Chapter 37: The Three Halls' Joint Trial

  Yu Dai and the three of them walked along the same path back to the Qing Fang Pavilion. As soon as they entered the courtyard, a maid came up to greet them, saying: "The three young ladies have finally returned! Just now, Yun Hua sister from Old Madam's place came over and said that Old Madam has invited the three young ladies to go over for lunch!"

  After hearing this, Yuandai looked up at the sky again and saw that it was already noon. The three of them returned to their rooms to freshen up before heading out together towards Yanhui Studio. Just as they arrived at the entrance of Yanhui Studio, Yuandai suddenly stopped in her tracks. Lingyu Xuan seemed a bit distracted today and didn't notice, continuing to walk inside.

  Xiao Chengyan suddenly stopped in her tracks and asked softly beside her, "What's wrong?"

  Yan Dai slightly tilted her head, subtly gesturing with her eyes, and softly said: "Sister, take a look at the woman in the courtyard wearing a brown dress!"

  Xiao Chengyan listened to her and soon found the woman that Yuan Dai had mentioned. After a glance, Xiao Chengyan said: "Isn't this person...the one that Auntie Shao sent to your place to deliver a message yesterday?"

  Yan Dai smiled and said: "Isn't it her? Today's lunch, sister is going to be careful!"

  Xiao Cheng's heart skipped a beat as she suddenly understood what Yuan Dai meant. Her expression also became somewhat strange.

  After the two of them finished speaking, Ling Yuexuan finally sensed that something was off and turned around in confusion: "Jiujie, Xiaojie, what are you two talking about?"

  Yan Dai smiled and raised her hand to point, saying lightly: "Just as we were talking, the mistress arrived today, I wonder if Third Aunt has come or not?"

  Ling Yuexuan looked in the direction she was pointing and also understood. She pursed her lips, but didn't say anything.

  Just then, Du Ruohua came out of the inner room and saw the three women. She couldn't help but walk forward with a smile: "The three misses have finally arrived! The old lady, the first wife, the third wife, and the eldest madam are all here waiting for you!"

  Yan Dai heard that even Ling Yuan's wife, Guo Shi, had arrived and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. This elder sister-in-law of hers had been married into the Ling family for almost ten years, yet as a fellow female member of the household, Yan Dai had only seen her three times in the nearly three years since she returned to the manor. It was clear that Guo Shi was quite reclusive. With a smile, Yan Dai glanced at Xiao Chengyan and whispered with a hint of teasing: "Is today's gathering a trial by three courts?"

  Xiao Chengyan smiled wryly and said: "I think it's more suitable to say that the four halls will hold a joint trial!"

  Yu Dai's smile had just begun, and before she could speak, Du Ruo on the other side had already heard this conversation in her ear. She smiled and said: "I didn't expect Ninth Young Lady to be a tease too, I didn't think so before!"

  Yuan Dai glanced at Du Ruo and said, "Sister is also laughing at me!" She had no intention of getting close to Du Ruo, but since Du Ruo was the most capable maid in front of the old lady, she didn't want to offend her either, so she made a perfunctory remark.

  Du Ruo seemed unaware of Yuan Dai's perfunctoriness and smiled as she pushed the three people into the house, saying: "The three ladies have arrived!"

  Just then, a burst of laughter came from inside the house: "You three girls are really making us wait!"

  Three people entered the house, bowed after they stood up. Yuande's gaze slightly moved, scanning Lu Furen with an almost imperceptible glance that was hard to detect.

  Time has passed for almost three years, and at first glance, Mrs. Lu seems to have changed little, but Yuan Dai can still feel her decline from the fine lines that cannot be hidden around her eyebrows and eyes. For no reason, Yuan Dai suddenly remembered Aunt Zhou.

  It was calculated that Madam Zhou was almost ten years younger than Mrs. Lu, but if outsiders were to see them, they would probably think that Mrs. Lu looked even younger than Madam Zhou. Thinking of this, Yuandai couldn't help but secretly sigh in her heart.

  Or it was because of this that Mrs. Lu had already sensed Yuande's gaze, her sharp eyes coldly sweeping over Yuande, without a hint of warmth, and the depths of her pupils were filled with disgust, which was not only towards Yuande but also more towards Zhou Yiniang.

  Lowering her eyelashes quietly, as if she had never seen him before.

  On the hall, Old Lady Xiao had already chuckled and said: "Jiǔ Jiǎo Tóu, come, sit by my side!" Her tone was relaxed and self-satisfied, as if she hadn't noticed the unusual atmosphere between Yuān Dài and Lù Fūrén just now. Yuān Dài hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Xiāo Chéng Xīn and Líng Yuǎn Xuān. Old Lady Xiao noticed her small movement and laughed: "You're quite careful! Take a look, today the three of us on this side, Xuān is sitting with her mother, and Xiǎo Tóu has someone who dotes on her, so I can only call you over to sit here!"

  Yuan Dai couldn't help but laugh at this, and didn't say anything more. She took a step forward, just as Luo Shi laughed and said: "Old lady, you're wrong! Who says daughters can only sit with their mothers? Today I'll compete with the old lady!" As she spoke, she stood up and walked over to Ling Yuan Xuan's side, smiling as she pushed her: "Xuan'er, go sit with the old lady!"

  Ling Yuexuan blinked, although she didn't understand the reason, but still followed Luo's meaning, and rushed to Xiao Lao Taijun's side, holding her arm and shaking it left and right, pouting and complaining: "The old lady only dotes on Ninth Sister, not me!"

  Xiao Lao Tai Jun burst out laughing and hastily stretched out her arms to hug her, saying: "Don't listen to your mother's nonsense, I'm the one who loves our tenth little sister the most!"

  Luo Shi simply ignored her and pulled Yaoyao over, laughing: "Ninth Sister is here, let's get close to each other!"

  Yan Dai could only agree, and then unexpectedly felt the gaze of Mrs. Lu falling on her becoming increasingly cold. Fortunately, this was after all Yan Hui Zhai, and Mrs. Lu did not dare to reveal too much in front of Old Lady Xiao, so she quickly shifted her gaze and called out for Xiao Chengyan to sit in front of her. Although Xiao Chengyan was unwilling, it wasn't a good time to say anything, so she could only go over and sit down.

  Xiao Lao Tai Jun seemed to be in a good mood, and as the three of them sat down, she smiled and said: "It's been a long time since it's been this lively here. You don't know, but ever since these three girls moved in, the scenery in this garden seems to have improved a lot compared to before!"

  Lu Shi smiled and said, "I often hear people say that the environment is born from the heart. The reason why the old lady has this feeling is probably because she likes to look at them, so even the usual scenery she sees every day becomes better! In that case, it's better to call these three to accompany the old lady more!"

  Xiao Lao Tai Jun smiled and nodded repeatedly, then pulled Ling Yuan Xuan's hand and sighed: "These two girls are our own family, but when a girl grows up, she can't stay at home. If they stay too long, they might become enemies in the future..." She said this, then pointed to Xiao Cheng Xuan again, saying: "As for Xuan, she is only here temporarily and cannot be kept any longer!"

  Xiao Chengxian's face fell as soon as she heard this, and she couldn't help but knit her brow in distress.

  As expected, as soon as Xiao Lao Tai Jun said this, Lu Furen on the other side smiled and chimed in: "If I may say so, these two girls of ours are indeed impossible to keep. As for Yan Yatou, if Old Madam has a mind to keep her, it's actually not difficult at all!"

  Xiao Lao Tai Jun heard this and smiled as she took a glance at Xiao Chengyan.

  Xiao Cheng's heart was racing, she wanted to refuse, but felt it wouldn't be good to do so in front of Old Lady Xiao and Madame Lu. If she didn't refuse, she feared the two would take advantage of the situation and embarrass her by bringing up this matter. Although she was usually clever and quick-witted, at this moment she was at a loss for words. Just as she was feeling awkward, a clear voice suddenly came from outside: "Old Lady, Yuan Qing has come to pay his respects!"

  With this sound, Ling Yuqing had already stepped into the house, and following closely behind him was Xiao Chengye.

  …………

  The weather changed, it rained, I caught a cold and had a dizzy day. Less today.