Chapter 431
Old Madam Yuan was feeling unwell and did not come out to receive guests. However, she sent a gift, a fine Duan inkstone.
"Miss Zhan is too kind," Madam Yuan said, stunned by the list of gifts the wet nurse relayed. The gifts were too generous. She had assumed Zhan Feiyu's visit was merely a formality, but each item presented was comparable to the inkstone Old Madam Yuan had sent.
"I ultimately bear some responsibility for the Second Young Madam's affair. It is already very gracious of Governor Yuan and his wife not to blame me," Zhan Feiyu replied with a smile. Yao Zhenyi's injury could be considered self-inflicted, but the destruction of the prefectural office had caused Governor Yuan considerable trouble, for which Zhan Feiyu could not shirk responsibility. These generous gifts were her apology.
The mention of Yao Zhenyi gave Madam Yuan a headache again. Zhan Feiyu was still a young girl, with no female guidance, yet her conduct was so impeccable that no fault could be found.
In contrast, Yao Zhenyi, who considered herself royalty, was always striving to be superior and would argue for her point even when in the wrong. She had disrupted the peace of the Yuan family's inner quarters, and Madam Yuan wished she could turn back time two years and prevent Yao Zhenyi from entering the household, even if it meant resorting to underhanded tactics.
Madam Miao also sat respectfully at the end of the table. Looking at Zhan Feiyu, who spoke so politely with her mother-in-law, she found her demeanor, bearing, and knowledge far superior to those of the noble ladies from the prominent families of Minhe Prefecture. It seemed that women also needed to read more.
Zhan Feiyu declined Madam Yuan's invitation to stay longer. "I have a lot of coursework to attend to. I apologize for disturbing you today, Madam."
"A sharp sword comes from grinding, and plum blossoms' fragrance comes from bitter cold. Since that is the case, I will not keep you any longer. If you have time in the future, please do visit my humble abode." Madam Yuan rose and personally escorted Zhan Feiyu to the door.
The Yuan family was both an official and scholarly household. Before meeting Zhan Feiyu, Madam Yuan had doubted the legitimacy of her triple first-place achievement in the imperial examinations. However, after half an hour of conversation, Madam Yuan knew that Zhan Feiyu possessed great foresight and was well-versed in literature, all of which was a result of diligent study.
As the group reached the flower-adorned gate, a commotion suddenly arose from not far away. This caused Madam Yuan and Madam Miao to frown. The reason they hadn't invited her to stay for a meal was to avoid complications, but they never expected the very thing they wished to avoid to happen.
"You lowly wenches, once this madam recovers, I will sell you all to the brothels! You are all ungrateful traitors!" A sharp, piercing curse, utterly vulgar, filled the air. Yao Zhenyi, holding a whip, lashed out fiercely at those blocking her path. "Get out of my way!"
Perhaps it was due to Yao Zhenyi's long-standing authority in the Yuan mansion, or perhaps it was her ferocious expression as she sat in her wheelchair, coupled with the fact that her whip had drawn blood from the obstructing wet nurses. The old women and maids dared not obstruct her, allowing Yao Zhenyi and her entourage to block Zhan Feiyu, who was about to depart.
Seeing Yao Zhenyi, whose leg was broken, still causing trouble, Madam Yuan's face turned pale with anger. However, she could only suppress her temper and say gently, "Zhenyi, it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. Your leg is not yet healed, how can you be out?"
No matter how much Yao Zhenyi caused a scene, Madam Yuan, as an elder, could offer gentle persuasion to save face. However, she sternly rebuked the servants of the second branch, "The Second Young Madam is in a bad mood, and you did not try to stop her. If she injures her leg again, I will hold you all responsible. Now, send the Second Young Madam back!"
"Eldest Aunt, you don't need to pretend to be so kind!" Yao Zhenyi sneered, pointing her blood-stained whip at Zhan Feiyu, who stood nearby. "You receive the culprit who harmed me as an honored guest. Hypocrisy is the word for you, Eldest Aunt!"
Madam Yuan, accused, almost fell backward from anger. Madam Miao quickly supported her. There were some things a mother-in-law could not say, but as a sister-in-law and the eldest sister-in-law of the household, she could speak.
"Sister-in-law, your injury was caused by a startled horse, and no one wished for it. Miss Zhan has prepared generous gifts to visit you today." Madam Miao remembered that the gift list included a piece of old ginseng, intended for Old Madam Yuan's health. But everyone knew it was for the injured Yao Zhenyi, as she was the only one in the mansion with a broken leg who had lost vital energy and needed ginseng for nourishment and recovery after healing.
Yao Zhenyi's face contorted with disgust and contempt as she looked at Madam Miao, who was trying to mediate. "Pah! You mother and daughter-in-law are in cahoots, not a single good one among you! Do you think I don't know you've been plotting to kick our second branch out? You must have been dreaming and laughing yourselves awake when I got injured!"
Although Madam Miao's family background was ordinary, her family had been scholars for three generations. She herself had been raised with proper upbringing, with books always at hand. Hearing Yao Zhenyi's furious curses, she was rendered speechless with anger, just like Madam Yuan.
Zhan Feiyu stared, dumbfounded, at Yao Zhenyi, who was "slaughtering all sides." In a daze, she was reminded of the women in Jinlin Village years ago, some of whom were so crude and shrewish. They paid no heed to propriety, etiquette, or order. If displeased, they would stand with their hands on their hips and curse for three days and three nights, spewing any obscenity they could think of.
Chapter 431
Old Madam Yuan was feeling unwell and did not come out to receive guests. However, she sent a gift, a fine Duan inkstone.
"Miss Zhan is too kind," Madam Yuan said, stunned by the list of gifts the wet nurse relayed. The gifts were too generous. She had assumed Zhan Feiyu's visit was merely a formality, but each item presented was comparable to the inkstone Old Madam Yuan had sent.
"I ultimately bear some responsibility for the Second Young Madam's affair. It is already very gracious of Governor Yuan and his wife not to blame me," Zhan Feiyu replied with a smile. Yao Zhenyi's injury could be considered self-inflicted, but the destruction of the prefectural office had caused Governor Yuan considerable trouble, for which Zhan Feiyu could not shirk responsibility. These generous gifts were her apology.
The mention of Yao Zhenyi gave Madam Yuan a headache again. Zhan Feiyu was still a young girl, with no female guidance, yet her conduct was so impeccable that no fault could be found.
In contrast, Yao Zhenyi, who considered herself royalty, was always striving to be superior and would argue for her point even when in the wrong. She had disrupted the peace of the Yuan family's inner quarters, and Madam Yuan wished she could turn back time two years and prevent Yao Zhenyi from entering the household, even if it meant resorting to underhanded tactics.
Madam Miao also sat respectfully at the end of the table. Looking at Zhan Feiyu, who spoke so politely with her mother-in-law, she found her demeanor, bearing, and knowledge far superior to those of the noble ladies from the prominent families of Minhe Prefecture. It seemed that women also needed to read more.
Zhan Feiyu declined Madam Yuan's invitation to stay longer. "I have a lot of coursework to attend to. I apologize for disturbing you today, Madam."
"A sharp sword comes from grinding, and plum blossoms' fragrance comes from bitter cold. Since that is the case, I will not keep you any longer. If you have time in the future, please do visit my humble abode." Madam Yuan rose and personally escorted Zhan Feiyu to the door.
The Yuan family was both an official and scholarly household. Before meeting Zhan Feiyu, Madam Yuan had doubted the legitimacy of her triple first-place achievement in the imperial examinations. However, after half an hour of conversation, Madam Yuan knew that Zhan Feiyu possessed great foresight and was well-versed in literature, all of which was a result of diligent study.
As the group reached the flower-adorned gate, a commotion suddenly arose from not far away. This caused Madam Yuan and Madam Miao to frown. The reason they hadn't invited her to stay for a meal was to avoid complications, but they never expected the very thing they wished to avoid to happen.
"You lowly wenches, once this madam recovers, I will sell you all to the brothels! You are all ungrateful traitors!" A sharp, piercing curse, utterly vulgar, filled the air. Yao Zhenyi, holding a whip, lashed out fiercely at those blocking her path. "Get out of my way!"
Perhaps it was due to Yao Zhenyi's long-standing authority in the Yuan mansion, or perhaps it was her ferocious expression as she sat in her wheelchair, coupled with the fact that her whip had drawn blood from the obstructing wet nurses. The old women and maids dared not obstruct her, allowing Yao Zhenyi and her entourage to block Zhan Feiyu, who was about to depart.
Seeing Yao Zhenyi, whose leg was broken, still causing trouble, Madam Yuan's face turned pale with anger. However, she could only suppress her temper and say gently, "Zhenyi, it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. Your leg is not yet healed, how can you be out?"
No matter how much Yao Zhenyi caused a scene, Madam Yuan, as an elder, could offer gentle persuasion to save face. However, she sternly rebuked the servants of the second branch, "The Second Young Madam is in a bad mood, and you did not try to stop her. If she injures her leg again, I will hold you all responsible. Now, send the Second Young Madam back!"
"Eldest Aunt, you don't need to pretend to be so kind!" Yao Zhenyi sneered, pointing her blood-stained whip at Zhan Feiyu, who stood nearby. "You receive the culprit who harmed me as an honored guest. Hypocrisy is the word for you, Eldest Aunt!"
Madam Yuan, accused, almost fell backward from anger. Madam Miao quickly supported her. There were some things a mother-in-law could not say, but as a sister-in-law and the eldest sister-in-law of the household, she could speak.
"Sister-in-law, your injury was caused by a startled horse, and no one wished for it. Miss Zhan has prepared generous gifts to visit you today." Madam Miao remembered that the gift list included a piece of old ginseng, intended for Old Madam Yuan's health. But everyone knew it was for the injured Yao Zhenyi, as she was the only one in the mansion with a broken leg who had lost vital energy and needed ginseng for nourishment and recovery after healing.
Yao Zhenyi's face contorted with disgust and contempt as she looked at Madam Miao, who was trying to mediate. "Pah! You mother and daughter-in-law are in cahoots, not a single good one among you! Do you think I don't know you've been plotting to kick our second branch out? You must have been dreaming and laughing yourselves awake when I got injured!"
Although Madam Miao's family background was ordinary, her family had been scholars for three generations. She herself had been raised with proper upbringing, with books always at hand. Hearing Yao Zhenyi's furious curses, she was rendered speechless with anger, just like Madam Yuan.
Zhan Feiyu stared, dumbfounded, at Yao Zhenyi, who was "slaughtering all sides." In a daze, she was reminded of the women in Jinlin Village years ago, some of whom were so crude and shrewish. They paid no heed to propriety, etiquette, or order. If displeased, they would stand with their hands on their hips and curse for three days and three nights, spewing any obscenity they could think of.