Chapter 67: The Son-in-law of Noble Birth

  Yan Dai seemed to be startled for a moment, but quickly regained her composure and smiled at Xiao Cheng: "I just remembered some things from a long time ago!"

  Although she didn't mean to ask in detail, Xiao Chengyan still couldn't help but ask another question: "Your adoptive father?"

  She nodded slightly, she wouldn't deliberately bring up past events, but neither would she consider them taboo and refuse to mention them. Xiao Chengyan looked at her deeply and said, "I don't know what kind of person your adoptive father is?"

  Her distant eyebrows slightly moved, and after a long time, she suddenly said: "My adoptive father... he... is a stagnant pool of water..."

  Xiao Chengyan was taken aback, and for some reason, she felt that Yuandai's words seemed somewhat familiar, as if she had heard someone say similar things before. However, Yuandai didn't give her a chance to continue thinking about it, she simply stretched out her hand and gently pushed Xiao Chengyan: "Let's go! It's time to leave!" Xiao Chengyan had no choice but to put aside this thought for the time being, and followed Yuandai into the courtyard.

  The two had just entered the small courtyard when a sharp-eyed maid saw them and hastily called out: "Ninth Miss and Xiao Miss have arrived!"

  As soon as the words left her mouth, Ling Yuexian's pretty face stiffened, and her small red lips pursed tightly, but she didn't turn her head away. Instead, she slowly turned around, silently looking at the two of them. On the contrary, Guo Shi suddenly saw the two of them and couldn't help but be surprised, hastily pulling Ling Yanqing over, smiling and asking: "The snow outside is so thick, how did you still manage to come?" And then had the two children pay their respects. From her expression and tone, it was clear that she thought the two of them had come to comfort Ling Yuexian.

  Xiao Chengxian's first glance at Ling Yuexuan's face made her not very pleased, but she didn't dare to show it because of her status as the host. She couldn't afford to lose her temper, so she pretended that Ling Yuexuan was invisible and turned to smile at Guo Shi, saying: "Sister-in-law, take a look at this!" Then she handed over the letter.

  Guo's family hastily accepted the invitation card, opened it and took a glance. Then she couldn't help but smile, while handing the invitation card back to Ling Yuexuan, saying: "Thanks for your trouble in making this trip! However, I won't be going to Poshan Villa. Instead, let tenth sister go with you all!"

  Xiao Chengxian wasn't surprised that she didn't go. Although Guo's generation was similar to hers, after all, she was already a woman and not a young girl, with two children by her side. If she had gone, it would have been somewhat awkward, so it was better that she didn't go.

  She glanced at the invitation and handed it back to Xiao Chengyan, "If Sister-in-law isn't going, I won't go either!" Her tone was resolute, her expression extremely serious.

  Xiao Chengxian saw her like this, and couldn't help but feel angry in her heart. She took over the invitation card and was about to speak when Guo Shi pulled her back, frowning, and said: "Tenth sister, don't be rash! Princess Linchang's invitation is for you sisters to go over and have a good time. As a woman with two children by my side, even if I went, it would only spoil your fun. How can you not go?"

  Ling Yu Xuan's cherry lips slightly curled up, but she refused to open her mouth. Stubbornly, she said: "Then I won't go either! Yesterday morning, I caught a chill in the Shui Lin forest. Now my head is aching and my body feels tired and sluggish. It's better for me to stay indoors and rest!"

  Yan Dai furrowed her brow, opened her mouth to say something, but was pulled back by Xiao Chengyan on the side, forcing her to swallow the words that had reached her lips. On the other side, Xiao Chengyan calmly said: "Since tenth sister is not feeling well, it's better not to go! When we pass by Pusai Mountain Villa, we will definitely make it clear to Princess Linchang, so don't worry about the princess blaming you!"

  "Anyway, it's all said and done," Xiao Chengxian added another sentence: "Sister has caught a cold, it's better to go inside and lie down! Besides, wind-cold disease is contagious, if you're not careful, the people around you will get infected!" She said, stretching out her hand to pull Ling Tianan beside Ling Yuanshan, saying: "An-ge, come over quickly, be careful of being infected by your younger sister-in-law!"

  Ling Ting-an blinked his eyes, although he was somewhat puzzled, but still obediently followed the momentum to walk in front of Xiao Cheng-xian.

  Xiao Chengyan turned around and shouted, "Yan Liu, Bi Tao, what are you two doing? Your mistress is not feeling well, why are you letting her go out and play? If her condition worsens, your mistress will skin you alive! Quickly take your mistress inside to rest!" Yan Liu and Bi Tao were scolded for no reason, they knew that Ling Yuanshan's illness was just an excuse, but they didn't dare to slack off. They quickly stepped forward, one on the left and one on the right, and supported Ling Yuanshan into the house.

  Xiao Chengyan didn't enter the house either, but stood outside and shouted: "Tenth sister, you take good care of yourself and be careful with your body! I haven't been feeling well these past few days, so I won't come in to accompany you!"

  Guo watched with a mixture of amusement and annoyance, but she was also afraid that Ling Yuexuan would get really angry and storm out to argue with Xiao Xian, making the situation escalate beyond control. So she hastily stepped forward and said: "Xian's body isn't well either, let's go back and rest early! With me here, you two sisters don't need to worry too much!"

  Xiao Chengxian fell silent after hearing this. Yuan Dai stepped forward lightly, bowed to Guo Shi and said softly: "I'll leave my tenth sister in your care!" Her expression was calm as usual, without a hint of pride or complacency.

  The Guo family saw her like this, but couldn't help secretly praising her in their hearts. When they entered the house, they saw Ling Yuexuan sitting silently on the kang, her pretty face pale and uncertain, clearly showing that she had just been severely scolded by Xiao Chengyan. Yan Liu and Bi Tao, who had grown up with her, naturally understood her temperament very well, and now they stood with their heads bowed, but didn't say a word.

  Guo's family first called the wet nurse to take care of Ling Ting'an and Ling Yanqing, then sent out Smoke and Willow, before going over to sit beside Ling Yuexuan and ask in a warm voice: "What's wrong with tenth sister today?"

  Ling Yuexuan had been feeling wronged in her heart, but there was no one to comfort her, and she had no way to express it. At this moment, she suddenly heard these words, and couldn't help but feel a surge of sadness, and actually threw herself into Guo's arms, bursting into tears. Guo didn't expect her to cry so suddenly, and for a moment was at a loss for what to do. After calming down, she finally put her arm around Ling Yuexuan's shoulder, gently stroking her back with her hand, and softly said: "Silly girl, don't cry! Whatever grievances you have, just tell your sister-in-law, and I'll definitely stand up for you!"

  Suddenly hearing these warm and considerate words, Ling Yuexian's heart felt even more sorrowful, not only did she not stop crying, but she also buried her face in Guo Shi's bosom and cried even more bitterly and loudly. Guo Shi saw that the more she comforted her, the harder she cried, and couldn't help but feel helpless, so she too fell silent, only gently patting her somewhat thin shoulders.

  Ling Yuexuan wasn't one to cry easily, and after a moment, she gradually stopped her tears, but still buried her face in Guo's bosom, unwilling to leave. Seeing that she was no longer crying, Guo felt slightly relieved, pondering Ling Yuexuan's intentions while gently patting her back and softly comforting her: "Today's matter, although younger sister also has fault, but in my opinion, the root still lies with you! To say it, why did you have to take out your anger on Yuxuan too?"

  Ling Yuexuan listened to these words, but couldn't help feeling a pang in her heart, and almost shed tears again: "They... are all in cahoots with each other... I was sincere and genuine towards them, they... had something going on but always covered it up... didn't want to bring me along... until the very end when they couldn't hide it anymore, then... came up with some words to coax me..." By the time she finished speaking, her voice was choked with sobs.

  Guo's family was shocked, and after laughing, she suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. She gently stroked Ling Yuexian's soft black hair and said with a smile: "The two of them knew each other earlier than you, so it's not surprising that they're closer. Why are you being too sensitive about it?"

  Ling Yuexuan bit her teeth and didn't say a word. Guo saw that she was like this, so he had to say again: "Think about it some more, yesterday you got angry and insisted on moving here, didn't your sister-in-law Xiang specially come to persuade you to move back?"

  Ling Yuexuan lowered her head, muttering: "She came, but it's just to fulfill the host family's intentions, where is there any sincerity...". As she spoke, she felt wronged in her heart, and pulled Guo Shi's hand: "Sister-in-law, tell me, where am I inferior to Ninth Sister? In terms of birth order, I'm the legitimate one, she's the illegitimate one; in terms of appearance, she can't compare to me... but... why does everyone like Ninth Sister and not me?" As she spoke, her eyes reddened again.

  Madam Guo did not expect her to say this, and after a moment of stunned silence, she shook her head and said: "You child, what are you talking about? You've been the darling of Third Uncle and Third Aunt since childhood, and Old Madam has always treasured you like a precious gem. On the other hand, your Ninth Sister is not only born out of wedlock but also didn't grow up in the mansion. Three years ago, after she acknowledged her ancestry, she was sent away to the Miaofeng Mountain detached palace after just a few days in the mansion. It wasn't until recently, when your marriage was approaching and her side still hadn't given their consent, that Old Madam had someone bring her back for fear of gossip from others. Think about it yourself, who is more favored?"

  Ling Yuexuan was stunned and speechless, after a while she said: "But Ninth Sister is more capable of winning people's hearts! My mother extremely likes her, praising her in front of everyone, and often says that if I had half of Ninth Sister's abilities, she would also be at ease! And Old Lady... Old Lady also likes her, and even found a noble son-in-law for her... My mother said that if this marriage is successful, we will all have to rely on her in the future..." She thought about Far Di's "noble son-in-law", then thought about her own "dumb and foolish" husband-to-be, and couldn't help but feel another wave of depression.

  Madam Guo suddenly heard her mention this, and couldn't help but let out a faint sigh. She gently patted Ling Yuexian's hand and slowly said: "Tenth sister, haven't you heard the saying 'Disaster is where fortune relies, fortune is where disaster hides'? Since you've brought up this topic today, I won't hide it from you either. Do you know who the old lady chose as your ninth sister's noble husband?"

  Ling Yuexuan raised her eyes to look at Guo Shi, shaking her head slightly in doubt. As for this matter, she had only heard Luo Shi mention it briefly, but didn't know who the person was. She only knew that he was a noble son-in-law and that the Ling family also had to rely on him, so his status wouldn't be low.

  Mr. Guo sighed and said slowly: "If you mention that person, you actually saw him yesterday..."

  Ling Yu Xuan blinked her apricot-like eyes in confusion, still not quite understanding, and repeated uncertainly: "I saw you yesterday?" A flash of inspiration suddenly crossed her mind, causing her to widen her eyes in disbelief: "Could it be... Prince Rui..."

  She cried out in a stifled voice. (Your support is my greatest motivation.)