After seeing off that rascal Qi Rong, Yun Xi finally felt a bit more at ease. As soon as she returned to the yard, Hong Luo rushed over to her side and whispered:
"Miss, just now Mama Zhang sent a message through the maid Xiao Cui: Concubine Jiang went to the old lady's yard to complain about you."
"The old lady was extremely angry. She led people to the front hall and quarreled with the master for a few words. In the end, she forced the master to choose a marriage for you in the near future. Otherwise, she would marry you off to Prince Xian!"
Hearing this, Yun Xi raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Concubine Jiang?"
Grandmother had been extremely disgusted with Concubine Jiang recently and had already put her on the blacklist of those strictly prohibited from entering the yard.
Thinking of today's situation, Yun Xi immediately understood.
Concubine Jiang had been dealt such a heavy blow by her. Naturally, she wouldn't miss any chance to strike back at her in order to turn the tables!
"What else did Xiao Cui say?"
Since Concubine Jiang had come out to cause trouble, it surely wouldn't end there. She was bound to take advantage of this "east wind" to pursue her relentlessly.
"She also said that Concubine Jiang seemed to have some plan to deal with you, and the old lady had also agreed. Mama Zhang didn't hear the specific content clearly."
After listening, Yun Xi calmly nodded.
"Okay, I see. When Mama Zhang's daughter - in - law gives birth in a while, you send a generous red envelope over."
The reason Mama Zhang was willing to work for her was, of course, for some gain. But Mama Zhang didn't dare to follow in the footsteps of Mama Qian, so Yun Xi found another way.
"Yes, Miss."
After Hong Luo left upon hearing this, Yu Zhu walked over with a worried look on her face and said:
"Miss, why doesn't the master agree to Prince Xian's proposal for marriage and insists on choosing another marriage for you? If Prince Xian finds out about this, who knows what trouble will arise!"
Facing Yu Zhu's worry, Yun Xi also had a headache.
She roughly understood her father's thoughts. He probably thought Qi Rong was not a good match.
Moreover, with Qi Rong's ambition, he was bound not to forget the grudges of the past and would never be willing to be a lackey of the emperor! If she married Qi Rong, she would surely be implicated by him in the future and might even be on thin ice and face destruction at any moment!
However, if her father insisted on choosing a husband for her, it was bound to anger that jealous Qi Rong! The relationship between her father and Qi Rong would get even worse. She had to find a way to stop it as soon as possible!
"Don't worry about these things. I'll figure out a way when the time comes."
Although she had no idea at the moment, looking into Yu Zhu's worried eyes, Yun Xi smiled and patted Yu Zhu's shoulder, hoping that things would work out in the end.
As for Concubine Jiang, she had to pay close attention recently to prevent the other party from taking extreme measures and fighting back desperately!
As soon as the first lunar month was over, Yun Xi had packed up all the things for moving. Prime Minister Yun Sheng also fulfilled his promise. Amidst the old lady's scolding, Yun Xi led Yu Zhu, Hong Luo, two other maids in the yard, and the very important Chef Fang and moved to the new house.
The new house was only two streets away from the Prime Minister's Mansion. Although its area couldn't compare with that of the Prime Minister's Mansion, it was still a three - courtyard compound with extremely beautiful scenery.
On the day Yun Xi moved, it attracted the on - lookers from all over the capital. People were hearing for the first time that an unmarried girl had moved out of the mansion to live on her own, and moreover, she was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion and the Yongning Princess bestowed by the emperor!
Some people praised Yun Xi for being unique and detached from the mundane world. She was truly a remarkable woman who could come up with good strategies to help the refugees! Others secretly cursed Yun Xi for being rebellious and audacious. She had disgraced her family and was a shame to all the young ladies from good families!
Hearing these remarks, Zhen Bao put her hands on her hips and retorted forcefully:
"Her own father, the so - called treacherous prime minister, has already agreed. What's it to you! If you have the guts, you move out too!"
Yun Xi's face darkened, and she smiled helplessly. She tugged at Zhen Bao's sleeve and said:
"Didn't you say you came to congratulate me on moving to a new house? Don't just stand here stupidly."
She had told Zhen Bao more than once not to call her father a "treacherous official", but unfortunately, Zhen Bao just couldn't change her words. It seemed that the education in the Zhen family was really deeply ingrained!
"Humph! I just can't stand their sour tone when they're clearly extremely envious!"
As soon as Zhen Bao said this, Song Yulin, who was leading the group, immediately widened her eyes and angrily retorted:
"Who said I'm envious? There's nothing our Minister of the Ministry of Rites' Mansion doesn't have! I would never deign to live in this small and shabby yard!"
Seeing Yun Xi's new house being mocked, Zhen Bao was about to fight back immediately, but Yun Xi held her hand and said with a sarcastic smile:
"Indeed! The Minister of the Ministry of Rites' Mansion has everything. The minister has seven or eight concubines. I heard he just took another one before the new year. There are countless illegitimate sons and daughters. If the yard is too small, it might not even be able to accommodate so many people!"
The Minister of the Ministry of Rites was nearly fifty, but he had taken a beautiful actress as his eighth concubine before the new year. She was even younger than his daughter, which made the minister's wife so angry that she tried to hang herself. Fortunately, the servants found her in time and saved her.
In the capital, this was not really a rare thing, but when Yun Xi said it at this moment, Song Yulin felt as if she had been slapped in the face in public. Her face immediately turned ashen.
Song Yulin had always thought highly of herself. Relying on her legitimate status, she lorded it over her illegitimate siblings at home. At this moment, facing everyone's pointing and snickering, she felt extremely humiliated. She immediately glared fiercely at Yun Xi and left with a flick of her sleeve!
"Yun Xi, you're so amazing! With just a few words, you made her run away with her tail between her legs! Let's see if she dares to be so overbearing in the future!"
Zhen Bao secretly gave a thumbs - up, her eyes shining with admiration as she looked at Yun Xi.
Yun Xi shook her head with a smile, then pulled Zhen Bao towards the yard and whispered in her ear:
"Strike at the snake's vital point. Sometimes, one move is enough to defeat the enemy. There's no need to waste too much breath."
Moreover, there were so many people who didn't like her. People had their own mouths, and she was too lazy to argue with each of them.
"Yes! My father also said so!"
Hearing Yun Xi say this, Zhen Bao immediately perked up and said excitedly:
"My father said that the outcome of a battle depends on who can choke the enemy's throat first! Yun Xi, I didn't expect you to understand military strategy!"
Facing Zhen Bao's innocent and admiring gaze, Yun Xi's face darkened, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.
"I really don't understand."
Seeing that Zhen Bao seemed not to believe her and was about to say something more, Yun Xi quickly covered her mouth with her hand and hurriedly said:
"I've asked Chef Fang to prepare a table of delicious dishes! Later, you just eat and don't talk, okay?"
She had been moving things for a whole morning. Now she was starving. Anyone who delayed her meal might make her fight them!
Facing Yun Xi's smiling yet threatening eyes, Zhen Bao blinked and finally nodded obediently.
Yun Xi then let go of her hand and stroked Zhen Bao's head as a reward.
Sitting in the carriage, Yu Xueming watched Yun Xi's departing back from afar. Her expression was constantly changing, showing no sign of joy or anger.
"Miss, shall we go in to congratulate the princess on moving to a new house?"
The maid Juan'er looked at the house - warming gift that the miss had asked her to prepare early in the morning and couldn't help but ask.
"No need. Tell the carriage to go to the Prime Minister's Mansion."
"The Prime Minister's Mansion? What are we going there for?"
Juan'er was surprised and didn't understand why the miss had suddenly changed her mind. Yu Xueming sneered and said with a cold look in her eyes:
"Have you forgotten? There's still a second young lady in the Prime Minister's Mansion."