It was also Lin Shiâs and her own hastiness to deal with her, otherwise it wouldnât have come to this. It turned out that Marquis manor was actually in precarious before her return, yet Lin Shi was like a transparent person who was completely aloof and unconcerned. This temperament was truly weak to the extreme that even the Shen family was a hundred times stronger than her.
While kowtowing, Yu Miao Qi reflected on herself as she profoundly felt that she needed to understand a lot more and mustnât rush forward so rashly like today.
Seeing her resoundingly knocking her head, Lin Shi felt extremely distressed as she hurriedly pulled her up and knelt down herself.
What Old Madam most annoyed was the show of mother-daughterâs deep affection. If you still have motherly love for your child, what have you been doing in the past 14 years? You only nodded your head with the words âI knowâ when Yanâer was on the verge of death due to poisoning. Who are you acting for now?
Not only did her expression not soften, instead it became even noticeably gloomy as Old Madam sneered, âDonât kowtow anymore. I dare not accept your deferential salutations. Yanâer refuses to accept your things means he also refuses to acknowledge you, so are you happy now? From now on, you can keep your dowry and live a good life with Yu Miao Qi. All thatâs remaining with you are only a pile of dead things and her. Oh, wrong, you still have Jun Jieâs memorial tablet, but youâve cast Yanâer unattended for 14 years. Do you dare to kneel in front of Jun Jieâs tomb and personally ask how he would look upon you? Assist oneâ husband and teach the children, spare no pains to run oneâs home â which have you accomplished? Just wait till Jun Jie finds you to settle the score when you go to the nether world!â
Lin Shi kept kowtowing and confessing her mistake, her body inevitably stiffened and heart felt a knife-like twist hearing those words.
Yu Miao Qi felt both intolerable and resentful. There was also another layer of meaning hidden in Old Madamâs words, which was to completely separate Lin Shi and herself from Yu Pin Yan. If she lives with Lin Shi, then she will have nothing to do with Yu Pin Yan in the future. How can this work? Doesnât her position in her husbandâs family depend on Yu Pin Yan and how can she gain her foothold in her husbandâs family without her maiden familyâs support?
Yu Miao Qi was about to open her mouth to specify a few words when Ma Momo and several pozi came in carrying two red lacquered wooden boxes. Old Madam gave a meaningful glance when those boxes were thrown in front of them with a bang before the pozi quietly retreated.
âIn order to avoid any further problems with the account books where you have nowhere to discourse, just browse it in my room. You are not allowed to go back until youâve finished going through it. Wan Qiu, bring over a bucket of lamp oil for emergency needs.â
Wan Qiu undertook the task and exited the room lightly.
Old Madam tapped the box with her walking stick, her tone stern, âLook at it now. Iâll take the blame if anything goes wrong!â
Lin Shi was still dull-witted, she had yet awakened from the sharp-like knife words of her mother-in-law and her thought was the critical view of her late husband for herself. Instead, Yu Miao Qi had calmed down. She opened the lid of the box, took out the account books and stacked it beside Lin Shiâs feet.
Old Madam looked profoundly at her before she walked out with her walking stick.
It was not until the heavy and slow footsteps were far away that Yu Miao Qi collapsed on the ground. After gasping a few breaths, she quickly got up, moved the abacus closer to the front and simultaneously scanned through while enumerated. Her dim eyes nevertheless widened after she looked through the ledger marking the 21st years of Chengkangâs reign.
She thought she was smart and capable as she had travelled widely with Father Shen when she was seven or eight years old, but Yu Xiangâs capability was far above hers. Not mentioning others, merely this improved ledger alone was extremely remarkable. The entries were made into a table, where expenses, incomes, payers, undertakers, receipts, remarks and details that others could think of or would never expected were all listed in there, clearly and plainly discerned with just a glance.
These account books were simply clean to the extreme and due to her good management, the struggling Marquis Yongle manor gradually emerged from dismal with surplus year after year.
No wonder Old Madam held her in such high esteem while Yu Pin Yan doted on her to the max which was not without reason. When acknowledging this, the originally envious-eroded heart of Yu Miao Qi was burning intensely as if immersed in lava that even a thought of never admitting defeat took root in her mind.
Must take charge of the household, she has to also take charge of the household to let Old Madam and Yu Pin Yan see who actually is better and the genuine Di daughter of the Marquis manor!
**********
Carrying his younger sister, Yu Pin Yan walked in the pleasantly warm and splendid spring. Stretching out her hand, his younger sister caressed the flowers while he plucked one and tucked it in the hair on the side of her temple with a focused glance.
Yu Xiang also plucked one and similarly tucked it beside her elder brotherâs temple and even tightening her hold on his neck to prevent him from taking it off. Seeing that he had no choice but to compromise, she pursed her lips into a smirk.
They both gazed at each other with their foreheads pressed together and saw total joy in the otherâs eyes.
âElder Brother, are you really happy? Arenât you sad that Lin Shi treated you like that?â Yu Xiang spoke slowly after a long moment of hesitation.
âNo feeling.â Yu Pin Yan responded in an indifference tone and immediately asked in reply, âWhat about you? Are you sad?â
âI donât feel anything either. The only person who can make me sad in this world is Elder Brother. If someday Elder Brother doesnât want me anymore, Iâll be heartbroken to death!â She deliberately intensified the pronunciation of the word âdeathâ. This was not an exaggerated rhetorical gimmick, rather death in the true sense. She was originally an otherworldly soul and her roots were not rooted in the soil of the Great Han Dynasty, but in Yu Pi Yanâs soul. If Yu Pin Yan abandons her, she will naturally wither away slowly.
Yu Pin Yanâs eyes darkened as he said in a hoarse voice, âHow could that be? I would rather lose my life than abandon Xiangâer. Iâve said before that Xiangâer is my lifeblood.â
Leaning closer to his ear, Yu Xiang whispered word by word, âElder Brother, you are also my lifeblood and my favorite person in this world.â Once the words fell, she quickly kissed his cheek lightly then pursed her lips with elation.
Yu Pin Yanâs heart was shaken tremendously, yet his face was very composed when he commanded in a low voice, âOne more kiss or Elder Brother will throw you away.â
Smiling brightly, Yu Xiang approached him again but she didnât expect him to turn his head suddenly and the kiss that should have landed on the side of his cheek glided past the corner of his lips. Yu Xiang didnât mind but Yu Pin Yan remembered profoundly the soft touch and the hot temperature on his lips when his eyes instantly deepened like the sea.
Waves of shock surged up in Liu Luâs heart as she followed behind them. Although she was still an unadulterated little girl, she could gradually notice the abnormality of the Marquisâs glances when he looked at her master, getting amorous by the day that could simply burn a person up.
They are indeed biological brother and sister, right? Liu Lu began to ponder over this question desperately.