Ye Qingxue bowed to the Princess Consort of Yu.
The old lady and the others were slightly taken aback and unable to react for a moment.
Princess Yu was also surprised. Wasn't Ye Qingxue so ill that she couldn't get up?
Ye Qingxue turned to look at the old lady: "Grandmother, the Princess Consort of Yu has come to visit. Why didn't you send someone to call your granddaughter? I have been worried about Princess Rongqing's health. If I could ask the Princess Consort of Yu in person, I would feel much more at ease."
In just one sentence, the old lady's lie was exposed.
This would let Princess Yu know that no one had gone to the backyard to invite her, and she had no idea that Princess Yu had come to visit her today.
Ye Qingxue then pointed to the old woman and maid beside her: "For some reason, these two were acting suspiciously outside my courtyard. I was just about to ask them what they were doing when they turned and ran away."
"If I hadn't been worried about something happening in the manor and followed them here, I wouldn't have known that it was Princess Yu who had come to visit."
These words effectively blocked the old woman and maid's attempt to shift the blame onto her.
The old lady's face turned pale and then red, clearly not expecting things to turn out this way.
Ye Cunjin also frowned slightly, his fists clenching quietly, as if he was thinking about how to resolve the awkward situation.
Princess Yu saw everyone's reactions and couldn't believe that the old lady and the young marquis would not allow Ye Qingxue to see her!
"You two are incredibly audacious! I told you to invite the eldest daughter to see the Princess Consort of Yu, but you lied and said she was too ill to come. Who gave you the guts!"
After realizing what was happening, the old lady immediately shouted angrily, "Did Madam Min order you to do this? She hates Qingxue, so she bribed you?"
He then explained to the Princess Consort of Yu: "After Qingxue returned home, she had some disagreements with her second aunt. Min Shi has always harbored resentment towards Qingxue, so she is looking for an opportunity to take revenge!"
The old lady thought that since the Min family was already ruined and useless, it would be better to let her take the blame.
"Please calm your anger, Your Highness. I will punish these two severely for daring to deceive even Your Highness! Guards, gag them, drag them away and give them ten strokes of the cane each, cut out their tongues, and send them out of the mansion!"
Several rough-looking old women immediately stepped forward, gagged the two women, twisted their hands, and dragged them away. The two women didn't even have a chance to beg for mercy.
Princess Yu's face turned cold, and disappointment was hard to hide in her eyes. Her original desire to form a marriage alliance with the Marquis's family had largely faded.
She had been in charge of the inner quarters of the Prince's mansion for over twenty years; how could she not know that the old woman and maid were merely scapegoats?
The truth is that the old lady and the young master were suppressing Ye Qingxue and preventing her from standing up for herself.
Ye Qingxue saw the Princess Consort's expression, smiled, and said in a clear and gentle tone, "I heard that the Princess Consort wants to find a suitable husband for Princess Rongqing?"
When Princess Yu heard it was her speaking, her expression softened considerably: "That's right. Your elder brother is outstanding in both appearance and talent. He is also the youngest Vice Minister of War in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Everyone praises him for his youth and promise."
"I have noticed that you act in a manner much like your father, which suggests that the Marquis's family is a loyal, brave, and kind household. The son they raise will certainly not be inferior to you. Therefore, I would like to arrange a marriage for my Rongqing. What do you think, Qingxue?"
Ye Qingxue knew that the Princess Consort of Yu was asking her whether Ye Cunjin's talent was as good as the outside world said, and what his character was like.
After all, the old lady's behavior had planted a seed of doubt in her heart, and she no longer trusted the people of the Marquis's mansion.
Ye Qingxue deliberately looked at Ye Cunjin and saw him swallow hard.
The gaze directed at her contained not only a hint of warning but also a subtle pleading.
He begged her not to ruin his marriage, as it was a great opportunity for him to marry above his station and was very important for his career.
It is clear that Ye Cunjin also understood the implied meaning in the Princess Consort's words.
He also knew that this extremely rare marriage was in her hands. As long as she said a good word for him to the Princess Consort of Yu, the marriage would be successful. Otherwise, the good marriage that was about to be in his hands would be completely ruined.
Ye Qingxue smiled, ignoring his warning, and said directly to the Princess Consort of Yu: "Your Highness, the princess is only seven years old. It is too early to arrange a marriage for her at this time, and it may cause unnecessary trouble."
“My father arranged my marriage early on because he felt sorry for me. But all these troubles happened later. It shows that getting engaged early is not necessarily a good thing. It might be better to wait until she is older before making a decision.”
Ye Qingxue used her previous engagement with Prince Ding as an example, so Princess Yu would be even less likely to insist on finding a fiancé for Princess Rongqing at this time, and Ye Cunjin's chances of becoming a prince consort were even smaller.
Ye Cunjin's fists clenched so tightly they cracked. When he saw the Princess Consort of Yu looking over, his heart skipped a beat. He realized he had overreacted and quickly forced a smile.
But that smile was so stiff, it was uglier than not smiling at all.
Ye Qingxue continued, "Besides, I have only been back at the manor for less than ten days, and I don't really know much about Minister Ye. I don't know his true abilities and character."
"Since Your Highness is looking for a suitable husband for the Princess, you should investigate further to prevent the child from falling into a wolf's den. No matter how much parents love their children, distant water cannot quench a fire nearby!"
Princess Yu looked at Ye Qingxue in surprise.
That's already made very clear.
Ye Cunjin is a young marquis, the current Vice Minister of War, and Ye Qingxue's elder brother, yet Ye Qingxue claims she doesn't know him well...
Another meaning of not knowing is that there are hidden aspects to his abilities and character, and if an investigation were to be conducted, it might uncover terrible results.
Marquis Zhongyong was brave and skilled in battle, with countless military achievements. He even died while saving Prince Ding, which shows his loyalty and courage.
Furthermore, Ye Qingxue is outstanding and capable; although she is a woman, she is no less capable than any man.
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