I Became The Stepmother of My Ex-husband

Granny Bu saw Gao Ran and greeted her with a smile, “Shizi Fei.”

“Granny, what are you doing?” Gao Ran hurried forward to support her and rebuked, “Granny, you’re my mother-in-law’s dowry maid, and you watched over Shizi as he grew up. It’s not an exaggeration to say that you’re almost like an elder to me. How can I make you greet me?”

Granny Bu felt comfortable from head to toe when she was flattered like that. She knew that even though she was a senior, she was just a slave. Shizi gave her face because of Princess Consort Shen, but if Gao Ran actually made things difficult, she really wasn’t able to differentiate good from bad. But this was how humans were. They understood it,  but their actions showed that they were reluctant to lose face. Gao Ran was a young lady of a Duke Residence, but she was so humble. Granny Bu felt indescribable pride and comfort.

Granny Bu was warmly and thoughtfully welcomed into the receiving room by Gao Ran and sat face to face with her. A servant couldn’t sit like this in front of their master. Even if the master allowed them to sit, they had to diffidently lower their head in a half-bow. It was unsightly for them to sit down. But not only was Granny Bu sitting properly, she also sat face to face with Gao Ran. Although Gao Ran was smiling on the outside, she was sneering inwardly.

Granny Bu secretly quite enjoyed Gao Ran’s humble attitude and was deeply moved. If this were the previous Shizi Fei, it would be unthinkable for her to receive this kind of treatment. The day after entering the household, she explained the rules to Gao Xi and brought Yunhui over to introduce her to the Shizi Fei. But she actually got angry. Yun Hui had served Shizi for so many years and was almost basically a concubine. Granny Bu had brought her over so that she and the previous Shizi Fei could get to know each other. This was also for the sake of properly serving Shizi. What right did Gao Xi have to disregard her face? Granny Bu had had her face thrown back at her, so of course she wasn’t happy. Of course she wouldn’t say anything good about Gao Xi to Shizi after that.

But this Shizi Fei was different. Granny Bu sometimes lamented. Why was the disparity between sisters from the same household and the same father so great? Gao Ran was very gentle and considerate, was polite to Yun Hui, and even treated Granny Bu like her elder. To put it bluntly, Gao Ran attended to Granny Bu almost like how one would a mother-in-law.

If this were previously, Granny Bu would think that’s how it ought to be. But everything was relative. Compared to that person from Jingcheng courtyard, Granny Bu now felt that Gao Ran was too restrained and meek. She got a headache thinking about Princess Consort Lin. Not only had that person taken over her young lady’s position, she now wanted to change the regulations and gift list her young lady left behind. Granny Bu was angry beyond words. She hated that the estate Granny had reported to the Princess Consort without her around, and also Granny Zhao for not being smart enough, actually allowing that person to have her way.

How could this happen? Granny Bu would absolutely never allow it. With a common enemy, Gao Ran immediately looked pleasing to her eyes. She’d listened to Granny Zhao’s story before coming here to think of a plan with Shizi Fei, “Shizi Fei, I heard that that person used the rules to make you stand for a long time. Shizi Fei, your hand is still injured. Isn’t she purposely trying to “educate” her daughter-in-law?”

Gao Ran got annoyed when she thought of what happened that morning. She placed a hand on her injured arm and lowered her head, smiling, “What can I do, she’s my mother-in-law now.”

Granny Bu was rendered speechless. That’s right, that person was the Princess Consort now. What could they do if they disliked it? Prince Yan indulged her and Shizi refused to go against this younger stepmother.

She hated her but couldn’t do anything to her. Granny Bu’s mouth was agape for a long time and said, refusing to believe her, “Shizi Fei, how can you bear this? Don’t tell me no one’s able to control her?”

Gao Ran said sadly, “I’m a junior. I ought to serve the Princess Consort. I can’t resist even if the Princess Consort asks me to serve the food according to the rules, or if she makes me cook and wash her feet, or squeezes people into my room. Others not from the residence might treat their elders and mother-in-law like that. Furthermore, now that Father is in the residence and the Princess Consort is young and beautiful, he will definitely dote on her. I’m only suffering a little. It’s really nothing. I’m perfectly content as long as nothing happens to Shizi.”

Granny Bu was saddened by her words. She wiped her tears with the handkerchief and deeply pitied Gao Ran and Shizi. She wailed and said, “What a pity our young lady left early, leaving the young Shizi to grow up all alone until now. He married a wife after much difficulty, but she’s treated harshly by the stepmother who just entered the household. This old servant’s heart ah… it feels like it’s being fried in hot oil. What a pity our young lady left early. If the lady were still here, would she have the chance to marry into our household?”

Seeing that the fish had taken the bait, Gao Ran smiled to herself. The look in her eyes was mournful as she sincerely held Granny Bu’s hand, “Granny Bu, don’t say that. It’s fine that the Princess Consort is only targeting me, how could she dare criticize Shizi. Besides, Shizi is very filial to Mother-in-law and Prince Yan loves the previous Princess Consort very much. Can someone else replace Mother-in-law? Granny Bu, didn’t you say before that the Prince rescued Mother-in-law in the middle of the rebellion and they fell in love at first sight? That they had a destined marriage? With Prince Yan and Shizi here, Mother-in-law’s position is stable. If that person doesn’t pay attention and attempts to disrespect Mother-in-law, Prince Yan won’t spare her.”

“Shizi Fei is right.” Granny Bu had been with Princess Consort Shen for many years and she’d never seen Prince Yan look so amiable before. So when he personally helped Lin Wei Xi up that day in the dining hall and supported her unquestioningly, Granny Bu had been frightened by his unusual actions. She spent a long time pondering but couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Only after Gao Ran reminded her did Granny Bu realize how muddled she’d been to forget Shizi!

As for Gao Ran’s claim that Prince Yan would bring justice, Granny Bu didn’t have any expectations of him. Gao Ran had just married in and didn’t know the full picture, but she knew how things had been like back then. Prince Yan couldn’t be provoked, but Shizi was Princess Consort Shen’s son through and through. They could go to him and ask him to seek justice for Princess Consort Shen!

Granny Bu’s eyes flicked around as she made up her mind. Gao Ran smiled lightly when she saw Granny Bu’s expression and moved to personally pour tea for her. Granny Bu made up her mind about what she wanted to say. She looked at Gao Ran and couldn’t help grasping her hand, earnestly saying, “Shizi Fei, although you call that person Mother, please remember that my young lady is Shizi’s birth mother.”

“I understand.” The other person’s hand was aged and dry. Gao Ran had to resist the urge to immediately pull her hand away. She endured her discomfort and said, “Of course I know that Princess Consort Shen is my Mother-in-law. Of course I’ll side with Shizi and Mother-in-law. What a shame I didn’t have the chance to be filial to Mother-in-law. Granny Bu, you and all those old servants are almost like my elders. I’ll need to rely on you in the future.”

With Gao Ran’s words, Granny Bu felt relieved. She smiled and said, “It’s good as long as Shizi Fei understands who that person in that courtyard really is. This old slave still has things to do, so I won’t disturb Shizi Fei’s recuperation.”

Gao Ran could finally withdraw her hand. Her hand felt so uncomfortable that she almost cleaned it against her skirt. But she held back, smiled eagerly, and sent Granny Bu out herself.

After seeing her slowly walk away, the smile on Gao Ran’s face faded little by little. In the end, it became completely cold, her smile from earlier nowhere in sight. She watched for a while, then flung the curtain and went back into the room, calling the maid to change her clothes.

If she guessed correctly, the main courtyard would soon become noisy. How could she be absent from such an important event? Lin Wei Xi actually dared to touch the things her predecessors left behind. She was finished.

Lin Wei Xi sat on the Arhat bed, her brush quick and nimble. After a few strokes, she removed several dishes that were a waste of time or didn’t make sense. Gu Hui Yan didn’t like fish, but half of the menu for the New Year’s Eve reunion feast consisted of fish. It was too boring. She referred to the menu from when the senior Prince Yan Consort was still alive and tried to recall the dishes that Gu Hui Yan gravitated towards during their meals, struggling to draw up a new menu.

As for that person who took advantage of her seniority and the estate manager who took the New Year festival as an opportunity to extort money from their master, let them serve those they wanted to serve. It was true that Lin Wei Xi didn’t think anything of a hundred taels of silver, but it didn’t mean that others could take her for a foolish spendthrift and tap on her for money one by one. When she was Shizi Fei in her previous life, she’d corrected these practices. Unexpectedly, in the year that she was absent, these people became bolder to the point where they demanded a hundred taels the moment they opened their mouths. This kind of servant was really difficult to deal with. But Lin Wei Xi was now the Princess Consort, so all the more reason she didn’t need to worry about it. The next Spring, she’d have people drive out their entire family as a wakeup call for those undisciplined servants.

Lin Wei Xi had someone spread the paper and made a clean copy of the revised menu herself. Then she handed it to a servant, saying, “make another copy of this list. Prepare this year’s New Year’s Eve family dinner according to the menu on this list.”

Wan Yue took the thick red menu. She tried to hold back, but ended up tactfully mentioning, “Princess Consort, this list was left by the previous Princess Consort. You’ve just entered the household but are removing the regulations left by your predecessor. Aren’t you being too impatient?”

“Then what should I do?” Lin Wei Xi asked, “I also want to spend these few years in peace, but those wicked slaves rely on their seniority and use their so-called propriety to make things difficult for me. If I don’t beat them, I’d be letting them do what they want. Not only would I be ignoring their negligence of their job, I’d also be giving them a hundred taels of silver to squander?”

Wan Yue was silent. Everyone knew that a new bride shouldn’t make drastic changes when entering the household. But in the Prince Yan Residence, others would make things difficult for you if you weren’t in the lead. How could Miss Lin, who even dared provoke the Prince, indulge them?

Wan Yue said nothing. She gave Lin Wei Xi a salute and respectfully withdrew to make the arrangements. At the end of the year, every household was bustling. It was busy enough just preparing the New Year’s Eve feast and candles to worship the ancestors with. The Prince Yan Residence was still an aristocratic residence. At the end of the year, they had to celebrate the occasion with other high-ranking officials. This major event concerned their face, so any carelessness wasn’t allowed. Hence, the New Year’s feast menu couldn’t have any mistakes. Once it was finalized, it couldn’t be changed.

But the moment Wan Yue stepped out of the door, she ran directly into a group of people. She had to stop, step aside, and bow her head to salute the visitors, “Shizi, Shizi Fei.”

Gu Cheng Yao’s expression didn’t look good. He walked straight into the room. Gao Ran glanced at the red list in Wan Yue’s hand, pursed her lips and smiled, chasing after Gu Cheng Yao.

Wan Yue silently sighed. She wasn’t in a hurry to send the list to the kitchen and warehouse and trailed behind, slowly walking into the room.

Lin Wei Xi heard the clamour outside and pursed her lips, scoffing inwardly. She wasn’t surprised at all by the people who walked in, “Shizi, which wind actually blew you here?”

Her disregard carried some ridicule. Gu Cheng Yao didn’t feel much at first, but when he saw Lin Wei Xi’s expression, he felt like a basin of cold water was splashed onto his face and his tone became worse, “I heard that Mother is going to remove the manager of the Southern Daxing estate?”

Oh, so it was because of this. Lin Wei Xi thought Gu Cheng Yao came to question her about Princess Consort Shen’s matters. She said, “Yes, I was the one who fired them. This kind of trivial matter was actually passed on to Shizi?” she glanced at the people behind him. Those she looked at immediately bowed their heads and she chuckled without hiding the ridicule in her voice, “you really have many tricks up your sleeve.”

Gu Cheng Yao frowned, his voice unconsciously hardening, “the inner courtyard is naturally managed by Mother. But the estate farmers are ordinary people. Since they’ve suffered a disaster and the harvest isn’t good, Mother should give them another month or two. How can you cut off their entire family’s livelihood because of a mistake due to lack of manpower? If this spreads, won’t people say that the Prince Yan Residence abused the farmers of their estate?”

“Abuse the farmers in our estate?” Lin Wei Xi threw the writing brush with a bang, straightened up, and looked at Gu Cheng Yao with scorching eyes and frost on her face, “is that how Shizi thinks of me? Are you only going to rely on their word before you gather everyone together to demand an answer from me and condemn me? “

Gu Cheng Yao wanted to deny it, that he just couldn’t bear for Lin Wei Xi to have a reputation for abusing the farmers, so he came to remind her. How was this gathering a crowd to demand an answer from her and condemn her? But faced with her bright eyes, Gu Cheng Yao was rendered speechless. He felt an unprecedented sense of absurdity and familiarity. It felt like his and Gao Xi’s many conversations in the past that deviated from the original topic every time and became irreversible.

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