I have suffered enough in my previous life, my cousin will never marry me

Chapter 206 Will
"Manager Feng, you've come back just in time."

Aunt Zheng rushed forward and said, "Ever since Aunt Zhou passed away, Master has been ordering me to help manage the affairs of the mansion. Now that Master has suddenly passed away, everyone in Lin'an is saying that it was the eldest daughter who caused it. She still has the nerve to come back. You must hurry up and drive her out of the mansion."

“Young lady, you’re still talking nonsense,” Ji Ningxuan said with a look of fear. “Please stop talking.”

"You scoundrel, what are you afraid of?" Aunt Zheng glared at her coldly. "Even if she is favored by His Majesty and Prince Yongning, there is justice in this world. Does she want to follow in the footsteps of her scoundrel cousin and seize things by force?"

After saying that, he hurriedly urged Aunt Sun, "What are you standing there for? Do you want to be kicked out by this outsider?"

Aunt Sun, however, was somewhat frightened and held her young daughter tightly, choosing to remain silent.

Tingfeng glanced at Ye Wanshu silently, then suddenly said, "Aunt Zheng really hasn't let Master down. Master just left, and you're already in such a hurry to belittle the eldest daughter."

"What are you saying?" Aunt Zheng said displeasedly, "When the master was alive, the eldest daughter risked her life to escape this family. Now that she has killed the master, am I supposed to give her a kind look?"

"How can you speak of Master's sacrifice for the greater good in such a despicable way?" Tingfeng said unhappily, "Even if we take a step back, the eldest daughter was Master's own flesh and blood. Master's choice to die to protect the eldest daughter was his own choice."

Having said that, he immediately took out a letter and held it up in his hand, saying loudly, "Master has already made a will, and everything in the mansion will be arranged by the eldest daughter from now on. I advise Aunt Zheng to understand her place."

Respectfully handing the will to Ye Wanshu, Tingfeng solemnly said, “Eldest Miss, Master knew that his journey to the palace yesterday was fraught with peril, so he specially made this will and entrusted it to me for safekeeping. After Master’s death, all funeral arrangements should be kept simple. If Eldest Miss agrees, Master wishes to be buried with Madam. As for the estate Master left behind, 70% will be used to prepare Eldest Miss’s dowry, 20% will be left to the other unmarried daughters, and the remaining 10% will be given half to the clan for incense offerings and half to cover the expenses of the household.”

"What? You only left 20% for my Xuan'er and Aunt Sun's daughter?" Aunt Zheng stared wide-eyed in disbelief. "Master would never be so biased."

“This is what Master meant,” Tingfeng said. “Two copies were made, and Master had me deliver the other copy to the clan chief’s house the day before yesterday.”

Hearing the argument, Ji Ningxi couldn't hold back and rushed out: "How could this be Father's will? I am also a daughter of the Ji family. Father wouldn't be so heartless."

For a moment, the courtyard was filled with a heated argument over the inheritance. Ye Wanshu glanced at the coffin parked to the side and found it all quite ridiculous.

His father's body was barely cold when these people started scheming about the inheritance. His life was truly tragic.

Unwilling to comment on the noise in the courtyard, Ye Wanshu took the will and led Qin Chulin and the maids back to her own courtyard.

Looking at the exceptionally clean Mu Cang Zhai, there were many of her childhood items on the dressing table, as well as a few of her mother's belongings.

She silently observed for a long time, thinking about the matter of her parents being buried together, and suddenly felt a little uneasy.

"Chu Lin, would you be willing to let your Uncle Ji and Aunt Ji be buried together?" Ye Wanshu asked Qin Chu Lin with some confusion.

Qin Chulin thought for a moment: "My aunt often tells me and Yue that those who can live together must have a great destiny, and they should cherish it whether they live or die."

Picking up a jade hairpin from the dressing table, Qin Chulin quietly examined it: "These days I often see Master staring blankly at this jade hairpin. Master said it was Madam's favorite when she was alive. I think Master must miss Madam very much. If they had any misunderstandings when they were alive, they should be given a chance to atone after death."

Although children speak without thinking, it suddenly made Ye Wanshu's thoughts much clearer: "Then I'll listen to you." She didn't know if her mother would agree with her idea, but her mother and her adoptive father had once been in love, and she didn't want them to be buried alone in different places after they died, and she couldn't bear to refuse her adoptive father's last wish.

"Mother, please forgive your selfishness," Ye Wanshu said quietly.

Considering the current situation of the Ji family, her adoptive father had toiled for half his life, always thinking of bringing glory to the Ji family. Now that he had passed away, he had not even left behind anyone to carry on the family line. She knew she would get married sooner or later, so she could not let her two concubines interfere in the affairs of the household.

Turning her gaze slowly to Qin Chulin, Ye Wanshu asked softly, "Chulin, I have a favor to ask. I would like you to be adopted by my father. Would you be willing?"

After all, the deaths of Aunt Qin and Ning Yue were inextricably linked to her. She had promised to take care of this little guy for the rest of her life, so she should make more plans for his future.

Gazing into Qin Chulin's bewildered eyes, Ye Wanshu said earnestly, "I wanted to mention this to your Uncle Ji before, but unfortunately he passed away suddenly. Now that he has left behind this family business, someone needs to manage it. If you are willing, after you get married in the future, you can let your second son continue the Qin family line."

Qin Chulin knew that her elder sister couldn't bear to see the Ji family line die out, so she nodded and said, "I'll listen to whatever you say, elder sister."

Ye Wanshu smiled with relief and ordered Chunhong and Xingtao to bring mourning clothes. The two siblings changed into them and then went out again.

Upon arriving at the front hall, Tingfeng and the people from the palace had already set up the mourning hall, but Aunt Zheng and Ji Ningxi were still arguing and making a fuss around Tingfeng.

As Ye Wanshu was looking around the mourning hall, Zhu Wencai suddenly came forward and whispered, "Your Highness, news has come from the Duke's Mansion that the Duke of Rong has personally led his men to Huizhou and ordered the two young masters of the Marquis of Wuping's Mansion to go to Yezhou and Qinzhou overnight to take over the troops."

Upon hearing this, Ye Wanshu's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally relaxed completely.

She has done all she can now; all she can do now is look to Fu Mingchi.

Hearing the noise inside the mourning hall, Zhu Wencai said again, "Your Highness, shall I go and drive these noisy fellows out of the manor?"

Ye Wanshu shook her head: "No need, I can handle it myself."

After saying that, he asked Xingtao to arrange guest rooms for Zhu Wencai and Tao Anran to rest and recover from their injuries.

As Ye Wanshu stepped into the mourning hall, her brows furrowed: "Aunt Zheng and Second Sister, do you want to see Father die with his eyes wide open, or are you afraid that outsiders will laugh at us?"

"Elder sister, you've already decided to marry into the Yongning Prince's Mansion, why bother with the family fortune anymore?" Ji Ningxi said, her eyes filled with tears, feeling very aggrieved. "Elder sister promised me she would treat me well."

"Ji Ningxi, you are now a criminal woman of the Qi Prince's mansion. Letting you return to the Ji family is already an extraordinary act of mercy. What more do you want?"

Ye Wanshu said coldly, "Do you still want to be as spoiled and arrogant as before? You're an adult now. What can you do besides cry when things go wrong? You should learn to take responsibility for your actions."

Ji Ningxi was speechless for a moment, silently observing Aunt Zheng, unsure of what to say next.