But this was only a thought; when it came to actually playing matchmaker, Yun Zihan still hesitated.
After all, Yun Jinnian’s status was no ordinary one.
Her medical skills predestined that she would not be confined to the inner quarters; in the future, she would walk the jianghu, or visit various grand households.
"Fourth sister, do you have someone in your heart who pleases you?" Yun Zihan tentatively asked.
Upon hearing this, Yun Jinnian turned to Yun Zihan, "Why does Second Sister ask such a question?"
"Thanks to the blessings of Fourth Sister, I’ve been living so well; I hope you can have an even better life than I do!"
This was Yun Zihan’s sincere sentiment.
She hoped Yun Jinnian would be happier than she was.
Because Yun Jinnian deserved it.
Yun Jinnian smiled, "I do have someone I fancy, and I will marry no other in this lifetime!"
Yun Zihan took a sharp breath but then sighed in relief.
"Congratulations, Fourth Sister!"
Yet she didn’t ask who this person was in Yun Jinnian’s life.
It didn’t matter who it was, as long as Yun Jinnian liked him.
"Thank you, Second Sister!"
After talking for a while longer, Yun Zihan got up to leave.
Yun Jinnian wanted to keep her for a meal at Niannian Garden, but since she was currently indisposed and Yun Zihan needed to spend more time with Mrs. Cui, Yun Jinnian did not insist and had Mrs. Yuan see Yun Zihan out.
She also prepared a gift.
After sending Yun Zihan off, Yun Jinnian went to the cleansing room, sat on the bed eating a few mooncakes, asked Mrs. Yuan to distribute them, and then lay down in bed to sleep.
It wasn’t long before she fell asleep.
The fifteenth’s palace feast was relatively successful.
Many returned home with gains, while others, like Xu Xinmo, felt so wronged they wanted to cry.
Once, she thought that flaunting power in the Yun Family was enough and thus didn’t care about her reputation, but it wasn’t until she attended the academy that she realized without a good reputation, no one wanted to deal with her.
It was only upon coming to the Imperial Palace today that she saw clearly, she was nothing.
Many pointed and gossiped, saying she didn’t live at her own home and always stayed at her maternal grandparents’, and the Xu Family ignored her because she had malicious intentions, causing her own aunt to miscarry; in truth, no one in the Xu Family liked her.
Those people then went to ask Xu Xinmo’s cousins; the younger ones had no idea, but the elder ones certainly did.
One by one, they were evasive and didn’t clarify for her, solidifying the impression that she was malicious at heart.
No matter how she explained, nobody was willing to listen to her.
Once outside the Imperial Palace, upon boarding the carriage, Xu Xinmo burst into tears with a ’wah’ sound.
Grandma Yun’s mood, however, was rather good, having enjoyed the flattery of Grandmother Wu very much; still basking in the euphoria, she was startled by Xu Xinmo’s crying.
Feeling displeased, yet considering that Xu Xinmo was her darling treasure, she hurriedly consoled, "What’s the matter?"
"Grandmother, they’re bullying me, everyone is bullying me!"
Upon hearing this, Grandma Yun’s expression also went through several changes, gripping Xu Xinmo’s hand tightly, "Wanwan, don’t cry; you are meant to be above others. These people are blind to your worth right now, and they bully you, but when you become someone important in the future, you’ll repay them tenfold, a hundredfold!"
Xu Xinmo looked up at Grandma Yun, "Grandma..."
"Stop crying now, Wanwan. Believe in your grandmother; you will surely become the most distinguished woman in Tianchu Country, high above, worshipped by tens of thousands!"
Worshipped by tens of thousands.
That position would be the Empress’s.
Thinking of potentially becoming the Empress, Xu Xinmo’s heart filled with malice as she plotted to disfigure Yun Jinnian’s face first, then snatch all her good things and make her life worse than death, and finally, to sell all those who bullied her to the lowest of brothels.
To make their lives worse than death.
"Grandmother, you’re so good to me; I will surely take care of you well in the future!" Xu Xinmo said, hugging Grandma Yun’s arm tightly.