The Marquis Mansion’s Elite Class

She had seen this thing in the Minister's Mansion before. Her stepmother had to wait a whole decade before finally receiving the household keys from her grandmother. After that, she ruled the mansion with absolute authority and lived a life of comfort.

And now, the keys before her represented complete control over the entire Yangyuan Marquis Manor!

Good heavens!

As a newly wedded bride who hadn't even changed out of her wedding dress, how could she possibly receive the household keys that everyone desperately coveted?

She must have woken up in the wrong position.

Xu Wan quickly pinched herself.

"Ouch... that hurts."

So it wasn't a dream!

Zong Jincheng protested indignantly, "Grandmother, how could you give them to her? Even if you were to give these household keys to Auntie Hong from the second branch, you shouldn't give them to her!"

The Old Marquis had only a pair of twin sons. Eight years ago, during a great battle, his eldest son Zong Zhao went missing, while his second son Zong Yan died directly on the battlefield. The second son hadn't married before his death, but this year it was discovered that he had a mistress and an illegitimate son.

Having a mistress and an illegitimate child before marriage was scandalous, but since the person was already dead, the Old Marquis was overjoyed at the news that his second son had an heir. He immediately ordered people to bring the child back to the manor and registered him under the Zong Die family registry.

However, that mistress, Auntie Hong whom Zong Jincheng mentioned, had too humble an origin to be given the position of the official wife, let alone qualify for the household keys.

The Old Marchioness said, "Jincheng, your grandfather is getting old, and this family will eventually rely on you and your father. With Zhao's fate unknown, you need a mother to take care of you. When you come of age, our marquis title will be passed to you, won't it?"

Zong Jincheng complained, "But I don't need a mother."

He had been used to living without parents since birth, and now at eight years old, he needed them even less.

Besides, she was just a stepmother, not his birth mother.

Xu Wan snorted inwardly, I don't want you as my son either!

Ungrateful child!

The Old Marchioness pushed the household keys into Xu Wan's hands and instructed, "From now on, you are the properly married Marchioness of our manor. You will be in charge of everyone's daily necessities, food, clothing, and accommodation in this household."

Suddenly wielding such power, Xu Wan looked at the household keys in her hand and felt their weight. How did the responsibility for the entire marquis manor end up on her shoulders?

Wasn't she planning to just take it easy and live a peaceful life?

"I have no experience in household management," Xu Wan admitted honestly.

Her stepmother, far from letting her manage the household, would have preferred not to give her even a bite of food.

Although in modern times when she was a top performer, she had risen to team leader position in just one year, that team only had a few people. Now she was being asked to manage an entire marquis manor with over a hundred people.

The Old Marchioness said, "You'll learn as you go, it's easy to pick up."

"Really? You're not deceiving me?" Xu Wan asked seriously.

The Old Marchioness was amused by her question and laughed, "Of course it's true."

Xu Wan pondered for a few seconds, thinking the job was acceptable. After all, this was a marquis manor, a wealthy and noble household. As the household manager, she would surely live a comfortable life.

"Alright, I'll try... wait, are there any additional conditions?" Xu Wan was about to agree when she noticed the Old Marquis grinning from ear to ear, and she instinctively felt there must be a catch!

The Old Marchioness shook her head, "There are no additional conditions, just take good care of everyone in the manor, we have no other requirements."

"Everyone in the manor..." Xu Wan mulled over these words, then turned to see the defiant little boy glaring at her.

Xu Wan suddenly realized, "Don't tell me that includes him?"

Help! Such a little ancestor couldn't be beaten, who could possibly handle him?

The Old Marchioness smiled, "Jincheng is a very well-behaved and intelligent child. As long as you guide him carefully, we believe he will surely achieve top honors in the imperial examinations."

"???"

Xu Wan nearly fainted.

Not only did she have to take care of this little demon king, but she also had to help him achieve top honors.

Top honors! That meant ranking among the top three!

In the imperial examinations held every three years!

This little devil Zong Jincheng probably couldn't even pass the entry-level scholar examination!

Xu Wan tactfully tried to return the household keys to the Old Marchioness, saying awkwardly, "Old Marchioness, please be reasonable. You'd better keep these keys yourself. I lack both talent and ability to manage the entire manor, let alone bear the burden of educating a child to achieve top honors."

Just kidding, shouldn't the responsibility of this troublemaker's education fall on his tutors?

What did it have to do with her, a stepmother who just wanted to take it easy!

Seeing her backing down, Zong Jincheng quickly added, "Yes, Grandmother, I also think we don't need her to manage. I'm very independent, I don't need her to teach me. She looks like someone who hasn't even studied herself."

Xu Wan almost blurted out that she had read more books than all the salt he had eaten in his life, this little illiterate who hadn't even completed nine years of compulsory education!

But saying that would mean she couldn't refuse this burden anymore.

Xu Wan held her tongue.

Unexpectedly, the Old Marchioness delivered another heavy blow: "I've discussed with the Marquis, and we'll increase your monthly allowance from one hundred taels to three hundred taels."

Xu Wan's eyes immediately lit up.

Even without fully understanding the value of ancient silver currency, she knew how precious three hundred taels were. The original owner of this body hadn't managed to save even one tael of silver in over ten years of secret saving, let alone three hundred!

And this was three hundred taels every month!

The temptation was too great!

The Old Marchioness continued with her killer move: "If Jincheng can achieve third place or better in the imperial examinations, we'll give you an additional fifty thousand taels."

Xu Wan: "!!"

Fifty thousand taels!!

She felt her mind being bombarded by gold ingots!

"And if he can achieve first place, that will be changed to one hundred thousand taels."

After finishing, the Old Marchioness looked at her with a smile.

The hundred thousand taels that came from her mouth seemed as casual as ten taels.

Even Zong Jincheng was stunned.

He asked with a trembling voice, "Grandmother, are you planning to give the entire manor to her?"

He knew his grandmother's family was the wealthiest in Salt City, with enough family fortune to last for generations, but surely they hadn't reached the point of throwing silver around like dirt...

The Old Marchioness smiled, "Jincheng, you should know that when you succeed, the entire marquis manor will benefit. Then, we can confidently hand over the entire manor to you, isn't that right?"

Zong Jincheng: "..."

It made sense, but something still felt off.

Xu Wan immediately understood.

The Old Marchioness was painting a grand picture for both of them simultaneously.

No wonder she hadn't sent Zong Jincheng away.

The purpose was to give them both the same goal - she for money, he for power.

Once this brat realized this, he would probably start thinking about how to get rid of her!

But she wasn't going to be pushed around so easily.

Xu Wan quickly took back the household keys from the Old Marchioness's hand, deliberately waving them in front of the little demon king's face.

After receiving the angry glare from the little brat, she respectfully said:

"Thank you, Mother-in-law, I accept the task."