Turnaround (repair)
Yao Suran's words were extremely sarcastic, causing Madam Yang to frown. She had been observing for a long time, and had witnessed firsthand the Yao sisters' ability to "become famous" in Mujing.
The Yang family's ancestors were important ministers who helped found the country. Their family motto has always been to be humble and respectful, and to cultivate virtue through caution. They had never seen such an arrogant and domineering noble family before, and they couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
She spoke in a cold voice:
"While a woman's chastity has always been precious, women are inherently weaker than men and are always the ones who suffer the most. How can Miss Yao, being a woman herself, speak so sarcastically to someone who has been wronged?"
Zhu Ling fought back tears, her heart filled with resentment. This Yao Suran was going too far!
She was standing not far from Yao Sha, and only saw that after the ropes binding Yao Sha were cut, he was still flushed and muttering to himself, which did look rather abnormal.
Zhu Ling was intelligent, and she recalled that she had hurriedly noticed that person's face among the guests early in the morning. He was clearly full of energy, which made her feel even stranger... No matter how she thought about it, it seemed very strange.
Yao Su'an had no time to pay attention to the quarrel. She ordered her maid to help Yao Sha up and then busied herself wiping the bloodstains from her beloved younger brother with heartache.
However, he could vaguely see that his younger brother's body was burning hot, his eyes were closed, and he seemed to be muttering something in a low voice.
Filled with worry, Yao Su'an couldn't help but move closer. However, she was startled by Yao Sha's sudden head and his hot breath!
What's going on?
Before she could think it through, she heard Zhu Ling's surprised voice from not far away.
"...Is Young Master Yao murmuring 'sister'?"
Yao Suran rolled her eyes at Zhu Ling, and said dismissively:
“Our little brother has suffered such a great injustice, so naturally he should call her sister. Should he call her you?”
Yang was not far from Yao Sha. Hearing Zhu Ling say this, she also listened carefully and indeed vaguely heard Yao Sha calling "sister" in a low voice. There were other voices mixed in, which seemed to be calling "Su Ran".
She noticed Yao Sha's strange behavior as soon as she entered the room, but at the time everyone was arguing and she was half focused on Lin Xu, who looked wronged behind the screen, so she only came to her senses then.
Madam Yang glanced quickly at Yao Sha, who was being supported by two maids but was still slumped on the ground, delirious.
His face was flushed, and his forehead was covered in sweat. Looking down, it was clear that something was very wrong!
Being a woman of many experiences, she immediately understood, and then sneered, furious:
"Someone, quickly fetch a basin of cold water! Young Master Yao is not injured and unconscious, he is clearly aroused and his body is burning hot! I'm afraid only by splashing some cold water on his face can he be fully awakened."
A fleeting look of astonishment crossed Yao Su'an's face. She turned to look at her younger brother, but Yao Sha grabbed her wrist.
But Yao Sha was now completely unrestrained, and there was no trace of his former self. Although his eyes were still half closed, he was clenching his hands tightly, softly calling out "Su Ran..." and constantly touching other parts of himself!
She immediately pushed him away, stood up in a panic, filled with fear and not knowing why. Even if they were siblings, this was far too inappropriate!
But then he heard Zhou Quan beside him give a cold laugh:
"If this young master Yao is truly moved by love, why is he calling out his own sister's name? Could it be...?"
Zhou Qi and Zhou Quan were rough men who grew up in Hecheng and had been on the battlefield since childhood, so they didn't hold back when they spoke.
Zhou Qi glanced down at Yao Sha, couldn't help but spit, and said with disgust, "What a scoundrel! He even covets his own blood relatives."
Seeing that what was originally a matter of indecent behavior had suddenly escalated into a bizarre situation involving the extermination of a family, the expressions of those present became even more awkward.
Despite Yao Sha's already infamous reputation in Mujing, he still has his own sister's past...?
That would be far too contrary to ethical norms and principles.
This matter has clearly become much more serious.
Yao Suran stood aside, initially enjoying the show, but now her face flushed red and then turned pale, her mind going completely blank.
She never imagined things would turn out this way! She just stared blankly at her younger brother, who was clearly under the influence of aphrodisiacs, yet was unmistakably calling out her name...
How could this be? How could this be! She clearly handed over the clothes herself. Shouldn't Lin Xu be the one who's been drugged and is now behaving so disgracefully?!
Gao Youyi opened her mouth in shock, then suddenly realized what was happening.
She glanced at the few pieces of clothing that had been hanging on the plain silk screen, and after a moment she was shocked. She immediately picked them up and held them in her hand, examining them carefully before exclaiming in surprise:
"These clothes! The patterns on these clothes... are so similar to Miss Yao's clothes!"
In her hand was the clothes Lin Xu should have changed into as usual; it was a light peach-colored silk shirt with intricate and exquisite gold-woven cloud patterns embroidered on it.
Not far away, Yao Suran stood there, her graceful figure accentuated by her long, pink and gold brocade dress.
Indeed, they were almost identical.
Zhu Ling also suddenly realized:
"I see! My young lady and Miss Yao are similar in build, and they are close friends at school. Even just looking at their backs, they are very similar. If one doesn't look closely, one would definitely not be able to tell them apart! So, Young Master Yao, you just mistook them for each other..."
Enraged, Yao Suran pointed her jade-like finger directly at Zhu Ling and Gao Youyi. Her whole body trembled with anger, but she couldn't utter a word, only roaring:
"Nonsense!"
The pearl and jade mask covering her face shook off with the violent trembling.
The clear, cool female voice from behind the screen rang out again.
“I heard Young Master Yao calling out that name repeatedly, and I realized that he must have mistaken me for someone else. The Lin Mansion is a winding and secluded place, and the East Room is hidden behind the winding corridors. Young Master Yao is, after all, visiting the Lin Mansion for the first time, and as a servant, he must go to the East Room to wait. Presumably, it was at that time that Young Master Yao had some… unspeakable thoughts, which is why he mistook my figure for his own sister… I knew that this matter was no small thing, so I tried my best to wake Young Master Yao up… Fortunately, everyone arrived in time. Although Young Master Yao was confused for a moment, he did not have time to hurt me in the slightest.”
That light and gentle voice, which rang out at this moment, was no different from a ghostly voice in Yao Suran's mind.
How could this be! She actually fell into Lin Xu's trap!
Yao Suran was furious and rushed toward the screen, but after only a few steps, Zhou Quan blocked her way.
Just then, two maids who had been instructed by Madam Yang returned from the backyard with a full bucket of ice water. With a glance from Madam Yang, the two maids poured the entire bucket over Yao Sha without saying a word.
How dare they bully our young lady! They have the audacity of a thief!
With a "splash," the water, mixed with ice shards, was icy cold, and Yao Sha immediately sobered up, getting soaked to the bone.
He finally opened his eyes amidst the chaos, only to see that everyone had different expressions, and his two older sisters were both angry, but he had no idea what they meant.
Gao Youyi snorted coldly:
"Today was supposed to be a joyous and festive day, but unexpectedly such an accident occurred. Fortunately, Xu'er protected herself well and was unharmed. Otherwise, just the fact that this coming-of-age ceremony was disturbed today would have damaged the reputation of the entire Duke's Mansion! I wonder what would happen if this matter reached the ears of Old Master Yao?"
Seeing the situation escalating, Yao Su'an realized it had become a scandal that had alarmed the entire family and even the whole capital. This Yang woman was no ordinary person; her coordinated actions with Lin Xu, who was hiding behind the screen, were far beyond what Su Ran could handle!
She glared fiercely at her good-for-nothing brother while forcefully suppressing her discomfort, and said coldly in a low voice:
"There's no need for Madam Gao to go to such trouble. My siblings and I have been humiliated in your household today. We will never forget your kind invitation."
After speaking, she winked at the two maids behind her, then strode out of the east room with her head held high.
Yao Sha, having been splashed with ice water, shivered. He noticed the strange atmosphere and the odd stares from everyone, and felt a mixture of confusion and annoyance. Seeing his elder sister stride away, he turned to Yao Suran, about to ask a question, but Yao Suran also gave him a disgusted flick of her sleeve and strode out.
Seeing Yao Sha being half-pushed away by two maids, the farce finally came to an end, and Gao Youyi's worries gradually subsided.
She glanced back at Zhu Ling, whose face was still covered in blood, and couldn't help but gently scold her:
"How could you be so careless? Hurry up and wipe your face clean."
Zhou Weikan, who had been standing at the door, now bowed to Madam Gao and greeted her warmly:
"We haven't yet formally congratulated Madam Gao on her daughter's coming-of-age ceremony today. There are still many guests waiting outside. If Madam Gao has any needs that I can help with, please feel free to ask."
Gao Youyi was not familiar with Zhou Weikan at first, only knowing that his family was prominent and that he was a well-known wealthy merchant in Mujing. Now, however, he had some business dealings with his maternal family and was also quite close to one of his cousins.
She hadn't originally sent an invitation, and didn't know why he had come today. However, seeing his humble and unassuming manner, and his refined and scholarly appearance, she couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill towards him, and quickly greeted him with a smile.
"Young Master Zhou, there's no need for such formalities. As an honored guest, please go to the main hall in the front courtyard to rest. Things are in a mess here right now, so please forgive us if we have not been hospitable enough."
After this ordeal, everyone was exhausted. Seeing that the people who had gathered in the east room had all dispersed, Gao Youyi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Madam Yang gently comforted Lin Xu a few more times, patted Gao Youyi's hand, and then went to the main hall to take charge of the situation.
This whole ordeal has caused quite a stir, and everyone in the main hall must be getting restless. Although Gao Youyi is full of worry, she also feels sorry for her stepdaughter who has suffered so much today, and she can't help but hesitate about whether the coming-of-age ceremony should still go ahead.
Lin Xu, who had been sitting quietly behind the screen for a long time, slowly stood up and took off the thick, fluffy mouse-down blanket she was wearing.
A few strands of hair at his temples were messy and clung to his cheeks with fine beads of sweat, making him look even more desolate.
That once beautiful and refined face was now shrouded in weariness, but her eyes were still full of clarity.
She strolled leisurely to the copper basin placed to the side and slowly washed her hands with clean water. Crimson blood streaks mixed in the water, swirling and undulating, instantly appearing exceptionally grotesque and terrifying.
That was the blood that remained in her palm when she smashed Yao Sha's head.
Lin Xu's lips slowly curved into a smile as she met her stepmother's questioning gaze. Her words were soft and gentle, as if nothing had just happened:
"The coming-of-age ceremony should naturally continue. It's a rare and auspicious time, and it wouldn't be good to delay it for too long."
.
Inside the main hall, the same stringed instrument was played several times, but no one else came out from behind the beaded curtain.
As everyone sat down, they could vaguely hear voices coming from the distant courtyard, but they couldn't make it out clearly. Now, after waiting for a long time, they had already begun to have doubts.
The tea in front of Wen Shangshu had already been refilled several times. He stroked his gray beard and was about to ask a question when he saw that Gao Youyi had returned to the main hall at some point, her makeup still exquisite.
She stood up gracefully, her face as serene and dignified as ever.
"Please have a moment, distinguished guests. We were briefly delayed by a minor incident, but it has now been resolved. Our coming-of-age ceremony will proceed as scheduled."
A guest sitting some distance away, growing impatient, put down his teacup and asked loudly:
"What on earth happened that has been taking so long?"
A hint of hesitation flashed across Gao's face as she pondered how to answer, when she suddenly heard Lin Xu's calm and serene voice beside her.
"My daughter's friend was unable to serve as the officiant at the coming-of-age ceremony due to unforeseen circumstances, which caused some confusion. Fortunately, it is all over now and the ceremony will proceed smoothly."
She had freshened up and changed into a clean and elegant dress. Her jet-black hair was tied up high with a plain jade hairpin, and a light purple sash was simply tied around her waist.
Despite her simple and elegant attire, she looked completely refreshed, making her figure appear even more delicate and graceful.
However, subtle doubts arose from the audience.
"...This congratulator has always been indispensable for the coming-of-age ceremony. Without him, can the ceremony proceed as usual?"
She stood on a straw mat on a high platform, her red lips slightly pursed. Before she could speak, a servant announced loudly from afar:
"His Highness the Third Prince has arrived! Princess Kunrou has arrived!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
