Chapter 4: Sending Jade - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter
Chapter 4: Sending Jade
"Xia Lu, don't speak nonsense. Miss Feng is so kind, there must be a reason for this arrangement, right, Xiuqiu?"
Although she said so, she deliberately used Xia Lu's mouth to criticize Feng Jinyao.
Xiuqiu knew exactly what Xia Lu was thinking, but she maintained a humble appearance and respectfully replied, "Since the onset of winter, our mistress has been ill for almost two months and there's been no improvement. Although her cough is not contagious, Madam has issued strict orders to limit movement in the rear courtyard, fearing exacerbation of the illness. Miss also shares the same concern. However, all the warm rooms are adjacent to the rear courtyard, except for the Moon Pavilion, which is quite far away."
"Yes, I thought there must be a reason for Miss Feng's arrangement. When she arrives, you must thank her properly."
With a face full of gentle smiles, Xiuqiu looked down upon her in disdain.
False-hearted young ladies were not uncommon in her experience, but those who shamelessly tried to establish connections and gain favors were rare.
A maid brought a pot of hot tea and a few plates of pastries before leaving.
Xia Lu stepped forward and poured a cup of hot tea for Wen Yuwei, asking with some confusion, "Why bother coming on such a cold day? Aren't you supposed to attend the Bai family banquet tomorrow? You could have just returned the jade pendant then. What's the point of this extra trip?"
"You're still so naive. By coming earlier and establishing this relationship with the jade pendant, tomorrow's banquet will be much more comfortable. The Bai family's matriarch hosts a prestigious event, attended by distinguished guests. If I can leverage her influence to meet some eligible gentlemen, it would be beneficial for me, wouldn't it?"
"Miss, you're as close as sisters with Miss Wei from the Wei family. With her help, you'll easily find a good match."
"Hmph, do you think she's that kind-hearted?"
Xia Lu looked puzzled. Weren't they good friends with Miss Wei from the Wei family?
"Never mind, just pour me another cup of tea. This one tastes very sweet."
As Wen Yuwei sipped her tea, she began scheming in her mind.
Xia Lu had been by her side since childhood and had only arrived in the Eastern Capital a few years ago, but her manners were proper. However, compared to the maids in the Feng family, she was far inferior.
Her speech and demeanor were refined and elegant, typical of a maid from a prestigious family, much better than those in her uncle's household.
When Xia Lu spoke rudely without any repercussions, it demonstrated the importance of etiquette in noble families!
Such families, or even those of higher status, were where she aimed to marry into!
Wei Lanxuan had never considered her a true sister; she was just a companion. Since that was the case, she needed to seize more opportunities.
Once she married into a prominent family, she could confidently show her face in front of everyone and let them know how capable she was!
After arranging everything, Xiuqiu quickly returned to the Quiet Courtyard.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Yunxu arranging to pick a few red heart plum blossoms. She said that Miss wanted to place them in a white porcelain vase to add some vitality to the room.
"Where is Miss?"
"She's resting inside. She went to Madam's courtyard early this morning and must be tired. She didn't sleep well last night, so she's probably catching up on rest."
Hearing this, Xiuqiu thought, "Miss really doesn't like her."
"What do you mean she doesn't like her?"
Seeing Xiuqiu's puzzled expression, Yunxu explained the situation and expressed her disdain for Wen Yuwei's behavior.
"Alright, you know our Miss's temperament. She's kind and gentle, but maybe she forgot about Miss Wen's visit. You should go and inform her, just in case it delays Miss's important matters."
"Really?" Xiuqiu was skeptical, but since Yunxu knew Miss best, she decided to inform her.
She entered the main room where Feng Jinyao was sitting on a cushioned mat with a brazier burning underneath, keeping her warm.
Feng Jinyao was flipping through a miscellaneous book titled 'Water Domain Gazetteer,' which discussed various methods of flood control used by past dynasties.
This book had been given to her by her elder brother long ago, but she had never read it until now.
In her second life, she knew some things in advance, so she arranged for Yunxu to find the book as soon as she returned and was now enjoying it.
When Xiuqiu entered, she heard Feng Jinyao ask, before she could respond, "Is everything arranged?"
"In response to Miss, everything has been arranged properly. I just don't know when Miss will go to meet?"
Taking a bamboo slip to mark her page, Feng Jinyao fixed her gaze on Xiuqiu and sarcastically said, "Mother's illness is recurring. As her daughter, how can I leave her side? Just make sure no one takes advantage of her absence. Send her away in two or three hours."
Sure enough, Xiuqiu's suspicions were correct; Miss and Wen Yuwei had their differences.
But such people were better off not having any dealings with her. It was better to avoid getting entangled with someone who could potentially tarnish her reputation.
"I understand, I'll go arrange it."
After Xiuqiu left, Feng Jinyao sat quietly, contemplating her present situation in comparison to her past life.
On that day, Wen Yuwei had visited and returned the jade pendant she had lost for several days. It wasn't a big deal, but Wen's actions turned sour after the pendant's return.
Not only did she befriend Feng Jinyao as her 'good sister,' but she also introduced her to her cousin, Wen Mengsheng, at her grandmother's birthday banquet. He was charming and refined.
However, one wrong step led to a series of mistakes.
Feng Jinyao had initially believed that the Wen family members were kind-hearted individuals, but she didn't expect that their downfall would begin with Wen Yuwei's visit to their house.
The jade pendant played a significant role. The Wen family used it as evidence to solidify their supposed affectionate relationship with her and later used it to propose marriage to her under the guise of nobility.
Their lowly attitude made even her parents pleased, thinking they had found her a good in-law. Little did they know that it was all a scheme from the beginning.
Now she was a formidable force, and no matter how powerful the Wen family was, they wouldn't be able to harm the Feng family again through her.
Hmph, they wanted to harm her family? No way!
Letting Wen Yuwei feel the cold wind for a few hours would help her sober up and realize she shouldn't mess with certain people.
Sitting in the Moon Pavilion, Wen Yuwei began to feel that something was amiss. Since she arrived at the Feng residence, besides Xiuqiu and the two maids who served tea, there was no one else around.
Could it be that they were deliberately avoiding her?
It didn't make sense, they hadn't had any conflicts. Moreover, as a noblewoman from the Eastern Capital, reputation mattered more than anything else. Would they risk her spreading rumors that could damage their reputation?
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