Soon, it was Chinese New Year's Eve. Almost every household was decorated with lanterns and colored streamers to celebrate the New Year, and the Prime Minister's Mansion was also much livelier than usual.
Yun Xi not only bought new clothes for all the servants in the mansion but also distributed New - Year bonuses. Those who had never thought highly of her in the mansion began to sing her praises.
Since Madam Jiang had been in charge of the household for many years, she lived a luxurious life herself but was not generous to the servants, which was in sharp contrast to Yun Xi.
"Miss, the old lady has invited you to go and offer incense to the ancestors of the Yun family with everyone."
Since secretly becoming Xiao He's student, Yun Xi had developed a passion for playing the zither. In her spare time, just like her mother, she would sit down and play a tune.
At this moment, she was sitting in her room, concentrating on practicing the music score left by her mother when Yu Zhu walked in with a strange look on her face.
"The old lady invited me?"
Hearing this, Yun Xi stopped playing the zither. The corner of her lips curled up slightly, showing a half - smile.
In previous years, on Chinese New Year's Eve, the Prime Minister's Mansion would always hold a memorial ceremony for the ancestors, and the whole family would sit around and have the New - Year's Eve dinner. But every time the old lady saw her, she would always keep a straight face, which made Yun Xi unhappy, so she started to feign illness and not participate.
Who would have thought that this year, the old lady would actually take the initiative to invite her?
"That's right. Nanny Qian is waiting outside the courtyard right now. Miss, do you want to go?"
Nanny Qian was the old lady's confidant. The old lady's special dispatch of her showed how much she attached importance to this matter.
But when something seems off, there must be a catch! Even Yu Zhu sensed something was wrong. How could Yun Xi not know?
"Go. Why not? This is our last family gathering before leaving the mansion. How could we disappoint the old lady!"
Yun Xi winked at Yu Zhu, her eyes shining.
So, with Yu Zhu feeling uneasy, Yun Xi walked out of the room. She deliberately sized up Nanny Qian, who was standing there with a respectful and smiling face, and said calmly:
"Nanny Qian, lead the way."
"Yes, Miss."
Feeling uncomfortable under Yun Xi's contemptuous gaze, Nanny Qian cursed silently in her heart but still curtsied.
If it weren't for the old lady's special instructions, she would never have treated this girl so nicely!
"Miss, please walk slowly."
Nanny Qian made a 'please' gesture, thinking that since Yun Xi would soon be out of the mansion, she might as well give her enough face this time.
Yun Xi ignored Nanny Qian, who was being two - faced. She was thinking about the old lady's purpose and soon arrived at the Yun family's ancestral shrine.
In the shrine, everyone except Yun Xi had already arrived.
Seeing his daughter coming, Yun Sheng motioned for her to stand beside him. Yun Qi voluntarily stepped aside, while Yun Ni glared at Yun Xi fiercely.
Madam Jiang stood with her head down beside the old lady, seemingly lost in thought and not noticing Yun Xi's arrival.
"Since everyone is here, let's start the memorial ceremony for the ancestors of the Yun family."
The old lady glanced at Yun Xi and said to her son.
"Yes, Mother."
The servants brought in various offerings one after another. Yun Sheng led his children to offer incense and pay tribute to the ancestors.
The ancestral shrine enshrined the memorial tablets of three generations of the Yun family's ancestors. In the end, Yun Sheng looked at the memorial tablet of his deceased wife, and his eyes instantly turned a little red.
"Xier, come and offer a stick of incense to your mother."
Yun Sheng lit the incense himself and handed it to Yun Xi. Yun Xi took it carefully and respectfully kowtowed four times to her mother.
Just as Yun Xi was about to get up, the old lady, who had been silent beside her, suddenly spoke, but it was to Yun Qi and Yun Ni:
"Qier, Nier, you two go over there and offer incense to your mother too."
As soon as the old lady said this, everyone in the room was shocked.
Madam Jiang's body visibly stiffened. Yun Ni was shocked and looked extremely reluctant. Even Yun Sheng was a bit confused about his mother's intention.
He knew very well that his mother had always disliked his deceased wife. Not long ago, she even wanted to remove his deceased wife from the Yun family register. How could she change her mind so suddenly?
Coldly watching the old lady trying to play the nostalgia card, a hint of mockery flashed in Yun Xi's eyes.
Yun Qi, however, naturally stepped forward, lit a stick of incense, respectfully called 'Mother', and kowtowed to Su Yun's memorial tablet.
He seemed completely oblivious to Madam Jiang's face, which had instantly turned pale.
"Nier, it's your turn."
The old lady nodded in satisfaction looking at her grandson, then her gaze swept over Yun Ni and she ordered in a deep voice.
Yun Ni looked at Madam Jiang anxiously.
"Mother!"
However, in the face of her daughter's plea for help, Madam Jiang's face was stiff and she remained silent.
Yun Ni glanced at Yun Xi, who was looking on with amusement. Just as she was about to refute, when she met the old lady's cold gaze, she angrily snatched the lit incense from Nanny Qian's hand.
Not daring to make a scene in front of her father, she imitated her brother and called 'Mother' and kowtowed.
Watching her own children call another woman 'Mother', Madam Jiang's heart felt like it was being roasted by burning charcoal.
She was still alive! What the old lady did was such a humiliation to her! But she dared not speak out against it and could only endure it.
Yun Xi watched all this silently, saying nothing. She just waited for the memorial ceremony to end so that she could go back to her courtyard.
At this time, the old lady said to her:
"Xier, come and help me. Let's go to the dining hall together."
At this moment, the old lady reached out her hand to Yun Xi with a kind smile on her face. People who didn't know better might think that the old lady loved her very much.
Yun Xi let out a soft laugh and didn't refuse. She stepped forward and supported the old lady's arm.
She really wanted to see what tricks the old lady was up to today!
Just like this, the whole family came to the dining table. Yun Sheng kept picking up food for his daughter and told her to eat it while it was hot.
The old lady was also beaming and kept chatting with Yun Xi, just like an ordinary grandmother.
While chatting about today's dishes, she sighed that Yun Xi had unknowingly grown into a beautiful and graceful young lady, which made her recall the weak and pitiful look of Yun Xi when she was a child.
Watching the old lady acting, Yun Xi didn't really care, but Yu Zhu beside her couldn't help shivering.
Seeing this, Yun Xi gently squeezed Yu Zhu's hand:
"I told you not to come here and force yourself. Go back and rest quickly."
Yu Zhu's buttocks had been severely beaten a few days ago, but fortunately, the bones were not injured. Yun Xi had clearly told her to stay at home and recuperate and had found the best ointment for her.
But Yu Zhu seemed unable to stay idle. As soon as the wound scabbed over, she came with Yun Xi worriedly.
"No, Miss."
Yu Zhu wanted to say that the ointment the miss had found for her was very effective. Although it had only been a few days, her wound didn't hurt as much. She was shivering now because she couldn't stand the old lady's hypocrisy!
How could Yun Xi not know what Yu Zhu was thinking? She still said with a smile:
"You go back quickly. Hong Luo is here."
Even she could hardly stand the old lady's false behavior. How could she be willing to let Yu Zhu suffer?
Just as Yun Xi finished speaking, it caught the old lady's attention. She first glanced at Madam Jiang and then said:
"Speaking of which, Yu Zhu was injured this time because of Madam Jiang. Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, why don't you, Madam Jiang, help Yu Zhu back to the courtyard yourself?"