Chapter 773 Born to Live for Herself
Madame Jingrou’s past was a particularly distressing topic.
Although she spoke calmly as if telling someone else’s story, Lin Mengya still felt terrible when she heard that.
Madame Jingrou’s fate had been written since she was born.
She was supposed to marry her eldest brother and could never live the happy life she wanted. Perhaps that was the most outrageous thing in modern society.
However, Madame Jingrou chose her true love and escaped her predetermined fate, which gave her a strong sense of guilt toward her family.
Lin Mengya had empathy for Madame Jingrou. If Lin Mengya’s mother had not decisively given up her identity and married her father at that time, her mother might not have died an untimely death, but definitely would not have been able to enjoy those joyful years.
Nevertheless, her mother was not as distressed as Madame Jingrou. Her cousins had told her that their father had sought her mother all this time just in order to make sure her mother lived peacefully and happily.
If Madame Jingrou’s family members had also supported her back then, she probably would not have been overwhelmed by her guilt now.
“Madame, you don’t have to be preoccupied by that.” As Lin Mengya said, she gently massaged Madame Jingrou’s calves.
The sedative she put in the rosa multiflora porridge gradually worked.
Madame Jingrou quickly entered a half asleep state.
Coupled with Lin Mengya’s massage, she felt relaxed as if she had gotten the heavy burden off her shoulders.
“A person is supposed to live for himself rather than for his identity or his predetermined fate. Madame, if you didn’t choose to escape your fate, you will live in distress now. A person can only live for a few decades. It’s a waste of life to live out your days in misery,” Lin Mengya said.
Her voice was extremely soft and ethereal with some magic power which made Madame Jingrou involuntarily keep her words in mind and ponder over them over and over again.
Madame Jingrou felt as if there were a seed in her heart and Lin Mengya’s words made it grow up vigorously like spring rain.
Seeing that Madame Jingrou gradually fell asleep, Lin Mengya quietly left the sleeping chamber.
People like Madame generally felt more pressure.
Fortunately, there was simple hypnotherapy involving drugs and massage recorded in the music score for the green stringed instrument.
As long as she could help Madame break her mental barrier, Madame would toughen up soon.
After telling the palace maids not to enter the chamber without being summoned by Madame, Lin Mengya headed for the kitchen with the bowl of the remnant of the rosa multiflora porridge.
As she expected, the gossip about her, which had been spread wildly this morning, was replaced by a new hot topic in the afternoon.
Trying her best to avoid attracting attention, Lin Mengya used her keen hearing to collect a lot of gossip in the kitchen.
In terms of seniority, the High Priest of the Xin Family was Xiaoyu’s uncle.
However, he was not Madame’s biological younger brother, but only the head of a branch of the Xin Family. Given his close relationship with the current head of the Xin Family, Madame’s eldest brother, and his excellent capability, he was exceptionally promoted to the High Priest.
Conventionally, there should be only one High Priest during the same period.
However, as Xin Li was outstanding, he was promoted to the High Priest before he reached adulthood, which put Xin Luan in a slightly awkward position.
Fortunately, Xin Luan was full of craft and cunning. Xin Li was not fully qualified to succeed the High Priest for the time being. Therefore, Xin Luan still held this position and did not have to step down until Xin Li was competent at this position.
In this case, the situation was quite interesting.
Lin Mengya began to think. She had only seen two members of the Xin Family so far.
Needless to say, Madame Jingrou was ravishing with good conduct.
As for Xin Li… how should she describe him? At the mention of him, Lin Mengya felt uncomfortable all over.
She admired young men with delicate features, except for Xin Li who was so vicious.
In any case, the Xin Family was a big obstacle to Xiaoyu’s inheriting the throne.
It was impossible to avoid confronting the Xin Family, but it seemed to be difficult to wipe them out.
Besides, she thought the rule about the Pool of Various Venomous Insects and the chosen witch inexplicably strange.
It seemed that there were some things that could not be rushed. She should handle the business in the imperial palace before taking her time to deal with the other things.
People were bustling about outside, preparing for the visit of those priests.
Meanwhile, the members of the Fengyu Court were exceptionally idle. Instructed by Madame Jingrou, none of them dared to go out at will to bring trouble.
They did need to avoid arousing suspicion when the Empress fell ill.
Therefore, the palace maids in the courtyard were particularly idle.
Getting tired of hearing them gossip, Lin Mengya went quietly back to the side chamber where she lived.
But as soon as she got in, she saw Ningqiu kneeling on the ground tearfully with an aggrieved look.
Xiaoyu was standing in front of her with a frown on his cold face.
“What’s going on between the two kids?”
“Sister, you’re finally back!” Xiaoyu said.
Lin Mengya’s footsteps from the door immediately attracted his attention.
As soon as he turned around, his cold look was replaced by a brilliant smile as gentle as the spring breeze, as if he were not the person who had treated Ningqiu coldly just now.
“Go out for a while. I want to give Ningqiu some instructions,” Lin Mengya dismissed Xiaoyu at once without changing her countenance.
Xiaoyu opened his mouth reluctantly, but could only leave the side chamber obediently.
Watching Xiaoyu leave, Lin Mengya reached out and gently pulled Ningqiu up from the ground.
Then she asked, “What happened? Did he hit or scold you?”
Although Ningqiu was a palace maid in Madame’s palace, Lin Mengya hated men who treated women harshly most in her life.
A man should at least mind his manners even in front of a woman he disliked.
He could treat her coldly, but he’d better not act as harshly as a shrew.
Ningqiu immediately shook her head, blinked her fluid big eyes and said with an aggrieved look, “His Highness didn’t punish me, but just told me that I couldn’t let you do these manual jobs from now on. I also think it’s my fault, so I took the initiative to kneel. His Highness asked me to get up, but I insisted on kneeling. It’s my fault that I didn’t take good care of you.”
Lin Mengya sighed. No matter she was at home or here, her family members seemed to have regarded her as a retard.
Besides, these jobs were not heavy, and she could totally handle them.
Seeing that Ningqiu seemed to be a little alienated from her and respectful to her as before, Lin Mengya could not help but sigh again.
She said, “It’s alright, I’ll let him know. Sorry to make you wronged. Madame is still taking a nap. Go to check on her and make sure she is disturbed by no one.”
Ningqiu nodded deeply at once and trotted all the way out of the side chamber.
She was perfect, except that she always blamed herself for everything, which made her similar to Madame in disposition.
It was no wonder people said like attracted like.
Lin Mengya thought of the maids in her courtyard who were all hard nuts to crack. It seemed that they took after her, an unconventional master.
“Sister, may I come in now?” There came Xiaoyu’s voice.
He poked his head through the door, deliberately acted cutely and looked at her pitifully.
Lin Mengya nodded and had to give up putting on a serious look.
After all, he did nothing wrong. It was her fault that she did not show Xiaoyu her ability in time.
Sitting on a round stool, Lin Mengya stared at Xiaoyu with a faint smile. It was not until she saw Xiaoyu began to roll his eyes and was obviously not sure about her intention that she said after thinking for a moment, “Did you see it clearly?”
Xiaoyu was confused. He glanced at his sister, who was smiling amicably in front of him, and nodded his head in puzzlement.
“I have all my limbs. Although I’m not strong, I’m not a good-for-nothing. Xiaoyu, I know that you mean well, but there are some things that I really want to do by myself. Do you want me to be a good-for-nothing, who is lazy and ignorant of common things, or a normal person, who can at least support herself?” She said.
In fact, Xiaoyu preferred to make a good-for-nothing of Lin Mengya.
However, under Lin Mengya’s burning gaze, he could only choose the second option without any hesitation.
“Great. So I hope you can understand whatever I do from now on. We must stick to the principles of mutual understanding, mutual respect and mutual tolerance in life. You are quite savvy, and I’m very satisfied with that,” she said.
It was obviously a bilateral conversation.
But it was clear that Xiaoyu, who always kept his sister at the front of his mind, would raise no objection.
Even if he did, he would swallow back his opinion and totally forget it as soon as Lin Mengya glanced at him.
Therefore, the conversation between them came to an end in an atmosphere that was amicable and friendly but not lively.
“Oh, yes, why do you come for me? The gossip about our relationship is spread all over the imperial palace. I think we should keep a certain distance in front of outsiders,” Lin Mengya said.
Xiaoyu and Lin Mengya had the same attitude towards this.
He had an aversion to the palace maids who were fond of gossiping all the time.
He thought of the days he had spent in the Liuxin Courtyard where the members of the Liuxin Courtyard gossiped about others while eating sunflower seeds.
But no matter what happened in the mansion, they would keep their mouths shut and not give away any information.
He enjoyed spending time with his sister and was not afraid of any rumors.
But this was their business and had nothing to do with others.
The animated discussions of erroneous rumors were truly annoying.
That was the reason why he sneaked into the side chamber to wait for Lin Mengya instead of acting like a spoiled child in front of her recklessly as usual.
“Pack up and get out of the imperial palace with me later. Uncle Lie has come back from the border. I’ve told him what you said. Uncle Lie said that although he didn’t know much about it, he could tell you everything he knew if it’s related to the major event. I come here today to take you out of the imperial palace,” Xiaoyu said.