♂?，，

  Miss, you have something to order, but the four words "modesty, tolerance, and concession" can be done by us in the Hou Mansion, what's wrong with doing it here?

  Without the protection of elders, the mother-in-law is unpredictable, the husband is weak and not respected, the aunts, sisters-in-law, and younger sister-in-law in the house each have their own thoughts, Miss's day has not yet unfolded, but it is already foreseeable that it will be difficult, before standing firm, apart from tolerance, there seems to be no other way.

  But it's just endurance, Miss Qianjin's body can endure, they are just maids, what else can't they endure?

  Ming Xuan listened, but shook her head. Her long and curly eyelashes were reflected in the candlelight, casting a slender and perfect silhouette, like a fox's giant tail, or a peacock spreading its screen, shadowy and mysterious, jumping around, exceptionally subtle and distant.

  She said in a low voice, "I am the daughter-in-law of the Marquis's son, who was personally sought after by his wife. No matter what her intentions were at that time, this fact cannot be changed. Therefore, today the Pei family is cold to me, and it seems like I have been humiliated. However, in reality, the one who has lost face is actually the Pei family, and the one who has caused gossip and criticism is Yang Shi."

  Yang Shi Xu was still gloating over suppressing Ming Xuan, but she never thought that she was the Empress's own mother, and there were still unmarried sons and daughters under her knees. Reputation was so important to her, even if she had to pretend to be happy to marry a new daughter-in-law. But by treating her new daughter-in-law with such coldness and cruelty, wasn't she proving that she couldn't tolerate the eldest son born of the first wife?

  Pei Jingchen, however, is the posthumous son of the Princess of Yongjia Commandery, with the imperial bloodline of the Zhou Dynasty flowing through his veins. Neither the Emperor nor the imperial clan would be willing to see him being bullied by his stepmother. If it were just rumors, they could still laugh it off. But if there was solid evidence presented right in front of them, it would be a blow to the imperial family's reputation.

  Dan Hong's mind turned quickly, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "I see. From now on, when others mention the young lady, they will only sigh. They might say that it's not easy for an orphaned girl to be bullied, but if they bring up the topic of the young master's wife, their words won't be so pleasant. It seems like the young lady lost out, but in reality, the ones who lost face are the young master's wife and the Pei family."

  She paused for a moment, "What did that miss mean?"

  Ming Xuan's eyes sparkled slightly, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. "Because I'm surnamed Gu, I'm the cousin of Imperial Concubine Gu in the palace, and I married the least favored eldest son of the Pei family. No matter how hard we try to please the people of the Pei family, no matter how much we endure their disrespect, it won't change their attitude towards us. Whether it's the Crown Prince's wife or other members of the Pei family, they won't change their treatment of us."

  She paused slightly and continued, "If so, why must we live our lives according to others' expectations?"

  Dan Hong's face turned red with surprise, she opened her mouth and asked somewhat disbelievingly, "Miss is saying... we don't have to endure?"

  Ming Xuan nodded and smiled, saying, "Enduring also leads to this result, not enduring also leads to this result, so why bother humiliating oneself? For example, today's verbal sparring that doesn't hurt bones or muscles is fine. Let's just pretend we didn't hear it and not bother with it. But if someone dares to bully us, they'll get tenfold or a hundredfold back from us. Don't worry about causing trouble for Miss, just don't let others grasp our weakness."

  She smiled softly and said, "What I wanted to say is actually about this matter."

  Dan Hong saw Ming Xuan's serious expression and knew that Miss never fought without preparation, so she pulled her arm and asked urgently, "Is this really the territory of the Pei family? If we act rashly without a plan, we will be the ones to suffer. What is Miss' plan? Please tell us, so that if something happens in the future, we can also know how to respond?"

  She paused, a worried look appearing on her face. "If something were to happen to you at the Pei residence, although Old Madam wants to intervene, I'm afraid she has the heart but not the power. As for His Lordship and his wife, it's probably hopeless."

  Ming Xuan gently patted Dan Hong's shoulder, smiling to comfort her, "The Pei family will welcome me with a grand procession of eight sedan chairs. If something were to happen to me here, who would dare marry their daughter into the Pei family in the future? Don't worry, Yang Shi and those aunties are just using despicable tactics to stir up trouble, hoping I'll take the bait and engage in a fight with them. I won't fall for it, nor will I put myself in a precarious position, so I'm not afraid of anything."

  She looked at the four maids and said seriously, "You have all been with me for more than three years. You all understand what kind of temper I am. If it's not absolutely necessary, I don't want to live a life of fighting with others. Even here, my thoughts are the same."

  If the people of the Pei family can let me live in peace, they don't come to bother me, I naturally won't go to bother them either. They are as low-key as I am, not competing, not getting angry, not making enemies with others, and not leaving any handles for others to grasp. This is how we should live our lives.

  It's just that our identity as the master's concubine is at stake, and there are many eyes in the back courtyard of the Pei Mansion staring at us. I'm afraid our days won't be easy. Even if I don't fall for their tricks, it's possible someone will get ideas about us, so I hope we'll be careful with what we say and do, take care of ourselves, and also take care of the people we brought from the Gu family.

  But there's one thing you must remember, in this house, you only need to listen to me. Except for me, no matter who it is, just a polite greeting will do, don't have to be overly courteous and inconvenience yourself because of fear of causing trouble for me. If others are polite to you, you can also respond politely, but if someone dares to bully or scold you, then give them double the courtesy back, I'll take full responsibility for the consequences.

  Ming Xuan's eyes flickered slightly as she glanced at the four maidservants, a smile on her face. "Do you understand what I mean?" she asked.

  Lotus nodded slightly, her big eyes shining brightly as she gazed at Ming Xuan. She opened her mouth and asked, "If someone doesn't offend me, I won't offend them. If someone offends me, I will definitely offend them back. Miss, is that what it means?"

  "Ming Xuan nodded and said, 'That's right, I won't be bullied, nor will you. If the people in this mansion think we're easy to bully, they're wrong.'"

  She paused slightly, her eyes gleaming with cunning as she said, "Thanks to the young master's wife giving me a cold shoulder in front of everyone today, I can now let it be known throughout the city that the eldest lady of the Pei family was bullied and mistreated by her mother-in-law from the moment she married into the family."

  The aristocratic families of the Zhou Dynasty's capital, Jing, attach great importance to their reputation and prestige. If Yang was clever, she would not use those tactics against herself in the short term, at least not openly. Fighting with others is tiring; she wants to conserve her energy and plan for her own future.

  In a moment, Ming Xuan heard a commotion coming from outside the courtyard, so she tidied up her clothes and sat upright on the new bed, saying no more.

  Dan Hong nodded to her and went to the door, peeking through a gap to look outside before turning back to say, "It's that Mrs. Xiao Er we saw earlier, followed by several maids."

  Mrs. Min, wife of Yang's second son Pei Jingxiao

  After entering the new house, she smiled and rushed to Ming Xuan, "Sister-in-law has been busy for a day, this will still be hungry, I'll let the kitchen heat up some food, sister-in-law will make do with something first."

  The several little maids behind her quickly arranged the dishes from the food box on the octagonal table in front of the bed, and soon it was a full table. Mrs. Min smiled and said, "There are still guests outside, and Big Brother may not be able to come over for a while. Eldest Sister-in-law and several sisters can eat first to fill their stomachs. If there's anything else needed, just let me know."

  She spoke politely and courteously, with a natural familiarity that made people feel good when they heard it.

  Ming Xuan smiled kindly at her, "Younger sister has thought of everything, thank you in advance."

  At Antai Temple, Grandma had anticipated that they wouldn't be able to eat dinner tonight, so she had prepared some snacks in advance. She and the maids were all full before leaving, but on this desolate and quiet night, at the Pei's house which she had mentally condemned as a place without good people, someone actually thought of sending over a table of hot dishes, and her heart was filled with gratitude.

  She then let Dan Hong pick some dishes that suited her taste and ate a few mouthfuls, the rest were divided among several people by Dan Hong.

  Mrs. Min directed the little maids to clear the table, saying, "Because Big Brother is often ill, a small kitchen for decocting medicine and boiling water has been set up in the west wing of the Quiet Elegance Courtyard. If Eldest Sister needs hot water, she can have one of the little maids from the outer courtyard go and boil some."

  She paused slightly, suddenly furrowed her brow, and somewhat awkwardly pointed to the two brightly dressed maids behind her, saying, "These two maids were given to Eldest Sister by Mother. She said... she said that since Eldest Sister is new here, she might not be too familiar with Elder Brother's usual rules, and these two maids originally served in the Qingyi Courtyard..."

  There were two soft voices, "Nu Bi Hua Ying, Nu Bi Yue Die, greeting the Grand Madame."

  Ming Xuan raised her eyes and looked over, behind Mrs. Min stood two women of different heights, one wearing a deep purple dress was elegant and charming, slightly taller and slender, with a delicate waist like a willow branch that seemed to be breakable; the other wore a pale pink skirt, with skin as white as snow, looking weak and fragile, with a pitiful and lovely aura.

  One is elegant and one is charming, each has its own style.

  A strange and unusual feeling flashed through Ming Xuan's mind. It wasn't that she was afraid of how Pei Jingchen would react if he saw these two beauties, but rather, according to what Min Shi had said, Hua Ying and Yue Die had originally been servants in this very courtyard, so if Pei Jingchen really did have a relationship with them, they shouldn't be appearing in front of her in this manner.

  She just found it inexplicable, or perhaps even ridiculous. On this wedding night, Yang's family hastily sent over Meiyan's maid, which not only confirmed Yang's reputation for bullying her new daughter-in-law but also made her feel disgusted and drove a wedge between her and Pei Jingzhen.

  If Yang really has only these inferior tricks up her sleeve, then she seems to have overestimated herself!

  Ming Xuan smiled faintly and said in a low voice, "Mother's kindness, tomorrow must go to thank her again."

  Mrs. Mian's face was extremely awkward, she explained two sentences and then hurriedly said, "The noble guest in the front yard must be leaving, I'll go send them off, sister-in-law please wait a little while here, if there is anything else, just have someone call me."

  She finished what she had to say and then left in a hurry.

  Ming Xuan gazed at the back of Min Shi, smiled lightly, and didn't put those two beauties in her heart. She remained sitting quietly on the new bed until the watchman's drumbeat sounded at the 10th hour. A little maid came to report from outside, "Reporting to Eldest Madam, Master has returned to his room!"

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