Chapter 57 As the respected Ms. Zhao said, the enemy…
"No sleeping in bed tonight."
Pei Jinghuai returned from outside, and a pillow was thrown at his head, accompanied by Shen Lingyue's angry voice.
?
He grabbed it quickly, tucked the long pillow under his arm, and strode forward with a bright smile. "What's wrong? Did the scarf upset you again?"
He pretended to put on a stern face and rolled up his sleeves. "This little fox cub is really disobedient. I'll give it a good talking to tomorrow morning. Madam, please don't be angry. Life is like a play; if you get sick from anger, no one can take your place..."
Pei Jinghuai kept muttering to himself, trying to distract Shen Lingyue, while secretly moving closer to the bed.
Shen Lingyue wasn't falling for his trick. She kicked him back two steps and pointed fiercely at him, saying, "Don't come any closer. You'll be sleeping on the floor tonight."
"Why?" Pei Jinghuai asked, looking aggrieved, and swore to the heavens, "I really haven't done anything lately."
Shen Lingyue said softly, "It's because you didn't do anything that I'm being ridiculed as a good-for-nothing wife."
Pei Jinghuai frowned: His elder brother was right after all?
Then a frost appeared on his face, "Which bastard dares to look down on you? I'll put a sack over his head tomorrow!"
Shen Lingyue's face puffed up like a little bun. "Who else could it be? It's You Fengnian, the adopted grandson of the Marquis of Dongxiang and the top scholar in the new imperial examination."
Pei Jinghuai glanced sideways and thought for a moment, “Oh, it’s that adopted kid from the You family? Pshaw, what’s so great about being a top scholar? If you’re so capable, make him pass the triple crown.”
Shen Lingyue: ...She and that silly dog are really in sync, they've got the same lines again.
"The top scholar in the provincial examination is really amazing. My older brother was so good at studying, but he didn't even get the top score in the provincial examination."
Muttering to herself, Shen Lingyue, under Pei Jinghuai's repeated persuasion, "accidentally" recounted the entire incident of her conflict with You Fengnian at the Imperial Academy that day.
Pei Jinghuai clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking. "That brat surnamed You is incredibly arrogant. He looks down on me, and he looks down on his brother-in-law too?"
It's decided, I'm going to put a sack over his head tomorrow!
After saying that, she leaned closer and tugged at Shen Lingyue's sleeve, trying to sound innocent, "Don't be angry, everyone has their own ambitions. I'm just not cut out for studying, what can I do?"
Staring at him with those slightly droopy dog eyes, Shen Lingyue almost couldn't keep up the act.
She forced herself to harden her heart, pushed him away, and acted like she was being unreasonable, "I don't care, I don't care, it's all your fault that I'm being laughed at outside, you have to find a way to make it up to me!"
"Okay, okay, let's replenish it."
Pei Jinghuai leaned against the bed frame, unmoving, and held her small hand in return, "We can discuss it slowly tomorrow morning..." We can't let him sleep on the floor.
"You're just giving me the runaround again!"
Shen Lingyue jumped out of bed angrily, "Fine, you can have this bed, I'm not sleeping here!"
She picked up her embroidered little pillow and ran out, sobbing softly.
Pei Jinghuai was stunned for a moment, then rushed out, "Where are you going so late at night?"
Oh no, is she going to go back to her parents' home?
Shen Lingyue was whimpering in front, while Pei Jinghuai was chasing after her from behind.
Running all the way to Jiusi Courtyard, Shen Lingyue pounded on the door, "Sister-in-law, are you asleep? I want to stay with you tonight!"
Pei Jinghuai went up and hugged her around the waist, then tried to cover her mouth, saying angrily, "Little Miss, if you have any anger, take it out on me. Why did you have to make a scene at Jiusi Courtyard?"
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"
Shen Lingyue gripped the door knocker with both hands, kicking and shoving her toes like she was in a tug-of-war with Pei Jinghuai, making the door knocker clang loudly.
Before Pei Jinghuai could carry the person away, the commotion woke up the gatekeeper of Jiusi Courtyard. She came over yawning and saw that everyone was wide awake.
"Second Young Master, Second Young Madam, what are you doing...?"
Shen Lingyue yanked Pei Jinghuai's hand away and screamed into the courtyard, "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, help! Pei Jinghuai is trying to murder his wife—"
Soon, candlelight lit up all around the Nine Thoughts Courtyard, and figures quickly got up and moved around.
Yan Yi was exhausted tonight and was sleeping soundly when she heard Chen Lingyue's voice and immediately opened her eyes.
She hurriedly got up, without even changing her clothes or washing up, and quickly went out after putting on a long hooded cloak from head to toe.
"What happened? What's wrong with you all?"
Shen Lingyue broke free from her restraints, grabbed a pillow, and threw herself into her arms, whimpering again, "Sister-in-law, Pei Jinghuai bullied me, I want to sleep with you tonight!"
Yan Yi's heart skipped a beat; she really thought the young couple had quarreled.
Looking down, she saw that Shen Lingyue was hugging her and whimpering in a dramatic way, while also taking the time to wink at her.
Yan Yi was relieved. Although she didn't understand what Little Moon was up to, she still played along.
She gently patted Shen Lingyue's back to comfort her, "Don't cry, don't cry, I'll listen to you, we'll sleep together tonight."
Pei Jingyi, who was a step too late in coming out, happened to hear this sentence, and his brow twitched violently.
He silently clenched his fists, then glared coldly at Pei Jinghuai, "You think you're all grown up now? Instead of sleeping properly at night, you're bullying your own wife."
Pei Jinghuai didn't want to sleep with his wife in his arms; he still wanted to.
"I'm innocent!"
Pei Jinghuai still can't understand how things have developed to this point.
It's not like he only started becoming unmotivated today; Shen Lingyue has never been this angry before.
After thinking it over, he gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath, "It's all that You Fengnian's fault!"
You little brat, so what if you can read books!
Pei Jingyi was no longer in the mood to argue with him, because Yan Yi had just said to him, "Husband, I need to stay with my sister-in-law. Can you sleep in the study tonight?"
Pei Jingyi had no choice but to smile and say, "Of course, I will follow Madam's arrangements."
After saying that, she glared at Pei Jinghuai again—learn from her, listening to the madam won't hurt you.
As soon as Yan Yi and Shen Lingyue entered the room hand in hand, Pei Jingyi's face immediately turned cold, and he unhappily ordered Si Xiang, "Go to the study and make the bed."
He hasn't slept in the study for a long time; it's spotless now, without even blankets or pillows.
Pei Jingyi took a few steps forward and caught a glimpse of Pei Jinghuai following behind.
"Hey bro, how about we squeeze in together tonight?"
Pei Jingyi asked expressionlessly, "Don't you have your own home?"
“My wife is here, how can I go back alone?” Pei Jinghuai said matter-of-factly. “I want to stay as close to her as possible so I can coax her to calm down as soon as I wake up tomorrow morning.”
Pei Jingyi pinched the bridge of his nose, looking exasperated. "...Why didn't you do this earlier?"
Despite her complaints, she still asked Si Xiang to bring over another blanket.
Two tall, muscular men were crammed together on one bed. Pei Jingyi barely managed to refrain from kicking him off. "Tell me, what exactly did you and your sister-in-law argue about?"
If he resolves their marital conflict sooner, he won't have to squeeze in with this idiot anymore.
...
"Yay! I can finally sleep soundly through the night while holding our sweet and soft Yan Yan!"
Shen Lingyue bounced around on the large bed with brand-new bedding.
Yan Yi, having been disturbed by her antics tonight, was no longer sleepy. Amused, she sat on the edge of the bed with a bowl of almond tea and reminded her, "Keep your voice down, those two brothers are in the study next door."
Shen Lingyue chuckled, moved closer to Yan Yi, took a big sip of the sweet almond milk, and her eyes lit up: "The maids of Jiusi Courtyard are quite skilled."
“It’s made with tea,” Yan Yi said with a smile. “She lives up to her name; whether she’s making tea soup or some sweet drinks, they’re all delicious.”
"I'll have Qingchan come over and learn from her another day."
Yan Yi put the empty bowl back on the table and asked her, "Why did you pretend to argue with Pei Jinghuai tonight?"
Shen Lingyue rolled her eyes. "If I don't pretend to be angry, how can I have a reason to let him contact You Fengnian?"
The Pei family and the You family have had no contact for years. In order to find out more inside information, Shen Lingyue had to take an unconventional approach.
Yan Yi frowned slightly. "Is this alright? What if my second brother really tries to put a sack over his head? Wouldn't that make our two families enemies?"
“Our two families have a history of enmity.” Shen Lingyue blinked. “Grandmother and the Lady of Dongxiang have a grudge over a husband-stealing incident. It doesn’t matter if their grandsons fight again.”
Yan Yi paused for a moment, and it seemed that this was indeed the case.
"Actually, I'd rather Pei Jinghuai go find his good brother, that little spy chief."
Shen Lingyue took her arm and rested her head on Yan Yi's shoulder. "The famous Embroidered Uniform Guard intelligence network can hear even the private conversations between court officials and their concubines. Finding You Zhengliang's whereabouts shouldn't be difficult, right?"
"You mean Lu Xilou?" Yan Yi thought of that cold, fox-eyed man. "He and my second brother are good friends, so why don't you just tell him directly?"
Yan Yi pinched her cheek and said seriously, "I saw that your second brother was really anxious just now. He has always been very good to you. Don't hurt his feelings and make him really think that you dislike him."
Shen Lingyue pouted, "I was just afraid I wouldn't be able to explain it clearly. After all, we have no evidence right now. If we say that You Zhenliang is still alive and living a carefree life with his mistress, who would believe us?"
The original plot she knew, and Yan Yi's precognitive dreams, were their biggest secrets, and absolutely could not be revealed.
Not even the person next to you in bed.
“That silly Pei Jinghuai is easy to fool. But Pei Jingyi and Lu Xilou are both cunning guys… Okay, even if you can handle my brother, what about Lu Xilou? We’re living a good life now, we can’t afford to be targeted by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, otherwise we’ll never have peace.” Yan Yi listened intently, a faint smile appearing on her lips, and comforted her, “Yes, you’re right, and you’ve thought it through very well. It was my oversight.”
Shen Lingyue hugged her waist and said coquettishly, "I know you're doing this for my own good, I understand!"
At worst, she can make it up to Pei Jinghuai after she resolves the You family issue.
Shen Lingyue clenched her fist. For the sake of world peace and justice, she had no choice but to reluctantly...sacrifice her looks a little. ^_^
...
Having just eaten something sweet, the two rinsed their mouths thoroughly with salt before lying down.
Shen Lingyue gulped down a mouthful of water, her cavities retreating!
"By the way, Pei Jingyi saw the portrait of the woman I drew today. He said it looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it before."
...Although the truth is he was always "busy" and had no time to think about anything else.
Yan Yi's face felt a little hot as she spoke, and she cleared her throat to cover it up.
"Big brother has seen her?" Shen Lingyue's attention was indeed drawn, and she rolled over in a flash. "Oh right, I heard from Grandma that Big brother had a very good memory when he was a child, and he could remember everything he saw."
They had already analyzed that You Fengnian's birth mother had a certain status and a certain connection with the Dongxiang Marquis's mansion, perhaps as a relative.
However, the Pei and You families had no prior connection, and Pei Jingyi had never been to the Dongxiang Marquis's residence, meaning he must have seen her at someone else's house.
Shen Lingyue: "Try to urge your older brother tomorrow and tell him to think it over carefully."
Yan Yi hummed in agreement, thinking that her late-night chat with her best friend was coming to an end, and was about to close her eyes and drift off to sleep when Shen Lingyue let out another howl.
"I've got it!"
Yan Yi was startled, "...What?"
Shen Lingyue's eyes shone brightly. "I've remembered something. The great and respected Ms. Zhao once said something—"
Ms. Zhao? Oh, you mean Zhao Lan...
Shen Lingyue said, enunciating each word clearly, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend—"
Yan Yi hadn't reacted yet, "So?"
Shen Lingyue rubbed her hands excitedly, "So who is the enemy of the Lady of Dongxiang?"
Yan Yi paused, then asked uncertainly, "Is it...Grandmother?"
*
Songhe Hall.
The old lady was listless when she woke up early in the morning, and her right eyelid was twitching uncontrollably.
A twitching left eye means good fortune, while a twitching right eye means bad luck.
She asked Qian's mother to tear off a strip of white paper, moisten it with some saliva, and stick it on her right eyelid.
"Hmph... I'll make you jump for nothing."
The old lady was now at ease. She sat cross-legged on the daybed and had Qian Mama massage her shoulders.
Madam Qian, wanting to please her, said, "Madam, did you know that there was some more trouble at Dan Yue Xuan last night?"
"Oh? Tell me about it." The old lady perked up.
"I heard that the second young master and the second young mistress had a fight. The second young mistress ran out crying, and the second young master kept chasing after her. Most of the people in the manor heard it!"
The old lady wanted to laugh, but quickly put on a stern face. "Crying and making a scene so late at night, with no manners whatsoever, what kind of behavior is this? What kind of daughter is she from a family of civil officials and upright scholars? I think she's nothing special."
“Exactly, exactly,” Madam Qian chimed in. “And guess what happened next? The second young mistress went to knock on the gate of Jiusi Courtyard, shouting that she wanted to sleep with the eldest young mistress.”
The old lady frowned even deeper. "What's with the two of them arguing and causing trouble for the eldest son's family? This Shen woman is too willful. What if she disturbs Yunzhao's rest?"
"Exactly! I've never heard of a sister-in-law wanting to sleep with her brother's wife after being upset. Doesn't that affect their relationship?"
Madam Qian kept stirring things up, while the Grand Madam covered her right eyelid and groaned, "I knew my right eyelid was twitching, now I know it's because of this... Go to Danyue Pavilion and call Madam Shen here, I'm going to teach her a lesson about manners!"
"Yes, this servant will go and deliver the message right away."
Mrs. Qian twisted her body, secretly pleased.
The conflict between her and Shen Lingyue was sown from the very first day she entered the house. She was just worried about how to deal with her when Shen Lingyue handed her the leverage herself.
Mother Qian strode out of the house with her head held high, but soon returned.
The old lady glanced at her and said, "What are you doing going in and out of here?"
Madam Qian looked at her strangely. "Madam, it's the eldest and second young mistresses who have come together. They say they want to pay their respects to you."
"Today isn't a day for paying respects, is it?" the Grand Madam asked, waving her hand. "Let them in."
It was delivered right to my door.
As soon as the curtain was lifted, Yan Yi and Shen Lingyue came in together and respectfully bowed to the Grand Madam.
"Grandmother is well."
The old lady snorted heavily, "Thanks to you, I'm not doing well at all."
For the first time, she ignored Yan Yi and stared straight at Shen Lingyue: "What were you doing at Jiusi Courtyard after arguing with your husband? That's your elder brother and sister-in-law's courtyard. In the middle of the night, aren't you afraid of what rumors will spread?"
Shen Lingyue's first reaction was to look at Qian's mother, who first looked away from her gaze somewhat guiltily, then straightened her back, as if to say, "What can you do to me?"
...That old tattletale!
"I'm innocent, Grandmother! I went to see my sister-in-law. So many servants in Jiusi Courtyard saw it. Who would dare to gossip?"
Yan Yi was surprised to be confronted as soon as she entered the door, which almost disrupted their plans. She quickly spoke up for Shen Lingyue: "Yes, Grandmother, last night I slept with my sister-in-law, and my husband and second brother slept together in the study. Everyone in Jiu Si Courtyard can testify to this. There is no falsehood in this."
The old lady has had a good impression of Yan Yi recently, so she didn't lose her temper with her. Instead, she scolded Shen Lingyue for half a day, telling her not to run around like crazy in the middle of the night anymore.
Shen Lingyue: ...I'll endure it!
After launching into a long and rambling speech, the old lady finally remembered, "Why did you two decide to come see this old woman today?"
His gaze fell on the wooden box Yan Yi was holding, and he seemed to understand, "What good thing did you find to present to me?"
Madam Qian immediately rushed forward, "Young Madam, you can leave it to me..."
Yan Yi dodged slightly, leaving Qian's mother's outstretched hand hanging awkwardly in mid-air.
She said to her grandmother, "Since I entered the family, I have received a lot of care from you, and I am always grateful. I don't know how to repay your kindness."
The old lady was so coaxed that her eyebrows relaxed and her skin stretched out. "What's this talk of repaying? Just give Yunzhao a son soon, and that will make me happier than any magic pill."
Yan Yi: ...I'm sorry, I really don't have that.
She continued, "It just so happens that my granddaughter-in-law used to have some painting skills, so she specially painted a small portrait of her grandmother. Do you think it looks like her?"
Yan Yi opened the wooden box, took out a scroll, walked to the Luohan bed, and slowly unrolled it.
The old lady tore off the note from her right eyelid, leaned closer to look, and exclaimed repeatedly, "It's so similar, it's like looking in a mirror!"
Madam Qian also came over to look, shaking her head repeatedly, "Madam, this painting doesn't resemble you at all."
She pointed to the kind-faced, smiling old woman on the paper, "Her eyes are drawn so big, her nose so high and straight, and she doesn't even have your cheeks..."
The old lady gave her a death stare: "Are you saying I'm uglier than the person in the portrait?"
Mrs. Qian: …………
She immediately bowed her head and admitted her mistake, "This servant's old eyes are failing me and I've made a mistake. The person in this portrait looks exactly like you!"
"Nonsense, I look in the mirror every day, don't I know what I look like?"
The old lady happily accepted the gift, her gaze towards Yan Yi growing even more affectionate. "Good child, I never imagined that although you come from a military family, you are such a talented person, with such remarkable painting skills!"
She instructed Qian Mama: "Go to a book and painting shop and find a good framer to frame this painting for me and hang it in my bedroom."
Yan Yi hurriedly said, "Grandmother, don't rush to frame it. Actually, I haven't finished painting this yet."
The old lady was puzzled: "It's not finished yet? But it looks very good to me."
Shen Lingyue spoke up at the right moment: "Grandmother, this is just a line drawing. My sister-in-law finished drawing it and brought it to you to take a look. If you are satisfied, you can fill in the colors and it will look even more beautiful."
Even though the old lady disliked her, she was intrigued by these words and couldn't help but ask, "Is it true?"
Shen Lingyue nodded: "Of course, when you hang it on the wall, outsiders will be startled and will think it's you standing there."
"That's settled then. Yan Yi, take it back and color it in. You don't need to change anything else. This is exactly how I look."
Yan Yi smiled and agreed, then exchanged a glance with Shen Lingyue.
The first step of the plan was successful.
"Grandmother, actually my sister-in-law has another special skill. Would you like to know it?"
Shen Lingyue went to great lengths to drag the old lady into this mess today, smiling as brightly as spring flowers and as lively as a chirping lark.
She was born with a round face that elders adore, almond-shaped eyes, and a bright, lively smile that made her a perfect wife and mother.
Even if the old lady disliked her, she never said anything bad about Shen Lingyue's appearance. This little face really gave her a huge advantage.
She was in a good mood, so she didn't argue with her and even asked cooperatively, "What special skill do you have?"
Shen Lingyue clapped her hands: "As long as you describe what a person looks like, I can draw him. Grandmother, why don't you draw a portrait of you and Grandfather standing side by side? You are wearing a red wedding dress, and Grandfather is wearing a wedding robe, holding a big red flower in your hand, so that your wedding day can be forever remembered on paper. What do you say?"
The old lady was stunned for a moment, as if something had struck her heart hard.
Her nose tingled, and she felt a sudden urge to cry. She grabbed Yan Yi's hand urgently, her voice trembling slightly: "You've never met the old Marquis, yet you can draw him?"
At this moment, she was no longer the rigid and harsh old lady with the airs of an elder, but an ordinary wife who had been separated from her husband for more than ten years and missed him every moment.
Even though Yan Yi knew that their actions today were partly performative, she was still deeply moved by the nostalgia and longing in the Grand Madam's eyes.
The hands that held hers were dry and old, and no matter how carefully they were cared for, they inevitably developed age spots.
This reminded Yan Yi of her grandmother, the little old lady who always smiled and held her in her arms, telling her stories.
My maternal grandparents were a loving couple throughout their lives. They were both rare college students who studied abroad in that era. My grandfather was skilled in calligraphy and painting, and my grandmother could speak seven or eight languages and was very knowledgeable about European literature and art history.
If one of them leaves first, will the one left behind also feel boundless loneliness and solitude?
A thousand thoughts flashed in Yan Yi's eyes. She gently grasped the Grand Madam's hand and nodded solemnly: "I am willing to try my best so that you will have no regrets."
The old lady wiped her eyes and said "good" several times.
“Mama Qian, what are you waiting for? Go and make tea for the two young mistresses—use the premium Xueya tea from the very back of my cabinet.”
Mrs. Qian's eyes widened.
That packet of premium Xueya tea is even rarer than tribute items; even my aunt has barely tasted it... and you just gave it to them??
Mrs. Qian went out in a daze.
When she returned with the tea, she saw Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi sitting on either side of the Grand Madam. The Grand Madam was holding Yan Yi's hand tightly, reminiscing about the old Marquis's appearance when he was young. She was almost speechless with astonishment.
What exactly happened? Did those two cast a curse on the old lady?
“When the old Marquis was young, he was a little taller than your father. He was tall and thin, with big eyes and thick eyebrows. He was very serious when he wasn’t smiling, but when he smiled, there was a small dimple here.”
The old lady touched the corner of her mouth, and then smiled again, as if she had thought of something.
"He entered the Left Army Commander's Office at a young age. Fearing that his soldiers would not obey him, he always had a stern face, afraid that he would reveal his dimples if he smiled."
Yan Yi listened attentively, scribbling and drawing on the paper, occasionally showing it to the Grand Madam.
Seeing that the brush and technique she used were different from those commonly seen outside, and as she gradually sketched a young man's face, the old lady became more and more convinced. "Yes, yes, that's it. Hmm, the nose seems to need to be a little rounder... I can't remember?"
The old lady frowned, slapping her head in displeasure. "How could I have almost forgotten what he looks like?"
Shen Lingyue quickly tried to distract her, exclaiming dramatically, "So Grandfather was so handsome! No wonder he could have such a dashing son as the Marquis!"
The old lady loved to hear this, but she was also a little unconvinced and corrected, "Your father is more like me; his nose and mouth are just like mine."
“Yes, yes, yes, Grandmother was a great beauty when she was young!” Shen Lingyue said deliberately, “You must have put in a lot of effort to marry Grandfather, right? Did you ever secretly give him sachets or perfumes?”
The atmosphere was just right; the Dowager Lady was looking for someone to share her stories with the old Marquis from their youth, so even if Shen Lingyue asked a slightly gossipy question, it wouldn't offend her.
"Nonsense, I never gave him anything." The old lady snorted arrogantly. "It was your grandfather who fell in love with me at first sight and eagerly sent a matchmaker to my house to ask for my hand in marriage."
"Is that so?" Shen Lingyue blinked uncertainly. "But when I went out last time, I heard someone say that Grandfather was supposed to marry the eldest daughter of the Tao family, but somehow you snatched her away..."
"That's utter nonsense!"
The old lady flew into a rage, "Who told you that? It must be that wicked woman Tao Minmin. She tried everything to take me away but couldn't, and now she's talking badly about me outside!"
So this was the maiden name of the Lady of Dongxiang?
Shen Mingyue feigned ignorance: "Who is Tao Minmin?"
"That's the current Lady of Dongxiang." The old lady scoffed. "I was too naive back then. I thought she was a true sister to me. I always thought of her when I had something good to eat or something fun to do. But she tried to steal my marriage."
Perhaps it had been too long since she had talked about these things from her youth with anyone, because the old lady was in high spirits today and recounted her love-hate relationship with the wife of the Marquis of Dongxiang in its entirety.
"...She failed in her attempt to steal a bride and ruined her reputation. No one in the capital dared to marry her, and she became an old maid in the Tao family. I heard that her parents were planning to send her to be the second wife of an old prince in his fifties. But somehow she got together with the second young master of the Dongxiang Marquis's mansion and actually took the initiative to marry her as his principal wife."
The old lady said indignantly, "Other families have older men and younger women, but she is quite capable. She has an older wife and a younger husband, and she even got a title by taking advantage of the situation."
She glanced to her left and right, then lowered her voice: "I'm only telling you two, her husband's title was obtained through illegitimate means. The eldest son of the Marquis of Dongxiang was always robust, how could he have died from a mere cold? It must have been Tao Minmin who did it!"
"Hiss, it's fortunate that my grandfather had the foresight to marry such a beautiful and kind-hearted wife as you, which is why our Changning Marquis's Mansion is thriving and prosperous today!"
Shen Lingyue stretched out her arms and sang a poem of praise to the old lady on the spot.
The old lady felt completely comfortable after being praised. This Shen woman is not only sweet-looking, but also has a sweet tongue. Why didn't she think of inviting her over to chat and relieve boredom more often before?
She readily accepted Shen Lingyue's praise, saying, "Of course! When I was young, I went out to burn incense, and the Taoist priests who could read faces all said I had a lucky fate for my husband and would enjoy a lifetime of happiness."
The old lady suddenly sighed, "It's because your grandfather was unlucky. He contracted a hidden illness on the battlefield when he was young, which is why he left me so early..."
She picked up a handkerchief to wipe her tears, sobbing and cursing, "That heartless man! He promised to grow old with me, how dare he leave me first..."
"Oh, Grandma, don't be sad. You still have Father, Mother, and us. We will all take care of you and make sure you enjoy a happy life."
Shen Lingyue patted her back to help her catch her breath, both amused and exasperated, and it took a while to coax the old lady back to her senses.
She steered the conversation back to the Lady of Dongxiang, "Although her husband is still alive, her only son is gone. Compared to that, aren't you much happier?"
The old lady was full of fighting spirit: "That's right, I have both a son and a daughter, while she, an old woman, burys her young son. No matter how you look at it, I win."
Yan Yi, engrossed in her painting, interjected, "But I heard that the adopted grandson of the Marquis of Dongxiang is very promising. He passed the imperial examination at the age of fifteen and was the top scholar."
The Dowager snorted angrily, "Whose side are you on anyway? How can you boost the morale of others while diminishing your own? What's so great about a mere scholar? Yunzhao is already working in the Ministry of War at such a young age and is deeply trusted by His Majesty. Can her grandson compare? Even if you give him another ten or twenty years, he still won't be able to catch up."
“Granddaughter-in-law is wrong. Grandmother is farsighted.” Yan Yi obediently agreed.
Shen Lingyue said, "Sister-in-law, I see your charcoal pencil is almost worn out. Let me get you another one."
As he spoke, he opened the wooden box containing paper and pens, pretended to rummage through it for a while, and accidentally dropped a piece of drawing paper, which floated lightly to the side of the old lady.
"Did you draw this too?"
The old lady picked it up curiously, but frowned deeply when she saw the woman's appearance in the painting. "How did you get her portrait?"
...Here it comes!
Yan Yi's fingertips trembled slightly as she suppressed her excitement and looked up in confusion: "Ah? This is a passerby I happened to draw when I went out to find someone to practice with. I kept her as a souvenir because she was pretty. Grandmother... do you know her?"
"Is it pretty? I don't think so."
The old lady tossed the portrait aside with disdain. "You must have beautified her. Humph... Tao Minmin's daughter, how is she pretty?"
"What?!"
Shen Lingyue let out a scream, her eyes widening in disbelief, "This portrait is of the daughter of the Marquis of Dongxiang???"
But she was clearly You Zhenliang's mistress and You Fengnian's biological mother!
Oh no, oh no, oh no, everything's in complete chaos...
No wonder You Zhenliang faked his death and ran away from the mansion to elope; it turns out it was you, German Orthopedics!
Shen Lingyue looked up at the sky; this world was too crazy.
You Zhenliang and her son were not deformed, but a genius who won the top three imperial examinations in a row?
"What are you yelling about? You scared me."
The old lady patted her chest in dissatisfaction and added, "She's an adopted daughter, an adopted daughter. Who knows what got into Tao Minmin? She had a difficult childbirth for three days and three nights and can't have children anymore. But instead of taking good care of her precious son, she brought back a baby girl from outside, saying things like... that their fates are compatible, that the adopted daughter's birth chart can protect her own son and help him grow up safely. She even made everyone in the Dongxiang Marquis's mansion call that baby girl 'Miss,' which is completely contrary to the natural order."
She felt a sense of superiority, since both her children were her own!
Shen Lingyue silently pressed her chin, which was agape, back into place.
...Turns out it was pseudo-orthopedics, I was terrified.
She and Yan Yi exchanged a glance.
There's a saying that goes around in China: the person who understands you best isn't your best friend/sister, but your rival!
No one knows more about these old, trivial matters of the Dongxiang Marquis's mansion than the Dowager Madam.
Shen Lingyue picked up the portrait and pretended to be curious: "What is this adopted daughter's name? She should be in her thirties this year and already married, right?"
"Who would remember what her daughter's name is?"
The old lady stubbornly insisted, but then gave in to Shen Lingyue's pleading gaze and reluctantly said, "It seems her name is... You Nianjiao? She's just an adopted daughter, and she didn't marry into any high-ranking family. She's just a tea merchant from Qizhou, I think."
She then said to Yan Yi, "You Nianjiao returns to the capital every year around this time to celebrate Tao Minmin's birthday. You must have met her on the roadside around this time of year."
Yan Yi had never met You Nianjiao before, and what she just said was pure fabrication, so she could only nod and admit, "That's right, it was last autumn. Grandmother, you are so clever."
After praising the old lady again, Shen Lingyue took the opportunity to ask about You Nianjiao's situation, and she readily told her.
As they left Songhe Hall, the Dowager Lady was still asking, "When will my wedding portrait with the old Marquis be ready?"
Yan Yi earnestly assured her, "I'll go back and refine the line drawing, and I'll show it to you as soon as I make any progress."
At first, she and Shen Lingyue came under the guise of gathering intelligence, but the old lady took it seriously, and she really couldn't bear to disappoint and hurt an old woman.
Let's just consider it as an act of filial piety on behalf of Pei Jingyi towards his grandmother.
"Okay, draw well, and I promise you won't suffer any losses."
The old lady hinted mysteriously that she had quite a few good things in her secret stash.
Turning her head, she saw Shen Lingyue's bright eyes and reluctantly added, "...as long as you are obedient, you will get a share too."
Shen Lingyue smiled and cupped her face in her hands: "Grandfather must have accumulated a lot of good karma in his past life to be able to marry such a virtuous wife as you!"
Saying a few nice words doesn't cost any money, so no matter how you look at it, she and Yan Yan are making a huge profit!
The two returned to Jiusi Courtyard in high spirits. As soon as they closed the door, Shen Lingyue immediately jumped three feet high on the spot.
"I knew this trick would work! Hahaha, I'm a genius!"
Yan Yi nodded with a smile: "Knowing her identity will make things much easier later on."
You Nianjiao thought she had gotten away with everything, and even dared to openly return to visit her son every year as the eldest daughter of the You family... But, sorry, they had a cheat code.
Shen Lingyue chuckled strangely, "I will definitely give the Lady of Dongxiang a birthday banquet that she will never forget."
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Author's Note: [Mini-Theater]
Yan Yi: (Hesitating) Is this a good way to draw her? Even the Grand Madam doesn't look like this...
Shen Lingyue: (Confidently) Just draw it like this, trust me, no one can resist a level 10 beauty filter!
Let's build up the love between grandparents (just kidding).
//The entire Pei family is being turned into a melon patch in progress [doge][doge] Yuezai: I'm going to turn this world into a giant melon field!!!
P.S.: I did a quick calculation today and realized I still owe 15 chapters [scared] Ahhh, how come I'm owing more and more chapters? [laughing and crying][laughing and crying] I can do it!
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