Chapter 50 [VIP]
"Why are you dressed so beautifully today? You look like a goddess from the Penglai Immortal Mountain."
Yu Shaoyang had something to say to Mi Yao, but upon seeing her, he was stunned by her dazzling appearance. He forgot all his words and immediately started praising her, "Huhu, you should touch your sister-in-law's belly more often, so that your future niece will look five parts like you and five parts like your sister-in-law."
Half like her, half like Zhen Jing?
Mi Yao found it amusing: "Does your brother's child not have to resemble him?"
“We are siblings, so if you look like me, you’re probably just like me.”
Hearing from Doctor Jiang that Zhen Jing's baby should be a daughter, Yu Shaoyang thought that the child's appearance would definitely resemble Zhen Jing and Mi Yao. If she could inherit the intelligence and beauty of both of them, she would surely be exceptionally beautiful and rare.
“Since you’ve said so, brother, I will definitely touch sister-in-law’s belly often from now on. Brother and sister-in-law, don’t rush to find a house to move out of the Xiao family mansion. Wait until sister-in-law gives birth to the child, so that it won’t be inconvenient for me to touch sister-in-law’s belly.”
"We'll talk about this later. I'm not comfortable moving it right now anyway."
Yu Shaoyang didn't want to bother his sister's family, so he had been looking for several houses. He had originally planned to move, but then he encountered Xiao Chuan and Mi Yao having a cold war. He thought he would resolve the conflict between the couple before leaving, so he didn't move.
After the Lantern Festival, Chang Xuanke came to cause trouble again, so Yu Shaoyang was even more worried about Mi Yao and postponed the move.
Thinking of the wretched Chang Xuanke, Yu Shaoyang wished he had learned kung fu so he could give Chang Xuanke a good beating like Xiao Chuan did.
"When you went to the military governor's residence with Xiao Chuan today, did you ask him what he thought?"
Yu Shaoyang has only been in Yizhou for a short time. Although Zhao Tianhe intends to cultivate him, he is still some distance from the core power circle of Yizhou. He did not receive an invitation to the banquet held today to appease Chang Xuanke.
He didn't believe the rumors circulating outside, saying that Xiao Chu was afraid of Chang Xuanke and wanted to give Mi Yao to Chang Xuanke as an apology.
However, because he couldn't keep an eye on Chang Xuanke at the banquet, he couldn't help feeling flustered. He came over to talk to Mi Yao and to see what she thought. If she was uneasy, he would have to comfort her and give her confidence.
"Brother, do you believe what's going on outside, thinking that the young master will give me away?"
Seeing Yu Shaoyang's anxiety, Mi Yao teased him.
In her view, this trip to the military governor's residence was similar to her previous trip to the plum garden.
She had little interest in going out, but a large number of people were eagerly anticipating her appearance.
To live up to their attention, she adopted the same protagonist-like demeanor she had shown at the plum garden that day, meticulously grooming herself from head to toe. She spent half a day applying various medicinal herbs in the bath and using the steaming heat to detoxify, feeling that she had become half a shade lighter.
"Of course I trust that Xiao Chuan isn't a heartless scoundrel, but I'm afraid Chang Xuanke's domineering nature might cause you two to suffer..."
As Yu Shaoyang spoke, he looked at Mi Yao's shimmering fairy dress and said, "Why don't you change into a darker dress today and not wear this one?"
It's true that my younger sister loves to dress up and is pleasing to the eye, but the problem is that she's too pleasing to the eye, which makes Chang Xuanke even more envious.
As a high-ranking official in the capital, he knew better than others about the Chang family's rise to power. He trusted Xiao Chuan's character and believed that Xiao Chuan would do his best to protect Mi Yao. However, he couldn't figure out Zhao Tianhe's thoughts and was afraid that Zhao Tianhe would be wary of Consort Chang and force Xiao Chuan to sacrifice Mi Yao.
But Zhao Tianhe is Xiao Chuan's adoptive father and the ruler of the entire Jiannan region. If he were so petty and narrow-minded, he would not have recruited talents from all over the country to strengthen his power.
It can only be said that he was confused by his concern; on the one hand, he believed that Xiao Chua had the confidence to be arrogant, and on the other hand, he was worried about what might happen.
“Brother, you don’t look good with your brows furrowed.”
Mi Yao laughed and said, "If Xiao Chuan is a coward, even if I wear a rag, I will still suffer the same humiliation because of him. Since that's the case, why don't I shine brightly and do what makes me happy?"
Seeing that Mi Yao wasn't nervous at all and didn't take the banquet seriously, Yu Shaoyang also calmed down.
“As the elder brother, I am not as magnanimous as you.”
He had initially wondered if Mi Yao would feel guilty and remorseful because of the rumors, thinking that everything was her fault. But now, hearing her soberly place the blame on Xiao Chuan, he was astonished.
He was relieved to hear that she was suffering because of Xiao Chuan. He was also surprised by her clear and broad mind, and he was once again certain that his younger sister had grown up and was completely different from before.
"Don't worry, Hu Hu, I'll be guarding outside the governor's mansion. No matter how much the Yu family declines, the women of the Yu family will not be trampled on."
“With my brother here, I feel very at ease.”
Mi Yao's expression remained unchanged until she saw Xiao Chuan.
Compared to her grand entrance, Xiao Chuan's attire was also much more presentable than usual.
His hair was combed into a bun, revealing a clear widow's peak. He wore a gilded crown inlaid with jade, and the upright pheasant feathers on the crown added a touch of domineering wildness to his deep and cold features.
Without giving him a second glance, she got into the carriage.
Yu Shaoyang asked if Xiao Chuan had informed her, but she did not answer directly because Xiao Chuan had not spoken to her since telling her about the banquet a couple of days ago.
This male peacock, who lacked self-control but liked to feign arrogance, neither comforted her nor stopped the rumors. She even felt that he was deliberately indulging the rumors because he couldn't control his feelings for her, in order to scare her and make her panic. In her anxiety, she became even more dependent on him and tried to please him.
.
He himself said that she didn't care about dying young in order not to have children. The more he stood on high and looked down at her triumphantly, the further away she became from him.
Anyway, it wasn't her who fell for him, look.
Even if he was truly so ungrateful as to give her to Chang Xuanke, she didn't care. He hadn't yet gained power, and she was clear about the general direction of the plot.
At worst, she could give up temporary enjoyment and spend the rest of her short life causing him some trouble. If she was lucky...
Xiao Chuan naturally sensed Mi Yao's indifference.
After mounting his horse, he glanced at the carriage with its windows tightly closed. Even through the wooden planks, he could sense the displeasure emanating from Mi Yao.
Despite being dressed in bright red and green, with a faint blush adding to her fair and flawless face, her gaze towards him was like a lake covered with thin ice.
Even when she thought he was using her to get rid of Zhao Wulang, she never looked at him with that kind of gaze.
Guessing what tricks Mi Yao was up to with this attitude, Xiao Chuan withdrew his thoughts, assuming that her cold look had been in vain, and did not intend to bother to think about why she had such a cold face.
Upon arriving at the governor's residence, Xiao Chuan dismounted and lifted the curtain of the carriage in front of the mansion.
Mi Yao leaned against the small table with her eyes closed to rest. When she heard the noise, she opened her eyes. Her almond-shaped eyes were originally misty and clear, but as soon as her gaze met his, sharp icy shards appeared in them.
He looked at her, and she looked back at him. Her mouth, which was usually so talkative, was now tightly shut, as if she no longer wanted to open her mouth and say a word to him.
Without his notice, Xiao Chua's brow was etched with lines.
He wanted to throw off the carriage curtain and let Mi Yao pretend to be indifferent, but his mouth wouldn't obey him. He stared at her and said, "Don't tell me that you believed the rumors and thought I gave you to Chang Xuanke?"
Xiao Chuan's voice was deep and cold, as if if Mi Yao simply answered "yes," his anger would be uncontrollable and he would burn her to ashes.
His question was the same one Mi Yao had asked Yu Shaoyang earlier, and in her words she was trying to reassure him and tell him to trust Xiao Chua.
Now, facing Xiao Chuan himself, Mi Yao looked away and said, "When did I ever say that I believed in rumors?"
Mi Yao's voice was naturally soft and gentle, and Xiao Chuan thought that her voice would always be soft and sweet, whether she was angry or happy.
Nowadays, even the gentlest voice, spoken without emotion, sounds cold and distant.
Xiao Chuan stared at her for a long time. Only when a carriage came from behind and the servants of the governor's mansion reminded him to enter did he lower the carriage curtain.
Today's banquet is a welcome dinner for Chang Xuanke. Most of the guests are men, and there are only a few women, barely enough to fill one table.
Zhao Tianhe was in charge of the men's section, Chang Xuanke was in the first seat on the east side, and Xiao Chuan was in the second seat on the east side.
On the women's side, Chang Xuanke's wife was the main person in charge, with Fang and Pan accompanying her.
The two banquet tables were separated by a rockery, so if one side raised its voice even slightly, the other side could hear what they were saying.
As soon as Mi Yao stepped down from the corridor, she heard Wu Liping call Xiao Chu's name: "Ninth Brother has finally arrived. Come over and have a drink with the Inspector General."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chang Xuanke coldly retorted, "I can't drink the wine offered by Magistrate Xiao!"
"Huhu, let's sit together."
Yan Yun saw Mi Yao, stepped forward, took her arm, and whispered.
Today's main character is Chang Xuanke. Few of the women from the family came. Her husband, Yue Jin, advised her not to get involved, but she thought that Mi Yao would definitely come. She also thought that if Mi Yao didn't come, Mi Yao would be left to face the Chang family women. So she persuaded Yue Jin to bring her.
"Is this Madam Yu, the one who caused the misunderstanding between my husband and Commander Xiao?"
Mrs. Chang Xuanke was a beautiful woman with delicate features, an oval face and cherry lips. She looked to be about the same age as Chang Xuanke, around twenty-three or twenty-four years old. She had a pair of eyes with three whites showing, and her pupils were half-covered by her eyelids. She looked at people with a hint of ruthlessness.
She looked Mi Yao up and down, making no attempt to hide her hostility: "Nothing special."
Hearing Madam Chang's critical comments, the women who had suffered at Mi Yao's hands all breathed a sigh of relief, especially Madam Zeng, the wife of Wu Liping, who had been scolded to tears by Mi Yao, whose eyes were filled with the satisfaction of getting revenge.
"What are you standing there for, Ninth Sister-in-law? Hurry up and greet Madam Chang."
Yan Yun frowned as she listened: "The Inspector General and the Commander Xiao are of the same rank, so why is Hu Hu paying her respects to Madam Chang?"
As soon as Yin Qingxin arrived at the governor's mansion, she was fawned over by the women. She heard from Zeng Shi and the others that Yu Miyao was eccentric and not popular with the ladies of the various families.
I thought today would be a trial for Mi Yao, but who knew Yan Yun would suddenly appear and stand in front of Mi Yao to defend her.
"Why is Madam Chang staring at me like this? Although I think Madam Chang isn't out of her mind and doesn't think that looking at beautiful women will make her more beautiful, just in case, I still have to remind you, Madam. If you say something against your conscience in a moment of anger, it won't make people think you're high-class or superior. It will only make people think you have something wrong with your eyes, that you're so jealous of beautiful women that you've gone blind, and that all you have left is a bellyful of nonsense."
As Mi Yao spoke, she glanced at Zeng Shi, who was wringing a handkerchief next to Yin Qingxin.
"Madam Chang can ask my third sister-in-law about this; she has experience in this area."
Seeing Mi Yao's charming smile, Yan Yun finally breathed a sigh of relief. Indeed, no matter what, Mi Yao would never become a weak woman who could be trampled on at will.
"How rude of you!"
Yin Qingxin blushed and stood up, ready to slam her hand on the table and lash out in anger, when she heard an even louder voice coming from the other side of the artificial hill: "If you knew this would happen, why did you do it in the first place? Commander Xiao, did you bring such a big wine vat to drink yourself to death and apologize to me?"
“That’s only right. Ninth Brother didn’t discipline his subordinates properly, which caused the Inspector General to get injured. He should drink three jars of wine as an apology, let alone one jar.”
The conversation on the men's side silenced the women's side for a moment, and Yin Qingxin's anger turned into a wide smile.
A woman's status depends entirely on how powerful her husband is. Since Xiao Chuan is so subservient to her husband, what does Mi Yao amount to?
Her words, under Xiao Chua's show of weakness, not only had no effect but also drew ridicule.
Yin Qingxin didn't sit down. She looked down at Mi Yao with disdain and said, "If you apologize to me now and your attitude is sincere enough, I might be magnanimous and forgive your arrogance."
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