Chapter 220

The Empress Dowager snorted, “Since you know that the Su Family has done a great favor for the clansmen of the late Prince of Chengyang but Elder Lady Duanmu still pulls a fast on the nephew-in-law of the Su Family abruptly, do you even need to ask who she prefers?”

Actually, Song Yixiao felt the same way, but she didn’t know much about Elder Lady Duanmu. Now that she got a certain response from the Empress Dowager, she was finally relieved with a sigh. Her husband wouldn’t need to turn against this senior then!

However, when she excused herself with joy and expedition and went out of the imperial palace, she happened to see that Elder Lady Duanmu was helped to get into the carriage by Lu He’ai and Shen Qimo. As she hastened to go forward and pay respects, this elder lady, who was always amicable to her, took a cold glance at her and ordered the carter drily as if not seeing her, “Let’s go!”

“Yixiao!” The abrupt change of attitude was confusing to Lu He’ai and his other two peers. They felt rather embarrassed. The smartest one of them, Shen Qimo, subconsciously called her, seemingly intending to smooth things over by saying something on behalf of Elder Lady Duanmu. However, before she thought of a suitable remark, the Elder Lady said coldly from the carriage, “Qimo, why haven’t you got into the carriage?”

Shen Qimo had to give Song Yixiao an apologetic look. With no courage to say anything further, she quickly lifted her dress and got into the carriage.

As to Lu He’ai and Lu Heyu, they just smiled apologetically and also followed into the carriage, escorting Elder Lady Duanmu away.

“What’s going on?” Song Yixiao felt very confused, “How come Grandaunt’s attitude to me becomes so different?”

She was really puzzled. Having pondered a while, she decided to tell Jian Limiao the result of entering the imperial palace. After all, it was Uncle Limiao who advised her to meet the Empress Dowager. Now that she was out of the imperial palace, she had to report to him on the result and also ask him to find out the reason why Elder Lady Duanmu’s attitude was changed.

After a while, she told Jian Limiao that the Empress Dowager was not going to do anything to Elder Lady Duanmu and then said, “When I went out of the imperial palace, I happened to meet Grandaunt. I was going to pay respects to her but somehow, she seemed disgruntled at me and even left without paying attention to me. Afterwards, when Qimo wanted to talk with me, she was stopped by Grandaunt! I really wonder why.”

Song Yixiao asked, “Did I do anything wrong to make Grandaunt unhappy?”

Jian Limiao looked really confounded, “You always behave well. What wrong can you have done? Even if you have done anything improper by accident, in terms of Grandaunt’s personality, she shouldn’t be mad about it. Why did she treat you like that?”

He thought for a while and then said in the end, “The yamen is about to be closed. Go back to your mansion first! I’ll go to ask Grandaunt tomorrow. She is old now. Inevitably, she may act negligently once in a while. Don’t take it too personally!”

In a hurry, Song Yixiao said, “I dare not! I’m just afraid that I’ve hurt Grandaunt’s feelings unknowingly!”

Jian Limiao comforted her gently and then sent her a set of quality stationery as a conciliatory gift before letting her leave.

After she returned to Duke of Yan’s mansion, Jian Xubai also came back before long.

“What happened today is so unbelievable!” Song Yixiao went forward to fetch his robe from him and made tea for him. After gesturing for the servants to leave, she told him what happened today in a low voice and then asked, “She was nice to me when we met last time. Even Uncle Limiao can’t think of the reason for her changed attitude!”

Jian Xubai asked in confusion, “How is it possible? How can she ignore you?”

“Why would I slander a senior?” Song Yixiao slapped him impatiently, saying, “I was standing before Grandaunt and didn’t get to greet her! Then she gave such a glance at me that I was frightened on the spot! When I came to my senses, she had got into the carriage. Cousin Qimo realized that the situation was a bit embarrassing so she intended to talk to me. However, she had just called me when Grandaunt beckoned her into the carriage snappishly. Her attitude was so obvious. How can you say that it is a misunderstanding?”

“It’s so weird!” Jian Xubai was also rather puzzled to hear her out. Then he asked seriously, “How about us going to visit her together tomorrow?”

“You have to work tomorrow. Uncle Limiao has told me that he would go and ask her. You don’t need to ask for leave.” Song Yixiao was not interested in winning Elder Lady Duanmu’s favor. It was because she was concerned about her husband that she cared about this grandaunt’s attitude. Then she said, “The matter of Prince of Yi has ended, but these days it is not easy for you, isn’t it? Lord Gu is arriving in the imperial capital. And the palace examination will begin soon!”

Drawing Gu Shao over to the Crown Prince’s side affected the result of the fight for the throne and whether the supporters of the Crown Prince could continue trusting each other. As to the new winners of the palace examination, they represented the competition and replenishment of new blood!

These two things were very bothersome. Of course Song Yixiao was loath to let her husband worry about her problem with Elder Lady Duanmu, “After all, Grandaunt won’t leave the imperial capital for now. Even if there is any misunderstanding, can’t Uncle Limiao clarify it? By then, at worst I can make an apology to Grandaunt. She is such a generous woman that she would forgive me for sure!”

Jian Xubai didn’t believe that his wife would offend Elder Lady Duanmu but she made a good point. Regardless, they shouldn’t deal with it until Jian Limiao found out the ins and outs of the matter for them!

Unexpectedly, by the noon of the next day, the news that Song Yixiao got from Jian Limiao was, “Grandaunt shut the door and declined to see any visitors. I didn’t get to meet her! I’m sorry I fail your expectation!”

“She even refused to meet Uncle Limiao?” Song Yixiao thought that there might be a misunderstanding before but now, she was sure that something was wrong, “What on earth did Her Majesty the Empress tell Grandaunt to make her attitude changed so completely?”

According to the Empress Dowager, Elder Lady Duanmu came to the imperial palace mainly to make Jian Xubai as her heir. Nevertheless, given the current situation, it was so not certain now.

Song Yixiao was still very worried after thinking back and forth. Hence, she directly rushed to the gate of the imperial palace and requested to meet the Empress Dowager. After arriving at the Qingxi Hall, she told the Empress Dowager what happened in detail. The latter was surprised at first and then shortly after that, she seemed to think of something and then pulled a long face with a glint of anger shown between her eyebrows!

“The assets of the Jinxiu Hall are insignificant. Even if Xubai can’t have them, it will be fine!” Without any intention to clear up Song Yixiao’s confusion, the Empress Dowager only said nonchalantly with a sullen face, “Anyway, under my protection, you won’t suffer loss!”

Then she tried to drive Song Yixiao out of the Hall, “I feel a bit tired and need to have a rest. You go back home first!”

Song Yixiao entered the imperial palace in confusion and left there even more confusedly. After getting out of the imperial palace, she directly returned to Duke of Yan’s mansion instead of meeting Jian Limiao again.

Unexpectedly, Jian Xubai hadn’t clocked off yet when a servant delivered the news, “Here comes a visiting card from Princess Changxing’s mansion!”

Song Yixiao thought that the Shangsi Festival was approaching so Princess Changxing was going to hold a feast, “Give it to me!” She said casually.

When she took a look at the visiting card, she found that the pink card was about holding a feast about having a concubine for the prince consort!

The concubine accepted by Jian Yiyou into Princess Changxing’s mansion was exactly Shen Qimo!

Such a twist happened so suddenly that it took Song Yixiao quite a while to come to her senses when she was holding the visiting card. She raised her head and asked the servant who brought the visiting card inside, “This is from Princess Changxing’s mansion? Is it approved by Princess Changxing?”

Actually, it was a pointless question. After all, no one dared to send such a visiting card to a duke under the guise of Princess Changxing.

Besides, the servant also said, “The close maid that accompanied Princess Changxing through her wedding sent the visiting card here. I saw her clearly. In no way would I mistake her for someone else!”

Song Yixiao didn’t know what to say then. After waving at the servant to leave, she rubbed her forehead for a while and then asked the maids next to her, “Is there any chance that Changxing changes her personality?”

Her maids stared at each other for a while. After all, Jinxun was bold and straightforward enough to talk about a princess. She said, “I think the princess doesn’t seem so magnanimous?”

As she gave her response, Qiaoqin didn’t dare to keep silent, but she answered rather discreetly, “Given her imperial blood, Her Highness the Princess must adhere to rules. It is somehow indecent of Ms. Shen to hang out with the Prince Consort without any betrothal!”

“It is probably due to the Empress that Changxing can be so tolerant.” Song Yixiao folded the visiting card as if absorbed in thought and pondered, “Does Grandaunt’s attitude to me and Xubai have anything to do with this matter? However, according to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager’s speculation, Grandaunt planned to sacrifice Cousin Qimo. How can she change her mind for Qimo’s prospect?”

Especially, even if Shen Qimo became Jian Yiyou’s concubine, it didn’t mean that she could rest easy from then on!

Once Elder Lady Duanmu and Shen Qimo became useless to her, Princess Chang could do away with Shen Qimo just with a wink!

Elder Lady Duanmu must know it!

Song Yixiao couldn’t figure out how Empress Su succeeded in convincing Elder Lady Duanmu to accept this and why she granted Shen Qimo a legitimate title even if her birth daughter had to nurse a grievance. After pondering for a while, she made a decision in the end, “Anyway, the feast will be held the day after tomorrow! I can attend the feast and see if any information to get from it.”

However, she was not the only one who was surprised about Princess Changxing’s sudden magnanimity.

The day after tomorrow hadn’t come, but after a while, Xie Yiren came to visit her, asking for information from her, “Did you receive the visiting card from Princess Changxing’s mansion? Is it real?”

“I’ve just received it. I also find it rather unbelievable. Yet, since you’ve also received it, I suppose no one dares to fool both my family and yours at the same time,” Song Yixiao asked the servants to serve tea and said, “I’m going to attend the feast and take a look the day after tomorrow!”

“Then I will go too!” Xie Yiren was married for only a few days. Her mother-in-law was gone and the several concubines favored by her father-in-law were not easy to cope with. Even though she took over the backyard as the heir’s official wife just after she was married, she had met quite some trouble. Therefore, she actually didn’t have time to go out these days. Nevertheless, Princess Changxing was going to get a concubine for her husband and even hold a feast about it. This was too surprising! How astounding!

How could she not go and look on?

Actually, not only Xie Yiren but also Jian Xubai felt taken aback in disbelief upon seeing the visiting card when he returned to the mansion, “Aunt has only one birth daughter. How can she let Changxing suffer wrong like this?”

Certainly, he couldn’t figure out what Empress Su had said to Elder Lady Duanmu before, “Grandaunt can’t compromise for Cousin Qimo… What’s going on?”

In the end, he told his wife seriously, “You may observe well at the concubine-taking ceremony to be held the day after tomorrow. Try to find some clues if any.”