Chapter 59 Backing You Up
After Xiao Jue finished speaking, his gaze suddenly fell on Xiao Yuxuan, who stood alone and ramrod straight, and he sneered:
"I'm afraid someone deliberately set this up so that we would have a falling out with Yuyao, and then she could get what she wanted."
Xiao Yuxuan noticed the gaze and her brows furrowed slightly.
"Brother, it's best not to comment without knowing the whole story. Besides, I believe that you and Fourth Sister only have brotherly and sisterly feelings, but now that the blood ties are gone, isn't your mindless protection of Fourth Sister arousing suspicion from those with ulterior motives..."
Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Su slammed his hand on the table and shouted:
"Shut up, all of you!"
His eyes swept over Xiao Yuyao and the slightly guilty Xiao Jue with a sinister look. After twenty years of navigating the officialdom, he still couldn't see through the thoughts of these young people.
Is it really true?
But Yuyao is also his biological daughter, how could she be with Jue'er...?
Xiao Su's brow furrowed so tightly it could trap a fly, and Madam Xiao's face also turned cold, her tone unfriendly:
"Yu Xuan, just admit your mistake properly and promise not to do it again, and this matter will be over."
"Why bother talking about blood ties again? You and Yuyao are the same in our hearts."
Xiao Yuxuan scoffed. It was the same old story again; she was sick of hearing it.
Same as above.
One is a legitimate daughter who was tricked and forced to leave the family, and the other is a concubine's daughter who was raised as a legitimate daughter.
Can they really be the same?
Why not let this fire burn even more fiercely, so that when Madam Xiao and Xiao Jue see the truth, they will regret it to the core? That would be truly interesting.
She knelt down with a wronged expression. Compared to Xiao Yuyao sitting and silently weeping, her solitary kneeling in the courtyard appeared even more pitiful and helpless.
"Father, Mother, as long as it can appease you, I'll admit to whatever mistakes I've made..."
Xiao Yuyao didn't speak, she just cried. Madam Xiao had spent the whole day trying to comfort her, and now she was exhausted and could only continue to cover her head and sigh.
As a father, Xiao Su was preoccupied with the affairs of his son and daughter and was quite troubled, so naturally he couldn't possibly try to appease Xiao Yuyao.
Only Xiao Jue.
Although he was in front of his father and mother, he felt that as the eldest brother, it was perfectly normal for him to be friendly and respectful to his brothers.
Seeing Xiao Yuyao crying her heart out, he couldn't bear it and took a few steps forward to pull her into his arms.
"You brat, how dare you!"
Xiao Su roared angrily, and Xiao Jue trembled three times in fright, freezing in place.
Even Xiao Yuyao stopped crying and looked over with teary eyes.
"Father?"
Xiao Su suppressed the throbbing heat in his eyes.
Within moments, he had weighed the pros and cons. When he proposed to Lin Hui, her father-in-law was still alive, and the Lin family was a prominent and wealthy family. It was a step up for him, so he agreed not to take a concubine until he was forty and had no children, and that he would treat Lin Hui well.
Twenty years have passed, and the Lin family, though weakened, is still a force to be reckoned with. They even have a brother-in-law who serves as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, with students all over the place, making them someone not to be trifled with.
If it were revealed now that Yuyao was his and Yanniang's daughter, the Lin family would likely be driven to the brink of destruction.
Let's wait and see.
At least... at least wait until Lin Kuangzheng resigns from his official post, or until his mother-in-law passes away and he returns home to observe mourning, and then confess everything to Lin Hui. In this way, considering that Yu Yao is also a daughter of the Xiao family, her life will be better.
“Jue’er, this is a young lady’s matter, you don’t need to get involved. Have you finished reading the official documents? Why waste your time here?”
Xiao Su had always been a strict father to his son, and when he put on a stern face, even Xiao Jue, who had already come of age, felt a tremor in his heart.
The memory of being slapped on the hand by Xiao Su when he was a child was still vivid in his mind. Xiao Jue could only glance at Xiao Yuyao with concern before obediently bowing and taking his leave.
With Xiao Jue out of the way, Xiao's parents turned their attention to Xiao Yuxuan.
Madam Xiao spoke earnestly and patiently:
"Yu Xuan, is it so hard to just admit your mistake? If you don't want to return those things, fine, but look at your fourth sister's face, can you really be so heartless?"
"It seems I've come at an inopportune time. Lord Xiao and Madam Xiao are dealing with family matters."
The person arrived before the voice.
Standing at the entrance of the courtyard was a middle-aged woman dressed in a dark purple palace gown. In the twilight, her eyes were gentle yet dignified. She was none other than Aunt Meng, the lady-in-waiting to the Princess.
Behind her stood Lanxin, her face showing concern.
Fifteen minutes ago.
The princess was overjoyed when she returned from the palace and rewarded her servants with a considerable amount of their monthly allowance. However, her joy was short-lived as it was interrupted by complaints from Lanxin and several maids.
"That Xiao Yuyao is so rude? How dare she behave so disrespectfully in my own residence? Does she think I'm dead?"
The eldest princess slammed her hand on the table and, unusually, referred to herself as "this palace."
Aunt Meng knew she was truly angry, so she immediately offered her tea and went to comfort her.
"Your Highness, please don't upset yourself. It's just some young girls bickering; it's nothing serious."
"Hmph, I knew this was all fishy. The Xiao family is blind. I knew Yu Xuan was a good girl the moment I saw her. They shouldn't have treated her like this!"
Aunt Meng sighed softly.
She knew that the eldest princess had been a soft-hearted and meddlesome person when she was young. After losing her husband, she grew older and didn't like to go out, so she had less to do.
As for the matter concerning the Xiao family's daughter, it started with Princess Wen Yue taking the initiative, then there was the frightened horse exchanging for a purse, the Chief Scholar Lin requesting admission to the girls' school, the overnight medical visit last night, and the shared appetite at breakfast this morning...
Now there's also the added task of helping to find Princess Min-young.
Alas, the conversation took place at the Princess's residence, so now we can't ignore it.
Aunt Meng didn't want the Princess to meddle in other people's affairs, but initially she was willing to do anything for her because of the Princess's chivalrous heart. It was a real dilemma.
"Go to the storeroom and pick out more things, then send them over quickly. Tell them it's to thank her for taking Minying in. In a few days, His Majesty and the Empress will send their rewards to the mansion. Go now!"
If she can't openly support that child, can't she at least give her some nice things so she can live a better life?
Aunt Meng agreed and immediately made the arrangements.
Sure enough, they had just arrived at the Xiao residence with their men when they stumbled upon this scene.
"This is..." Madam Xiao naturally recognized Aunt Meng, but after a slight pause, she immediately got up to greet her.
"Aunt Meng, you must be laughing at me. The girls were just being silly and had a little argument, and I didn't even hear the servants telling me."
Xiao Su had never liked these female officials. He merely bowed slightly and left with his hands behind his back, leaving the women to socialize.
Aunt Meng was used to the pedantic faces of these officials, so she wasn't angry and just nodded in acknowledgment.
"I can't be away from the Princess for too long. I thought the Xiao family has a good reputation, and Madam Xiao is tolerant and generous. Besides, I'm here to deliver a reward, so I came without waiting to be informed."
His words not only mentioned the eldest princess, but also praised the Xiao family and Madam Xiao, and finally said that he had come to deliver a reward, which made Madam Xiao's face show a genuine smile.
"But I'm really curious right now, what kind of quarrel could have caused your own daughter to kneel and listen to your reprimand, while your adopted daughter is sitting high in the hall?"
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