Aunt Zhao nodded.
After giving a perfunctory return greeting, the Second Young Master Nan sat there without saying a word. He had clearly gone to call for the Eldest Miss, so why was it the Second Miss who arrived?
Ji Wushang arrived at Jingyuan at this time. As soon as he stepped into Jingyuan, he saw that the courtyard was full of people.
Even Ji Meiyuan was there, which was good. In her previous life, these two were so affectionate in front of her!
Ji Wushang stepped forward, bowed gracefully to the matriarch of the family, said auspicious words, and then bowed to the concubines.
Ji Meiyuan looked at Ji Wushang and was extremely displeased. She hadn't seen her earlier and thought she wouldn't come, but she didn't expect her to show up now!
The matriarch smiled happily and said, "Aunt Zhao, this is the eldest maid, her maiden name is Wushang. Wushang, this is Aunt Zhao, and this is the Second Young Master Nan."
Aunt Zhao smiled as she listened, her triangular fox-like eyes scanning Ji Wushang up and down as if she were spying on something.
Ji Wushang inwardly scorned him, but still gracefully bowed, "Greetings, Aunt Zhao, greetings, Second Young Master Nan."
Nan Jinxue's gaze fell on Ji Wushang. She saw that Ji Wushang was wearing a blue and white silk jacket over a long floral snow-white satin dress. A blue ribbon was tied around her waist. Her black hair was styled into a flowing cloud bun, adorned with a gold and jade phoenix hairpin. She wore glass earrings, her cherry lips were naturally red, and her face was fair with a rosy glow. She looked refreshed, natural, and otherworldly.
Seeing that the Second Young Master Nan did not react to Ji Wushang's bow, Aunt Zhao realized that he was staring at her without blinking. She coughed lightly, and Nan Jinxue finally came to her senses. "Greetings, Miss Wushang."
Ji Meiyuan saw that Nan Jinxue was lost in thought because she was looking at Ji Wushang, which fueled her resentment.
Ji Wushang looked at Ji Meiyuan and frowned slightly, "Second sister is dressed so beautifully, it's dazzling!"
☆、069 The Second Miss brought this upon herself; she deserves it! (Brilliant!)
Upon hearing this, Ji Meiyuan assumed it was a compliment and immediately blurted out happily, "Of course!" However, when she finished speaking and saw the maids and servants around her snickering, Ji Meiyuan realized that she had just fallen into Ji Wushang's trap!
"Yes, it is indeed very vibrant." Ji Wushang nodded, suppressing a smile as he agreed.
Aunt Bai's face was extremely ugly. She coughed a few times, and the maids and servants immediately stopped talking and went back to work.
Ji Meiyuan's face turned pale and then green, especially in front of Nan Jinxue and Aunt Zhao! But she didn't know what to say, and for a moment, everyone was embarrassed.
Looking at the two girls, Madam Yuan shook her head inwardly, but smiled at Aunt Zhao, saying, "Aunt Zhao, you must be laughing at me. These two girls are just like that."
Aunt Zhao smiled ingratiatingly and said, "Not at all, both young ladies are very straightforward!"
"Frankness my foot!" Ji Wushang inwardly scorned Aunt Zhao. He had deliberately made things difficult for Ji Meiyuan just now, hoping to create a bad impression on Aunt Zhao and Nan Jinxue, at least making Aunt Zhao think he was a picky, untamable woman! If Aunt Zhao wanted a docile wife, she might as well look elsewhere!
Aunt Zhao's eyes darted around, seemingly lost in thought. Nan Jinxue remained silent, simply watching.
Ji Wushang watched and casually chatted with Madam Yuan, while Aunt Bai, Aunt Zhao, and Nan Jinxue slowly exchanged a few words, so the conversation wasn't too awkward.
At this moment, Ji Tiankui came in from outside. Seeing that everyone was seated, he said, "Greetings to the Grandmother and to all the concubines."
Upon hearing this, everyone around focused their attention on Ji Tiankui. The matriarch smiled and said, "Tiankui? How come everything was taken care of today?"
"Reporting to Grandmother, everything is settled for today. I heard in the front yard that Second Young Master Nan and Aunt Zhao had arrived, so I came to see them." Ji Tiankui looked at Nan Jinxue, "It's been a long time since I played chess with Second Young Master Nan, and I've been missing it."
Ji Wushang looked at his elder brother, who was dressed in ordinary clothes, but his starry eyes shone brightly, suggesting he was quite satisfied with his marriage. The marriage between the two families was settled, and the date was drawing ever closer; naturally, Ji Tiankui was overjoyed.
"That's true, the wedding is approaching. It's just a pity your father isn't in this household." The matriarch recalled Ji Tiankui's wedding, but Ji Dingbei wasn't present—what a regret! As for Ji Wuxia's wedding, the date had been temporarily changed while Ji Dingbei was away leading troops to suppress Japanese pirates along the coast. Both families were already engaged and naturally willing. The Zhou family also thought that it wouldn't be too late for Zhou Muxuan to marry after passing the imperial examinations; after all, the position of principal wife had already been given to Ji Wuxia, so they didn't care much about anything else.
Ji Wushang thought of Ji Dingbei. In his previous life, he hadn't encountered any Japanese pirates. He wondered if things had changed after his rebirth, or if he simply didn't know about Japanese pirates in his previous life. The situation was becoming increasingly complicated, leaving Ji Wushang with no choice but to take things one step at a time.
“Grandmother, what do you think? Why don’t we ask the Emperor to grant Father leave early to come back and see my elder brother’s wedding? After the ceremony, he can then resign and return to the southeast coast,” Ji Wushang suggested.
Upon hearing this, the matriarch thought it made some sense and nodded in approval, "Yes, yes, that's a good idea. It would be good to let your father come back for a few days!" As she spoke, she looked at Ji Wushang and said, "Wushang is so sensible and thoughtful!"
Ji Tiankui was delighted to hear this, after all, he had always admired Ji Dingbei. As a son, it was natural to worship his father as a god. To gain Ji Dingbei's approval was exactly what Ji Tiankui had been hoping for.
Ji Tiankui smiled at Ji Wushang and said, "Little sister is truly clever! To come up with such a good idea!"
"I'll tell you any good ideas!" Ji Meiyuan muttered under her breath, feeling indignant. Bai Yiniang overheard her and immediately gave her a cold glare.
Ji Wushang looked at her and smiled slightly. "Second sister, what do you think? Do you have a better way to get Father to come back on the day of eldest brother's wedding?"
Upon hearing this, Ji Meiyuan thought of showing off her power, but she couldn't think of a good way. Everyone's eyes turned to her, and Ji Meiyuan lowered her head, "Big sister is right."
Nan Jinxue looked at Ji Wushang and praised, "Miss Wushang's suggestion is excellent. In this way, the family can be reunited, which is wonderful."
Ji Wushang forced a smile and then nodded politely to Nan Jinxue.
Aunt Zhao watched their every move, calculating in her mind, weighing this and that, and for a moment, she found it difficult to make a decision. However, Aunt Zhao was no pushover, and naturally, she wouldn't let things slip out of her control.
Ji Tiankui laughed heartily, "I'm going to practice my sword in the woods. Would Young Master Nan like to come along?"
"Come on," Nan Jinxue said after a moment's thought. Rather than sitting here talking nonsense with them, she might as well chat with Ji Tiankui and perhaps get some information about Ji Wushang from him.
Seeing Nan Jinxue about to leave, Ji Meiyuan impulsively tried to stand up, but Aunt Bai grabbed her hand tightly, glaring fiercely at Ji Meiyuan. Ji Meiyuan protested, "Brother, I want to go too."
Aunt Bai's face darkened. "Where are you going? Those two have something to say. What are you doing, a young woman, getting involved?"
As Ji Meiyuan listened, her face darkened, and she sat back down in her seat.
Aunt Zhao smiled as she looked at her. "Aunt Bai is very strict with the Second Miss! Sigh, my daughters are all very wild, unlike the Second Miss who is so gentle."
"Aunt Zhao is really making fun of my daughter. Isn't it because she's been disciplined that she's so obedient? She's read a lot of the precepts and instructions for women, and she knows how to behave properly," Aunt Bai said, trying her best to be kind.
Ji Wushang was practically bursting with suppressed rage. Was this some kind of sense of propriety? She'd probably gone too far with her infatuation. Acting without thinking, she didn't even know if her brain was full of grass.
Nan Jinxue was just thinking about whether to refuse after hearing Ji Meiyuan's words, but unexpectedly Aunt Bai had already scolded her, so she said, "Then, please take good care of Aunt Bai. Jinxue will take her leave first." As she spoke, her eyes drifted towards Ji Wushang, hoping that Ji Wushang would look over, but unfortunately, Ji Wushang never looked at her directly from beginning to end.
Nan Jinxue sighed inwardly and left with Ji Tiankui.
After the two men left, the atmosphere became somber. The matriarch ordered some refreshments, and the group chatted about random things.
“I say, Madam, this General’s Mansion is really big, probably even bigger than the Marquis of Jinnan’s Mansion! Look, those buildings in the distance are magnificent and spectacular!” Aunt Zhao said with a smile.
The matriarch took a sip of tea. "You're really making fun of our General's Mansion! This place is so big, how can it compare to the Marquis of Jinnan's Mansion?"
"Ah," Aunt Zhao seemed to sigh, "I'm afraid we'll have to take a stroll around the General's Mansion. It's a rare opportunity to come all this way!"
What's there to see? What's she doing here at the General's Mansion? But before Ji Wushang could speak, Ji Meiyuan interjected, "Since Aunt Zhao is so eager to see our mansion, how can we refuse? I'll show Aunt Zhao around. I'll definitely be a good guide!"
Aunt Bai glanced at Ji Meiyuan and felt that she had raised this daughter in vain. Was she really so eager to build a relationship with her future mother-in-law? As an unmarried woman, she should have a dignified demeanor. Ji Meiyuan's purpose was very obvious!
However, Aunt Bai couldn't say anything. How could she make a scene in front of Aunt Zhao?
"Second sister has such refined tastes." Ji Wushang smiled. This Ji Meiyuan must be a little mentally deficient, otherwise she wouldn't be so brain-dead.
“Grandmother, what do you think? Meiyuan really wants to take Aunt Zhao around our General’s Mansion!” Since the old lady hadn’t spoken for a long time, Ji Meiyuan naturally took the initiative to ask.
The original intention of the matriarch was to facilitate the marriage between Ji Wushang and Nan Jinxue, after all, they were well-matched in terms of social status, and with his father being a marquis, Nan Jinxue would have no problem rising to prominence in the future. Whether he excelled in literature or martial arts, he could make a name for himself. But now, how come Ji Meiyuan has suddenly taken a liking to Nan Jinxue as well...
"Wu Shang, you can come along too!" The old lady pursed her lips, ate a piece of pastry, and said, "You two maids should take Aunt Zhao around and have a good time."
Upon hearing this, Ji Wushang frowned slightly. Why was he being dragged into this? He had already made it very subtle to suggest that Ji Meiyuan go, but his grandmother... it seemed that his grandmother's mind was on his marriage.
We need to come up with a plan. She absolutely cannot marry into the Marquis's household and become Nan Jinxue's woman.
Ji Meiyuan listened with a slight displeasure on her face, but as long as she could get close to Aunt Zhao, Nan Jinxue's birth mother, she naturally had to smile. All she had to do was take a step back and try to get on Aunt Zhao's good side.
"You all be careful." Seeing that Ji Meiyuan was determined to curry favor with Aunt Zhao, Aunt Bai could only go along with her. However, as she spoke, she looked at Ji Wushang, and the malice in her eyes was clearly written on her face.
So the three of them, accompanied by a few maids, left the quiet garden and wandered around.
Along the way, Ji Meiyuan chattered away like a duck, introducing the buildings and people in the General's Mansion. Aunt Zhao was actually distracted, so she didn't show any joy listening to Ji Meiyuan's eloquent descriptions. However, her eyes kept glancing at Ji Wushang.
Jin Xue had clearly said that Ji Wushang was virtuous, kind, and obedient, but just now, it was obvious from her appearance that this woman was not someone to be trifled with. Although she looked serene now, how could anyone know what she was thinking? If marrying Jin Xue turned out to be a ruthless woman, it would be a huge disadvantage for him! If she protected him, that would be fine, but he feared she might have ulterior motives!
Ji Wushang let her scrutinize him. In terms of cunning, he was probably no match for this Aunt Zhao! In his past life in the Marquis's mansion, although he was timid and dared not cause trouble, he could still tell from the maids and servants' private discussions how Aunt Zhao had caused certain concubines to have abortions, made certain concubines' daughters mentally impaired, and arbitrarily married off and sold off maids. What else could she be but an ungrateful wretch? Such a vicious person deserved to be struck by lightning!
He had hoped never to have anything to do with the Jin Nan Marquis's family again in this life, but fate had other plans, and he still had to cross paths with them! Was it destiny? Ji Wushang was slightly lost in thought, and chuckled to himself. Just a few days ago, the Nan Prince had sent gifts, and today the Second Young Master Nan had brought his concubine over. What an eventful day!
"What are you thinking about, eldest sister?" Ji Meiyuan noticed her absent-mindedness and called out deliberately, so that Aunt Zhao would know that Ji Wushang was arrogant and disrespectful to Aunt Zhao. Such a lack of manners meant that she was not fit to marry the Second Young Master of the South!
Hearing Ji Meiyuan's call, Aunt Zhao turned around and looked at Ji Wushang, who was now all smiles. "I was thinking that Aunt Zhao has already seen so many places, she might be tired. I wonder if she would like to find a place to sit down and take a short rest before continuing to look around."
Ji Meiyuan glared at Ji Wushang. She knew how to talk, but of course, she couldn't let her steal the spotlight. "That's a good idea, Aunt Zhao. Why don't we sit in that pavilion over there?" she said, pointing to the pavilion by the lotus pond. It was almost Mid-Autumn Festival, and some water lilies in the pond hadn't yet withered, scattered about, some already bearing small fruits. Looking at the lotus pond, Ji Meiyuan immediately had an idea.
Ji Wushang looked at the lotus pond and the pavilion, which was quite elegant. It would be a nice place to sit and enjoy the breeze. "Aunt Zhao, why don't you sit in the pavilion by the lotus pond over there?"
"Very well." Aunt Zhao glanced at Ji Wushang, then at Ji Meiyuan. What were these two sisters up to? Let's see how they put on their act.
Ji Meiyuan deliberately let Ji Wushang lead Aunt Zhao ahead, while she followed behind. Ji Wushang glanced at her a few times but didn't say anything.
Ji Meiyuan pulled Baoqi, who was following beside her, and said, "Baoqi, wait a moment and do this and that."
Upon hearing this, Baoqi immediately looked puzzled. "Miss, why did you send those maids away when nothing was wrong?"
"Just do what I tell you to do. Why ask so many questions?" Ji Meiyuan said harshly. "You little hussy, you're so talkative!"
"But Miss, the eldest young lady's maid, Xian'er, is always by her side. How can we send her away?" Baoqi couldn't understand why the second young lady would do this. What good would it do to send her away? Sending her away would probably just let Ji Wushang and Aunt Zhao talk more, and it might even strengthen their relationship!
"Can't you make something up?" Ji Meiyuan glared at her. "You pig-brain, when will you ever be any smarter? If it weren't for that little hussy Zhuguang being beaten by the eldest sister and still unable to get up, I would have already taken away your position as head maid! There are plenty of maids in this mansion. If you don't want to do it, then get out of the mansion!"
Upon hearing this, Baoqi was immediately frightened. She hadn't been a head maid for very long! She immediately replied, "Yes, yes, yes, Miss, this servant will definitely do a good job!" Without thinking of anything else, she immediately agreed.
Ji Meiyuan listened and nodded. She quickly followed, not wanting Ji Wushang and Aunt Zhao to talk too much, lest Aunt Zhao think Ji Wushang was virtuous, kind, and eloquent!
Ji Wushang turned around and looked at her as she approached, smiling slightly. His bright eyes looked at Ji Meiyuan, sending a chill down Ji Meiyuan's spine. But Ji Wushang then smiled and said, "Why did you take so long to catch up, Second Sister?"
"Isn't it because the weather changes so quickly? My clothes are a bit hot, so I'm a little slow. This pavilion is perfect for cooling off," Ji Meiyuan said, already standing next to Aunt Zhao. "Aunt Zhao, please sit down. The view from this pavilion is quite nice."
Seeing her happy, Aunt Zhao nodded.
The three of them sat down at the table, and a maidservant poured them tea. They then began to chat and laugh.
Ji Meiyuan looked at the tea with some displeasure and said, "We're here to cool off in the pavilion, why is there only tea and no snacks?"
Baoqi looked on and immediately stepped forward, saying, "It seems there are still some prepared snacks in the dining hall. Chunluo, go into the dining hall and see if there are any more delicious snacks. Xiahe, go and get some too! Sister Xian'er, let's go see the old lady. It seems she still has a few kinds of snacks that she didn't bring over. The old lady has given them to us."
Xian'er muttered to herself as she looked at Ji Wushang's opinion, wondering how a simple request for some snacks could have caused all the maids who were with her to disperse.
"Xian'er, come along! Grandmother loves snacks, so have the kitchen prepare some fresh ones. Give some to Grandmother, and bring some over here too, so Aunt Zhao can try some new things." Ji Wushang smiled and went along with Ji Meiyuan's suggestion. She was thinking of coming up with some new tricks, so he'd play along! Let's see what she's up to!
Upon hearing this, Ji Meiyuan inwardly cursed Ji Wushang for being brainless, but outwardly smiled and said, "Big sister is so thoughtful."
Aunt Zhao listened and said, "That's really thoughtful of you."
“We juniors should naturally respect our elders,” Ji Wushang replied.
Ji Meiyuan listened with a smile, but a hint of something else flashed across her face. "Those water lilies are quite nice. I'll go take a look." As she spoke, she walked to the railing. The lotus pond was right next to the pavilion, separated only by a long railing. She could comfortably look at the scenery in the lotus pond, although the long railing was a bit low, and the greenery was extremely pleasing to the eye.
Aunt Zhao and Ji Wushang turned to look and saw Ji Meiyuan leaning out and waving her hand playfully in the wind. Aunt Zhao said, "Second Miss, you should be careful. There's a lotus pond down there. It wouldn't be good if you fell in."
Ji Wushang smiled and said, "Second sister, please be careful!"
Ji Meiyuan smiled and turned to look at the two women. "Auntie and Eldest Sister, what's there to be careful about? Look how beautiful these flowers are! Oh, and there are some goldfish down there!" As she spoke, Ji Meiyuan turned back to look at the pond below, as if she had discovered something, and was overjoyed.