by Ning er
Old madam rarely heard Yun Xuan Zhi praise Yun Yi Yi. Her heart couldn’t help but feel some pride, but her expression is modest.
“Don’t praise anymore. This child can’t take much praise, otherwise, she’ll get cocky. Moreover, I see that Meng er and her sisters are also quite good. Not to mention the three sisters personally going to Su City to bring me back, even these days Meng er and Yan er didn’t miss any day at the daily greeting. This filial piety is really rare!”
Yun Xuan Zhi knows that old madam have deep prejudices against Su Qing and her daughter, but in front of him old madam only mentioned Yun Qian Meng and Yun Yan. It let Yun Xuan Zhi felt that he has lost face.
But thinking the other way, old madam is even like that to Su Qing and her daughter in front of him, he is afraid that in private she must have intensified it.
Even if it’s Su Qing’s da sao that let Yun Qian Meng be injured, but Su Qing is still his Yun Xuan Zhi’s concubine. Old madam showing her hate towards Su Qing and her daughter without shyness in front of him, it let the feeling of being fed up with Su Qing become less. After all, when a person is prejudiced against another person, then the credibility of what that person say will be greatly reduced.
Yun Xuan Zhi looked at Yun Yi Yi carefully. Then he said to old madam with a serious voice: “A few days ago mother mentioned to son Yi Yi’s marriage. Originally, son felt that Yi Yi is still too young, but just now I saw that she has a ladylike air. And also we talked for so long, she still kept her composure. I felt that we can set a marriage for her, lest to not let a good man be taken away by another family. Don’t know what mother thinks?”
Old madam didn’t think that the reason that Yun Xuan Zhi came today is to discuss Yun Yi Yi’s marriage. Her heart tightened. She remembered Chu wangfu’s action of last night. She carefully calculated everything. Then did she smile: “What son said is deep in mother’s heart! your second brother isn’t by Yi Yi’s side, you as a dabo really needs to be more concerned, otherwise people will think that the brothers of our Yun family is at discord! As for a candidate for Yi Yi’s husband, I’ve set my eyes on one.”
While talking, old madam turned and looked at Yun Yi Yi once. Because the two elders are talking about her marriage, her face blushed. At this moment she has her head down and held her handkerchief.
Old madam saw that a young girl is easy to get shy, she let Rui mama send Yi Yi back to Qui Bi Ju. After that did she look at Yun Xuan Zhi again. She was about to say Chu Fei Yang’s name, but Yun Xuan Zhi was a step faster: “A few days ago at Fu Guo Gong Fu’s Lao Tai Jun’s birthday, son saw many gongzhi from good families. Among them, the legitimate son of the minister of rites entered son’s eyes. That person is like jade drawing wind and his teachings were strict. This year he participated in the autumn. He’ll surely have a bright future. Don’t know if mother is satisfied.”
Old madam didn’t think that Yun Xuan Zhi found such a person for Yun Yi Yi. Although he is from the legitimate line, but he isn’t the eldest. Although his father is an official of the second rank, but at this moment he doesn’t have any achievements on his name.
This made old madam suddenly get angry. The smile on her face disappeared and her expression turned bad.
How can such a gongzhi be compared to the dignified Chu wangfu?!
Although that Chu Fei Yang has a Chu wang yeye, but his own ability is also of the first class. Not to mention that he can lead the troops at war, at a young age he was the zhuangyuan4 of both the civil exam and the military exam. Moreover, he got the position of the left prime minister. Compared to that legitimate son of the minister of rites, it’s apparent who is cloud and who is mud.
Yun Xuan Zhi saw that old madam didn’t speak for a long time, in his heart he knows that old madam is unwilling. It’s just old madam should look at Yun Yi Yi’s conditions. Although she has him, this Prime Minister dabo, but her biological father is just a commoner. He, planning this marriage with the minister of rites for Yun Yi Yi, in fact it’s Yun Yi Yi who has climbed high. He didn’t think that old madam heart is higher than the sky. Her whole mind is obsessed with Chu Fei Yang, letting Yun Xuan Zhu’s heart full of unhappiness.
“Is mother not satisfied?”
Yun Xuan Zhi is obviously asking a question knowing the answer. His tone has a trace of pressing.
Old madam is naturally not satisfied with marrying Yun Yi Yi to a son of the minister of rites. So she also glared at Yun Xuan Zhi and replied while pressuring: “Yi Yi marrying well, in the future, she will also help her sisters! Son, ah, did you forget what mother said last time? Meng er, Xue er and Yan er, all three has different situations. They won’t be marrying too prominent husbands. Our Yun family can only rely on Yi Yi! If she is not married well, I fear that our Yun family will be ruined!”
Old madam sighed deeply after saying that. Her expression is full of concerns for Yun fu.
But when those words fall into Yun Xuan Zhi ears, they seems like a curse to his shining career. His expression turned tight. With a serious tone, he said to old madam: “Mother must already know that this time’s xuanxiu that daughter of the minister of rites has been selected. In the future, if she won the emperor’s favor, the official of second rank will get higher. How could she not be partial towards her brothers?”
But old madam’s whole heart doesn’t agree, so she retorted: “The back palace has three thousand concubines, who know when the daughter of the minister of rites will get the grace? Son, ah, we can’t do something that we aren’t sure about. Why should we give up what we have in front of us?”
Seeing old madam insisting on being like this, he knows that all is for nothing, so he retrieved his mind and said coldly: “Since mother doesn’t agree, take it as if son has never mentioned this! After all, Yi Yi is still young. After the autumn test, son will look for a good man for her! Son has work to do and will not accompany mother anymore!”
Yun Xuan Zhi stood up, bowed to old madam and went out of the inner chamber.
Old madam is sitting at her position with a gloomy expression. After a while, did she ease the anger in her heart. She called Rui mama who is waiting outside and ordered her to carefully teach Yun Yi Yi the palace etiquette as preparation to be married to Chu Fei Yang in the future.
Although Yun Xuan Zhi temporarily won for now, but old madam hasn’t relent on Yun Yi Yi’s marriage, making his heart hold anger. With a cold face, he stepped into Feng He yuan.
At this moment, Su Qing is personally teaching Pan Lan how to serve a man. Seeing that Yun Xuan Zhi has come, she waved for everyone to retreat. She smiled, walked forward and escorted Yun Xuan Zhi to sit down.
“At this time, how come xiangye has free time to come?”
Yun Xuan Zhi saw Su Qing being so attentive and docile. She helped him sit down and poured tea for him. The anger in his heart dissipated a bit. But he still said with a cold voice: “What happened yesterday, surely you have heard! Meng er got injured because of your saozi1. Today at the morning court, minister Su did as if nothing has happened! But today, the emperor hasn’t even looked at me! For what reason, presumably, you also know!”
Now, who in xiangfu doesn’t know that Chu wangfu and Rongfu has send gifts for the eldest miss yesterday. Su Qing has long been expected that Yun Xuan Zhi will come today because of Yun Qian Meng’s injury. Although in her heart, she is full of complains against that da sao, but in the end it’s still her own mother’s family. She also has to take her brother’s face into account, so she said full of apologies: “It’s Qing er’s family that has implicated xiangye! Qing er has already send Wang mama to Su fu to learn what happened yesterday. It’s da sao who didn’t pay attention while walking. Plus the fact that it was crowded at the temple, that’s why she accidentally hit into eldest miss! For this, dage also reprimanded saozi. Dage’s heart is full of apologies and didn’t dare to get close to xiangye. He also ordered saozi that after the injury of eldest miss has improved she needs to come apologize in person!”
; Su Qing’s tone is very humble. Her words also emphasized that Su furen was helpless and careless and it also contain that Su Yuan already reprimanded his furen. After Yun Xuan Zhi heard that, his expression improved greatly. He grabbed Su Qing’s hand and said with earnest: “Qing er, you’re sensible, but your saozi is really muddleheaded! She should take some time and think. Although Meng er is from a younger generation, but behind her there are the empress dowager and Fu Guo Gong Fu. Now she also got Chu wangfu and Rong fu’s favor. The future can be described as excellent. Even if she doesn’t like Meng er, she can’t do such a thing! Now, the public assessment of the minister of justice’s family is really bad. And Su fu and xiangfu has a close relationship, how can it not influence xiangfu? In the future, Xue er’s marriage may also be implicated!”
Yun Xuan Zhi is enlightening Su Qing with emotional reasoning and also to let Su Qing remind Su Yuan, even if the two fu have grudges, they must not turn into a public joke. Otherwise, it’s their own children who will bear the consequences!
Naturally, Su Qing understood the hidden meaning in Yun Xuan Zhi’s words. But being reprimanded that her dage is improper by her husband, Su Qing also felt that she lost face. In her heart, the resentment against that da sao grew more and more. But she can only smile at Yun Xuan Zhi and respectfully say yes.
“But, now it’s different from the past. Didn’t think that eldest miss after being rejected by Chen wangye will actually get the attention of Chu wangfu and Rong fu!”
Yun Ruo Xue’s heart is on Chu Fei Yang, Su Qing will, of course, need to clarify what’s in Yun Xuan Zhi’s mind and at the same time took the opportunity to transfer Yun Xuan Zhi’s attention.
Hearing her, Yun Xuan Zhi raised his eyes and looked at her. He said with a tone of being in a difficult position: “Chu wangfu and Rong fu, both are not something we can offend! If I have two Meng er then I’ll not need to think so much!”
After hearing that, Su Qing’s heart flashed dissatisfaction. She felt that now in Yun Xuan Zhi’s eyes, there’s only Yun Qian Meng and her Ruo Xue has long been forgotten by her daddy.
In particular, that Chu Fei Yang is someone Ruo Xue has set her eyes on, she naturally wont let Yun Qian Meng succeed. She closely went into Yun Xuan Zhi’s embrace and gently said: “Xuan Zhi, don’t forget that Xue er is also your biological daughter! Although eldest miss is from the legitimate line, but our Ruo Xue is also a clean and true lady! You also need to plan for Xue er.”
After she mentioned that, Yun Xuan Zhi frowned. Although in his heart there’s love but thinking back about Yun Ruo Xue’s recent actions, his eyes inevitable showed some disappointment.
The tone that has somewhat improved, immediately turned bad again: “If you normally have nothing to do then teach Ruo Xue well. Don’t let her always think about how to look trouble for Meng er! Yesterday, Chu wangfu and Rong fu didn’t send gifts for Ruo Xue is because that day, she slandered her legitimate sister at Fu Guo Gong Fu and left a bad impression on the two fu! Otherwise, how would I think about Meng er first and give up on Xue er?”
This sudden sense of crisis made Su Qing regret that in the past she left Yun Qian Meng alone because she was a girl. If at that time, she got rid of Yun Qian Meng with Qu Ruo Li, then the one who will get the love of the two fus today will be her Xue er! When thinking about this, Su Qing wished she could chew off her teeth. But things are as they are now. She can only think of other ways to let Ruo Xue marry into Chu wangfu.
It’s just, Yun Xuan Zhi is the most important figure in getting all of this. As long he is standing on her side, will Yun Qian Meng not listen to her own father’s words?
Thinking like that, Su Qing stroked her belly with one hand. She felt that today the fetus has stabled a lot. She stretched her hand towards Yun Xuan Zhi.
By this time, Yun Xuan Zhi has said what he wanted to say and the fire of his anger is also finished. Seeing this charming face of Su Qing, in his heart he couldn’t help but miss that beautiful and pleasant face of Hua yiniang.
He stood up and appeased Su Qing: “You’re pregnant, you only need to take care of yourself well! I’ll go rest at Fu Lui yuan.”
He left Feng He yuan without looking back. Su Qing only felt a block in her heart. With a bad expression, she slowly sat down next to the table. From Yun Xuan Zhi’s words, it is said that because she is pregnant, she doesn’t need to serve him. But is that little slut at Fu Lui yuan not also pregnant? Is Yun Xuan Zhi angry at her because what happened with her saozi or has he grown bored of her?
This let Su Qing take a good time to figure it out. Finally, she has doubts against the two aspects. She immediately summoned Wang mama. She originally wanted her to go get Pan Lan, but she saw that Wang mama came in with a bad expression. Wang mama leaned over and whispered some words in her ear. Su Qing’s expression also turned serious.
“When did this happen? Why not report it earlier?”
At the second question, Su Qing’s anger can be heard.
“It’s what happened in the morning! Don’t know why, but the home of that Pan Lan was suddenly on fire. The fire was fierce and fighting the fire was already too late. Those few houses instantly turned into ashes! And those few responsible for guarding, because of saving lives, they also got serious injuries. Nubi then gave some silver to appease them and let them go home to avoid them coming here!”
Wang mama also learned about this when Yun Xuan Zhi came. Although she was anxious, but she still waited till Yun Xuan Zhi has left before saying this.
It was originally a good matter. As long as Pan Lan serve the minister of justice well, furen won’t ill-treat her parents. But a fire came out of nowhere, not to mention the people inside, even the house has been burnt to ashes! If Pan Lan get to know this, how will she still have the mind to go do the things that furen ordered?
Hearing that Wang mama has appeased those people, Su Qing’s expression turned slightly better. Her thoughts take a turn and she asked with a serious voice: “Are you sure it isn’t done by people? In this broad day, is the family of Pan Lan dead? The fire started, they didn’t come to stop it? Moreover, it’s their own home, can they not jump out?”
Wang mama has already thought about this point. She has also already questioned the guards. She said all that she knows about: “Nubi also suspected that someone causes arson on purpose! But Pan Lan is only a maid and her family is poor. They won’t cause grudges with other people. Moreover, who have such big guts to attack in the broad daylight! According to what the guards say, they say that maybe Pan Lan’s family couldn’t control their kitchen and caused this fire! After all, in poor families’ kitchen, there’ll be some firewood and heaps of straws. If that place is on fire, it’ll really be hard to control. And in these past days, our people have been watching her home. No one suspicious came near. Just don’t know if we need to tell Pan Lan this?”
Listening to Wang mama, Su Qing slightly nodded. Wang mama is her wet nurse. She served her since little. Then she followed her and entered xiangfu and has done many things for her. So Su Qing is really trustful towards Wang mama’s words. Originally, she was skeptical that this is done by a person, but from Wang mama’s analysis, she felt that perhaps she is too suspicious. After all, it’s now spring. The weather is more and more warm. Sometimes a natural fire can occur.
“Since it’s like this, no need to inform Pan Lan! She is just a cheap maid and she is sold to xiangfu. Since then, her relationship with her family has been cut. What’s the point of telling her this? Today, you go……”
Su Qing wanted to order Wang mama to do more things when she heard Yun Ruo Xue’s voice from the outside.
“Pan Lan, why are you still here? Didn’t I tell you to go pick up the clothes after washing?”
Su Qing and Wang mama quickly exchanged a glance. They found Pan Lan standing outside with her head down. They don’t know if she has heard what they talked about.
“Why are you here at furen’s? If you’re here, why didn’t you made a sou
nd? Do you want to scare furen?”
The moment Wang mama came out, she pointed her fingers at Pan Lan and began to preach her. Then she escorted Yun Ruo Xue. With pain in her heart, she said: “Why did miss get out of bed so early? Be careful about the wound opening again!”
Yun Ruo Xue walked to Pan Lan’s side, stretched her hand and fiercely tapped on Pan Lan’s forehead. Then she snapped: “Damn maid, seeing that I have been punished by daddy, even you are beginning to skimp on me! Now you even learned to be lazy? You have not yet gone to jiujiu’s home, but you’re already putting the air of a yiniang!”
Pan Lan being scolded by her, her heart is really angry. She kept her head down, tightly bit her lips and kept pretending that she didn’t hear what furen has just said. It’s just that the hand hidden in her sleeves has long been turned into fists.
Wang mama saw that she kept silent and let Yun Ruo Xue scold her without a change in expression, did her heart slightly ease. She pulled Yun Ruo Xue and comforted: “Miss, why get angry over a cheap maid? Old nu will go scold her. It’s better if you go inside and lay down lest not let furen feel pain in her heart!”
Being reminded by Wang mama, it’s now that Yun Ruo Xue felt that her back is still in somewhat pain. Moreover, the matter of last night, she has also heard. Her heart is anxious, so she will temporarily spare Pan Lan. She let the servants escort her inside, leaving Wang mama closely staring at Pan Lan. With a hint of probing, she asked: “How come you are here?”
Pan Lan remembered what she heard just now. Grieve stroke her. Since little, she has been sold to xiangfu to serve second miss. Although Su Qing being favored will also get them face, but every time Yun Ruo Xue got into trouble, Su Qing will beat and scold them! Her own situation can be considered pretty well. She is a first class maid. Some things she doesn’t need to do personally. Thinking about that after that Feng er went missing at Fu Guo Gong Fu, furen and miss actually never mentioned her. They did as if that person never existed. And now to get in jiu laoye’s favor, they pushed her whole life into it. Now they even went so far as to treat her family like that. Such cold people. They are actually not as generous as eldest miss!