Time Travel: The Noble Family
Chapter 596 - 238 Years in the Mountains (Part 1)_2

Chapter 596: 238 Years in the Mountains (Part 1)_2

Yueyao no longer spoke.

Yueyao had not finished tidying up when an Attendant Student came over, "Miss, Mr. Yu Shan invites you to come over." Mr. Yu Shan lived next door to Yueyao and, had Yueyao not grown up and needed to be more reserved, Mr. Yu Shan would have had Yueyao live in his courtyard.

After Yueyao went, she did not return to her own courtyard until very late. Yueyao remembered the scolding she had received from Mr. Yu Shan and could not help but laugh. Recently, the affairs of Ma’s Mansion had indeed distracted her; now, she needed to calm her mind.

At the chrysanthemum appreciation event hosted by Mingzhu, who was highly respected, all the young ladies who received an invitation came. All the famous girls of the Capital City were invited—over twenty in total, including Mu Qinglian, whom Mingzhu least favored.

Princess Wanhe, smiling, asked Mingzhu, "Where is Sister Yueyao, whom you often mention?" Since Mingzhu had changed her temperament, she had gotten along well with Princess Wanhe. Having spent much time together, Princess Wanhe naturally heard the name Yueyao often. Assuming Yueyao would attend the banquet hosted by Mingzhu, Princess Wanhe had expected her to be present.

Mingzhu, annoyed, replied, "She went to Zhaohua Temple."

Princess Wanhe was somewhat surprised, "Going to Zhaohua Temple to offer incense could be delayed by a couple of days!" Could it be that going to Zhaohua Temple was more important than attending this banquet?

Upon hearing this, Mingzhu couldn’t help laughing, "You don’t know her, this peculiar person. I get sleepy just seeing scriptural texts. But she adores them deeply, finding them more exciting than I find delicacies. She’s staying at Zhaohua Temple permanently this time and probably won’t return until the end of the year."

Princess Wanhe was even more surprised, "She likes Buddhist scriptures too?"

Mingzhu nodded, shared all of Yueyao’s foolish antics, and then sighed, "Do you think she’s a freak?"

Bai Yi, standing by, rolled his eyes. If Yueyao knew her Lady was talking about her in this manner, she would definitely be in trouble again.

Princess Wanhe grew more curious about Yueyao, "I must meet her when I get the chance. Such an unusual girl would be too bad not to get to know."

During the chrysanthemum viewing, everyone had to compose poetry, and Mu Qinglian wrote a couplet that won the first prize; her chrysanthemum painting also won the top prize. Everyone praised her, recognizing Mu Qinglian as the number one talented lady in the Capital City.

Seeing Mingzhu neither angry nor disdainful but actually mocking, Princess Wanhe, smiling, asked, "You don’t usually like Mu Qinglian, so why did you invite her this time?" Mingzhu wasn’t one to seek trouble; there must be a story behind this.

Mingzhu bluntly replied, "When I sent out the invitations, I didn’t know Yueyao had gone to Zhaohua Temple. If I knew Yueyao wouldn’t come, I wouldn’t have invited her! Hmph, the poems she writes, the flowers she draws, compared to Yueyao, they are worlds apart. If Yueyao were here, Mu Qinglian wouldn’t even have space to stand."

Although Princess Wanhe knew Mingzhu had always praised Yueyao highly, she had no comparison and didn’t know the details. Now hearing Mingzhu rate her so, she laughed and turned to Bai Yi, "So you mean Miss Yueyao is even more impressive than Miss Mu?"

Just as Mingzhu was about to speak, Bai Yi, standing nearby, interrupted, "My lady, the tea is cold; I’ll have someone change it for you." Yueyao did not wish others to know of her talents, and if her lady revealed them without Yueyao’s consent, she would be definitely in trouble.

Mingzhu, reminded by Bai Yi, said awkwardly, "It isn’t that incredible; I was just talking nonsense." Luckily, she stopped in time, or else it would have been troublesome.

However, Mingzhu was unaware that the more she acted like this, the more it piqued Princess Wanhe’s curiosity. Princess Wanhe’s curiosity ultimately caused Mingzhu a lot of trouble.

The banquet was a great success, and after more than a year of effort, Mingzhu completely reversed her image. Now, nobody would say Mingzhu was arrogant and unruly anymore.

Mingzhu was happy all day long, but the next day she heard something that made her uncomfortable; her brother had taken Zhao Yuner as a concubine.

Mingzhu coldly inquired, "What happened?"

The maid, kneeling on the ground, said, "My lady, we don’t know." It was not just about not knowing; even if she knew, she dared not speak of these unsavory matters to her lady, for that could lead to severe punishment.

The situation was actually very simple: Zhao Yuner was determined to become Luo Shao’s woman. Originally, the Lady of Marquis Jingning had agreed to let her become the second wife of the Princely Heir, but after the Heir’s Wife became pregnant, the Lady of Marquis Jingning dismissed the idea and decided to prepare a generous dowry for Zhao Yuner to marry her off to a good household. However, having seen the wealth and status in Marquis Jingning’s Residence, Zhao Yuner was unwilling to marry out and, failing to become the second wife, was willing instead to be a concubine.

Zhao Yuner took advantage of the Lady of Marquis Jingning and schemed against Luo Shao. But Luo Shao was not so easily manipulated, and sought to have her killed immediately. In the end, it was only through the pleading of the Lady of Marquis Jingning that Luo Shao spared her, which completely disappointed him in his mother. Luo Shao eventually kept Zhao Yuner, the reasons for which were unknown to outsiders.

Fearing that it would upset Madam Ping and affect the baby, Luo Shao told his wife, "Since mother wants to keep her, let her stay. The residence isn’t lacking the cost of a meal. From now on, let her serve by mother’s side. You don’t need to come and pay respects anymore; just focus on taking care of your pregnancy." Luo Shao greatly valued the baby Madam Ping was carrying, which was already six months along; both the Imperial Physician and the midwife had said it was very likely a son. For his legitimate eldest son, Luo Shao naturally had high hopes.

Hearing Luo Shao’s intention clearly, Madam Ping knew it meant letting Zhao Yuner serve the Lady of Marquis Jingning under the pretense of being Luo Shao’s Maternal Auntie. Madam Ping hesitated, "Is this appropriate?" Zhao Yuner could end up speaking ill of her in front of her mother-in-law, leaving such a person around might cause future problems.

Luo Shao sighed lightly, "As mother wishes, let’s just accommodate her."

Madam Ping’s heart skipped a beat; she rarely saw her husband with such an expression. Knowing her husband well after years of marriage, she understood that asking further would be futile: "Alright."