After making sure her mother had left and wouldn"t return, Song Yixiao let out a sigh and fell on the cushion!

During the conversation, she seemed to be determined and confident enough to turn the table, press on at every stage and have everything under control. In fact, if Wei Mengying just wouldn"t surrender, how could she really leave her mother and brother to the disposal of Qiu Shuxia?

Luckily, Wei Mengying finally gave away.

Song Yixiao knew that her mother might see through that she was not very determined. The reason why Wei Mengying would surrender should be for her motherly love for Song Yixiao.

However…

“Mother also reminded me of keeping an eye on my husband so as not to bring trouble on myself.” She muttered to herself with a bitter smile, “Does she really care about me or just want to make me feel this way?”

Anyway, Wei Mengying was her mother. Even with the knowledge of previous life and this life, she still couldn"t figure out whether her mother really meant it or not. Hence, she could only tread carefully. It was not a big deal for others, but it was sorrowful to see this happen between mother and daughter.

“Fine. I shall tell the news to Chan and let her feel relieved!” Song Yixiao had complicated feelings for a while and then braced up to sit up. She intended to get dressed and go to Jiangxing Villa for Wei Chan.

Unexpectedly, she just picked up a brocade half-arm shawl embroidered with entangled floral branch when she suddenly heard Jinxun report from outside the door, “Madam, Her Highness the Grand Princess has sent someone to pay you a visit!”

Taken aback by the sudden news, Song Yixiao hurriedly put back the half-arm shawl, lifted the brocade quilt and lay back down, saying hoa.r.s.ely, “Come in!”

After the door was opened, Jinxun conducted a woman, who was in her 30s dressed in the imperial palace uniform, into the room. The woman, with bright eyes and graceful eyebrows, behaved elegantly, who was Jinguo Grand Princess"s trusted subordinate. Her name was Jiayue.

After paying respects to Song Yixiao, she stated her intention of coming, “Her Highness supposes that as this year is coming to an end, there are a lot of interpersonal matters to deal with. Her Highness is worried that you are exhausted for that. Hence, I am sent here to pay you a visit and urge you to take good care.”

“Thanks for asking!” Song Yixiao didn"t expect to bother her mother-in-law with her faked sickness. Embarra.s.sed with a guilty conscience, she hastily said, “It"s due to my carelessness. Last night, after I took a bath, I thought the bathroom was only a few steps away from the inner chamber, so I only wore the outer garment without putting on the cloak. However, I got a cold then. Actually, I"m fine and yet have Mother about me. I must say I am so unfilial!”

“Madam, please don"t be. Her Highness always regards you as her child. When she learns that you are ill, she gets very anxious! If it were not for her social ident.i.ty, she would come to visit you on herself.” Jiayue look Song Yixiao up and down and found that she did look fine, so she was relieved and said with a smile, “Her Highness only hopes you to be well. How will she feel that you are not unfilial?”

“I"ve learnt a lesson this time and I will never be this careless anymore!” Song Yixiao said smilingly, “Or Mother has to worry about me again as she is already busy with taking care of the household ch.o.r.es in the Grand Princess"s mansion, which I feel is more than I am ent.i.tled to.”

Jiayue said with a grin, “Luckily, you look fine now. I will report this to Her Highness so that Her Highness can feel relieved!”

After they exchanged some pleasantries, Jiayue took leave then. Before leaving, she mentioned that Jinguo Grand Princess asked her to bring some medicine here for health nourishment.

Song Yixiao expressed her grat.i.tude. Because she was still “ill” and couldn"t get up, she asked Jinxun to see the woman off on behalf of her.

After Jinxun accompanied Jiayue out of Keshao Hall, Song Yixiao summoned Qiaoqin to a.s.sist her in cleaning up. While brushing her hair, Qiaoqin kept talking about Jinguo Grand Princess"s kindness to her daughter-in-law, “It is said that Jiayue is not one of the palace maids who accompanied Her Highness to get married, but she is highly valued by Her Highness. Even His Highness the Prince Consort doesn"t dare to belittle her! Her Highness sends her to pay you a visit, which manifests that Her Highness must attach importance to you!”

“Don"t talk too much about the seniors!” Song Yixiao coughed, “Anyhow, he is my father-in-law!”

It was then Qiaoqin realized that she had talked improperly. In a hurry she apologized and didn"t dare to continue the topic, saying, “Madam, are you going to Jiangxing Villa later? I suggest that you should not go out of door now. After all, Jiayue just paid you a visit. If any ignorant person spreads the word that you can walk around the mansion right after Jiayue left, will you be put into an awkward situation?”

Song Yixiao felt the same way. After thinking for a while, she said, “Then you just go there on behalf of me. Tell Chan that Mother, I mean, her Auntie promises to put an end to the matter. She can feel relieved now!”

Although Wei Mengying said that Wei Chan should leave as soon as possible in case that she would have a thing with Jian Xubai, Song Yixiao didn"t agree on that. For one thing, in Song Yixiao"s eyes, Wei Chan and Jian Xubai were not that kind of people. For another, Wei Chan left home sneakingly before. Wei Mengying was not back to Prince of Hengshan"s mansion yet and thus didn"t have time to send her order to the Wei Family. In this case, if Wei Chan was sent back home now, how was it possible that the Wei Family would take her in?

It was better to let Wei Chan continue living in Duke of Yan"s mansion until Wei Mengying delivered a message of confirmation. By then, Song Yixiao would accompany her back home, which was a proper way.

She asked Qiaoqin to tell Wei Chan about it. As a result, Wei Chan felt so surprised and delighted that she even kowtowed to the direction of Keshao Hall in situ, “From now on, Yixiao is my great benefactor!”

Qiaoqin sighed when reporting to Song Yixiao, “It is so lucky for Miss Wei to have a cousin like you!”

“If she were really lucky, why would she suffer the mishap?” Song Yixiao only gave a bitter smile. Actually, her cousin"s fate was so similar to hers! In her previous life, she remained her virginity under the protection of Zhiqin and yet couldn"t survive in the case where she was slandered by her stepmother and abandoned by her merciless father.

On the contrary, in this life, Wei Chan dragged out an ign.o.ble existence and stayed alive but did she only lose virginity?

As an innocent victim, she was driven into a corner and had no one to turn to. Instead, she became universally condemned. Wei Mengying"s words—“a trivial thing” seemed to go through the previous life and this life, which were still lingering around Song Yixiao"s ears. Only those who experienced the pains could have the sense of deep despair.

By helping Wei Chan, Song Yixiao actually tried to soothe her pains in the previous life rather than care for this cousin.

However, she couldn"t disclose her true feelings to Qiaoqin. She only heaved a sigh and ordered, “Bring me the list of the birthday gifts for Ping"an and Madam Bai. I"ll check it once again!”

“Madam, you are not sick indeed but you have been really worried about Miss Wei"s matter these days.” Qiaoqin persuaded, “Now that everyone is made to believe that you are sick and thus not dare to disturb you, how about having a rest today? After all, there is still time for you to look at the gift list tomorrow!”

“I shall not put off what should be done today.” Song Yixiao shook her head and said, “Moreover, do you think that Jinguo Grand Princess sends Jiayue to visit me only for a simple visit?”

Seeing Qiaoqin"s confused face, she puckered her lips, “This month will be the birthday of Ping"an, that of Madam Bai, the wedding of the second lady of the Sikong Family and my grandmother"s birthday. Of course, I can send the presents without attending the ceremony. However, as to the former three events, I must attend myself!”

“It will be Princess Changxing"s wedding at the beginning of next month and after that, Shengshou Festival and Wanshou Festival will follow! These three dates cannot be neglected!”

“There will be even more festivals and dinner invitations in the twelfth lunar month. Oh right, the fifth sister"s birthday too!”

“After the twelfth lunar month, the fifth day of the first lunar month is Qianqiu Festival!”

“That is to say, there will be no free time for me in the following days!”

“Xubai and I are the only persons to handle the interpersonal affairs in the mansion. If I fall sick at this crucial moment, how busy does Xubai will get?”

Qiaoqin finally took a tumble. It turned out that Jinguo Grand Princess hurriedly sent people to visit Song Yixiao not because she cared about her daughter-in-law"s health but because she didn"t want her son to be implicated!

She couldn"t help feeling shamefaced about talking about the Grand Princess"s kindness.

However, Song Yixiao was fine with it. It was normal that mother loved her child. If she strived for the Grand Princess"s favor against Xubai, she must be insane!

As long as this mother-in-law was sensible, the bias to this extent was reasonable to Song Yixiao.

Therefore, Song Yixiao asked Qiaoqin to fetch the gift list. After double-checking the list, she also heard the latter report what happened these days and started to deal with the ch.o.r.es in order.

However, only after she dealt with a few of the ch.o.r.es, another maid came in to report, “Here comes Miss Yuan!”

When Song Yixiao invited Yuan Xue"e to see the hairpins that the Pei Family was going to sell, Song Yixiao used to say that she was at home these days and Yuan Xue"e was always welcome to visit her.

Therefore, Yuan Xue"e didn"t offer the visiting card before coming, making Qiaoqin and other maids worried, “Madam, you are thought to be ill now. Is it okay for you to advance and receive Miss Yuan?”

“It is inconvenient for me to leave Keshao Hall indeed.” Song Yixiao have the gift list and account books put away first and then said with a frown, “Qiaoqin, go to welcome her on behalf of me and explain to her a bit. It is good enough that Xue"e and I have been friends for many years. I think she will understand.”

As expected, after a while, Yuan Xue"e was ushered into the room by Qiaoqin and started scolded her for carelessness upon meeting Song Yixiao, “In the current season, it is cool at night. How can you not be careful? We girls cannot be compared to those who don"t even need to wear fur in cold winter!”

Then she reached out her hand to touch Song Yixiao"s forehead, “Do you get a fever? Oh no, good then!”

“You leave and give us some privacy.” Song Yixiao leaned against the bed and ordered the maids to leave them alone. When the door was closed, she lifted the quilt and sat up, talking honestly, “I am not sick! I only had to talk with my mom about something. However, due to the current situation, my mom hardly dares to meet me face to face. Hence, I asked Xubai to beg the Empress Dowager to deliver a message to Prince of Hengshan"s mansion. And I finally got to meet her today!”

Jian Xubai made up an excuse that Song Yixiao was sick and missed her mother. “Unexpectedly, my mother-in-law also learnt about it and thus sent her maid to visit me. If I go outdoors, everyone will know I am lying. Therefore, I let Qiaoqin receive you on behalf of me!”

“We are friends. Don"t be sorry!” Yuan Xue"e beat her smilingly and asked, “How are you doing these days? My brother tells me that the situation in the duke"s mansion is very complicated!”

“I"m fine.” Song Yixiao knew that Yuan Xue"e was not gifted or interested in scheming, so she just played down the topic and then cut to the chase, “The Pei Family has so many hairpins to sell that you may not be able to see them all soon. We had better not make any delay! Let me have the case carried inside and you can pick while we chat!”

Yuan Xue"e thought Song Yixiao was not feeling well, so she didn"t intend to see the hairpins today. Now that Song Yixiao confessed about her fake illness, of course she wouldn"t reject and then said with a nod, “Great. You can help me check on them too in case that I cannot make the decision!”

After a while, the servants carried a case inside. As it was opened, the whole room was full of splendor of jewels.

“These are great things!” Yuan Xue"e had seen a lot of treasures before but now she was still attracted, “But as to the hairpins, Yourui can wear them too. Why do they have to sell them? Does the Pei Family lack money?”

“By reason, they don"t. After all, think about it. Members of the Pei Family are always officials for generations.” Song Yixiao sighed, “I seem to have seen some of them in my mother-in-law"s room. If they were granted by her, I"m afraid that they will stir up her feelings!”

Yuan Xue"e also heaved a sigh, “You never know what will happen next!”

However, Pei Yourui"s experience was pitiful, but they were not close to her anyway. They sighed about it for a while and nerved up to select the jewelries carefully.

Yuan Xue"e didn"t stop with satisfaction until Jian Xubai was almost back from work, “I"ll take these all!”

“Qiaoqin will do the math for you.” Song Yixiao said smilingly, “Because they are sold on behalf of Yourui, I will calculate them by the market price without a discount then.”

“The price is very low now.” Yuan Xue"e also knew the business, “It is undoubtedly of good quality. Besides, there are so many kinds for selection and thus the price should be higher than market price. Don"t tell me that you want to subsidize her!”

Song Yixiao"s thought was pointed out bluntly. She was about to smooth things over when Jinxun walked inside and said, “Madam, here is a visiting card.”

It was not strange to receive a visiting card but there was a problem. “It is from the Su Family, saying that the Sixth Lady and Seventh Lady of the Su Family hear that you are sick and mean to visit you tomorrow!”