Chapter 060
Chapter 60: Today I’ve Truly Witnessed the Power of Gossiping Women
No, no, no—how could the young prince be possessed by some wandering spirit? If that were true, how could Little Fourth have never mentioned him?
Madam Yun took a deep breath, forcefully pressing down all the wild thoughts in her mind and trying to calm herself.
“Sigh… I don’t know,” she finally said.
Princess Consort Jing let out a sigh too, her expression full of worry. After a moment, her gaze fell on Yun Wan Ning, who was glancing around curiously, her eyes bright and inquisitive. A look of envy filled the princess’s eyes.
“Enough about him. Madam Yun, your fourth young miss has such lively eyes and a spirited nature. One look, and you can tell she’s destined for great fortune.”
[I wouldn’t dare claim such fortune. I’m just a little cannon fodder.]
[But lively and spirited? That’s true. I’m an outgoing little baby, cheerful and friendly.]
Hearing Princess Consort Jing mention her, Yun Wan Ning turned her head and looked over with interest, making Madam Yun chuckle in amusement.
“Huh? It’s like Little Auntie knows I’m talking about her,” Princess Consort Jing exclaimed in surprise, staring at Yun Wan Ning with increasing wonder. “Her gaze… it feels like she’s replying to me.”
[You guessed right. I do know you’re talking about me.]
Yun Wan Ning grinned proudly at her.
That smile struck Princess Consort Jing like lightning. She stared in stunned silence and murmured, “Did I imagine it? I could’ve sworn Little Auntie smiled at me…”
Madam Yun: “…”
Yun Wan Yao: “…”
This little milk bun had clearly figured out that no one could guess her secret or trace her origins, so she was shamelessly acting in ways no normal infant ever would.
At the banquet, the noble ladies and young misses sat in neat rows, whispering to one another with lively excitement.
“Miss Yun is nearing her coming-of-age ceremony, isn’t she? Has the wedding date with Prince Qi been set yet? When do you plan to hold the ceremony?”
A noblewoman smiled sweetly as she spoke, yet her words pushed Yun Wan Yao straight into the spotlight. Instantly, all eyes turned to her, each gaze filled with nosy curiosity.
Caught off guard by so many stares, Yun Wan Yao froze, unsure how to respond.
[That meddlesome madam is from the Grand Chancellor’s residence, isn’t she?]
[She really knows how to poke where it hurts. Instead of sticking your nose in my elder sister’s marriage, why not worry more about your own son? Do you even know he slept with his concubine?]
[That illegitimate son she gave birth to? Yeah… that’s actually your own grandchild. Too bad he’s not even a year old yet, and soon he’ll be killed by his own grandmother. What a tragedy.]
Yun Wan Yao: [???]
Madam Yun: [???]
What?
The Grand Chancellor’s young master actually slept with one of his father’s concubines?
And she gave birth to a child?
According to Little Fourth, that child won’t live long and is doomed to die by the hand of the Grand Chancellor’s madam herself?
Mother and daughter stared at each other in disbelief, then both turned their stunned gazes toward the Grand Chancellor’s wife, unable to hide their shock.
Feeling their eyes on her, the madam of the Grand Chancellor’s residence suddenly grew uneasy. She frowned deeply, feeling an inexplicable sense of discomfort.
“Our Yao’er is still young. There’s no rush to set the date—we’ll make arrangements after she comes of age,” said Madam Yun, quickly recovering from her earlier shock. With a soft smile and gentle tone, she responded gracefully.
Yet someone among the crowd couldn’t stand her dignified poise. As soon as she spoke, that person sneered and mocked with thinly veiled malice.
“Madam Yao, did you forget? Lord Yun Qi and the Heir Apparent still haven’t secured matches yet. Looks like it’ll be a while before Miss Yun’s marriage is settled.”
“That’s true. Lord Yun Qi’s nearly twenty already, isn’t he? Why hasn’t anyone been considered yet? Does he plan to stay unmarried forever?”
“Well, Lord Yun Qi hasn’t branched off into a separate household. Since he’s still under his elder brother’s care, I suppose he can’t make those decisions for himself.”
“Madam Yun, you and the Duke—being his elder brother and sister-in-law—why haven’t you taken his marriage seriously? You raised him after all. With that kind of debt of gratitude, even if he marries, he wouldn’t try to fight for the family inheritance, right? Why delay things and be so cruel?”
“……”
One after another, these noblewomen chimed in, their words sharp and unrelenting. They openly accused Madam Yun and her husband of being heartless, of purposely holding back Lord Yun Qi’s marriage prospects.
Some even mocked Yun Wan Chen for his crippled legs, sneering that he dared to break off the engagement with the Su family and would surely have a hard time finding another bride.
Madam Yun had long grown used to such remarks. Though they still stung, they no longer stirred much emotion in her. But Yun Wan Yao and Yun Wan Ning were nearly seething with fury.
[Wow. Today I’ve truly seen the power of a bunch of gossipy hens.]
[Good-for-nothings when it comes to real business, but first-class at wagging their tongues.]
[Their own homes are in shambles, yet they have the audacity to gossip about my Seventh Uncle? He and Elder Sister Yin Shuang are doing just fine, thank you. Mind your own business.]
[As for my big brother, his legs are almost healed. And not to be rude, but did you all forget how, before his injury, the unmarried ladies in your households were practically throwing themselves at him?]
[…]
Even after all this, Yun Wan Ning still felt unsatisfied. She glared at the most poisonous-tongued noblewomen and began tallying their secrets in her mind.
[You all should be grateful I can’t speak. Otherwise, I’d make sure none of you would ever dare show your faces in public again.]
[Madam Lu—yes, you were the one who accused my parents of hoarding the family fortune and intentionally stalling my Seventh Uncle’s marriage, weren’t you?]
[What a hypocrite. You’re the one with blood on your hands. Just to seize control of the household accounts, you murdered your mother-in-law while Lord Lu was away, then bullied the second branch’s orphaned daughter, treating her like a dog.]
[You tormented her until she went mad, then locked her in a firewood shed, chained up like an animal.]
[You stole her dowry and all the assets of the second branch, giving them to your own daughter. Honestly, even Empress Lü Zhi wasn’t this vicious.]
[And you, Madam Fan—weren’t you the one who just mocked my big brother for his crippled legs?]
[He’s just injured, that’s all. Can’t compare to your particular… taste.]
[You look fair and proper on the outside, but what’s with your fetish for stinky feet? You actually forced Lord Fan not to wash his feet for months, and every night you’d cradle his smelly feet in your arms like a treasure.]
[Sometimes you even kissed them.]
[Gag. I can’t even wrap my head around that. How can someone have such a bizarre fetish?]
[Just imagining it makes me want to pinch my nose. Feet that haven’t been washed in months… those must be lethal weapons by now.]
[…]
Yun Wan Yao: “……”
Madam Yun: “……”
The mother-daughter pair stared wide-eyed, utterly stunned as they looked from one named madam to the next.
Everything Little Fourth said was just too unbelievable.
Especially when Madam Lu and Madam Fan were brought up, the expressions on mother and daughter’s faces could no longer hold.
That Madam Lu—how could she be so heartless?
The second wife of the Lu family had once been the beloved youngest daughter of the wealthiest household in Nanzhou prefecture. On the day she married, her dowry stretched for ten li, with enough shops and land deeds to fill an entire chest. All of Haojing had been shaken by the event.
Then, five years ago, the second Lu couple encountered a flash flood while traveling and died in the disaster, leaving behind a nine-year-old girl and an inheritance of gold, silver, and properties beyond count.
Now, that orphaned girl from the second branch should be only around fourteen.
Some time ago, word had spread that the young girl fell ill in sorrow after her grandmother’s passing. But who could have guessed—the truth behind it was explosive.
That poor little aunt had been driven mad by her own aunt-in-law, locked in the woodshed and chained like an animal, while her entire dowry and household wealth were seized by force.
As for Madam Fan, she was better left unmentioned…
The Yun family mother and daughter clenched their fists tightly. Their hearts brimmed with sympathy for that pitiful young aunt, but alas, even a righteous official found it hard to judge family affairs.
The little aunt had already lost her mind. Even if they wished to help her seek justice, she might no longer be able to speak for herself.
This world never lacked the wicked… nor those who died in vain.
They had hearts soft like a Bodhisattva’s, yet no thunder in their hands.
A deep sense of helplessness washed over the pair.
“Today, this princess consort invited everyone to attend the young prince’s birthday banquet, not to gather and gossip. Don’t you all think you’ve gone a bit too far?”
As the sharp remarks continued, Princess Consort Jing’s face turned cold. Clutching her embroidered handkerchief, she looked toward the group of trouble-stirring ladies, clearly displeased.
Those gossiping madams instantly flushed with embarrassment at her rebuke. After offering awkward smiles, they fell silent.
Madam Yun returned to herself then, casting a grateful glance at Princess Consort Jing. She dipped her head slightly and turned to address the gathered madams.
“The affairs of the Yun family need not concern any of you.”
“Come to think of it, if all the young ladies in the capital had mouths like yours, then I must say—it’s a blessing that Old Seventh and Chen’er remain unmarried. At least they won’t bring home wives who’ll stir up chaos and make their days as miserable as their lords’. Don’t you all agree?”
“Pfft—!”
Princess Consort Jing couldn’t hold back her laughter, but quickly caught herself, covering her mouth with her handkerchief and doing her best to seem composed.
Yet her laughter broke the tension, and the few gossiping madams completely lost face. Their cheeks flushed deep red, their expressions filled with shame, and none could think of a proper retort.
[Wow, brilliant—absolutely brilliant! Mother’s words were perfect.]
[I must applaud her. Spot on!]
[She’s right—those busybodies are just a walking disaster for any household. Better to stay single than bring one home.]
[They can’t even manage their own families, yet spend their days nosing into others’. Don’t they have anything better to do? Just looking for trouble.]
[…]
Yun Wan Ning cheered for her mother inside her heart, her thoughts full of praise. At the same time, Madam Yun’s lips curved ever so slightly.
Her gaze fell upon Madam Lu, her tone layered with meaning as she said, “Madam Lu, those words you just spoke… I find them quite thought-provoking.”
“I seem to recall that the second wife of the Lu family was the daughter of Nanzhou prefecture’s wealthiest merchant. When she married into the Lu family, her dowry was ten li long and caused a sensation throughout Haojing. Now that something has happened to the second branch, why has their young daughter not shown herself?”
Shua—
Madam Lu’s face went pale in an instant.
Why was Ye Xi Wei suddenly bringing up the second branch’s dowry and the missing girl? Could she possibly know something?
No—impossible. The capital’s nobles were far too busy. Who would pay attention to a little girl like that?
And the second Lu branch had never had dealings with the Yun family. Especially Ye Xi Wei—she was always occupied managing the Yun household’s affairs. When would she ever have time to meddle in someone else’s backyard?
She must simply be lashing out after being annoyed by what was said earlier. As long as she denied everything, it would be fine.
There’s no way Ye Xi Wei would bother defending that little wretch.
With that thought, Madam Lu relaxed her body, forcing a composed smile onto her face.
“Huan’er has always had a frail constitution and rarely leaves the house. Besides, true young ladies of noble birth don’t go parading around the streets. If Madam Yun wishes to see her, you’re welcome to visit our home another day.”
“Is that so? Then I do hope Madam Lu won’t turn me away when I come knocking.”
Was Ye Xi Wei truly planning a visit? Or was it just a casual remark?
Madam Lu pressed her lips together, eyes searching Madam Yun’s face, a quiet anxiety blooming in her chest. But she was a seasoned schemer. However panicked she felt inside, her expression didn’t show a single crack.
Yet Madam Yun had already lost interest in her. Turning away, she looked to Princess Consort Jing and said, “Princess Consort, my Little Fourth needs to nurse. Would you be so kind as to lend us a room?”
“Come with me.”
Princess Consort Jing rose to her feet. After a few polite parting words to the madams in the hall and leaving some maids behind to accompany them, she personally led Madam Yun toward a nearby courtyard. Yun Wan Yao followed closely behind.
Once they left the hall, Madam Yun offered an apologetic smile. “Princess Consort, with so many guests still present, you shouldn’t have left them. Wouldn’t it be better to let a servant guide me instead?”
“It’s fine.”
Princess Consort Jing gave a soft laugh. “Let the attendants keep them company. I’ve had enough of those chattering tongues for one day.”
She truly couldn’t stand those women. If not for the connections between the royal manor and their husbands—connections backed by hefty gift money—she never would have invited them to Han’er’s birthday celebration.
“Madam Yun, I never realized your tongue could be so sharp. You left those women utterly speechless just now.”
As the memory returned to her, Princess Consort Jing couldn’t help but chuckle again, hiding her smile behind her handkerchief.
In all the years they had known each other, this was the first time she’d seen Madam Yun so fierce with her words.
[Indeed! Full marks for Mother’s performance today.]
[If she could always be like this, those madams would never dare challenge her again.]
[Mother, you mustn’t indulge them anymore. If anyone dares say something unpleasant, just strike back.]
[The more you back down, the more they’ll think you’re weak and easy to bully. They’ll just push harder.]
[…]
Yun Wan Yao and Madam Yun both agreed deeply with these thoughts.
In the past, they were always too worried about appearances. When others spoke ill, they would grit their teeth and swallow the bitterness, hoping to keep the peace.
But they forgot that though peace reigned on the surface, their own hearts were left suffocating beneath the weight.
How refreshing it felt—to speak up!
Madam Yun felt lighter than she had in years, as if a weight had been lifted.
“Forgive me, Princess Consort, if I made a scene.”
“Not at all. I found it rather satisfying.”
In grand households, banquets always came with guest rooms prepared for emergencies, and the Prince Jing Manor was no exception. Several side rooms had been readied in advance.
Yet, instead of leading Madam Yun to one of those guest rooms, Princess Consort Jing brought her straight to the main courtyard.
From afar, they could see a richly dressed boy standing on the steps, his expression shadowed as he stared in their direction.
The child looked like a little jade doll, carved of snow and light.
“Han’er, you’ve come out?”
Princess Consort Jing quickened her steps and bent down before him, her face filled with delight.