Chapter 007 Rebellion
After a few days, Yao Niang's yard was tidied up. There were three main rooms in total, a swing in the backyard, and several pots of hostas, bougainvilleas, and jasmine flowers were placed in the corners of the wall.
The room on the east was used as a study. Some of the furniture here was made on site, and some was taken out from the warehouse.
When people knew she had opened a courtyard, they sent gifts to her. Yan Yingqi sent a guqin, Xie sent two mosquito nets, one with shark silk and the other with water pattern, and Yan Jingzhao sent a set of tea sets. Among the sisters in the school, Qianniang sent a new book, and Yingniang sent a pair of tumblers. Zhao Fang and Yan Rubei also sent gifts, and even Xin Wan, who was ill, sent two calligraphy and paintings.
Unfortunately, before they could even get married, it was time for Yao Niang to go to Quan's house.
Early in the morning, Xie had someone bring a box of gauze flowers for Yao Niang to wear, and also asked her to change into a gauze dress with a ripple pattern and tender green buds, with a pearl white pleated skirt, which made her look particularly fresh and pleasant.
"Nannan is so pretty." Xie praised.
Yao Niang quickly shook her head, "No! Mom is the prettiest. I have never seen anyone prettier than Mom."
Xie shook her head lightly, not caring about her appearance.
Just as the mother and daughter were about to leave after packing up, Su'e, who was beside the Third Old Lady, came over and said, "Second Madam, our old lady said she was afraid that someone from the Guan family would come today, so she asked you to stay at home and the young lady can go with you."
Xie was stunned for a moment. When Yao Niang heard that Xie couldn't go, she immediately said to Su'e: "Sister Su'e, since my mother is not going, I don't want to go either. I still have to study today."
Su'e was originally quite pleased with herself, but when she heard that Yao Niang was not going either, she quickly advised, "Sister, why don't you go? Auntie at the Quan family misses you so much. She has repeatedly asked me to take you there."
The third old lady had no sons, but she had grandchildren, and she was happy to show off her large family, so she wanted to bring not only Yan Jingzhao but also Yao Niang.
Who knew Yao Niang was born with a rebellious nature, and she would never do anything she didn't want to do, even if she died. Therefore, Yao Niang smiled and said, "Then you can just say that I want to do my homework, and let the old lady and brother go, but don't exaggerate and say too much."
Su'e smiled awkwardly: "What are you talking about, sister?"
"You know what I'm talking about. I'm not a child anymore. I can't let myself be bullied by servants." Yao Niang snorted coldly.
Su'e was a little embarrassed and didn't dare to continue arguing here because she saw that Xie's face changed. Although Mrs. Xie was nothing in the old lady's eyes, it was not a good thing to make enemies for no reason. Besides, the lady was still a lady after all, so she took her leave first.
This was the first time her own daughter had spoken up for her, but Xie looked worried: "Yao Niang, what should you do if you have offended your grandmother like this?"
"Well, what if I follow her? Does grandma treat me very well? It can't be more than that. I know one thing, if you have a stepmother, you will also have a stepfather and stepgrandmother. I would rather follow a beggar mother than a father who is an official. Besides, mother is very good to me, so I must be good to her." Yao Niang looked very calm.
Xie looked at her daughter in surprise and doubt: "How could you say such a thing? What happened to you?"
Yao Niang whispered to Xie: "When I was in the northwest, I heard a story. It was the story of the chief military commander of the northwest road. His mother died when he was six years old, and his father remarried a stepmother. The stepmother was not good to him, and his father also changed. He was accused of being unfilial over the smallest matter. Once he had an argument with his grandmother, and his grandmother asked the elders of the clan to drown him. He escaped and later worked as a butcher. He accidentally ran into the military camp. Guess what, when he returned home with wealth and glory, his grandmother treated him differently and called him the most proud grandson, and only asked him not to take revenge. Mother, your daughter must strive to make them treat you differently in the future. Grandmother treats us like slaves. She is not kind, and she still expects me to be filial. That's impossible."
Xie originally wanted to say that since you are a woman, you cannot become an official through the imperial examination like your brother, and you will have to rely on your family background to marry someone in the future. But seeing that her daughter is so ambitious and strong-willed, she felt relieved. So what if she is a woman? Hua Mulan and her husband are all women, and who knows, her daughter may also have a promising future.
"Okay, these words can only be said between us two mothers. Don't say them in front of others." Xie warned.
Yao Niang nodded: "Okay, don't worry."
It is also said that Su'e came out of Jiangxuexuan, suppressed her anger, and went to the main hall to say to the old lady and Yan Jingzhao who was sitting below: "I just went over to tell the second lady that she didn't say anything. The third lady said that the second lady would not go, so she would not go either."
The third old lady frowned and said, "What girl? I took her there out of kindness, but she behaved like this."
Su'e didn't dare to answer, Yan Jingzhao also looked at her with his eyes and nose, and the third old lady said to Yan Jingzhao: "Why don't you call your sister over? She has had a strange temper since she was a child, but now she is not a child anymore, she must meet her relatives. I am doing this for her own good, so that she will stop being so petty."
Originally, the Third Old Lady did not want Yan Jingzhao to be too close to his biological mother, and this was indeed the case for many years. Yan Jingzhao was only close to her and as distant from Xie as possible. But a problem came immediately. Yan Jingzhao had to stay in Jinling to study, while he had to go to Henan to take up a post. After a long time, they were biological mother and son, and blood was thicker than water, so it was inevitable that they would become close.
Especially with a rebellious person like Yao Niang, she could not tolerate this at all. What if Yan Jingzhao followed suit?
Therefore, she could not bully them in front of Yan Jingzhao now, but had to divide the relationship between them. If she bullied the mother and daughter of the Xie family, Yan Jingzhao might feel grief-stricken, and even Yan Yingqi would have complaints, and these people would unite to deal with her in the future.
But let Yan Jingzhao go with the mentality of completing the mission. Yao Niang and her brother started to quarrel. Xie always favored her daughter, which made Yan Jingzhao even more disappointed. In this way, the mother and son became estranged, and the goal was achieved.
Yan Jingzhao was very filial to the third old lady, and when he saw that she had arranged for him to go there, he did not suspect anything and immediately went to Jiangxuexuan.
At that time, Yao Niang and Jie were playing with the flower rope. When she saw Yan Jingzhao coming, she was already moved.
"Third sister, the old lady asked me to come over and ask you to go to the Quan family together."
Sure enough, when she heard Yan Jingzhao say this, Yao Niang smiled and shook her head: "Brother, it's good that you go, I don't want to go alone."
"Why are you alone? Grandmother and I both went there!" Yan Jingzhao pursed his lips after saying this.
Yao Niang still insisted: "I don't like visiting relatives, I don't know any Quan family, I don't want to go."
Xie was worried for her daughter. She thought Yan Jingzhao was going to be angry. After all, her son was similar to Yan Yingqi. They were not easy to get along with. They were both arrogant and had hot tempers.