Lady Yao was so angry that smoke seemed to be billowing from her forehead, yet she dared not show her temper.
She gritted her teeth in the end.
"Everything’s fine..."
"After the second young master passed the examination to become a Scholar, he continued his studies at the White Horse Academy..."
"The second young lady..."
"She’s also doing well with Maternal Aunt Wen!"
Lady Yao replied to each question.
Xia Ruqing nodded with satisfaction.
"That’s good!"
"Mother must be hungry after coming all this way!"
"Zi Yue, why haven’t the refreshments been served yet?"
Zi Yue hurried over.
"It’s all this servant’s fault, please don’t take offense, Madam!"
As she said this, she called for the servants to serve a few more plates of pastries.
Lady Yao’s eyes practically popped out. She hadn’t even seen such delicacies before, let alone tasted them.
Xia Ruqing said, "Have a little something to eat first. I had someone prepare lunch as well, and if Mother doesn’t mind, please stay and have a meal with us!"
Lady Yao’s face bloomed with forced smiles again.
"Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness!"
Having said this, she couldn’t help herself and took a taste.
Over there, Xia Ruyi had already begun to eat with gusto.
The mother and daughter both had food and drink.
In Xia Ruqing’s eyes, it was like feeding pigs.
This time, Lady Yao really ate her fill. And in her heart, she was even more convinced that she had to ingratiate herself with Consort Xian Pin, this towering tree.
Her eyes rolling around, she schemed and calculated.
Finally, she took out a gold safety lock from within her clothes.
"Consort Xian Pin, this humble wife has heard that Your Highness has given birth to the Crown Prince!"
"I don’t have anything valuable to offer, but this gold safety lock is a gift for the Little Prince!"
After speaking, she raised it to give to her.
Zi Su immediately stepped in to stop her.
"Madam, please give it to me! This servant will present it!"
Lady Yao, gnashing her teeth with frustration, had no choice but to hand it over.
The safety lock was not heavy, and Xia Ruqing picked it up for a look then tossed it to the side.
Yet her face broke into a smile as she said, "Thank you for your kindness, Mother!"
Lady Yao felt rather embarrassed and didn’t know what to say.
In her heart, she was full of resentment: This... A small piece of gold given, and there wasn’t even a sound of acknowledgment?! No thoughts of giving a return gift either. Truly, the offspring of a base woman—no wonder she’s so utterly lacking in manners!
Of course, Xia Ruqing knew what Lady Yao was thinking.
But...
Sorry, she genuinely didn’t want to bestow anything at all. The atrocities Lady Yao had committed in the past were not directly against her, but it was ultimately this body that suffered. The original owner’s death was most likely directly caused by her abuse. So, a reward? Heh! Dream on!
Her heart was filled with endless disdain and aversion.
Yet on the surface, Xia Ruqing’s smile remained as radiant as ever.
She had Zi Yue help her dress, and she slowly stepped out from behind the beaded curtains.
Lady Yao, who was standing there, immediately retreated a couple of steps to the side.
Seeing this, Xia Ruqing said in surprise, "Oh dear, Mother, why are you still standing!"
"These damn servants, how stupid they are, not even realizing they should have reminded me!"
After saying this, she scolded, "What are you fools standing around for, not hurrying to get a stool for my Mother!"
Zi Yue and Zi Su struggled to hold back their laughter, and quickly responded. One by one, they rushed out to fetch stools.
At last, the stools were brought over.
Xia Ruqing took her seat at the head, while Lady Yao and Xia Ruyi sat below her.
She made no mention of rewards. She simply kept Lady Yao engaged in conversation, insistently recounting endless trivialities.
"Mother, how long did it take you to travel from home to the Capital City?"
"Who all came from home?"
"Where are you staying now?"
Her face always wore a beaming smile.
To anyone looking on, it appeared to be a scene of deep maternal affection.
It takes one to know one—following Zhao Junyao, Xia Ruqing had learned a thing or two about underhanded tactics!
HEHE!
By the end of their small talk, Lady Yao was almost in tears.
What... just idle chatter? When would this ever end!
No way! Absolutely not, she had to think of something to secure some advantages for herself.
Lady Yao’s nature was just so. If a mosquito flew by her, she’d wish she could tear off a piece of meat from its leg.
But how to curry favor?
After some thought, Lady Yao concluded: playing poor was the most reliable strategy.
Having made up her mind, she set to work without delay.
Lady Yao suddenly began to dab at her tears.
A thought crossed Xia Ruqing’s mind: Oh dear! Here it comes!
Her face feigned surprise: "Mother, what’s the matter? Speak up if you’ve been wronged, and I’ll make it right for you!"
Lady Yao indeed began to bemoan her situation.
As she wiped away tears, she talked for nearly half a Shi Chen, crying as if her heart was breaking.
The grievances could be summarized in three points.
First: the place they were living in was a bit shabby, the courtyard too small, hardly worthy of inviting other madams over for a visit.
Second: They were poor, and your father’s salary was not enough to save anything substantial. This trip to the Capital City almost drained us.