Chapter Eleven: The Provocation of Xiang Nu

  Yao Yan spoke to the three young masters of the Ding Hou Fu, and both Shizi Su Yu Ping and Second Master Su Yu An only nodded slightly. Su Yu Xiang smiled and said: "I'll go with my two older brothers to pay our respects to Grandmother first, you two shouldn't play too much, just sit for a bit and then come over."

  Su Yuheng and Yao Yanyu nodded in agreement.

  Watching Su Jia's three brothers leave, Yao Yanyu turned to Su Yuexuan and said, "Let's go back too."

  "What's the hurry," Su Yuxuan said with a smile, pulling Yao Yanyu towards the direction of the pond. "I told you I'd take you to see the phosphorescent fish. The fish will glow, and it's especially beautiful at night. Unfortunately, you can't stay here tonight, so you won't be able to see it. But going now is no problem either. The fish are swimming in the water, and the phosphorescence is flashing on and off - it's really beautiful."

  Yao Yan was not a curious person and didn't have the heart to look at things like phosphorescent fish. But since Third Sister was pulling her along, talking all the way, she couldn't very well not give her face.

  Two people walked out a long way through the flowers and willows to come to the side of the pond, Su Yuheng pulled Yao Yanyu onto the winding corridor above the water, but a small figure suddenly rushed out from the side, ran to Yao Yanyu's front and accidentally tripped on a stone, then 'thud' fell down, and the little girl started crying with her mouth open.

  Yao Yan had no experience with children and could only retreat two steps back.

  "Big sister! Big sister!" A middle-aged woman ran out from the nearby flower bushes, saw Su Yuhuan and Yao Yanyu, and bowed: "Good day to you two young ladies."

  Su Yuheng's maid, Mo Qi, had already gone forward to help the little girl up, checking her for any injuries while comforting her. Su Yuheng, however, was dissatisfied and scolded the woman who seemed like a nanny: "How do you take care of Yun'er? Letting her run around by the pond? Luckily nothing happened, but what if she had fallen into the water?"

  Yao Yanyu suddenly realized that this five or six-year-old little girl was Su Yuping's eldest daughter, Su Jinyun. As they spoke, Li Nian's nanny followed Yao Yanyu and rushed over, seeing the situation, she asked: "How is Cloud Sister? Did you hurt anywhere?"

  The little girl just sobbed and didn't say anything. Su Yuhuan then instructed her wet nurse, saying: "You take her to play over there for a while, away from this pond. Those fruit probably scared her, it seems."

  Yun's nurse agreed and went forward to hug the little girl and retreated. Yao Yanyu then threw this matter to the back of her mind. Originally, a 5 or 6-year-old girl's balance ability was not yet developed, running too fast and falling was very normal.

  The wet nurse hurriedly carried Su Yunyun and ran to Madam Lu and Madame Feng to report.

  Just then, Princess Yonghe heard the crying of her great-granddaughter and asked a question. Feng Shi told the truth about what the wet nurse had said: "Yun'er was playing over there and accidentally bumped into Miss Yao. Miss Yao carelessly pushed Yun'er with one hand, and the little girl fell down, but it's not a big deal. Fortunately, this little girl is sturdy, and it's inevitable that she'll get some bumps and bruises, but it doesn't matter."

  The face of Da Zhang Gong Zhu immediately fell: "An adult, how can you be petty with a child?"

  Madam Lu hastily scolded Feng in a low voice: "You also believe the words of this slave? She may not have seen clearly. I think Miss Yao is a gentle and soft-tempered person, even if Yun'er bumped into her, she wouldn't do anything to a child as an adult. It must be that this slave was derelict in her duties and didn't take good care of Yun'er, so she came here to falsely accuse others first. The Grand Princess shouldn't get angry over these small matters."

  The Empress Dowager waved her hand and didn't say anything more. Just then, Su Guangchong came in to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager, and everyone in the room stood up with him. After that, no one mentioned the matter again. Once everyone had sat down, the Empress Dowager furrowed her brow and asked, "Where has San Niangzi gone?"

  Someone had seen Su Guangchong come in and went to find Su Yuhuan, just as the voice of Empress Dowager Zhang had fallen, Su Yuhuan pulled Yao Yanyu into the door and ran to Empress Dowager Zhang with a smile: "Grandmother."

  "Out running around again." Da Zhang Gongzhu glared at Su Yuhuan with a scolding gaze, and the residual light in her eyes swept over Yao Yanyu, carrying a hint of displeasure.

  Yao Yan felt that the atmosphere was not quite right, but she didn't know what had happened and could only quietly retreat to one side.

  Everyone has arrived, and the princess orders a meal to be served. Sixteen maids in moon-white silk blouses and light green long skirts with cyan satin aprons enter one after another. Delicate food boxes are opened one by one, and various exquisite dishes are presented course by course.

  This family banquet did not use a large table, but instead set up a high table in front of each person. All kinds of dishes were presented in front of the eldest princess, who would glance at them and wave her hand to have them taken away, only picking out a few that she liked.

  On the left of Princess Dazhang was Su Guangchong, and on her right was Su Yuping. Next to Su Guangchong was naturally Mrs. Lu, next to Mrs. Lu were Yao Yanyu and Su Yupeng. Beside Mr. and Mrs. Su Yuping were Mr. and Mrs. Su Yu'an, followed by Su Yuxiang alone.

  This seating arrangement was just right, with Yao Yanyu sitting diagonally across from Su Yuxiang. Occasionally, when she looked up, she would catch sight of him, and every time she saw him, he was also looking at her. As a result, Yao Yanyu felt extremely uncomfortable throughout the meal. She tried her best to minimize her presence, even thinking about learning how to turn invisible so that she could hide herself.

  As she met Su Yuxiang's gaze for who-knows-how-many times, Yao Yanyu felt a surge of disgust, and the chopsticks in her hand trembled, causing a Kung Pao shrimp to fall onto her knee. "Oh no, my clothes..." Yao Yanyu softly sighed.

  Madam Lu heard this and turned her face to glance at her, asking in a low voice: "Did you bring your clothes?"

  "Madam is back, she's brought something." The maid Li hurriedly stepped forward and replied in a low voice.

  Madam Lu then ordered: "Go change your clothes in the back and come again."

  Yao Yan hastily bowed her head in apology, then quietly withdrew with Cui Wei and Li Mama.

  Behind the Jia Yun Tang, there were three wing-rooms where maids and servant women had been waiting since early morning to attend to their masters' trivial matters such as washing hands and faces. Li Mama was accustomed to following Yao Feng Ge out on excursions and was relatively familiar with the arrangements of the Da Chang Gong Main House.

  Yao Yan and others entered a room, saying they wanted to change clothes here. The little maid inside asked for peace and closed the door, going out on her own.

  Cui Wei hurriedly took a package from the arms of a little maid behind her and pulled out a set of light green embroidered bamboo leaf orchid skirt. Li Mama helped Yao Yanyu take off her dirty clothes and said in a low voice, "Miss, I just heard that Yun's nurse, Zhu Shi, framed you for pushing Yun down in front of the young master's wife."

  Yao Yan's expression changed, and she furrowed her brow to ask: "Why did she do that? That little girl clearly tripped and fell in front of me, how could I have pushed her?"

  "Back then, after Cloud was born, the original wet nurse got sick and was fired. Zhu Shi was brought in from outside by the young master's wife. Her sister, Lingzhi, used to be a servant in our third master's household. After the mistress entered the house, that woman didn't know her place and was disciplined several times before she settled down. Now that the mistress is ill in bed, these lowly people are getting out of hand! They're just too impatient! Even if the mistress' condition doesn't improve, there's still the young lady by the third master's side, so it won't be that woman's turn to stir up trouble. Don't worry, Miss, even if the young master's wife is influenced by those lowly people, our madam's eyes are sharp as snow. We'll have plenty of chances to deal with them later."

  Yao Yan heard this and couldn't help but smile bitterly, thinking that indeed one can get hurt even when lying down. She thought that she wouldn't be able to live a peaceful life after all.