Chapter 20

Yueming was first filled with sorrow, then anger, when Han Yunkai mocked him for his poor academic performance. "Isn't it just a cat? Why are you talking about it like your own son? And it's grown up without a portrait of itself?" If she hadn't remembered that he wasn't married yet, Yueming would have almost asked, "How old is your son?"

Just when Yueming was about to get out of the situation, the third wife rushed in like a gust of wind.

The Third Madam had woken up from her nap and was planning to chat with the Eighth Madam and amuse the Third Young Master for a while, thus killing the afternoon. As she was sitting in front of the mirror inserting her hairpins, her personal maid, Man'e, came in and whispered in her ear, "Miss Lan is drinking tea in the Third Madam's room now!"

The Third Lady slammed her hairpin onto the dressing table, her chest heaving with rage. She disliked both father and daughter, and this little girl from the Lan family had the audacity to cling to her. She was truly impatient with her good life. Without even bothering to finish dressing, she stood up and headed for the Third Lady's room. Man'e quickly followed.

Yun Kai saw the Third Madam come in and stood up to greet her: "Hello, Third Madam." The Third Madam was in no mood to pay attention to him. She just replied casually and stared at Yue Ming.

Seeing Third Madam's expression, Yuyan knew things were going to get bad, and she quickly explained, "Miss Lan wants to make some clothes, but she doesn't know which tailor is good at it. We asked Second Brother to come over and give us some advice!"

The Third Wife sneered inwardly. What's the point of you women asking a man to help with your dressmaking? We have plenty of embroiderers and weavers in this mansion, so why bother asking the Second Young Master to come over? Can he cut cloth or even hold a needle? This girl is truly shrewd, actually playing both sides of the bargain. Is she planning to seduce the Second Young Master if the older one can't marry the Third Young Lady?

Yueming also stood up and said to the Third Madam, "Third Madam, you're feeling better now. I heard from the Third Miss that you've been unwell recently. I have some high-quality American ginseng sliced ​​up. I'll have Ye Nan bring it to you later. It's very good to eat in your mouth every day. It replenishes your energy without causing dryness or heat."

The Third Wife pinched her handkerchief and said sarcastically, "How could I be so lucky as to eat American ginseng? Girls from our family have to follow the rules. You eat what kind of food you deserve and wear what kind of clothes you deserve. The rules are there. You can't just do whatever you want."

Yueming felt puzzled. What did a little American ginseng have to do with one's status? This thing could be bought at a pharmacy if one had money. Could it be that this chieftain's mansion was so stingy that it wouldn't even give the American ginseng to his concubine?

Yunkai and Yuyan knew what the Third Madam meant, but they knew her temper very well and were afraid that she would say something even more unpleasant, so they kept silent.

The Third Madam looked at Yueming's bewildered face and sneered, "There's no point in playing dumb about some things. When you're a guest, you should be aware of your place. If the food doesn't suit you today and the clothes don't fit you tomorrow, you think you're in your own home. It's fine if you order the servants around, but you're actually ordering the young masters and young ladies around. Don't you think you have the nerve to do that? This person should understand their own status and stop coveting things that don't belong to them. If you want to climb to the top overnight, don't be afraid of falling to your death."

Yun Kai couldn't bear to listen any longer and shouted, "Third Madam."

Yueming was trembling with anger. Who wouldn't put on a polite front during social gatherings? Even if they truly disliked someone, they'd still be polite in their words. She'd seen the soft-spoken, treacherous people of high status, but she'd never seen someone as ruthless as the Third Wife, who cut both ways. If she'd offended her before, it would have been fine, but to have been treated like this for no reason was a suffocating feeling. Living under someone else's roof, she couldn't swallow it, and it made her eyes red.

He wanted to speak calmly, but his heart was in turmoil. Yueming said with a wooden face, "I don't know where I was impolite. Could you please teach me this, Madam?"

The Third Madam was about to speak when Yun Kai interrupted her: "Third Madam, I'm afraid you forgot what Madam told you before she left."

She was still afraid when the third wife of Yin Tai was mentioned, but she was still upset and said with a pout, "There is a person who is not related to me living in the mansion. I just mentioned it out of curiosity to prevent outsiders from thinking that there is no strict separation between men and women in the chieftain's mansion, and that anyone dares to approach the young master without any shame, hoping to turn into a phoenix."

Yueming couldn't stand listening to this anymore and rushed out the door with red eyes. Seeing this, Han Yunkai hurriedly chased after her.

Watching the beaded curtain sway violently, Yuyan slumped in her chair. She knew the Third Madam had gotten into serious trouble. She wasn't afraid of Yueming telling Yintai; at most, she'd get a scolding. But if she told Lan Yingde, his father wouldn't spare her mother, considering Lan Yingde's reputation.

Looking at the Third Madam, who looked like she hadn't finished scolding him, Yuyan wiped her tears with a handkerchief and said angrily, "What on earth is wrong with you? Lan Yingde is really useful to my father. Why are you provoking her?"

Her daughter, who was usually so weak and timid that she would only sulk behind closed doors after being scolded, actually scolded her today. The Third Wife felt that Yueming, the unruly girl, had led her astray. She turned around and scolded, "No matter how useful he is, he is still a servant. What are you afraid of? Are you defending his daughter like this because you have ulterior motives?"

Yuyan cried, "No, no, I've told you a hundred times, no. Why don't you believe it?"

The Third Wife's eyes widened: "Why would you still be associating with his little bastard if you weren't around?"

"Are you pretending to be confused or are you really confused? Don't you know how much benefit there is in being on good terms with her? How much face do you think my mother and I have in the mansion? Yunkai and my eldest sister were both born to the mistress, and everyone in the mansion only respects them. My third brother is my father's son, who came in his old age and loves him the most. That Yan married well. Only I was taken home as a widow. It's a good thing that my father and the mistress are willing to make plans for me. Yueming is a simple-minded child. If I get along well with her, I'm helping Yin Tai and my father. At least it will let my father know that I, a daughter, am useful. But you have caused chaos in the entire mansion and made everyone laugh at you."

Yuyan almost pointed at the Third Wife's nose and said: The new generation replaces the old one, you have fallen out of favor long ago, and your daughter has become a widow before she has brought any benefits to the family. You should be happy that you can still have a meal in this family. Are you trying to destroy this last bit of your dignity?

The Third Wife recalled her past glory as a favored woman, then looked at the current chieftain, whose attention was completely focused on those charming young women, and whose spirits were so high that he even showed signs of taking in new women. Beauty faded, and love faded. Yin Tai was the principal wife. Even if she lost the chieftain's favor, she still had his respect, the dignity of a principal wife, and her son would one day be the master of Yun Xiang. It's said that women rely on men when they are young and on their sons when they are old. Yin Tai relied on both. Then she looked at herself. Although the servants respectfully addressed her as the Third Wife, she was actually just a concubine.

Although she was hurt by her daughter's words, the Third Wife still said stubbornly, "Even if being on good terms with her is a thousand good things, do you still remember that you are the honorable Miss Xiangkan? You have taken care of her food, clothing, housing and transportation. Aren't you afraid that the servants will laugh at you?"

Yuyan sneered, "Do you really think I have that ability? The servants in the mansion have become so smart that they don't even need me to tell them what to do. They are all vying to curry favor with them! You spend all day chatting in the mansion. Why don't you take the time to check which way the wind is blowing?"

Her words pierced the Third Wife's lungs again: "What a bunch of villains! The respectable master of the mansion doesn't take them seriously, but they go to curry favor with a little bastard. Just wait and see how I deal with them."

Seeing that the Third Madam hadn't taken a single word to heart after all her conversation, Yuyan knew she couldn't be relied upon. She could only wait until later to ask how Yun Kai and Yue Ming were doing. She didn't need to ask, knowing that anyone would be angry after being scolded so harshly for no reason.

She argued fiercely with the Third Madam, but in reality, she really liked Yueming and wanted to get along with her. But after the Third Madam's outburst today, Yueming probably didn't want to pay any attention to her.

Over there, Yunkai chased Yueming out, but disappeared as he turned a corner on the corridor. The little girl named Ye Nan ran even slower than him, and now she ran over breathlessly. Not finding Yueming, she looked at him pitifully.

The young lady has been lost, and this is called personal service? Yun Kai was furious and shouted at her, "Why are you daydreaming? Go and call someone to help look for her!"

Ye Nan retreated repeatedly at the yelling, not daring to delay and turning to look for someone. Yun Kai walked along the corridor, searching for a while but finding no one. He decided to check Yue Ming's room, wondering if she had run back. Just as he was about to turn around, he heard soft sobbing nearby. He stopped to listen, realizing the sound came from behind the flowers. He stood on tiptoe to look towards the source. Through the flowers, Yue Ming was standing under the tall magnolia tree, hugging the trunk and crying bitterly.

Yunkai breathed a sigh of relief; he had finally found her. Just as he was about to call her, he heard Yueming crying softly, "I want to go home, I want to go home." Her thin shoulders trembled with tears, and she looked so lonely and pitiful.

When she was wronged, she could only cry secretly in a corner, probably because she didn't want others to see her. Yun Kai didn't leave either, but just stayed there quietly, waving to anyone who passed by to take a detour.

Forget it, she has already lost face in front of the Third Madam, and she can’t let the servants laugh at her again!