Chapter 726 Uncomfortable

Chapter 726: Uncomfortable Chapter 726: Uncomfortable Editor: Atlas Studios Indeed, Qi Xiuyuan would not watch Madam Xia be bullied.

Hence, not long after Madam Xia left the palace and returned home, an imperial edict was sent to the Fan Residence.

Qi Xiuyuan conferred Madam Xia the title of the first-grade Lady of National Favor.

The reason was that she had raised Prince Rong and raised him, the Emperor.

In other words, Madam Xia didn’t owe her title of the Lady of the Imperial Command to her son nor her husband.

Instead, she earned it herself.

Moreover, the title of ‘National Favor’ made her title the most significant among the first-grade Ladies of the Imperial Command.

For a moment, Madam Xia became the envy of the noblewomen of Great Qi.

She had obtained the title of a first-grade Lady of the Imperial Command just because she’d raised a nephew, and helped out another nephew in his difficult times.

Moreover, her biological son was also an Exalted Duke, meaning he ranked above the marquises.

He might even become a Prince in the future.

Everyone envied her for her good luck.

Why didn’t they have such a nephew?

Fan Siwen, on the other hand, had become an invisible joke in the bureaucracy.

His biological son had become a Duke, and his future was limitless.

His wife had also become a first-rank Lady of the Imperial Command, while only he was still a third-rank official.

He did not receive any benefits just because the Emperor was his nephew.

Instead, his attitude towards Fan Zijin made it more and more difficult for Fan Siwen to succeed in the bureaucracy.

Those who made things difficult for Fan Siwen to please the Duke of Peaceful State saw that he had no intention of seeking justice for his father, and Qi Xiuyuan did not interfere.

Gradually, more and more such things happened.

After all, everyone’s impression of Fan Siwen had always been that he over-favored his concubine at the expense of his wife.

No one would think that Fan Zijin felt much love towards this father.

Didn’t Fan Zijin leave home and go north because he had a falling out with Fan Siwen?

Fan Zijin was Fan Siwen’s son.

No matter how much he hated him, he couldn’t do anything to his father because this was basic filial piety.

But if they could please him by doing these things on his behalf, they figured they might be able to get into the good graces of the Duke of Peaceful State.

With this thought in mind, many people made things difficult for Fan Siwen in private.

Of course, most of the people who did this were despicable people, but those upright officials had always disliked Fan Siwen’s character.

Therefore, apart from a few good friends of Fan Siwen, no one stood up for him.

If the difficulties in the bureaucracy made Fan Siwen angry, the changes in Madam Xia made him mentally and physically exhausted.

Madam Xia had always had a bad temper and was even a little hot-tempered.

When she quarreled with him, she could pick up a whip and chase him around the residence.

If Madam Xia, who had returned from the palace, quarreled with him, he still had a way to deal with it.

After all, he had been dealing with this situation for more than 20 years.

However this time, Madam Xia did not cry, make a fuss, or beat him up.

Alas, she no longer listened to him and even stopped asking for his opinion on anything.

If Madam Xia hadn’t chased Fan Zixiao and the others out of Pine Garden, he wouldn’t have known that Madam Xia had changed.

Pine Garden used to be Fan Zijin’s residence, but Fan Zijin had since moved to the Duke’s Residence and Zixiao’s residence now appeared a little too cramped for his family.

Thus, Fan Siwen had arranged for Zixiao’s children to stay in the two verandas in Pine Garden, while leaving the main courtyard untouched.

However, at this moment, Madam Xia did not even let Zixiao and the others stay in the verandas.

She simply chased them out and threw out their things.

It wasn’t that Fan Siwen wasn’t angry, but when he ran to look for Madam Xia, he realized that she wasn’t crying or making a fuss.

She also didn’t argue like before either.

She just drank her tea as she informed him calmly, “Pine Garden is Zijin’s residence.

Be it the verandas or any part of it, as long as Zijin is still a member of this family, I won’t allow anyone to move into Pine Garden.

If you want to let Fan Zixiao stay in it, carve Zijin out of the family.” Fan Siwen’s face turned livid.

How was that possible?

If Fan Zijin was still part of the family, he was the father of the Duke of Peaceful State, and Zixiao was the elder brother of the Duke of Peaceful State.

The Fan family had produced an Exalted Duke.

However, if he was to separate from the family, although he was still the father of the Duke of Peaceful State, others would think that the Fan family and the Duke’s estate were two different families and that their relationship was very much distant.

Furthermore, considering his current relationship with Zijin, if he was to carve this son out from the family, it would be impossible for him to acknowledge this son again.

Madam Xia seemed to know his concerns.

She smiled at him and said, “It’s good that you don’t carve him out from the family, too.

He’s the legitimate son.

According to the Imperial Court’s laws, he can inherit 70% of the assets.

It’s only right that everything in the Fan family should be inherited by him.

Although he probably doesn’t care for these things now, why should he give them up to others?” Fan Siwen finally confirmed Madam Xia’s abnormality.

With a frown, he asked, “What’s wrong with you?

Did Zhu Qing say something to you?” Madam Xia smiled and said, “The Zhu family and I are cousins in name, but you know our relationship.

We’re close by blood and live as a family.

I also treat the Zhu family as my maiden family, but other than the first few years of our marriage, you seem to have stopped addressing them as ‘Big Brother’ and ‘Second Brother’.” Fan Siwen’s expression darkened.

“I knew it.

Zhu Qing must have said something.

Xiaotong, you have to know that I’m your husband, the person closest to you…” “The person closest to you is Fan Zixiao.” Madam Xia interrupted him and looked up into his eyes.

She said with a smile, “And the person closest to me is Zijin.” Fan Siwen was speechless and his heart felt empty all of a sudden, as though he had lost something important.

He turned around and left in a sorry state.

Madam Xia, on the other hand, was focused on consolidating the power in her hands.

Now, no one in the residence dared to neglect her.

Even if Fan Siwen was cold to her, no one dared to disobey her like before.

This was because not only was she a first-grade Lady of the Imperial Command, but she also had a powerful son.

Madam Xia didn’t make things difficult for her old enemy, Madam Liu.

Instead, she pressed Fan Zixiao step by step.

Facing Fan Siwen’s anger, Madam Xia explained, “I’m teaching him his duty as a concubine’s son.

I don’t care how capable he is, but he shouldn’t covet things that don’t belong to him in the Fan Residence.

It will be very dangerous if he crosses the line.

Speaking of which, it’s all thanks to you that he’s in so much pain now.” Madam Xia smiled.

“You’re often worried that as the legitimate stepmother, I will make things difficult for a concubine’s son, so you’re always protective of him.

You even valued him over Zijin and made him the most respected child in the residence.

On your account, I’ve never made things difficult for him in the past, but now that I have decided to fight for the benefits that my son rightfully deserves, I have no choice but to make things difficult for him a little.” Fan Siwen really wanted to ask, “Can’t you give in for my sake now?” However, looking at Madam Xia’s indifferent gaze, Fan Siwen couldn’t ask this question.

He was afraid that the answer he would get wasn’t what he wanted.

Fan Siwen quickly lost weight.

In just three to four days, he seemed to have become a different person.

In the past, although Madam Xia’s words were unpleasant, she would definitely worry if he was well-fed and well-clothed, care for his health, and ask about his well-being.

But now, she no longer gave a damn.

Fan Siwen became more and more silent every day.

Madam Xia had thought that her heart would ache at least, but it didn’t.

She even felt a sense of pleasure.

She wanted to ask Fan Siwen how he felt and tell him that she used to be tortured by him like this in the past, but she had always lived well.

In the past, it was Fan Siwen who tortured Madam Xia, but now, it was the other way around.

When the couple was tormenting each other, Fan Zijin had long escaped from the sea of bitterness.

In the past, he would stand up for his mother, but now, he would not pay attention to the two of them at all because he had too many things to do.

There were also more and more things occupying his mind, such as Little Madam Xia, whose fetal movements were getting stronger.

Little Madam Xia was more than seven months pregnant.

The bigger her stomach was, the thinner she looked.

However, the child had been very lively recently.

Almost every night, the baby would kick Little Madam Xia until she could not sleep.

Worried, Fan Zijin also moved to the Qi Residence and slept on the soft couch in the outer room.

As soon as there was any movement, he would go and check.

Little Madam Xia felt touched by his actions and could not help but blush.

The relationship between the couple developed rapidly, and it was way better than before.

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