Chapter 45 Chapter 45 I never thought of being your concubine...

There were many noble ladies nearby who were watching the show and became even more interested after hearing what she said, but they did not dare to agree with her because of the county lady. When the gods fight, the ones who suffer are the little ghosts.

The county lady also frowned. She had always disliked the Yin Wang family and had tried every means to prevent Xue Ningzhen from entering the family. She was right. They were a bunch of bad people.

Xue had seen Jin Yao before in the mansion and was well aware of her identity. Her adopted son married a stupid wife, so the county lady immediately planned to rescue him.

Unexpectedly, Jinyao blushed. "Miss Xue, why do you say that? Although I eat a lot, it's not to this extent. I am indeed different from ordinary women, but health is still the first priority, right?"

She was good-looking and spoke softly. She did not get angry when Xue Ningzhen offended her, but instead joked with her in a friendly manner, which gave everyone a glimpse into her temperament.

Everyone laughed good-naturedly.

Xue Ningzhen's brows furrowed slightly. This little girl was so timid the last time they met, but this time she reacted so quickly to what he said.

The county lady breathed a sigh of relief and her expression became much better.

This Xue family is really not a good person. When they met, one said that she was not worthy of him in terms of qualities, and the other found fault with him by saying that he was fat. Such a tolerant heart will surely become a joke today.

Xue Ningzhen said with a forced expression, "Oh, please forgive my poor eyesight, Madam."

After everyone dispersed, the county lady glanced at her and said, "Don't run around. Follow me."

"I understand, mother." Jin Yao hurriedly followed, and the Duke's wife also accompanied her.

She was not good at socializing and was afraid of saying the wrong thing, so she just followed the county lady with a stern face the whole time, which made her look quite dignified.

Fortunately, the county lady was in charge, and He Anting's identity was there, so apart from Princess Yin's sisters, no one else was ignorant of him.

Jinyao nestled beside the county lady, occasionally pinching a few pieces of cake and drinking a cup of tea, hoping that the banquet would end quickly.

Soon she rubbed her belly, hesitated for a long time and said to the county lady beside her: "Mother, I will be back soon."

The county lady nodded, and Jinyao and Yunqiao got up. On the way, they took a maid and asked for directions to the guesthouse. After finally solving the problem, they couldn't find the way back to the banquet.

Looking at the path that looked like a maze, Jinyao felt dizzy.

It's over. How long will it take her to get there? If the county lord asks her about it and she says she's lost, she will definitely be laughed at and ridiculed.

It would be nice if a maid came.

The master and servant were looking forward to it and waiting eagerly. Perhaps all the maids had gone to the banquet to serve, and a quarter of an hour passed without seeing anyone.

Jinyao walked out along a corridor with her skirt lifted. When she turned a corner, she almost bumped into someone. She steadied herself and looked up to apologize: "Yes..."

She turned around and ran away without finishing her apology.

Ye Yunzheng tried to grab her hand but failed, so he chased after her with big strides.

Yun Qiao supported Jin Yao and said, "Madam, don't run, don't run. Be careful of the child."

Jinyao turned around and looked at the figure so close: "You, don't chase me."

Ye Yunzheng paused: "You ran away first."

Jin Yao said vigilantly: "Why are you chasing me when I ran away? I'm warning you, if you dare to do anything, He Anting will not let you go."

Ye Yunzheng looked at her, feeling no bitterness in his heart, only anger. He lost his title, was demoted and ended up in this situation today, all because of her.

"Jinyao, you betrayed me first."

Jin Yao paused and pinched the hem of her skirt tightly: "Then, can I apologize to you?" she stammered.

Apologize? Ye Yunzheng thought she was still ridiculously naive: "Can an apology solve the problem?"

He accused her word by word, and the frustration he had been feeling for these days seemed to have found an outlet. He accused her of betrayal and ingratitude, of his own experience, and of why He Anting could do whatever he wanted. All of this was simply abominable.

Jinyao was stunned by the accusations.

Although Ye Yunzheng had said these words to her, she was only in disbelief and sadness at that time, but today she was more unhappy.

"I have never thought of being your concubine. Do you think being your concubine is something I'd love to have? Do you think being a concubine is a good thing?" She lowered her voice and said unhappily.

She understood. Ye Yunzheng was probably blaming her for changing her mind so quickly, so she should rather die than surrender and remain loyal to him. What a joke.

"If you hadn't... concealed it, how could the county lady have given you a concubine? I wouldn't have been forced to be your concubine. Lord Ye, wake up. I never thought of being your concubine. I was forced into it. It's been so long. Let's move on. If you have any dissatisfaction, go find He Anting, don't come to me. I can't solve your worldly anger."

After she finished mumbling, she turned and left.

Ye Yunzheng stared at her back in a daze, feeling like a clown.

Impossible, Ye Yunzheng didn't believe it.

Jin Yao's action completely cut off his wild thoughts. It was really strange. She was not his wife, and there was not even any document to take her as a concubine. Why should he care so much?

Jin Yao lowered her head and walked quickly towards the banquet. She didn't know how long she had walked before she met a maid. Yun Qiao quickly asked for directions and finally found the way back.

The county lady glanced at her and said, "Why are you so slow?"

"The mansion is quite big, so we had to go around it twice more." She said obediently.

The county lady said nothing after hearing this.

…

In the men's section of the front yard, He Anting was unusually worried, but he didn't show it. He called Qing Wu over and whispered, "Go ask Yun Qiao about the Madam's condition."

Qingwu nodded: "Yes."

Qi Yue filled his glass with wine and said with a half-smile: "Uncle, why are you so uneasy today?"

They both thought the men outside were too noisy, so to avoid the constant stream of flatterers, they hid in a side hall. He Anting smiled faintly, not trying to hide it: "My wife is timid, so I just worry about her more."

Qi Yue was curious when he heard about this: "Uncle, is my sister-in-law the "maid" I met at the uncle's house, or the kite-flying girl at the palace?"

He Anting nodded and drank his tea calmly.

Qi Yue slapped his thigh and became even more curious. He still remembered how angry He Anting was at that time. His little uncle was really shocking.

"The floods in the south have gradually subsided since the scorching summer. Earlier, my uncle was assassinated in Beicheng, and my father spent many days investigating the case. Those refugees were all tea farmers in the south. I don't know where they heard that the tea tax had increased, but it's several times higher than before."

He Anting was not surprised to hear this answer. How come Yaoyao was abducted just when he was poisoned? It must be that Ye Yunzheng was secretly colluding with King Yin, and the refugees were instigated by King Yin to carry out the assassination.

"Evidence is hard to find. Even if the emperor knew, it would be difficult to do anything to him. Besides, many of the late emperor's trusted ministers are on King Yin's side."

He Anting found himself in a rare dilemma, facing a prince who seemed easygoing and non-confrontational, and a younger brother who had no real power and seemed willing to give in.

His eyes flickered: "Then tell him to go back to his fiefdom."

Qi Yue frowned and said, "Uncle, the late emperor's will ordered that Prince Yin Yin does not need to return to his fiefdom, but can stay in Bianjing for a long time to accompany the Empress Dowager."

The current empress dowager is not the emperor's biological mother, but the second wife of the late emperor. She lives in seclusion in Changning Palace, eats vegetarian food and worships Buddha, and does not compete with the world, but she dotes on King Yin the most.

"Unless he has committed something serious, but King Yin has always been cautious and cunning. Uncle has fought him many times but has never been able to find any evidence against him."

He Anting tapped the table with his fingertips: "If there is nothing wrong, then find one. If you want him to die, he will die."

…

After Jin Yao returned to the banquet, she realized that since Ye Yunzheng had come, the women from the Lingyun Marquis's Mansion should be there too. Sure enough, when she met Gu's sharp gaze, her heart skipped a beat.

"Mrs. Gu." She bowed slightly and said awkwardly.

Gu was followed by He, all of whom were old acquaintances. So many eyes were staring at Jin Yao, and she was afraid that the two of them would attack her, so she couldn't help but sweat.

Gu smiled as usual: "Mrs. He."

He's expression was unnatural, but because there were so many people around, she still muttered awkwardly: "Sister-in-law."

Jin Yao agreed to the two of them and felt relieved.

Jinyao sat for more than an hour, and the banquet was finally over. Her back and waist ached from sitting so much that she was about to doze off. What impressed her most was that the county lady remained seated motionless for a long time, and her every move was still dignified and graceful.

She flattered him gently, "Mother is so amazing. She can sit so dignified and noble for so long. I admire her so much."

The county lady glanced at her sideways and smiled complacently: "You come from a small family, and you have learned and done some things. You will eventually become like this in the future."

Jinyao agreed very much: "Mother, you are absolutely right. I have learned a lot from you."

Well, her adopted son only knows how to talk back, but this stupid wife is quite obedient. Small families also have their advantages and are easier to control.

He Anting stood quietly in front of the mansion gate. His brows relaxed when he saw his wife come out. Jin Yao naturally saw him as well, but the county lord and the duke's wife were still talking slowly in front, so she didn't want to pass them by, so she smiled at him.

He Qingyu saw the interaction between the two and felt aggrieved.

On the way back home, He Anting asked her what happened at the banquet. Jin Yao took out the oil-paper bag she had hidden in the carriage and said, "Everything about the banquet was good, but there were too few things and I couldn't eat them properly."

Just after taking two bites, someone came to talk to her. In order to avoid spitting out the snack crumbs while talking, Jinyao didn't dare to eat anymore.

"Are you hungry?" He Anting pinched her ear and asked. Jin Yao nodded and told her what happened while eating.

But she paused subtly in the middle and did not confess her encounter with Ye Yunzheng.

Her intuition told her that He Anting would be unhappy.

It's not a big deal, so why add to his unhappiness?

But little did they know that Yun Qiao had already reported the matter to Qing Wu, who naturally passed it on to He Anting.

"That's all?" He Anting stared at her deeply, his eyes making people feel a little creepy.

Jinyao felt a tingling sensation on her scalp, and she felt that there was something else behind his words.

"There's nothing else...right?" Jin Yao looked at him cautiously.

He Anting touched the back of her head: "Yaoyao is dishonest."

Jinyao's heart skipped a beat, the snack got stuck in her throat, and there were some residues on her fair lips, making her look dazed.

She was still shocked, wondering how He Anting could say such a thing.

"I...I, ah, I remember now." Jin Yao clumsily realized something, "Husband, guess who I met?"

He Anting watched her act quietly: "Ye Yunzheng."

Why didn't it break out so quickly according to common sense? Jin Yao said embarrassedly: "Yes, yes, my husband is very smart."

He Anting sneered: "Not as smart as Yaoyao. If I don't ask, Yaoyao will probably hide it from me. What's the matter? Are you feeling guilty after seeing your old lover?"

Jin Yao widened her eyes, feeling so wronged: "What old lover? Why do you say that? He is your brother-in-law." She corrected him. These words really made her feel uncomfortable. She didn't like complicated relationships. Ye Yunzheng just wanted her to stay away and never meet again.

He Anting also realized that something was wrong, but he couldn't lose face, so he had to keep a straight face.

"It's nothing, just a quarrel."

He Anting was very surprised. She would quarrel with others? But he didn't want to let some trivial people create more barriers between them.

He placed his palm on her waist, asking her to lean closer: "Yaoyao, you are really brave now."

Jinyao pouted and snorted when she heard that.

"There will be a happy event at the Lingyun Marquis's mansion in two days. If you don't want to go, you don't have to." He said softly, leaning against her cheek.

He Anting had superior eyebrows, deep eye sockets, and a high nose bridge. The feeling of his eyebrows pressing against the soft flesh of her cheek reminded her of the feeling of being stuck in a swamp within that delicate bud.

Her cheeks inevitably turned red, and the redness quickly spread throughout her body.

"Oh...I see."

"Why are you blushing?" He Anting noticed her abnormality and asked curiously.

"Am I blushing? No." Jin Yao touched her face and pretended to be innocent.

He Anting had no intention of exposing it and remained silent.

Before the happy event came to the Lingyun Marquis' Mansion, an accident happened first. The new prince of the Marquis' Mansion was attacked by rumors.

It was said that someone went to the new bride's house to inform on her that Ye Yunheng had a concubine whom he doted on so much that he kept her in a golden house. Even Madam Gu had never seen her. He was just waiting for the new bride to marry him and make the concubine his equal wife. He also said that she was pregnant.

The bride also came from a prominent family, the Yang family, a family of scholars. Her grandfather had served as the Grand Tutor of the Imperial Academy and was a great scholar of the time.

After this incident, the Yang family immediately came to cancel the engagement and ask for an explanation.

"Lord, I really can't leave that girl with me." Ye Yunheng complained bitterly, "I've already lost my wife. This marriage was so hard to come by."

"I told you to keep a low profile and be careful, how come the Yang family found out and spread such disgusting rumors?" He Anting scolded.

Ye Yunheng had a lot of grievances. While being scolded, he glanced at the account book on He Anting's desk.

He Anting also thought seriously. He had done it to avoid trouble for himself, but now that he was in trouble, he naturally couldn't ignore it.

Qing Wu walked in: "Master, the Yang family came in and said that if the Ruo Bo Mansion sold someone on the spot, they would pretend nothing happened."

Ye Yunheng hesitated. That person was an official. "Lord, what should we do now? We can't offend both sides."

Jin Yao was fiddling with the Nine Rings and raised her head when she heard this: "Why not hide the person or send him away." She listened carefully and He Anting did not avoid her. The more she listened, the more itchy she became.

It sounds like this identity is something that cannot be revealed.

Ye Yunheng sighed: "The Yang family has come to our door, how can we send them away?"

Upon hearing this, Jin Yao said timidly, "The He Mansion is connected to the Bo Mansion. We can take the girl over and hide her there so that no one can find her."

Ye Yunheng and He Anting looked at each other with earnestness in their eyes. He had been turning these words over and over in his mouth for several times but he just didn't have the courage to say them out loud. Now, his sister-in-law said them out loud.

He Anting fell into deep thought. He naturally understood what Ye Yunheng meant, but he had always been thinking about his wife. He was afraid that the arrival of this woman would cause gossip and be used by someone with ulterior motives.

"My dear sister-in-law, you are kind-hearted. This girl's husband is unable to take her away for the time being, and she cannot show up in public. If possible, you could go to visit her in person and ask her to be your maid in the name of yours."

Jin Yao felt even more pity for the girl after hearing this. The girl sounded rather pitiful, being kicked around like a ball.

"Husband, is it okay?" Jin Yao looked at him eagerly, and subconsciously asked him something.

He Anting suddenly had other considerations. If Li's identity was destined to be extraordinary, then Yaoyao would be the noble person who led her to the path of supreme honor.

"Of course." He Anting smiled slightly.