婶娘 shenniang – wife of father’s brother. (Li shi, Yun Xuan Mo’s wife)
While Yun Xuan Zhi was furiously hurrying towards Feng He Yuan, Captain Liu just rushed directly towards him. He hurriedly bowed as soon as he saw Yun Xuan Zhi, then, leaning closer, he whispered a few words into Yun Xuan Zhi’s ear before turning and leaving……
Yun Xuan Zhi was already in a bad mood and only felt his heart churn with rage. His face colored while his steps became even more impatient and fierce, making loud noises whenever he stepped onto the limestone paths!
When the servants in Feng He Yuan saw that his expression was so terrible, they lowered their heads and didn’t dare to breathe. For a while, they even forgot to enter the warm room to announce his arrival!
Yet at the moment, Yun Xuan Zhi did not pay attention to these details. Bursting into the room without leave, he saw Su Qing supporting her waist with one hand, while hitting Yun Ruo Xue’s palm with a wooden ruler. She reprimanded, “Let you get along properly with da xiaojie, but you nearly splashed tea on da xiaojie’s body! Even if da xiaojie is kind-hearted and doesn’t mind it, you can’t stop the servants from feeling indignant. Just great, you almost lost your own little life as a result! If I don’t make you remember this today, how will still dare to let you go out?”
As she spoke, the wooden ruler in Su Qing’s hands violently smacked onto Yun Ruo Xue’s hands. Only, her own heart was also finding it unbearable. The moment the ruler moved downwards, the tears in her eyes also fell!
Right now, Yun Ruo Xue also didn’t dare to retort. She sat stiffly on the floor with both her hands raised upwards. Even as she bit on her lower lip, while her eyes were swirling with tears, she did not say a word and just let Su Qing punish her!
Yun Xuan Zhi saw Su Qing like that and suddenly creased his eyebrows.
Su Qing was clearly doing this to let him cool his temper!
But how can he just let it go?
Even putting aside who had schemed against whom in this matter, Captain Liu’s earlier report was enough to make Yun Xuan Zhi blow up in anger!
That Zhao Ming was the distant relative of a butler from Su Qing’s maternal family, having just become a scholar after passing the Autumn Exam last year. Yun Xuan Zhi absolutely did not expect that Su Qing could still be so muddled, bringing out the strife in the rear gardens to the front yard. Isn’t this clearly telling the people that he, Yun Xiang, could not govern his family well?
And, by finding that scholar to ruin Yun Qian Meng’s reputation, when the time comes, no matter how unwilling, he would still have no choice but to have Yun Qian Meng get married off to Zhao Ming. Without a doubt, this move of Su Qing’s would break off an opportunity for Yun Xuan Zhi to entice influential bigwigs!
Coming to this conclusion, Yun Xuan Zhi suddenly stepped forward. Lifting his hands, he gave Su Qing a big slap, sending her staggering until she nearly fell onto the floor!
Wang mama saw this and paled in horror. She immediately ran over and supported Su Qing’s tottering body, then spoke in tears, “xiangye, if you want to hit or scold, please do it to nubi! yiniang is still pregnant. She was already angry just now, how can she withstand your slap?”
Yun Ruo Xue also didn’t expect Yun Xuan Zhi to physically hit Su Qing. Now seeing Yun Xuan Zhi’s furious expression, his eyes fierce and severe, her body turned limp in fear. She timidly shuffled backwards, afraid that Yun Xuan Zhi would take out his anger on her!
Yet Yun Xuan Zhi, after Wang mama’s reminder, finally recalled that Su Qing was a pregnant woman. He couldn’t help but turn to look, and only saw Su Qing leaning her entire body within Wang mama’s chest. Both her hands were clutched around her right cheek while tears swirled in her eyes. Her complexion paled as a trace of blood had flowed out from the corner of her mouth!
With merely a glance, Yun Xuan Zhi knew that he had been too heavy-handed. But Su Qing had really made a mistake, causing Yun Xuan Zhi to momentarily refuse to oblige. Still, the anger in his heart had mostly dissipated. He only made a dry cough before he shifted his glance over to Yun Ruo Xue who was silently holding her head in her hands and spoke coldly, “Luckily that Zhao Ming is already dead. Otherwise, you tell me, should ben xiang let Ruo Xue marry over or not?”
Hearing this, the few of them in the room all trembled, but felt relieved at the same time!
Yun Xuan Zhi knew what they were thinking at the moment. Did they really believe that everything would be fine as long as he didn’t look into it further? They couldn’t have forgotten about Yuan Qing Zhou already!
After a slight sigh, Yun Xuan Zhi continued, “Ruo Xue, you are punished to kneel at the ancestral hall. You won’t be allowed to come out until you’ve kneeled for three whole months! Qing’er, the girls’ futures will be decided by mother, you can restfully take care of the fetus!”
Finishing, Yun Xuan Zhi quickly glimpsed at Su Qing one more time. Seeing her bite her lower lip while resisting her tears, the anger in his heart immediately vanished. But he knew that if he didn’t give them some punishment this time, the backyard of the xiangfu would become a mess. He only hardened his heart and turned away, leaving Feng He Yuan with large strides!
As soon as the door curtains in front were let down, the tears in Su Qing’s eyes disappeared without a trace. She only stood up from within Wang mama’s bosom, then helped Yun Ruo Xue up. She tenderly grasped both of Yun Ruo Xue’s hands, then received some White Jade pain relieving ointment and carefully helped her daughter apply it to her palms!
“Mom, I don’t want to go to the ancestral hall!” Yun Ruo Xue knew that Su Qing had just pretended to be desperate. Even though her daddy was still angry, he had already forgiven them. Hence, she started to act spoiled again, grumbling and refusing to go to the ancestral hall!
Su Qing inwardly knew that Yun Xuan Zhi had forgiven her again this time. But the last few words before he left had carried a deeper meaning, causing her to feel a crisis for the first time. Hearing Yun Ruo Xue kick up a fuss at this moment, her expression momentarily sank before she coldly replied, “You must go even if you don’t want to! If you want to get married to Yuan Qing Zhou, don’t hesitate to make noise! When the time comes, even mom can’t help you anymore!”
Yun Ruo Xue saw that Su Qing was venting her anger on herself, and immediately felt bitterness bubble up in her heart. After glaring at Su Qing’s stomach with a dangerous gaze for quite a long moment, she made a grim smile and pulled her hands away from Su Qing’s grasp, peculiarly saying, “Don’t think that I don’t know that you’ve placed all your hopes on that piece of flesh in your tummy. I won’t let you two be conceited!”
As she finished, Yun Ruo Xue abruptly stood up and left, letting the door curtains thrash noisily……
“Wang mama, you go and look after her; personally send her to the ancestral hall!” Su Qing only felt like she had a headache. Especially when she saw that half of her face was swollen in the bronze mirror, she felt even more wronged. However, if she did not give in for the time being, the ones who would suffer later would still be her and her daughter!
When Yun Qian Meng returned to Qi Luo Yuan, Shui’er and Bing’er came forward and gave an account of the situation within the courtyard over the last few days. Seeing that there hadn’t been any major events, she let them prepare some hot water, planning to take a bath!
As the dense steam spiraled upwards behind the screens, the entire room was shrouded with a dense mist. Yun Qian Meng got out of her clothing and let down her hair before entering the juniper bath tub. Closing her eyes as she submerged herself in the hot water, she unfolded and released all her tension!
About fifteen minutes later, a knock was heard from the wooden door to the warm room. Mi mama’s voice sounded, “xiaojie, nubi has returned!”
Hearing this, Yun Qian Meng gradually opened her eyes. Within the curling mist, her black eyes were as brilliant as stars. Soon after, the sound of hot water splashing was heard. Yun Qian Meng wiped away the droplets of water on her body and put on her inner clothes. Covering herself with a patterned orange short jacket inlaid with silver borders, she stepped out of the screen and lightly said, “Come in!”
Mi mama immediately brought Shui’er and the others inside. Letting them clean the room, she took a dry cloth and carefully helped Yun Qian Meng dry her hair. Only when the two of them were left, she finally whispered by Yun Qian Meng’s ear, “xiaojie, nubi has already made the appropriate arrangements!”
Yun Qian Meng nodded slightly and softly said, “shenniang once told me that zumu likes to eat the jade emerald mung bean cakes from Tian Fu Lou in the capital. But it’s already late today. Let Liu yiniang prepare the carriage, tomorrow, I will personally go out!”
Mi mama understood and immediately complied. Still, her heart was somewhat worried. She didn’t know how the young miss would react when she saw that person tomorrow!