Song Yixiao didn't know about the vicious scheme that Ms. Bo conceived for Wei Mengying. Yet, after she returned to the Hanxia Villa, she still had a lingering fear, "I was afraid that the heir selection of Prince of Hengshan wouldn't go smoothly. Now the mess is finally starting. Today, I have dodged a bullet by crying but if mother makes up her mind, she will find a way to force me!"

She thought with a heavy heart, "I cannot stay in Prince of Hengshan's mansion anymore! Or I will be dragged into a mess sooner or later! But the Song Family is not a good choice either! If I want to be free, I can only get married!"

However, her marriage was at the disposal of Wei Mengying!

"I had better deal with Xue'e first." Song Yixiao pondered back and forth and had no other choice but to play by ear. Thinking of paying a visit to Yuan Xue'e the next day, she couldn't help sighing that Yuan Xue'e had only a brother four years older than her but he was much more reliable than Song Yixiao's parents!

The next morning, she arrived at Marquis Boling's mansion by carriage.

Upon entering the mansion, she was directly conducted into the dwelling of Yuan Xue'e, "Her Elder Ladys.h.i.+p is very tired out of sorrow about His Excellency's injury and she cannot meet any guest. Please do understand!"

Song Yixiao knew that the elder lady of the Yuan Family must be more than happy now. How could she feel tired now? Nevertheless, she would not question what the servants of the Yuan Family said. Then she made some simple greetings before she asked about the recent condition of Yuan Xue'e.

"Her Ladys.h.i.+p... You will know about it when you see her." The servant appeared gloomy, "If there is a way out, His Excellency will not bother you to come!"

As they were friends for six years, Song Yixiao knew about Yuan Xue'e's temperament. She had a guess before she came. Now judging from the servant's countenance, she knew that her condition must be really awful. However, when she really met with Yuan Xue'e, she was taken aback. Actually, it had been only half a month since they didn't meet with each other. Yet, the young highborn lady had pinned away to this serious degree!

Yuan Xue'e looked so awful that Song Yixiao didn't dare to recognize her. She stayed shocked for quite a while before she advanced to talk with her, "How can you do this to yourself?"

"I don't want to, but when I think of my brother..." Yuan Xue'e was lying in bed with her outstretched hand clearly showing the bone, saying, "I just have no appet.i.te!"

Song Yixiao was silent for an instant and suddenly burst into tears.

Yuan Xue'e felt astonished, "Yixiao, what's wrong?"

"We haven't met for only half a month. I never expected you to become so skinny!" Song Yixiao, holding her hand, said in sorrow and determination, "Since you have no appet.i.te, I shall not eat then! From now on, I will be here for you!"

The servants of them were shocked!

Yuan Xue'e was touched and guilty, "Yixiao, you don't have to."

"You are not my blood sister but we have spent the past six years together and I have regarded you as my family!" Song Yixiao cried in sorrow, "Now that you have no appet.i.te and can't eat, how can I eat myself?"

Seeing that Yuan Xue'e was about to say something, she wiped her face and played the trump card, questioning her angrily, "You are sad about your brother. How can I not feel sad about you? Or you think I am of too low origin to be the bestie of the legitimate lady from a marquis's family? So, I don't deserve to share your sorrow?"

"No no no! Absolutely not!" Yuan Xue'e was not capable but she was kind-hearted. Hearing that, she couldn't say yes to Yixiao's questioning. She explained hurriedly, "I always regard you as my real sister, so I will be worried if you don't eat!"

Song Yixiao patted the table and stood up, "In this case, since we are a family, how can I eat alone while you have no appet.i.te at all? We either eat together or not eat together!"

After saying that, she also showed her thoughtfulness, "I can fully understand how you feel now. Even if I ask you to eat, you won't feel like eating at all! I cannot share your cares and burdens but to be here for you as your family!"

Yuan Xue'e felt so anxious and yet speechless!

Worse still, Song Yixiao couldn't stand being starved!

This morning she claimed to stop eating from then on and in the afternoon, she just "pa.s.sed out" before Yuan Xue'e. The servants fell into a flurry. Song Yixiao didn't wake up until she was fed with some cubilose. Yuan Xue'e asked her to eat something else, but she never agreed and kept claiming to share weal and woe with Yuan Xue'e.

Now Yuan Xue'e finally knew how Yuan Xuepei and the others felt!

However, Yuan Xuepei could invite Song Yixiao to do the same but she couldn't find someone like Song Yixiao!

She really liked her. Therefore, by the evening, although she still had no appet.i.te, she asked for some congee and side dishes. Then she stuffed herself with the food before Song Yixiao, "Look. I am eating. Now you should eat something too."

Yuan Xuepei learnt that and felt relieved with a long breath.

The next day, Jian Xubai paid a visit as usual. When he asked about that, Yuan Xuepei told him the whole story and couldn't help sighing, "I thought that Miss Song might persuade Xue'e into eating with soft words. On the contrary, she set her spear against her s.h.i.+eld. It only took her a few hours to make Xue'e have congee actively. How clever she is! Why didn't I think of that move before?"

"Yesterday, the Crown Prince sent a message to me." Jian Xubai disliked Yuan Xue'e for her temperament. Yet, for the sake of Yuan Xuepei's face, he showed some care for her then. Now that she started to eat, he wouldn't bother to ask more.

He took a sip of tea and began to talk business, "The previous matter of putting down the unrest of Wuhuan is on the agenda of the meeting the day after tomorrow."

Yuan Xuepei became stern, "Did the Crown Prince talk of His Majesty's thought?"

It had been half a month since the soldiers returned in triumph. A sacrifice had been made in the Imperial Ancestral Temple but the enfeoffment was not completed yet.

All in all, it was because those who had been captured by Wuhuan were hard to deal with.

To stall for half a month was the result of the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince mediating with Emperor Xianjia.

Now what was coming would come.

"The Crown Prince said that given the face of the Empress Dowager, His Majesty feels like giving a way out." Jian Xubai said casually, "However, the officials will never let us get away easily! Therefore, when we are in court, we can only rely on ourselves!"

He put down the tea bowl and snorted, "The Director in the Ministry of Rituals, Qiu Shuxia presented himself and reported to His Majesty tearfully that the battle was delayed for five years and thus the military supplies were wasted because those people advanced rashly for gaining credits, which failed His Majesty's kindness and sinned against the country."

Yuan Xuepei looked at his disabled legs and laughed grimly, "It can be understandable that other people say that. But Qiu Shuxia? How dare he?"

Did they really not know why they would advance rashly and fall into the trap of Wuhuan?

Qiu Shuxia was not the chief plotter of this incident, but he must be one of the ringleaders!

Weren't Yuan Xuepei's legs disabled by him?

The young Marquis Boling raised his head and said in a soft tone and yet with a sharp look, "What are you going to do in court the day after tomorrow?"

Jian Xubai was about to answer when there came the rash footsteps from outside. Then the servants reported in a hurry via the door, "Your Excellency, her elder ladys.h.i.+p has summoned her young ladys.h.i.+p for a chat and the second mistress is also there. It seems that they have fallen into a conflict!"

Yuan Xuepei asked with a changed countenance instantly, "Is Xue'e grieved?"

"Don't worry. Let me see what is happening for you." Jian Xubai pinched his central eyebrows and stood up, "If they really don't tread a fine line..."

"You must restrain yourself at this crucial moment!" Yuan Xuepei was worried with red eyes but still said, "My step-grandmother is very sensible. How can she make it hard on Xue'e when you come here? It is mostly because they know that we are going to court and they deliberately set a trap for use! Even though I love my sister, I have my priorities straight."

Jian Xubai responded to him vaguely but when he left the room, he put on a long face and ordered his eunuch, Ji Su, "You go into the palace later and then tell my grandma what the elder lady of the Yuan Family has done!"

Ji Su took the hint and replied, "Marquis Yuan is not recovered from the serious injury and the elder lady of the Yuan Family shows no concern for him. Her coldness is too disappointing! Her Majesty Empress Dowager is so fair-minded and wise that she will not tolerate this woman's enjoying the benefits granted by the imperial mandate."

The Empress Dowager was trying her best to absolve her beloved grandson from blame. Since these people of the Yuan Family dared to interrupt Duke of Yan and Marquis Boling's discussion about how to react in court, the Empress Dowager would not spare them!

"What ignorant people! Recently, His Lords.h.i.+p has been bothered with so many nuisances. All the servants granted by Her Majesty Empress Dowager to His Lords.h.i.+p like me have to brace up and be cautious just in case we may p.i.s.s His Lords.h.i.+p off!"

Ji Su followed behind Jian Xubai, narrowing his eyes slightly and thinking with disdain, "Some are really bold enough to be the target for His Lords.h.i.+p to vent his anger... They have forgotten that even if His Lords.h.i.+p is to blame for advancing rashly for credits, he is the legitimate nephew of His Majesty under the protection of the Empress Dowager. How can several members of a marquis make trouble for His Lords.h.i.+p? They are not even qualified!"

However, when Jian Xubai and Ji Su arrived with killing intent, they found in surprise that Yuan Xue'e looked a bit on the needles and pins but she was tidily dressed and escorted by several maids and nurses beside the elder lady. She didn't look like being bullied.

Yet, her auntie, the second mistress of the Yuan Family, Madam Liang was leaning against her maid, with her hair hanging loose. With a dangling hairpin around her foot, she looked severely resentful. Undoubtedly, she must have been irritated!

When Jian Xubai entered the room, he happened to hear Madam Liang scolding without thinking, "She is merely an abandoned girl that has been expelled by her family! For Prince of Hengshan, it is just the same as raising a dog! She is nothing at all..."

"Enough!" The elder lady sitting on the seat of honor, Madam Tu, was watching the show aloofly but upon glimpsing Jian Xubai, she changed her countenance at once. In a hurry she stopped her daughter-in-law, "I've told you before that your bark shouldn't be worse than your bite. Why don't you listen to me? Now that you find Miss Song affable, you are getting increasingly frivolous, aren't you? Apologize to Miss Song now!"

She seemed to be scolding Madam Liang but actually, she was giving her an out. Anyway, Jian Xubai had ordered Ji Su. Now he couldn't be bothered to point out Madam Tu's thought bluntly. Instead, he found that Song Yixiao was also there, who was sitting next to Yuan Xue'e.

This 14-year-old girl was dressed in a pink blouse with narrow-sleeves and a lavender dress. With her hair made into a chignon and a fair complexion, she was young and pretty, just like a blooming begonia, beautiful and bright.

It should be her who Madam Liang scolded fiercely before, but she just sat there with a peaceful look and a faint smile on her face, as if she heard nothing.

"Yuan Xue'e is not that stupid to ask Miss Song for help as she cannot handle Madam Tu." Jian Xubai just heard of Song Yixiao's cleverness from Yuan Xuepei. Now after seeing the scene, how could he not understand what had happened?

Madam Tu worked with her second daughter-in-law to make trouble for Yuan Xue'e. Yet, they didn't expect that Song Yixiao would come along. With the help of this girl, Yuan Xue'e didn't suffer wrong. Instead, Madam Liang was bitterly p.i.s.sed off!

He looked Song Yixiao up and down, who was calm and peaceful. Compared with the exasperated Madam Liang, she appeared elegant and graceful with a ladylike demeanor.

Jian Xubai recalled the first encounter between them six years ago. Back then, Song Yixiao seemed to be very sensible. After all, she was kind of expelled from her family at the age of eight.

"Without the past six years in Wuhuan, I would probably still be rather naive. Gems unwrought can do nothing useful!" The young Duke of Yan had a conflicting feeling and suddenly didn't feel like speaking. He just stood aside, waiting for Song Yixiao to continue dealing with Madam Liang. Then he would ask them to leave.

How could Song Yixiao know about his thought? Seeing that Jian Xubai came, she felt relieved and thought, "Here comes the savior. Then why do I step forward?"

Then she lowered her head and put on a grieved look, feeling free to wait for Jian Xubai to speak.

Unexpectedly, she waited and waited...

There was sheer silence in the room!