Chapter 184

“Grandmother, do you think I’ve interfered in the grudge between Third Younger Sister and Sixth Younger Sister?” Wei Fengyao hurriedly explained, “Grandmother, Third Younger Sister is Eldest Uncle’s most beloved daughter. If it’s really confirmed, her reputation must be stained. Eldest Uncle will surely feel very uncomfortable in his heart. And you, Grandmother, it’ll also be hard for you to make a decision. I’m considering it for you, Grandmother.”

Wei Fengyao was prepared that Madam Dowager might find out it was she who had plotted the thing. Her shrewd Grandmother was not her mother. Fortunately, she had prepared this speech earlier.

“Since that’s the case, why did you change your mind?” Madam Dowager asked with a gloomy face, but her aggressive expression softened a bit. Obviously, she was still willing to listen to Wei Fengyao’s explanation.

“Grandmother, although Third Younger Sister is Eldest Uncle’s most beloved daughter, if Fifth Younger Sister really were to get ruined because of this groundless matter, what will Third Uncle think? How could Third Uncle and Eldest Uncle get along as brothers again? I didn’t consider this either until after the matter happened. So I tried my best to save it. Now, at the very least, no one else knows clearly who it was. Since they don’t know, the reputation of the two younger sisters will only remain slightly flawed.”

Seeing Madam Dowager’s hesitation, Wei Fengyao immediately explained.

She had an agreement with Wei Yuejiao previously, so of course, she was determined to speak up for Wei Yuejiao and shift all the blame to Wei Qiuju. But after that, she had an agreement with Wei Qiuju as well, so she once again spread the news ambiguously, causing people to be confused as to it was Wei Yuejiao or Wei Qiuju.

It was equivalent to that she had made the two of them take the same blame. Both of their reputations were indeed damaged, but which was not as severe as they had imagined.

Wei Fengyao was trying to please both sides. Of course, she had also predicted Madam Dowager’s thoughts correctly, so she was able to handle it very well at this time.

Unexpectedly, Madam Dowager suddenly changed the topic and her expression also turned fierce, “Since you knew that your father was not in the study, why did you go to your father’s study?”

The question was so abrupt that Wei Fengyao couldn’t answer it for a moment. She opened her mouth, but she couldn’t say anything.

“I remember telling you when you got married that you would be a member of the royal family in the future. You shouldn’t go to your father’s study if there’s nothing you need. So why did you go there?”

Madam Dowager stared coldly and intently at Wei Fengyao.

“I… I just happened to pass by. I heard someone inside and thought it might be father, so I went in. I didn’t expect it to be Sixth Younger Sister.” Wei Fengyao paused for a moment before she immediately came up with an idea and put all the blame onto Wei Yuewu.

She had thought that Madam Dowager did not know about this matter, so she would not say anything. But she did not expect that Madam Dowager would be able to investigate it so clearly in a short while. Thus, she did not dare to conceal anything and secretly wiped away her cold sweat. Fortunately, she was there later than Wei Yuewu and could shift all the blame onto Wei Yuewu.

“Don’t go to your father’s study if you have nothing to do in the future. I remember that Prince Nan’an and your father have different political views. Even if you’re trustworthy, can you guarantee the loyalty of your maid?” Madam Dowager looked at Wei Fengyao and said in a deep voice.

Such an excuse as “different political views” was enough to stop Wei Fengyao from entering Wei Luowu’s study. As the saying goes, “a married daughter—split water.” Even if Wei Fengyao was unwilling, she had no choice but to accept it. She thought to herself in secret that she was still not allowed to enter and leave her father’s study. If her mother was here, there wouldn’t be so much trouble.

Speaking of which, she had to get her mother to return to the mansion as soon as possible.

“Yes, I understand this. I won’t dare to barge into father’s study again.”

“Rise!” She was after all the heiress-apparent of Prince Nan’an, so Madam Dowager didn’t want to hold a too high profile.

“Yes, Grandmother!” Wei Fengyao stood up and patted the corner of her dress with a smile. “Grandmother, Third Younger Sister and Sixth Younger Sister are both new to the capital. Could I invite them and other younger sisters to Prince Nan’an Mansion for a gathering the day after tomorrow? Coincidentally, my mother-in-law will also invite a few noble lady acquaintances over.”

Wei Fengyao mentioned it casually. Madam Dowager understood what she meant and her expression softened a little as she nodded, “Nothing more will happen again, right?”

“Of course not! My younger sisters are all precious beauties like pearls and dew. When those madams see them, they will understand that the rumors are not true. They will naturally speak up for my younger sisters. Grandmother, please rest assured. Nothing bad will happen.” Wei Fengyao patted her chest and promised.

Anyway, if something really were to happen to Wei Yuewu, considering Wei Yuejiao who was doted on by Eldest Uncle and herself who held a noble status, she didn’t believe that Grandmother would really stand up for Wei Yuewu whose reputation had been ruined.

Wei Fengyao knew clearly that if Grandmother really valued Wei Yuewu so much, she wouldn’t have left her alone in her granny’s house for so many years.

However, there was one thing that Wei Fengyao couldn’t understand. Since Grandmother’s defense for Wei Yuewu wasn’t genuine, she must have done it to show to others, but to whom?

“Eldest Sister really has such a good tongue. You spoke up for me, then spoke up for Fifth Younger Sister, and you didn’t forget to send a gift to Sixth Younger Sister either. No wonder you’ve been so capable of dealing with all people on the position of heiress-apparent for Prince Nan’an, Eldest Sister!” A cold sneer came from the door as Wei Yuejiao lifted open the curtain and rushed in angrily.

Wei Fengyao did not expect that Wei Yuejiao would dare to come to Madam Dowager at this time. She panicked, but her face revealed a surprised expression. “Third Younger Sister, what are you saying?”

“Don’t you understand what I’m saying, Eldest Sister? You and I had an agreement first, and you said you would help me resolve this matter. Then, you made another agreement with Fifth Younger Sister and shifted the blame to me. Eldest Sister, although you’ve been married into the Prince Nan’an Mansion, you can still do whatever you want in the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. We younger sisters are still manipulated by you.”

Wei Yuejiao also knew that she could not provoke Madam Dowager, so she calmed down a bit before angrily scolding Wei Fengyao.

“Yuejiao, what happened?” When Madam Dowager saw that Wei Yuejiao was making trouble again, a trace of irritation flashed across in her heart, and her expression became gloomier and gloomier.

Her second son’s banquet today didn’t save her any trouble. Bad things occurred in the inner yard repeatedly, which were all related to these unmarried ladies. This might cause people to question the family rules for the young ladies of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang.

“Grandmother, Eldest Sister threatened me to think of a way to get Second Aunt to come back. She promised to help me solve my current problem. But I wonder what Fifth Younger Sister had promised Eldest Sister so that she could make Eldest Sister help her through getting me involved in the matter. Grandmother, what is Eldest Sister trying to do? She isn’t satisfied with ruining just one of us, so is she trying to ruin the two of us?”

Wei Yuejiao was not stupid. She gripped her handkerchief and cried from grievance. She also shifted all the blame to Wei Fengyao and even said that the deal between them was what she got forced by Wei Fengyao.

Madam Dowager’s face turned sullen. It was her idea to send Madam Li back to her mother’s house. Wei Fengyao was not convinced by her decision, so she caused so many things.

Thinking of this, Madam Dowager couldn’t help but turn to Wei Fengyao and coldly said, “Fengyao, do you think it’s my responsibility for your mother’s departure? But, your Third Younger Sister has nothing to do with that your mother won’t be able to come back. If you have something to say, just come and talk to me directly!”

“Grandmother, I don’t dare, I didn’t…” Wei Fengyao didn’t expect Wei Yuejiao to dare to accuse her openly. She hurriedly waved both hands and tried to explain.

“Eldest Sister, do you dare to say that you didn’t ask me to think of a way to get Second Aunt home?” Wei Yuejiao cried.

“I…” Wei Fengyao was speechless for a moment.

“Eldest Sister, since I have already promised you, I will definitely do my best to help you. But why did you make an agreement with Fifth Younger Sister again? You threatened me and Fifth Younger Sister like this, what do you want? Eldest Sister, although you are now the heiress-apparent of Prince Nan’an, you are also the daughter of our mansion of Marquis Hua Yang!”

Wei Yuejiao was also a glib one. She kept saying that Wei Fengyao forced her to agree. But thinking about the situation at that time, even if Wei Fengyao went a little too far when making a requirement, any unmarried young lady would agree. It was after all a matter of a young lady’s reputation!

“Grandmother, I… I didn’t. I just didn’t want my Third Younger Sister and Fifth Younger Sister to be destroyed. I… Fifth Younger Sister and I grew up together. How could I watch helplessly as she was really going to be destroyed?” Seeing Madam Dowager’s increasingly gloomy face, Wei Fengyao was also anxious and cried out for her innocence.

“Eldest Sister, you don’t want Fifth Younger Sister to be destroyed because you two grew up together. But I didn’t grow up with you, so you don’t have any sister friendship with me!” A soft sigh came from behind the curtain. A maid walked up to raise the curtain and there Wei Yuewu was standing with a calm and hurtful expression on her face.

Wei Yuejiao grew up at the border who returned to the mansion once a year. Wei Yuewu was about the same. She had always been raised in her granny’s house. So of course she could not be considered to have grown up together with Wei Fengyao since young. In short, Wei Fengyao had no sister friendship with Wei Yuejiao and Wei Yuewu.

Or perhaps if someone wanted to think about it further, it would be that Wei Fengyao didn’t like her sisters of a different mother.

This was the last thing Madam Dowager wanted to think of. So, as soon as Wei Yuewu said this, Madam Dowager immediately sneered at Wei Fengyao and said, “Fengyao, you’re their Eldest Sister, but you’ve disappointed me so much. The young ladies of the mansion are all your blood sisters, how can you actually distinguish them by whether they grew up with you or not?”

“Grandmother, that’s not what I meant. I just feel that Third Younger Sister and Fifth Younger Sister are actually the same. It’s not good to destroy any one of them. At the very least, everyone is only suspecting them now.” Wei Fengyao explained.

However, such an explanation was based on belittling Wei Yuejiao. Madam Dowager’s gaze turned fierce, “Your Heiress-apparent, you should go back. There is no need for you to worry about the matters of our mansion of Marquis Hua Yang!”

She was giving an order for Wei Fengyao to leave.

“Grandmother!” Wei Fengyao was extremely aggrieved with her face turning extremely pale. She did not know why things had completely deviated from what she had thought.

Because of Wei Fengyao’s undisguised view of her as a daughter of a concubine, Wei Yuejiao also got angry with her face turning gloomy. She no longer pretended to be crying. She took a deep breath to calm herself. And she knew that it was not appropriate to provoke Madam Dowager at this time.

Looking at the expressions of these two, Wei Yuewu sneered in her heart. Seeing that they were all holding back their anger and couldn’t vent out was truly pleasant.

“What? Do you want me to personally send you out, Your Heiress-apparent?” Madam Dowager was still furious at this moment. A large part of this matter had to do with Wei Fengyao. How could Madam Dowager not be annoyed since Wei Fengyao had caused a good banquet to end like this?

“Yes… I… I will go back first and come to apologize to you and my younger sisters another day, Grandmother!” Wei Fengyao knew that if she stayed any longer, she would only make Madam Dowager even angrier. So she immediately covered her face with the handkerchief and cried.

Then she made a curtsy to Madam Dowager and wiped away her tears before walking out of the room.

Outside the door, the two maids saw the heiress-apparent coming out with tears and didn’t dare to say anything else. They hurriedly followed her.

Not only did Wei Fengyao fall into disfavor with Madam Dowager, but she also got scolded seriously by Madam Dowager. She cried all the way back to the Prince Nan’an Mansion.

Inside the room, Madam Dowager fell her gaze on Wei Yuejiao. Her expression was still gloomy, and the atmosphere became strangely quiet…