Then, Yun Xi suddenly changed the subject and said with a double meaning,
"If it weren't for Ding Xiang's reminder, how could I have remembered to check and found out that this embroidery was torn just yesterday? It's a small matter for me to be in trouble, but if it makes Grandmother angry at the banquet, that would be an unforgivable sin!"
Everyone present was a smart person and immediately understood the implication in Yun Xi's words.
"What a strange coincidence! Why did it break just yesterday? There can't be such a coincidence!"
"Fortunately, we found out early. If we really took this as a gift, it would be a laughingstock!"
Everyone chattered away, their words all aimed at Mrs. Jiang and her daughter. Even Mrs. Feng, who had always been close to Mrs. Jiang, didn't dare to say a single word in their defense at this moment.
With so many people speaking against them, the old lady saw clearly and followed the crowd's lead.
Although she was angry, she still retained a bit of reason. Her cloudy eyes glared fiercely at Mrs. Jiang and said,
"Enough! I have my own judgment. You don't need to make things difficult for a maid."
Then, the old lady looked at Yun Ni with cold eyes and said,
"You may go back! I order you to get rid of that cat today. If I see it again, I won't spare you!"
With the guests present, it would only disgrace the Prime Minister's Mansion if the host family quarreled.
Even if they were to punish someone, it would have to wait until after the banquet was over!
Mrs. Jiang's face turned pale. She knew that once the old lady had spoken, there was no room for her and her daughter to argue. She couldn't help but frown tightly.
Her cold eyes shot daggers at Yun Xi and Ding Xiang, full of venom!
Yun Ni was not convinced to be driven out of the banquet hall by the old lady on the spot. She wanted to say something more, but Mrs. Jiang pulled her down to kneel in front of the old lady.
"Yun Ni is naive. It's all because I, as her mother, have failed to teach her well. I will surely discipline her strictly in the future! I'll take her away now. I hope the old lady will calm down and not lower herself to her level!"
After saying that, Mrs. Jiang ignored Yun Ni's struggles and forcibly took her out of the banquet hall.
After Mrs. Jiang and her daughter left, almost everyone's eyes fell on Yun Xi.
Looking at the trembling Ding Xiang, Yun Xi said to her gently,
"Ding Xiang, you may go back first. Don't be afraid of the concubine. If you have any trouble, just go to Yu Zhu."
To make the show more convincing, Yun Xi even took off a hairpin on the spot and rewarded it to Ding Xiang, smiling so amiably.
Staring at Yun Xi's smile, Ding Xiang couldn't help but shiver, and her mind instantly cleared up a lot.
Thinking of Mrs. Jiang's venomous look just now, Ding Xiang felt a pang of fear in her heart.
She thought that since she had failed to do her job well, the mistress would surely not spare her!
Fortunately, the eldest young lady didn't seem to blame her. In a panic, she quickly kowtowed to express her gratitude,
"Thank you, miss! In the future, this servant will surely go through fire and water for the miss without hesitation!"
A sneer flashed across Yun Xi's eyes. She naturally didn't take this cheap loyalty seriously, but on the surface, she still smiled and said,
"Good. There will surely be times when I'll need your help in the future. Go now."
Yun Xi urged her, afraid that if she looked at Ding Xiang any longer, it would affect her appetite today!
She had endured it for so long. It had been really hard for her...
After Ding Xiang left, Yun Xi was called back to her seat by the old lady again.
It was as if the unpleasantness just now had never happened.
The old lady's sixtieth birthday banquet ended in a hurry after this unexpected confrontation.
Although the old lady thought she had saved the Prime Minister's Mansion's face, what had happened at the birthday banquet seemed to have grown wings.
Through people's mouths, it spread throughout the entire capital almost overnight.
Yun Xi's name also gradually spread.
Some people said that she was extremely capable and had managed to borrow eighteen precious Chinese flowering crabapples from the current queen; some said that she was quick - witted and had left her stepmother and half - sister speechless; others said that she was all looks and no substance, a fool who only knew how to squander family wealth to curry favor with the queen...
Opinions varied, with both praise and criticism.
It actually cast a mysterious veil over the once - unknown Yun Xi, and more people began to pay attention to her.
Affected by what had happened at the birthday banquet were not only Yun Xi but also Mrs. Jiang and her son.
Because she had angered the old lady, Yun Ni was later punished to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days. Even Mrs. Jiang's tearful pleas were of no use.
When Yun Ni came out, she had lost a lot of weight and even fell ill.
Mrs. Jiang was not much better off.
Although the old lady didn't explicitly punish her, she had Steward Liu secretly get rid of some of Mrs. Jiang's trusted minions, which dealt a heavy blow to Mrs. Jiang.
It would be a long - shot for her to regain the power to manage the household!
One day, as usual, Yun Xi finished her class at the women's academy and was about to look for the Prime Minister's Mansion's carriage when several figures suddenly blocked her way.
They openly cornered her and Yu Zhu against the wall.
"Pretty girl, you shouldn't have forgotten who I am, right?"
The familiar voice with a flippant tone. Yun Xi didn't even lift her eyelids and already guessed the identity of the person.
This was the hooligan who had been slapped twice by her and had a smelly boot stuffed in his mouth last time!
Yun Xi couldn't help but sigh.
Goodness! What bad luck! After so long, she had thought this matter was over.
"Which young master are you? You must have mistaken me for someone else."
Yun Xi raised her head. Her stunning face and sparkling eyes made the man's heart skip a beat. He stared at her blankly.
He had been lingering in the flower world all day, but had he ever seen such a beauty?
Even Wei Xueming, known as the most beautiful woman in the capital in the women's academy, would pale in comparison to this girl in front of him.
That day, he had been hanging upside down and hadn't seen Yun Xi's real face clearly. He only remembered the white magnolia hairpin on her head and the unique fragrance on her body.
"Miss, who is this?"
Yu Zhu saw that the person was well - dressed but had bad intentions. She nervously tugged at Yun Xi's sleeve.
She had always been inseparable from the miss and really couldn't figure out when the miss had had any contact with this young master.
Being stared at directly, Yun Xi pursed her lips and looked annoyed.
"Who knows which lecher he is! He's so flippant when he opens his mouth."
"Don't worry. With so many people watching, he won't dare to do anything to us!"
Yun Xi's voice was not loud, but it was just loud enough for the people around to hear. Immediately, there were whispers, and people cast glances at the man.
The man's face turned black. He felt greatly humiliated. Remembering the humiliation he had suffered in the forest last time and being hung upside down on a tree by Qi Rong all night, he was instantly filled with rage.
He was the only son in his family, and his aunt was the current queen. He had been pampered since childhood and was always flattered. When had he ever suffered such humiliation?
So after he recovered from his injuries, he had been bent on revenge.
Today, he hadn't found Qi Rong, but he happened to run into this girl. She was just unlucky!
"Come here to me!"
Regardless of the onlookers, the man arrogantly grabbed Yun Xi's wrist.
"I'll have to settle the score with you properly later!"
Saying that, he ordered his men to grab Yun Xi and take her to his horse.