Jiang Muting had stayed at home for claiming to be sick since the Empress Dowager granted the marital arrangement for Prince of Wei and Commandery Princess Nanzhang.

In order to clear up the misunderstanding between her and Jiang Muting, Song Yixiao tried a lot of ways hoping to have a face-to-face talk with her but she failed in the end. She didn"t give up until she heard Jian Xubai talk about different political views after they got married.

Today she was here only to walk through the formalities. However, to her surprise, before she even went to the mourning hall, she b.u.mped into Jiang Muting first.

In a hurry she advanced and said with delight, “Muting? Long time no see!”

“Yeah, long time no see.” Jiang Muting looked thinner than she was at the feast of the Shangsi Festival, but maybe as the incidence happened half a year ago, she looked fine. She took a few glances at Song Yixiao and then went across the threshold, saying casually, “I have been sick before and didn"t get recovered until two days ago.”

All the people at present knew that it was only an excuse but no one was stupid to lay it bare. Instead, they all told her to take care.

The Su sisters were well-informed so they asked Jiang Muting about her mother and sisters-in-law, “It is heard of that your mother and sisters-in-law have caught a cold recently, are they feeling better now?”

Jiang Muting replied with a casual air. Of course her mother and sisters-in-law were not recovered, or she wouldn"t come here to give condolence alone. Before they finished exchanging pleasantries, the maid who went to the mourning hall returned to report, saying that the mourning hall was ready for them to go.

They stopped chatting and then tidied their dresses, following the maid to the mourning hall.

Song Yixiao didn"t know the Linghu Family at all so she only went through the motions by saying something comforting. On the contrary, the Su sisters and Jiang Muting were related to the Linghu Family somehow or other. Hence, they talked for quite a while before saying goodbye.

After getting out of the mourning hall, the Su sisters wanted to talk with Song Yixiao, but Jiang Muting nodded at them and said, “It"s quite cold today. I shall leave first!”

Song Yixiao was still worried about Wei Chan, thus saying after her, “I should leave too. It"s cold today. Please be careful when you go back home!”

The Su sisters found it not proper to ask her to stay. Then they made eye contact and said, “See you next time!”

When the carriage left the Linghu"s mansion, Song Yixiao happened to see the messenger in palace suit riding by, who was supposed to pa.s.s the imperial decree.

As she had given condolence, Song Yixiao was not in a hurry for anything. She took a glance, put down the curtain and then leaned back with her eyes closed, pondering about the trouble that Wei Chan faced, “It is not a good idea to marry someone faraway, but given Chan"s current condition, she will have to bear with the reputation of an annul engagement of the marriage with Lu Guanlun…”

Amidst pondering, a guard got surprised and rode to the window of the carriage, reporting in a low voice, “Madam, that seems to be Madam Lu"s carriage over there?”

Surprised by the report, Song Yixiao lifted the curtain and took a look. Indeed, several people were under a carriage at the roadside nearby. Near the carriage was a woman wearing a hat surrounded by four or five maids. Behind the woman, there was a maid holding a little girl who seemed to be two or three years old.

“The one holding the little girl is Zhang Cuiniang, who came to Duke of Yan"s mansion last time. That woman must be my stepmother.” Song Yixiao was initially dubious. After all, supposedly, the guard couldn"t have seen Madam Lu. After seeing Zhang Cuiniang, Song Yixiao finally took a tumble and hastened to order the carter to drive the carriage over there.

“Mother, why are you here?” As the carriage went to them, Song Yixiao stopped it and put on the hat. After getting off the carriage, she hurriedly walked to Madam Lu and lifted the veil by a bit, saying in surprise, “Is your carriage broken?”

Madam Lu was Song Yixiao"s stepmother but in fact, they hadn"t met before. When she heard this girl, who was a bit younger than herself, come to her and call her Mother, she appeared confused, “Who are you?”

“I"m Yixiao!” Song Yixiao nudged her hat and curtsied, saying with a grin, “I haven"t paid my respect for you before. It is because I saw Ms. Zhang that I finally recognize you. Please do forgive me!”

Madam Lu heard her and felt shocked. She hastened to lift the veil and expose her fair-skinned and pretty face, saying with joys, “Ah, it"s you! No wonder. You are such a beautiful and elegant girl that ordinary n.o.ble women are surely no match for you.” Amidst talking, she advanced to hold Song Yixiao"s arms up and meanwhile talked to the maids, “Why don"t you pay respect to Lady Yixiao?”

The maids hastened to bow to her and claimed, “Your Ladyship, wish you all the best.”

Madam Lu asked Zhang Cuiniang to put down her daughter and then brought her to Song Yixiao, urging her, “Yibao, why don"t you greet your sister? Don"t you always ask about your sister? This is your elder sister!”

Song Yixiao looked the half-sister up and down with a smile. Song Yibao, a three-year-old girl, was wearing a cyaneous blouse and a white skirt with a marten coat. As she was still short, she looked like a fuzzy ball on the ground.

The little girl even smelt like milk at a closer distance, with a fair-skinned face and a pair of curved eyebrows. Her almond eyes were somewhat similar to Song Yixiao"s. With a round nose and a rosy mouth, she had two braids on her head, who seemed to be shy with strangers. She called Song Yixiao Sister in a low voice. Nudged by Madam Lu, she finally mustered up her courage and shouted, “Wish Sister all the best!”

“Good girl!” Song Yixiao didn"t intend to vent her anger caused by her half-siblings in the previous life on Song Yibao. As this girl was quite adorable, Song Yixiao kind of liked her and carried her in the arms to give a kiss on her cheeks, saying in surprise, “Mother, you and Yibao have stood here for a long time? Yibao"s face gets so cold!”

Madam Lu was surprised to hear that and reached her hand to touch Song Yibao"s face. She couldn"t help putting on a worried face, saying, “I wanted to buy something but 15 minutes ago, the carriage was suddenly broken. There is no shelter nearby so we can only stand by the roadside waiting!”

“Get into my carriage!” Song Yixiao hurried to say, “Let me send you and Yibao back home first. It is going to snow. How can you two stand it?”

She didn"t like to get along with the Song Family, but Madam Lu was pregnant. Song Yibao was only three years old. Now that she b.u.mped into them, she couldn"t just go away.

Seeing that Madam Lu was still hesitating, Song Yixiao directly carried Song Yibao in her arms and headed towards the carriage, “Mother, are you afraid that I will hurt you and Yibao in broad daylight?”

“How would I think that way?” Madam Lu hastened to say, “I just don"t want to hold back your business.”

“Now my business is to send you and Yibao back to your home!” Song Yixiao did have something to deal with. If Madam Lu didn"t want to be a drag on her, she had better get into the carriage with Song Yibao and go back home as soon as possible!

As a woman of gentle disposition, Madam Lu was somewhat guilt about Song Yixiao. Now that Song Yixiao adopted a pushy posture, Madam Lu subconsciously followed her into the carriage. Zhang Cuiniang hastened to drag a maid over and asked her to brief the servants who were repairing the carriage. Then she caught up with Madam Lu in a hurry herself.

“Mother, you are pregnant. Sit on the cushion.” Inside the carriage, Song Yixiao asked Liyu to place a cushion on the padded seat and then took out her heater. “This is what I always use. There is only one heater in the carriage. Mother, I hope that you can accept it. Please hold it and keep warm!”

Amidst talking, Qiaoqin prepared a few bowls of hot rose syrup on the small table in the carriage. Song Yixiao suggested that Madam Lu and Zhang Cuiniang each fetched one themselves and then got one herself. She blew it to test the temperature before feeding it to Song Yibao.

Song Yibao took a glance at her bashfully and sipped at the rose syrup.

“Yibao, why don"t you say thank-you to your sister?” Madam Lu saw that and hurriedly blamed her daughter, “Do you forget the etiquette that I teach you?”

“Thank you, Sister.” Song Yibao rubbed her own clothes and said in a low voice. If it were not for that Song Yixiao was holding her, her voice could hardly be heard.

Of course Madam Lu was dissatisfied and wanted to continue scolding her when Song Yixiao stepped forward to mediate, “Yibao is still too young. She and I seldom meet each other. Mother, you"ve regarded me as an outsider by scolding her like that!”

She knew that Madam Lu didn"t expect to meet her today so she must be rather perturbed. Therefore, after saying that, she didn"t pay attention to her stepmother anymore. Instead, she talked to Song Yibao in a soft voice, “Who braided your hair? The little bells on your hair look so cute. Can I take it off your hair and have a look?”

Song Yibao was not a mischievous girl. At first she was bashful, but after a while, she dared to speak then. Her childish way of chattering was so adorable. Song Yixiao couldn"t help pointing at her cheeks, saying with a smile, “Your face is as rosy as an apple. Can I bite at it?”

Seeing that Song Yibao drew back her neck with staring eyes, as if she was really afraid to be bitten, Song Yixiao burst out laughing and hurriedly said, “I was kidding. Yibao, you are so cute. How can I really bite you?”

“Judging from Yixiao"s att.i.tude to Yibao, at least she doesn"t hate my daughter.” Madam Lu held the heater in her palms and watched the sisters playing, biting her lips slightly, “Even if she is putting on an act, it is not easy for her to do that. After all, Yuan and Mother-in-law have maltreated her terribly before.”

She ruminated for a while and then hinted at Zhang Cuiniang to hold Song Yibao, saying in a low voice, “Two days ago, a sister-in-law of my maiden family had a birthday feast. I went to the feast too and heard a piece of news that Side Concubine Cui seems to have some misunderstanding on you.”

Song Yixiao was a bit shocked and said smilingly, “Thank you for your concern, Mother. May I know what misunderstanding it is?”

“It seems that Side Concubine Cui has heard of something from the Jin Family and the Liu Family?” Madam Lu appeared a little awkward and yet still continued to say after hesitation, “I think that these two families seldom meet you before. What they say may not be true. Unfortunately, I don"t have any chance to pay respect to Side Concubine Cui so I cannot speak for you. If you go to the Eastern Palace, how about finding an opportunity to explain to Side Concubine Cui? After all, she is the legitimate cousin of His Highness the Crown Prince. Now that she is pregnant, even the Crown Princess has to show due respect for her feelings.”

“Is Cui Jianlian insane?” Song Yixiao was surprised to hear that, “By now she still wants to hurt me. It is understandable that she wants to cut the weeds and dig up the roots because of the grudge back then! However, as a side concubine of the Crown Prince, she is even pregnant now. How can she ally herself with the Liu Family and Jin Family? Putting aside the Jin Family, Liu Zhenxi has taken refuge in Qiu Shuxia and sided with Prince of Zhao!”

If the Crown Prince knew about this, he must be angry no matter how he doted on her.

However, on second thought, it was the first time that she and Madam Lu met each other. Therefore, it remained to be confirmed whether what Madam Lu said was true or not. After keeping it in mind, she said with a smile, “Mother, you are right! We don"t live with seniors, so we have to deal with everything on our own. I am still not experienced enough. If it were not for your reminder, I wouldn"t know that I have offended Side Concubine Cui. By then, I would be in a muddle!”

Madam Lu had no idea whether it was right or wrong to give advice to Song Yixiao. Now her smile didn"t seem natural, “It is pretty normal for a newly-wedded wife. I used to make a fool of myself for many times! Even now, I am also learning through doing.”

In Jiangxing Villa of Duke of Yan"s mansion, after Song Yixiao left, Madam Lu embraced her daughter and sobbed bitterly first. Then she told her daughter about the current situation honestly, “Your uncles and aunties are all afraid that your Auntie agreed to let go of you reluctantly for the sake of Yixiao. If she is still angry and doesn"t lend any favor on your brothers" official careers, it will be big trouble. Therefore, they all want you to stay away from the imperial capital in case that you p.i.s.s off your Auntie again!”

Seeing that Wei Chan shed tears, she heaved a sigh, “I have discussed with your grandmother for several days and finally come up with an idea!”