Xu Xinmo coldly looked at Yun Jinnian, "Where are you going?"
Not calling anyone, nor bowing; her lack of manners was indeed severe.
"To Qiyue Academy for lunch. Cousin, have you eaten?" Yun Jinnian ignored Xu Xinmo’s hostility.
Because so many maids came and went in the garden, even if they didn’t dare to watch the commotion openly, there were quite a few hiding in the shadows enjoying the show.
They were all waiting to see who between Yun Jinnian and Xu Xinmo would lose their composure and start fighting first.
"Then you go ahead!" Xu Xinmo said, suddenly remembering in her purse, she had a bug that she had raised to scare people with.
She quickly opened her purse, grabbed the bug, and threw it at Yun Jinnian.
The bug was actually just a caterpillar, soft and squishy, looking frightening but not dangerous in the least.
Yun Jinnian, who was not afraid of Iron Sand Snakes, would not be scared of a caterpillar.
She extended her hand to wrap the caterpillar in a handkerchief, tossed it onto the ground, and then stepped on it, squashing it until its insides burst out. She then turned to Xu Xinmo with a gentle and faint smile, "Cousin, you must hold on to things more tightly next time. Don’t throw anything on me again, it’s not good for your reputation if this gets out!"
After finishing her words, Yun Jinnian handed the handkerchief to Hemei, "Take this and burn it!"
Instead of going to Qiyue Academy, she turned around and headed back to Niannian Garden.
Xu Xinmo stood frozen, stomping her feet with rage.
"How dare she! How dare she talk to me , who gave her the gall!"
Back in Niannian Garden, Yun Jinnian took off her clothes and had Hemei take them out to be burned.
"Make a fuss out of it; let the whole Yun Residence know that Xu Xinmo threw a bug on me!"
No respect for elders, no manners.
So young and already behaving so wildly; what kind of decent family would marry her? She was delusional.
Hemei understood and carried the clothes to the main kitchen. When asked, she told the truth.
Before long, there was a new wave of unrest.
Lady He of the Yun Residence, having learned of the incident, found it was already too late, as rumors had already begun to spread...
Yun Chen from the front yard did not know much about the trivial matters of the back yard.
Yun Jinnian arrived at Qiyue Academy and had lunch with Mrs. Han.
Mrs. Han did not ask about the incident between Yun Jinnian and Xu Xinmo; she trusted Yun Jinnian could handle it well.
After eating, Yun Jinnian stayed at Qiyue Academy to read.
The elder lady sent someone to call Yun Jinnian over, Mrs. Han slowly stood up, "Jinnian, let’s go, mother will accompany you."
Mother and daughter went to Cixin Academy.
From afar, they could hear Xu Xinmo crying, wailing with such sorrow that Mrs. Han and Yun Jinnian looked at each other in bewilderment.
They entered the small hall.
Xu Xinmo sat next to the elder lady, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
"What’s the matter?" Mrs. Han feigned ignorance as she asked, taking a seat on a chair beside Yun Jinnian.
"You still have the face to ask!" The elder lady shouted angrily.
Before she could start scolding, Mrs. Han slapped her hand down on the table, startling the elder lady and causing Xu Xinmo to stop crying.
Even Yun Jinnian was momentarily taken aback.
But she soon returned to her usual demeanor.
"Why should I be ashamed to speak? It’s not my daughter who’s unfilial, nor did my daughter deliberately throw a bug at someone. Why should I be ashamed? If the elder lady wishes to speak of reason today, then let’s discuss this properly. But the few of us here won’t be able to clarify everything. Why not call over the members of the clan, or perhaps invite the Imperial Censor or someone of high status who upholds benevolence and propriety to talk this over? Let’s discuss how the elder lady has mistreated her own granddaughter in favor of her external granddaughter over the years, shall we?"
Mrs. Han’s words were clear and forceful, echoing with conviction.
The elder lady was so angry that her face turned red, but she could not utter a word, for there were too many people who knew about her mistreatment of Yun Jinnian. It was just that Yun Jinnian and Mrs. Han had not made a fuss, and so no storm had been raised.
If Mrs. Han truly started a commotion...