Chapter 217: Chapter 217 - Pei Yourui Arrived

While Jian Xubai and his wife were worried about Shen Qimo, in the backyard of Princess Changxing’s mansion, the sound of breaking china ended the long-standing impasse in the hall.

“Say it!” Princess Changxing’s eyes were as sharp as knives, whose polished nails almost poked at Jian Yiyou’s face, “Where did you get the handkerchief? Since you dare to do it, why don’t you dare to answer me now?”

Jian Yiyou glanced at her exasperated look and frowned, saying, “You rummaged through my things?”

“So what?” Princess Changxing didn’t expect that Jian Yiyou still wouldn’t instantly admit his mistake at the moment. Instead, his response even sounded reproachful. She got so furious that she threw away several tea bowls before finally having her temper under control, “If you didn’t hide this kind of thing in the secret compartment, why would you be afraid of me rummaging through your things?”

“Cousin Qimo is still young and inexperienced, but she is still a girl raised by Grandaunt,” Jian Yiyou looked unhesitant and still said, “I don’t believe that a girl raised by the eldest young lady of the Jinxiu Hall would be that cheap to please and badger a married man! Therefore, I just do as she wishes so that I can see who on earth is behind her back and what she is up to.”

Princess Changxing heard that and felt less angry, but she was a bit suspicious, “She is only a descendent of a sinner. Even out of respect for Grandaunt, when she secretly sneaks out of the door, we can send two men to carry her away to a lonely place and give her a beating. She will surely make a confession then. Why do you need to sacrifice yourself and waste your time on her?”

Instead, she suspected that Jian Yiyou was double-faced and attempted to hook up with Shen Qimo, a young and beautiful girl, under the guise of business.

“What kind of person is Grandaunt?” Jian Yiyou narrowed his eyes and reminded her slightly, “Since she dares to send Shen Qimo to seduce me in private, how can she not have considered these loopholes?”

If someone else was exiled for more than 20 years together with his family, he wouldn’t be able to do anything even if he noticed the loophole. However, Elder Lady Duanmu was not a noble lady whose family has gone into a decline!

She was still controlling the assets of the Jinxiu Hall accumulated over the past years!

It was useless leverage before the emperor dowager, emperor and empress, but it was enough to take down Jian Yiyou!

Jian Yiyou didn’t want to act rashly and alert the others, “Most of the personnel left by my grandpa have been done away with by Xubai. The arrangements deliberately made by my father over the past years are all wasted! How can I let go of the assets of Jinxiu Hall? But currently, Grandaunt still prefers Xubai.”

He takes a breath, “The only opportunity is put Cousin Qimo off with fair words now!”

“Since Grandaunt specially sends Shen Qimo to seduce you, clearly, she doesn’t mean to pick you as the heir of the Jinxiu Hall. Worse still, she even harbors malicious intentions against you!” Princess Changxing felt very grieved and couldn’t help saying, “Why do you waste your time putting on an act with her? As you said, she is such a highbred woman who has been well educated and always stands high above the masses. Even if she is in a poor condition now, how can she change her mind hastily?”

“I have my own way,” Jian Yiyou said noncommittally, “So currently…”

Before she finished talking, the door was suddenly knocked by a servant. It was the trusted maid of Princess Changxing. She ventured in a specially lowered and scared voice, “Your Highness, is your conversation with the Prince Consort over? Here is a piece of urgent news. I think you had better hear it right now!”

Princess Changxing said incredulously, “Come in. What news makes you so flurried?”

Then the maid went inside and took a glance at Jian Yiyou, saying with a complicated look, “Her Highness Jinguo Grand Princess sends word here that Ms. Pei will arrive in the capital tomorrow and that you are required to attend the family feast in the Grand Princess’s mansion with the Prince Consort by then!”

The room instantly became quiet!

Jian Yiyou and his wife had so many mixed feelings about the news that Pei Yourui would arrive soon. Moreover, when the news that Jinguo Grand Princess planned to hold a family feast the next day to celebrate the arrival of this real foster daughter was spread to pertinent people by the servants, Jian Xubai and Song Yixiao who just got home felt so unbelievable, “Are Yiyou and his wife also going? Are you sure?”

“Your Highnesses, this is an order by Her Highness the Grand Princess. How dare I make it up?” The servant who was here to deliver the message said with lowered hands, “Maybe Her Highness the Grand Princess wants to take the occasion to cheer up Ms. Pei because Her Ladyship just lost her father.”

Facts proved that the servant’s guess was not true at all. The next day, a family feast was held in the Grand Princess’s mansion indeed and none of the invited guests dared to be absent.

However, when the guests were present, the seat for Pei Yourui remained empty.

At first, Song Yixiao thought that she hadn’t arrived and intended to ask in a roundabout way whether she should go out of the capital to receive her. Unexpectedly, Jinguo Grand Princess said casually, “Yourui has just arrived, but she is exhausted from a long travel, so I’ve let her take a rest first.”

By now everyone thought the feast wouldn’t be started until Pei Yourui got ready and came out.

The Grand Princess said, “Actually, I didn’t mean to ask her to attend the family feast today. For one thing, she must be really tired after coming back from a long trip. I’m not loath to see her forced to deal with you perfunctorily! For another, she is still observing mourning for her father so it is inappropriate for her to join the fun!”

Speaking of that, the Grand Princess looked around, whose eyes were so cold that her sons and daughters-in-law all lowered their heads to show their reverence.

By now, certainly everyone realized that the family feast was not to treat Pei Yourui on arriving but to give them a warning.

As expected, the Grand Princess glanced about the guests, stroking the bracelet on her wrist. Then she spoke unhurriedly, “When I was arguing with Daiguo in the imperial palace, I said that I would treat not only my sons and daughters but also daughters-in-law and sons-in-law as my own children, as long as they called me mother. I’ve witnessed Yourui grow up. Actually, she has always been regarded as my daughter.”

Without saving face for Jian Yiyou and his wife at all, the Grand Princess said directly, “I thought she would be my daughter-in-law so I didn’t mention making her my foster daughter before. Otherwise, given my favoritism for her, I would have let her call me mother! To my surprise, she still becomes my daughter in the end!”

“I asked you to come here for nothing but to remind you of one thing. That is, this kid is the same as Roumei, Wuying to me! They are all pearls in the palm!”

“Don’t think that you are superior to them!”

“If I learn that any one of you dares to make her sad, even by inciting others to do so, you will pay for it!”

While the Grand Princess was talking, she kept staring at Jian Yiyou and Princess Changxing. Her intent of warning went without saying!

“Mother, you are right. We are sorry for Yourui!” Jian Yiyou kept quiet as usual while Princess Changxing didn’t dare to vent her anger on Jinguo Grand Princess. Stared by her aunt who was also her mother-in-law, she still had to show her attitude. With a forced smile, she said in depression, “We are also worried for a long while after hearing that Grand Secretariat Pei passed away! Gladly, Yourui has been taken to the imperial capital. I must apologize to her later!”

“You don’t have to!” Noncommittal about her admitting the mistake, Jinguo Grand Princess only said indifferently, “That kid is still immersed in the pain of losing her father. I’m afraid that she won’t feel like meeting visitors within a short period of time. You had better not disturb her recklessly. I don’t mind you playing tricks, but it doesn’t mean that I’m not aware of that… Understand?”

Princess Changxing was so frustrated and resentful. That was only a girl who was seen by the Grand Princess to grow up.

No matter how obedient and adorable she was, how could she be compared with a legitimate niece?

However, out of the fear for Jinguo Grand Princess, she still said okay in fear.

When she said so, her resentment was beyond words!

Unfortunately, princess as she was, she couldn’t do anything about her aunt, a sister of the emperor.

“Aunt’s mind is so beyond me!” After the family feast was over, instead of going back to her mansion, Princess Changxing went into the imperial palace directly to weep out her grief to Empress Su, “Pei Yourui is only an official’s daughter. It is her honor to be favored by Aunt since she was a kid! Aunt has been too kind to her over the past years! Aunt even fetches her from far away and takes care of her, even while she is observing mourning for her father! Despite that, Aunt still believes that my husband and I owe a lot to Pei Yourui. Who on earth is related to Aunt by blood? Aunt is so partial!”

Empress Su said with a frown, “Pei Yourui lost her mother when she was young. Now that her father has just passed away, her elder brothers and sisters-in-law are not virtuous either. Even I’m sympathetic about her for what she is suffering. Of course Jinguo feels sorry for her due to the broken engagement. How can you feel grieved at the moment? You should be more obedient and sensible!”

As Changxing still appeared resigned, the Empress heaved a sigh and reminded her, “People are always sympathetic about the weak. Now it is believed that you took away Pei Yourui’s fiancé and she is a bit down and out. Why do you compete against her? If you prevail over her, you will be regarded as a bully! If you lose, you will be thought of as an incapable woman who can only mount the high horse in light of your identity of the emperor’s daughter!”

Therefore, “You must keep a low profile and never come into any conflict with Pei Yourui! If the conflict is unavoidable, just show the white feather to her!”

Princess Changxing said spitefully, “A murder can only lose his head. Do I have to lower myself in front of her all my lifetime?”

“Not all your lifetime!” The Empress glared at her and said in a long voice, “As I said, people are all sympathetic about the weak. Meanwhile, people envy too! Jinguo disgraces her birth son and daughter-in-law for the sake of Pei Yourui. Pei Yourui has just arrived in the imperial capital and earned sympathy from everybody. As time goes by, people will realize that a parentless girl lives a surprisingly affluent life, who lives much better than a lady who has parents. By then, how can their sympathy not fade away?”

“Moreover, when they see that you, an honorable princess, always treat her humbly, and more people show their jealousy, someone will make trouble for her! You won’t need to do anything at all!”

Princess Changxing stopped being angry and then said in delight, “Mother, please rest assured! If I have anything good in the future, I will send it to Aunt’s mansion and let Yourui feel my sincerity!”

Empress Su said with a nod, “Exactly!”

The Empress thought for a moment and added, “Jinguo will come into the imperial palace to visit your father tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. By then I will mention Pei Yourui’s marriage, saying that you have been considering how to make it up for Pei Yourui after today’s feast is over and finally come up with this idea. Therefore, you come into the palace to entrust this matter to me. Otherwise, since you come to me right after the family feast is over, you really think that your aunt can’t guess that you are here to complain and consult me?”

“Pei Yourui is still observing morning for her father now!” Princess Changxing pouted her lips and reminded her, “How can we mention her marriage?”

“Just because she is observing mourning for her father, this matter is urgent!” The Empress said angrily, “Think about it. She is 18 years old now. After observing mourning for her father for three years, how can she get to marry into a proper family? In light of Jinguo’s favor and guilt for her, how can she let Pei Yourui marry a widower?”

However, the Empress and Changxing didn’t know that Jinguo Grand Princess and Jiayue were talking about this matter in the mansion, “Pay attention to all the outstanding talents on the golden list! Maybe Yourui will fall for one of them!”