“How about lying in a corner and telling others that you are drunk?” Song Yixiao stayed silent for a while and then proposed, “And because you sleep there for a while, you have your clothes crumpled?”

Jian Xubai stared at her as if looking at an idiot, “I am poisoned. I cannot be more than careful about my health. How can I get drunk randomly? Just now, it was because I didn't take Brother Zifu's toast that he poured the wine on me just now!”

Song Yixiao felt depressed, “Or I can send someone to your mansion to get another suit of clothes for you?”

“Then let servants gossip about me and cause a big scandal?” Jian Xubai snorted.

Song Yixiao rebuked in surprise, “Can't you have the servants in your mansion under control?”

In her eyes, Jian Xubai shouldn't be so useless!

“Didn't you hear what I said to Changxing just now?” Jian Xubai put on the crumpled inner garment reluctantly with a gloomy face, “I lived in the imperial palace until six years ago. I have been extremely occupied since I returned to court. How can I have time to handle the household affairs in my mansion? Moreover, quite some people in my mansion used to work for my grandfather. Surely there are a few muddleheaded old guys!”

Judging from his voice, obviously he didn't get along with the old servants.

Song Yixiao couldn't help feeling alerted, “They don't even show respect for Jian Xubai, their true master. When I marry him, I'm afraid that they won't be nice to me either!”

Yet, by then she would be the mistress. As long as Jian Xubai didn't make trouble for her, even given the seniors of the Jian Family, she could find a way to deal with them.

After all, she lived under the roof of Prince of Hengshan for six years, during which she had seen Wei Mengying handle the household affairs.

Thinking of this, Song Yixiao felt relieved and s.h.i.+fted her focus on the current dilemma, “How about me sending someone to ask my mother whether she can borrow a suit of clothes from Master Guanlun?”

“Lu Guanlun and I are not in the same figure so his clothes can't fit me for sure!” Jian Xubai gave a disdainful look and then said coldly, “Moreover, don't forget that he is the beloved grandson of Dowager Consort of Hengshan. How can she not arrange people to keep watch on him?”

Song Yixiao bent over the table faintly, saying in despair, “Then tell me what to do!”

“Send a word to Ji Su that he must apologize to Prince of Hengshan on behalf of me in the guise of me having left because of Brother Zifu's discourtesy!” Jian Xubai stayed stern for a while and then said, “And I will disguise myself a bit and leave through the gate of horn when it gets dark.”

“I'm on it!” Song Yixiao just turned around when she was stopped by him, “By the way, how is your arm after Changxing grabbed it?”

Song Yixiao felt comforted to hear his asking. Although Jian Xubai had asked her once in the drawing room, he did it purposefully for Princess Changxing and her maid at that time. Therefore, she didn't take it seriously.

Now that he asked her for a second time, his concern for her must be sincere. Song Yixiao wouldn't think that he had a thing for her, but after such a mess, he still remembered that she was injured. Hence, Song Yixiao felt quite grateful, “I only have some bruises on my arm. It doesn't matter.”

Then Jian Xubai said with a casual air, “That's good. My grandma will summon all the couples who have been granted marriage this year into the imperial palace in some time. If you are too seriously injured, by then you will commit a breach of etiquette, which will bring shame on me!”

Song Yixiao was not touched anymore.

Song Yixiao went downstairs with a poker face to tell Ms. Zhao that Jian Xubai wouldn't leave until dusk. Of course, she left out the fact that she mistakenly took the Yewu Paste as traumatic medicine and almost ripped all the clothes of her fiancée. Instead, she rolled her sleeves up, “Fetch me some vulnerary which has strong smell!”

As she was too freaked out by Jian Xubai's pa.s.sing out, Song Yixiao didn't have time to explain how she was bullied by Princess Changxing. Now upon seeing the bruise on her arm, Ms. Zhao thought that it was due to Jian Xubai. She couldn't help crying out in fear and anger, “How could Duke Jian beat you?”

Although Song Yixiao was not in his league, Jian Xubai was not a rude man. How could he not know that husband and wife should be equally important? How could he treat his legal wife like a concubine at will? In particular, Song Yixiao was not married yet. According to the tacit understanding between them, even her parents-in-law must show some respect for her.

“Not him. It was Her Highness Princess Changxing who grabbed my arm.” Song Yixiao looked at the shocked countenance of the foster nurse and explained helplessly, “Yet, after he arrived, he taught Her Highness Princess Changxing a lesson. I have to say that Her Highness Princess Changxing must hate me to death. Maybe she will make trouble for me later. Then he may not be able to rescue me! I may as well fake injury so that Her Highness Princess Changxing can feel less angry!”

Finally feeling relieved, Ms. Zhao fetched the medicinal liquor and put it on her arm.

It was very useful indeed. When Song Yixiao returned to the feast, Princess Changxing was not there. It was said that she had gone back to the imperial palace for being drunk. However, Princess Yushan stayed though.

After seeing her, Princess Yushan raised her eyebrows and sneered slightly and seemed to say something. Yet, upon smelling the strong medicine smell from her, she thought it over and then swallowed back her words. Then she looked at a lady nearby.

The lady got her hint and asked Song Yixiao with faked kindness, “Where have you been? How come you were away for so long? We thought that you wouldn't come back!”

“The servant didn't find that the spare clothes in the side room had been snagged before so I had to go back to my dwelling to get changed.” Song Yixiao smiled at her regrettably, “The Hanxia Villa is a bit far from here, so it took me some time. Please forgive me if any convenience!”

Saying that, she raised the cup around and drank up the wine with the sleeves covering her face to apologize.

Now they all knew that she must have something to do with the fact that Princess Changxing left the feast and returned to the palace in advance. Yet, Princess Changxing was not here and Princess Yushan didn't show her att.i.tude. Song Yixiao's marriage was approved by the Empress Dowager. After deliberate consideration, they didn't intend to go near her but they didn't want to make her lose face in public. Hence, they all drank up the wine on the table.

“Why do I smell the medicine on your body?” The lady put down the wine cup and saw the maid beside Princess Yushan make a gesture, saying in a hurry, “Did anything happen on the way?”

“I was too hasty when I went there.” Song Yixiao was waiting for her to ask that question. Then she purposefully showed her injured left arm and said with a forced smile, “I was tripped over and fell. I'm fine… My foster nurse loved me dearly so she put much medicinal liquor on my arm. Does it cause any nuisance to you? Sorry about it!”

The lady said sneeringly, “No. I was just asking.” Meanwhile, Princess Yushan looked aside and talked to her maid in a low voice, leaving her alone.

Then Princess Yushan didn't give any hint. The other people couldn't guess her thought so they wouldn't act recklessly.

Song Yixiao remained alerted until the feast was over but nothing happened.

Seeing Princess Yushan's guards of honor disappear at the corner, she felt relieved and advanced to hold Wei Mengying's arm, “Mother, how are you?”

Now the two young mistresses, Lu Kou'er and Lu Chai'er and others were all here. Her sudden gesture and asking was not meant to disgrace them. Instead, she was really worried about her mother. Wei Mengying was more than 30 years old, who pa.s.sed out due to excessive tiredness. Although she was pregnant for a fourth time now, it was not easy for her either.

Today the birthday feast was full of risk. Song Yixiao had noticed her fatigue shown on her eyes.

Despite the gap between them, they were mother and daughter. Of course Song Yixiao wouldn't care whether she would offend anyone.

Wei Mengying patted the back of her hand, “I'm feeling a bit tired, but there is still some work to do…”

Frist Young Mistress hurried to say smilingly, “How can you be bothered by these trivial things?”

“Then I'll leave the remaining work to you!” Wei Mengying raised her head neatly, turned a blind eye to Second Young Mistress's curled lips and dragged her own daughter inside, “Kou'er, Chai'er, you two go to check on your father and brothers, who may be drunk or tired. Order the servants to look after them well! Yixiao, accompany me back to my room. I must have a rest!”

Despite that, Wei Mengying didn't lie down on the bed directly after arriving back home with Song Yixiao. She took off her formal dress and ornaments and then asked all the other irrelevant people to leave first and close the door. Rolling her golden bracelet, she said to Song Yixiao angrily, “Silly girl, how could you think that I would send Lu Guanlun to rescue you from the dilemma?”

In terms of this matter, Song Yixiao was in the wrong. Now that it was mentioned again, she said with a forced smile, “I am silly indeed, so I must be really lucky to have Mother.”

“Did Princess Changxing suffer today?” Wei Mengying, in a good mood now, said in a teasing way, “You told before that Jian Xubai didn't like you. Now you must know how he feels for you after this.”

Song Yixiao didn't agree with her. In her eyes, Jian Xubai was mean to Princess Changxing mainly because he didn't want to mess with his cousin but not because he wanted to give vent to his fiancée's anger.

She was about to explain when Wei Mengying said, “See? If you meet this type of rival in future, you can use the same trick as today! So what if she is a princess? If the man doesn't like her, regardless of her beauty or n.o.bility, it is no use at all! Even if she is shameless enough to keep messing with Jian Xubai, he has had a negative impression of her. No matter how changed she is, as long as you sow a bit of dissension, her effort will be in vain!”

This charming princess consort raised her fan to cover her face but her pleased eyes, “How dare you vie for husband with my daughter? Hum.”

She was so good with men that she made her two husbands love her dearly.

Song Yixiao made a curtsey sincerely, “Mother, you are so wise. I've kept your words in mind!”

Wei Mengying nodded her head smilingly and put down her fan, “Is Jian Xubai awake?”

“Yes, but…” When it came to this matter, Song Yixiao couldn't help thinking of the misunderstanding just now. She felt so depressed.

“It is me who sent Qiaoqin to deliver his message to Ji Su. No need to repeat it to me!” Wei Mengying interrupted her, “I have only one question. You've taken off clothes for him. When he woke up, did he say anything?”

Undoubtedly, Wei Mengying's question gave Song Yixiao a blow off guard. She almost fell off the bed, “Mo… Mother, what did you say?”

“Why are you flurried?” Faced with her panic, Wei Mengying remained calm and composed. She glimpsed her daughter and said calmly, “When Qiaoqin showed me the medicine, I thought that the Yewu Paste was applied externally so I guessed Jian Xubai was injured! However, after Qiaoqin told me about the usage of the two boxes of medicine, I asked her to deliver the message and not say too much!”

Then she poked Song Yixiao's forehead and said, “Don't you still believe that you didn't encounter anyone when you brought him to the Hanxia Villa because of luck?”

Song Yixiao was stunned!

She didn't know how to look at her mother, “Mother! I have been engaged to him!”

They were an engaged couple now. She didn't need to seduce him by some means!

She was speechless to her mother!

“If you two were not engaged, how could I let him take advantage of you?” Wei Mengying sneered with disdain and said patiently, “This is called love trick. When you get married later, you will know better about it! Let me tell you. No matter how decent a man is, he doesn't want a wife who is still serious and solemn in bed! Sometimes you just need this kind of misunderstanding. You were embarra.s.sed at that time but with hindsight, you would feel that it was kind of romantic! After that, it will be…”

Seeing her daughter stare at her aghast and ashamed, Wei Mengying slapped her hand unhappily, “What? Don't you want to listen to what I teach you? Think about it. The doctrine of woman that the teachers have told you sounds impressive, but what kind of life are they living? Apart from the two single ones, the others have to support her family with hard work and yet cannot stop their husbands from hooking up with other women outside.”

“It's okay to learn talents from them, but if you learn about the doctrine of woman from them, you will have a lot to suffer for the rest of your life!” Wei Mengying snorted and gave a proud look, “If you are not too stupid, you must forget about your dignity and listen to me. Yeah, I have a bad reputation, but I live well!”