Chapter 221 - The Battle Lines Are The Easiest To Draw When There Are Misunderstandings 3

General Yuan's mansion 

The madams all burst into low laughter, their laughter irritated Xia Yong who was yet to recover from the previous statement one of the madams made about the Crown Prince his new concubine. It felt like an indirect insult to her, although Madam Chen was yet to make any moves against her, Xia Ying was on edge. She did not like the means at which this new madam got married into the haram but to maintain her image in the eyes of the Crown Prince and society. She was forced into this mess, forced to entertain an unfaithful man. 

She felt a sudden sadness as she thought of the path not taken. These past few days she found herself thinking of how things would have been if she had married Lu Yaozhu not the Crown Prince. The discovery of Lu Yaozhu's real identity was the catalyst that pushed her further into those woods. Xia Ying glanced away from Su Liya and focused her gaze on her nearly empty cup of tea on her table while flexing her hands.

Daiyu bent low and whispered, "Your Highness, is there any problem", she glanced at the nearly empty cup of tea and quickly picked it up. Daiyu kept it aside, picked up the small pot of tea on the stove beside her mistress and poured her a fresh cup. Xia Ying frowned as she watched the golden brown liquid fill the cup, she bit her lips gently and glanced at Daiyu. 

Daiyu placed the pot of tea back on the fire, adjusting the fire to a lower temperature before turning around to face her mistress. She moved closer to Xia Ying and bent low as she noticed the heated gaze from her young mistress, "The tea was almost finished but I just ordered fresh pot for you. Your Highness, Is there anything else, you would like from me?"

Xia Ying moved her gaze from Su Liya who was making her salute to the celebrant back to the cup of tea within arms reach.

"The relationship between Su Liya and the Yuan family seems rather tense, don't you think?"

Daiyu glanced at the scene in front, the interaction between Su Liya and the old madam was as cold as it gets. She looked away a whispered to Xia Ying, "Such a reaction from both sides are expected give their relationship. Princess consort Wu is the love Child of eldest master Yuan and his concubine Su Xiaonuan".

"huh? How is that possible, wasn't she a lady's maid before her little upliftment? How come she had such a relationship with the Yuan family?" Xia Ying glanced from Su Liya to the old madam. Her brow furrowed as she remembered something, her gaze fell on Yuan Liqiu. "If I am remembering correctly although General Yuan heir is registered under the Eldest madam as her child. Small madam Su is his birth mother, with a huge contribution like that how come her eldest child was sold into servitude?"

Daiyu glanced around with her eyes, "your Highness is right, while Small Madam Su made such a huge contribution. It did nothing to improve the princess consort's standard of living, you see the princess was conceived two months after Eldest madam Yuan was married into the family. Although the old madam tried to keep it under wraps well it blew out of potion thanks to small madam Yuans public cries at the Yuan family gate. Eldest madam Yuan's family is very influential so as you can imagine. Small madam Yuan stood no chance against her and neither did the princess consort".

Her lips tip up, Xia Ying's was held at Su Liya as she brought the cup of tea to her lips and took a sip. "This Su Liya is full of surprises, isn't she. These days I am learning that people in the capital are not always as they seem. Keep an eye on those two sides".

"Yes"

After greeting Old madam Yuan and presenting her birthday gift, Su Liya was led to her seat by a maid. Soon all the guests were seated and the banquet began, there were various performances from the local theatre crew ranging from singing to dancing. Soon refreshments were served to the guests, the Yuan family spared no effort in ensuring that every single refreshment was tasty.

An hour and a half later the tranquillity of the birthday party was destroyed by the arrival of old madam Ning and Ning Boran's pregnant widow. This was a major event for the Yuan family and as such everyone of means and class were invited including the Ning family. The invitation was sent days before the Murder occurred and like other guests the Ning family RSVP to the event.

However, in the heat of the scandal, the Ning family pulled out of the party or at least that was what Eldest madam Yuan assumed. She was put in charge of the arrangements for the birthday party. As the eldest daughter-in-law, this was one of the responsibilities she had taken up in preparation to take over running the family with her husband. 

Since the Ning family were in mourning for their son, it was assumed that they would pull out of taking part in social events for some months. Based on the long-standing tradition that was expected, Eldest madam Yuan didn't bother guarding against them. Their sudden arrival caused quite the stare, the steward sent over some servants to report to the Eldest madam as the two women got down from the carriage. 

The steward initially had the situation under control but the tables turned when the Ning family servants that escorted the two madams pushed through their hold and created an opening for their madams to get into the mansion. Eldest madam Yuan stood to leave when two slender women dressed in mourning clothes rushed in. Everyone gasped shifting back in shock, a few stood as they tried to watch where both women were headed. Both women were identified by Eldest madam Yuan's words as they rushed in.

"Old madam Ning! Madam Ning hold on!"

Whispers began as the madams began muttering between themselves. Su Liya stood as she watched the two women in mourning closes fall on their knees in front of Xia Ying.

Old madam Ning grabbed Xia Ying's hand and cried out loudly, "my son died a painful death, your Highness please uphold mercy for us".

Her pregnant daughter-in-law joined her immediately, "your highness! Please get justice for my child's father. He has already lost his father unjustly, must his father's murderers also not get punished!"

The whispers increased and became louder after she had said that. Xia Ying glanced at Daiyu with a tight expression.