C77

While Ji Yunkai was looking at the Son of Prince Duan, he was also looking at Ji Yunkai. His face had a smile, but his eyes were empty and scary.

The more the Son of Prince Duan laughed, the more loudly he laughed until even his tears flowed out. It was as if he was ridiculing Ji Yunkai's naivety and simplicity.

The Son of Prince Duan left confidently and unrestrainedly, not giving Ji Yunkai a single chance to speak. Ji Yunkai looked at the back of the Son of Prince Duan as he walked further and further away, and she thought of something....

However, the others were not as unruly as the Son of Prince Duan. The other visitors were noble ladies that would come with their gifts as per custom.

This was a normal social visit, and it was not easy for the Steward to reject, but he did not accept it either. Instead, he only passed the invitations to Ji Yunkai left it up to her.

No matter whether or not Prince Yanbei's Mansion accepted Ji Yunkai as their Princess Consort or not, they would still had to keep up appearances on the surface. At least, they would not make Prince Yanbei's Mansion lose face.

Looking at the thick stack of letters handed to her by the Steward, Ji Yunkai did not pick them up. Instead, she pointed to her right cheek and ridiculed, "Looking at my current state, will the Prince let me see someone?"

The Steward looked at the black-spots on Ji Yunkai's face and fell silent for a moment. He then said, "This lowly one will send everyone off now."

The mask that the Prince had prepared for his wife had shattered. Before the new mask appeared, the Prince probably would not want her to see anyone. After all, this was an ugly princess that the Emperor did not want. This was too disgraceful for Prince Yanbei's Mansion face.

Ji Yunkai was very satisfied that she did not need to "receive" the guests for their "well wishes", the reason was not important at all. However, even though she could reject everyone else so far, she could not reject the people of the Ji Family.

Up until the day of Ji Yunkai's marriage, she did not return home for the customary visit to her family home on the third day of marriage. Yet, no one from the Ji Family came to ask her about it. In fact, even after the Son of Prince Duan came to visit, nobody from Ji Family came to visit her immediately.

Under these circumstances, it was no wonder that Prince Yanbei's Mansion did not think very highly of her.

But Imperial Advisor Ji still had to show face. The news of Ji Yunkai's recovery spread so far, it was impossible for the Ji Family to not send someone knocking on her door. Since Imperial Advisor Ji had spoken, Madam Ji came over to visit with the newly recuperated Ji Lan.

After hearing the Steward's report, Ji Yunkai really wanted to say: "Send them all away! I don't want to see them!"

But, she could not say it!

Just like how the people of Prince Yanbei's Mansion treated her as nothing, but still showed her respect on the surface, if she wanted to establish a foothold in the capital, she could not directly fall out with Ji Manor. Otherwise, no matter how wronged a woman who was not acknowledge her father or her family was, others would only view her as selfish, cold, and unreasonable.

This world was so unreasonable. Even if she did not care about the words of others or how she looked in the eyes of others, if she wanted to establish herself in this world, she had to follow the rules of this world.

"Let's invite them to the parlor." Ji Yunkai suppressed the annoyance in her heart and called for the maidservant to help her comb her hair.

Because of Ji Yunkai's lack of cooperation, the maidservant spent close to half-an-hour to dress up Ji Yunkai. Ji Yunkai even took her time to walk to where Madam Ji and Ji Lan was. They had to wait in the flower hall for more than half-an-hour.

"Mother, why did we come to see her? Look, she dares to put on airs in front of you now, and make us wait so long." There were no servants in the parlor. After sitting there for half-an-hour, Ji Lan finally lost her patience.

Ji Yunkai stood behind the screen and heard the conversation between the mother and daughter. She could not help but shake her head: "As expected, one arrogant thing overcomes another, and only Madam Ji can subdue such a willful and delicate girl like Ji Lan.

*Cough cough.* It was unavoidable that Ji Lan would say something impolite, so Ji Yunkai reminded her and walked out with the support of the maidservant.

"Esteemed Consort." When Madam Ji heard the noise, she stood up gracefully and did not use her status to claim that she was not an outsider. Although Ji Lan was unwilling, she did not dare disobey Madam Ji and did not want to lose face in front of others. She stood up as well and called out sweetly, "Big Sister."

"Madam, there's no need for you to be so courteous..." *Cough, cough.* Ji Yunkai coughed twice just by saying that, and she looked like she was about to die from sickness.

"Esteemed Consort, are you alright?" No matter how much she loathed Ji Yunkai, as long as there were outsiders around, she would be "concerned" about her stepdaughter just like a good mother should, and her words and actions would not be the slightest bit in the wrong.

Ji Lan was much younger. Although she knew how to put on an act, she still could not help but reveal a disgusted expression whens he saw Ji Yunkai coughing so much that her tears and mucus flew all over her body.

"I'm very—" *Cough cough.* "Alright, Madam doesn't need to be so… 'worried'." Ji Yunkai was too lazy to look at Madam Ji's fake face, so she pretended to cough, and sent the maidservant away.

Once she left, Madam Ji could still maintain her gentle mask, but Ji Lan did not care at all. She immediately said, "Ji Yunkai, Father told me to tell you that you should marry a chicken to a chicken and a dog to a dog. Don't go back to the Ji Manor in the future if you have any business, only the servants of Ji Manor will come and find you."

"What you mean is, If I need something, I can't find the Ji Manor for help. But, if Ji Manor needs something, I have to help them, right?" Ji Yunkai supported herself with her right hand as she tilted her head to look at Madam Ji and Ji Lan. Seeing the two of them acting as if everything was normal, she could not help but laugh, "Am I so easy to bully?"

Did they really think that she was the original owner and that she would allow the Ji Family to do as they pleased?

"Yunkai, the difference between Prince Yanbei's Mansion and the Ji Manor is not small. You marrying into the Prince Yanbei's Mansion is something that our Ji Family has high hopes for. If something happens to you in Prince Yanbei's Mansion, the Ji Family is unable to help you, so you must not make the Prince unhappy." Compared to Ji Lan, Madam Ji's words were much more pleasing to hear, but she had dug enough holes in them as well. A single mistake could lead to her falling into Madam Ji's trap.

Ji Yunkai laughed coldly, "Madam, you think too highly of yourself and you think too little of me. Ji Lan hasn't even entered the Imperial Palace yet. I have ways to prevent her from entering, so you had best not mess with me." She had never asked the Ji Family for help. If the Ji Family ever asked her for help, they should just forget about it.

It would be for the best if everyone just died of old age, not bothering with each other. Otherwise, don't blame her for being heartless.

"You... you dare!" Ji Lan's face changed drastically. She suddenly stood up and pointed at Ji Yunkai's nose.

Ji Yunkai laughed, but just as she was about to speak, a male voice suddenly sounded out: "Of course she dares!"

Hearing the voice, Ji Yunkai smiled.