“Host, you’ve gained 1 point of Green Hat Value.”
The system suddenly announced, “From Song Jie.”
Xie Yushu had just stepped out of the Duke of England’s Residence, arm in arm with Pei Shilin, when she heard the system’s notification.
Is Song Jie sick in the head or something?
Even now, he’s still suspicious she hid Xiao Zhen in her room?
“That’s right, Host.”
The system confirmed her suspicion after analyzing the backend.
Xie Yushu could barely keep from rolling her eyes.
What identity is Song Jie using to stubbornly force a green hat onto her?
The birthday banquet had just ended, and outside the Duke of England’s Residence, a line of carriages waited to pick up the guests.
Xie Yushu saw the Yong’an Marquis and his wife coming out from within the residence.
She released Pei Shilin’s arm and smiled as she called out, “Mother.”
Pei Shilin instinctively frowned and turned his head, seeing Duke Zhang Yunkai personally escorting the Yong’an Marquis and his wife.
Xie Yushu approached them with the affectionate warmth of a true daughter, and he could almost imagine just how disgusted the Yong’an Marquis and his wife would look.
Just like at the homecoming, when the Marquis Consort of Yong’an, as the mistress of the house, used the excuse of feeling unwell to avoid even meeting her.
The Yong’an Marquis at least gave some face, meeting with him, the new son-in-law, and Xie Yushu, his daughter.
Yet when Xie Yushu mentioned the Pei Family’s request for help, he responded with a cold face, “I have official duties to attend to, and your mother is unwell, so we won’t keep you for a meal.”
A clear order to leave.
There’s no other parents like this in the world.
An illegitimate daughter whom even her own parents look down upon—how could the Pei Family expect to be held in high regard?
Sure enough, Pei Shilin saw that the Yong’an Marquis and his wife, who had just been smiling as they took their leave of the Duke, immediately lost their smiles upon seeing Xie Yushu.
“Shiyuan, you should go too.”
Pei Mother Li Huixian quietly urged him to bid farewell to the Yong’an Marquis and his wife.
Pei Shilin really didn’t want to go over and offer his warm face to their cold backsides like Xie Yushu did, but since she’d already gone, if he didn’t, people would pick faults with him.
He could only follow, smiling as he greeted the Yong’an Marquis and his wife.
“This is the candied cherry from West Garden I mentioned to Mother.”
Xie Yushu took the dried fruit, wrapped in kraft paper, from Yinya and personally handed it to the Marquis Consort of Yong’an, Meng Min.
“This is the tastiest in Bianjing. Please try it, Mother. If you like it, just let me know, and I’ll send someone to buy more for you.”
How could the Marquis Consort of Yong’an possibly accept such cheap dried fruit?
Pei Shilin frowned, wanting to smooth things over for Xie Yushu.
Unexpectedly, the Marquis Consort of Yong’an actually reached out and accepted the dried fruit.
Meng Min glanced at the shop name on the dried fruit—
Madam Liu’s Dried Fruit Shop on Yuye Street.
In the West Garden, Xie Yushu had warned her to beware of Xie Zhi’an bringing back an illegitimate son, and then suddenly mentioned this dried fruit shop.
Now she’d come in person to deliver dried fruit—the implication was obvious.
“It’s too hot. Let me help Mother into the carriage.”
Xie Yushu smiled sweetly and took Meng Min’s arm, bowing to the Duke as she took her leave.
Meng Min looked up at her, unused to such affectionate gestures, but didn’t shake her off.
She nodded and let Xie Yushu help her into the Yong’an Marquis’s carriage, and heard her softly remind her while holding her wrist, “The weather is stifling, Mother. You must be patient in all things.”
Be patient.
Meng Min gazed at Xie Yushu, deeply surprised.
Today, it seemed every word she spoke had a hidden meaning.
“How is she everywhere?”
Zhang Youwei stood beside her father, staring at Xie Yushu and grumbling unhappily.
When did the Marquis Consort of Yong’an get so close with Xie Yushu?
Even the Yong’an Marquis, Xie Zhi’an, was surprised.
Didn’t his wife always dislike Yushu?
She never even let Yushu call her ‘Mother’ before.
Did the sun rise from the west today?
He heard his wife instruct the Mama in the carriage, “Go call Meng Tingchun to the manor to kneel.”
She was clearly about to punish Tingchun for offending Yushu today.
How strange.
Xie Zhi’an glanced a few more times at his daughter who’d been raised outside.
She seemed nothing like the timid, quail-like girl he remembered.
Now, she was poised and confident, truly looking like a noble daughter of a marquis’s household.
He couldn’t help but say a few words to Pei Shilin.
Pei Shilin immediately adopted a respectful demeanor and was about to escort Xie Zhi’an to his carriage when suddenly, someone called out, “Madam Pei, please wait.”
The Prime Minister’s Mansion’s carriage stopped directly in front of Xie Yushu.
Cang Shu leapt down from the carriage and, in full view of everyone, bowed to Xie Yushu and said, “Prime Minister Song orders me to return your Purple Sandalwood Fan.”
He held out a Purple Sandalwood Fan with both hands.
Hanging from the fan was a Crane Feather and Jasper Bead.
Pei Shilin immediately recognized it as Xie Yushu’s fan.
Why was her fan in Song Jie’s possession?
And why was Song Jie returning it to her so publicly?
Did he not care about saving any face at all?
Before he could speak, Zhang Youwei angrily asked, “Why was your fan at the Song Prime Minister’s place?”
She strode up to Xie Yushu, glanced at Song Jie’s carriage, then at Xie Yushu.
The indignation and anger in her heart could not be contained.
As soon as Xie Yushu left the banquet, Song Jie followed.
She’d just heard from the servants that Song Jie and Xie Yushu were resting in the Western Side Hall together.
Even if there were servants present, how could Xie Yushu, a married woman, act so unreservedly?
Now Song Jie was even returning her fan—such a personal item, usually held in the hand or kept in the sleeve—how could it have ended up in an unrelated man’s possession?
All eyes turned to Xie Yushu.
Xie Yushu heard the system say, “Host, you’ve gained 2 points of Green Hat Value, from Pei Shilin.”
This was the first time she’d gotten two points at once.
It seemed that being cuckolded in public was even more stimulating for Pei Shilin.
Well, he might be cowardly, but he cares about his reputation.
Xie Yushu lowered her eyes and smiled.
Song Jie must be sitting in the carriage, enjoying the spectacle, right?
He just wants everyone to think she’s unfaithful.
Too bad—she never cared about such things.
“That’s right, how did my lost fan end up with Prime Minister Song?”
Xie Yushu frowned and asked, “Did the Prime Minister pick it up, or did he steal it?”
Everyone was shocked by her words.
Zhang Youwei was first to react.
“Xie Yushu, what nonsense are you spouting? Why would the Song Prime Minister steal your fan? Who do you think you are?”
“Well, you’ll have to ask the Prime Minister.”
Xie Yushu looked at Zhang Youwei, her tone gentle.
“A fan is something only those close to you would recognize. If the Prime Minister really picked it up, how would he know it was mine? I’m just the wife of a lowly Tan Hua Lang. I’m not close with the illustrious Prime Minister at all.”
With one sentence, she stung three people at once.
Pei Shilin’s face darkened.
Zhang Youwei was also at a loss for words.
That’s right, there were so many ladies with fans at the banquet.
Unless Song Jie had paid particular attention to, or even played with, Xie Yushu’s fan, how could he immediately recognize it as hers upon picking it up?
Her thoughts were completely led by Xie Yushu.
She glared but couldn’t find a rebuttal.
A cold laugh came from the carriage, the voice slightly hoarse: “Madam Pei, have you forgotten? The fan was left behind in the Western Side Hall when we were there together.”
Zhang Youwei’s face turned white.
She hadn’t expected Song Jie to so openly admit to being involved with a married woman like Xie Yushu…
Wasn’t he afraid of what others would think?
Didn’t he care that it was improper to be alone with a married woman in a side hall?
“Host, you’ve gained another 2 points of Green Hat Value.”
The system sounded a bit amazed.
“From Pei Shilin.”
Well, well, public occasions really do double the effect.
Xie Yushu glanced at Pei Shilin, whose face was almost green with anger.
She decided that was enough and said, “Since that’s the case, thank you for your trouble, Prime Minister Song, but I don’t want the fan anymore.”
She didn’t take the fan, but instead said to Cang Shu, “Just throw it away. Since someone else has touched such a personal item, I won’t use it again.”
Cang Shu was stunned for a moment, remembering that she’d said the same thing when she gave him a handkerchief: Just throw it away.
So she thought it was dirty—not just him, but even the Prime Minister she disliked…
Song Jie coughed again inside the carriage.
Clearly, he was infuriated.
Xie Yushu could only feel helpless—if people insisted on coming to provoke her, what could she do?
She took Pei Shilin’s arm and said, “Let’s go, Husband. Time to head home.”
Pei Shilin trembled a little at the warmth of her hand.
It had been a long time since she’d called him ‘Husband’ so gently.
At least she was willing to give him face in public.
His anger subsided a bit.
In the end, she’d only attracted Song Jie’s attention because of the Pei Family.
Song Jie was the one haunting her, insisting on returning the fan.
He responded and bade farewell to the Duke and the Yong’an Marquis, then helped Xie Yushu into her carriage.
Zhang Youwei was furious and cried bitterly after returning home.
Duke Zhang Yunkai saw his daughter so upset and could only comfort her helplessly.
“I told you, Song Jie is not a good match. Today, I saw him behaving ambiguously with that Madam Pei. You should give up on him.”
“What do you mean, ambiguous! It’s that Xie Yushu, taking advantage of her resemblance to Jia Ning to deliberately get close to Song Jie!”
Zhang Youwei argued, “Did you see how arrogant she was today? We never should have invited her! I don’t know why Elder Sister insisted I invite her!”
Indeed, why had Youyi suddenly invited Xie Yushu?
Duke Zhang Yunkai also found it strange.
Youyi had been in the palace as a consort for years; when she entered the palace, Xie Yushu was still being raised outside and they didn’t even know each other.
Why had she suddenly sent word from the palace to invite Xie Yushu?
Could it be…
Song Jie’s idea?
The Zhang family and Song Jie had always used each other.
Youyi had done many things for Song Jie.
If not for someone’s special request, Youyi would never have noticed a minor figure like Xie Yushu at this birthday banquet.
Thinking of Song Jie’s various actions today—remaining in the manor after seeing Xie Yushu, leaving right after she left, both of them going to the Side Hall one after another, and then him publicly returning the fan at the gate…
“I think it’s Xie Yushu who wants to climb up to Song Jie, the Prime Minister!”
Zhang Youwei grew angrier.
“She used her face to get taken back to the Yong’an Marquis Manor, and marrying Pei Shilin isn’t enough for her. Did you see how she looked down on Pei Shilin today, as if a Tan Hua Lang wasn’t good enough for her! Does she want to marry the Prime Minister or a prince next?”
“You’re getting more and more unreasonable.”
Duke Zhang Yunkai frowned and scolded his daughter.
“It looks to me like it’s Song Jie who’s entangled with Xie Yushu.”
And the Fourth Prince was acting strangely today, too.
He looked up and asked his servant, “When did the Fourth Prince leave the manor to return to the palace?”
The servant replied, “Just now.”
Just now?
Didn’t the Fourth Prince leave earlier, saying he was returning to the palace?
Why did he stay in the manor until just now?
A nondescript carriage was parked in a small alley not far from the back gate of the Pei residence.
Xiao Zhen sat in the carriage, holding up a mirror to check the right side of his face.
The palm print on his cheek hadn’t faded; in fact, it had become inflamed.
He recalled the floral scent on Xie Yushu’s body, her hands, and her fan.
It must have been some kind of floral powder she used as fragrance or makeup, which got on his face when she slapped him.
How could he return to the palace or face anyone looking like this?
Furious, he slammed the mirror down and asked his servant, Has Xie Yushu’s carriage returned yet?
The servant outside replied that it hadn’t.
He lifted the curtain and saw the setting sun fading from the sky.
It was nearly dark, yet Xie Yushu still hadn’t returned home.
“Master, should we keep waiting?” the servant asked.
Xiao Zhen let the curtain fall and ordered, “Go fetch a banknote for ten thousand taels of gold.”
Didn’t Xie Yushu want gold?
Tonight, he was determined to see her and take back the Jade Hairpin, and get even for that slap!