Noble's Woman Guide

Chapter 2 - Huaiyang

The Ye family's dinner tonight is unpleasant.

There were actually not many clan members in the family, even though they were one of the four prominent families. Both of Ye Huaiyang's parents retired and lived in seclusion two years ago; hence, there were only the families of the elder paternal uncle and the third younger paternal uncle at present. The problem now lies with the family of the third younger paternal uncle.

A flower feasting banquet was conducted in the Imperial Palace a few days ago and those who turned up were none other than the nobilities of the high-ranking officials. One that was worth mentioning among them was the twenty-year old handsome and charming King Lu who was still unmarried. Therefore, this attracted many of the noble girls who honed their minds in finding ways to enter the palace just to get a glimpse of him.

One of them is Ye Huaiying, the daughter of the third paternal younger uncle, Ye Hong.

As a daughter of a concubine, she was not qualified to attend this kind of flower feasting banquet particularly under the circumstances that Ye Huaiyang was not even attending. However, unbeknownst what methods her unscrupulous mother taught her, she eventually succeeded muddling her way inside the palace and brazenly seduced King Lu before the public eyes. When this obnoxious news reached the clan home, Ye Huaiyang was so angry she hurled the jade cup on the spot.

It was already the third day but Ye Hong has yet to hand his daughter over. Hence, he got notified in the afternoon about the garden feast tonight. At youshi (5pm-7pm), Ye Hong brought along his whole family.

The refreshing autumn weather was most suitable for outdoor feast and a carved cypress-wood table was set up in the garden that could seat a dozen people. Everyone from old to young were now all seated around the table with a variety of delicacies long spread on the table, which brought forth alluring aroma but Ye Huaiyang has yet to take the seat of honor.

Wearing a light purple silk dress, she is painting in the pavilion. Her hand is suspended in midair and consciously  etched on the paper while the embroidered water-colored dragonfly of her sleeve cuff seemingly flickered and shone vividly under the setting sun with every movement of hers.

The Ye family's etiquette is very strict. Nobody is allowed to take the first bite if the head of the family didn't make the first move; thus, everyone present could only wait anxiously. Since Ye Huaiying couldn't resist her gluttonous craving anymore, she stealthily pulled the sleeve of Li Shi but was instead met with a stern glare. She immediately pouted and stared resentfully at Ye Huaiyang who was behind the painting board.

It would appear as if Ye Huaiyang had grown a pair of eyes on top of her head as she seemed to perceive Ye Huaiying's every move. She raised the corner of her lips and indolently said, "Cousin-sister could eat first if she is hungry."

When Ye Huaiying heard that, she was overjoyed and intended to pick up her chopstick to eat with great relish, but instead her hand was abruptly slapped below the table by Li Shi and instantly turned red. She hissed in pain and reprimanded softly by Li Shi before she could utter a word of complaint, "Don't be rude."

Some words were then leisurely spoken from the pavilion, "It doesn't matter, since this was not the first time cousin-sister was rude."

Li Shi choked as she knew Ye Huaiyang was referring to the flower feasting banquet so she cautiously responded with a smile, "Matriarch, the fault is all mine. Don't be angry. I will discipline her properly once we get home."

"I think you could be spared of that. Ye family can't afford to lose because of this person. Tomorrow you will send my cousin-sister to the younger paternal aunt's place. You can bring her back the moment she knows when to advance and retreat."

Send her child to be taught by the legal wife? It would be a wonder if Ye Huaiying is not skinned alive with that temper of hers.

Li Shi's face stiffened and she tried to endeavor, "Elder sister will be busy watching over Rui'er's studies since the imperial examination will be commencing soon. How could I dare trouble her? Do rest assure Matriarch, I will not be indulgent towards Huaiying anymore so just let her stay with me."

When Ye Huaiyang heard what she said, she slowly hung the brush on the side and stared at her steadily, "I'm afraid you won't be able to  teach her well."

Seeing that her own mother was dejectedly subdued as a concubine and Ye Huaiyang continues to deliberately make things difficult for her, Ye Huaiying immediately got riled up. She stood up then rushed before Ye Huaiyang and retorted indignantly, "That's enough Ye Huaiyang! You have been making things difficult for me and my mother as soon as we arrived here. You might as well speak frankly and stop beating around the bush!"

"Do you still need me to tell you what you have done at the flower feasting banquet?" Ye Huaiyang's face darkened and her ignited eyes glaring straight at her, "Kneel down!"

Ye Huaiying stubbornly didn't move. Two mama immediately rushed forward and held onto each of her arms, then with great strength forced her to kneel down. The more she struggled the tighter she was held down and both her wrists were painfully bruised that she ended up screaming for help.

"Dad! Save me!"

Ye Hong had barely opened his mouth when he was intercepted by Ye Huaiyang's words, "Before the third paternal younger uncle decides to fend her, you better think how cousin sister will extricate herself if the Queen Mother reproaches her."

In other words, if Ye Hong dares to intervene then he would have to deal with the trouble himself.

He didn't have any merit and power, aah! He only knew how to manage small businesses. How will he be able to deal with this? It would be a trivial matter losing a daughter. He is more afraid of Ye Huaiyang using this opportunity to take back control of the businesses. It is better to just kill him if he has no money to hold on to. After Ye Hong pondered over it, he awkwardly shut his mouth then simply turned around with no intention to look towards them anymore. Even when Li Shi furiously pinched him under the table, he just bore the pain and stayed motionless.

Seeing this, Ye Huaiyang's anger was slightly restrained. She tossed the weasel-hair brush into an ingot-shaped enamel brush washer and fetched a clean brush then turned sideways to stain some blue pigment color on the clothes of the portrait in the painting. She didn't even bother to look at Ye Huaiying for a long time, like she is deliberately giving her the cold-shoulder. Just as expected, Ye Huaiying started to clamor not too long after.

"Dad, don't listen to her! I just spoke a few words to King Lu, so how could the Queen Mother rebuke me?"

Ye Hong lowered his head to sullenly drink more wine and remained silent.

Ye Huaiying immediately turned around and glared at her, "Ye Huaiyang, what actually have I done wrong that you are treating me this way?"