Seeing Old Madam Lu’s anger and the chaos in Lu Jia, Madam Liu excused herself on the pretext of feeling unwell.
Although Madam Liu had left, the Jingzhaoyin was still waiting outside the door, invoking Prince Zhao’s name. Old Madam Lu dared not openly defy him and could only send someone to summon Lu Yanci back.
“Yun Ci, help me back to rest,” Old Madam Lu said, grabbing Yun Ci’s wrist with a firm grip.
“Yes.”
Upon returning to the rear courtyard, Old Madam Lu released Yun Ci’s hand and fixed her gaze on her, suddenly changing her tone. “You’ve been married for a month now. After all, you are a daughter-in-law of Lu Jia. Some matters shouldn’t be made too ugly—it won’t benefit you.”
Yun Ci raised her chin and looked at the other woman. “Is Old Madam asking me to endure being framed and having my reputation tarnished, or to tolerate magnanimously while someone steals my husband?”
Old Madam Lu was left speechless, inwardly cursing Ye Jiayi again for being too impatient. Not only had she failed to scheme against Yun Ci, but she had also been caught red-handed, leaving Lu Jia in an awkward position.
“Yun Ci, what’s done is done. Let’s focus on the present. State your conditions,” Old Madam Lu said in a low voice, almost threateningly. “You have indeed been wronged today. How about I make Jiayi apologize to you?”
Yun Ci sneered. Even at this point, Old Madam Lu still wanted to gloss things over?
“Since Old Madam insists on showing favoritism, I have nothing more to say.”
Yun Ci shrugged, feigning magnanimity, but everyone present could see the cold mockery on her face, clearly indicating her displeasure.
Nanny Gu, having shed her earlier arrogance, stepped forward with a bow and advised, “Second Young Madam, why must you be like this? The Shizi has already come to appreciate your virtues. Once this matter passes, living harmoniously as husband and wife is what truly matters. Dwelling on it will only make things awkward for everyone.”
Yun Ci remained coldly silent.
Seeing this, Old Madam Lu grew angry, sighing inwardly at the girl’s stubbornness. It was clear she would not rest until Lu Jia dealt with Ye Jiayi.
“Fine, summon the First Young Madam!”
Nanny Gu was taken aback. “Old Madam?”
“Go now!”
Reluctantly, Nanny Gu steeled herself and went to fetch Ye Jiayi.
A moment later, Lady Ye accompanied Ye Jiayi as they hurried over. In the back hall, Lady Ye had already advised Ye Jiayi to endure for now, placate Nalan Yunci first, and settle scores later.
Thus, Ye Jiayi, her face half-swollen, stepped forward to bow and said pitifully, “Grandmother.”
Old Madam Lu’s voice turned stern. “Kneel!”
“Grandmother?” Ye Jiayi felt even more aggrieved. She had already been slapped—why was this still being dragged out? Anxiously, she glanced at Lady Ye.
Lady Ye gave her a meaningful look, urging her not to defy her elders.
Reluctantly, Ye Jiayi knelt.
“Serve tea to Yun Ci and apologize!”
Ye Jiayi thought she had misheard. She, a dignified Dinu of the Ye family and the younger sister of Ye Guifei, had to apologize to that little wretch Yun Ci?
What right did she have?
“Old Madam speaks wisely. You should never have listened to the maid’s slander and nearly wronged the Second Young Madam. You are Tao-li, living under the same roof. You should help and support each other,” Lady Ye quickly stepped in to mediate, her gaze toward Yun Ci no longer sharp but much gentler.
Yun Ci stood beside Ye Jiayi, looking down at her with eyes full of contempt and disdain, which made Ye Jiayi's brow twitch uncontrollably. She nearly stood up to curse at her.
"Old Madam, since Elder Sister-in-law is unwilling, let's just forget it," Yun Ci said.
Old Madam Lu spoke sternly: "Jiayi, if you've done something wrong, you must bear the consequences. Otherwise, no one can help you."
Lady Ye, standing nearby, pulled Ye Jiayi aside and whispered to her, advising her to endure for the greater good.
Gritting her teeth, Ye Jiayi took the tea handed to her by the maid and offered it to Yun Ci: "Yun Ci, I was foolish for a moment and believed the maid's words, which led me to misunderstand you. Please be magnanimous."
Yun Ci leisurely sat down on a chair, pretending to be confused as she looked at her: "What did you say? I didn't hear clearly."
"Nalan Yunci, don't go too far!" Ye Jiayi trembled with anger. When had she ever been humiliated like this?
"If you're unwilling to apologize, why force yourself?"
Yun Ci made as if to stand up, forcing Ye Jiayi to raise her voice again: "Yun Ci, it was my fault. Please be magnanimous!"
Only then did Yun Ci take the tea from Ye Jiayi's hands, though she had no intention of drinking it. Instead, she set it aside, wiped her hands with a handkerchief, and tossed it onto the table with a look of disgust.
This scene infuriated Ye Jiayi even more, and she secretly vowed that once this matter was over, she would make this wretched woman suffer a fate worse than death.
Seeing this, Old Madam Lu breathed a sigh of relief and softened her tone: "You are both Dixi of Lu Jia and should carry yourselves with the dignity befitting your status. Don’t spend your days consumed by jealousy and petty squabbles. Since this matter has been cleared up, you should get along well from now on."
Ye Jiayi and Yun Ci both responded in agreement.
Immediately after, Old Madam Lu gestured for the two to leave, but Yun Ci spoke up: "Old Madam, although Elder Sister-in-law and I have made peace, some things cannot be hidden."
Ye Jiayi's eyelids twitched: "What trick are you trying to pull now?"
"Shouldn’t the child in your belly be addressed properly?" Yun Ci turned and pointed at Ye Jiayi's abdomen: "Is this child really Erlang's?"
"This child is, of course…" Ye Jiayi began to speak but was interrupted by Old Madam Lu: "What child? It was just a misdiagnosis by the physician. Jiayi is young and widowed, and the Dual Succession of Two Branches was my idea, but Jiayi has never agreed to it."
Lady Ye chimed in: "Exactly. The physician just examined her, and Jiayi isn’t pregnant at all. It’s all rumors. Second Young Madam, don’t believe them."
Hah, so they plan to deny it?
Yun Ci knew when to stop. At a disadvantage, she couldn’t afford to offend everyone in Lu Jia just yet.
As for this child, since Lu Jia couldn’t bear to get rid of it, sooner or later, they would pay the price for this ticking time bomb.
"If it’s a misunderstanding, then I’m relieved," Yun Ci said, blinking at Ye Jiayi and feigning shyness: "Just yesterday, Erlang promised me that my child would be his rightful Dixi in the future."
Infuriated by Yun Ci’s words, Ye Jiayi nearly lifted her clothes to show her the truth—Erlang would never have a child with her.
What a pipe dream!
"Enough!" Old Madam Lu, growing weary of their endless bickering, said coldly: "Now is not the time to dwell on such matters. Just now, the Jingzhaoyin came looking for Erlang in a furious manner, and the situation is truly dire…"
No sooner had the words been spoken than news arrived from outside that Lu Yanci had been taken away by the Jingzhaoyin for questioning, startling Old Madam Lu so much that she rose directly from her chair. "They really took him away?"
The messenger nodded.
Old Madam Lu swayed on her feet, this time truly enraged.
"Erlang is the Shizi of Guogong Fu with boundless prospects. To be publicly taken away by the Jingzhaoyin—what will others think?"
Lady Ye soothed her, saying, "Old Madam, do not worry. It is merely for questioning. The truth will surely come to light. I will return now and send someone to inquire."
After all, it was her daughter who had caused trouble at Lu Jia, so Lady Ye was in the wrong from the start. She immediately expressed that the Ye family would certainly not stand idly by.
"Then I must trouble you, Mother-in-law."
"We are all one family; there is no need for such formalities." After hurriedly offering a few more words of reassurance, Lady Ye departed.
Old Madam Lu, citing fatigue, then dismissed the two of them.
After leaving the rear hall, Yun Ci looked up at the sky, took several deep breaths, and immediately felt much more at ease.
"Nalan Yunci, you wretch!" Ye Jiayi rushed over, stopping before her and grinding her teeth as she said, "Today's humiliation will be repaid a hundredfold in the future!"
Yun Ci sneered, blinking at her opponent and mouthing two words silently: Fool!
With that, she strode away.
Furious, Ye Jiayi tore her handkerchief to shreds on the spot, her chest heaving violently. After a long while, she turned to the maid beside her and said, "Go send a message to Hong Ling. Have her find a way to check whether that wretch still bears the Shougongsha."
She still could not understand how Yun Ci, having taken the Hehuan Powder, could possibly have escaped unscathed.
There must be something fishy going on.
If she could catch her again with evidence, she would tear Yun Ci to pieces to vent the hatred in her heart!