Chapter 44: Paying Respects (Part 2)

  Yao Shizan was the only son left to his father by his mother, and his father doted on him. His paternal grandmother must have also doted on him. However, it has been so long since Yao Shizan recovered from his illness, yet there has not been any news from the Yun Manor. This time, when Eldest Brother Yun Jinchong came to deliver birthday gifts, he should have at least visited Yao Shizan, but he didn't!

  This can only show that Yun Jia doesn't know anything about what has happened in the Yao Mansion during this period of time.

  Yao Cun Hui's silver teeth clenched in secret: Ma indeed has two capable sons, isolating the news within the mansion so thoroughly that not a single drop of information leaks out!

  "Second Miss, we must think of a way to meet Big Brother for once, otherwise, there will be no chance!" The rare opportunity to seek help was clearly within reach but couldn't be approached, and even the usually calm and composed Lady Yung couldn't remain calm this time.

  "Second Miss, why don't we just go to the main courtyard?" suggested Rong's mother, taking a bold step forward.

  "It's useless." Yao Cunhui sighed bitterly. Ma Shi would not be without precautions, and it was impossible to pass by like this, startling the snake in the grass, and instead thoroughly losing the opportunity.

  "Well, Second Miss, what's your intention? Please make it clear." Mother Rong stared at Yao Cunhui with eager eyes, her heart burning with anxiety.

  "I'll go to Erniang's place for a trip!" Yao Cunhui's face was cold and clear, her eyes were deep, and she quietly nodded towards the outside: "You think of a way to stop Hongzhi."

  Rong's mother's eyes lit up and she nodded with great joy: "Don't worry, Second Miss!"

  In the main hall of the Yao Mansion, Yun Jin Chong respectfully presented his grandmother's longevity plaque and politely stated his purpose.

  "This is grandmother's birthday, the elderly at home miss the two cousins and cousin left by Auntie, please ask Madam to bring them together when you come! This is a wish of the elderly, please fulfill it for them!"

  Cloud brocade clock long eyebrows into temples, eye light shining, crown jade-like face exceptionally warm and refined, temperament noble like a banished immortal, a dark blue water-ripple soft robe fitted cut, set off slender and straight figure, more see elegant and graceful.

  Yun Jinzhong did not like Ma Shi, and it can be said that he was quite disgusted in his heart. He was a true Confucian scholar who had extensively studied the classics, and at a young age, he passed the imperial examination to become a jinshi (a high-ranking scholar-official). Afterward, he served in the Hanlin Academy as a government official, and now he is a fifth-rank shidu xueshi (a prestigious academic title) of the Hanlin Academy. According to the convention that only those from the Hanlin Academy can enter the imperial court and become high-ranking officials, with Yun Jinzhong's talent and his family's illustrious background, as long as there are no unexpected events, it is only a matter of time before he enters the imperial court and becomes a high-ranking official.

  Yunjing Zhongfei is not a bookworm who buries himself in books, on the contrary, because he reads a lot of books, his thinking and vision are also different from ordinary people, and he can see through phenomena to the essence. As for Ma Shi, he had long seen through her as a hypocritical and artificial woman, but saying so would be unwise since Ma Shi was the mistress of the Yao family, and his cousins were all under her control. He couldn't say many things, and there were even more things he couldn't do! On the contrary, in front of Ma Shi, he had to pretend to be humble and polite.

  "Master, what are you talking about? The old lady's birthday is a grand celebration! Don't worry, Master, we will definitely prepare a thick and heavy gift to go and celebrate the old lady's birthday!" Madam Ma smiled warmly, her smile full of affection.

  Yun's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she felt that the words "thick and heavy gift" were particularly jarring. The Yun family was a renowned and aristocratic clan with a long history of prosperity, emphasizing the importance of "noble elegance". How could the newly rich Yao family compare to them?

  Yunjing Zhong couldn't help but sigh, and in an instant, the unhappy face of her late aunt flashed through her mind. She had heard that her aunt was a talented and intelligent woman with a lively personality, and marrying into such a family, it's no wonder she died young!

  Yunjing's lips curled up in a faint smile, and she couldn't help but remind her again: "Everything else is fine, but I have two cousins, a boy and a girl, please don't forget about them! It seems like Jia'er will be getting married next spring? Our grandmother has been saying that she wants to see her one more time. And also Hui'er, it's been a long time since we've seen her!"

  A hint of gloom flashed in his eyes, Yun Jin let out a sigh and didn't mention Yao Shi Zan again. If Yao Shi Zan's body couldn't go, then so be it! In case something unexpected happened and things went awry, it would only make matters worse.

  "What Young Master said isn't unreasonable, is it? I understand it in my heart!" Mrs. Ma's face suddenly clouded over, her expression full of difficulty and indecision. After a moment's thought, she sighed and said: "To be honest with you, Young Master, I'm also finding it hard to do! Jia'er is now busy embroidering her trousseau, which is also an important matter, but compared to Old Lady's birthday banquet, it's even more important, isn't it? At that time, I will definitely persuade Jia'er to go with us! After she gets married next spring and goes far away, who knows if we'll ever see Old Lady again? Jia'er must also understand this reason in her heart! As for Hui'er..."

  The worry on Madam Ma's face deepened by three points, and with a helpless wave of her hand, she said: "You also know Hui'er's temper, it's stubborn to the point where even nine oxen can't pull her back! If she doesn't want to do something, no one can persuade her otherwise! Look at this moment, I've already sent someone to invite her sisters, but until now... Ah, I'll try my best to talk to her properly, Young Master, please don't worry!"

  Yun Jin Zhong was taken aback, he had originally wanted to say that since it was so, he would personally go see them and talk to them. Unexpectedly, Madam Ma had already sent someone to invite them, but they refused to come. Yun Jin Zhong felt secretly distressed and a little hurt, feeling secretly resentful: How could Jia Er and Hui Er be so unreasonable? The maternal grandparents' home was their true reliance, the ones who truly cared about them, why were they so muddled?!

  "In that case, please trouble yourself, madam! I and my grandmother are eternally grateful!" Yun Jinzhong stood up, cupped his hands and bowed deeply to make a courtesy call to Ma Shi.

  "Master Miao is being too polite! This is as it should be, as it should be! If Master Miao says so, I would die of shame!" Mrs. Ma hurriedly stood up and returned the courtesy with a smile.

  Yunjing Zhong nodded and prepared to take his leave.

  "Sister-in-law!" A bright and clear voice suddenly came from outside, and Yun Jinzhong and Ma Shi looked up to see a beautiful woman wearing an orange-red embroidered jacket with a hundred butterflies and a goose-yellow pleated skirt, her hair styled in a elegant Ruyi Peony bun, with phoenix-shaped hairpins and pearl earrings shining brightly, slowly walking up the steps with the help of a maid, it was none other than Madame Mao, the second wife of the Yao family.

  Ma's cheek muscles twitched almost imperceptibly, and her hand holding the cloud-patterned silk handkerchief tightened.

  Whenever Mr. Mao goes out, there must be an accident!

  "Madam is busy, I'll take my leave." Yun Jinzhong bid farewell to Madam Ma and also slightly bowed his head in greeting towards Madam Mao.

  As for Mao Shi, Yun Jin Zhong didn't like her either. Although he had only seen her once or twice.

  Ma Shi Ba couldn't wait for Yun Jin Zhong to leave, busily smiling and repeatedly making polite remarks as he sent him out.

  Mao was just in time to hear Yao Cunhui's words and rushed over to make trouble, how could he let Ma's family let Yunjin Zhong go so easily?

  "Isn't Zan'er at Eldest Sister's place?" Mrs. Mao deliberately shouted loudly, her eyes scanning the direction of Mrs. Ma's house: "Zan'er said he was taking our family's gift to play in the garden, I went to look for him but couldn't find him, and bumped into a little maid who said the two brothers had gone towards Eldest Sister's place, where are they? If you ask me, Zan'er is getting more and more mischievous, Hui'er's niece told me yesterday that he slipped away in the blink of an eye to cause trouble!"

  Ma's heart tightened and he scolded, "Second Master of your household, you——"

  "Zan'er?" Yun Jinzhong's eyes lit up, and he took a few steps forward towards Mao Shi, his gaze fixed intently on her as he asked in a trembling voice: "Second Madam is referring to... Zan'er? My cousin Zan'er?"

  "Who are you?" Ma was stunned and suspiciously sized him up.

  "I am the young master of the Yun family, Zan'er's older cousin!" Yun Jinzhong hastily asked again: "Zan'er's body - has it recovered?"

  "It's actually the young master of the Yun family!" Mrs. Mao slapped her own forehead, laughing: "Look at my foolishness! Just now when I greeted him, I was thinking, which family's son is so outstanding? It turns out to be Young Master Yun, no wonder!" She then curiously asked: "Has Zan'er recovered from his illness? Doesn't Young Master Yun know?"

  Yunjing Zhong's face looked exceptionally unpleasant, and he slightly turned his head, calmly staring at Ma Shi. His tranquil expression didn't reveal any unusualness, but it made Ma Shi feel a sudden halt in her breath, as an overwhelming sense of terror and fear swept over her!

  "Zan, in the past few days, I've recovered a bit, but I'm still a bit weak. Nowadays, I'm taking care of myself all the time! Master Biao, don't worry, by the day of Old Lady Yun's birthday banquet, I will——” Madam Ma forced herself to calm down and said with a smile, her heart only having one thought, which was to hurry up and send this great god Cloud Brocade Clock away!"

  As long as things stop here, everything can still be salvaged! If it develops further, she doesn't dare think about it!

  Yao Shizan's body has recovered, but he didn't tell the Yun family right away. Not to mention the Yun family, even if Master knew about it, he would definitely scold him! Master is still relying on the Yun family as a big tree, and Yao Shizan is the strongest link connecting them!

  "I'd like to see Zan'er now, please arrange it for me, madam." Yun Jin's deep and calm eyes stared steadily at Ma Shi, and he raised his hand to salute her before speaking slowly.

  It's not a request, it's a firm decision.

  He's not a fool, from one to two, from three to four, he doubted everything Mr. Ma said, and in an instant, he made up his mind that today he must see Zaner, Jiaer, and Hui'er!

  They were cousins by blood, and he wanted to see what excuses the Ma family could come up with to stop him!

  Mao stood by, looking at Ma with a somewhat bewildered expression, then looked at Yunjin Zhong, with an utterly clueless look on his face. In reality, he was overjoyed!

  Isn't she occupying someone else's position, occupying someone else's daughter and son, and even occupying someone else's maternal family? She wants to see how long she can still be virtuous, how long she can still deceive people.

  In the past, she saw how close Ma Shi was with the Yun family and how well they treated her. Mao Shi was so jealous that she couldn't help but scold the Yun family behind their backs, calling them stupid and pig-headed. This time, she personally tore off Ma Shi's mask, and looking at Ma Shi's expression, she could barely hold back her laughter.

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