When Sang Ning woke again, it was already noon.
Sunlight streamed through the bed curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. She blinked her bleary eyes open, feeling the fog in her mind finally clear. Pushing herself up, she sat on the edge of the bed and drew back the curtains just as the door opened and Xia Zhu stepped in.
"Madam, you're awake?"
Sang Ning sat for a moment, gathering her thoughts, then glanced at the sunlight outside and rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"
"It's past noon. Third Master instructed us not to disturb your rest, so we didn’t wake you. Since there’s nothing urgent, would you like to have lunch now?"
Sang Ning was indeed hungry and nodded. "Mm."
Xia Zhu immediately called out, and soon, maids filed in carrying trays, arranging a full spread of dishes on the round table in the outer chamber.
As Sang Ning sat down at the table, she asked casually, "Where is Third Master?"
Xia Zhu ladled soup for her as she replied, "Third Master is in his study. Someone from the palace came—likely discussing court affairs."
He Siyu had been granted three days of leave for his wedding, but with the Emperor entrusting him with important responsibilities, he could hardly afford to idle.
"Mm." Sang Ning took a sip of the wild chicken and yam soup—it was rich and sweet.
Outside the window, a figure hurried past. Xia Zhu frowned and said, "I turned my back for just a moment, and that little minx Xiangcao disappeared. I bet she went to the study!"
Sang Ning lifted her gaze, spotting Xiangcao scurrying back just then, and said coolly, "Call her in."
Xia Zhu’s eyes brightened—Madam was finally going to deal with that scheming girl!
Puffing herself up, Xia Zhu marched out and called, "Xiangcao! Madam wants you inside to attend to her."
"Yes!" Xiangcao answered hastily and hurried in. "Madam."
Sang Ning stirred her soup with a spoon, watching the ripples spread across the surface.
"Where were you just now?" she asked.
Xiangcao’s eyes flickered guiltily. She glanced at Xia Zhu, who was glaring daggers at her, then lowered her head and murmured, "This servant... this servant went to deliver tea to the study."
Xia Zhu scoffed. "How diligent of you. Are you here to serve Madam or Third Master?"
"This servant is Madam’s personal maid—this servant knows her place!" Xiangcao defended quickly. "I only thought to bring tea on Madam’s behalf..."
But she hadn’t even made it past the study door before Fusheng stopped her, saying the study was off-limits to outsiders.
She hadn’t even caught a glimpse of Third Master.
The excuse was so flimsy that Sang Ning couldn’t be bothered to entertain it.
Her expression remained calm. "Xiangcao, I know exactly why Mother sent you here as part of my dowry."
Xiangcao’s eyes darted nervously, a flicker of hope in her cautious gaze.
Sang Ning set down the spoon with a soft clink.
She lifted her eyes, her composed gaze carrying an unspoken authority. "But whether you’re used, and when, is for me to decide. I won’t tolerate anyone acting on their own."
Xiangcao’s face paled. She dropped to her knees with a thud. "This servant understands! This servant wouldn’t dare overstep! Please, Madam, spare me this once!"
Sang Ning’s voice was cool. "Stay in your place and don’t stir up trouble. I’m not unreasonable—otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought you. When the time comes, I’ll arrange things for you. But remember whose person you are."
Xiangcao shuddered and blurted, "This servant knows! This servant belongs to Madam—to the Xie family!"
"Get up."
"Thank you, Madam!"
Xiangcao scrambled to her feet, her face still white, and retreated respectfully. The restless ambitions that had been growing in her mind these past days vanished in an instant.
Xia Zhu frowned. "Madam is just letting her off like that?"
Sang Ning took another sip of soup. "What else? Sell her off over something so trivial? She’ll be needed eventually."
Xia Zhu hesitated. "This servant thinks Third Master is quite devoted to Madam. That little minx has been throwing herself at him, and he hasn’t even glanced her way."
"He’ll be affectionate for a few days—it’s still the honeymoon." Sang Ning sounded indifferent.
Xia Zhu ventured cautiously, "And Madam... in the future, would you really be willing to let Xiangcao serve Third Master?"
Sang Ning’s fingers paused slightly around the spoon. A flicker of hesitation passed through her eyes before being replaced by detachment. "Why wouldn’t I?"
He was just a man.
After lunch, Sang Ning familiarized herself with the household affairs.
But since the eldest sister-in-law managed most of the estate matters, she had little to worry about, making her workload much lighter.
Then Fusheng arrived, carrying a stack of account books and deeds. "These are Third Master’s private assets. He instructed that they all be handed over to Madam for management from now on."
Sang Ning flipped through them, her eyes glinting slightly—there was quite a lot.
He Siyu had been richly rewarded by the Emperor for his recent achievements. Aside from gold and treasures, the fertile lands and estates alone would bring in substantial rental income.
Feeling more alert, Sang Ning began carefully reviewing the accounts, cross-checking the records.
The summer afternoon was stifling. Though ice blocks kept the room somewhat cool, the open windows did little to dispel the heat. The only sound was the rhythmic clicking of Sang Ning’s abacus.
He Siyu walked in, but Sang Ning, absorbed in the ledgers, didn’t look up. Xia Zhu, fanning her, noticed first and quickly curtsied.
"Third Master."
Sang Ning glanced at him briefly before returning to her calculations.
He Siyu stepped closer, bending to encircle her from behind. "What are you busy with?"
"Accounting." Her fingers never stopped moving—she hadn’t finished the current entry.
He glanced at the ledger, then lost interest, idly twirling a lock of her hair around his finger. "What accounts?"
"Your private assets."
"Oh."
His gaze swept over the desk, now mostly occupied by her belongings—her stationery, her books, her paintings.
He picked up a book at random: Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Governance. Then another: The Art of War. And another: Records of the Grand Historian.
His brow arched slightly. No wonder her mind was so sharp—he’d assumed she spent her days reading Admonitions for Women.
As he flipped through the pages, his fingers stilled at a familiar seal stamped neatly inside.
Three small characters: "Xie Sangning."
His gaze lingered for a moment before he turned to her. She was still focused on the abacus.
Casually, he asked, "Why did you stamp your name in these books?"
Without looking up, she answered, "I just did."
He pressed a hand over the abacus, leaning down to meet her eyes. "You just happened to stamp all of them?"
Annoyed, she frowned. "They’re my books."
She could stamp them if she wanted!
Suddenly insistent, he pressed, "So you stamp whatever you like?"
She snatched the book from his hands and set it aside, her tone impatient. "I only stamp the books I like."
A flicker of something unreadable passed through his dark eyes—something like quiet satisfaction.
Suppressing the faint curve of his lips, he replied mildly, "Oh."
