Chapter 31 [VIP]
Mi Yao guessed that her words would cause a bloodbath.
So after returning home, she instructed the gatekeeper to keep the gate tightly closed, and when the Zhao family came to see her, she made an excuse to refuse them, without even having to deliver any letters to her.
An Sheng ate some snacks with Xiao Shan and the others, listening to Xiao Shan and Xiao Liang chatter excitedly about their experiences during this short trip. With nothing else to do, she began to tend to the flower branches she had brought back from the plum garden.
Various shapes of bronze bottles were taken out of the warehouse and laid out on the ground.
Mi Yao first selected a few garlic-shaped vases with Xiao Shan and the others and placed them in Ting Song Courtyard. Then she focused on pruning half-meter-long plum branches, matching them with pine and bamboo. After arranging them for a long time, she finally placed the more than ten-pound floral and animal-patterned double-eared appreciation vase in front of the screen wall with satisfaction.
Fearing she might spoil Mi Yao's mood, Yu Xiu went to her room after returning home and asked the maids in the main courtyard to see when Mi Yao would have some free time.
She waited until dark, but then, thinking that her older sister wouldn't want to hear anything troubling before bed, she dragged her feet until the next day before finally standing in front of Mi Yao with dark circles under her eyes.
Yu Xiu said plaintively, "Sister, should we send someone to find my brother-in-law and ask him what to do now?"
Mi Yao had noticed yesterday that Yu Xiu was avoiding her. She didn't know what Yu Xiu was up to at first, but now that she saw Yu Xiu looking so weak and breathless from holding back her words, she understood everything.
"You disappeared for half a day yesterday just thinking about this?"
Yu Xiu did not deny it. She felt that she was not a child, so when she was with Xiao Shan and the others in the plum garden yesterday, her mind was not on the puppet show, but on the movements around Mi Yao.
Hearing that her elder sister was arguing with Zhao Qiniang, she rushed over immediately. But her elder sister was swift and decisive. Before she could even open her mouth, the argument was already over, leaving Zhao Qiniang and the others helplessly stamping their feet in place.
“I think the maidservant fawning over Zhao Qiniang must have been given leverage by her. Sister, have you forgotten what I heard? Zhao Qiniang and her brother have slept with many women. You should have spoken up back then and shifted the blame.”
She didn't expect her older sister to expose Zhao Qiniang's true colors in public, but so be it. Her older sister couldn't help but feel that Zhao Qiniang was too annoying.
The problem is that they didn't tell the whole story and focused all their attention on themselves.
"I think that Lin San Niang looks like she's lost her mind. If you give her a little hint, she'll make a fool of herself."
Her embarrassing moment proved her sister's words true, making it clear to onlookers what Zhao Qiniang had done.
Seeing Shangyu Xiu's serious expression, Mi Yao also began to seriously think about what happened yesterday.
Yes, only now is she beginning to reflect on her impulsive actions of yesterday and consider what to do next.
Upon further reflection, she realized that Yu Xiu's suggestion to find Xiao Chua was a good one.
She asked Yu Xiu to grind ink again, then picked up her brush and wrote a letter to Xiao Chua pleading for help, saying that his woman was about to be persecuted. She put the letter in a bag and handed it to Pu Qing after the ink had dried and the fragrance of plum blossoms had filled the air.
"I must deliver this letter to Xiao Lang as soon as possible so that he can come back and save me."
Upon receiving the letter, Pu Qing looked hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
Yesterday, Mi Yao was very assertive, almost tearing the plum garden apart. After returning home, she was calm and collected, leading him to believe that she knew what was going on and was therefore acting so carefree.
Furthermore, she asked for help, and it's been a whole day since she last sent a message—isn't that too late? What was she doing yesterday?!
Oh, yesterday she was processing the hundreds of pounds of flowers she had cut from the plum garden, elegantly placing decorative vases throughout the mansion.
"I will have someone deliver the letter to the garrison commander as soon as possible, but the garrison commander is busy with official duties, and even if the madam sends an urgent letter, the garrison commander will probably not be able to return soon."
"It's alright, as long as the letter has been delivered."
The gates of the Xiao residence remained tightly shut, waiting for the day when Xiao Chuan would return to resolve the trouble.
Having decided to ignore the trouble she had caused, Mi Yao finished writing the letter and lay back down on the couch, finding a picture book to pass the time.
However, since picture books are read faster than storybooks, Yan Yun's visit coincided with a break when Yan Yun had finished flipping through two picture books and was feeling bored.
Guessing that Yan Yun had come to ask her something, she still had someone open the door and invite her into the main hall where guests were being received.
Donning a thick mink cloak, Mi Yao felt impulsive the moment she saw Yan Yun. She should have continued to feign illness and shouldn't have agreed to see her just because she had a good impression of her.
Yan Yun had the same bluish tinge under her eyes as Yu Xiu, and because her metabolism wasn't as good as Yu Xiu's, her face was more swollen than yesterday.
Compared to her, Mi Yao, who was feigning illness, had a fair and rosy complexion, and her spirit was not much different.
"Madam Yu, I didn't sleep well all night."
Upon seeing Mi Yao, Yan Yun sighed and looked at her with a mournful expression, "I thought you were like me."
She thought it was really too difficult for Mi Yao to keep such a big secret in her heart. If she wasn't afraid of drawing attention, she would have come to the Xiao residence yesterday to find out what was going on.
"I didn't sleep well yesterday either, but my mood and my face were separate things, so my mood didn't affect my complexion."
this.
Unable to envy Mi Yao's natural beauty, Yan Yun dismissed her maids, stared intently at her, and said seriously.
Yesterday, Mi Yao asked her to take Lin San Niang and the others away, and she had a vague suspicion about it.
Once everyone else was gone, Lin San must have found out something, which made her even more certain of her guess.
Yesterday she didn't dare to ask too many questions, but she saw that they were not feeling well, so she sent them to the flower hall to rest.
When she got home and thought about it carefully, she was not only shocked by what had happened to Lin San Niang and Wang Niangzi, but also terrified by the kindness that Zhao Qiniang had shown her.
If she hadn't seen through Zhao Qiniang's hypocrisy and had accepted Zhao Qiniang's advances, would she have become one of Zhao Qiniang's accomplices?
I really don't know how the Zhao siblings dared to do that!
She, Zhao Qiniang, is a daughter of the Zhao family. Does that mean they have no name or surname? If Mi Yao hadn't overheard this secret, who knows how many more women Zhao Qiniang would have harmed.
"I noticed that you were protecting Lin San Niang and the others yesterday. Although I had my suspicions, I didn't ask them any questions. I comforted them and then advised them to go home and rest after you left."
Yan Yun recalled the two women's expressions and said with pity, "They looked terrified and uneasy, which was heartbreaking to see. If you, Madam Yu, think I am trustworthy, I am willing to do my best to help. If you, Madam Yu, think that the fewer people who know about this matter, the better, then I will shut up and go home and never mention this matter to anyone again."
Faced with Yan Yun's sincere and trusting gaze, Mi Yao realized that Yan Yun had misunderstood some things.
Yan Yun thought she was planning a grand scheme to capture Zhao Qiniang and Zhao Wulang behind her, but in reality she just didn't want to see anything unpleasant, so she spoke up to expose her.
At most, she served as a reminder, alerting those who hadn't yet been victimized and making the perpetrators feel guilty and restrain themselves.
As for acting as a savior, punching the villains, and embracing the victims, she never thought about it and didn't want to take on such responsibilities.
She wasn't as bad as Yu Xiu thought, afraid of getting into trouble and wanting to shift the blame, nor was she as good as Yan Yun thought, secretly plotting how to help Lin San Niang and the others.
Therefore, she shouldn't have looked at the picture book today. If she had been reading a storybook, she would be engrossed in it right now and wouldn't have chosen to meet Yan Yun out of boredom.
The two looked at each other. Although she didn't want to ruin the beautiful image of her in Yan Yun's mind, she didn't want to leave Yan Yun's repeated visits without making it clear. So she said directly, "I just heard her say those words to her brother. I didn't expect her to keep targeting me. She only opened up yesterday and tore off the mask."
Mi Yao's indifferent expression made Yan Yun realize something, and sure enough, Mi Yao's next words were: "I don't intend to do anything, and Madam Yan, you don't need to think about helping me do anything either."
After listening, Yan Yun stared at Mi Yao in silence for a long time before finally sighing.
“Madam Yu did nothing wrong. The fact that you exposed this matter in public is already a great thing.”
Even if the Zhao family insisted on rewriting Mi Yao's words from yesterday as Mi Yao joking without knowing how to behave properly, it would still make many people take it to heart.
It's Lin San Niang and the others...
Yan Yun knew that Mi Yao's choice was right, and she wanted to mind her own business like Mi Yao, but she just couldn't get over her own conscience.
Having figured out her choice, Yan Yun stood up and bid farewell to Mi Yao: "Today I brought a basket of camellias. Take a look at these varieties and see if you like them. If you do, write to me and I'll send some more over. Of course, you can also come to my residence to choose some if you wish."
"Madam Yan, you're too kind."
Mi Yao got up and saw Yan Yun off a few steps. As she watched Yan Yun's figure slowly disappear from view, her back was gradually obscured by the screen wall. Mi Yao felt a little uneasy.
If Yan Yun accused her of being cold or looked at her with contempt, she would feel that she had done nothing wrong.
But Yan Yun left so decisively that she began to think that Yan Yun was a scoundrel.
And this thought lingered in her mind even after she went to bed that night.
If she just stays put and lets the plot unfold, those two from the Zhao family won't have a good ending either. But if she makes a move, she'll get involved in the plot, moving further and further away from her idea of staying out of it and watching the characters act.
Shuanghua was on night watch. Seeing that Miyao was hesitant to blow out the candles and was tossing and turning with a book in her hand, unlike her usual reading habits, she hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Is Madam troubled because Madam Yan came to visit today?"
Mi Yao nodded, then touched Shuang Hua's sleepy eyelids and paused, "What time is it?"
"Madam, it's almost midnight."
"It's so late?"
Mi Yao didn't believe it, so she went downstairs to check the time with her own eyes. As soon as she saw it, she was wide awake. She had actually wasted her precious sleep on something she shouldn't have done.
"Extinguish the candles. Tomorrow when you wake up, go find Pu Qing and tell him I'm going out. Ask him where Madam Yan lives."
"I've got it."
The next day, upon hearing that Mi Yao was going to find Yan Yun, Yu Xiu sighed, "I knew that you would soften your heart again, it's all because of those people who keep crowding around you, making you meddle in more and more things."
"Is it not good for the lady to become increasingly soft-hearted?"
Shuanghua hinted that when their master's personality changed drastically, although the two of them didn't directly discuss anything, they were both somewhat timid in front of Mi Yao.
Later, they realized that Mi Yao had only become more carefree and had no aggression, which gradually put their minds at ease.
"It's like a fairy who doesn't eat human food gradually becoming human, I think it's great."
"snort."
Yu Xiu also thought it was good, but she just didn't feel happy.
Anyway, the people outside aren't worth my sister's trouble.
*
Upon seeing Mi Yao again, Yan Yun's joy was palpable, revealing two dimples on her cheeks.
"I had a feeling that Madam Yu would come looking for me again, but I didn't expect her to come so quickly."
"I've come to ask for flowers."
Mi Yao took off the veil covering her head. In order not to let the Zhao family notice anything, she came very carefully today. Not only did she not take the Xiao family's carriage, but she also did not enter the Yue residence through the main gate, but through the side gate.
“I didn’t say that Madam Yu came here not to ask for flowers.”
Yan Yun smiled and took Mi Yao's arm. When they were almost in the courtyard, she whispered, "Madam Wang is here with me."
Mi Yao looked at her in surprise: "Did you call her over, or did she come to find you herself?"
“She came by herself, saying she wanted us to help her.”
When Mi Yao thought of Madam Wang, she pictured a slightly plump young woman standing next to Zhao Qiniang. Compared to Lin Sanniang, it was clear that Madam Wang was reluctant to stand next to Zhao Qiniang.
Lin San Niang is adept at reading Zhao Qiniang's expressions and treats those Zhao Qiniang dislikes rudely.
But Madam Wang stood aside, seemingly distracted, clearly unwilling to be controlled yet unable to escape.
The book only briefly describes how the Zhao siblings committed evil deeds, focusing on how the male protagonist gained a capable general because of this incident. Therefore, the author is unaware of the fates of Lin San Niang and Wang Niangzi afterward.
But we don't need to worry about what's written in the book about the future; everything has already started to change.
"Madam Yu..."
Because she was alone in the house, Madam Wang looked somewhat uneasy. When she heard the door open, she stood up in a panic. When she saw that it was Mi Yao and Yan Yun, her expression softened, and she curtsied to Mi Yao.
“You don’t need to be so afraid. News that is bad for you is also bad for the Zhao siblings. They dare not say or do anything right now, so you are safe.”
Mi Yao made no attempt to be tactful, directly revealing the secret that Wang Niangzi was afraid of. Upon hearing this, Wang Niangzi's face paled, but she felt more relieved.
"Madam Yu, will you speak?"
After everyone sat down, Madam Wang looked at Mi Yao and said nervously.
"If I had something to say, I would have said it in the plum garden."
Mi Yao didn't intend to dwell too much on whether she could keep the secret. "On the day of the wedding banquet, Zhao Qiniang and Zhao Wu said more than one thing. Now, when they recall what they said that day, they will only be apprehensive, worried that I will continue to speak, and even more worried that something will happen to you at this critical juncture, making it impossible for them to get away with it. They should be afraid of you. Lord Zhao is not a muddle-headed person who appoints relatives to positions of power."
"I know."
Madam Wang nodded. "Yesterday, Zhao Qiniang sent someone to threaten me, telling me to keep my mouth shut and not let anyone see through my secret. I know I'm afraid that everything will be known by my parents and the world. Zhao Qiniang is also afraid that her affair with Zhao Wulang will be exposed. This is my only chance to escape her control. I want to take a gamble, so I came to ask Madam Yan for help."
“I’m a few years older than you, so you can call me Sister Yun. From today onwards, we’ll be friends who’d risk our lives for each other.”
Yan Yun said gently to Wang Niangzi, "Zhao Qiniang has been quite close to me. If Yao Niang hadn't exposed her character, I might have been the next one to be deceived by her."
"My family calls me Ya Ya."
Wang Ya confirmed Yan Yun's guess, "Zhao Qiniang said that she wanted to make a move on you... She wants to make a move on any woman in Yizhou who has any beauty. If a person doesn't get along with her and doesn't want to befriend her, she will make us befriend them."
The more Wang Ya spoke, the paler her face became. "I was deceived by a girl I was close to. After being humiliated, I confronted her, and she cried even more aggrievedly than I did. She said that Zhao Qiniang had taken her blood and that if she didn't listen to Zhao Qiniang, Zhao Qiniang would tell everyone that she had seduced Zhao Wu and had climbed into Zhao Wu's bed."
“My friend is a bit dim-witted. She didn’t realize how arrogant Zhao Qiniang was, but she didn’t dare to make a fuss about it. After we fell out, I don’t know what the Zhao siblings did to her, but not long after, she accidentally fell into the river…”
By the end, Wang Ya was sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face. Yan Yun wiped away her tears and couldn't help but cry herself.
She never imagined that someone would lose their life because of this sordid affair.
"The Zhao siblings deserve to die! How could there be such heartless people!"
After taking a few breaths, Wang Ya continued, "I've always wanted to go all out and make sure the Zhao siblings get what they deserve, but I couldn't find a suitable opportunity until Madam Yu spoke up."
Unlike other timid young women who were easily deceived, she never yielded to Zhao Qi's threats after the first time she was drugged.
She was afraid her family would find out she had been tricked into doing something wrong, but she didn't want to be controlled by the Zhao siblings, so she kept thinking about how to make them suffer.
Mi Yao appeared at that very moment.
She envied Mi Yao for being able to boldly expose Zhao Qi's true colors. It was then that she realized that her hesitation stemmed not from a lack of suitable opportunities, but from a lack of courage that she thought she possessed.
At that moment, she was both excited by Mi Yao's words and trembling with fear, afraid that Mi Yao would reveal that she and Lin San Niang had already been violated.
“I’ll let it go. I’m willing to be pointed at and gossiped about for the rest of my life, but don’t involve Lin San Niang. The Lin family has strict rules. If her father finds out about this, he will definitely make her hang herself to prove her innocence. She didn’t dare to come even though I came today. She’s afraid of Zhao Qiniang’s threats and doesn’t want to take the risk.”
Before Mi Yao could even speak after Wang Ya finished speaking, a maid knocked on the door and announced, "Madam, Madam Wang is waiting at the side door and wants to see you."
Upon hearing Wang's order, Wang Ya jumped up in fright, trembling all over, not knowing what to do.
“My mother must have figured something out and secretly followed me here. What should I do? The day before yesterday, she asked me why I had suddenly become so close to Zhao Qiniang. Yesterday, she talked to me a lot in my courtyard. She figured it out…”
With tears in her eyes, Wang Ya looked pleadingly at Mi Yao and Yan Yun, "Please don't tell my mother, okay? I don't want her to know that I was framed and that I did something so terrible."
“The Zhao siblings are the ones who did evil. You were bullied, not that you did anything wrong.”
Seeing Wang Ya's pale face, Mi Yao frowned and said, "I don't know what the Zhao siblings said to scare you. Not to mention that there are women in this world who can't live with their husbands and divorce with their dowry, I don't like to go out much since I came to Yizhou. Everyone knows that there is a lady who remarried after her husband died and brought her child with her. Recently, she had a new daughter. It's normal for you to feel bad and scared after being bitten by a dog, but this is not a life-threatening thing that is about to fall down."
Today's Daxing is like the late Tang Dynasty in history. Due to years of war in various places, the population has decreased sharply. The imperial court encourages widows to remarry, and there are women in the city who have married four or five times.
In addition, there are many women from prominent families who divorce and remarry.
The problem with the Zhao siblings is that they chose young women who were not as old as the Zhao family, whose family background was far inferior to that of the Zhao family, or whose fathers were old-fashioned and had many rules.
“But widows are arranged marriages, and I was married by Zhao Wu…” Wang Ya noticed Mi Yao’s expression and calmed down a bit. After what she said, it didn’t seem so serious anymore.
"That means you're even more carefree, with one less shackle."
"Madam, Madam Wang has barged in!"
The maid hurriedly announced, but before Wang Ya could find a place to hide, the curtains were violently pulled open. A woman who looked somewhat like Wang Ya was panting heavily. Seeing her daughter lowering her head and covering her face as she tried to run away, she stepped forward and grabbed her arm.
"I knew you were doing fine, how did you end up hanging out with that wicked Zhao Qiniang!"
Seeing the tears on Wang Ya's face, Madam Wang's eyes also reddened after she finished scolding, "What are you crying for? What's there to cry about! I'll take you to the Zhao family right now and make those damned bastards of the Zhao family cry!"
Sensing Madam Wang's protective intent, Mi Yao and Yan Yun exchanged a glance and felt relieved.
I thought that instead of being understanding, the elders would be angry and scold their own children for losing face for the family. In fact, Wang Ya was very lucky to have a mother who would protect her child.
The warmth rising in the room made Mi Yao feel somewhat uncomfortable. She was prepared to argue with Wang's mother, but as soon as Wang's mother entered the room, she firmly protected her cub under her wings. She didn't need reason; she was full of anger and could immediately fight to the death with the villain who had bullied her daughter.
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