Chapter 152 Yi's Mother Tests Su Yuyao
This was Su Yuyao's second time entering the female mother's palace. Although no one could save her this time, she felt more composed.
Last time she came, she obediently followed Guiyue to the main hall without even raising her head.
This time, she stepped confidently through the gates of the Female Mother Palace, tilting her head back to survey the entire courtyard.
“Guiyue,” Mother Yi stopped in the courtyard and said, “set the tea and meal at Xuanling Garden!”
"Yes!" Guiyue curtsied and withdrew.
Mother Yi glanced at Su Yuyao, who was still touring the place, and asked with a smile, "What do you think of my courtyard?"
Su Yuyao was taken aback, and quickly lowered her head to say, "The Yinmu Palace of the Mother Goddess is indeed extraordinary. It is magnificent but not ostentatious, gentle yet strong! However..." Su Yuyao paused.
"But what?" Mother Yi asked curiously. "Just tell me!"
"There are just too few people! So the energy field lacks vitality and feels a bit dull! If only we could raise more children like the Ice Wheel Palace does!"
"Really?" Mother Yi looked at Su Yuyao and said, "Do you also want to raise a child?"
Su Yuyao was startled and quickly lowered her head to stand up straight, sucking in her stomach as she said, "I...I just said it casually..."
"You just said that offhand?" Mother Yi slowly approached Su Yuyao, staring intently at Su Yuyao's stomach. "So this... was also conceived randomly?!"
Su Yuyao sensed the powerful aura emanating from her mother and unconsciously took a step back. Her hands instinctively protected her stomach, but then she put them down helplessly.
Yi's mother took another step closer, grabbed Su Yuyao's wrist, checked her pulse, and subtly curled the corner of her mouth.
"Your Majesty! The tea is ready!" Guiyue reported, bowing her head.
Let's go!
"yes!"
Xuanling Garden is small and exquisite, with only one main house and two small side rooms in the courtyard.
In the middle of the courtyard is a small pond with a rockery in it, and some exquisite pavilions and towers on the rockery.
Beside the pond are exquisite stone tables and benches, with teapots, teacups, and snacks on the stone tables.
Looking at the artificial hill, Su Yuyao exclaimed, "It's so beautiful! It's like a fairy mountain!"
Mother Yi's eyes lit up, and she said with a smile, "This courtyard was originally the study of the late Lord Xuan Yi. Xuan Feng lived here after he was born. Later, Ze Yuan was born, and he also liked this place, insisting that Xuan Feng give it to him. The two brothers argued about this a lot..."
As Su Yuyao watched her mother reminisce about the happy times of the past, she realized that her mother was no different from any other ordinary mother.
With a smile, Yi's mother asked, "Yao'er, if you were me, what would you do?"
"Huh?" Su Yuyao was taken aback for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't know."
Yi's mother's face darkened. "Xuanfeng's father is Xianming, and Xianming's father is Meizhan, a tea farmer in the tea garden. Because of some things, Meizhan died, and Xianming was left all alone."
She turned to Su Yuyao, her dark face filled with helplessness. "Yao'er, I have made irreparable mistakes! I deeply regret my impulsiveness. Therefore, I once wanted to favor Xuanfeng, but Xianming has never been able to forgive me! If Xianming is not strong, I cannot support Xuanfeng."
Su Yuyao lowered her head, looked at the artificial mountain in the pond, and said softly, "So you gave the Immortal Mountain to Xuanfeng as compensation in order to make him move away from Xuanling Garden."
Mother Yi smiled and nodded, "Yao'er, you are very smart!"
“However,” Su Yuyao looked up at Yi’s mother again, “Zeyuan did not move in! So, Xuanfeng did not lose Xuanling Garden, and even gained the Immortal Mountain!”
Mother Yi breathed a sigh of relief. "Yao'er, although the tide only has a few small islands as its backers, look at this flood. Even without my intervention, it has developed into this state! Therefore, I have no choice but to pay more attention to Zeyuan."
Su Yuyao nodded. She understood the hardship her mother faced in balancing the relationship between her two children, and she also understood her mother's helplessness and powerlessness as the mother of Wuji.
"Yao'er, do you think I'm heartless?"
Su Yuyao looked at Yi's mother and said, "Ruthless! But you are the Mother of Wuji, so you must be ruthless!"
"So, do you think what I did this time was right or wrong?"
“It’s not a matter of right or wrong,” Su Yuyao analyzed carefully. “If you get involved, you won’t be able to find out the bottom of the tide; if you don’t get involved, although there will be a price to pay, you can make plans for the future…”
Looking at Su Yuyao deep in thought, Yi's mother felt much better. Perhaps this time, I made the right bet!
Mother Yi sat down at the stone table. "Yao'er, come and have some tea!"
Su Yuyao sat down opposite Yi's mother, feeling embarrassed.
"Try it," Irma said.
Su Yuyao picked up the small, white, petal-shaped teacup on the table and took a sip of the clear, green tea. The tea was fresh, smooth, and mellow, like a transparent bead slowly melting in her mouth.
"Is it good?" Mother asked with a smile.
Su Yuyao held her teacup, looked into her mother's deep eyes, thought for a moment, and said, "I don't drink tea often, so I couldn't tell what kind of tea it was!"
"This tea is called..." Mother Yi's eyes suddenly turned piercing, "Waterfall Immortal Tea!"
Su Yuyao was slightly taken aback, put down her teacup, and asked thoughtfully, "Ah, does Mother Yi like this tea?"
"This tea is somewhat cooling and lacks a strong foundation, yet its aroma is overpowering and frivolous, so I don't drink it often."
"Oh." Su Yuyao looked down at the tea, trying to guess what her mother meant.
The lack of a solid foundation means that Xianmingjun has no powerful backing! Yet the aroma is overbearing and frivolous? It is frivolous, but where is the "overbearing" quality?
Could it be... that Lady Yi is implying that Lord Xianming is domineering? But Lord Xianming isn't domineering at all!
Looking at Su Yuyao, who was behaving obediently but whose mind was racing, Yi's mother smiled. "This tea, I originally intended to store it carefully, but it turns out it's harmful to the body! So I wanted to invite someone to use it up together! I wonder if you... are interested?"
Su Yuyao's heart skipped a beat. Her mother was going to deal with Xianming Jun! Why? Lately, the only thing troubling her mother was the floods! Could the floods be related to Xianming Jun? How could they be? Even if Xianming Jun was related to the floods, the priority wasn't Xianming Jun! It was the Tide Clan!
Immortal Tea... Tides...
Su Yuyao was shocked!
Immortal Tea isn't domineering! But the tides are!
No way! How did they end up together? End up... together?
The image of Xianming flashed through Su Yuyao's mind again... Oh! That makes sense!
Su Yuyao breathed a soft sigh of relief, but her heart was filled with extreme tension.
Knowing that Su Yuyao already had an answer in her heart, her mother continued to ask, "Yao'er, there are no outsiders here. Please feel free to speak your mind."
"Ah..." Su Yuyao pushed the teacup forward, glancing at her mother's expression, and said cautiously, "Since this tea is cooling, it doesn't seem suitable for me to drink..."
Yi's mother smiled and said, "In that case, let's have some tea and snacks!"
Su Yuyao glanced at Yi's mother's expression, but couldn't figure out what she was thinking, so she could only smile awkwardly and say, "I...I'm not hungry..."
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Yuyao's stomach started growling loudly.
Instead of exposing Su Yuyao's lie, Mother Yi lowered her eyelids, picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said, "If you don't want to drink this tea, then how do you think I should use up this Waterfall Immortal Tea?"
"Huh?" Su Yuyao felt like she was sitting on pins and needles when asked by her mother. She lowered her head, pursed her lips, and dared not, nor could she, speak.
"Yao'er, don't forget, you're in the Female Mother Palace!" Mother Yi's words were gentle, but they contained hidden daggers. "Although Xuanfeng is in the Fuguang Palace, he was injured by the Qi Whip, and neither his body nor his Qi power will recover in a short time! You and those dogs, if it weren't for my mercy, how long do you think you could have lived?"
Su Yuyao's heart trembled violently, and her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
She tried her best to keep her expression and tone steady as she slowly said, "Mother Yi is too kind. You are the Mother of Limitless, with the world in your heart, nurturing nature, and your maternal love is boundless. We have always been under your protection and remember your kindness..."
Yi's mother slightly raised her eyelids and stared at Su Yuyao. Although the child was flustered inside, she did not lose her composure and could still make amends in her words. She was indeed a useful person.
"Yao'er, don't overthink it. This is just a casual chat between mother and daughter. Just say whatever you want!"
"Ah... I'm fine..." Su Yuyao subtly raised her eyelids, meeting her mother's sharp gaze.
Su Yuyao was barely holding on. She protected her belly. If it weren't for this child, she might have dared to resist, but now, she didn't even dare to breathe...
"Guiyue, pour another cup for Miss Yao'er, so she can savor it properly," Mother Yi said calmly.
"Yes!" Guiyue picked up the teapot, added a few drops of tea to Su Yuyao's teacup, and then pushed the teacup back in front of Su Yuyao.
Su Yuyao stared at the now-cold tea in front of her, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. What should I do? Should I join Yi's mother's side? That would mean going against Xianming Jun, but Xianming Jun is Xuanfeng's father! Should I not join Yi's mother's side? Then my child and I might be in danger! I have to find another way out!
Su Yuyao pondered for a moment, then stood up, knelt on both knees, and said to Mother Yi, "Mother Yi, I don't drink tea often, so I don't know about the cooling properties of tea, let alone how cooling it can be. However, I do know that seafood is extremely cooling!"
Mother Yi smiled slightly, "I know that seafood is cold in nature, and I also know that this coldness is probably brought out by these tea leaves!"
Su Yuyao was startled. Sure enough! Mother Yi had also guessed the relationship between Chaoxi and Xianming!
"Empress Yi, you are the Mother of Limitless Heaven, and you are usually in the Heavenly Palace. You are unaware that ordinary farming families like ours keep dogs to guard our homes!"
Su Yuyao looked up and said, "Although the wolfhounds at home are very fierce, those thieves still manage to succeed. Do you know why?"
Yi's mother smiled slightly, "Because the thief killed the wolfhound first!"
“The owner is weak, which is why he keeps a dog. If the dog dies, how long can the owner hold on?” Su Yuyao lowered her head again, trying to calm her chaotic emotions.
After pondering for a long time, Yi's mother suddenly drank the tea in her cup in one gulp, and then said softly, "Yao'er, get up and sit down."
Su Yuyao breathed a slight sigh of relief. She slowly stood up and sat back down on the stone bench.
Mother Yi looked at Su Yuyao, who was still nervous, and said, "Guiyue, get some tea and snacks for Yao'er!"
"Yes!" Guiyue picked up the plate of pastries and held it in front of Su Yuyao, saying softly, "Miss Yao'er, please have some tea and snacks!"
Su Yuyao's legs were still trembling slightly, and the sweat on her palms hadn't dried yet. She tried to stretch her fingers, controlling her trembling hands, and picked up a small pastry from the plate. Trying to speak calmly, she stammered, "Thank you, Your Majesty..."
Looking at Su Yuyao, although all her thoughts, panic, fear, and relief did not escape her eyes, Su Yuyao's feigned composure and like-minded ideas were indeed very pleasing to her!
"Yao'er," Mother Yi asked gently, "What you said makes sense. Although this tea is cooling, it's not as cooling as seafood. So how should I dispel the cold?"
To dispel the cold? Ah! I see!
Su Yuyao suddenly realized something!
Why was Xuanfeng beaten? Why was Haichao rewarded? Why was Chaoxi favored again? Why was Zeyuan so audacious? Why was Hongzhu... qualified to kneel at Yimu's feet?
Su Yuyao felt more at ease. She calmed herself down, looked at her mother with a firm and confirming gaze, and said with a smile, "If you want to contract something, you must first expand it; if you want to weaken something, you must first strengthen it; if you want to abolish something, you must first promote it; if you want to take something away, you must first give it away! Your Majesty, you have already done so!"
Yi's mother's face brightened suddenly, and she smiled and said to Guiyue, "Prepare food and bath water for Yao'er."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Guiyue replied, bowing her head.
After traveling for several days in a row, and with her pregnancy progressing further, Su Yuyao's stomach started rumbling loudly whenever she saw food, as if urging the maids who were setting out the meal to hurry up, which made the maids smirk.
Only after the last maidservant had left did Mother Yi speak, "Eat!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Su Yuyao picked up her bowl and chopsticks and began to eat heartily, completely disregarding whether her mother would be angry.
Although the dishes on the table were rather vegetarian, Su Yuyao was simply too hungry! Her ravenous eating even stirred pity in her mother.
The bowls and plates were quickly emptied.
At this moment, Guiyue stepped forward and said softly, "Your Majesty! The bathwater is ready! Princess Jinyu has also brought the clothes and pastries!"
Yi's mother nodded and said, "Okay! You can go now, but close the courtyard gate!"
"Yes!" Guiyue slightly curtsied and withdrew.
Su Yuyao nervously protected her stomach, shaking her head and saying, "I...I don't want to take a shower!"
Mother Yi smiled and said softly, "Su Yuyao, I have given birth to four children! Do you think you can hide it from me?"
"Your Majesty!" Su Yuyao knelt on the ground with a thud, pleading, "Please spare my life!"
With her eyes lowered, Mother Yi glanced at Su Yuyao and said, "You stole my son. If it weren't for your pregnancy, do you think I would have let you go?"
Su Yuyao lowered her head and stroked her belly, which was almost impossible to hide, and muttered, "Grandma still loves her grandson the most!"
Mother Yi was taken aback, looking at Su Yuyao's face, roughened by wind and sun. "Su Yuyao, I haven't recognized you as Xuanfeng's fairy wife yet! You'd better watch your words!"
Su Yuyao did not show any fear, but instead raised her face and continued, "Your Majesty, since you haven't acknowledged me, then let me make it clear to you: the child in my womb is a descendant of the wolf clan. If anything happens to me or the child, given the straightforward thinking of the wolf clan, they will definitely misunderstand Your Majesty! So..."
Mother Yi clenched her fists slightly. "Su Yuyao, are you trying to threaten me?"
"It's not a threat!" Su Yuyao said with a smile, "I just hope Your Majesty will be lenient and ensure the safety of my child and me!"
Yi's mother's eyes were sharp as she said slowly, "Show mercy? And I have to keep you safe? Su Yuyao, you're really good at scheming!"
Su Yuyao awkwardly stood up, raised her eyes to look at Mother Yi, "Mother Yi, in this Heavenly Palace, who hasn't schemed against you?"
After saying this, she bowed slightly, turned and went into the main house, leaving her mother outside.
Although his situation was fraught with danger, this womb was the safest place among all the dangers.
Su Yuyao took a relaxing bath, washing away the blood and fatigue.
Looking at her swollen belly and feeling the baby's movements inside, she felt incredibly happy, yet also overwhelmed with endless bitterness.
If my father and mother were still alive, I wouldn't have to live such a hard life. I wouldn't have to humbly beg, painstakingly scheme, or be tormented by love and hate...
Su Yuyao gave a bitter smile, glancing at the blood-stained robe and the soft, gorgeous feather dress...
The door opened, and Su Yuyao appeared in a pink strapless dress that accentuated her fair skin, highlighted her voluptuous figure, and perfectly concealed her protruding belly. Coupled with her naturally bright eyes and glossy black hair, she looked like a newly awakened fairy!
She stepped out, lifting her skirt slightly, and looked at Mother Yi sitting by the pond. Her face flushed, she said, "Mother Yi, I... I don't know how to comb my hair. Could you please find someone to do it for me?"
Looking at the chubby, oval-shaped Su Yuyao, her mother couldn't help but sigh. She was a child who loved beauty, yet now she wore animal skins and bones, huddled on a snow-covered mountain. If she were just an ordinary child, still at an age where she would be pampered and cherished!
Yi's mother stood up and said softly, "I will help you..."
She pulled Su Yuyao in front of the bronze mirror, personally styled Su Yuyao's long hair, and adorned it with vermilion and jade.
Su Yuyao was a little reserved at first, but as she watched her mother carefully style her hair into a butterfly bun, she gradually relaxed.
She fiddled with the jewelry that Jinyu had given her, "Jinyu's jewelry is the best! She gave me so much last time, and I left it all at my home in Hidden Deer Mountain! I wonder if my thatched hut got washed away by the water. It would be such a pity if it did!"
"If you like these, I'll give them all to you!" Mother Yi then picked out a few more hairpins and inserted them into Su Yuyao's hair.
"I don't want these jewels! I can't wear these on the snowy mountain!" Su Yuyao's eyes suddenly lit up. She looked up at her mother with wide, blinking eyes. "If... I could exchange these jewels for some grain and cloth, could I?!"
"Grain and cloth?"
"That's right! Food is scarce on the snowy mountains, and the weather is extremely cold. Most of us wear animal skins to keep warm! But it would be best to use cotton for our undergarments, but we are desperately short of cotton. So... if possible, I would like to exchange my jewelry for food and cloth!"
Looking at Su Yuyao, Mother Yi thought, "This child is so young, yet she can control her own preferences to gain benefits for the wolf clan. If Ze Yuan were half as good as her, I wouldn't have to worry so much."
“Okay,” Mother Yi replied softly.
"Really?! Thank you so much, Mother Goddess!" Su Yuyao stood up happily and curtsied in gratitude.
"However... Your Majesty, the situation is special now. If you openly reward me, it will definitely arouse suspicion from others! I think this is just a small matter. If it is used by someone with ulterior motives to distort the truth and spread rumors, it is not worth it!"
Slightly surprised, Mother Yi looked at Su Yuyao with a calm expression and asked, "Yao'er, how do you wish to receive your reward?"
"Hmm..." Su Yuyao considered it briefly and said, "The northern side of Chengma Peak is the Immortal Mountain Realm. There are several cities outside the realm. Although I am not familiar with them, I have heard that those cities are managed by the clan of Lord Ruixin! Lord Ruixin's family is good at business, so they must have everything they need in those cities!"
Yi's mother narrowed her eyes and curled the corners of her mouth, staring thoughtfully at Su Yuyao.
Seeing that the Mother Goddess did not interrupt her, Su Yuyao said with relief, "How about this, you inform Lord Ruixin and ask him to tell the clansmen to prepare things for us, and I will send someone to pick them up directly from Chengma Peak! That way, there will be no misunderstanding!"
Yi's mother saw right through Su Yuyao's thoughts. Su Yuyao, you're really good at scheming! You want to use this opportunity to open up the passage on the north side of the Immortal Mountain, and you also want to win over Ruixin?! Could it be... that you want to become the next Qinggan?
Su Yuyao slowly lowered her head, knowing that her little scheme wouldn't fool her mother.
"Yao'er, you're not feeling well, so please get some rest. Don't worry about these things!" In the end, Mother Yi didn't let Su Yuyao's "scheme" succeed and politely declined Su Yuyao's suggestion.
After everything was tidied up, Yi's mother watched Su Yuyao play in the courtyard for a while.
Su Yuyao curiously toured each room.
“This is Xuanfeng’s handwriting! I recognize it! Every time I’m punished by copying calligraphy, he makes me copy his handwriting!” Su Yuyao said, pointing to the calligraphy and paintings in the side room.
"Is this the book he's reading? It's too profound! I can't understand it at all!" Su Yuyao said, flipping through Xuanfeng's bookshelf.
"Huh? This little bib is Xuanfeng's from when he was little?" Su Yuyao discovered another little bib in the wardrobe. "Xuanfeng is over four thousand years old, how come his bib has been kept for so long?"
Mother Yi smiled faintly, watching Su Yuyao playing like a child in the courtyard. A sense of unease began to pound within her. Should she tell her the secrets of the Wuji Dao? Could such a child be trusted? Judging from her shrewdness and resourcefulness, she was indeed the kind of person she needed, but…
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