Chapter 1018 - 995: Glory Amidst Chaotic Times 63

Chapter 1018: Chapter 995: Glory Amidst Chaotic Times 63

When Xiao Yuan returned, it was almost dawn.

Anning asked him to quickly rest for a while.

But how could Xiao Yuan sleep? After lying down for a short while, he got up and went to the barracks again.

Anning took the children to have breakfast and then planned to invite Lin Lianshuang to go out for a stroll.

She had just finished tidying up and called the steward to prepare the carriage, but unexpectedly, Xiao Fu hurriedly came over: "Mother, there is an old woman knocking at the door, claiming to be a former servant of our family. I went out to see, and it’s Nanny Zhou."

"It’s actually her."

As soon as Anning heard this, she stood up: "Chun Xing, go tell Miss Lin that I have some matters to attend to and will arrange to meet her another day."

After Chun Xing left, Anning said to Xiao Fu, "Quickly, let Nanny Zhou in."

This Nanny Zhou was an elder at Duke Ping Mansion; it’s said she had been the wet nurse to the Old Master, so she held a considerable position there. All the masters, big and small, referred to her as Nanny Zhou.

Xiao Fu went outside and soon brought Nanny Zhou in.

Anning looked at Nanny Zhou, and tears couldn’t help but fall: "It really is Nanny Zhou, I thought... How did you end up looking like this."

Nanny Zhou knelt down and kowtowed to Anning: "Greetings, Third Madam. This old servant... never thought I’d live to see the young masters and mistresses again, I’d be willing to depart right now if it were my time."

Anning hurriedly helped Nanny Zhou up.

Nanny Zhou’s appearance now was truly pitiable. Her clothes were so tattered that they barely covered her body, and they were very thin. Her hair was gray, just hanging loose without even a wooden hairpin.

"Please quickly come inside."

Anning helped Nanny Zhou into the room, opened a trunk, and took out one of her cotton padded jackets for Nanny Zhou to change into: "Change into this first, Fufu, go to the kitchen to see if there’s any soft boiled porridge. If there is, bring a bowl for Nanny Zhou. Oh, and Chuntao, come over and heat up the brazier."

Nanny Zhou’s hands were trembling from the cold, her teeth tightly clenched.

Chuntao entered the room and built up the fire in the stove, making the room warmer, and only then did Nanny Zhou feel a little warmth.

Anning also had her change into a cotton padded jacket.

Xiao Fu also brought in hot porridge: "Nanny Zhou, have a warm bowl first to warm up."

"Thank you, young lady."

Nanny Zhou took the porridge bowl, and without worrying whether it was too hot, she buried her head and ate hungrily.

Once she finished eating, she placed the bowl down and started crying again: "This old servant hasn’t had a full meal for days, always hungry and not knowing if I’d survive, but then I heard about the Third Young Master’s matters at Nanyi Prefecture and thought to try and see the young masters and mistresses again while still alive, came here to knock on your door, and didn’t expect it to be the Third Young Master and Third Madam."

Anning smiled: "It’s fate too, we never thought we’d end up exiled to the Southern Yi and still see you. How have you been living this past year?"

Nanny Zhou forced a smile: "How else can one live, it’s good enough to be alive. It’s my misfortune that I survived, while my son and grandson are mostly gone, heaven is unjust."

She began to cry again as she spoke.

Anning quickly comforted her with kind words and also said: "Since you’re here, just stay at home, from now on, just eat and drink well."

Nanny Zhou got up and knelt down before Anning again with a thud.

"Third Madam, this old servant... has something to say, if I don’t let it out, I won’t be at peace for the rest of my life, even in death, I wouldn’t face it..."

"Get up, quickly get up."

Anning helped Nanny Zhou up: "If there’s anything you need to say, just say it. If it’s within my power, I’ll certainly help, even if I can’t, the Third Young Master is here too. Back when we were at the mansion, you often helped us, we remember your kindness. Not only us, even the kids still recognize you."

Xiao Fu added: "Nanny Zhou, please don’t cry, your finding us is a happy occasion, a joyous matter. If there’s something you need to say, just say it."

The mother and daughter managed to soothe Nanny Zhou, and Anning also had the maid bring hot water to let her wash her hands and feet.

Nanny Zhou didn’t sit, standing with her hands clasped together: "Truly... this matter concerns the Third Young Master and Mr. Four."

Anning looked to Xiao Fu: "Go and fetch your father and Fourth Uncle... Oh, and also bring your Sixth Uncle."

Xiao Fu promptly had a servant go to summon them.

Anning chatted casually with Nanny Zhou. After about half an hour, Xiao Yuan, Xiao Jin, and Xiao Ling all returned together.

Xiao Yuan asked as soon as he entered: "What’s the urgency that you summoned us in such a hurry?"

Xiao Ling said carelessly, "I’m really thirsty, Third Sister-in-law, quickly have someone prepare tea."

Xiao Fu handed a cup of tea to Xiao Ling.

Anning led Nanny Zhou to Xiao Yuan, "Look who this is?"

Xiao Yuan glanced over, "Nanny Zhou, how come... quickly sit, please sit down."

Xiao Jin and Xiao Ling also recognized Nanny Zhou, all greeting her in succession.

After everyone had settled and shared old memories, Nanny Zhou looked at the maids serving them.

Anning gestured for the maids and old women to leave.

Nanny Zhou hesitantly looked at Xiao Yuan, "Actually... back when we were in the mansion, I didn’t dare to speak of this matter, but now, the Duke Ping Mansion has long faded away. The old master and the master have now become commoners, so I’m not afraid anymore. Keeping this matter bottled up is truly unbearable."

"Please say whatever you need to."

Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin’s expressions became serious; they felt that what Nanny Zhou was about to say must be particularly important.

Nanny Zhou gritted her teeth, "Third Young Master and Fourth Young Master are not the biological sons of the old master and old madam."

"What?"

Xiao Ling was the first to exclaim.

He suddenly stood up, "What do you mean by this? How can Third Brother and Fourth Brother not be my brothers?"

Xiao Yuan looked at Nanny Zhou, "Do you have evidence for this claim?"

Nanny Zhou sobbed as she spoke, "I used to nurse the Old Master; I am the oldest servant in the Duke Ping Mansion. I know very well about affairs spanning generations in the Duke Ping Mansion. Indeed, back then, the Old Master had an elder brother..."

Nanny Zhou slowly recounted the story.

Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin’s faces grew even heavier.

Nanny Zhou’s point was that the Old Master was the second master of the Duke Ping Mansion at that time, while the true heir to the title was the father of Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin.

However, the Young Master was frail and sickly from a young age, and he and the Old Master were only a year apart, looking very similar. Most of the time, household and affair matters were managed by the Old Master on behalf of the Young Master.

Later, the brothers married; they wed twin cousins, and logically, such sibling-in-law relationships should have been particularly close.

However, the Old Master and Old Madam could not tolerate the Young Master and the Heir’s wife. The Old Master desired the title, and the Old Madam wanted to become the Duchess, often causing troubles for the Young Master secretly.

The Old Master and Old Madam even had the Duke Mansion’s eldest grandson born before the Young Master—Xiao Jue was born shortly after, followed by Xiao Su.

The Old Master was still thinking that if the Young Master couldn’t have children due to his weak health, he could have his child adopted by the Young Master.

But little did he know, just over a year later, the Heir’s wife was pregnant too, giving birth to Xiao Yuan. Two years later, Xiao Jin was born.

During Xiao Jin’s birth, the Heir’s wife had a difficult delivery. After giving birth to Xiao Jin, she passed away.

The Young Master and the Heir’s wife were deeply in love; after her death, due to his grief, he fell ill. His health was already weak, and with the Old Master intervening and doing some unspeakable things, he was ultimately drained to death.

When the Young Master passed away, it should have been Xiao Yuan inheriting the Duke Mansion.

After all, he was the legitimate son of the first branch, but Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin were too young at the time. It was impossible for the Duke Mansion to let a little kid inherit, so the Old Master had to inherit instead.

To ensure Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin would grow up safely, the Old Duke Ping dispatched many servants from the mansion back then and registered Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin under the Old Master’s and Old Madam’s names as their legitimate sons.

At that time, Xiao Jin had just been born, and Xiao Yuan was too young to remember anything, hence not knowing who their biological parents were.

Many old servants from the Duke Mansion were sold, and the few who knew the truth didn’t dare to speak up. Over the years, those servants who knew the truth have mostly passed away. Everyone in the Duke Mansion believed Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin were the mansion’s Third Young Master and Fourth Young Master, the legitimate sons of the Old Master.

Only Nanny Zhou knew of this, but she didn’t dare to speak up.

She feared speaking out would lead to death, and also feared revealing the truth would adversely affect Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin, so she kept silent.

Originally, she planned to wait until the future when the Duke Mansion would be divided among the family to tell Xiao Yuan. But she hadn’t expected disaster to strike from above—the Duke Mansion was confiscated, and these servants were sold.

Nanny Zhou was spared because she was too old for anyone to buy her.

But many of her descendants perished, so she had to bring her youngest grandsons and granddaughters on a journey to Southern Yi to find the Xiao Family members.

She thought, no matter what, she had to find Xiao Yuan and reveal the truth.