Chapter 13: The Concubine's Thoughts, Her Hearts Are Higher Than the Sky
After saying that, Aunt Sun looked at Xie Yao again, her eyes seemed to be asking: Is the Second Miss satisfied with this?
Xie Yao nodded reluctantly, then pointed at the carved charcoal basin and said, "Hey, I suddenly feel that it's a waste to use this charcoal basin to feed chickens. It's better to use it as a spittoon. It's more elegant."
Aunt Sun's face could no longer be suppressed, but she said nothing more.
Aunt Liu followed her away with a red slap mark on her face.
Sang Ruo slapped Madam Liu in the face, and neither asked for credit nor offered any explanation. She just bowed with her food box and left.
Honeysuckle was still shocked: "This little maid looks so quiet and gentle, but she is so powerful."
"Sang Ruoke is my mother's maid, so she's naturally capable," Xie Yao said with an inexplicable hint of pride, "You should learn from her."
Honeysuckle swallowed, her eyes shining: "I will study hard."
As soon as Aunt Sun walked out of the ancestral hall, Matron Liu immediately covered her face and burst into tears.
"I don't want to live anymore. I can't live anymore. I've been humiliated like this. How can I survive in the Marquis' Mansion in the future? I beg you, Auntie, to help me!"
"That girl was disrespectful first. You spoke up for me, and she actually dared to use Qiao to show off and wouldn't let go. This isn't just a punishment for you, it's a slap in my face!"
Aunt Sun said this and went straight to Xie Mingan's study.
Madam Liu quickly stopped her, saying, "It's my fault for being quick-witted. Madam, please don't act rashly."
"It's nothing for this old servant to suffer some grievances, but Auntie has been very cautious in the mansion for many years. You must not let this old servant ruin your reputation in front of the uncle."
Aunt Sun's eyes gleamed: "Didn't you realize that the maid who slapped you was someone close to Xu Susu? She was delivering food to Xie Yao, and Master Bo said that the Second Young Miss must kneel for three days and not eat."
Aunt Liu reacted: "Auntie, are you saying that Xu disobeyed Master Bo's orders and asked the maid to secretly bring food to Xie Yao?"
"If it was just charcoal, it wouldn't be a big deal. But Master Bo was seriously injured this time and is still angry. He said he wouldn't let Xie Yao eat. Xu, you're committing this knowingly!"
Aunt Sun's mind flashed with Xu Susu's dull and pale face. She gently touched her belly with a cold look in her eyes.
Back then, although the Wenchang Earl's Mansion had a noble title, the old uncle was mediocre and was only a sixth-rank censor all his life.
And her father, Sun Xinlan, is a fifth-rank Shangyaoling.
Although she was a concubine's daughter, she was also a noble lady in the capital.
It was she who had a keen eye for talent and fell in love with Xie Ming'an, who had not yet inherited the title at that time. She accompanied Xie Ming'an to become the top scorer in the imperial examination, but because of her status as a concubine's daughter, she was looked down upon by the old uncle and could only become a concubine.
Who would have thought that this woman, Xu Susu, had an affair with the uncle before he even got married. After the affair was complete, she relied on her family's wealth to force the uncle to marry her as his legal wife!
Fortunately, Xu Susu fell ill when she gave birth to Xie Yao and has been in poor health for many years. Sun Xinlan has the final say in the rear quarters of the Bo Mansion.
now……
Xie Yao is back, even if she came back to protect Zhizhi from disaster, but as long as Xu Susu is there, she will always be a concubine. Xie Yao is the legitimate daughter of the Bo family, and her daughter is a concubine's daughter.
She had to be cruel and do something for herself and her children.
Aunt Sun came to Xie Ming'an's study in a rage. The two servants treated her as if she were the mistress of the Bo's mansion. They greeted her and said nothing more.
Before she entered, she heard the sound of conversation inside, which made her stop.
"Seriously, did His Majesty really send Eunuch Qing to the Earl's Mansion to announce the decree granting a marriage between my daughter and the Prince of Jingbei? Or was it the same as before, without specifying whether it was the eldest daughter or the second daughter?"
Uncle Xie asked anxiously.
"I'm just a messenger, so I don't know the whole story. I only know that His Majesty attaches great importance to the prince's marriage. Eunuch Qing should have left the palace by now. I hope you can make preparations early."
"Okay, I understand, thank you..."
Before Aunt Sun finished listening, she forgot about the complaint and rushed to Xie Zhi's house.
Inside the house, Xie Zhi was painting.
She was a well-known talented lady in Beijing, best at painting and freehand drawing. Under the management of her aunt for many years, she had also gained an excellent reputation.
If not for this, His Majesty would not have allowed the daughter of the Earl of Wenchang to marry the King of Jingbei according to his previous oral order.
What she was painting at the moment was a picture of peonies and pheasants. The pheasants on the paper were colorful and brilliant like a phoenix.
When Aunt Sun came in, Xie Zhi stopped writing in displeasure.
"Hurry up, go to the ancestral hall immediately and personally bring some food to Xie Yao!" Aunt Sun said in a low voice.
Xie Zhi paused his brush and said, "Auntie, you are afraid of Xie Yao's status as a legitimate daughter. You are offering charcoal and apologizing. Please don't drag me along. I don't have the time to please a sister who is about to marry a useless man."
Aunt Sun said excitedly: "Someone from the palace has come to announce the imperial decree to grant the marriage!"
Xie Zhi remained unmoved: "Didn't my father say that His Majesty didn't say who our family would marry to the King of Jingbei? If anyone is to marry, it should be Xie Yao. What does it have to do with me?"
"Zhizhi, no one knows a daughter better than her mother. You are still in your prime, insisting that you don't have anyone you like and don't want to get married. And you have a good reputation throughout the capital. I don't know what you are thinking."
Xie Zhi's face flushed, revealing a bit of embarrassment: "Aunt, please don't make fun of your daughter. I, I can't have any thoughts."
"Of course we won't marry a disabled person, but the one who comes to announce the decree this time is Eunuch Qing!" Aunt Sun said shockingly.
Xie Zhi shook his wrist, and a drop of vermilion paint dripped onto the pheasant on the drawing paper, flowing in a winding manner and destroying the pheasant's gorgeous wings.
"Is it what Brother Yu mentioned before, Eunuch Qing, the eunuch in charge of His Majesty?" she asked.
"Who else? Of course it's him, the eunuch most valued by His Majesty, Qingcai!"
"Hurry, hurry up and get me dressed!"
She understood what Aunt Sun meant, and stood up eagerly to look for her most valuable and beautiful pieces of jewelry.
I heard that when Xie Yao returned home two days ago, the eldest princess sent an ordinary eunuch to support her, so that her father and others did not dare to offend her. Now, the one who came to announce the decree was the eunuch in front of the emperor!
As long as she gets the favor of Eunuch Qing and enters the palace, she will be His Majesty's woman in the future. What can Xie Yao do to compare with her!
"Hurry up, Eunuch Qing has already left the palace. Yes, wear this lotus pink dress."
"Ever since Your Majesty ascended the throne, the position of Empress has been vacant, and there has been no selection of concubines. The Queen Mother is getting anxious and says she will definitely choose a new person for Your Majesty to enter the palace this year."
"Our Majesty likes gentle women. The few ladies in the palace are all gentle and kind. You must behave well in front of Eunuch Qing and be respectful to Xie Yao. The more gentle the better."
Xie Zhi was busy dressing up, and Aunt Sun kept muttering in her ear.
After a while, Xie Zhi appeared at the door of the ancestral hall carrying the food box prepared by Aunt Sun.
Aunt Sun hurried to the gate of the Earl's Mansion and was the first to welcome the team announcing the imperial edict, trying to leave a good impression on Eunuch Qing.
"Hello, Second Sister. I bet you haven't eaten yet. These snacks were just made in the kitchen, and a table of food is also ready!"
Xie Zhi said this and opened the lunch box enthusiastically.
Xie Yao knew that Aunt Sun had seen Sang Ruo and guessed that her mother had sent her food, so she would definitely go to complain to Xie Ming'an.
She had just finished drinking the medicine prepared by Honeysuckle for her and was weighing the knife in her hand, waiting for Xie Mingan to come and question her, with great interest.
Unexpectedly, the person who came was Xie Zhi.
Xie Zhi continued, "I just learned that father has asked my second sister to go back and rest. Let's go, sisters, and have dinner together."
In fact, Xie Ming'an did not let Xie Yao go back, but she dared to say so because she knew that her father had the best reputation and would not punish his own family in front of the eunuch who announced the decree.
She called Xie Yao away in advance, and afterwards, her father might even praise her for being smart and careful.
Xie Yao looked at Xie Zhi's obviously carefully dressed face and understood.
The imperial decree granting marriage is about to arrive.
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