Chapter 121 - It Is Not Easy to Be a Noble Lady!

After scolding Jinxun, Song Yixiao reluctantly calmed herself down and made her leave for introspection with a wave!

“Madam, yesterday the Su sisters submitted a visiting card, saying that they would pay you a visit today.” Qiaoqin didn’t dare to come in to remind Song Yixiao until now, “By estimate, they will arrive soon. Would you like to go back to the inner chamber first?”

“Yes, I’m going back!” Song Yixiao heaved a sigh and said, “When they arrive, you receive them on behalf of me in advance. You should know what to say or what not to say.”

Qiaoqin hastened to take the order.

After a bowl of tea’s time, the Su sisters arrived as expected.

“You were well when we met two days ago. How come you are ill now?” Upon entering the door, Su Shaomo said bluntly, “I thought that you only looked dainty and weak. Yet, you turn out to be really weak indeed!”

Su Shaoling couldn’t stop her in time…

Actually, she meant no harm and only ridiculed Song Yixiao’s weakness.

The problem was who said so!

It would be fine if Song Yixiao’s besties did the same thing like Yuan Xue’e, who grew up with her.

But the Su sisters? It was merely the third time they met with Song Yixiao today!

When they met for the first time, Su Shaomo offended Song Yixiao once. Now that she did so, couldn’t Song Yixiao take it as a deliberate act?

“If Shaomo keeps talking like that…” Su Shaoling felt helpless, “Can I really make friends with Song Yixiao?”

“Yeah you are right!” Song Yixiao didn’t get angry with her. At least, she appeared so. She only smiled and said, “Xue’e, the lady of Marquis Boling’s mansion paid a visit to me yesterday, who also laughed at me for that. I would not dare to go out for a walk next time!”

Now even Su Shaoling was surprised, “It’s cold now. Why did you go out for a blow?”

“I thought it was a short distance, so I walked back to my room for convenience.” Song Yixiao told them the same thing that she did Jiayue and then added with a bitter smile, “Unexpectedly, I got sick after that.”

“Well, your health condition is really…” Su Shao was suddenly interrupted when her sleeve was dragged by Su Shaoling. “Miss Yuan was right. It is colder than summer now. You should wear more clothes when you go out!”

Then in order to stop Su Shao from irritating Song Yixiao and not to let Song Yixiao tired from their long stay, Su Shaoling pressed her sister not to talk and she herself exchanged pleasantries with Song Yixiao before leaving.

After their carriage left Duke of Yan’s mansion, Su Shaomo complained, “I didn’t say anything improper today, did I? I only joked about Madam Song’s poor health. Isn’t it the truth? It is cold, but normally we cannot get sick for walking from the bathroom to the inner chamber, or even that sick to make the birth mother come to visit and the mother-in-law’s maid condole with her.”

She felt, “Shaoling, you were being too prudent! Our brother asks us to befriend her but not to fawn on her!”

“Shaomo, since you know an ordinary person cannot get sick for going out for a blow like that, why don’t you think further?” Su Shaoling rubbed her forehead and advised in earnest words, “Clearly it is only Madam Song’s excuse to cover the truth! Yet, you kept talking about her poor health condition. Was it too close to home for her?”

Su Shaomo asked in confusion, “What truth?”

“I think Madam Song did get sick for going out for a blow among all that she said to us!” Su Shaoling said in a low voice, “Think about this. Duke of Yan cannot have sexual intercourse with her. This is unacceptable for any woman as a wife. Madam Song is sick probably because she cannot pour out her bitterness and she would rather stay in the garden alone than go back to her room!”

Otherwise, “She didn’t look very seriously ill just now. Duke of Yan is very busy now. How can he ask the Empress Dowager to tell Princess Consort Wei to visit her daughter on her own for such a minor illness?”

Obviously, Jian Xubai must be guilty about his wife!

Moreover, Wei Mengying’s remarriage left a snobbish impression on the nobles of the imperial capital, so if she went to enlighten her daughter, “Given Duke of Yan’s power, Princess Consort Wei won’t persuade Madam Song into divorcing him. Instead, she will only advise her to put up with it and continue the marriage with Duke of Yan!”

“No wonder Jinguo Grand Princess also hurriedly sent her maid to visit the daughter-in-law!” Su Shaomo took a tumble, “Oh I see! The Grand Princess has a lot of things to handle in her own mansion. Why is she so concerned about her daughter-in-law? It is because she has to rope her daughter-in-law in for the sake of her son!”

“If it leaks out, Jinguo Grand Princess must put up a desperate fight with us. Shaomo, you must keep it mind!” Su Shaoling got worried and ordered cautiously, “You must take it seriously!”

Su Shaomo said disapprovingly, “Of course I do! Do you think I am a fool? Why do you need to tell me?”

“Given that you are such a straightforward person who never knows how to talk euphemistically, even if you are not a fool, you’ve brought a lot of trouble for us!” Su Shaoling glimpsed her sister who looked aloof, and couldn’t help heaving a sigh. Actually, as she and Su Shaoge were cautious, they would never let Su Shaomo know that Jian Xubai probably couldn’t perform sexual intercourse!

Unfortunately, God’s plans superseded theirs. Su Shaomo suddenly hid under Su Shaoge’s desk to scare him when he came in. Generally, only he and his trusted subordinates as well as his parents and two sisters were allowed to go into his study. Thus, after taking Su Shaoling into the study, he directly started to discuss with her about how to persuade Song Yixiao into siding with them, without even checking whether there was anyone else in the study. And Su Shaomo happened to hear their plan!

They couldn’t do away with Su Shaomo anyway so Su Shaoling was ordered to keep an eye on her and remind her all the time.

Song Yixiao had no idea what the Su Family was up to. After seeing the Su sisters off, she decided not to fake illness anymore. She was busy these days. If she had to handle the numerous unexpected visits every day, how could she have the time to deal with the household affairs instead?

“If I can’t manage the mansion well, Mother-in-law and Jian Xubai must feel unsatisfied with me!”

If these two were not satisfied with her, her footing would be shaken!

Then she made up her mind, “I will announce tomorrow that I am well.”

It was lucky for her to do so. This afternoon, the Crown Princess, Commandery Princess Qingjiang, wife of Earl Shouchun, the Song Family, Wei Yinlian, Xie Yiren and others all submitted visiting cards or sent gifts to her to expressing concern and care for her tacitly.

“I will never use the excuse of being sick unless I have to!” Staring at the gifts stacked in the hall and a pile of visiting cards, Song Yixiao rested her forehead on her palm with a sigh, “Where are people? All come to work!”

These visiting cards and gifts were not received at no cost. She had to reply to the cards and give presents in return. There would be a lot to do. Luckily, she was not really ill. If she really recovered from a critical illness, after doing so much work, she would become ill again.

Therefore, it was not easy to be a noble lady!

With the help of a few chief maids, Song Yixiao only solved a majority of work until Jian Xubai was back from work.

Seeing that Jian Xubai came in smilingly, she gave him a resentful look. If Jian Xubai didn’t make up the excuse that she was sick, why would she have to deal with so much work?

“What are you looking at?” Jian Xubai noticed the sense of complaint in her eyes. Out of curiosity, he went into the inner chamber to get changed and then came to her back to take a look. Instantly, he took a tumble and said smilingly, “After all, people all believe that you are sick right now. Even if you are well, you may not be able to take care of the affairs. If you find it bothering, just try to postpone and deal with them slowly one by one. Why the rush?”

“Easy said!” Song Yixiao complained, “Check the dates yourself. The day after tomorrow will be Ping’an’s birthday! How do I have the time to deal with it slowly?”

“He is only a junior. If he were not the only son of my sister and he were not that special, we wouldn’t need to attend his birthday dinner on our own.” Jian Xubai plucked her pearl hairpin on her hair and didn’t stop until it got loosened, saying grinningly, “Besides, we will only have a dinner there. How much time can it take?”

Song Yixiao bit her lips and pondered. Suddenly, she turned around and pulled his sleeves, saying in an obsequious way, “Xubai!”

“I don’t interfere in the household thing! Do it yourself!” Jian Xubai interrupted her directly and fondled her face softly, saying in a tender voice, “Be good. I have suffered enough from the paperwork. Shanyao, you are such a virtuous wife that I suppose you will not let me bothered by it after being back from work, right?”

No, Song Yixiao would rather let him bothered!

She just didn’t want to be bothered!

Song Yixiao took a look at her maids. After they all left, she put on a pitiful face, “Xubai, I feel giddy and dazzled with a sense of suppression in the chest. Besides, my wrists sore too… Do you really not care about me?”

“How come?” Jian Xubai appeared surprised, “Are you really sick? Let me take a look!”

“Yes, I am!” Song Yixiao decided to meet trick with trick and pretended that she was sick. She leaned against her husband with her head rested on her hands and her eyes closed, waiting for her husband to agree on her request.

Jian Xubai rolled up his sleeves with a stern face, saying in a deep voice, “My good girl! Is it this place?” Amidst talking, he put his fingers upon her temples, rubbing them with proper force.

“But Xubai, I am still feeling dizzy!” Somehow, due to his massaging, Song Yixiao felt refreshed soon and her tiredness was also allied. Satisfied, she still whined with grievance, “Yet, I am still not feeling well!”

“I know.” Jian Xubai patted her head and then bent down with a smirk, “Something is also wrong with here too, right?”

His long and fair-skinned hands dropped along her neck. After a while, Song Yixiao finally realized what happened and instantly jabbed him with her elbow, “You!”

“You said you had a sense of suppression in your chest!” Jian Xubai was jabbed by her with an innocent look, “I pressed your temples as you feel giddy and dazzled. Since you have a sense of suppression in your chest, surely I should…”

He didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, he just stared at Song Yixiao’s well-developed bosoms. His unsaid words went without saying!

Song Yixiao literally went for wool and came home shorn!

Song Yixiao flew into a shameful rage and then lifted a Jade Ruyi nearby, shouting at her husband, “Will you help me or not?”