Madam intended to personally plead on behalf of a mere concubine-born son.

Even Xie Chuan and Xie Sheng had never received such treatment.

Wei Zhaorong knew what Nanny Qi was thinking. “It is not so easy to enter Master Dong’s tutelage. I will only make an introduction. Whether Master Dong accepts him will depend on Xie Lan’s own ability.”

In truth, Wei Zhaorong herself was not confident. In her previous life, Xie Lan had never attended a private academy nor sat for the imperial examinations. She had no way of judging his true level.

Her two biological sons were certainly beyond saving now. She could only let Xie Lan try—treating a dead horse as if it were alive.

That day, many things had happened. Nanny Qi lay awake in bed that night, unable to fall asleep for a long time.

She had served by the Old Madam’s side for many years and had never seen her behave so abnormally.

It left even her feeling unsettled and flustered.

Could it be that the Marquis Residence was truly about to change?

The next day, Lan Courtyard was bustling with activity, unusually busy.

Xie Chuan lived in Ruixiang Courtyard, which was close to Lan Courtyard. Yawning, he stepped out of his yard and saw the long-sealed Lan Courtyard suddenly flourishing with life. Anger shot up from the soles of his feet.

“What are you doing? Stop right there!”

The servants in the courtyard hurriedly put down their cleaning tools and dropped to their knees.

“Who allowed you to open Lan Courtyard without permission? Have you all grown bear hearts and leopard guts? I’ll beat you to death!”

As he spoke, Xie Chuan rolled up his sleeves, looking around for something he could use as a weapon.

“Eldest Young Master, please calm down. It was the Old Madam who ordered us to clean,” one of the stewards quickly explained.

“Mother? Impossible.”

It had been Wei Zhaorong who ordered Lan Courtyard sealed in the first place.

Over that matter, the Old Marquis Xie Bo’an had flown into a great rage.

In the end, unable to win against Wei Zhaorong, he could only watch helplessly as the courtyard was locked up.

“Can you use your brains before lying? Anyone might open Lan Courtyard—but Mother? Never. Get out, all of you! Seal the courtyard back up!”

Xie Chuan pointed at them furiously, hurling insults.

At that moment, Xie Lan happened to walk out of the room.

The right side of his face was covered in scabbed blood, a ghastly sight. He limped as he walked and said softly, “Elder Brother, Mother told me to move into Lan Courtyard.”

“Bullshit. How could Mother say something like that? Xie Lan, you must’ve slept too much during the day and started dreaming. I’m already angry. Before I go tell Mother, you’d better get out.”

Xie Lan clenched his jaw. This was his only chance—he couldn’t leave.

“Elder Brother, I’m not lying. Mother truly agreed.”

“Heh, Xie Lan, can’t you understand human speech?” Xie Chuan strode forward and grabbed him by the collar. “I know exactly what filthy thoughts you’re harboring. A concubine-born son thinks he deserves to live in a grand courtyard? Stop dreaming. In this life, you’re only fit to live with the servants. The Marquis Residence feeds you and clothes you—that’s already benevolence enough. Don’t covet what doesn’t belong to you.”

This was exactly how Xie Lan had lived in the Marquis Residence all these years.

Nominally, he was raised under Wei Zhaorong’s name. In reality, he ranked lower than the servants.

The faint hope that had just risen in Xie Lan’s heart was crushed beneath Xie Chuan’s words.

He lowered his eyes in silence, as he always did, never arguing with his elder brother.

“Chuan’er, let go.”

A stern voice rang out in anger.

Xie Chuan turned around and immediately released him, then began accusing Xie Lan instead. “Mother, you’ve come at the right time. Xie Lan dared to open Lan Courtyard without permission and said he wanted to live here. That worthless brat hasn’t even grown all his hair and he dares to be so presumptuous!”

Wei Zhaorong felt embarrassed for her foolish eldest son.

Even thinking with his toes, it couldn’t possibly have been Xie Lan’s idea.

Xie Lan had been suppressed in the Marquis Residence for so many years—no people to rely on, no money, no background. Where would he get the courage to touch Lan Courtyard on his own?

Besides, more than a dozen servants were kneeling in the courtyard. Without Wei Zhaorong’s instructions, would they dare to act?

“Chuan’er, I’m the one who told Lan’er to move in.”

“Lan’er? Mother, you called him Lan’er?” Xie Chuan’s face was full of disbelief.

“They’re both my sons. If I call him Lan’er, is there a problem?” Wei Zhaorong shot him a look.

“Of course there is! Mother, have you forgotten how that wretched maid seduced Father back then? How many tears you shed at the time—”

“Silence!”