Zhao Shu, while in the carriage, thought for a moment and said to Green Ivy, "I'm giving you a task."
"Princess, please give your orders." Green Luo was in a state of excitement. It had been a long time since she had been able to thoroughly and thoroughly ridicule someone. She had also heard what Xiao Guozi had said earlier. Could it be that...?
Zhao Shu did not disappoint her, saying, "It's a promise. We must make the old lady's good name known far and wide. Go and invite more people to come here to see how virtuous and kind the old lady and her sisters are."
Green Ivy was no stranger to this kind of thing; she had dealt with the Xie family in the capital in the same way. She nodded happily like a chick pecking at rice, "Please rest assured, Your Highness, this servant will definitely complete the mission well. Shall we go together, Sister Banshu?"
She hesitated for a moment. As a first-class maid in a scholarly family, she understood the proper conduct of a young lady even better than the girls from lesser-known families. How could she possibly show her face in public...
"Green Ivy, please give your sister Banshu a good talking-to." Banshu was still struggling when Sun Yun's words sealed her fate: "Learn from Green Ivy. You have many shortcomings and need to be more humble."
Half-bundle: ...with a bitter face, she followed Green Ivy and got off the bus.
Zhao Shuqi wouldn't wait here just to watch an insignificant person make a fool of himself. She quickly said to Zhihai, "Elder Hai, please hurry."
"Yes, Princess." Zhihai flicked his whip, and the horse, in pain, quickened its pace.
Green Ivy was still young and had a lovely pinkish-red appearance, so it was impossible for her to walk outside alone. She was always accompanied by soldiers from the two prefectures.
Whenever they reached a crowded place, Green Ivy and Half-Bundle would pretend to chat, exaggerating their expressions and speaking loudly: "I wonder what day it is today. The Lady of the County is actually walking on the suspension bridge in coarse linen clothes. It's one thing for her to walk by herself, but she also has several delicate granddaughters following her. I really don't understand what this old lady of a wealthy family is thinking. What kind of behavior is it to show her face in public like this?"
This means that the old man is unkind. He wanted to seek justice for his granddaughter, but this has earned him a reputation for being unkind.
"Yes, didn't you see? The girls' faces have turned pale. If they look down on our tattered clothes, why pretend? If they want to appear approachable, they can reduce the rent. That's much better than deliberately dressing up in coarse clothes to embarrass themselves. Fellow villagers, don't you agree?" These words exposed the hypocrisy of the old lady and her entourage. It was no longer possible for them to feign pitifulness.
Banshu reluctantly agreed to Green Ivy's request, her face bearing a bitter and resentful expression that convinced the onlookers. Although they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, the girl's expression made them believe it for no reason.
The onlookers nodded in agreement, saying, "Indeed, reducing the rent is more effective than setting up a hundred soup kitchens."
"Young lady, are you saying that the Lady of the County was walking on the suspension bridge in coarse clothes?" a curious woman asked.
Green Ivy and Half Bundle nodded in agreement. "If you don't believe me, you can go and see for yourself. It's probably still there now, but you might not be able to see it if you go too late."
"Let's go, let's go! This is the first time I've heard of the Madam of the County dressed in such coarse and tattered clothes. Let's go see, let's go see!" Everyone called out to each other, and without Green Ivy and Half-Bund needing to urge them on, they all rushed off.
The busybody walked ahead at a fast pace and soon arrived at the suspension bridge. He happened to see Zhao Wanshi and the others with watery eyes from the smell of sweat on their tattered clothes. They would gag every two steps.
Green Ivy, hiding in the crowd, said, "Could it be that she's pregnant?"
Half-gathered, blushed with embarrassment at her words. Green Ivy was no different from any other common woman! No different at all!
Upon hearing this, the surrounding people's gazes became even more subtle, wishing they could immediately go home and tell their neighbors this earth-shattering gossip.
Zhao Wanshi and the others desperately wanted to tear off their coarse linen clothes, but since the old lady was wearing them, if they didn't, wouldn't they be accused of being unfilial? How could they easily bear such a stigma?
Accompanying Zhao Wanshi and the others was another girl, who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. She wore a crescent-white brocade dress with cloud patterns and stayed by the old lady's side, supporting her. Even though the coarse linen clothes she wore smelled terrible, she endured it and did not gag like Zhao Wanshi and the others.
"Grandma, slow down, we're almost across the bridge."
The old lady's face was deathly pale. She suppressed her discomfort, cursing Zhao Shu a thousand times in her heart, determined to tear her to pieces at any moment! Hearing her granddaughter's comforting words, she nodded gently, "I'm sorry that Yue'er and I have suffered. I was careless and fell into someone else's trap, which has implicated Yue'er."
"Yue'er is incompetent and wishes she could take her grandmother's place. It is Yue'er who has failed to help her grandmother. Please do not be angry with Yue'er." Zhao Wanyue put on the appearance of a filial granddaughter and endured her discomfort to do her best in front of others, which greatly pleased the old lady. Fortunately, she still had Yue'er.
Her gaze fell on Zhao Wanshi and the others, and her eyes turned cold. If she hadn't been thinking of avenging her three good-for-nothing granddaughters today, she wouldn't have lost face so badly!
Zhao Wanqing couldn't take it anymore. She tore off her clothes and threw them into the Qingshui River. She burst into tears. She still had some sense. After crying, she pretended that she couldn't catch her breath and fainted.
Pretending to faint is the best solution. Zhao Wanshi and Zhao Wanru followed suit, tearing off their coarse cloth clothes and throwing them away before pretending to faint.
Xiao Guozi stayed by her side the whole time, making sure that the old lady and her party did not cross the long suspension bridge in their fine clothes. With the Crown Prince's name on her side, the old lady would not contradict herself. Even if she was unwilling, she still walked across the suspension bridge step by step in her coarse linen clothes. He was quite impressed with her. If it were the princess who encountered this situation, ha, she would be beaten to death!
As soon as the three girls fainted, Xiao Guozi said, "The three young ladies are so weak. We must quickly summon the imperial physician. What if their illness becomes chronic?"
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