She gently touched her lower abdomen, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
I absolutely must have a son!
After Xiao Ji went to the outer study, Aunt Xu instructed, "Qiaozhi, go and call the eldest young lady here!" She also wanted to give Yao Niang a few more instructions, telling her not to cause any trouble these days, as she needed to hurry up and find a suitable marriage for Yao Niang!
Qiaozhi agreed and went, returning a moment later. "Auntie, the Third Miss has invited the Eldest Miss to the Second Miss's courtyard!"
Yingniang came to ask Yaoniang to go see Jinniang? Aunt Xu frowned slightly, feeling somewhat displeased.
Yingniang is too cunning; I'm afraid even two Yaoniangs wouldn't be a match for her!
"Have the young lady come to me as soon as she returns!"
******************
Jinrong Academy.
Yingniang dragged Yaoniang along to see Xiao Jin, just so that she could pin anything on Yaoniang.
She knew Yao Niang's temperament all too well; with the slightest provocation, she couldn't contain herself.
"Second sister! Eldest sister and I have come to see you!" Yingniang's silvery voice rang out in Jinrong Courtyard.
Xiao Jin's brow twitched. What were they doing here? Were they gathering information for his two concubines? It seemed his calm demeanor had unsettled them!
Very well, since they want to cause trouble... then let's find something for them to do!
"Elder sister, Yingniang!" When Xiao Jin appeared before them, looking radiant, they all felt a strange sensation. How could Xiao Jin be so different from what they had imagined!
"Jinniang, you look radiant!" Yaoniang said with a seemingly carefree smile. "That saying is true, people are in high spirits when they have good news! You have great joy! Marrying into the Duke's mansion means you'll enjoy endless wealth and honor for the rest of your life!"
To their surprise, Xiao Jin readily accepted Yao Niang's "compliment," smiling and saying, "Thank you, elder sister!"
She really thinks she's married into a high-class family! Yao Niang was furious and said sarcastically, "Sister, you're so lucky! Third Master Chu has some flaws in his face, but to be able to marry a wife as beautiful as you, he must dote on you!"
"Thank you for your kind words, elder sister!" Xiao Jin remained unperturbed and continued to smile.
"You really think you're—" Yao Niang's expression changed, and she was about to retort when Ying Niang laughed and changed the subject, "Second sister, eldest sister just loves to joke!"
Normally, Xiao Jin would let it go and not make a fuss, but today she didn't want them to have an easy time! "How can you call it a joke?" Xiao Jin smiled calmly. "Don't you think so, Third Sister?"
This immediately silenced Yingniang before she could speak.
She originally wanted to act as a peacemaker, putting Yao Niang down to show that she genuinely cared about Xiao Jin, and then probe further, but she didn't expect Xiao Jin to not give her any face at all!
"Second Sister!" Yingniang pouted, feeling a little aggrieved. "Of course I want Second Sister to be happy!"
Xiao Jin raised an eyebrow, offering no comment.
"My eldest sister and I came to see if there's anything we can do to help my second sister..." Seeing that Xiao Jin wouldn't give her face, Yingniang had no choice but to continue, "I didn't mean anything by it!"
You don't have it? Xiao Jin sneered inwardly. Could it be that Yao Niang does?
"Thank you for your kindness!" Xiao Jin said gently, her smile unchanged. "I do need your help!"
Xiao Jin is so good at seizing opportunities!
Both Yao Niang and Ying Niang had a bad feeling; Xiao Jin was unusually aggressive today!
"I hadn't prepared anything beforehand, and my dowry hasn't been embroidered yet!" Xiao Jin said with a smile. "It would be wonderful if my eldest sister and third sister could help!"
Yao Niang and Ying Niang both breathed a sigh of relief; it turned out to be embroidery for their dowry. Others would handle the needlework, but they took these back to have them made, hoping to gain favor in the process!
"I'm really at my wit's end!" Before the two could speak, Xiao Jin immediately added, "I wanted to ask someone skilled in needlework for help, but then I thought, after all, I've married into the Duke's mansion! Wouldn't those unrefined tasks make our scholar's mansion look bad?"
"I trust my eldest sister's and third sister's cooking skills!"
Xiao Jin actually wants them to embroider it for her by hand? Has she gone mad?
"Jinniang, don't put on airs!" Yaoniang sneered. "Who do you think you are, trying to order me around doing needlework for you? Are all the people in your courtyard dead? Is Zisu too incapable of holding a needle and thread?"
Xiao Jin wasn't angry. He just glanced at Yao Niang with his cold eyes and said slowly, "The people in my courtyard naturally have their own things to do!"
Yao Niang was even more furious upon hearing this. Her people were busy, so why should she be expected to serve her? "Jin Niang, don't push your luck!"
Xiao Jin shrugged, feigning helplessness, her face full of innocence. "I didn't mean that at all. It was me who went to Cuiluo Courtyard and Qingtong Courtyard to ask my eldest sister and third sister for help. It was my eldest sister and third sister who took the initiative to come to Jinrong Courtyard to offer their assistance..."
Yingniang, who had been standing aside, felt a sudden tightness in her chest and looked up to see the resentful look Yaoniang was giving her.
"Yingniang!" Yaoniang finally realized that Yingniang had been using her as a pawn all along. She said resentfully, "I heard from Aunt Chen that your needlework has improved a lot in the past two years!"
Yingniang looked somewhat embarrassed. "My skills are really not up to par! I'm afraid it would be embarrassing for Second Sister if I were to embroider her dowry! I could probably embroider something small like a purse or sachet!"
As expected of Yingniang! She uses minimal effort to achieve maximum effect. Does she think she can get away with this so easily? No way!
Xiao Jin had already made up her mind to make things difficult for the two of them, so they wouldn't keep causing her any peace and quiet with their constant scheming. They would have to embroider the dowry whether they wanted to or not!
"Master, you've arrived!" Cuizhu's deliberately raised voice was exceptionally clear in the brief silence.
Xiao Ji has arrived?
Xiao Jin almost couldn't help but sneer. He actually dared to step into Jinrong Courtyard? This was truly unprecedented!
Seeing the obvious relief on Yao Niang and Ying Niang's faces, Xiao Jin sneered inwardly.
They thought Xiao Ji came to save their lives? Don't even think about it!
So she decided to turn this life-saving talisman into a death warrant!