Yin Xiang has stayed in Ye Country for half a month and the Grand Tutor’s Mansion has been in chaos for half a month. Yet, even though Yan Ran has been jumping around for half a month, he still couldn’t produce any result. This made Xia Yuqing anxious as she watched the bustling scene.
As the saying goes, if you don’t break the silence, you will perish in silence, so the impatient Xia Yuqing erupted.
“Gorgeous Tutor is really useless! I’ve been waiting for so long that the sky has fallen, the sea has dried up, the rocks have rotten, and the daylily is going to become yellow. But he still hasn’t even let out a fart. This is so nerve wracking!” Xia Yuqing was very violent, grabbing Lu Rui.
“Niang Niang, if Nu Bi remembers correctly, the daylily has been yellow since the beginning.” Lu Rui was shook so hard, her eyes started seeing gold stars.
“…” Xia Yuqing’s movements paused. A moment later, she asked in a daze, “Is this the point?”
“…Isn’t it?”
“Of course not! The point is that if the Gorgeous Tutor doesn’t hurry up, Xiao Yuan will follow Young Master Yin and leave us.”
“…So?”
“So we can’t just watch the Gorgeous Tutor and Xiao Yuan get further and further apart, we have to give the Gorgeous Tutor a strong medicine!”
“What strong medicine?” Lu Rui looked at Xia Yuqing’s indignant expression, and suddenly had a bad feeling. Xia Yuqing soon confirmed her hunch.
“Lu Rui, what do you say…”
“Huh?”
“Should we allow Xiao Yuan and Yin Gongzi to marry, then encourage the Gorgeous Tutor to steal the bride?”
“…”
Lu Rui was stunned for a moment. She stiffened, with a look of horror. Looking at Xia Yuqing: “Niang Niang, are you joking?”
Xia Yuqing blinked her big watery eyes: “Do you think I’m joking?”
“Niang Niang!!!” Lu Rui knelt down to her knees, crying with a sad face and clutched Xia Yuqing’s sleeves. “Niang Niang, Nu Bi has an eighty-year-old grandma and a three-year-old brother. Nu Bi also has a gambling addict father who has been sick in bed for many years. Nu Bi’s whole family is waiting for Nu Bi to feed them. You should pity your unfortunate Nu Bi and don’t scare Nu Bi too much. Nu Bi is not courageous and can’t handle being scared by Niang Niang from time to time. Ah, woo woo…”
“Poor child, I will tell the Gong Gong (court eunuch) in the palace later to give you more money in the future.”
“…” Is this the point? This isn’t the point, Niang Niang. Don’t pretend to be stupid at this time, okay, Nu Bi will soon be ruined by you ! !
Xia Yuqing looked at the appearance of Lu Rui who wasn’t willing to be convinced. She blinked two big eyes to stare at Lu Rui, her brows were filled with the helplessness of a small animal being abandoned.
“…” Lu Rui’s mouth twitched slightly. Closing her eyes, she turned her head, “It’s no use acting cute and pitiful.”
“Woo, Lu Rui, this matter is related to Xiao Yuan’s lifelong happiness. Do you have the heart to just stand by like this?” Xia Yuqing stared at Lu Rui with a “you are so ruthless, you are so unjust, you are so unreasonable, I really read you wrongly” accusation expression.
“…” Lu Rui took a few deep breaths, but in the end she was no match for Xia Yuqing’s eyes. She gave herself up, “Ah…I don’t care, do what you like, Niang Niang. Anyways, there is the emperor behind you to clean up the mess, who cares about this Nu Bi! Nu Bi won’t care!”
“Ok! Then lets give up Plan A immediately and start Plan B!”
“What… Plan A? Plan B?” Lu Rui was confused.
“Um…” Xia Yuqing pursed her lips, “It is the first plan and the second plan. We are now going to abandon the first plan and move on to the second plan!”
“…oh.” Lu Rui suddenly realized and nodded. Then, she was surprised, “No, don’t we only have one plan? What is the second plan?”
“Oh, Lu Rui, aren’t you very smart usually? Why are you unable to turn your head at this time? Of course the second plan is…” Xia Yuqing raised her head and said as a matter of course, “Appoint the site, then execute the plan immediately and efficiently.”
“…” That is to say, Niang Niang, you don’t have any preparation at all? Li Rui did not feel good! ! !
“… Niang Niang, is it too late for Nu Bi to withdraw from the plan?”
“It’s too late, so the first step of plan B is to explore Xiao Yuan’s intent.” Xia Yuqing sighed, and slapped Lu Rui’s shoulder solemnly. “This is a glorious and arduous task.Thus I can only give it to my most trusted and valued person to feel assured. Don’t be careless Lu Rui. I will be here waiting for your good news!!!”
“… ” Niang Niang, even if you say that, Nu Bi will not feel happy at all! ! !
Lu Rui covered her face with tears and ran out of the Xiefang palace. With two noodles hanging down as tears, she wept all the way to the place where Li Yuan was.
The Xiefang palace at night was always different from other places since it was just as lively as during the day. But in this lively palace, there were some relatively peaceful locations, such as here…
Lu Rui felt great pressure as she looked at the not so far away person who was wiping the glass cover in silence.
Standing in place, Lu Rui hesitated for a moment then nodded. She found a rag from the side, and went forward to wipe the glass cover with Li Yuan.
“…” Not far away, a human pyramid had formed behind the pillars. The crowd watched the two people wiping the glass cover side by side, they were speechless.
“Have you ever noticed that every time Xiao Yuan has troubles, she wipes the glass cover in our palace?”
Everyone nodded in sympathy. Xia Yuqing glanced at her with sympathy. The glazed cover was so polished that the pattern has disappeared.
“Xiao Yuan, Xiao Yuan…”
“Ah, Lu Rui Jiejie, why are you here?” Li Yuan was startled when she saw Lu Rui suddenly appear next to her.
Lu Rui looked at her and cleared her throat: “Niang Niang has Cui Er Jiejie and the rest waiting on her. Since I saw you were not present, I took the opportunity to sneak out to look for you. Xiao Yuan, I can see that you have been preoccupied recently. What’s bothering you? Tell it to your Jiejie. Jiejie has been in this palace for so long and has seen a lot of people and things, maybe I can give you some advice.”
Li Yuan was a little guilty. She lowered her eyes, avoiding Lu Rui’s gaze: “I…how can I have any worries? Lu Rui Jiejie, are you joking?”
Lu Rui pursed her lips, not knowing how to speak. But seeing Xia Yuqing all of a sudden pointing at her behind the pillar in the distance, she couldn’t help but gasp.
“What’s the matter?” When Li Yuan heard the movement, she wanted to turn her head and look in the direction of Xia Yuqing and the others. Lu Rui hurriedly stepped forward to block her sight: “It’s nothing, I just felt a little cold. The window on the side was open too big so the cold wind kept blowing in.”
“I see, then I’ll close the window.” Li Yuan didn’t doubt her and turned around to close the window.
Lu Rui breathed a sigh of relief. Turning her head, she glanced at Xia Yuqing who came out again. She couldn’t help rolling her eyes. Didn’t she say she was waiting in the hall for good news? Turns out… she ran over to watch the excitement.
“Huh?” After Lu Rui watched Xia Yuqing gesticulate, several big question marks appeared above her head.
“Lu Rui Jiejie, what are you looking at?” Li Yuan had come back at some point, so Xia Yuqing and the others hurriedly hid. Lu Rui turned her head and smiled: “Nothing, nothing, uh… Xiao Yuan, don’t change the topic. I can see that you have been absent-minded lately, is it because of Young Master Yin?”
Li Yuan was stunned, but she didn’t say anything. Lu Rui twisted her eyebrows, and continued to ask: “Then…it’s because of the Grand Tutor?”
At this time, Li Yuan’s hand trembled and her eyebrows revealed her worries.
Lu Rui turned her head. Looking around, she saw Xia Yuqing’s excited waving and thumbs up gesture.
That action… is she asking her to continue asking? Lu Rui nodded and continued to make persistent efforts: “Speaking of, how do you feel about Yin Gongzi and the Grand Tutor? Inside your heart, who takes up a bigger spot? Who do you want to be with?”
Li Yuan’s face had a slight change. Pursing her lips, she did not speak.
Lu Rui couldn’t help but sigh: “I know that my status is low. Xiao Yuan, you are the little princess of Xue Country, and your status is precious. Although you and I are sisters, there are still some differences in identity, so it’s okay. If you don’t want to speak of this to me, it’s fine. I was just being nosy and was worrying about the matter of you and the nobilities. I won’t ask anymore. Niang Niang might need something, so I’ll leave first.”
As Lu Rui was about to depart, Li Yuan hurriedly reached out and grabbed her: “Lu Rui Jiejie, what are you talking about? Although I have the identity of a princess, in truth, my status is more like a maid back home. How can I have that kind of prejudice against Lu Rui Jiejie? What’s more, I am now in the palace of Ye Country. My identity is the same as that of Lu Rui Jiejie. How could I be contemptuous towards Lu Rui Jiejie? I also know that Lu Rui Jiejie and the other sisters in the palace treat me sincerely. If I have such a mindset, shouldn’t I be struck by the heavens? Lu Rui Jiejie, please don’t go!”
Xia Yuqing heard the sounds outside and gave Lu Rui a thumbs up again. Lu Rui did a great job. This tactic of retreating to advance, it really couldn’t get better! She is worthy of being one of the chief girls in my family! ! !
Lu Rui’s lips hooked upwards, but when she turned around to face Li Yuan, her face collapsed: “Then tell me, what are your thoughts?”
“Wha…what do you mean?” Li Yuan was startled. Her little face turned red slightly.
“Of course I’m asking about your thoughts in regard to Master Yin and the Grand Tutor. This Master Yin came to Ye Kingdom from a long distance to find you Xiao Yuan. He wants to marry you home with his sincere heart. While for the Gorgeous Tutor, you used to have a short-lived relationship with him. These two people are both well off in appearance and family background, but a woman cannot serve two. Xiao Yuan, you must have a favorite in your heart, someone you want to live out your life with.”
“I……” Li Yuan tightened her hands in embarrassment. She raised her eyebrows, “Lu Rui Jiejie, who do you think is better?”
Lu Rui was startled and glanced at Xia Yuqing not far away, but seeing her mouthing to her, Lu Rui frowned. She was thoroughly confused.
Xia Yuqing gestured for a long time. Seeing that Lu Rui was still puzzled, she stomped around anxiously. Then, she saw a black patch on the ground and her eyes shone slightly.
After seeing Xia Yuqing retracting back to the pillar, Lu Rui saw her point her finger at the ground…
“That’s Ying (shadow)… Ying… Yin Gongzi, yes, of course Yin Gongzi is better. Xiao Yuan, according to me, this Yin Gong Zi, no matter if it is the appearance or the background, he is perfect. You cannot even find that kind of quality after looking through a hundred people. What’s more important is that he is humble, gentle and elegant and he treats you well. It’s been more than ten years, and he still keeps thinking about you. When he had finally grown up, he even came to find you. Him being so affectionate, it really makes others envious. It is extremely rare.The Grand Tutor cannot even compare. Xiao Yuan, what do you think?”
Li Yuan turned away, letting her face be buried in the shadow of the candlelight: “Really?”
Lu Rui vaguely saw the corners of her mouth rising, but there was a trace of distress, self-deprecation and disappointment.
Lu Rui’s heart trembled. She looked at Xia Yuqing and the others for help.
Xia Yuqing seemed to understand something. She raised her hand to make a gesture of lifting her head and praying to Lu Rui. Lu Rui was startled. With a bitter face and feeling a little unbearable, she used her eyes to ask: “Really want to do this?”
Xia Yuqing nodded firmly. She stretched out her hand and did a slicing motion on her neck: If you don’t do it, when the time comes, you will have to apologize through death!
“…” Lu Rui retracted her gaze with a stiff face, “Yes, yes, of course. I am not the only one who thinks this way, Niang Niang and the others also think this as well. I just heard from Niang Niang before I came here that she is going to discuss later with the emperor about prepaing you a dowry to marry you to Young Master Yin. This way he can take good care of you.”
“What?” Li Yuan’s face changed slightly, her face pale. It was so pale that Lu Rui couldn’t bear it.
But for the sake of her own wealth and life, Lu Rui still had to be hard-hearted: “Yes, I heard it a few days ago. Niang Niang thought marrying early would be better as undue delay may bring trouble.”
“Just a few days ago? Why the rush?” Li Yuan’s face changed completely and she panicked, “No…no, I…I haven’t prepared at all. No, I have to talk to Qing Jiejie, I haven’t thought this through yet…”
Li Yuan threw away the rag in her hand. She was at a loss and wanted to run. Before she could take a few steps, she felt a cold wind behind her and drew in a breath of cold air. When she was about to turn her head to see who it was, she felt a pain in her neck and blacked out.
“Niang Niang, it’s done.” Cui Er looked at Li Yuan who had completely fainted, then turned her head to wave to Xia Yuqing with a smile.
Xia Yuqing rushed to Cui Er’s side. She glanced at Li Yuan lying on the ground, and slapped Cui Er with excitement: “As expected of my chief martial arts expert. Great, go back and let Lu Rui reward you with delicious food.”
Cui Er laughed, but Lu Rui came back from her initial astonishment and exclaimed: “Niang Niang, what are you doing? Why did you treat Xiao Yuan like that? Why did you make her faint?”
“It’s nothing, just by looking at Xiao Yuan’s anxiousness, we can all tell that she won’t agree to cooperate with our plan. She definitely won’t pretend to get married to that young master Yin to stimulate the Gorgeous Tutor.”
“…So?”
“So I decided to get rid of the people who won’t cooperate, so as not to affect the plan.” Xia Yuqing said naturally, “Hurry up, bring the person over for me. Watch them carefully, don’t let them escape. Now, everyone is going to go out and spread some news. Be sure to pass this on to the Grand Tutor’s Mansion and Young Master Yin before tomorrow morning.”
Lu Rui looked at everyone’s frantic appearance, the expression on her face suddenly changed to: “…”
For a long time, Lu Rui stared at Xia Yuqing with a crying look without actually crying: “Niang Niang, you have knocked out the bride, how will you send her to the sedan chair? Are you going to have people carry Xiao Yuan up?”
Xia Yuqing was startled. Touching her chin, she thought deeply: “Hmm, you don’t say. If you didn’t mention it, I wouldn’t have thought about that.”
“…” I knew it! ! !
With a few puus (when people spit out in surprise like spitting out water), the maids behind Xia Yuqing fell collectively. All of them looked at Xia Yuqing with a blank expression. Niang Niang, can you stop being so unreliable? ! Telling someone to get married but not having a bride, isn’t this joke going too far? Aren’t you afraid that the groom will come after you?
“Oh, what’s the big deal!? If Xiao Yuan can’t do it, we’ll just find someone else to take the rap for it. It’s pretend anyways, it’s not like they’re really getting married. We’ll just cover their face. So, who would find out?”
Pu’s again. The ladies of the palace who just wanted to get up from the ground slipped, and once again fell into a dog pile.
Niang Niang, is it really okay to do this? This is a life-long event that concerns two people! If you play like this, it will ruin several people’s lives! ! !
At first, it was just Lu Rui that didn’t feel good, but now, all the girls in the entire Xiefang palace collectively felt that they have been spartan’d. If they lived in the modern era, there would be a very appropriate word to describe their mood at the moment. They would sense a large group of grass mud horses (F word) whizzing past. Unbearable, absolutely unbearable! ! !
Xia Yuqing didn’t know that the maids in her palace were about to be broken by herself. She groaned, her eyes moving around then fixated on Lu Rui: “Who should be the person to take the rap for it…”
“No no no… Niang Niang, don’t look at Nu Bi. Nu Bi’s figure is too different from Xiao Yuan’s. Even if you don’t look at the face, Nu Bi can’t pretend to be her.”
Xia Yuqing retracted her gaze in disappointment and turned to look towards Cui Er.
Cui Er smiled calmly: “Niang Niang wants Nu Bi to pretend? Nu Bi has nothing to say, but Nu Bi knows Niang Niang’s senior brother well. If Nu Bi dressed up like this, before Nu Bi even stepped into the sedan chair, your plan would be exposed.”
That’s right! As soon as Cui Er disappeared, Senior Brother, that dog-skin plaster (basically referring to how sticky and obsessive he is), would definitely notice.
“Oh, if only Xiang Er was here. Xiang Er’s figure was the most similar to Xiao Yuan’s.” Just when Xia Yuqing was in distress, a cheerful dog bark was suddenly heard from outside the hall.
Several thoughts flashed in Xia Yuqing’s mind: Dog barking? Xiao Bai is back? If Xiao Bai is back, that means the little imperial doctor is also back. The shape of the little imperial doctor is actually quite similar to Xiao Yuan’s…
“!!!” The small light bulb in Xia Yuqing’s brain lit up, “Yes!”
As soon as the poor little doctor returned to the palace, she was dragged to the small dark room, becoming a lamb ready to be slaughtered.
“Um, what do you want to do?” Xie Enqing hugged Xiao Bai and shrank into the chair. She stared blankly at the people surrounding her like a little white rabbit falling into a pack of wolves.
“Little doctor, you are Xiao Shangshu’s cousin, right?”
“Yes.” Xie Enqing nodded ignorantly.
“Your cousin and the emperor are good brothers, aren’t they?”
“…Yes.”
“So the emperor could be counted as your older brother, right?”
“…En.”
“I am the emperor’s empress, so I am your sister-in-law, right?”
“…En.”
“So if your sister-in-law is in trouble, the little doctor being so kind, will definitely not stand idly by right? You will definitely help your sister-in-law through her difficulties, right?”
“En.”
“That’s right, then it’s you. Lu Rui, take her to prepare.”
“Huh?” Something seems to be wrong! Xie Enqing sensed something wrong with her instinct, but she couldn’t tell what it was. When she finally recovered and realized what was going on, it was too late.
That night, the wind was rustling, the shadows of the trees were whirling, and chaos was amidst Xiefang palace. Everyone was busy rushing around and never noticed that above the big tree in the courtyard of the Xiefang palace, a person was sitting calmly on the trunk. They were holding white sugar cakes and roasted pigeons that Lu Rui had made for Xia Yuqing. They were extremely comfortable watching the excitement while eating.
After forcing the transaction and solving the most difficult bride situation, everyone in Xiefang palace, under Xia Yuqing’s instruction, began to spread the news that Yin Xiang and Li Yuan were about to get married.
At this time, the Grand Tutor’s Mansion was not just raining cats and dogs, it was a whole violent typhoon.
Before he could think deeply, Yan Ran had grabbed his coat and ran to the palace.
It’s a pity that no matter how fast he ran, there was still someone else who had arrived at Xiefang palace before him.
“Hey, where are you going, Yin Gong Zi?” Lu Rui saw Yin Xiang walking in as soon as she raised her head. She hurriedly dropped the things in her hand and ran over, blocking him in front.
“Yin Gongzi came?” Xia Yuqing rushed over and also stood in front of Yin Gongzi, “Yin Gongzi are you going to go look for Xiao Yuan?”
“En, I heard Xiao Yuan, she……”
“That’s right, Xiao Yuan has agreed to marry you and it will be tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow!? Isn’t that too rushed?”
“How can it be too rushed? Hasn’t Young Master Yin ever heard a phrase, undue delay may bring trouble? Some things will change when things get dragged out. Is Young Master Yin not worried that Xiao Yuan will suddenly change her mind? I believe that a day’s worth of time will allow Young Master Yin to organize a wedding that meets Xiao Yuan’s satisfaction. What’s more, the wedding is just a formality. Once we set it, you can organize a bigger event when you return to Xue country. So one day… is enough time!”
Yin Xiang was silent for a moment: “Then let me see Xiao Yuan and hear her response personally. This way I will feel more at ease.”
“No! Master Yin, you can’t see Xiao Yuan right now.” Xia Yuqing yelled in panic when she saw Yin Xiang about to go inside again.
“Why?” Yin Xiang twisted his eyebrows and looked at Xia Yuqing, as if waiting for Xia Yuqing to give him a satisfactory answer.
“Because…because…” Xia Yuqing hurriedly winked at Lu Rui. Lu Rui knowingly stepped forward: “Oh, it’s because according to the regulations of our country, a new couple can’t see each other the day before they get married. Otherwise… it’s easy to lead to misfortune! Yin Gongzi, this kind of thing is better to be trusted than not. Although you and Xiao Yuan are both from Xue Country, now that you are in Ye country, you should still abide by the customs of Ye country, so…for the sake of you and Xiao Yuan’s future, you will have to be wronged and can only see Xiao Yuan tomorrow.”
“Yes, yes, for the future of you and Xiao Yuan, please bear with it Young Master Yin. Put your heart in your stomach, this matter is related to Xiao Yuan’s lifelong happiness. We all regard Xiao Yuan as sisters, how can we take this as a joke? You should go back and prepare to be a down-to-earth groom for tomorrow!”
Yin Xiang’s eyes went back and forth between the two and he smiled: “Since Niang Niang has spoken, then I will go back and prepare first. I hope you won’t let me down tomorrow.”
“How could I let you be disappointed? Go ahead.” Xia Yuqing tried hard to hold a sincere smile on her face.
After finally deceiving Yin Xiang away, Xia Yuqing could not catch a breath as soon a certain master came.
“Niang Niang, the Grand Tutor is here.”
Xia Yuqing was shocked and immediately awoke: “Finally, where is he?”
“Just entered the gate. What should we do now, Niang Niang?”
Xia Yuqing sneered in deep thought for a moment: “Old method. Close the entrance and release Xiao Bai!”