Chapter 16 Princess
The next day was Madam Xiao's birthday, and the Xiao family was busy preparing from early morning.
Xiao Su and Xiao Jue had to go to the government office to handle official business, while the second and third sons went to the academy and the palace to accompany their studies, respectively. Therefore, today Madam Xiao and Xiao Yuyao were the only two people receiving guests.
“That girl Yuxuan is just too stubborn. She could have just apologized to your father and let the matter rest.”
Mrs. Xiao looked at her face, which bore the marks of time, in the mirror, while Li Mama was combing her hair.
Today is her fortieth birthday. She had planned to introduce her daughter, whom she had finally found, to a group of ladies and noblewomen, but unexpectedly, after going to the temple fair yesterday, Yu Xuan went to the family temple to reflect on her actions upon her return.
Xiao Yuyao handed over a peony hairpin from the side, and hesitated before saying:
"Mother, actually, my fifth sister... sigh, I don't know if I should say this or not. Never mind, Mother, just pretend I didn't mention it. Let's not let my fifth sister misunderstand that I have a problem with her..."
Madam Xiao was still lost in her own thoughts and didn't listen carefully to what Xiao Yuyao was saying, but Li Mama did glance at her.
"Your father is the same. As he gets older, his temper is getting worse. Yuxuan has only been back for a month, and he scolds her at the drop of a hat. He is so strict with the girl."
"Father also has his considerations. Perhaps my fifth sister was a bit too much in her dealings with people in the past. It won't be easy for Father and my eldest brother to change their impression of her."
Madam Xiao then looked at Xiao Yuyao and sighed, "You're a good one. Your elder brother is so old, almost married, yet he still acts like a young boy, speaking recklessly. He usually seems like a well-mannered and dignified person..."
After the mother and daughter chatted for a while, Li Mama, seeing that it was almost time, reminded her, "Madam, it's almost time. Those ladies and young misses should be arriving soon."
As soon as Madam Xiao and Xiao Yuyao arrived at the flower hall, a bright and lively young girl quickly came to greet them and affectionately took Xiao Yuyao's hand.
She didn't forget to greet Madam Xiao: "Hello, Madam Xiao."
"Greetings, Princess." Madam Xiao dared not accept Princess Wen Yue's greeting, so she turned slightly to return a half-greeting.
"Yuyao, where is your younger sister?"
Qi Wenyue was still thinking about the unexpected reaction of the Princess and the Crown Prince when she talked about Xiao Yuxuan yesterday. She came to celebrate Madam Xiao's birthday with the intention of seeing what kind of person Xiao Yuxuan was and supporting Yuyao. If she dared to bully Yuyao in front of her, she would definitely not let her off!
Xiao Yuyao glanced casually at Madam Xiao, who had already gone inside with the other ladies, and said in a low voice without making a fuss, "She...she wasn't feeling well, so she didn't come..."
"Madam Xiao's birthday, such an important day! Is she really sick, or is she just not coming because she doesn't want us to see her in such a coarse state?"
The other ladies who had come with their mother gathered around and whispered among themselves:
"Yuyao, tell us the truth, what illness does she have?"
"Was she the kind of embroiderer who spent all her time sewing but had no formal education? Could she read? Did she know how to write her own name?"
Surrounded by a group of fourteen or fifteen-year-old girls, Xiao Yuyao felt a surge of pleasure as she listened to their malicious speculations about Xiao Yuxuan, though she feigned unease.
"You, you don't need to ask anymore. I'm her older sister. No matter what kind of personality she has, I will take care of her. Don't think of her like that."
Qi Wenyue thought of how Xiao Yuyao had been bullied to tears by Xiao Yuxuan, and snorted coldly:
"She's definitely too scared to come out. She's afraid we'll find out she bullied you and come after her. Where does she live? I'll go find her!"
Xiao Yuyao was startled. Why was Qi Wenyue so impulsive today? Why was she so indignant when Xiao Yuxuan was mentioned? Could it be that Xiao Yuxuan had offended Qi Wenyue again at some point?
She pretended to be helpless against Qi Wenyue, and in front of everyone, she recklessly declared:
“Sister Yuxuan did something wrong yesterday, and Father punished her by making her go to the family temple to reflect on her mistakes. You don’t need to go.”
"What? She's being punished by being confined to her room to reflect on her mistakes at such a critical moment. She's so insensible. Madam Xiao and Lord Xiao must be utterly disappointed in her, which is why they wouldn't even allow her to attend Madam Xiao's birthday banquet today."
"That's right, that's right..."
Qi Wenyue heard that the person was at the family temple, but she couldn't possibly rush to someone else's family temple to look for them, so she had no choice but to give up, saying:
"She was lucky today. If she really falls into my hands next time, I'll make her kowtow and beg for forgiveness!"
Xiao Yuyao nodded with a smile, but a doubt arose in her heart.
To be honest, Xiao Yuxuan requested to go to the family temple to reflect on her mistakes. Could she possibly have the ability to foresee the future and know that if she came to the birthday banquet today, she would be humiliated and made difficult by Princess Wenyue?
No, no, no, how could that be? She shook her head, shaking off the strange thoughts in her mind, and put on a sweet and harmless smile again, chatting and laughing with a group of girls.
Meanwhile, in the secluded ancestral temple, only the soft rustling of ink sticks falling onto the inkstone could be heard as Xiao Yuxuan, with her wrist suspended, copied Buddhist scriptures onto paper to calm her mind.
On this day in her past life, she had just met Qi Wenyue when she was subjected to all sorts of humiliation and slander. In front of everyone, Qi Wenyue said that she was malicious. She thought there was some misunderstanding, but then she saw Xiao Yuyao standing behind Qi Wenyue, her gaze sweeping over her like a cold, venomous tongue.
Qi Wenyue initially just pointed at her and cursed:
"We won't speak to you until you kowtow to Yuyao and admit your mistake. Yuyao, don't pity her. She's bullied you like this, why are you still bothering to help?"
Xiao Yuyao, with an innocent expression that appeared out of nowhere, took two steps forward with tears in her eyes and said:
“Yu Xuan is my sister. You shouldn’t talk about her like that. I… I don’t blame her.”
"Xiao Yuxuan, don't think we don't know what you're thinking! Even if Yuyao weren't a girl from the Xiao family, we'd still rather play with a pure-hearted girl like her than someone as insidious and vicious as you!"
Later, Qi Wenyue, whether moved by Xiao Yuyao's tears or enraged by Xiao Yuxuan's unyielding attitude, grabbed her hair, dragged her head down into the lotus pot, and forced her not to get up until she admitted her mistake.
Their actions finally alerted Madam Xiao and her entourage who were chatting inside. They hurriedly came out to mediate, but by then, she had already drunk too much water and fainted again, making a huge fool of herself in front of everyone.
Xiao Yuxuan knew in her heart that even if she did not appear in front of Qi Wenyue today, as long as Qi Wenyue and Xiao Yuyao were still friends, the same thing would still happen when she saw Qi Wenyue again in the future.
Qi Wenyue's father was Prince Duan. Princess Duan died in childbirth while giving birth to her. Prince Duan was injured on the front line and returned to the capital when he suddenly heard the bad news. He became depressed and his health deteriorated. The emperor and empress took pity on Prince Duan's family and bestowed the title of Princess upon Qi Wenyue. They often brought her into the palace to take care of her. She also had a good relationship with the eldest princess and the crown prince.
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