Jian Xubai didn't know that his fiancée was so angry that she even started to think about killing him. After helping Song Yixiao dry up her hair, he threw the towel on the ottoman and said smilingly, “A fair transaction.”

He lied on bed confidently and was going to sleep. Yet, he was still grasping her tightly. Song Yixiao couldn't let go of him after trying for a few times, saying angrily, “Release my hands!”

When she went upstairs, she was only wearing underclothes and a rope. After the previous episode, her rope was left somewhere and the fastening of the underclothes was also a bit loose.

Even though it was dark in the bed net, he couldn't see her clearly. However, after pulling and pus.h.i.+ng for a long time, inevitably, he touched quite some parts of her body. Now that Jian Xubai grabbed her wrists and pressed her on the bed, he put his arms around her waist in bed. Basically, he was cuddling her at the moment!

Song Yixiao could feel the firmness and hotness of his chest via her nearly naked back!

How was it possible that she didn't voice out?

“No way!” Jian Xubai said with a casual air, “Should you get too angry later, what if you beat me again while I'm sleeping?”

Actually, she felt anxious to beat him now!

Song Yixiao gritted her teeth and realized that she was no match for him at all. After taking a deep breath for several times, she decided to trick him first, “Do you think only you want to sleep? I am tired too! Who would stay awake only to beat you vent anger?”

Jian Xubai replied positively and said, “After all, you are tired. You can sleep anyway. Why do you insist on me releasing you?”

“Since you don't respect me, why do you ask me to marry you?” Song Yixiao felt so depressed.

Now she demanded that Jian Xubai let go of her not fully out of anger and shame. Instead, she couldn't help doubting whether he respected her or not. After all, she didn't expect Jian Xubai to love her. After they got married, she only counted on his respect and trust for her. If he didn't respect her at all, how could she live on?

“If I didn't respect you, why did I let you beat me just now?” Jian Xubai sensed her anger and suspicion, and still said in a slow voice, “Even my mother and grandmother have never done me the slightest harm!”

He tucked the quilt around her, “Don't think too much. It's too late. Sleep now!”

Then no matter what Song Yixiao said to him, he paid no attention at all.

After Song Yixiao talked quite much, she realized that the man next to her was breathing steadily. He was asleep already!

Song Yixiao was speechless.

If it were not for that she were cuddled by him with her wrists grabbed by him and legs pressed by him, she would rise and beat him harshly!

The next day, after waking up, Song Yixiao thought of one question. Last night, did she fall asleep because she was too tired or she was too irritated by Jian Xubai?

However, Jian Xubai had left quietly at the moment.

Song Yixiao couldn't find the target even if she wanted to vent her anger!

Angry and sulky, she cleaned herself and got changed. She went downstairs to have breakfast with Wei Chan and take a walk and chat in the yard as usual.

After taking a walk to help digest, Song Yixiao thought of the embroidery that she promised to give Sikong Yiluo. Then she sent a servant to fetch silk and threads for selection.

Yet, she could only do some selecting. Her arm was still “injured”. It didn't take her much strength to do the embroidery, but her fingers must move agilely. Since Song Yixiao's arm was seriously injured enough to send for a doctor, she couldn't make the embroidery then.

It was now that Wei Chan realized that she was injured. Inevitably, she hastened to ask her about the injury and didn't let go until Song Yixiao told her repeatedly that she was fine and no scar would be left.

“Yixiao, you cannot embroider now. How about teaching me about it?” It was dull to sit here only. In order to prevent others from making trouble for her, she had better not wander outside. Wei Chan proposed, “I have been recently thinking about making a purse.”

“Sure!” Song Yixiao was fine with that and said with a nod, “I have all the materials here. Just pick some at will! When you are done picking, I will be here watching you make the purse.”

Wei Chan's embroidery was way no match for Song Yixiao but she acted neatly. Under the guidance of Song Yixiao, she undid the embroidery once in a while and eventually made more than half of the purse in one morning.

“You just embroider some simple patterns on the other side, and your purse will be finished today.” Over lunch, Song Yixiao looked at the purse and said teasingly, “Is the purse made for me?”

Wei Chan gave a sweet smile, “This is only an exercise. How can I give it to you? When I make more progress and make some more, I will pick the best one and send it you.”

“I've got the essence of your talking!” Song Yixiao said to Ms. Zhao next to her, “Only if I teach her heartily can I get a purse from her! Otherwise, I cannot have one then!”

Ms. Zhao said smilingly, “Lady Chan likes you so she wants to give you the best one!”

Wei Chan patted her palms and grinned, “Ms. Zhao knows me so well!”

Amidst talking and laughing, Ms. Zhao winked at Song Yixiao when Wei Chan didn't pay attention.

Song Yixiao thought for a while and then took a tumble. The d.a.m.ned Jian Xubai!

Having gone through last night, she forgot that Wei Chan seemed to suffer wrong at the birthday feast.

Luckily, Ms. Zhao gave her a reminder!

Thinking of this, Song Yixiao was about to sound out Wei Chan's intention when Qiaoqin walked inside.

Seeing them having a meal, she hastened to apologize, saying, “Your Ladys.h.i.+p, is your arm better? Your Highness the Princess Consort is worried about you and thinks that the Dowager Consort's birthday has been over. Now that it is okay to send for a doctor, Her Highness has made an appointment with the doctor and he will come here this afternoon to check your injury!”

This had been well arranged. Song Yixiao nodded her head, “I will ask them to clean the side hall and hitch the curtain.”

Qiaoqin left then. As the doctor would arrive soon, Song Yixiao didn't want her conversation with Wei Chan to be interrupted. Hence, she intended to talk well with Wei Chan after the doctor left.

Unexpectedly, before the doctor arrived, Wei Mengying got to her place when the curtain was just hung in the side hall.

It was no big deal. After all, the doctor was a man from outside. Even via the curtain, it would be better with a senior at present. In particular, Wei Mengying thought highly of her elder daughter very much. Since there was something wrong with Song Yixiao's health, how could she not stay aside?

To Song Yixiao's surprise, Wei Mengying also brought Lu Guanyun here.

“This kid always wants to stay with me. You know, I've been tired these days. How can I have time to be with him?” Wei Mengying said to her daughter in front of others, “Zhuo'er is too young to play with him. His other brothers and sisters have their own businesses and it is improper to disturb them. Thinking back and forth, I suppose that you happen to have a few days to spend with him since you need to rest at your place. After all, you are his elder sister and he is only four years old. Others cannot point any fingers at you. What do you think?”

Song Yixiao was half dubious about her words, mainly because she found that Lu Guanyun didn't bring his foster nurse and regular maids since he was to live in the Hanxia Villa. He only had two little maids who were about 11 or 12 years old. They were not even the common servants.

“Does anyone want to scheme against Guanyun?” She was surprised in secret and touched Lu Guanyun's head. He was also in the blues.

He greeted them simply and stayed silent no matter what he heard, acting like a withered sapling. He was not mischievous as before anymore.

“It is great that Guanyun can sojourn here for a few days. I just said to Chan that we were too vacant here!” Song Yixiao held back her emotion and agreed with a smile.

Then Wei Mengying started to have a small talk with her daughter and niece.

Very soon, the servant reported to her that the doctor had arrived. Wei Mengying asked Ms. Zhao to keep Lu Guanyun on watch, “Let him play in the yard and don't give him too much sugar, regardless of his badgering!”

Accompanied by the maids, she left for the side hall with Song Yixiao and Wei Chan.

After they sat well behind the curtain, the servant conducted the doctor inside.

Although Song Yixiao's injury was on her arm, given the etiquette of a lady, she couldn't expose her arm to the doctor. Then a napkin was placed on her arm before it reached out of the curtain for the doctor to make a diagnosis.

Via the curtain, Song Yixiao couldn't see clearly what the doctor looked like. According to his voice, he must be somewhat old. Having taken her pulse, he mumbled some complicated jargons. After being asked by Wei Mengying, he answered briefly, “Her Ladys.h.i.+p will get recovered after taking the medicine. No scar or lingering illness will be left. Your Highness and Your Ladys.h.i.+p, please rest a.s.sured!”

Wei Mengying asked him when Song Yixiao would recover, “My daughter will get married this year. I'm afraid that she will not be rather in the following days. Although it is her left arm that is injured, it is not convenient anyway. Hence, I hope to know exactly when she will recover then.”

The doctor stayed silent for a while and said, “With proper rest and treatment, she will be recovered in one month.”

“Thank you!” The doctor was hired by Wei Mengying. Of course he spoke as per her order. After all, Princess Changxing only grabbed Song Yixiao by the arm for a while. If the injury was too exaggeratingly serious, the princess might be fooled but the Empress Dowager and the Empress wouldn't! On the contrary, if the injury was too light, Song Yixiao wouldn't gain enough attention either.

One month was neither too long nor short, which wouldn't postpone Song Yixiao's preparation for the wedding. Instead, in name of treatment, Wei Mengying could take good care of her daughter so that Song Yixiao could get pregnant soon after getting married to stabilize her foothold. Moreover, it was enough to arouse the attention from the n.o.ble in the imperial palace, who would comfort Song Yixiao well in order to maintain the reputation of the royal household!

Having seen the doctor off, Wei Mengying sent her niece away with an excuse. She only kept her daughter in the room and said, “Just take the medicine that the doctor prescribes. The internally used medicine is for nouris.h.i.+ng your body and the externally used one is good for your skin. Both of them are beneficial for your health.”

Then she taught Song Yixiao various skills for dealing with the Empress Dowager's questions amidst meeting in a few days.

Afterwards, she talked of Lu Guanyun's sojourn in the Hanxia Villa. Wei Mengying put on a stern face instantly, “Maybe because you are to marry into the purple and I am not feeling well these days, that old hen places the target at Guanyun! Luckily, I have noticed this problem! Now that Guanyun's servants are not of much use, I cannot find so many reliable people to refill in the positions. I've thought it through and believed that it is safer for him to stay with you!”

Song Yixiao said in surprise, “Guanyun is also the grandson of the Dowager Consort!”

“Grandson?” Wei Mengying glimpsed her daughter sneeringly, “It's not that I mean to hit your sore spot, but do you think Madam Pang is the only evil in the world?”

Thinking of her grandmother, Song Yixiao was speechless.

Wei Mengying said meaningfully, “Moreover, since the ringleader takes action at the moment and targets at Guanyun, it must be that old thing, which is the most favorable for us!”

Seeing Song Yixiao's alarmed and panicked face, she laughed, “Have you understood?”

It turned out that Wei Mengying was not interested in the real ringleader. Anyhow, she just wanted to hold her mother-in-law accountable!

“Generally, people don't believe that grandmother will do harm to her grandson.” Song Yixiao thought of another thing, “However, the Dowager Consort just conspired to pave way for Master Guanlun at the cost of Chai'er not long before…”

Since she could sacrifice the granddaughter born by a concubine for her beloved legitimate grandson, it was also possible that she would kill a legitimate son born by the stepmother that she didn't like?

Song Yixiao witnessed her birth mother's scheme again!

“I'm afraid that Mother has started to set up this trap after learning about Chai'er's matter!”