Quick Transmigration: Still Life Fairy

Chapter 169 Being a Marshal's Daughter Isn't Easy

After slowly packing her things and saying goodbye to the elusive Yan Ning, Yu Liu got into the car that had come to pick her up and returned to the Marshal's Mansion.

All the way, she was thinking about plans for the next few years. By the time Yu Liu came to her senses, the hovercar had already arrived at the Marshal's Mansion.

"Young Miss, um..."

The driver responsible for picking up and dropping off Yu Liu was an old hand at the Marshal's Mansion, not a full-time driver. He worked for Steward Zheng, and Yu Liu didn't know exactly what he did, but he certainly wasn't a professional driver. At this moment, he looked hesitant and spoke haltingly.

"What's wrong? What's the matter?"

Yu Liu found it a little strange, but she still stopped her move to get out of the car.

“Um, Miss, there’s something I’d like to remind you of. Madam… for some reason, she didn’t stay in her room today. Instead, she’s been busy since this morning, saying… she’s personally cooking to treat you and the Marshal.”

As someone who had followed Marshal Taishu for many years, I had a clear understanding of the situation inside the Marshal's Mansion.

Yu Liu had initially worried that she wouldn't be able to portray Tai Shu Shang well, and she wasn't mentally prepared to treat Tai Shu Yan Nuo and his wife as her parents. She had been quite uneasy at the time, but she gradually let go of her anxieties. In the Marshal's Mansion, Tai Shu Shang was actually a pitiful little boy who was neglected by his parents. He was unloved by his parents, and Marshal Tai Shu was always busy with many things and rarely home. His wife, Luo Wei, who was a member of the Tianyan clan, seemed to be still reeling from the trauma of the Tianyan clan's annihilation, or perhaps heartbroken by Tai Shu Yan Nuo's sudden betrayal and his desire to exchange her life for immortality. She appeared somewhat eccentric and neurotic, but she usually hid in a corner of her bedroom, so it didn't really affect her.

In the entire Marshal's Mansion, the only one who truly managed Taishu Shang was Steward Zheng! However, Steward Zheng did not actually share the surname Taishu and was not considered the true master of the household, so he did not actually interfere much.

Why is Marshal's wife, Luo Wei, suddenly... cooking?

"Oh right, you said you were going to treat me and Father! So, Father is coming back today too?"

"Yes, Miss. I heard that the Marshal is entertaining a distinguished guest at the manor today, but I don't know the specifics."

"so……"

Yu Liu nodded slightly: "I will be careful, thank you for reminding me!"

"You're welcome, Miss!" The driver blushed at Yu Liu's thanks. He had only noticed that the young lady was about the same age as his daughter, and that the Marshal and his wife had never paid any attention to her, so he couldn't help but show some concern.

Yu Liu suddenly found the driver quite cute, couldn't help but smile, waved to the driver, and walked into the Marshal's Mansion.

Her relaxed mood suddenly turned somewhat heavy. When she heard that Taishu Yannuo was going to host a banquet for guests, Yu Liu had an inexplicable bad feeling. She hoped that nothing bad would happen.

However, things always seem to work out of proportion, with the bad luck coming true instead of the good.

"Miss."

As he directed the maid to take the things from Yu Liu's hands, Butler Zheng gave a slight bow, his smile perfectly timed.

"Why is Butler Zheng home today?"

Yu Liu suppressed her unease and asked with a smile.

Although Steward Zheng is the steward of the entire Taishu family, the work he does is beyond the reach of other stewards. He controls many confidential intelligences in Taishu Yannuo's possession, so Steward Zheng is usually nowhere to be seen.

"The Marshal has distinguished guests to entertain, and he specifically asked me to come and make arrangements." Butler Zheng led Yu Liu towards the Marshal's kitchen: "Miss, Madam probably has something to say to you. She specifically instructed me to take you to see her after you return. It's also a good opportunity for you to persuade Madam. As the Marshal's wife, it's inappropriate for her to cook for distinguished guests. She won't listen to me, but perhaps you can persuade her."

Butler Zheng's words were quite impolite, as if he didn't take Luo Wei seriously. But that's true. Ever since Luo Wei told Taishu Yannuo the secret of the Tianyan Clan, she has become a tool for him to achieve immortality in his eyes. The feelings between the couple back then may have really existed, but they couldn't compare to Taishu Yannuo's obsession with immortality, nor could they compare to the passage of time. Their feelings for each other had long been worn away over the years.

Once Luo Wei loses Tai Shu Yan Nuo's affections, she becomes nothing in this world, having no one to rely on.

Butler Zheng understood all this better than anyone else, and consequently, he no longer respected Luo Wei as much!

Yu Liu sighed inwardly. She really couldn't understand why Taishu Yannuo was so obsessed with immortality.

They arrived at the large kitchen quickly, and Yu Liu spotted Luo Wei immediately. It wasn't that Yu Liu was very familiar with Luo Wei, but rather that Luo Wei's aura was completely out of place in the kitchen.

Luo Wei was able to capture the heart of the down-on-his-luck Taishu Yan Nuo at first sight, so she must have been quite beautiful. Especially since she had been hiding in her room all these years, she had developed skin as white as snow, long hair that was casually draped over her shoulders, and delicate features that made her look like a young woman of sixteen or eighteen. However, her eyelids were always drooping, and her face looked rather stiff, which lowered her overall impression. Her movements were very slow, and she was like a rusty robot. A dim aura surrounded her, like a flower that had lost its vitality.

"Mother?"

Yu Liu called out tentatively.

"Hmm—" Luo Wei gave a soft "hmm," her voice very soft, but her breath was drawn out, which sounded rather strange.

Her hands continued working for a while before slowly stopping, as if she finally realized who had just called her: "Ah Shang is back—"

She spoke very slowly, as if deliberately drawing out her words.

“Yes, Mother, I’m back.” Yu Liu stepped forward and took Luo Wei’s hand. “Mother, I heard from Steward Zheng that you have something to say to me. Let’s go back to our room. We can leave this to Steward Zheng, okay?”

"Ah."

This time, Luo Wei's voice was surprisingly fast.

Yu Liu didn't care. She hadn't spent much time with Luo Wei, but she basically understood Luo Wei. If Luo Wei's current situation were understood by a normal person, she would probably be mentally ill. It was perfectly normal for her to speak in a strange and unpredictable way, sometimes fast and sometimes slow.

Yu Liu pulled the obedient Luo Wei along, intending to take her back to her room first. Luo Wei's mental state was not normal; if she were outside, she would be a ticking time bomb, the kind that explodes at any moment. Yu Liu was a little worried.

Halfway down the road, Yu Liu suddenly felt a pulling force on her hand and quickly turned around to look.

Luo Wei, who had been obediently being led along, suddenly stopped. Her expressionless face began to contort, and her previously droopy eyelids lifted, her gaze fixed on Yu Liu.

Here we go again. Yu Liu sighed inwardly once more.

"Waaah~ Ah Shang—waaah..."

A mist of tears visibly gathered around her eyes, then coalesced into tears that streamed down her cheeks. Her lips pouted in grievance, and suddenly she burst into tears.

"Ah Shang... Mom is so sorry... Waaah..."

She cried as if Taishu Shang were already dead, her voice filled with despair. Yu Liu understood that she was probably feeling guilty for making a deal with Taishu Yannuo, and was crying because she and her daughter were powerless to do what they wanted.

"Mother, please don't cry. I'm perfectly fine, why are you crying?"

Even if Yu Liu understood in her heart, she couldn't say it. This was the Marshal's Mansion, and Taishu Yan Nuo's people were everywhere. She couldn't let Taishu Yan Nuo know that she knew the secret he was hiding. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to escape either, and she might even repeat Taishu Shang's fate, being hunted down by Taishu Yan Nuo until Taishu Yan Nuo died.

This is only the ideal situation. After all, Yu Liu is self-aware. While Tai Shu Shang has the ability to escape being wanted and hunted by the Marshal, she may not. Therefore, she must keep everything a secret.