The Virtuous Wife

Chapter 47: Rumors

Two days later, rumors spread all over the capital! They were all talking about how ignorant of etiquette and how arrogant Bai Min'er, the granddaughter of the Duke of the State, was! She even asked the second-rank lady in the court to give way to her, and her attitude was extremely arrogant!

The rumor naturally spread to the Hou Mansion.

That day, Haitang was fumigating Jingyi's clothes in the outer room. She glanced at the young lady who was leaning on the couch reading a book and said softly: "Miss, you don't know how badly the outside world is talking about the granddaughter of the Duke of the State! It's really refreshing!"

Jingyi didn't take her eyes off the book in her hand and said softly: "Don't talk nonsense, be careful not to get into trouble!"

Haitang pouted and stopped talking. It was Nanny He who said, "Miss, it's only been two days, and this rumor has spread so bizarrely. Who knows what it will be in two days?"

Jingyi then took her eyes off the book and looked at Nanny He and said, "Rumors stop with the wise! So, we must not mention this matter in our courtyard from now on!"

Haitang couldn't help but said, "But Miss, the rumor is not all false! She asked the lady to make way for her, it's true!"

Jingyi glanced at her, shook her head and said, "Who do you think spread this rumor? We are also shot!"

"Huh?" Haitang was stunned and didn't understand.

Jingyi ignored her and continued to read the book. After a while, someone sent a message saying that the old man asked Jingyi to go to the outer study.

As soon as Jingyi entered the study, she saw the old man sitting in the main seat, Su Wei sitting beside him, and Su Qing and Su Ming standing on Su Wei's side. Jingyi saw that their faces were all serious, and she knew what was going on.

Jingyi bowed and said, "Greetings to grandfather, greetings to father, and greetings to my two brothers."

The old man asked seriously, "Yiyi, have you heard any rumors these two days?"

Jingyi nodded, "I heard it, nothing more than saying that Bai Min'er is arrogant and domineering!"

Su Wei glanced at the three children and said, "Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival. The emperor has ordered our whole family to go to the palace for a banquet. Yiyi, the emperor has specifically mentioned you this time. You must be careful when you go to the palace tomorrow! Don't make any more mistakes!"

Jingyi nodded cautiously. She glanced at the old man who was still a little serious, thought for a moment, and said softly: "Grandfather, father, our carriage turned at a T-junction that day, and opposite that T-junction was a 'Fugui Restaurant'. Yiyi felt something was wrong at the time, so she looked up, but saw that all the windows on the second floor were open, but no one was seen. Forgive Yiyi for being frank, I'm afraid this is too coincidental!"

A glimmer of shrewdness flashed across the old man's eyes. This girl is really thoughtful!

Su Wei was also a little surprised to look at his seven-year-old daughter. How could she, a little child, think of paying attention to these things? Did she notice something?

Su Qing and Su Ming also looked at Jingyi with surprise. They were riding on horses at the time, but they didn't pay attention to any restaurant or windows. This sister is really thoughtful!

The old man asked, "Yiyi, let me ask you, why do you think it's too coincidental?"

"Grandfather, the main road was blocked by an overturned carriage, but we chose the nearest alley to pass through after seeing the main road was blocked. This arrangement is the most normal. But Bai Min'er came out of the palace that day. Logically, there is more than one way to go back to the Duke of Huguo's Mansion. What's more puzzling is that the road she took was clearly the farthest way back to the Duke of Huguo's Mansion! Isn't this someone doing it on purpose?"

After these words came out, Su Wei couldn't sit still. He stood up and looked at Jingyi with a serious face, "Yiyi, how do you know she just came back from the palace?"

Jingyi tilted her head, "Yiyi just saw that among her entourage, there were several people dressed as palace maids, and they were holding some fresh fruits in their hands, which I think were rewards from the nobles in the palace."

Su Wei's expression eased a little. He looked at Jingyi's face carefully and saw that she was calm, without panic or guilt. He also heard what she said just now, which was clear and logical, so he was relieved.

The old man's face was also full of surprise. If you look closely, you will see that he was more happy than surprised!

The old man stroked his beard and said, "Yiyi, you are really thoughtful and calm!"

Su Wei looked at the old man with surprise and wanted to say something, but was stopped by the old man.

"Qing'er, Ming'er, you will go to the palace for a banquet tomorrow, and you should go back and prepare early."

"Yes!" The two brothers looked at Jingyi and retreated.

"Yiyi, come on, tell grandpa, what do you think?"

Jingyi knew that what she said just now must have aroused the interest of the old man! I'm afraid the old man now wants to test how smart he is!

Jingyi wondered whether she should say everything she thought. After all, these things looked simple, but they were full of murderous intent. If she was not careful, she would fall into the abyss!

Jingyi looked at the old man with a serious face: "Grandpa, my granddaughter always felt that this incident was related to the last time Bai Min'er's carriage hit someone! I'm afraid someone did it on purpose."

Su Wei's face changed. His daughter's idea coincided with his own, but he still didn't understand what those people wanted to do? Who are they going to deal with?

Thinking of this, Su Wei said lightly: "Yiyi, I'm afraid you think too much. It's just a granddaughter of the Guardian's Mansion, and she's a child. If these two incidents were deliberately planned by someone, what was he after? Just relying on these two small things, he wanted to ruin the reputation of the Guardian's Mansion? It's so stupid!"

The old man raised his eyebrows, but didn't speak. He just looked at Jingyi, waiting to see what she would say.

Jingyi didn't think much about it and said bluntly: "Father, haven't you heard that a thousand-mile dam was destroyed by an ant hole? It seems like a small matter, but what if it happens a few times? What if it never stops for years?"

Not much, but it was enough to shock the old man and Su Wei!

Both of them looked at Jingyi in disbelief. This girl gave them such a big surprise!

Su Wei thought about it and retorted: "It's just a granddaughter. How can the rise and fall of the Huguogong Mansion be determined by a little girl? If she frequently causes trouble, the worst plan is to be abandoned by the family or imprisoned. What big waves can she make?" After saying that, he stared at Jingyi's face.

"Father, what you said is good, but have you ever thought about it? Bai Min'er has been favored by the Queen since she was a child and has lived in the palace. If the Protector of the Country abandons or imprisons her as you said, where will the Queen's face be? Who in the capital doesn't know that the Queen dotes on Bai Min'er? Bai Min'er has been taught by the Queen for many years, how could she have such a character?"

Su Wei's face changed. He had never thought of this! Yes, Bai Min'er has been taught by the Queen herself since she was a child, but now such rumors are spreading, and this is not the first time. Bai Min'er has such a character, so how good can the character of the Queen who taught her be? It can be seen that the person behind this is very scheming! He actually wants to use this to ruin the Queen's reputation, or even the Second Prince!

Su Wei didn't dare to think about it anymore. He has always remained neutral. How could he confront the Protector of the Country Mansion one after another?

Seeing that Su Wei's face was not depressed, Jingyi knew that Su Wei had understood something, so she stopped talking, glanced at the old man, bowed, and left.

The old man watched Jingyi leave the study, shook his head and sighed: "You! You have been an official for more than ten years, but you are not as thorough as a child!"

Su Wei blushed, but he could not refute it. His father was right. He looked at the problem too simply! Su Wei shook his head in self-mockery. It seems that he is not a material for being a Beijing official! If he could be stationed at the border and fight on the battlefield, how refreshing it would be!

At night, a figure sneaked into Jingyi's room again.

Jingyi stood in front of the table, practicing calligraphy, and there was a little sparrow jumping around next to him.

"Why are you here again?" Jingyi asked without raising her head.

"Don't you want the news about the Duke of Ying and Yang Haipeng? I sent it to you." Yuanxi replied with a smile.

"Leave it there."

"Huh?" Yuan Xi was a little speechless for a moment. He had ordered people to collect the information about the Duke of England as quickly as possible and personally delivered it overnight. Is this how this girl treats him?

Yuan Xi walked around the room and stood back to where he was.

Jingyi finally finished writing, raised her head and exhaled, "You should be careful recently and try to move less. Some of your brothers have begun to get restless." Yuanxi heard this, his face was stern, and the hostility in his eyes was revealed, "Do you know who it is?" Jingyi shook her head, "I have already given some instructions to my father and grandfather, but I didn't dare to tell them directly. The other party is not only targeting the queen and the second prince this time, but also our Pingnan Marquis Mansion, and even the Weiyuan General Mansion!" Yuanxi raised his eyebrows, "Oh? It's just a matter of giving way, why do you think so?" "Once is a coincidence, twice is a conspiracy! It is obvious that the other party intends to let Pingnan Marquis Mansion confront the Huguogong Mansion. On the surface, they want to ruin the reputation of the Huguogong, but in fact, they want to let the two mansions fight first. The Huguogong has the support of the queen, and my father has the help of my uncle! When two tigers fight, one will be injured. That person just wants to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight!" Yuanxi's eyes sank, who could it be? If the second prince falls, will the eldest prince have the best chance of winning the throne? There are also many people in the court who advocate the establishment of the eldest son instead of the legitimate heir!

When Yuan Xi told her his thoughts, Jingyi smiled and said lightly: "This is not necessarily the case. What if others do this on purpose to divert everyone's attention to the eldest prince?"

Yuan Xi was stunned, and came back to his senses after a while, "The mantis stalks the cicada, and the oriole is behind."

Jingyi smiled and said: "The person who can think of starting with Bai Min'er, an inconspicuous child, is definitely not simple. In my opinion, you are the safest prince now."

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "Yes! I am the most idle, but also the safest. Let them fight. As long as it doesn't harm you, I am too lazy to get involved with them! But, could it be that you think too much?"

Jingyi smiled and shook her head, looking at Yuan Xi, her eyes were extremely clear, like the moon in the sky, emitting dazzling brilliance! "Some things cannot be forgotten just because you say you don't want to. Just wait and see, this is just the beginning. I'm afraid tomorrow's Mid-Autumn Festival dinner will not be peaceful."