When mother and daughter arrived, the matriarch was in the middle of her morning ritual. Anyone in the Lin Clan who was observant would know of the matriarch's habits over the past fourteen years. However, she was not observant and could only lead her daughter to sit in the side hall and wait. After pouring two pots of tea, she saw Mama Ma supporting the matriarch, who was covered in the scent of Buddhist incense, out.
"It's been fourteen years. This is the first time you've paid your respects to me, right? It's truly rare. "The matriarch leaned on the couch and slowly sipped her tea. However, she didn't even look at the Lin Clan.
The first time in fourteen years that she had paid her respects? Then what had her mother been doing these past fourteen years? Yu Miaoqi glanced at the Lin Clan in astonishment. Only now did she understand why the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was so stiff.
The Lin Clan was rather embarrassed. Just as they were racking their brains to think of how to please their mother-in-law, they saw Yu Siyu walk in with morning dew. Seeing the matriarch, she was slightly surprised and immediately bowed in greeting.
This gave the Lin Clan a way out. It was rare that her attitude towards the concubine-born daughter was warmer than before. She personally helped the concubine-born daughter up.
The matriarch waved her hand for everyone to sit. Her gaze swept towards Yu Miaoqi's waist. She pretended to unintentionally say, "Where's the protective talisman I gave you? Why don't I see it hanging on your body? That was consecrated by a senior monk. It can ward off evil spirits and protect one's safety. "
Yu Miaoqi didn't feel guilty at all. Instead, she smiled sweetly and replied, "Replying to grandmother, because it was a gift from grandmother, granddaughter doesn't dare wear it every day for fear of wear and tear. I only put it under my pillow to ensure that I sleep peacefully. Granddaughter thanks grandmother for her love and care. "
If the matriarch hadn't heard the news earlier, she wouldn't have been able to see any resentment or disdain from this extremely sincere smile. Not only was her temperament so cold, but she was also very good at pretending. How did the Lin Clan raise her to become like this? Not to mention that she was born with a fiendish fate, but with her cold heart and cold lungs, she would be a disaster to any family.
The matriarch didn't deny that she didn't like Yu Miaoqi because of the Lin Clan's favoritism. However, at first, she only wanted to compete with the Lin Clan. When she saw the real person, that bit of dislike turned into seventy to eighty percent disgust.
The more decent Yu Miaoqi behaved in front of her, the more it set off her treacherous and vicious nature. He had only given her a piece of talisman paper, yet she was already filled with resentment. How could she not hate Yan'er, who had caused her to be imprisoned twice in the past? To what extent did she hate Xiang'er, who had taken over her position?
Thinking up to this point, seventy to eighty percent disgust turned into extreme vigilance. Old Madam Fu felt uncomfortable even looking at her now, so she simply turned her head away and said in a low voice, "Do whatever you want. Just keep it."
Yu Miaoqi had always been good at reading people's expressions. She pursed her lips and didn't say anything.
Yu Siyu knew what to do and started chatting about this and that. She emphasized which families had gotten engaged, given the betrothal gifts, and were about to hold a wedding.
The matriarch looked at her thoughtfully and said impatiently, "Don't talk to me about these miscellaneous things. Just say that you want to get married. You can't wait for me to discuss the marriage with the Fang Family, right? "
Yu Siyu's face flushed red. She lowered her head and forcefully stirred her handkerchief, not daring to respond.
The matriarch's mood became even worse. She waved her hand and said, "I'll take care of this matter in the future. Just don't regret it! Since you've already achieved your goal, why aren't you leaving? "She felt a headache whenever she saw these two idiots who thought themselves clever.
Yu Siyu bowed and took her leave. When she crossed the threshold, she couldn't help but reveal a trace of joy.
When she was far away, Mama Ma quietly muttered, "Old Madam, didn't that Official Fang already get beheaded by Master Hou? His family's wealth was confiscated … "
The matriarch waved her hand, indicating for her to stop talking.
When the Lin Clan and Yu Miaoqi heard this, they couldn't help but look at each other. They saw a light in each other's eyes.
The matriarch didn't notice. Just as she was about to send the mother and daughter away, Yu Miaoqi got up and took her leave, saying that she was going to visit her younger sister. The Lin Clan looked at their mother-in-law with a determined expression.
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Yu Miaoqi arrived at the west wing under the guidance of Bao Sheng. There were two small courtyards in the west wing. They weren't too far from each other. The one facing the south had better lighting and occupied a larger area. Naturally, it belonged to Yu Xiang. The east wing belonged to Yu Siyu.
Yu Miaoqi passed through the corridor and stepped through the drooping flower door. Everywhere she looked, there were all kinds of exotic flowers and plants in full bloom. There were also countless bees and butterflies fluttering in the brilliant sunlight, carrying with them an indescribable rich fragrance. Such a vibrant and colorful little courtyard should have been incompatible with the majestic and strict Marquis Yongle's residence, yet it strangely blended in. It was like a paradise of peach blossoms that had been lost in the mortal world, yet it also seemed like a small greenhouse left in a frozen land, causing one to be incomparably delighted.
Yu Miaoqi stood in front of the courtyard wall full of blooming flowers. She was somewhat intoxicated, but she was interrupted by a noisy voice. "Someone's here, someone's here. Miss, someone's here!" She turned to look. It was the parrot, Ah Lu, who was hanging in the corridor.
Yu Miaoqi seemed to wake up from a dream. She walked towards the door with a feeling of jealousy and resentment. To think that as the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Family, she could only squeeze in with her mother, but Yu Xiang had such an exquisite and dreamy courtyard. It was really unfair to the extreme! All of this should have belonged to her!
Yu Xiang was shaken awake by Liu Lu early in the morning. In her daze, she heard that the Lin Clan had burned the protective talisman and wanted to seize power. She said disapprovingly, "Let her be. I'll see if she has the ability." Then her head tilted and she fell asleep again.
Liu Lu had no choice but to order someone to bring breakfast. She shook the fragrant shredded chicken and matsutake porridge in front of her master's nose. She didn't need anyone to wake her up.
Unexpectedly, before the porridge was brought over, Ah Lu shouted. Liu Lu hurriedly welcomed Yu Miaoqi into the side hall and said apologetically, "Replying to Second Miss, Miss is currently sleeping. I'll have to trouble you to sit down and wait for a moment. This servant will go and wake her up."
"I'll also go take a look. I naturally want to take a look at Meimei's boudoir. "Yu Miaoqi smiled very amiably and took the lead to step through the doorway.
The room wasn't big, but the furnishings were very luxurious and exquisite. The antique porcelain on the antique shelves were all very old. The furniture was made of Phoebe zhennan wood and rosewood, which were very expensive. The dressing table was very large, with a bronze mirror, a makeup brush, a grate, and other things. There seemed to be a lot of things in the dressing table. The lid couldn't be closed and was only loosely hung with a bronze lock. A pillar of sunlight shone through the window, faintly reflecting the colorful lights inside. If she really opened it, she didn't know how dazzling it would be.
Yu Miaoqi's smile became even more graceful and appropriate. In reality, the tip of her heart was bleeding drop by drop. Thick venom flowed out from the festering wound called jealousy, corroding her bones until they hurt.
"What time is it? Why hasn't Meimei woken up yet? The sun is almost up to your butt. " She sat down on the soft couch by the window as she spoke in a teasing manner. Her soft, gentle, and melodious voice was extremely pleasing to the ear, and no one would be able to imagine that at this moment, a roaring ferocious beast was being imprisoned in her heart.
Yu Xiang mumbled under Liu Lu's push. Only then did she wake up faintly. She lifted the bed curtain and yawned as she lazily said, "Meimei, you're here?"
Seeing the girl's true face without makeup, Yu Miaoqi's heart was torn again. Without the rich colors, the girl's face was less fierce and more sweet. She had light and stylish smoky eyebrows, black and bright starry eyes, a straight nose, and cherry lips. Her temperament was pure and charming. It was truly a very lovable face.
In addition, her behavior was unruly and her temperament was perverse. When she slept, she didn't wear any undergarments. She only wore a small yellow dudou and a pair of tulle bloomers of the same color. This made her soft and round breasts even more prominent. Her waist was slender, and her skin was like cream. She was truly a stunner. Her appearance was so magnificent and her bearing was so excellent that it caused Yu Miaoqi's mind to fall into a daze, and two charming and gentle lines of poetry naturally appeared in her mind — Jade arms lift up the misty canopy, full of vitality and fragrance.
Even a woman like her couldn't help but be moved, let alone a man. Fortunately, her legs were crippled. Otherwise, it wouldn't be difficult for her to enter the palace and become a favored concubine!
Yu Miaoqi felt a burst of pain. She had unconsciously bitten her lower lip and quickly wiped the blood away with a handkerchief.
Yu Xiang didn't know that she was thinking of many irrelevant things in an instant. She stretched out her hands and allowed Tao Hong and Liu Lu to help her dress. Then, with the help of the two people, she sat in a wheelchair and pushed it to the dressing table to wipe her face and teeth.
She put the salted willow branch into her mouth and asked in a muffled voice, "Does Jiejie like the hair ornament I gave Jiejie?"
"I like it very much. Today, I especially came to thank Jiejie." Yu Miaoqi stroked the hair ornament in her hair and smiled very sincerely.
Yu Xiang didn't even look at her. She spat out the mouthwash and used a hot handkerchief to wipe her face clean. Then, she opened a small bottle and smeared a finger of moisturizer on her face.
The rich fragrance of lotus wafted through the room, making people feel a little dizzy. Yu Miaoqi knew that the stuff she applied must be extraordinary. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to cultivate such a body of ice and jade.
If she hadn't hugged the wrong person back then, these things should have belonged to her. This sentence was like a curse that kept reverberating in her mind. Then, it bound her heart round and round, sinking deep into her flesh and bone, and could never be removed again.
Yu Xiang glanced at her from the bronze mirror and asked casually, "Where's the protective talisman that Ancestor gave Jiejie? Why don't I see Jiejie wearing it? "
"I put it under my pillow when I went out. After all, it's a paper product. I'm afraid it will be worn out if I wear it every day. "Yu Miaoqi picked up the teacup to cover the disdain on her lips. It was just a piece of paper. Was it worth these two people mentioning it again and again?
Yu Xiang raised her eyebrows and chuckled, "Jiejie, didn't Ancestor give you an exquisite pouch with a colorful silk ribbon tied to it? That means you can wear it around your waist every day. It's pretty and can press the hem of your skirt. Jiejie, you don't know that the protective talisman was asked by Ancestor from Divine Monk Kuhai four years ago. It's been enshrined in the Zhen Guo Temple all these years. It's a good thing that many people can't get their hands on. At that time, I was wondering why Ancestor kept it, but it turned out to be a gift to Jiejie. It's clear that Ancestor has always been concerned about Jiejie! "
Yu Miaoqi smelled a trace of jealousy in her words. Although she didn't show it on her face, she was very happy in her heart. But no matter how much she said, a piece of paper was just a piece of paper. What could it be worth? However, she was very satisfied that the old madam valued her. So, she just had to find the pouch and wear it when she went back.
After all, she was her granddaughter. How could she not love her? As long as she lived long enough, she would be able to surpass this lowly child in front of the old madam. Thinking of this, Yu Miaoqi's lips curled up slightly.
Yu Xiang looked at her expression in the bronze mirror and felt her heart grow colder. If a normal person heard these words, they would more or less show a trace of regret for burning the talisman. However, she couldn't see the slightest bit of remorse or self-blame in the other party's eyes. Yu Miaoqi held grudges and didn't remember kindness. Sure enough, she was just as her brother described. She was an extremely cold-hearted person.
So, even if she didn't want to fight with her, she was afraid it wouldn't do.