Chapter 162 – Filial Piety, Who Felt More Uncomfortable
Her words also showed that she and Wei Yuewu did not know each other, and she had come here to ask for help from Wei Yuewu.
Wei Yuewu was indeed a little surprised by Jing Wenyan’s explanation. No matter what, it was impossible for her to get involved with this eldest young lady of Jing State. At the Plum Blossom Nunnery that day, Wei Yuewu believed that this eldest young lady did not see her, so it would be strange for her to come looking for her at this time.
“Miss Jing, if you have anything, don’t hesitate. Grandmother will definitely help you fulfil your wish.” Wei Yuejiao said to Jing Wenyan’s topic and smiled with a disdainful glance at Wei Yuewu.
Her mother had already told her that Wei Yuewu was a girl abandoned by her father. No one in the mansion would take her seriously.
The meaning behind those words was clear: regardless of Wei Yuewu’s wishes, she had agreed on her behalf with contempt.
The Madam Dowager, however, didn’t immediately give a positive answer. Her expression became somewhat solemn. Considering Jing Wenyan’s high status, what she was asking for was definitely not a small favor. It was alright if her request was just related to the personal interests of young unmarried ladies. But if it was an affair related to the family or country, the Madam Dowager didn’t feel that she could casually agree.
The Madam Dowager pondered for a moment and said with a smile on her face. “May I ask what it is?”
“Madam Dowager, it’s not a big deal. In the past, there were rumors in the capital that Sixth Miss Wei had no talent or good look. But in reality, she was so elegant and beautiful. I have never seen such an outstanding aristocratic young lady in the capital. I also heard that Sixth Miss Wei was skilled in painting and calligraphy, so I came to ask for advice from her.”
Jing Wenyan was already prepared. After hearing the Madam Dowager’s question, she answered articulately without any hesitation.
The Madam Dowager looked slightly relaxed when she heard Jing Wenyan’s words. However, Wei Yuewu frowned slightly. She did not think that this Miss Jing, who had just lost her family and territory, could be in such a calm state of mind as to study painting and calligraphy.
Moreover, ever since she had come to the capital, she did not discuss painting or calligraphy with anyone, so how could there be such rumors that she was skilled in painting and calligraphy?
Wei Yuejiao had always been accustomed to being flattered by others. Seeing that everyone’s attention was being drawn over by Wei Yuewu at this time, she already felt unhappy. However, she also remembered Concubine Dong’s instructions, and her face did not show any sign. She winked at the senior maid Jinzhu beside her.
Jinzhu immediately knew what was on her mind.
“Ah!” Wei Yuejiao covered her stomach with her hands and cried out in pain. She bent down and Jinzhu hurriedly reached out to support her. She anxiously asked, “Miss, how are you feeling? Is your stomach hurting? I advised you to eat some pastries just now, but you said that you must have lunch with the Madam Dowager.”
The Madam Dowager’s attention immediately fell on Wei Yuejiao. “What’s going on, Yuejiao?”
“I… I’m fine. I just wanted to have lunch with grandmother, so I haven’t eaten anything yet.” Wei Yuejiao covered her stomach with one hand. There was a painful expression on her face, but she was still smiling with a pitiful expression on her face.
Well done! Finally, the play came as expected!
Wei Yuewu lowered her head. The corners of her lips curled up slightly, and her hand silently rested on her belly. Wei Yuejiao had intended to play tough with her upon their first encounter, and now she had started her play.
“Why are you so careless about your body? If you miss your lunch, you should eat some pastries first. Nanny Hong, quickly order them to serve the dishes.” The Madam Dowager scolded, but anyone could hear her concern for Wei Yuejiao.
The Madam Dowager turned to Jing Wenyan. “Miss Jing, how about you going to the wing room and having a rest there? Yuewu hasn’t eaten lunch yet. How about letting her accompany you to the Lotus Courtyard after she has eaten lunch?”
This suggestion was actually very impolite. However, Wei Yuewu knew the Madam Dowager did not want her to interact with Jing Wenyan. That was why she had said such words, which were actually a request for Jing Wenyan to leave.
“Alright, then I’ll wait in the wing room.” Jing Wenyan did not seem to understand the meaning behind the Madam Dowager’s words. She stood up and bowed to the Madam Dowager, ready to leave.
Under such circumstances, the Madam Dowager could not say anything, so she had to let an old maidservant lead her to the wing room to rest.
Here in the hall, maids and old maidservants had already been prepared and immediately delivered lunch dishes.
“Grandmother, I have always been in good health. Even father has always said that my health conditions are excellent. When I was at the border, I learned martial arts from father together with my eldest cousin. I didn’t expect that such a small matter as missing out on meals would cause my stomach to ache.” Wei Yuejiao took a seat by the Madam Dowager’s side with the help of Jinzhu and said with a bitter face.
The Madam Dowager patted her hand pitifully. “Poor girl, stomach is the most delicate. How can you hold on with an empty stomach just because you want to? You’ve only just arrived in the capital and now you’ve become a sickly beauty. Your father will probably be extremely upset and blame me.”
“How could I be a sickly beauty? Speaking of sickly beauty, I heard father said that Sixth Younger Sister is actually a sickly beauty. She has been sick since childhood, just like her mother.” Wei Yuejiao covered her lips with a handkerchief and smiled, without the slightest bit of intention to conceal the contempt and ridicule she had for Wei Yuewu’s birth mother.
A concubine-born daughter actually called her matriarch like this! However, the expressions on the faces of the Madam Dowager, Wei Qiufu and Wei Qiuju showed that they were accustomed to it. Apparently, Wei Yuejiao had been addressing mom like this for a long time, but no one had stepped forward to correct her.
“Yuewu, you’re still injured. Are you also feeling uncomfortable from hunger?” Since Wei Yuejiao mentioned Wei Yuewu, the Madam Dowager also expressed her concern.
“I’m fine.” Wei Yuewu still lowered her head and answered casually.
“How can you be fine? I’m also having stomach trouble despite my good health conditions. Sixth Younger Sister has always been a sick girl. I heard that you were injured recently. How can you be fine now?” Wei Yuejiao asked in surprise.
Wei Qiuju looked at Wei Yuejiao and then silently lowered her head.
Wei Qiufu didn’t seem to have heard Wei Yuejiao’s words, and she whispered something to Qiuyan beside her. She simply turned a blind eye to the turmoil over here.
“Yuewu, are you really alright?” The Madam Dowager’s gaze fell on Wei Yuewu.
“I’m fine!” Wei Yuewu said in a low voice, but she still didn’t raise her head.
“Grandmother, Sixth Younger Sister seems to be really fine. Could it be that she had already eaten some pastries before coming here? That’s right, she has always been in the mansion. She can have meals with grandmother whenever she wants. It is impossible for her to understand how excited I have been at the thought of having meals with grandmother. I was so excited that I haven’t eaten anything until now.”
Wei Yuejiao smiled and said with pretended annoyance.
Wei Yuewu’s eyes turned cold. Wei Yuejiao’s words were not only domineering, but also provocative. In other words, if she did not show that her body was damaged today, she would definitely be guilty of eating pastries secretly. Otherwise, how could she, famous for being a valetudinarian, be fine when even Wei Yuejiao, who had always been in good health, suffered stomach trouble by missing the lunch?
Sure enough, Wei Yuejiao had deliberately delayed entering the mansion, and the Madam Dowager did not inform her to come over for lunch early.
Of course, they had done this to make her believe that the kitchen staff were busy preparing lunch for Wei Yuejiao and they didn’t have time to prepare lunch for her. Under normal circumstances, she would naturally eat some pastries first.
In the eyes of the others, she was not only unfilial, but also disrespectful to the Madam Dowager if she ate pastries before coming here when she knew that she was going to eat lunch with the Madam Dowager.
The Madam Dowager’s expression immediately darkened. She was just about to speak when Wei Yuewu raised her face, and she was so stunned that she could not speak…
Wei Yuewu raised her head. Despite the low temperature, her white forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat. The corners of her bloodless lips had deep teeth marks, and her face was deathly pale. Anyone who looked at her would know that her condition was not very good.
“Yuewu, what’s wrong with you?” The Madam Dowager swallowed the reprimanding words that had been on the tip of her tongue, and she immediately changed her voice.
“It hurts a little.” Wei Yuewu said.
Only then did everyone notice that her hand was gently placed on her belly. She did not seem to be exerting as much force as Wei Yuejiao, but in the current situation, Wei Yuejiao’s painful screams and lengthy speech seemed to be too unnatural and affected.
Wei Yuewu was now really in a situation that she was so painful that she couldn’t even speak.
“Madam Dowager, Sixth Young Lady might be too hungry to feel well. How about serving some porridge to her first? She couldn’t eat too greasy food right now.” Nanny Hong said to the Madam Dowager.
The Madam Dowager nodded.
Porridge had already been prepared. The Madam Dowager was old and did not like eating cooked rice. Therefore, the kitchen prepared porridge for her in every meal.
As a result, the servants were in a great bustle again. Of course, the focus of their attention was on Wei Yuewu, and the Madam Dowager was also paying attention only to Wei Yuewu.
Wei Yuejiao’s expression kept changing. The handkerchief in her hand had already been twisted into a ball, and she felt that she had lost face.
After eating about half a bowl of porridge, Wei Yuewu’s face looked slightly better. She wiped the corners of her lips with a handkerchief and looked at Wei Yuejiao, who had been staring at her at the side. She smiled faintly and then turned away leisurely as if she did not see Wei Yuejiao’s pale face.
Wei Yuejiao felt that Wei Yuewu was provoking her with that kind of expression and gaze, as well as her total indifference to and negligence of her.
The anger that was forcefully suppressed immediately burst forth.
“Sixth Younger Sister’s health condition is really bad. You suffered such a severe stomachache simply because of a little delay in lunch. Could it be that your congenital disease has not completely healed?”
Wei Yuejiao couldn’t help but blurt out those cynical words.
Congenital disease? Wei Yuewu’s eyes darkened immediately. This was the first time she had heard someone mention her innate deficiency in the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. Furthermore, such words were uttered from the mouth of Wei Yuejiao, whom she had seen for the first time since returning to the mansion. The meaning behind it was truly worth pondering.
She had only intended to anger Wei Yuejiao, and she didn’t expect to hear such a piece of news. In that case, let’s continue…
“Third Elder Sister, do you think my congenital illness hasn’t been completely cured?” Wei Yuewu raised her eyes and smiled at Wei Yuejiao. “Does Third Elder Sister know what kind of congenital illness I have?”
Wei Yuejiao was stunned by the questions. She could not find a proper answer and her expression changed slightly.
‘”I didn’t expect Third Elder Sister to care so much about me. I haven’t seen you for so many years. But you asked about my innate deficiency immediately after our first meeting. Actually, I’m not very clear about it. Granny invited many famous doctors to treat me, but they only said that I was a little weak. They didn’t say that I had a congenital disease. Third Elder Sister, please explain it to me and help me resolve my doubts.”
Wei Yuewu put on an ignorant expression.
Wei Yuejiao, however, could not give any answer. Her eyes flickered twice as she thought that she had made a mistake that was hard to explain.
“Yuejiao, what nonsense are you talking about? Now quickly apologize to your sister! Your sister was just born a little weaker than others, she didn’t have any congenital disease.” The Madam Dowager’s expression darkened as she scolded Wei Yuejiao.
After being reprimanded, Wei Yuejiao, who had always been doted on by the Madam Dowager, immediately had tears in her eyes. She felt that she had lost a big face because the Madam Dowager scolded her in front of so many people in favor of Wei Yuewu. She said with a sobbing voice, “Grandmother, I… I was misled by Sixth Younger Sister’s response. It was rare to see a person suffer such a severe stomachache just because of a delayed lunch. Therefore, I thought that Sixth Younger Sister had a congenital disease.”
So this was the reason she gave for her improper remarks a moment ago.
Wei Qiufu gave her a sidelong glance with a trace of contempt in her eyes. This explanation was really stupid. The people her grandmother favored were indeed idiots. Both Wei Yan and Wei Yuejiao landed themselves in a disadvantageous situation in their first encounter with Wei Yuewu. What a pity it was that she had such high expectations for Wei Yuejiao.
However, sometimes stupid people were also useful…
The sourc𝗲 of this content is free(w)ebnov(𝒆)l