It was dim near the moon gate. Pei Yanchao wasn't on guard for a moment and was bumped right into by the little girl in front of him. He felt quite surprised.
The little girl hung her head nervously. It was hard to see her face clearly. Only the two silk ribbons on her double buns were seen hanging obediently on both sides.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't do it on purpose. It's so dark here that I didn't see clearly..."
She mustn't let him think she was one of those women who were infatuated with him. Otherwise, there was no telling that her family might not be ransacked and exiled!
"It's all right..."
His voice was as clear and melodious as the cold spring in the mountain stream, but Jiang Sihe didn't have the slightest intention to listen. She only heard the words "it's all right" and then let out a sigh of relief.
Pei Yanchao was surprised that this little girl was so afraid of him. Her body even seemed to be trembling.
"Thank you... I won't bother you anymore..."
Jiang Sihe said incoherently, then hung her head and quickly ran away from one side. As she ran, she secretly covered her chest.
From now on, she must keep a respectful distance from him. She couldn't afford to provoke such a person.
When she returned to her seat, it happened to be the time for them to wish her father a happy birthday.
Every year, just before her father's birthday, the concubine mother would teach her and her sister to dance. In fact, she just wanted to gain her father's approval.
She and Jiang Jingshu, the sister flowers, performed a dance, which brightened the eyes of the guests present and made them can't help but praise.
"Lord Jiang is really blessed! These two sister flowers. One is as gorgeous as a Chinese flowering crabapple, and the other is as delicate as an ink chrysanthemum..."
"Indeed. Lord Jiang is truly blessed..."
Hearing this, the concubine mother still maintained an air of cold self - restraint.
"You, the concubine mother, have taught them well..."
Finally, her father, Jiang Zongyuan, turned his eyes to the concubine mother. He had a pair of phoenix eyes. When his eyes were deep, he seemed to be affectionate.
The concubine mother immediately stepped forward, bowed gracefully to her father, and then spoke.
"My lord, I dare not take the credit. Raising children is what I should do. It's just that I've been living in the other courtyard for these years and haven't been able to serve you. I feel so guilty in my heart!"
Seeing the concubine mother's so high - minded and self - proud speech at the banquet, Jiang Sihe knew that the principal wife would be angry.
Sure enough, the principal wife suddenly stood up from her seat, with a proper smile on her face. "Concubine Ruan, the two young ladies are tired. You'd better take them down to rest quickly..."
Being shamed in public, the concubine mother's face instantly turned pale.
"Principal wife, I still have something to say..."
At this time, Nanny Qiu beside the principal wife had come over and gently supported the concubine mother.
"Concubine Ruan, please..."
The concubine mother bowed reluctantly to her father. Finally, she couldn't help but give her father a loving look before pulling Jiang Sihe and her younger sister away.
When Jiang Sihe left the banquet, she took a look at her father. There was no pity or guilt on his face, only more disgust.
The concubine mother always showed how noble and self - possessed she was regardless of the occasion.
When the banquet was over, it was already late at night. A servant informed the concubine mother that the three of them could stay in the mansion for the night.
The concubine mother happily agreed, looking forward to her father coming to see her. Instead of her father, she received a summons from the principal wife.
"Concubine Ruan, the principal wife asks you to take the two young ladies to the flower hall for a talk!"
Jinlan, the maid beside the principal wife, was cold in attitude and not very nice in tone.
Today at the banquet, the concubine mother didn't give the principal wife any face in public. Those people beside the principal wife would surely not show them a good face.
Back then, the concubine mother had voluntarily gone to the other courtyard, which made the newly - married principal wife lose face. Now that she came back and said those words in public, she almost made the principal wife lose face at the banquet.
It was quite normal for the principal wife's personal maid to be rude to her.
"Yes. I'll take the two young ladies there right away!"
Jinlan didn't wait for them but left first.
"Concubine mother, does the principal wife want to admonish us by asking us to go there?" Jiang Jingshu couldn't help asking in a low voice.
"When the principal wife asks us something, we have to listen. Even if it's an admonishment, we have to listen. I'm just sorry that I have to let you suffer with me!"
"Concubine mother, my sister and I are not afraid. We haven't done anything wrong. She won't make things difficult for you..."
Jiang Sihe couldn't help rolling her eyes. Haven't done anything wrong?
Not paying respects to the principal wife when entering the mansion and acting like that at the banquet. Could this be called not making mistakes?
"Concubine mother, since the principal wife is asking us to go, we'd better hurry up. Otherwise, if we're late, we'll be criticized again..."
Jiang Sihe didn't know when that glazed tile would fall. But if they missed this opportunity, it would be a pity. So she couldn't help urging.
"Sister is so eager to see the principal wife. People who don't know might think that sister is the principal wife's daughter..."
Jiang Sihe ignored her, but thought in her heart that if she were really the principal wife's daughter, that would be great. As the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family, what else would she need to scheme for!
Hearing Jiang Jingshu's words, the concubine mother looked at Jiang Sihe with coldness in her eyes.
When they followed the concubine mother to the flower hall, they were stopped by the maids outside.
"The principal wife is still dealing with something. You wait at the door first!"
Jiang Sihe was a bit absent - minded because she had something on her mind.
This was different from what Jiang Jingshu had said. The principal wife was already in the flower hall and didn't enter with them?
She secretly looked up at the tile on the roof. Sure enough, there was a position that was a bit loose, but she couldn't be sure that it would fall exactly when the principal wife came out.
Just as she was feeling anxious, a young servant ran in from outside.
"Go and report to the principal wife quickly. Uncle has come!"
Hearing this, the maid at the door showed a bit of smile on her face and turned around to report inside.
This uncle was the principal wife's own elder brother. He was a military general and doted on the principal wife very much.
Soon, there were footsteps coming from inside the flower hall. The principal wife came out with her two personal maids, Jinlan and Jinsu.
She also saw the mother and her two daughters. The smile on her face immediately faded.
Seeing the principal wife coming out, the concubine mother quickly pulled the two of them to bow to the principal wife.
"I, your concubine, pay my respects to the principal wife!"
"Ruan Mei, after all these years, I thought you had become more obedient, but it seems you still haven't learned your lesson..."
The concubine mother quickly knelt down. "I don't know where I've offended the principal wife. Please make it clear..."
Looking at Concubine Ruan's proud and aloof appearance, the principal wife got even angrier. She was always pretending like this. It was really disgusting!
The principal wife quickly walked a few steps towards the door.
Jiang Sihe's heart beat faster. She secretly glanced at the glazed tile on the roof, but there seemed to be no sign that it was going to fall.
Could it be that because of her rebirth, this opportunity would disappear?
"Ruan Mei, I'm asking you. Were you being so self - righteous at the banquet today just to make me lose face in public, so that the whole capital would know that as the head wife, I'm being harsh to you..."
"I didn't... When the principal wife entered the mansion back then, I voluntarily went to the other courtyard. I never wanted to compete with you. Now that the master has asked me to come back, the principal wife must be unhappy and wants to take it out on me. I'll accept it. I only beg the principal wife not to be angry... and not to take it out on my two daughters..."
The principal wife was straightforward - tempered. After hearing a few words from the concubine mother, her chest heaved with anger. She stepped down the steps and pointed at the concubine mother, snorting.
"I hate your pretentious look the most. Who are you pretending for... huh?"
"Principal wife, be careful..."
As Jiang Sihe shouted, she rushed towards the principal wife. Before everyone could react, a glazed tile fell heavily on Jiang Sihe's back.
Jiang Jingshu, who was closer to the principal wife, stretched out her arms. Somehow, she felt as if she had lost something.