The Fourth Lady

After taking a glance at the small pouch and whispering a few instructions to Baizhi, Qingyan took Zizhu and Lue with her and headed towards the old madam's Meixiangyuan*. As soon as she entered into Meixiangyuan, she heard someone say, "Old Madam, the fourth young miss came."

(*TN: Meixiang is the name of the residence roughly meaning the fragrance of plum flowers, and Yuan mostly means courtyard. The entire Su residence is made up of different houses gated together and each relative has their own 'yuan'.)

Instantly when she heard Qingyan, Su Jiashi walked out with her cane. Qingyan walked up to support her as she said, "Grandmother is getting older, just leave it to me." With a face full of smiles, she helped Su Jiashi back into the room.

"Fourth young miss came just in time, Old Madam was just about to eat." Yunxiang was setting the table with the dishes when she saw Qingyan slowly coming in with Su Jiashi.

"Yan'er, have you had breakfast?" Su Jiashi said this as she held onto Qingyan.

"Yan'er was thinking that grandmother has yet to have breakfast, thus came to eat with you." Qingyan looked to Su Jiashi with a mischievous smile, "Grandmother won't not welcome Yan'er, right?" Listening to Qingyan's words, Su Jiashi poked her forehead, "This child, truly mischievous, when have I ever not welcomed you."

Qingyan saw how Su Jiashi was still full of smiles. When she looked at Su Jiashi it was like seeing her grandmother in the past. That time, when she was being rejected by everyone, the old madam protected her. She wasn't able to properly protect her grandmother that time, but now, she will properly protect this grandmother in front of her.

Qingyan smiled as she personally pulled out the chair for Su Jiashi, even personally pass her food.

After breakfast, she sat down next to Su Jiashi and said with a difficult expression, "Before was all Yan'er's fault, Yan'er wasn't being thoughtful and made grandmother sad, from now on I will definitely refrain from doing those foolish things."

Listening to Qingyan's words, Su Jiashi patted her head, "Silly child, how could grandmother blame you, seeing as you are now, grandmother is very happy."

Taking the opportunity, Qingyan cried into Su Jiashi's embrace, "From now on Yan'er will definitely be good to grandmother."

Su Jiashi listened to Qingyan as she embraced her, she comforted her in a soft voice, "My child, don't say such things."

After saying that, Su Jiashi wiped Qingyan's tears with a handkerchief. Feeling the warmth, she lifted her head to look at Su Jiashi. Taking the handkerchief, she wiped her tears and playfully replied, "Grandmother, from now on this grandchild will come here everyday to steal food from you."

"Haha yes yes." Su Jiashi said this as she patted Qingyan's hand, "Huixiang ah, bring that top quality Liuyunjing* that Duke An sent yesterday for my Yan'er."

(*TN: Liuyunjing - type of silk used to make clothes with)

After receiving the request, Huixiang went to prepare the tapestry, however she didn't expect that she would run into the second house's Ning Siyao and Su Qingyuan heading in this direction. "Greetings Madam, First young miss." Huixiang bowed to them.

"Hmph" Ning Siyao glanced at Huixiang before entering the room with Su Qingyuan. However, she didn't expect that she would see Su Qingyan massaging Su Jiashi's leg.

"Oh what's this?" Su Jiashi looked at the mother-daughter pair and said this in an unfriendly manner.

Hearing Su Jiashi's tone, she replied smiling, unconcerned, "Mother-in-law, yesterday our Yuanyuan fell into the water because of her, I hope mother-in-law would testify for our Yuanyuan." After this, Ning Siyao glanced at Su Qingyuan.

Su Qingyuan then tearfully said, "hope grandmother would stand up for Yuan'er."

Seeing this, Qingyan curled her lips. She didn't stop her hands as she continued to massage Su Jiashi's leg, "Big sister, you sure are wrongly accusing me. When have I ever made you fall into the water?" Su Jiashi undoubtedly knew everything that happened at the Su residence. She narrowed her eyes at Su Qingyuan and dully replied, "You said Yan'er made you fall into the water, do you have proof?" "I do, Xiahe was right next to me yesterday, she can attest for me." Su Qingyuan still like a flower in the rain, tearfully pleaded, "Although I was not hurt, I still hope grandmother would stand up for Yuan'er." "How dare you!" Su Jiashi yelled as she heavily struck her cane, "Do you take me for a fool?"

"Mother-in-law, you can't just be bias towards her just because she's the main house's eldest daughter." Ning Siyao voiced in protest as she looked to Su Jiashi, "I know that because elder brother and elder sister-in-law are out all year round, you are bias towards her, but with this matter I still hope you will take a stand for Yuan'er."

Hearing Ning Siyao's words, Qingyan sarcastically laughed. She stopped her hands and dryly retorted Ning Siyao, "Second Aunt keep saying that it's my fault big sister fell into the water, but that time when I fell in, why didn't Second Aunt think it was big sister's fault? Is it because big sister is your own daughter?"

Listening to Qingyan's words, Su Jiashi once again turned her attention towards Su Jiashi, "Yan'er is right, that day when Yan'er fell into the water, how was it not Qingyuan's fault!"

"In that case, Yan'er will also ask grandmother to stand up for me." As she said this Qingyan knelt down next to Su Jiashi.

Ning Siyao glared at Su Qingyan. That glare looked as if she was about to slash Su Qingyan into a million pieces.

"Yan'er, please get up, the floor is cold." Su Jiashi lovingly said this as she looked to Qingyan.

"If grandmother doesn't agree to Yan'er, then Yan'er won't get up." Qingyan looked to Su Jiashi and said with a serious face, "Yesterday after dinner, I took Zizhu and Baizhi with me to walk in the gardens. Coincidently, I just happened to see big sister fall into the water. Unfortunately, neither Yan'er nor the other girls knew how to swim. If it's like this and still Yan'er's fault, then....." As she said this Qingyan, mimicking Su Qingyuan, wiped her tears before continuing in protest, "then it's better if Yan'er had just died."

Su Jiashi glared at Ning Siyao, then helped up the Qingyan next to her, "Good child, what stupid thing are you saying! Talking about death and dying, if you died, what will this old lady do?"

"Mother-in-law, you can't be this bias, Yuan'er is also you biological grandchild too!" Ning Siyao cried out in discontent at the scene before her.

"How dare you! I'm still the head of this household! Ning Siyao do you want me to die from anger!" Su Jiashi yelled as she berated Ning Siyao.

Ning Siyao seeing the situation go awry, immediately backed down. After all, the old madam was still the head of this house. Although she was in charge of most matters at the Su residence, the old madam stil had the most power over this household.

"Sorry, mother-in-law, Siyao was being inconsiderate, I hope mother-in-law will forgive me." Ning Siyao humbly bowed to Su Jiashi.

"If there's nothing else then you can withdraw!" Su Jiashi still treated Ning Siyao coldly.

Seeing the old madam's state, Ning Siyao could only take Su Qingyuan with her as she left Meixiangyuan. As she was leaving, she even glared at Juanxiang.

Watching the retreating figure, Qingyan couldn't help but to smile. She was no longer the same Su Qingyan, but the Qilian Qingyan that returned from hell. This kind of trivial matter was nothing to her, let alone a trifling Ning Siyao.0000