CHAPTER 350: CHAPTER 352: CONSPIRACY (PART 1)

"Nonsense!" Xiao Yanting flicked his sleeve, looking at her coldly: "Fooling around with superstition all day, who is that Zhou Dao Po, and you believe her words?" After saying this, he walked out: "If you want to say it, you say it. Anyway, I won’t say it! Also, you’re not allowed to tell Fourth Sister-in-law, lest even I get implicated."

Fifth Madam was infuriated, pointing at Fifth Young Master’s nose and cursing: "You coward, just because the Fourth mocked you a bit, you tuck your neck and hide at home. Fine! You don’t want me to find Fourth Sister-in-law, but I insist on going. The pain Tong Xihua inflicted on me back then, I will return a hundredfold to her younger sister."

Xiao Yanting stopped in his tracks, recalling how Fourth Master Xiao had spoken to him, and the way Fourth Brother protected Fourth Sister-in-law was likely beyond his expectations. He dared not provoke Fourth Brother, nor dare Fifth Madam provoke Fourth Sister-in-law: "I said, you’re not allowed to go!"

Fifth Madam sneered coldly: "What are you afraid of, you are our Teng Family’s son-in-law. Now, here in the Marquis Mansion, whom do you need to fear? Even the Emperor has to regard us with respect, if Second Brother handed the title to you now, I would dare accept it."

Xiao Yanting stared wide-eyed in shock, hardly daring to believe what he heard, pointing at Fifth Madam and saying: "You... are simply unreasonable!"

With that said, he swung his sleeve and walked out the door.

He walked alone in the garden, recalling the obedient and gentle demeanor of Fifth Madam when she first joined the family, and wondering when she became so domineering and unreasonable...

Unwittingly, he arrived at the Mei Garden where they used to live as a couple, mocking himself with a shake of the head before turning around to leave.

Suddenly, in the dim garden, someone was approaching with a lantern.

Xiao Yanting hesitated for a moment, then soon recognized the approaching figure...

Clad in a Qiuxiang-colored overcoat, with a pointed chin and a prominent nose, her bright and gentle eyes made his heart skip a beat for no reason. He stood dazed at the path’s entrance, watching the lantern’s light coming closer.

"Ah!" The person opposite seemed unaware of his presence, getting startled upon seeing him and dropping the lantern, plunging the surroundings into darkness.

Xiao Yanting voiced an apology, hastily speaking: "It’s me, don’t be startled! I am Xiao Yanting."

The person opposite froze, then knelt on the ground and said to him: "Fifth Young Master, please forgive me, this maid startled you!"

Xiao Yanting couldn’t see the expression of the woman opposite, so he approached carefully, hands lowered, and asked: "Which courtyard are you from, and why are you out so late?"

The woman on the opposite side responded: "This maid is Chunyan, serving in Fourth Madam’s room."

"The person left, and Fifth Young Master lingered at the entrance for a while before leaving," Qingshuang said with a hint of sourness in her tone: "The way he looked, this maid thought it was clearly..."

Her heart felt like it was pricked by something at the thought, and when she took the cloak over to him, the longing look Fifth Young Master had was instantly replaced with utter disgust!

Fifth Madam squinted her eyes as she listened: "You saw clearly that the girl was from Fourth House?"

Qingshuang nodded affirmatively: "This maid did not see wrong, it was Chunyan, the head maid in Fourth Madam’s room." Before Fourth Madam married into the mansion, she had seen Chunyan, so even in dim light she could see clearly.

From a small and humble family, even the maids are so frivolous, wandering the garden in the middle of the night, do they think they can soar to great heights, and aspire to be like their master aiming to become a phoenix?

"I want to see, what she intends to do." After speaking, she turned to Qingshuang, angrily saying: "You’re useless too, saw Fifth Young Master over there, why didn’t you bring him back, now he went out into the outer courtyard!"

Qingshuang looked extremely aggrieved, it’s not that she didn’t want to bring Fifth Young Master back, but as someone without a raised status of a concubine, Fifth Young Master doesn’t regard her highly, and she wouldn’t dare to speak casually.

Fifth Madam waved her hand irritably, while she sat calmly at the table with a teacup, starting to calculate meticulously.

Early the next morning, Fifth Madam timed precisely when Fifth Young Master went to pay respects to the Grand Dowager and went to the front courtyard. Sure enough, she caught him at the Grand Dowager’s courtyard entrance: "Fifth Young Master, I was wrong last night!" She blocked Fifth Young Master, her diligently made-up face vibrant and pretty: "Please come back with me, staying long in the outer courtyard could incite idle gossip."

Fifth Young Master turned his face away, still clearly angry, observing which Fifth Madam softened her tone even more: "Fifth Young Master, I didn’t sleep all night and personally made your favorite soup..."

"Enough." The original stiff tone gradually softened, and seeing Fifth Madam’s charming expression, Fifth Young Master’s heart softened too: "This is Mother’s courtyard, you should restrain yourself!"

The smile on Fifth Madam’s lips widened again, hurriedly nodding and saying no more.

Fifth Young Master turned his expressionless face away: "Let’s pay respects to Mother first, other matters can be discussed later." Having finished speaking, he turned to enter the courtyard but suddenly stopped.

Seeing Fourth Sister-in-law surrounded by maids and old women approaching with Xiao Yanzheng on the other side, Fifth Young Master’s gaze inadvertently fell upon Chunyan in a turquoise jacket, with downcast eyes, not particularly outstanding in looks but quite clever and honest...

Fifth Madam was initially stunned, and then noticing Fifth Young Master staring intently at Chunyan, a suppressed flame of anger surged up in her heart, pinching Fifth Young Master under the sleeve forcefully, but on the surface, she wore a smile as she approached: "Fourth Sister-in-law, Second Sister, how did you come together?!"

Xiao Yanzheng did not speak, Xiqiu smiled and replied: "Fifth Sister-in-law, you’ve come early today!"

"Indeed." Fifth Madam’s eyes flashed, her gaze falling on Chunyan: Ordinary in appearance, seemingly honest, yet audaciously trying cheap tricks and scheming.

Fifth Young Master also came back to his senses, and cupped his hands in a salute to Xiqiu: "Fourth Sister-in-law!"

Xiqiu smiled and returned the greeting: "Fifth Brother." On the side, Xiao Yanzheng also saluted Xiao Yanting and Fifth Madam.

Xiqiu added: "No need to stand here, let’s head inside!" Saying this, she led the way into the courtyard.

Chunyan followed behind, eyes down obediently.

Second Madam and First Madam were accompanying the Grand Dowager, Second Madam laughed and said: "I had the garden fenced off, although it’s a bit inconvenient for Fourth Sister to come and go, but otherwise unaffected."

The Grand Dowager nodded: "Later, tell Xiqiu to remind her maids to be more mindful as well."

Second Madam agreed, saying: "I will." Catching sight of Xiqiu and Xiao Yanzheng coming in from the corner of her eye, Second Madam laughed and said: "Speak of the devil!"

First Madam calmly sipped her tea with a sideways glance, while the Grand Dowager smiled: "Everyone is here today, come, sit down!"

Xiqiu smiled, paid her respect to the Grand Dowager, First Madam, and Second Madam, then sat down beside Second Madam, while Xiao Yanzheng clambered to the Grand Dowager’s side to sit, who laughed and said: "Why did you run to your Fourth Sister-in-law’s room again last night, you’re not allowed to cause such mischief in the future!"