Nie Wuying hastened to explain, “No! No! I have a lot of jewelries. Those earrings are new to me, so I mentioned them thoughtlessly. Actually, they are not very special…”

Instantly, she was pinched by her maid again. Obviously, it was okay for her to reject Song Yixiao's kindness but why did she belittle the gift bought by another sister-in-law in the meanwhile? Although Earl Shouchun's wife was not at present, this talk was not private and words might be spread to her. After all, Earl Shouchun's wife didn't forget to buy something for Nie Wuying out of kindness while shopping for her own daughter. How could Nie Wuying pay back to her kindness with these improper utterances?

“I was not asking for gifts. I just heard you talk about ornaments so I brought up the earrings carelessly!” Nie Wuying got the hint of the maid and hurriedly continued to come up with an excuse. Pitifully, she got increasingly anxious and thus found it harder to talk well. In the end, she was almost crying, “I am very grateful that you can teach me Zhezhi Dance! I don't need other things! Really!”

Song Yixiao had no idea whether to cry or to laugh. After all, her husband's sister paid her a visit alone for the first time. It was reasonable for her to offer a present at the first meeting. Moreover, the present must cost Jian Xubai's money and she didn't have to spend her own money. When others learnt about the present, she would be the one to be praised rather than Jian Xubai.

To earn reputation for herself with her husband's money. Why not?

Therefore, upon hearing Nie Wuying talk of the earrings sent by Earl Shouchun's wife, Song Yixiao didn't feel being blackmailed. Instead, she was relieved. After all, she didn't know this sister-in-law well nor have any idea what she liked. What if the sister-in-law disliked some random present she sent?

Now that Nie Wuying talked of her preference herself, which saved a lot of trouble for Song Yixiao.

Unexpectedly, Nie Wuying turned out to be so bashful!

“Wuying, no hurry. Have some tea first!” Song Yixiao pulled a wry face and then said with a softened tone, “Frankly, I could seldom go out before I got married. I am a local in the imperial capital but in fact, I have little knowledge of other places than the big house. Therefore, I feel very happy to learn about an unheard-of store from you. That's why I want to send you something in return.”

She added, “Moreover, it is right and proper that the elder brother's wife buys something for the sister! If you insist on rejecting me, you are taking me as an outsider!”

Song Yixiao's maids took the hint and hastened to insert dialogue for comic relief so as to soothe the atmosphere and let Nie Wuying get recovered.

However, this girl was so bashful that she thought she must have made a fool of herself. Having eaten lunch reluctantly, Nie Wuying insisted on leaving no matter how Song Yixiao pressed her to stay.

Seeing her leave determinedly by carriage, Song Yixiao and her maids simmered with laughter, “If I had known Wuying was so bashful, I would not have spoken like that!”

Jinxun covered her mouth and said, “Actually, if Miss Nie just pushes the boat with the current and accepts your offer, it won't be any problem if it leaks out. After all, she is the foster daughter of Her Highness the Grand Princess and is raised in the Grand Princess's mansion. Can anyone think of her as avaricious if she accepts a few jewelries of yours? Yet, as she takes it too seriously, she appears nervous in public instead!”

She is not nervous in public but fears being misunderstood.” Song Yixiao shook her head, “Maybe because she used to suffer similar grievance, she pays extra attention to this aspect.”

Actually, what she really wanted to say was Nie Wuying had known about her birth origin and thus didn't want to leave a negative impression on others. In fact, this was not her fault. After all, who could have a choice on parents?

However, this was what the world was like. Foster daughter as she was, she did resemble Jinguo Grand Princess in appearance. Despite fear for the Grand Princess, no one dared to point fingers at her, but people still gossiped about her in secret and took a strange glance at her, which was too much for a 12-year-old coddled girl to bear with.

Still muddle-headed, Jinxun nodded her head though she didn't really understand, saying with expectation, “Then shall we go to the store mentioned by Miss Nie? I wonder how pretty the earrings are!”

“Even if we go there, I will not buy for you!” Song Yixiao rolled at her impatiently, “Mr. You's case is not over yet. How can I have time for shopping?”

If Nie Wuying was willing to accept her present, Song Yixiao would go there on her own to select something for her. However, given Nie Wuying's disposition, if Song Yixiao insisted on sending a gift to her, Nie Wuying wouldn't be grateful and even felt embarra.s.sed. By then, they would harbor grudge instead of getting along well!

Moreover, Song Yixiao didn't need jewelries now. Of course she must get rid of the current trouble before she had the mood to think about this kind of unimportant thing.

“I have saved the monthly allowances!” Jinxun got the cheese and felt grieved, “I didn't mean to let you buy for me!”

Song Yixiao was about to speak when a maid ran inside from outside and reported, “The errand-man sent by Private Adviser to Mayor of Jingzhao Munic.i.p.ality as well as Mr. Zuo, who came to meet you last time, is at the back door again!”

“Let him in!” Song Yixiao instantly became stern and ordered seriously.

The maids hastened to carry a six-folded screen from the side room and put it in the hall to prevent the errand-man from seeing the mistress's appearance.

After a while, the errand-man in black was conducted into the hall, who knew rites well and just fixed his eyes on the ground after striding over the threshold. Standing before the screen, he made a bow and said, “Madam, good day!”

“Just cut off the rites!” Song Yixiao said amicably, “How was the trial?”

You Hong was on trial this morning. By now, the trial should be over and supposedly, this errand-man was here to deliver the message.

“Madam, since Lord Mayor refused to side with Vice Minister Liu, Director Qiu has held grudge then. After the court meeting, Director Qiu even spoke something improper to Lord Mayor!”

“This morning when the trial began, the Fu Family even presented Fu Junchang's blood-stained clothes to the public so as to win sympathy!”

“This was not the worst! The attorney that the Fu Family hired today was no ordinary man. If it were not for that His Lords.h.i.+p was born and grew up in the imperial city, he would hardly recognize the attorney!”

“The attorney has been in the lawsuit industry for many years, who is rather reputed now. Never can Fu family afford him or have him work for them. He must be hired by Qiu and Liu!”

“Therefore, the whole trial was full of twists and turns, which was really surprising!”

Song Yixiao finally got the full picture of the story and then asked, “Then what is the result?”

The errand-man sensed the disgruntlement in her tone and felt frightened, regretting ever having claimed too many merits for his master. In a hurry he laughed faintly and said, “Luckily, Lord Mayor is very talented and His Lords.h.i.+p has made great effort so everything was under control!”

He was quick-witted but he was afraid to delay his master's business. Needless for Song Yixiao to ask, he hurried to say, “Mr. You is fined for a sum of money. The Fu Family were not satisfied with the result. Fu Junchang's parents even wailed about their son's serious injury and as return, Mr. You must be beaten with a stick for tens of times! The audience looked at Fu Junchang's weak appearance and also cried for support. However, Ms. Zhao also had her daughter carried to the trial with her grandson. In court, she also cried about what her daughter and grandson had suffered. The audience immediately s.h.i.+fted their ground and started to curse Fu Junchang instead!”

Song Yixiao was relieved to hear the outcome, asking, “Has the case been closed?”

“Yes.” The errand-man hesitated and then said, “But…”

“But what?”

“But, His Lords.h.i.+p feels that it went too weirdly smoothly!” The errand-man continued saying carefully, “After all, given the ident.i.ty of Director Qiu and Vice Minister Liu, since they are into this case, why did they do nothing about being rejected by Lord Mayor and afterwards only introduce a reputed attorney for the Fu Family?”

Why were their behaviors so inconsistent?

“Even if Director Qiu has to deal with a host of problems every day with no time to worry about this kind of trivial matter, Vice Minister Liu is an expert. He could create great difficulties by sending a senior official only!”

Now the case was closed only after one morning, “His Lords.h.i.+p is worried that they may have the next move!”

Song Yixiao felt the same way and then asked, “What does your master have in mind?”

“Nothing further from my master.” The errand-man apologized, “Please forgive me, Madam!”

“Never mind. This time, without the help of Mayor Ban and Mr. Zuo, Mr. You has to suffer much more!” Song Yixiao was not surprised to the reply. Ban Yanxiu and Zuo Licen showed partiality for Duke of Yan in terms of this case. Yet, since they were not good friends or subordinates, they had done enough by helping send news secretly and let You Hong be lightly sentenced.

Now they somewhat did their best by humanity and duty by giving such a reminder.

As to what happened next, they were not obliged to get into the trouble unless Jingzhao Munic.i.p.ality was involved again!

Song Yixiao expressed her grat.i.tude with a kind and pleasant countenance and ordered to reward the errand-man generously, saying implicitly, “We will show our grat.i.tude in some time. I hope that your master and Mayor Ban won't reject it by then!”

Then she had a maid see him off politely.

The maids came in again to take off the screen. While ma.s.saging the shoulder for Song Yixiao, Jinxun asked worriedly, “Madam, what do you think they will do next?”

She was happy to hear that the case had been closed and that You Hong only needed to pay a fine.

However, when she learnt that it was not over, she got nervous again. After all, You Hong's case happened so suddenly. Who would know what could possibly happen next?

Director Qiu was a senior official in court as well as the emperor's cousin. Jinxun had a feeling that she had to act carefully as if treading on thin ice!

Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.

Song Yixiao also knew about it. She was in deep thought with her eyes closed for a while. Then she stopped Jinxun from ma.s.saging her and sat up, saying, “That day, I was going to visit Qingjiang but I didn't go because of this incidence. Now that the case has been closed, I had better inquire Qingjiang and Madam Bai about the wedding gift for Yiyou first!”

Rolling her bracelet, she said casually, “After all, it is the 10th lunar month now. Yiyou and Princess Changxing will get married on the 6th day of the next lunar month. It will be the first time that an imperial daughter gets married, who is also the daughter born by the first empress. If the wedding gift is not good enough, Duke of Yan will be disgraced even if Princess Changxing doesn't condemn anyone!”

Regardless of the trouble, she had to live in the ways of the world.

Or, to put it in another way, the more trouble, the less she could neglect the ways of the world.