Perhaps I did not have the heart of a Bodhisattva. My left arm was wrapped in a foul-smelling flowery robe that made people feel uncomfortable. Two steps behind me was Miss Gui Yan, whose face was covered in tears. Behind me were two simple second-class servant girls. I took a group of followers and walked as fast as flying towards the old lady's courtyard. The three maidservants were panting and almost couldn't keep up with me.
/p
The old lady's courtyard had an elegant name. It was called Qiushi Hall. The area was incomparably large and the decorations were unique. It looked like an extremely old woman, but she still had the elegance to dig a small pond in the middle of the courtyard. The pond was connected to the sky with lotus flowers reflecting the sun. She also brought in running water from outside. In the middle of the courtyard, there was an exquisite pavilion. The view of the pavilion in the morning was enjoyed during the sunset. It really made people feel emotional.
/p
When I arrived, the old lady was about to take a nap at noon. All the respectable daughters-in-law were huddled together in the main hall to serve her. The maidservant at the door was surprised and stopped me. She looked at the three maidservants behind me and said that she would go in first to report. She didn't want to scare the old lady.
/p
"Then I'll have to trouble Jiejie to say it for me." I smiled gently, but my heart was very happy. She was scared just by seeing me like this? What would he do if he fell on his back and fainted later?
/p
I don't know how the maidservant at the door passed the message, but a noble lady personally came out to greet me. I heard several maidservants call her Third Madam. I was the second daughter of the family's legal wife, the daughter of the prime minister. So this noble lady should be the third master of this family, the wife of my third uncle in name.
/p
I bowed and said, "Third Madam."
/p
Third Madam said, "Oh, why is Second Young Lady still wearing these clothes?"
/p
Do I have clothes to change into? I silently rolled my eyes in my heart.
/p
Seeing that I didn't have time to talk back, Third Madam said, "Quickly go back and change. The old lady is very particular about rules. Everyone around her wears decent clothes. How can there be someone like you who doesn't even comb your hair and ignore your clothes? Be careful not to get scolded by the old lady."
/p
I said, "Then I have no choice but to let the old lady teach him a lesson." Then I walked past her, opened the curtain, and entered the room.
/p
Whoa, what an extravagant smell. The smell of cosmetics mixed together and drilled straight into my head, making me dizzy.
/p
"After using that cream for the past few days, Mother looks a few years younger."
/p
"He's already in his sixties. Even if he uses some expensive things, that's all he can do."
/p
The room was full of well-dressed ladies, each sitting on a stool with an official's hat, chatting happily. It was a pity that I barged in like a thorn, so their conversation stopped. They all sat up straight and looked at me. The old lady also put away the happy smile she had when she was being flattered. She sat down on the main seat and said in a dignified manner, "Er 'er, what are you doing?"
/p
I raised the clothes in my hand and said, "Thank you for your reward, Ancestor."
/p
The old lady originally looked like she was facing a great enemy, but when she heard my words, her expression relaxed, "You like it, it's good that you like it! You don't have to wear it to let everyone see if it fits. However, grandmother really didn't pick these clothes for you. Look at this bright red material, it should be a treasure from the palace. "
/p
I glanced at the trembling Gui Yan behind me and asked, "Was it given by the palace?"
/p
The old lady smiled, "You're an honest child. How come you still don't understand what I'm saying? These clothes are from your future husband, Prince Yue, who sent them to the residence for you! He wanted you to wear these clothes, dress up, and accompany him to celebrate tonight's Qiqiao Festival! "
/p
For a moment, the room full of people roared with laughter. The corners of their mouths were covered with handkerchiefs, but their eyes occasionally glanced at me.
/p
I stealthily looked around. The older ones were shrewd and didn't show their emotions on their faces. Their buttocks were still firmly seated on the chairs. The younger ones didn't have such good endurance. Their flower-like faces were filled with disdain, jealousy, and indifference. One of them was the most eye-catching. She stood at the front and attracted everyone's attention, but she didn't know how to restrain her emotions.
/p
"Then granddaughter will feel wronged," I said to the old lady with a smile, "Granddaughter's nose has been sharp since she was young, but these clothes have been smoked with more than one kind of fragrance. The smell is like ten thousand flowers blooming together. When granddaughter held it in her hands, she couldn't stop sneezing. She simply didn't dare to wear it."
/p
The old lady had lived for a long time. Before the room full of upper-class women could react, her face had already sunk. She said to me, "Every family in the Prince's Mansion has their own tailors. There is only one example of smoking clothes. How to smoke the finished clothes, what kind of smoke is used, how many times it is smoked, and each family's habits are different. There is nothing to say. However, Province Yue is different. The clothes in Province Yue are all made by the Imperial Palace's Embroidery Workshop. The Imperial Palace's Embroidery Workshop uses the Imperial Palace's Embroidery Workshop to smoke the clothes. How can there be an additional smell? "
/p
"Perhaps someone was kind enough to test it for their granddaughter?" I used my fingers to comb the hair that had fallen to my shoulders. "Actually, we are sisters. You wear my clothes, and I wear yours. It's nothing more than being greedy for freshness. It also saves them the trouble of having to spend a lot of money to hire a tailor to make a new set."
/p
The old lady had some idea of what was going on, but she wanted to make up for it. Thus, she repeated, "Yes, yes."
/p
"However, these clothes are not the same as the clothes that my sisters usually wear. These clothes were bestowed by the Prince. The things that the Prince bestows are the things that the Imperial Family bestows. Old Madam, if someone stealthily took these clothes today, I would at most act obedient and foolish in front of the Prince. I would just act as a cover for my sisters. But in the future, if someone found out that the clothes were not in my hands and reported it to the higher-ups, it would be a crime of deceiving the Emperor. "
/p
Today they took the clothes, tomorrow they would dare to take the Imperial Grain.
/p
After the old lady heard this, her complexion was ten times worse than I had imagined. It was as if I had stepped on a sore spot. She took a deep breath and called out one of the upper-class women. She directly asked, "Madam, you are the head of the household in the inner courtyard. How come the clothes were not in your daughter's hands?"
/p
The upper-class woman that the old lady had named as my mother had a Buddha's face. She stood up from the first chair and bowed her head as she replied, "As soon as this daughter-in-law received the reward from the Province Yue, I hurriedly sent someone to deliver it to the Second Young Lady. Because it was precious, I especially had Gui Yiniang and Gui Yan personally deliver it. There is no one in the entire household who is more reliable than them."
/p
Gui Yan was brought into the room by me. She was kneeling by the side and weeping endlessly. As for this concubine that was named, she did not have the qualifications to stand in this room and serve. Old Madame patted the mahogany handle and commanded sternly, "Go, go and bring Concubine Gui in!"
/p
The concubine was quickly brought in and was forcefully thrown to the ground.
/p
The old taitai glanced at me. Seeing that my expression didn't change and was calm and composed, her expression became even more unsightly. She sternly asked: "The clothes that the Prince of Yue's residence bestowed to the second girl, the eldest madam had you two deliver them to her. Where did you send them?"
/p
Gui Yan sobbed and did not speak. Gui Yiniang had a stunned expression. She turned her head to the dignified old lady and asked, "Madam, at that time, you said that the Second Young Lady could not wear the clothes and told this servant to deliver it to the First Young Lady."
/p
The old lady did not say anything, but the young lady standing next to her had an uneasy expression. When she heard this, she hurriedly said, "Old Lady, Granddaughter did not take the clothes."
/p
The old lady said, "How about we call someone to smell the clothes and find out how similar the scent is to the perfume you used?"
/p
The young lady was also stupid. With the evidence in front of her, it was fine if she confessed, but she had to lie to herself. Sure enough, as soon as the old lady said this, the young lady's face turned purple. She ran forward and explained, "Granddaughter did touch the clothes, but I did not mean to hide it."
/p
"Old Lady, First Young Lady did touch it," Gui Yan, who had been crying and unwilling to speak, suddenly raised her head. The tear stains on her face were clearly visible. She said with a hoarse voice, "But when I went with Gui Yiniang to deliver the clothes to the Second Young Lady, we happened to pass by First Young Lady's courtyard. Gui Yiniang thought that the clothes were beautiful and pulled me in to show it to First Young Lady. First Young Lady only touched it a few times and then returned it. Perhaps at that time, it was tainted with First Young Lady's perfume."
/p
Let's not talk about whether this was' returning it after touching it a few times', or whether she was frightened by Wang Ye's Qixi's verbal order to wear clothes and travel together, but 'returning it after wearing it a few times', just talking about her ability to suddenly calculate Gui Yiniang's reaction, I have to raise a finger to my Di mother, the Eldest Madame.
/p
If I guessed correctly, First Young Lady was Gui Yiniang's biological daughter. This Gui Yiniang looked like a narrow-minded person who had not seen the world. One could see a trace of sharpness in her chin. She must have stuffed all the benefits to her daughter first.
/p
As for the old lady, if I did not pursue the matter, it would only be selling a favor to Gui Yiniang and her daughter. If I pursued the matter, then I might as well sell Gui Yiniang out. In any case, to be able to give birth to Lao Ye's eldest daughter, she was not someone easy to deal with. Getting rid of her early would allow me to have peace in front of my door.
/p
It seems that this old lady was not a good person. This old lady of the Tang Manor was quite shrewd. She was even able to bribe the maidservants by her side.
/p
I did not want to get involved in the struggle between these women. I put away my clothes and bowed, saying: "Old Lady, it's not early anymore. Since Prince Yue has sent a letter to me, the people who will come to receive me should be arriving soon. Granddaughter will go wash up and get ready. "
/p
"Clothes," The old lady said, "If you feel uncomfortable wearing them, then don't wear them. Otherwise, you will lose your appearance and make Wang Ye unhappy. Coincidentally, I invited a tailor outside to make new clothes for you and your sisters. You can pick one and take it."
/p
I deliberately asked, "If Your Highness wants to know more about this dress, how should I match it?"
/p
"How should you answer?" The old lady said, "We are all sisters. Naturally, you should know how to answer."
/p
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