Golden Age Legitimate Fei Chapter 71: First Return To Ye Family After Wedding (3)

In Rong Le Hall, Old Lady Ye was sitting there dressed up in a festive style. Seeing Ye Li, she burst out laughing: "Li-er, come, come and let grandma have a good look at you..."

Ye Li went over and sat down by Old Lady Ye's side. Old Lady Ye looked Ye Li up and down, then she nodded with satisfaction: "Have you been used to Prince Ding's Manor yet in the past few days? Are the servants in the manor obedient? Has anyone given you a hard time?"

Ye Li smiled and said: "Grandma, thank you for keeping me in mind. Everything is well. And the servants in the manor respect me."

Old Lady Ye nodded over and again, then she said: "That is good. Good. And how about you and His Highness..."

Ye Li answered: "His Highness is easy to get along with."

Old Lady Ye felt a little awkward. She looked at Ye Li then said: "I mean you and His Highness... When do you and His Highness plan to have a kid? His Highness is not so young after all."

Ye Li was a bit embarra.s.sed as well. It turned out that Old Lady Ye had been wanting to ask whether she and Mo Xiu Yao had consummated their marriage yet.

Old Lady Ye stared at her and said: "Don't lie to me. If I can't tell whether you are lying or not, I would be wasting all these years of my life. You and His Highness haven't consummated your marriage yet, have you?" Clearly, Old Lady Ye understood that this granddaughter was different from her other granddaughters, so she stopped beating around the bush and got straight to the point.

How could she tell? Ye Li thought for a while before she calmly answered: "Grandma, don't worry about it. His Highness and I both think that we are not familiar with each other yet so it is good for us to spend some time together before we... Besides, we are getting along well so I'm not going to rush him."

Seeing how calm and unhurried Ye Li was, Old Lady Ye secretly disapproved: "Then... Who is in charge of the manor?"

"External affairs are naturally decided by His Highness and I will take over internal affairs when I go back." Ye Li answered.

Old Lady Ye's expression turned brighter, at least this granddaughter had the awareness to take hold of the manor. Old Lady Ye had no idea how to deal with her two legitimate granddaughters, Ye Li and Ye Ying. Ye Ying appeared to be smart while in fact she was silly. After she was married to Prince Li, all she did was contending with concubines for the affection of her husband and made herself a wife filled with resentment instead of getting the authority in her hand. In comparison, Ye Li, who never showed off, was way cleverer. Simply judging from the att.i.tude of those servants who followed her here from Prince Ding's Manor, one can tell that she had been having quiet a good time there. But it seemed that she didn't care too much about Prince Ding. Even if she was Princess Ding, she had to depend on Prince Ding if she wanted to enjoy a life with lasting wealth and power.

"Li-er, tell me the truth. Do you... Is it about Prince Ding's leg..." Old Lady Ye asked and tugged at Ye Li while waving those servants around them away.

Ye Li was speechless while her speechlessness seemed to Old Lady Ye a confirmation of her guess.

Old Lady Ye sighed: "Poor girl. I know fate has been unkind to you... But it has already happened and you have already married Prince Ding. What other choice do you have? Though you are Princess Ding at the moment, you still have to win him over. The most important part is to give birth to a son. As long as you have a son, n.o.body could threaten your position as Princess Ding. Do you understand that? Does His Highness have any concubines?"

Ye Li shook her head and Old Lady Ye's smile grew larger: "Concluding from that, His Highness does care about you. It's better that he doesn't have any concubine. As long as you give His Highness a child first, after that..."

Seeing that Old Lady Ye couldn't bring herself to continue, Ye Li spent some time thinking about it before she finally understood what she meant. So Old Lady Ye actually wanted to tell her that even if she held Mo Xiu Yao, both of whose legs were disabled, in contempt, she must first of all give birth to a child. As long as she had a child, she could push Mo Xiu Yao away to other women if she couldn't put up with him. After all, she was the legitimate princess and she would only need a son. The love of men was highly undependable.

Why didn't her grandma suspect that Mo Xiu Yao couldn't perform s.e.xually? Ye Li thought to herself with a little bad taste.

"Thank you for the instructions, grandma. I know where I am." In order to avoid more teachings from Old Lady Ye, Ye Li agreed to what her grandma had said hurriedly.

Old Lady Ye was very happy about Ye Li's modest att.i.tude and nodded: "Good girl. I know you have a better sense than Ying-er. I shouldn't say this during your first visit here after your marriage but you won't have much time to come back afterwards so I want to tell you this now. After some time, if you don't have much to do, take your fifth and sixth sister to the manor and let them keep you company."

Ye Li stopped for a second with a slight frown.

Old Lady Ye continued: "Both Shan-er and Lin-er are good girls, besides, you girls grew up together. If they can... It will be a help to you and Ying-er. I think since Lin-er has a steadier manner, it will be the best if she goes to Prince Li's Manor with Ying-er. Shan-er, on the other hand, is livelier. Judging from your personality, you can take better care of her. What do you think?"

What do I think? What do I think? Ye Li thought she was about to go nuts. This old lady took everything for granted. She even a.s.signed each of them, one to Prince Li's Manor and one to Prince Ding's Manor. No doubt that Ye Ying looked so upset just now. She had been depressed enough fighting with Mo Jing Li's concubines and now that her family was going to send her one of her own sisters to cause her more trouble. Who could put up with that?

With a slight cough and a smile on her face, Ye Li turned serious: "Grandma, isn't it a bit early for that? His Highness and I haven't... And you want to send a sister to the manor. What would His Highness think about it?"

Old Lady Ye smiled: "I don't mean you have to do that now. Shan-er is still young after all. She can wait one or two years, as long as you keep it in your mind."

The corner of Ye Li's lips twitched and she asked: "Though fifth and sixth sister are born of concubines, we are still a privileged family. Isn't it a bit unfair to let them be concubines of princes?"

Old Lady Ye waved her hand carelessly: "Marriage is a decision of parents. How is that unfair to them? Isn't it more privileged to be a concubine of a prince instead of marrying an official of a lower rank or be the legitimate wife of a son born to a concubine? Li-er, don't worry about them. Shan-er and Lin-er have always been obedient. They won't disagree."

I disagree. Ye Li thought about it. She muttered: "I understand what you and father mean. But... The daughters of our family have married to princes except second sister who is in the palace. This... isn't any help to second sister. Have you... talked with father about this, grandma?" Thinking about it carefully, Ye Li found out why Old Lady Ye took so much trouble. It was all for that royal baby that her second sister was carrying in her belly in the palace whose s.e.x was still a mystery. Ye Li had never intended to cooperated with Old Lady Ye on her unrealistic plan when she wasn't married. Now that she married Prince Ding, there was only more reasons for her not to do that. It was beyond Ye Li why Minister Ye who could be considered as an experienced politician would agree to the plan of an elder who closed herself up in her home.

Old Lady Ye was surprised. She measured Ye Li with narrowed eyes for a good while before she finally spoke: "What do you mean by that?"

Ye Li smiled thinly: "I'm the daughter of Ye Family as well. The well-being of second sister is my well-being. But... You can't put all your attention on the two princes, grandma. You know... His Highness doesn't take part in those affairs and support from officials at court is very important as well."

"About that..."

Ye Li smiled slightly: "I don't know about forth sister. But as to Prince Ding's Manor, you can rest a.s.sured that I don't need any help, grandma."

Old Lady Ye considered for a while and agreed with what Ye Li had just said. That Ye Li was confident about taking control of Prince Ding's Manor aside, if it was really like that, then Ye Family didn't have to lose another daughter over Prince Ding's Manor. Besides, if Ye Li didn't want to while they insisted on getting another daughter into Prince Ding's Manor, it would look bad if the two sisters fight each other. It seemed to Old Lady Ye that neither Ye Shan nor Ye Lin could compete with Ye Li. Once she came around that, Old Lady Ye didn't hold on to her view any more. She smiled and said: "Li-er, you are right. It was inconsiderate of me. Let's forget about it."

Though Prince Ding's Manor has enjoyed great renown, it's a fact that every generation of Prince Ding hasn't took part in the business of the royals. Given that, Prince Ding's Manor won't be so useful as Prince Li's Manor.

"Yes, grandma. You haven't said anything and I haven't heard anything either." Ye Li answered lightly. It would be best to take that off Old Lady Ye's mind. From now on, Prince Ding's Manor was her home. She didn't want anything that would make her uncomfortable there.

After chatting with Old Lady Ye for a while, a servant invited them to the meal. Since it was a family get-together there was no stranger at the dining table, only Old Lady Ye with Minister Ye as well as w.a.n.g-s.h.i.+, and Mo Jing Li with Ye Ying, Mo Xiu Yao and Ye Li as well as Fu Zhao, the eldest son of Marquis Nan.

At the dining table, Ye Li felt clearly that there was a chilling gaze which would fall on her from time to time. Ye Li had guessed where it came from even without looking up. Ye Ying picked up food for Mo Jing Li attentively when Mo Jing Li still stared at Ye Li sometimes looking like someone had owed him thousands of money and had not paid it back. Mo Xiu Yao and Ye Li were enjoying their food with leisure, picking up food they liked for each other. Fu Zhao looked at this side of the dining table then that pensively and drank and ate as if nothing had happened. Minister Ye, on the contrary, looked a little embarra.s.sed as well as funny. It was obvious that he was trying to turn the atmosphere for the better, however, he couldn't afford to displease any one of his sons-in-law. Only the eldest son of Marquis Nan showed him some respect and Mo Xiu Yao wasn't difficult to get along with while Mo Jing Li looked outright unhappy.

"Well, Your Highness, we haven't seen each other for years. Here's a toast to you." Finally, it was Fu Zhao who found a way out of the weird atmosphere. Standing up, he made a toast to Mo Xiu Yao. "A toast to Princess Ding as well. May you live a long and happy life together."

Mo Xiu Yao raised his cup with a mild smile and said: "Thank you for the blessing. I haven't been there when you got married, please don't mind that." He lifted his head and drank up the wine in his cup.

The smile on Fu Zhao's face turned more genuine and said: "It didn't matter. We've known each other since we were kids, now we are closer since we are relatives. When I left for Ye Manor my mother told me to invite Princess Ding over for a chat when she's free." Apparently, the eldest son of Marquis Nan knew well how to conduct himself. People of the capital knew that though he had not inherited the t.i.tle of Marquis yet, the Marquis's Manor was now managed by his legitimate consort. But he didn't mention his legitimate wife once and only spoke of Marquise Nan.

Ye Li raised her cup and returned his toast. She smiled and said: "Please thank Marquise Nan for me."

Seeing that everyone else was talking and laughing cheerfully, Mo Jing Li snorted slightly and standing up he said: "Since Fu Zhao has proposed a toast, Mo Xiu Yao, here's a toast from me."

Mo Xiu Yao raised his eyebrows with a thin smile: "I haven't drink with you in a long time, Jing Li. My toast to you and Princess Li."

Mo Jing Li snorted slightly and waved the maid who was about to fill up their cups away and poured Mo Xiu Yao and himself a drink by himself. He lifted his head and gulped down his drink at one time. Then he stared provokingly at the cup in front of Mo Xiu Yao. Mo Xiu Yao remained silent with a smile. He took the cup and drank it down in one gulp.

"Again!" Mo Jing Li took the flagon and filled up his cup. The two of them started to compete in a drinking game.