Wen Yao did not realize that Hou Mingzhu was plotting against her.
Especially who would have thought that a child as young and lively as Ye Qingcheng could conspire with adults to lie and deceive her.
It had to be said that although these good sisters had known each other for many years and had a very good relationship, they were still quite superficial at times. It was because they each had their own positions, influenced by their behind-the-scenes families and their own identities, that it was not realistic for them to be honest friends.
Just for the sake of the family, Helian Yue still asked Hou Mingzhu to ask Ye Tiancheng for help.
Refusing to be with Ye Tiancheng was a matter of principle, but if it came to a point of no return, Helian Yue knew that she might still choose to obey her family's arrangements, even if it meant betraying her friends.
This was also why Helian Yue did not think of telling Hou Mingzhu about her attitude and warning her after the incident.
Helian Yue's eventual fall into Helian Sheng's scheme was partly due to this reason. People of their status generally prioritized family interests above all else and were willing to sacrifice the individual for it.
Although Wen Yao seemed not to be involved in these matters, she truly was not involved at all. Regardless of the reason, Wen Yao could not take sides because she could not drag her family, the Wen family, into trouble. It was for the same reason.
Even when Ye Qingcheng was kidnapped, Wen Yao did not utter a word of complaint, simply because she could not afford to cause trouble.
Therefore, in matters concerning her own family, Hou Mingzhu would also choose her own side to benefit herself, even if it meant scheming against her friends. It was at most not harming them, but it was impossible to say that she did not use them at all.
Thus, Hou Mingzhu's current actions were not surprising.
As Hou Mingzhu had expected, after Ye Qingcheng left and the child was no longer present, Hou Mingzhu and Wen Yao chatted for a few sentences, and Wen Yao could not help but bring up the matter of the banquet.
When Wen Yao mentioned it to Hou Mingzhu, she was a little hesitant, but she could not control her curiosity, so she still asked.
"Mingzhu, I heard that something happened at the banquet that seemed to be related to your husband, Ye Tiancheng. The matter sounded quite bizarre... Have you heard about it?"
Seeing that Wen Yao had finally steered the conversation to where she wanted it, Hou Mingzhu did not rush. She lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and then said slowly, "Are you talking about the incident where a distant relative of the Helian family climbed into Tiancheng's bed? Is that what you're referring to?"
Wen Yao looked at Hou Mingzhu with some surprise. Seeing her calm demeanor, she didn't know if Hou Mingzhu minded her asking this question.
However, since she had already asked, she might as well ask more. If Hou Mingzhu really didn't want to talk about it, she wouldn't say anything, and then she would stop talking, which would be about the same.
Knowing that this would not offend Hou Mingzhu too much, Wen Yao dared to do so. She was not someone without any sense.
Therefore, Wen Yao asked cautiously, "You already know about this?"
Hou Mingzhu nodded. "It wasn't long after the incident happened that Tiancheng told me everything."
Wen Yao said, "I thought he might have kept it from you, after all, something like this happened."
Hou Mingzhu raised an eyebrow and replied, "It wasn't a woman who climbed into his bed, and besides, nothing happened. Even if a woman had climbed into his bed, I would still trust Tiancheng. He wouldn't do anything to betray me."
"You trust each other quite a bit," Wen Yao said thoughtfully. "I heard that this matter caused quite a stir, and it seemed like many people saw it and spread it around, and it became more and more exaggerated."
Hou Mingzhu said, unsurprised, "Who doesn't know the saying that three people make a tiger? Moreover, most of the people in our circle, despite their high status and position, are quite gossipy. When they hear such things, they immediately add fuel to the fire and continue to spread them. In the end, who knows what it will turn into."
Wen Yao shook her head and said, "You were too unlucky."
Hou Mingzhu sneered and said, "Was it bad luck, or was it deliberate? Who knows? Among the guests present that day, only a few were worth the Helian family head personally arranging their accommodation, yet he did so and brought these people into Tiancheng's room. What his intentions were is still unclear."
Wen Yao immediately covered her mouth in surprise. When she first heard the rumor, she hadn't thought that much about it. She just thought it was a misunderstanding caused by someone looking for the wrong room, and it happened to be seen by others.
Now, with Hou Mingzhu's explanation, Wen Yao felt that something was not quite right.
Originally, Wen Yao thought that no matter what, this was still on Helian family's territory, and the incident of Ye Qingcheng being kidnapped had occurred before. Regardless, the Helian family would not cause trouble for Hou Mingzhu and Ye Tiancheng under the watchful eyes of so many people.
Who would have thought that they could be even more outrageous?
Wen Yao was starting to not understand what the Helian family wanted to do. Did they want to make an enemy of the Hou family?
Hou Mingzhu was the confirmed heir of the Hou family. Scheming against Hou Mingzhu's husband and damaging Hou Mingzhu's reputation was equivalent to directly offending the Hou family. This was too outrageous!
Although it was obvious to everyone in the circle that the Helian family was in decline, in everyone's eyes, their decline was due to a lack of successors. The current head of the Helian family, Helian Yi, was still very capable.
And yet, they would cause such a thing to happen?
Since Hou Mingzhu said there was a problem, Wen Yao did not think Hou Mingzhu was making wild guesses. Generally, when Hou Mingzhu spoke about such matters, it was because she already knew something and was basically certain of the facts.
Therefore, since Helian Yi brought people into Ye Tiancheng's room, even Wen Yao, who did not know the specifics, did not believe that Helian Yi was completely unaware and innocent.
Wen Yao was both surprised and very confused.
She couldn't help but ask, "What is Uncle Helian thinking? These actions are too strange."
Because her stance was still neutral, coupled with the relationship with Helian Yue and Wen Yao's own identity, Wen Yao was more accustomed to using the more intimate address she had used in the past when referring to Helian Yi.
Unlike Hou Mingzhu, whose relationship with the entire Helian family had been irrevocably strained due to a series of previous incidents, her address for Helian Yi had become distant and cold.
In the past, when Hou Mingzhu and her three good sisters referred to the direct relatives of others, they would be more intimate and not too formal, using distant superficial addresses, at least in private.
Hou Mingzhu, however, said coldly, "Who knows?"
Seeing Hou Mingzhu's response, Wen Yao did not press further. It was clear that Hou Mingzhu did not want to elaborate, and asking would be useless. Wen Yao understood Hou Mingzhu's cues and did not delve deeper. Instead, she turned to ask Hou Mingzhu, "So, what are you thinking now? What do you plan to do?"
Her asking Hou Mingzhu this question was partly out of concern for her good sister, and partly to understand Hou Mingzhu's views and decisions on these matters.
Because Hou Mingzhu's attitude clearly determined the future relationship between the Hou family and the Helian family, which would have a significant impact on the circle. If it came to taking sides, it would be a matter between families, which Wen Yao could not decide on her own. This might also determine the Wen family's future attitude towards the Hou family or the Helian family.
Hou Mingzhu understood this point, so she did not directly give Wen Yao the information she wanted, but rather answered based on a superficial understanding.
Hou Mingzhu said to Wen Yao, "I don't have any special thoughts for now. I just don't want to stay in this place anymore. Troubles keep coming one after another. If I stay any longer, no one will be happy."
"A'yao, I remember you said you were leaving in the next two days, right? Why don't we leave together? I can't stay here any longer and just want to leave as soon as possible."
Wen Yao pondered and nodded, "Hmm, okay. It's really not suitable to stay for long after all this has happened. I was planning to leave tomorrow. Today, even if you and Qingcheng didn't come to play, I would have come to say goodbye to you. If you want to leave together, that's fine too."
She agreed subconsciously, without thinking of anything else.
Wen Yao's departure had been decided a few days earlier. When guests leave, it was polite to say goodbye to the hosts. Therefore, Wen Yao had already informed Helian Yi in advance that there was nothing here that required her presence. Helian Yi, after knowing this, politely tried to persuade her to stay, but then agreed.
So, Wen Yao leaving at this juncture was part of her pre-arranged schedule. Even if she left with Hou Mingzhu and the others, it would not arouse too much suspicion.
Moreover, Wen Yao felt that Hou Mingzhu and the others were now in a rather tense relationship with the Helian family. It was normal for Hou Mingzhu to want to leave. Given the situation, the Helian family would not be too eager to keep them.
Therefore, on the surface, it was not too strange for Hou Mingzhu to suggest leaving together with her. After all, they were still good friends, and the relationship between Hou Mingzhu and the Helian family would not affect the relationship between Hou Mingzhu and Wen Yao for the time being. Thus, it was not strange for Hou Mingzhu to want to leave together with Wen Yao.
Hou Mingzhu harbored similar thoughts, at least to give others the impression of similar thoughts on the surface.
Moreover, in order to leave smoothly and prevent Helian Sheng or Helian Yi from suddenly having any ideas and blocking or persuading them to stay, and given that things had escalated to this point, they would not bother with etiquette or politeness. Hou Mingzhu did not intend to say goodbye to Helian Yi and directly announce their departure.
This way, Helian Yi would not know they were leaving. When Hou Mingzhu and the others were about to leave, the Helian family would not have time to stop them.
The servants responsible for welcoming and seeing off guests would either think it was normal for Hou Mingzhu and Wen Yao to leave together and not stop them, thus letting them go directly. By the time Helian Yi found out, it would be too late to stop them. Since things had already escalated to this point, it did not matter if it made the Helian family unhappy, thus creating an enmity.
And if they were detected at the checkpoint before leaving, Hou Mingzhu and the others would likely have reached the main entrance with Wen Yao before being discovered. By then, it would not be so easy to stop them. If guests were stopped at the main entrance at such a critical juncture, the Helian family would definitely be in the wrong and would ultimately have to compromise.