The day Xia Zheng and Lin Yuan got engaged, the Lin Mansion remained relatively uneventful, but the entire Capital city was abuzz with excitent.
From the General Mansion to the Lin Mansion, spanning a full two streets, the streets were entirely packed with Xia Zheng’s betrothal gifts.
Bright red silk fabrics and large chests, one after another—it took no less than a thousand young servants just to carry the dowry!
The townsfolk gathered in lively crowds to watch; the n were stunned by the countless betrothal gifts before their eyes, while the won grew envious of Lin Yuan.
However, rembering Lin Yuan’s contributions to all of Dayong, the residual envy in their hearts dissipated quickly.
After all, none of them had the skill to invent movable-type printing, nor the cleverness to make hunger-relieving hamburgers for the Xia Family Army in the Western campaign!
Yet envy still lingered among many, and those who couldn’t help but covet what they saw were undoubtedly nurous.
When the news reached the Yao Mansion, Yao Hanai was sitting dazedly by the window, supporting her forehead with her hand.
Mo Zhu’s eyes darted mischievously, and her lips curled in a complex smile before she lifted the curtain and entered. She deliberately lingered around Yao Hanai a few tis.
Who knows what Yao Hanai was thinking—for soone who would normally notice even the faintest problem with just one glance, today she failed to take note of Mo Zhu’s presence for quite so ti.
Mo Zhu’s face instantly fell in disappointnt.
Clearing her throat intentionally, Mo Zhu poured a cup of tea and brought it to her. "Miss, please have a cup of tea."
Yao Hanai responded with indifference, not even bothering to lift an eyelid. "Take it away."
Mo Zhu’s fingers stiffened, and she suddenly rembered the recent coldness Yao Hanai had shown her, which had beco increasingly apparent.
If things continued like this, wouldn’t she be kicked out even before Yao Hanai married into the Second Prince Mansion?
"Miss."
Holding the teacup submissively, Mo Zhu’s eyes imdiately welled with tears. "Miss, are you still angry with over the incident last ti? It was my fault; I failed to handle your affairs properly. I caused you so much suffering, Miss. I, I... sob... I have wronged you deeply!"
Saying this, Mo Zhu suddenly knelt down and began bowing her head to the ground. The loud thuds echoed, evoking pain in anyone who heard them.
Despite her aloof personality, Yao Hanai generally regarded this maid as rather indispensable. Although the unexpected interaction with the Second Prince last ti had left her bewildered and even suspicious of whether Mo Zhu had betrayed her,
She ultimately lacked substantial experience in backyard intrigues and was overly self-assured. Gradually, she reinstated her trust in Mo Zhu.
However, there remained an air of distance between them.
Watching Mo Zhu bowing so fervently, Yao Hanai sighed lightly, her voice calm and faint as chrysanthemum blossoms. "Enough, you silly girl. You’ve been with since childhood. I know well how you have treated . Stand up. I hold no grudge against you."
Now that Yao Hanai had softened her stance, Mo Zhu ceased her lodramatic acts and stopped knocking her head against the ground while sniffling.
Mo Zhu knew that Yao Hanai was soone who spoke with unwavering certainty—a woman naturally unyielding and devoid of sentintality. If she were to string out her plea any longer, she might provoke Yao Hanai’s displeasure.
Slowly rising from the ground, Mo Zhu felt a thrill of secret triumph within. Yao Hanai—what of her? The once-renowned First Lady of Talent in the Capital city—what of her? This maid had served her for over a decade and thoroughly understood her temperant.
"Miss, please enjoy so tea. You’ve been staring off by the window all morning. Could you possibly have sothing weighing on your mind?"
This ti, Yao Hanai did not refuse the tea Mo Zhu offered. But she was not particularly thirsty, so she rely set the teacup casually on the table.
"What troubles could I possibly have? Ha, given my current situation, who would even bother to care whether I have troubles or not?"
With a self-deprecating smile, Yao Hanai’s thoughts wandered to her parents. Ever since her mishap, she had ceased being the proud young lady of the Yao Mansion.
To make matters worse, Yao Shijiang personally had to ask soone to beg the Second Prince to marry his daughter, utterly humiliating himself on her behalf.
Her father had always esteed her as the very face of the Yao Mansion, but what about her mother?
Thinking of Lady ng visiting her four or five tis daily to teach her how to maintain favor in marriage, Yao Hanai felt a surge of nausea within.
Lady ng was also born of noble lineage. For as long as she could rember, the one thing Lady ng had despised most was the vixen-like tricks employed by little concubines to seduce Yao Shijiang.
And as for Yao Hanai herself, she had been raised by Lady ng with the expectation of becoming the matriarch of the family. Lessons on boudoir etiquette, the four arts—poetry, chess, calligraphy, and painting—these had been her tuition. When had anyone ever taught her to pout and play coy to ensnare a man’s heart?
Hmph.
As she let out a faint snort, Yao Hanai’s gaze drifted far away, as though she could no longer see the stifling scenery that had weighed on her for so long.
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