Lin Shi and her daughter saw that the matter had been settled. They proceeded to get up to take their leave. However, they were stopped by Yu Pin Yan. âYu Miao Qi, if you stuff people in my courtyard again. You can return to wherever you came from. My Yu manor can not afford to provide for you, this honourable Buddha.â
âWhat is big brother talking about? Miao Qi doesnât understand.â This was the first time Yu Pin Yan had explicitly revealed his desire to drive her out of the Marquis manor in front of her. She turned pale with fright, and no amount of scheming could make her act that way.
Lin Shi was stunned and quickly explained, âYanâer, you have misunderstood. Those two were sent by me. You are now twenty-one. You should have a few people around you to thoughtfully and meticulously attend to you.â
The Old Madam only heard a few sentences to get an inkling of what was inferred. She understood Lin Shi and her daughter stuffed people as his bed warmers. She nodded and said, âSince it is your motherâs arrangement. You can keep them. You donât even think about how old you are.â In the past, it was her granddaughter that was in charge of the family. Since her grandson did not speak about it, the Old Madam had forgotten about it as she had been living her days too leisurely.
Yu Pin Yan spoke with sarcasm, âYou arranged this? You voluntarily thought of me? Mother mustnât crack a joke.â Then, looking askance at Yu Miao Qi, he admonished in a deep voice, âYou are just in charge of the manor and you are stuffing people into your elder brotherâs manor. You have overstepped your boundaries.â
The mother and daughter were so ashamed and outraged by his words. They deeply realised that Yu Pin Yanâs opinion of them had risen from indifference and alienation to disgust. When he disliked someone, whatever that person said or did would be wrong.
However, the Old Madam didnât think Yu Miao Qi had done anything wrong. Although it was true that it was not right for a girl to interfere in her brotherâs affairs, it was also for the sake of the offspring in the Marquis manor. As she was about to say something to let her grandson take the people in, she heard Yu Pin Yan said, âGrandmother, donât forget how your grandson was poisoned. Without even asking and investigating, and with them only begging and sending people over, do you find that your grandson isnât dying fast enough? Moreover, how many confidential dossiers I have in that courtyard. If one or two of them were spread, the Marquis manor could suffer a catastrophe. Therefore, this grandson will not take in people without knowing their background, nor does he dare to.â
Her grandson was poisoned three times that year. For the first two times, they werenât able to find the reason. Finally, with the last time, they secretly sent someone to investigate. They discovered that the person who poisoned him was actually the maidservant who had served him throughout his life. With further investigation, the results almost scared the Old Madam to death. The servants who were a bit close to her grandson were actually secretly bribed.
At that time, these people only took actions because of a Marquis position. And now that her grandson was appointed the commander of the capital. It was unknown how much private official information he held in his hands. If the woman sent to his side was a spy, it would be a big matter if it was revealed, and her grandsonâs reputation would be ruined. Most importantly, the Yu family would be exterminated.
It would be fine if the Old Madam didnât think, but once she thought of it, she broke out in cold sweat. She swirled the Buddhist beads and began to tremble. She said angrily, âLin Shi, since you want to be in charge of the manor. I let you do so, but you are not allowed to interfere in Yanerâs courtyard matters. If there is a next time, you can get out!â Jinx, these two are really a jinx.
Yu Xiang leaned over to give the Old Madam a pat on her back as she shot a mocking gaze at Yu Miao Qi, who was confessing her mistake in fear.
Yu Miao Qiâs already pale face turned even more ashen.
The Old Madam slowly calmed down. She held her granddaughterâs tiny pale hands and sighed sorrowfully, âItâs still Xiangâer who is the most dependable. When Xiangâer was managing the manor, where were there these nasty things? Who taught you this rule about an unmarried girl meddling in her brotherâs affairs? Have some face[1] from now on! Go, go, go! Itâs annoying to see you!â
The mother and daughter kowtowed to ask for forgiveness and left with weak steps. Yu Si Yuâs state of mind was much better after she had someone to share her misfortune. She hurriedly helped Yu Miao Qi up and comforted her with a smile.
The brother and sister stayed behind to accompany the Old Madam for her meal. While the Old Madam returned to her room to change her clothes, Yu Xiang pulled her elder brotherâs neck over and kissed him firmly on his cheeks.
The loud sound of the smacking of lips caused Yu Pin Yan to chuckle. He hugged his sister and massaged her.
The party of three were annoyed and resentful when they got back. However, they did not dare to cause trouble. Yu Si Yu tossed the book away because the men were not within the scope of her choice. Those that were good-looking werenât wealthy; those that were affluent werenât good-looking. Those that were both good looking and rich were of lowly merchant status. This matter concerned herto death.
Seeing that three days had passed, she begged the Old Madam for another five-days grace.
Lin Shi and her daughter were quiet. Either they were recuperating in the manor or going to the temple to worship the Buddha. Lin Shi intended to hold a banquet to introduce her daughter to the noblewomen of the capital, but Yu Miao Qi stopped her from doing so. She felt that it would be safest to let her good name spread before holding a banquet. How could an acquaintance be as good as a word of praise?
In less than half a month, words of Second Young Miss returning home spread. This Second Young Miss was raised in Shui Yue Nunnery, and her master was the Master of Shui Yue Nunnery. As soon as the news spread, the capital was all eyes and ears. It was said that the Second Young Miss was destined to have affinity with the Buddha and that she was quiet and contented, elegant, gentle and beautiful, which was a total extreme of the recalcitrant Yu Xiang.
In reality, most of these people had never seen Yu Miao Qiâs face and the reason they held her in such high esteem was because of Abbess Kong. Shui Yue Nunnery was not as prestigious as Zhenguo Temple, but it was known as a place of pure cultivation that would not receive incense, and it was also known for its strict rules in the Han Dynasty.
Abbess Kong from Shui Yue Nunnery was the emperorâs di elder sister. At the age of eight, she enlightened herself on Buddhism and became a monk on her own. She was known as a reincarnated Holy Buddha in the Han Dynasty, and her prestige was not inferior to that of Master Ku Hai.
How could a disciple that she had an affinity to not have extraordinary qualifications? Therefore, the noblewomen in the capital, even before they set their eyes on her, had already sketched out the glorious image of Yu Miao Qi and were convinced of it.
In fact, Yu Miao Qi was not a disciple of Abbess Kong. She only heard about the legend of Abbess Kong and learned that she had gone to sea and her return date was uncertain. The nuns of Shui Yue Nunnery had always been unmindful about the worldâs affairs and concentrated on cultivation, which was why she dared to tell such a big lie.
Even if someone deliberately tried to verify it, they would not be allowed to enter Shui Yue Nunnery. When Yu Miao Qi returned home, she had heard from the nuns in the nunnery that if not for Commander Yu, the temple hadnât received any visitors for over thirty years.
She had made inquiries later, and Shui Yue Nunnery had indeed closed its gates to prevent people from entering or leaving. Therefore, her past was tightly sealed. Even though she was extremely reluctant to do so, she had to admit that Yu Pin Yan did think about her, but not as much when compared to Yu Xiang.
However, that didnât make her any less resentful of Yu Pin Yan. The two calamities[2] she experienced would never be forgotten in her life.