Chapter 8: Eavesdropping Outside the Wall, Quarreling Inside the Wall
Yu Lingxin’s mind was practically abuzz, actually blanking for a moment, thus didn’t hear clearly what Qi-shi was saying.
And on the other side of the shadow wall, the two people behind the lattice opening also had extremely complicated feelings.
“Stop listening, this is their private matter between mother and daughter, and even the Qi family’s affair.” Ming Jincheng’s voice was pressed extremely low, even slightly carrying a bit of helplessness.
“En.” The person in blue silently standing behind the shadow wall responded, but didn’t have any intention of moving his feet.
Ming Jincheng waited for another moment, hearing in his ear Qi-shi’s loud and clear scolding still full of vigor, also somewhat laughing to himself———–If those soldiers in the barracks that were in charge of shouting the formation had this kind of voice, it would also be pretty good.
After falling silent again, another thought suddenly popped out: “Xun Che, could it be that you feel there some inside story to this family? Wasn’t it said that this Qi family’s shu-born paternal aunt remarried a sixth rank or seventh rank minor official? Is there some important key point in this matter?”
“En.” It was another half-hearted response.
“Forget it, it can’t be that you fell for the other party?” Ming Jincheng casually teased, yet on the inside, he actually didn’t believe. Just Xun Che, that look of having sights higher than the skies, normally, even the princesses, he all won’t pay attention to. Today, this Yu family young lady, they’d just ran into when turning the corner, not even saying more than three words. Could it be that he really just produced some thoughts?
However, this time, Xun Che no longer responded.
Meanwhile, the commotion on the other side of the shadow wall, from the looks of it, was about to escalate.
Shouting and screaming, both cursing and scolding, for quite a while, even if Qi-shi was still full of energy, her mouth will still inevitably become dry. Yet, Yu Lingxin from beginning to end remained steady and calm, not saying a word, also not revealing any fearful or panicking look in the slightest, and naturally, further not having any intention of conceding in the slightest.
And the sky at this time finally gradually darkened. There was also another two three guest families preparing to leave Chang’de Count Manor. Zhao Liang, who’d returned to the Yu family to get a carriage, seemingly should also arrive soon. Qi-shi already said everything that could be said, yet it was still completely ineffective. In the end, she clenched her teeth and shouted, “I refuse to believe that today, I can’t even deal with you, this unfilial daughter! Lu mama, take Ling’er onto the carriage!”
At Qi-shi’s side, there was altogether just a mama and two servant girls. In terms of numbers, it also wasn’t considered that much stronger than Yu Lingxin’s side, but they prevailed in this agressive stance, and from their physique, they were seemingly also a little more sturdy.
“This can also be considered——–not conceding to the brow and beard?” Behind the shadow wall, Ming Jincheng although was used to seeing the battlefield, facing the scene in front, he was also a bit amazed. Jin Duke Manor’s Ming family naturally had all kinds of fighting and conflict in the rear court too, but in that kind of inner manor battle, everyone was all polite and friendly on the surface while carrying daggers in their words, quoting the classics, making insinuations, incomparably refined. Where would they be like this, both screaming and yelling when in a disagreement, and then directly using force?
Xun Che still didn’t speak, and because of facing the shadow wall, Ming Jincheng also couldn’t see what his express was like exactly. The only thing he could see was just Xun Che’s feet slightly turning in silence, also completely unaware of the patch of grass grinding under his feet.
At this moment, they suddenly heard, ‘pah, pah, pah!’ A string of extremely crisp slaps sounding in the courtyard. Shortly after, followed a moment of silence, and then, in the next moment, the sound of chaotic cursing and screaming once again erupted.
Reaching this step, never mind behind the shadow wall a few steps away, those guests that were about to reach the second gate and have yet to climb onto the carriage, and also those Qi family servants waiting in the surroundings nearby practically all rushed over in succession————Exactly what happened? Wasn’t the third lady and the Yu family young miss just talking? How come it became like this?
TN: All translations outside of are stolen and reposted without permission!
Taking advantage of the confusion with this many people all gathering over, Ming Jincheng also just directly pulled along Xun Che, “Let’s go out for a look.”
This time, Xun Che finally followed along, even moving even more quickly than Ming Jincheng, going around to the front in a few steps, immediately seeing that in the little garden, things sure enough got physical. Just, the ones that got the worst of it was actually the servants by Qi-shi’s side, each all having a handprint on their face.
Naturally, Shuangye and Ganlu also got tugged a few times. Yu Lingxin was actually a little better, standing behind the two servant girls. Her bright and beautiful face actually had a bit of an unyielding determination, probably holding the resolve to have a falling out with Qi-shi in public.
“Cough, Madam Kou.” Xun Che directly went forward two more steps. Although he didn’t do anything, but for a young man of such status to suddenly come out from behind the shadow wall, the servants, and even Qi-shi, all suddenly blanked.
Having this kind of a breather, Shuangye and Ganlu immediately struggled free, hurriedly retreating, even having the stance of wanting to shield Yu Lingxin on the right and left.
Among everyone present, probably only Yu Lingxin wasn’t actually surprised towards suddenly seeing Xun Che.
Earlier, when she’d caught a glimpse of a corner of his long gown, her heart was very much in disorder for a moment.
In the last lifetime, when she’d married into Wen’an Marquis Manor, Xun Che was already bedridden from the poison to the point of beyond saving. The Imperial Physicians Court gave their all, yet still could only earn him three more years of life.
In that kind of short three years relationship as husband and wife, Yu Lingxin also didn’t know whether that kind of marriage that was only in name and not in reality with Xun Che can be considered love or not.
But, in this moment, when seeing him walk out again, she suddenly felt strangely at ease, not even feeling that getting seen by Xun Che in this sorry state quarreling with Qi-shi was anything embarrassing.
In fact, she even naturally and logically followed along everyone’s gaze, looking towards him——This kind of young and healthy Xun Che, like a jade tree facing the wind, she’d never seen before in the past life.
While Yu Lingxin was having emotional fluctuations, on Qi-shi’s side, it was already very awkward. Although the divorce can’t change her mother-daughter relationship with Yu Lingxin, but in terms of etiquette, she, as the Kou family madam, scolding the Yu family young lady in the Qi family manor more or less was still a bit inappropriate.
If no one saw, it was also whatever. The majority of onlookers also weren’t willing to bother with this kind of troubling business, but suddenly encountering an indirect in-law family’s younger generation whose status was also noble, not good to randomly berate, Qi-shi really had a somewhat hard time responding.
Xun Che was like as if completely unaware, his handsome face just carrying a carefree smile, seemingly as if just now, what he saw wasn’t an extremely unsightly dispute, but rather, an ordinary tea gathering, “Does Madam Kou have some sort of trouble?”
Qi-shi further choked, unwittingly sweeping a glance at the silent Yu Lingxin. On the inside, it was practically like as if having swallowed a stone, completely stifled——what was the matter with today? The usually docile daughter that will just submit after slightly berating a few words suddenly became unyielding like a stranger, and the passing by in-law family nephew, seeing this kind of scene, actually didn’t avoid far far away, instead even…….even directly questioning?
Are the youngsters now all trying to rebel?
Just, Qi-shi’s temper, although came quick like a sudden storm, when it comes to using her brain, she unfortunately didn’t have the same speed in thinking on her feet.
After a few moments of awkwardness, it was still Lu mama that was by Qi-shi’s side that smilingly came forward, “To have let shizi[1] see a joke. Originally, it wasn’t anything difficult. The eldest miss’s carriage broke, so our madam had the kind intention of wanting to send miss back home. The two of them just spoke somewhat urgently, but all just family talk, so it’s best not to hold up shizi’s time………….”
“Shuangye.” Yu Lingxin immediately reprimanded, “Listen to that servant woman’s words!”
Shuangye was still frightened and alarmed, but very quickly returned to her senses, similarly carrying anger, her crisp voice further like exploding peas, “This Kou family’s mama really knows how to joke. Our miss’s horse carriage although somewhat inconvenient, we’ve already sent someone back to the manor to bring another carriage. The Kou family madam’s offer although good intentions, our miss still doesn’t dare to accept. Moreover, this strength of yours in pulling and dragging really quite bold. For those who know, it’s just forcibly pulling our Yu family’s eldest miss onto your Kou family’s carriage for a convenient ride, but for those who don’t know, might even think it’s a kidnapping!”
Qi-shi’s face instantly turned pale, and shortly after, began burning red, “You lowly slave!”
“Madam Kou.” Seeing that Qi-shi seemingly had the intention of personally going up, Xun Che once again step forward half a step, his voice still neither quick nor slow, “Are you not going to check your own horse carriage?”
Before his words even ended, an out of breath servant boy dressed in blue just ran over, reporting to Lu mama, “Mama, o-our horse carriage’s……….axle broke!”
[1] 世子 (shizi) – The address for a heir to a noble title.