Chapter 94 – Backfire: Make The Best Of A Bad Bargain
Chapter 94 Backfire: Make the Best of a Bad Bargain
Xie Qingzhao seemed to be speechless. He looked ashamed, angry and indignant. He stomped his foot hatefully. Just as he was about to say “The Sixth Young Lady of your mansion… is way too ill-bred,” he saw Wei Yuewu walking to the Madam Dowager. His eyes widened in shock.
Wasn’t that…the Sixth Young Lady of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang?
He subconsciously turned around. If the Sixth Young Lady was here, who was in the room? What he had heard was clearly a female voice.
Nanny Hong walked out and whispered in the Madam Dowager’s ear. The Madam Dowager nodded and her eyes darkened a little. She was angry: so this was indeed a low petty daughter of a concubine; what a stupid thing she had done! What was more, she even offended this promising Imperial Academician Xie!
However, it would also be a good thing if Imperial Academician Xie could accept the result. After all, it was only a concubine’s daughter, the most insignificant young lady from the third branch.
“Imperial Academician Xie, she’s only a child. I hope you could forgive her. And please think about her reputation. A girl’ s name always matters most.” The Madam Dowager’s mind was full of thoughts, and now she came up with this idea. Although she still had a smile on her face, her expression was somewhat firm and tough.
Xie Qingzhao was stunned by Wei Yuewu’s sudden appearance. He opened his mouth but no word came out of it.
He had expected the Madam Dowager to say those words. According to his original plan, he only needed to say that Wei Yuewu was already interested in him when they met in the mountain, that she deliberately bumped into his carriage and invited him to meet her privately after arriving at the Plum Blossom Nunnery but was rejected by him, and that he didn’t expect that she would actually trick him into the room and deliberately let others find out so she could trap him.
With those words said, Wei Yuewu would be portrayed as a girl of low moral character and loose behavior. No one from a clean family would want to marry such a girl, let alone himself, a promising Imperial Academician. Even if the Madam Dowager used reputation to press him, he would at most accept her as a concubine.
However, it was a different girl now. This dramatic change caught him so completely unprepared that Xie Qingzhao still couldn’t regain his senses.
Wei Yuewu sneered in her heart as she saw Xie Qingzhao looking at her in disbelief, but her face did not reveal anything. She gently reminded the Madam Dowager, “Grandmother, what happened to Fifth Elder Sister? Is everything alright with her? This… How did he get into our inner courtyard?”
Wei Yuewu acted like she was on Wei Qiuju’s side and speaking up for Wei Qiuju. The Madam Dowager couldn’t help but sigh in her heart. She reached out to grab Wei Yuewu’s hand and stroked it as if to comfort her. When she turned to look at Xie Qingzhao, her expression was sterner.
“Imperial Academician Xie, I wonder how you entered the inner courtyard?”
Xie Qingzhao was completely speechless at the question. How did he get into the inner courtyard? That maid was that young lady’s maid. How could he involve that young lady? Furthermore, the current situation was different from the plan. If this momentum continued, it would probably be even more disadvantageous for him. With this thought, Xie Qingzhao immediately made a decision in his heart.
He cupped his hands to the Madam Dowager and said, “Madam Dowager, I am willing to take Fifth Young Lady as my concubine. As for why I came here, I believe Fifth Young Lady knows better than anybody else.”
Under such circumstances, Xie Qingzhao had no choice but to make a prompt decision and settle the matter as soon as possible. He also pushed everything to the Fifth Young Lady. As for whether this Fifth Young Lady was wronged or not, Xie Qingzhao did not consider it at all. Anyway, this matter today would never, and could never, be explained clearly.
It would be normal for him to take the wrong path as he was new in the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. However, the young lady inside the room wouldn’t make the same mistake as him since she had been in the mansion for many years.
As things stood now, Xie Qingzhao had no choice but to accept it. His eyes landed on Wei Yuewu’s smiling face with some doubt. His brows furrowed tightly. He was surprised by the series of coincidences that happened today. Was it because this young girl in front of him who still looked somewhat childish?
Of course, the Madam Dowager was not satisfied with his offer of taking Wei Qiuju as a concubine.
No matter how much wrong Wei Qiuju had done, she was a young lady of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. However, she also thought that Wei Qiuju brought this result to herself by causing such trouble. If she pressed this Imperial Academician too much, he might refuse to accept Wei Qiuju and even spread rumors about this scandal, in which case there was no benefit to the mansion at all.
Just a concubine’s daughter, anyway, the reputation of the other first daughters of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang was more important.
“Since that’s the case, Imperial Academician Xie, please go outside and take a rest. Someone, take Imperial Academician Xie to the outer courtyard.” The Madam Dowager nodded, showing her agreement with the decision. Concubine was also fine. Anyway, the background of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang would at least guarantee the status of the Number 1 concubine for Wei Qiuju. And it might also be possible for her to be promoted to wife if there was a chance in the future.
Wei Yan’s incident had occurred not long before. If this scandal of Wei Qiuju were to spread, people would have doubts about the upbringing of the daughters of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang, which would do harm to the other granddaughters.
Things didn’t turn out as Xie Qingzhao had expected. He could only make the best of a bad bargain. He followed an old maidservant leading the way out of the courtyard and went to the outer courtyard.
The Madam Dowager did not go to see Wei Qiuju after such a thing happened. She only left Nanny Hong to bring Wei Qiuju back to her own courtyard. She said some words to Wei Yuewu and went back with Lady Li.
Lady Li didn’t expect that the intended victim Wei Yuewu was fine and Wei Qiuju became a victim. She was angry and hateful. Especially when she walked past Wei Yuewu and saw Wei Yuewu smiling at her as if provocatively. She was so angry that she almost stopped to slap Wei Yuewu fiercely.
How could this bitch be so lucky that she actually escape such a well-planned scheme?
She glared at Wei Yuewu hatefully and secretly gritted her teeth. However, she had to force a smile and leave with the Madam Dowager.
Wei Yuewu did not leave immediately. She waited until the Madam Dowager was some distance away. She then walked to the wing room with Shufei. At this time, Yueya also stood up and timidly followed behind Wei Yuewu.
“Nanny Hong, is Fifth Elder Sister alright? Let me accompany Fifth Elder Sister back, okay?” said Wei Yuewu with a look of concern to Nanny Hong who was standing at the door.
Nanny Hong couldn’t help being soft-hearted when she saw that the Sixth Young Lady was still unaware of the Fifth Young Lady’s failed attempt to harm her and that she actually came to care about the Fifth Young Lady. She sighed and said, “Sixth Young Lady, you go back first. Fifth Young Lady brought this to herself.”
In Nanny Hong’s opinion, if Fifth Young Lady had behaved properly, the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang would provide solid support to guarantee her the status of a wife instead of a concubine. This situation resulted from Fifth Young Lady’s lack of decency.
“But Imperial Academician Xie went too far. It would be totally fine for him to take Fifth Elder Sister as his wife. Does he think Fifth Elder Sister is not worthy of him?” Wei Yuewu spoke angrily for Wei Qiuju, as if she hadn’t gotten her head around with the whole thing.
Inside the room, Wei Qiuju was wearing clothes with the help of the old maidservants. She froze at this time. She grabbed the corner of her clothes and her entire body started to spasm. The conversation outside the room had been held far away from her and she hadn’t heard anything.
Concubine? She would become Xie Qingzhao’s concubine?
Why? She was supposed to be his wife and Wei Yuewu his concubine. Why did things turn out like this? Shouldn’t Xie Qingzhao have gone to the middle chamber and been caught staying with Wei Yuewu? Why had he entered her room?
“Nanny Hong, I want to have a word with you. May… may I?” Wei Yuewu said to Nanny Hong with some embarrassment outside the room. She seemed to have some private things to say to Nanny Hong.
Nanny Hong nodded and followed Wei Yuewu to the curtains.
Shufei gently pushed Yueya. Yueya understood and hurriedly rushed into the room. Shufei followed in cautiously. When she reached the door, she threw down a letter and quietly came out. She signaled at Wei Yuewu who was talking to Nanny Hong.
Wei Yuewu nodded slightly and a faint smile flashed across her rosy lips.
“Nanny Hong, why can’t Imperial Academician Xie marry Fifth Elder Sister? It’s obvious that he went into the wrong room by accident and Fifth Elder Sister is a victim, but he acted like that! I want to go to grandmother and speak up for Fifth Elder Sister. I must make him marry Fifth Elder Sister.” Wei Yuewu looked like she was filled with righteous indignation.
Nanny Hong was speechless about her silliness. It was so obvious that Fifth Young Lady had tried to harm Sixth Young Lady. However, Sixth Young Lady was still ignorant of it and firmly stood on Fifth Young Lady’s side and even wanted to bring the matter to the Madam Dowager for the sake of Fifth Young Lady. The Madam Dowager was angry right now. Wei Yuewu would be seeking trouble if she went to the Madam Dowager speaking in favor of Wei Qiuju!
“Sixth Young Lady, you go back first. It’ll be fine! Fifth Young Lady has me here. The Madam Dowager will make the right decision for Fifth Young Lady.” Nanny Hong said to Wei Yuewu.
“Nanny Hong….” Wei Yuewu wanted to say more but was interrupted by Nanny Hong again.
“Sixth Young Lady, don’t make a fuss about it. The Madam Dowager is unhappy now. If you speak about it again, it won’t bring any benefit to Fifth Young Lady. Go back. Go back. It’s fine now.”
“Are you sure?” Wei Yuewu still seemed to be a little worried.
“Yes. Sixth Young Lady, don’t you worry.” Nanny Hong assured Wei Yuewu once again in order to comfort her.
Wei Qiuju had tidied herself up by now and walked out with the help of Yueya. Shufei heard the sounds of footsteps inside the room, so she walked to Wei Yuewu and gently pulled her mistress’ hand. “Sixth Young Lady, let’s go back. Nanny Hong is busy. There’s nothing you can help.”
Hearing her words, Wei Yuewu thought for a moment and nodded her head. She took leave of Nanny Hong and slowly walked out of the courtyard with the help of Shufei’s hand.
Inside the room, Wei Qiuju was almost numb as she was being helped out by Yueya. The two old maidservants followed behind her. Turning around the screen, Yueya suddenly tugged at the corner of her mistress’ clothes, “Miss, look…”
Her sharp eyes noticed a letter on the ground and she immediately pointed it to Wei Qiuju.
“Pick it up.” Wei Qiuju was so nervous that her mouth trembled. She subconsciously felt that the letter couldn’t be seen by others. Yueya moved quickly and picked up the letter and put it in her sleeve. The two old maidservants had barely turned out of the screen so that they only saw Yueya crouching down but did not see what she had picked up.
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