Chapter 957: Chapter 955: Students All Over the World
The situation unfolded exactly as Madam Zhou had imagined. Madam Yin vaguely responded, "Yes, Cien Temple has prospering incense offerings, so I thought to come and offer a stick of incense."
Madam Li and Madam Zhou came out together, but Madam Li was a little behind and didn’t pay attention to what was said ahead. Yet she knew that Madam Zhou’s fourth daughter-in-law had discord with her legitimate elder sister and was aware that Madam Zhou did not think much of the current Madam Yin.
But even knowing this, Madam Li had to show proper etiquette to Madam Yin and her daughter, and even have more closeness.
No matter Madam Yin’s current status, she is still the daughter of Marquis Zhongyong, the younger sister of the Protectorate General.
And this Grandma Jiang cannot be slighted; she is not only Duke An’s beloved granddaughter but also has the final say in the Duke’s Mansion. She is also greatly valued by His Highness Prince Yu.
The identity of Prince Yu’s Principal Wife is already very noble, yet she looked down upon this not-so-reputable Grandma Jiang and embarrassed her in front of everyone.
Only a day later, the princess consort sent several leading stewardesses of the Prince’s Mansion to the Jiang Family to extend an invitation for the Jiang couple.
Everyone clearly understood the intent behind this.
And Madam Li’s daughter knew the inside story even better. During that period, the prince didn’t even meet with the princess consort, spending nights either in the study or in the rooms of the concubines.
The prince was using actions to warn the princess consort and the female relatives of the Prince’s Mansion, that Ye Xinyan was not someone to be easily offended.
Han Yufang was the prince’s Principal Wife and the granddaughter of Han Yanhui, the current Grand Secretary. With such a status, she dared not stand pretentiously before Grandma Jiang, and seeing how her daughter is mere a concubine and her husband just an attendee minister, she would not dare to cause trouble for her daughter because of her own misconduct.
Madam Li, though not intentionally flattering, showed more affability than Madam Zhou. After greeting Madam Yin, she specifically smiled and nodded at Ye Xinyan before turning to Madam Yin and saying with a smile, "When did Mrs. Yin arrive? We have been wandering in the temple for quite some time and have not seen Mrs. Yin or Grandma Jiang?"
Madam Yin responded with a smile, "Ah Yan and I heard that the abbot was preaching in the side hall, so we went to listen to the master’s teachings before coming out."
Madam Li nodded and said, "Mrs. Yin is truly devoted, being patient enough to listen to the master’s preaching."
Upon hearing Madam Li’s words, and recalling Ye Xinyan’s earlier remarks, Madam Zhou couldn’t help but show a trace of disdain on her lips: indeed devoted!
Ye Xinyi stood beside Madam Zhou. When the two groups met, she followed the crowd to salute. At this moment, she glimpsed Madam Zhou’s disdainful expression, knowing that her mother-in-law had formed an opinion on Ye Xinyan’s earlier words.
Seizing the opportunity, Ye Xinyi naturally didn’t want to miss it. She smiled and said to Madam Li, "What Madam said is true, Mrs. Yin is certainly very devoted. I just heard my sister mention that it’s for Uncle Zhao to request a peace charm for safety, and naturally, sincerity is necessary."
Saying this, she turned to Madam Yin with a smile, "Mrs. Yin must have come this time for Master Zhao from the Marquis’s Mansion, right? I also heard that Master Zhao headed south with the army, participating in the naval battle to eliminate the sea bandits. The battlefield has always been perilous; surely you are very worried, Mrs. Yin?"
As soon as Ye Xinyi said this, Madam Yin’s face instantly turned pale.
Indeed, Madam Yin doesn’t adhere to her marital duties, praying for the safety of another man!
Madam Zhou fixed her gaze intensely on Madam Yin for a few moments before returning to normalcy, casting a cold glance at Ye Xinyi. This kind of disgraceful matter is better known to oneself; why expose it before others, needlessly forming grudges?
Ye Xinyi was glanced at by Madam Zhou, withdrew her smile, promptly apologized by bowing to Madam Yin, stepped back half a step, and stood behind Madam Zhou with lowered eyes and silence.
What she had said was heard by everyone present. This was enough, sufficient for people to imagine and gossip for a while, and these imaginations and gossip were enough to ruin Madam Yin’s reputation.
Madam Li looked embarrassed, as Ye Xinyi’s earlier remarks were directed towards her, making it seem as if this ambiguous accusation was initiated by her.
This Fourth Grandma Ji, how deep the enmity she has with her legitimate mother and elder sister, to utter such words in front of so many people, is tantamount to accusing Madam Yin of improper conduct, having unclear relations with the Marquis’s Mansion’s attendants.
"Well, since we are in the temple, we should all sincerely pray to Buddha, this is correct, indeed correct," Madam Li said, trying to smooth over the situation.
Ye Xinyan had seen Madam Zhou’s unwilling expression earlier and was displeased.
She knew the kind of person Ye Xinyi was. The relationship between the Principal Wife, legitimate daughter and the favored concubine, the concubine-born daughter was poor, they had been fighting for twenty years, it was simply impossible to be good.
But what kind of mood was Madam Zhou in? Did her mother and daughter eat Ji Family’s rice or what? Why make such faces?
Indeed, birds of a feather flock together. Before Madam Zhou’s expressions had subsided, Ye Xinyi had jumped out.
Ye Xinyi had always excelled at this since she was young. She could hide sharp words under friendly talk, directly piercing the heart.
Looking at Madam Yin’s complexion again, after this incident, would her mother’s originally softened intentions become even more closed-minded?
Ye Xinyan was angered: Ha! Who wouldn’t know how to smile insidiously?
She also smiled and said, "Lord Ji’s family is indeed erudite, with students all over the world, it’s amazing how well-informed they are. Knowing such specifics about a household member of the Marquis Zhongyong Mansion, it is quite impressive how the Ji Mansion is so clear and informed. If my second sister, being young, didn’t understand the severity and blurted out the truth, then what hasn’t been said..."
Ye Xinyan glanced several times at Madam Zhou, her daughter-in-law, and their entourage, laughing twice, "Haha, if you can know the Marquis’s Mansion’s internal affairs, surely the secrets of other families in the capital are also accessible to the Ji Mansion, right? Certainly, the influence of a scholarly family is wide, capable of being omnipresent and pervasive."
Though Madam Yin’s complexion was still poor, Madam Zhou’s face at that moment was worse than Madam Yin’s.
Simultaneously, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Ji Family’s face changed greatly. Such a heavy accusation on the Ji Mansion, doesn’t it place their family opposing all court officials? Speaking more seriously, does it imply that the Ji Family knows even the royal family’s privacy?
People always said Lord Ji had students all over the world, but this was meant as praise. But if interpreted by Ye Xinyan like this, it’s not good at all, and may bring trouble to the entire Ji Family.
Madam Zhou’s face turned gloomy, and she said coldly, "Grandma Jiang, be careful with your words. What are you saying? The discord between your sisters is your business. How can you use such venomous language to speculate on the Ji Mansion?"
Ye Xinyan looked innocent, saying, "We all know Madam Zhou and my grandfather restrict my sister from frequently visiting her maternal family, and the Marquis Zhongyong Mansion certainly wouldn’t report its affairs to Fourth Grandma Ji of the Ji Mansion. Then why does Fourth Grandma Ji know so much about the Marquis’s affairs? Where did she get the information?"
Madam Li’s eyes wandered between Ye Xinyan, Madam Zhou, and Ye Xinyi, feeling extremely shocked. Since when did the Ji Family restrict the fourth daughter-in-law from going home? Is it because Duke An’s only son’s position was taken away? Could the Ji Family also conform to power?
But why would Duke An also limit his granddaughter’s visits home? Is it because Miss Ye wields too much influence in the Duke’s Mansion, or did the Second Miss Ye stir up trouble, and Duke An only wanted peace in his mansion?
Everyone knew Duke An had given up his only son and two of his adult concubine-born grandsons, opting to devote himself to the nurturing of his not-yet-two-year-old grandson. Does the Second Miss’s visits to the Duke’s Mansion threaten Ye Yuan’s safety?