Chapter 63: The Storm of Respectful Tea

  Mrs. Xü's words were spoken without any reserve, and Xü Ruòyì's face changed slightly. Yè Yúnjiǎn, who was standing beside him, remained expressionless, as if she hadn't heard anything.

  Xu Mingjin's expression remained unchanged, she knew that someone would inevitably go to distinguish, and indeed, Xu Mingying collected her smile and said with a hint of grievance: "Grandma is talking nonsense, we just found out that our older sister had a fright, and we were thinking that after leaving Grandma's place, we would go visit our older sister."

  Xu Ruoyi also said: "Mother, I understand that you miss Xia'er, but Xia'er can't come today, it has nothing to do with them, so don't be angry with them."

  Mrs. Xü also knew that she was transferring her anger, and since Xü Ruòyì had spoken up, she couldn't not give him face, so she stopped talking. Seeing this, Xü Ruòyì quickly made eye contact with Yè Yúnjiǎn, signaling for her to hurry up and serve tea.

  Ye Yunyan understood the implication and took the teacup from the maid's hand, presenting it to Old Lady Xu with both hands, bowing her head and saying: "Please have some tea, Mother."

  Mrs. Xü scrutinized Ye Yún-yān with a critical eye, seeing that the latter maintained a warm and polite smile, with impeccable manners and etiquette. She couldn't find anything to criticize, so she took the tea offered by Ye Yún-yān, took a small sip, and then put it down. Then, she signaled for Ye Yún-yān to take off one of her jade bangles as a gift for their meeting.

  Ye Yunyan didn't show any dissatisfaction, she happily accepted the old lady's bangle and put it directly on her hand. She also took out a handkerchief and said: "Old lady, this is a small token of my affection, I hope you won't despise me."

  Mrs. Xü took the handkerchief carelessly, glanced at it casually, and her expression changed immediately. She exclaimed in surprise: "This is embroidered with the embroidery technique created by Xun Yezi herself!"

  Ye Yunyan smiled faintly and said: "Xun Ye is my aunt, I only learned a little bit of it, Madam, please don't despise me."

  Mrs. Xu immediately smiled and said: "Don't be humble, your embroidery is very good."

  It was just a forehead band, but everyone saw Mrs. Xu's big reaction and stretched their heads to take a look, only to see that it was an exquisite eight-point emerald silver flower embroidery forehead band. The pattern was very common, but the intricate and complex embroidery method was rare. Everyone started praising one after another.

  Madam Xü was delighted and no longer had a stern face. Since all the members of the Xü family were in their old home in Liu City, only Madam Xü was left as an elder in the capital. Therefore, Ye Yunyan, as the new bride, only served tea to Madam Xü. Next, she would pay her respects to Miss Xü Mingjin and other young ladies.

  Because Xu Mingxia didn't come today, they started from Xu Mingying. All the sisters came forward one by one to pay their respects to this new Mrs. Xu. Mrs. Xu Ye Yunyan was only seventeen years old, two years older than Xu Mingying, but Xu Mingying had to call her "mother". It was really awkward and uncomfortable to say, but the old woman was staring at them with a fierce gaze, so Xu Mingying could only squeeze out the words "mother" from between her teeth. Mrs. Xu received her greeting with a calm and composed demeanor, then presented her own gift, a double-layered golden and silver hairpin with precious stones. Xu Mingying thought it looked pretty nice, so she reached out to take it. Mrs. Xu was still smiling, but who knows what she felt in her heart when she heard this fifteen-year-old big girl call her "mother".

  Xu Mingjin silently sized her up, it seemed that this Mrs. Xu, young as she was, was also a master who kept a low profile.

  Next was Xu Mingyu, Xu Mingfang and others who all paid their respects one by one. Finally, it was Xu Mingjin's turn. She stepped forward, bowed and said in a clear and fluent voice: "Greetings to Mother." As soon as she finished speaking, she was helped up by Mrs. Xu, who whispered in her ear with a gentle and pleasant voice: "Is this Jin'er? Your father often praises you in front of me, but now that I've seen you, I realize your father's praise is not even half true."

  Xu Mingjin's sharp eyes saw that Xu Mingying and others had revealed expressions of jealousy and resentment. Xu Mingjin sneered: What a clever trick to sow discord! With just two or three sentences, she was placed in the crosshairs of public criticism.

  Mrs. Xu took out a gift for Xu Mingjin, a red coral and pearl phoenix hairpin with golden legs.

  Mrs. Xu gave Xu Mingying a gold and silver hairpin, Xu Mingyu a jade bangle, Xu Mingfang a jade pendant, and Xu Mingsheng a bulging purse. Xu Mingsheng didn't open it to look inside, so no one knew what was in it, but everyone's gift was not as valuable as Xu Mingjin's ruby and gold phoenix hairpin.

  Not to mention what others thought, but just talking about Old Lady Xu, when she saw the expensive gift that Mrs. Xu gave to Mingjin, she couldn't help but slap the table heavily and said: "Xia'er didn't come to see you today not because she was being rude, but because she was frightened and couldn't make it. But her intention was here long ago, Ye Shi, what about the gift you prepared for Xia'er? You wouldn't give it to some other little brat just because Xia'er didn't show up, would you?"

  Mrs. Xulang's words were sarcastic and biting, Xu Ruoyi furrowed his brow, wanting to speak up for Xu Mingjin, but thinking that the one sitting on the high platform was his own mother. He opened his mouth several times, but ultimately closed it tightly, blaming Mrs. Xu with a glance: It's all your fault! You didn't even give a decent gift to others, but you gave such an expensive gift to Jin'er, and Xia'er is also someone Mother has spoiled since childhood, no wonder Mother is angry!

  Mrs. Xü was looked at by Xü Ruòyì's reproachful eyes, feeling quite wronged: she just wanted to please the only legitimate daughter of the Xü family now, what's wrong with that?

  Xu Mingying and the others all showed schadenfreude expressions, but this time, the youngest Xu Mingsi didn't smile. She stiffened her small face and looked at her sisters with disdain, who were afraid that the world would not be chaotic.

  Xu Mingjin didn't mind Xu Lao Furen's veiled sarcasm, but she was puzzled: previously, Xu Lao Furen had been exceptionally affectionate towards her because of Xuan Yuan Jinglin. Unexpectedly, after going to the Huguo Temple with Xuan Yuan Jinglin, Xu Lao Furen's attitude towards her changed drastically. Xu Mingjin couldn't understand why this happened, but she was certain that Xu Mingxia was behind it. She just didn't know what reason Xu Mingxia had used to make Xu Lao Furen change her attitude.

  "Mother, you misunderstood," said Mrs. Xu at this time. "The gift I gave to Xia'er is here!" As she spoke, she took out a carved and hollowed sandalwood box, opened it, and inside lay a Hetian jade pendant. This piece of jade, even if someone didn't understand jade, would know its value was not trivial. Everyone fell silent, and when Old Mrs. Xu saw the jade again, her expression was also speechless.

  Xu Ruoyi saw everyone's expression and was very satisfied with his new wife's behavior, casting a approving glance. Mrs. Xu also smiled back at him.

  Next, it was Xu Mingxuan's turn. As soon as he bowed and paid his respects, he was helped up by Mrs. Xu. She examined him carefully and praised him, saying: "What a handsome young man! Your mother has taught you well!" Then, she took out a set of four treasures of the study and said: "Mother doesn't have anything good to give you, but these are also Mother's heartfelt intentions. I hope you won't despise them."

  Xu Mingxuan took it and thanked him repeatedly.

  Everyone looked up and let out a cry of surprise, for those four items were all top-notch: the brush was made from wolf hair, the inkstone was carved from jade, the paper was the finest Xuan paper, far superior to what Xu Mingxuan used every day. The ink was Huizhou ink, not something ordinary families could afford. Xu Ruoyi himself had such ink, but he didn't dare use it every day. At this moment, everyone envied Xu's wife for giving Xu Ming and his siblings such precious gifts.

  Mrs. Xu didn't have much of a reaction this time.

  Xu Mingjin self-deprecatingly said: This is the difference between a granddaughter and a grandson.

  As soon as Xu Mingjin returned to her Feicui Garden from Xu Old Madam's Chunhui Yard, she tossed the red agate phoenix hairpin that Xu Old Madam had given her onto the dresser and didn't look at it again. Chun Xing glanced at Xu Mingjin's expression and knew that she was unhappy because of being slapped in the face by Xu Old Madam in front of everyone at Chunhui Yard, thinking that Xu Mingjin wouldn't want to see this red agate phoenix hairpin for a while, so she wanted to put it away properly. However, just as she reached out to take it, Xu Mingjin's voice came from behind her: "Don't put it away, just leave it there!"

  Chun Xiangyi was about to put the hairpin back, but she really didn't understand what Xu Mingjin meant by doing this. However, she finally smartened up and shut her mouth, saying nothing. If she had spoken, Xu Mingjin would have definitely blown his top at her.

  Xu Mingjin threw away the handheld fan, and immediately got rid of the unpleasantness in Chunhuiyuan. She called Yu Zhu and instructed: "You go and find out about this Mrs. Xu's affairs, from childhood to adulthood, no matter how trivial, I want to know everything."

  Yu Zhuo was originally a dark guard and doing this kind of thing was second nature to him. After hearing Xu Mingjin's words, he didn't say another word and set off immediately.

  Xu Mingjin sat alone, carefully thinking about what he had seen and heard today. Mrs. Xu was from the Ye family, and before she married into the Xu family, the Ye family must have instructed her to help Ye Niang solidify her position in the Xu household. Since Mrs. Xu's natal family was a dependent branch of the Ye family, she could only rely on Ye Niang to help her family live better under the Ye family's care. If she did this, the Ye family would be satisfied, and she would also be able to live a better life in the Xu household. The Ye family was her backing force; if she went against their instructions, she would lose this support, and without it, her good days in the Xu household would come to an end.

  So she can only rely on the Ye family and obey Ye Niang. But as time goes by, people's hearts will change, who dares to guarantee that Mrs. Xue, who is used to being the mistress of the house, will still obey a concubine? Xu Mingjin thought about the Mrs. Xue he saw, weak on the outside but with a mind full of schemes. Such a person would not be willing to obey someone lower in status than herself for long.

  But now, Mrs. Xü and Aunt Yè will definitely join forces to deal with Mingxuan and me together.

  Xu Mingjin's enemies were increasing in number. She didn't know what method Mrs. Xu and Aunt Ye would use to deal with her, so she had to strengthen her vigilance and be more cautious in secret.

  Mrs. Xü has just married into the family, and what she is most concerned about should be getting pregnant as soon as possible and giving birth to a son, so that she can stand firm in the Xü household. Before she gives birth to a son, Mingxuan should be safe.