Chapter 161 – Return Of The Ostentatious Wei Yuejiao
Since they had come prepared, how could she be unprepared?
Wei Yuejiao’s entrance into the mansion was indeed impressive. Even though Wei Yuewu had considered the fact that this Third Miss Wei was doted on by the Madam Dowager, she did not expect to see such a big scene.
Early in the morning, while Wei Yuejiao was still nowhere to be seen, a group of thirty-two servants carried gifts on their shoulders to the mansion.
Sixteen of them directly carried the gifts to the Madam Dowager’s courtyard, while the other sixteen servants carried the gifts to the second branch and third branch respectively.
The Madam Dowager was so happy that she rewarded all the servants of the mansion.
All of a sudden, the entire mansion was filled with joy, and everyone praised this Third Young Lady and said that she was a blessed and generous person.
Wei Yuewu was still drawing pictures at the desk. Although she only cast a glance at the embroidery on that day, a few of the pictures had been deeply imprinted in her mind. At this time, she was painting from her memory carefully. Occasionally, she would hold the brush in her hand and paused for some time before adding a few more strokes.
Although her painting couldn’t be exactly the same as the original, Wei Yuewu believed that at first glance, it must look somewhat similar.
“That was way too much.” Shufei angrily walked in, but there was nothing in her hands. She had been to the kitchen to fetch Wei Yuewu’s lunch.
“What’s going on?” Jin Ling was afraid that she would distract Wei Yuewu from her painting, so she pulled Shufei aside and asked in a low voice.
“It’s really too outrageous. It is already high time when the mansion had lunch, but when I went over to fetch lunch for our Miss, I got nothing. Everyone in the kitchen was busy preparing food for that Third Young Lady. Because she hasn’t arrived yet, our miss can’t eat either.” Shufei’s face turned pale with anger.
“They haven’t prepared lunch for Miss yet?” Jin Ling asked in surprise. She looked at the sky. It was already much later than the usual lunch time.
“Not yet. Furthermore, they actually didn’t prepare anything for Miss at all. They didn’t realize it until I went in to ask. They said that Third Young Lady was about to enter the mansion and asked our Miss to wait for a while. They also said that after the Third Young Lady entered the mansion and lunch was served to her, they would be free to make lunch for our Miss. This is too much! Our Miss is the first daughter of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang.”
Shufei stomped her foot angrily as she said those words.
“Miss had stomach trouble. It’s already past lunch time, but they haven’t prepared lunch for Miss yet. This… if Miss…”
“Go get some pastries for Miss. I’ll go to the kitchen and urge them.” Jin Ling put down the things in her hand and said to Shufei. After that, she hurriedly left the courtyard and went to the kitchen.
Although they spoke with a low voice, Wei Yuewu still heard them. She put down the brush in her hand and sneered. Sure enough, Wei Yuejiao had tried to play rough to her before entering the mansion.
She didn’t expect that although Concubine Dong was not in the capital, she could still have the mansion under her control.
She had been back in the mansion for some days. Ever since she returned from the mountain this time, she could clearly feel the reverence and fear of the servants in the mansion for her. Even the nurse-in-charge in Lady Li’s courtyard did not dare to contradict her. However, who would expect that the maids and old maidservants in the kitchen did not prepare lunch for her today.
This could never happen without the interference of someone.
It seemed that the time had come for the inevitable showdown!
Fortunately, she wasn’t completely unprepared. As she thought of this, the corners of her lips curled into a cold smile.
So it was Concubine Dong, right? She should be one of the reasons why mom died of an illness…
Wei Yuewu picked up the painting placed in front of the desk, spread it and looked at it. “Huamo, if you are free these few days, just embroider this picture.”
“Yes, Miss.” Huamo nodded.
“Miss, please eat some pastries first. Sister Jin Ling has gone to the kitchen to urge for your lunch.” Shufei walked in with a box of pastries in her hands.
Wei Yuewu shook her hand. Her bright eyes blinked and she smiled, “No need!”
“Miss, you have stomach trouble. Eating late will hurt your stomach.” Huamo also advised.
“Don’t worry!” Wei Yuewu looked at the two maids’ faces and smiled sweetly. “Since this good Third Elder Sister of mine deliberately delayed her arrival at the mansion, she should know when it is the best time for her to appear!”
Thirty-two servants had already carried huge amounts of gifts into the mansion on foot, but Wei Yuejiao, who was riding in the carriage, had not arrived yet!
Was this Wei Yuejiao trying to shock her or play rough to her?
Wei Yuejiao’s carriage arrived about two hours after the normal lunch time of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. One hour ago, the Madam Dowager sent someone here to invite her over.
Upon her arrival, Wei Yuewu saw that Wei Qiuju and Wei Qiufu were both there. Well, it seemed that all the four unmarried young ladies of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang were going to meet here today.
Wei Yuewu greeted the merry-looking Madam Dowager first, then she sat down on the other side of the Madam Dowager. Coincidently, Wei Qiufu was seated right opposite her.
“Sixth Younger Sister, you don’t look well. How are you feeling?” Wei Qiufu smiled without sign of ill feeling as if nothing unpleasant had happened between the two of them in the Plum Blossom Nunnery.
Seeing Wei Qiufu adjusted herself and restored her usual gentle appearance so quickly, Wei Yuewu secretly became vigilant.
“Thank you, Fourth Elder Sister, for your attention. The injuries I suffered earlier are not completely healed, so my face looks a little pale.” Wei Yuewu bowed slightly and said softly.
The Madam Dowager moved her eyes and looked at her affectionately. “Yuewu, you haven’t recovered yet. You can go back first.”
“Thank you, grandmother. I’m fine.” Wei Yuewu shook her head.
Her long eyelids flashed and she lowered her eyes. The Madam Dowager clearly knew that her health conditions were not good and that Wei Yuejiao was only a concubine-born daughter. It was against the rules to let a first daughter like her wait for a concubine-born daughter who was returning to the mansion.
However, the Madam Dowager still gave Wei Yuejiao such a big face. How hypocritical she had sounded when asking her to go back to rest!
The Madam Dowager said with a smile, “Alright. It’s good that you’re feeling well. It was such a happy thing to see you sisters be both back!”
A happy thing? Wei Yuewu still remembered that when she just returned to the mansion, the Madam Dowager posed quite a number of obstacles to her and repeatedly questioned her identity.
She raised her head and smiled. “Grandmother, you are right. It is really a pleasure to be close to the other sisters.”
“Grandmother, we sisters really need to get closer so that we don’t get estranged. We are all young ladies of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. We always have to unite together. Even if there are some minor conflicts between sisters, it’s not a big deal.” Wei Qiufu smiled and turned to Wei Qiuju.
If Wei Qiufu said so in the old days, Wei Qiuju would definitely be the first to jump out to echo her words. But now, she just looked at Wei Yuewu and Wei Qiufu in return. Then, she lowered her head and pretended not to hear those words. She continued to play with the handkerchief in her hand with an uneasy expression.
Wei Qiufu’s eyes flashed with anger, but she couldn’t say anything. She looked at Wei Qiuju coldly, who lowered her head even lower.
The Madam Dowager was very satisfied with Wei Qiufu’s words. She swept her gaze across the faces of the three sisters and said earnestly, “Qiufu is right. You are after all sisters of the same mansion. In the future, each of you will get married, but only the sisters of our mansion will remain the persons closest to you. If anything happens, as long as the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang exists, you will not lack strong support. This mansion is where you were born and grew up. Don’t forget it!”
Wei Yuewu smiled and nodded, but she did not say anything. She knew that the Madam Dowager was definitely looking at her at this moment. Did the Madam Dowager say those words in order to reconcile her with Wei Qiufu?
Was it because Wei Qiufu still had the chance of entering the Crown Prince’s Mansion?
Compared with the interests of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang, her life and death were merely a trivial matter! Wei Yuewu sneered in her heart.
The Madam Dowager placed the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang above everything else, but Wei Yuewu did not have the slightest bit of attachment to it. She almost had the feeling that even the bricks within the high wall were scheming against others without mercy.
“Madam Dowager, she is coming, the Third Young Lady has arrived!” Nanny Hong happily ran in, her voice preceding her steps.
“She is coming!” The Madam Dowager stood up abruptly, but when she saw Wei Qiufu and Wei Yuewu’s surprised expressions, she sat down again and instructed, “Quickly invite Yuejiao in.”
“Grandmother, Yuejiao is back!” Before the Madam Dowager finished her words, the curtain was lifted and a beautiful girl wearing a green eight-gore skirt walked in.
“Grandmother, I miss you so much!” Ignoring the crowd at the side, Wei Yuejiao only had the Madam Dowager in her eyes and she pounced over excitedly.
Wei Yuewu’s gaze, however, landed on the young lady behind her in surprise. This was a tall and thin-shouldered beauty having a bright smile, pink skin, and a stunning appearance as beautiful as spring dawn. No one would forget such a face once they saw her…
It was actually Jing Wenyan, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Jing State!
The Madam Dowager also noticed Jing Wenyan and asked hesitantly, “Who is this…”
Even though Jing Wenyan just stood there without saying a word, her outstanding face and elegant and calm temperament still outshined Wei Yuejiao in her gorgeous dresses.
For some people, even if they just stood there casually, they would still emit a dazzling light from their entire bodies. This was not something that luxurious and beautiful clothes could produce.
“Grandmother, this is the eldest young lady of the mansion of the Duke of Jing State.” Wei Yuejiao turned around and introduced. When she swept her eyes across Wei Yuewu, she did not pause at all, as if there was no one around her.
It hadn’t been long after the prisoner offering by the Heir-apparent of the Duke of Yan State, and the heir-apparent was still in the capital. How could the Madam Dowager not know that the so-called Jing State had already become a part of the territory of the Yan State and existed only in name?
However, no matter what, there was no official edict from the Palace, so the title of Duke of Jing State was still preserved. She also heard that Duke of Jing State had been released and was living in his mansion in the capital.
Regardless of the size of their territory, all the dukes had mansions in the capital. Occasionally, when they entered the capital, they would have a place to live.
This eldest Young Lady Jing, the number one beauty in Jing State, usually lived in seclusion and was practically nowhere to be seen at any banquet.
However, at this moment, she suddenly appeared in the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. Furthermore, she had followed Wei Yuejiao into the mansion. This was truly surprising.
“Wenyan greets the Madam Dowager. Please forgive me for coming in such a hurry.” Jing Wenyan walked forward generously and bowed, “I met the Third Miss Wei in front of the mansion, so I came in at her invitation.”
This could be considered as the reason why she and Wei Yuejiao entered the mansion together.
The Madam Dowager smiled and stretched out her hand and gestured to support her. “Miss Jing, please sit down.”
Wei Yuejiao also smiled and affectionately pulled Jing Wenyan to sit on the chair beside her. Coincidentally, that chair happened to be right beside Wei Yuewu. However, this Third Miss Wei’s attention was obviously on Jing Wenyan, so she didn’t even cast a single look at Wei Yuewu beside her.
“Sixth Miss Wei!” Jing Wenyan sat down and smiled at Wei Yuewu.
Wei Yuewu smiled and bowed. No matter what, Jing Wenyan was the daughter of a Duke with a territory, and her status was higher than her, the daughter of Marquis Hua Yang.
“Fourth Miss Wei, Fifth Miss Wei.” Jing Wenyan smiled at Wei Qiufu and Wei Qiuju. She did not look down on Wei Qiuju because she was the daughter of a concubine.
Jing Wenyan rarely went to the capital. Although many people knew that this young lady was the number one beauty of Jing State, and some even said that she was the number one beauty of the entire Zhongshan Kingdom, few people had ever seen her before.
Of course, Wei Qiufu had never seen her before. When Jing Wenyan greeted her politely, she also bowed. Seeing that both of them were so respectful towards Jing Wenyan, Wei Qiuju did not dare to neglect her. She also stood up and bowed.
The Madam Dowager asked with a smile, “May I know why Miss Jing has come here?”
“I’m here to see Sixth Miss Wei.” Jing Wenyan turned to Wei Yuewu and smiled gently.
Wei Yuewu stared at Jing Wenyan in surprise, not understanding in which way the two of them were linked.
The Madam Dowager looked at Wei Yuewu and Jing Wenyan for a while and asked with a smile on her face. “Miss Jing, Yuewu has just entered the capital. When did she get to know Miss Jing?”
Jing Wenyan said generously, “Actually, I don’t know Sixth Miss Wei. My visit here today is really a bit abrupt. But there’s really something that I want to talk to Sixth Miss Wei privately. Madam Dowager, I hope you can do me a favor.”
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