The elderly lady was extremely shocked.
A child who hadn’t begun to learn for over a decade, only to produce such fine poetry within a year’s time—let’s not even mention Yun Muyou and Yun Zihan. Even Yun Zhen and his three brothers probably lacked this ability and open-mindedness.
"Why is this night the night, as the stars return northward, tomorrow, as the year starts anew in the east. The spring breeze isn’t far off, just at the east side of the house, everyone should yet to go to bed on New Year’s Eve, as the sound of firecrackers marks the end of the year!"
The elderly lady did not want to speak, but she had to admit that the poem was very good.
Now, with Yun Qi and Mrs. Han present, it wasn’t just soft-boned Yun Jinnian; she couldn’t treat Yun Jinnian as she did before.
"Hmm, these lines of poetry are indeed quite good, Sister Nian, come up here!"
Yun Jinnian slowly stepped forward, "Grandmother!"
The elderly lady casually took two items and handed them to Yun Jinnian.
A gold hairpin and a jade hairpin—neither particularly fine nor particularly poor. Yun Jinnian glanced at the tray.
Yet they were the least valuable items on the tray.
His lips slightly curled, and he let out a cold, light laugh, "Thank you, Grandmother!"
He took the items and stepped back.
The elderly lady called Yun Zuomo, Yun Qingqing, and Yun Qingzhi to her side and gave each of them a gold hairpin.
The three girls’ eyes reddened slightly. After thanking the elderly lady, they sat down with respectful composure.
Yun Jinnian returned to Mrs. Han’s side, and Yun Qi looked at the items in Yun Jinnian’s hand, frowning slightly.
Glancing at the tray held by the nurse Tian behind the elderly lady, he happened to meet Nurse Tian’s eyes. Startled by the exchange, she quickly looked down.
Yun Qi remained silent, looking at the elderly lady. Seeing her calm demeanor, showing no sign of guilt or impropriety, as if accustomed to manipulating people at will, Yun Qi felt a chill in his heart and stood up, saying, "We’ve eaten supper and watched the fireworks, and the poetry is done. Everyone may go back now!"
As Yun Qi spoke, he looked at Yun Jinnian, "The hairpins Grandmother gave you don’t quite suit you. Give them to your nurse; they’re more fitting for her. In a few days, I will take you to Duobao Pavilion to see if there’s any new fashionable item that suits you!"
Yun Qi’s remark, though seemingly soft and downy, slapped the elderly lady’s face resoundingly.
"Thank you, Father!" Yun Jinnian bowed obediently.
And to think, the gold and jade hairpins given by the elderly lady were indeed both outmoded and cheap.
Just take the gold hairpin, for instance—it didn’t have a single gemstone on it.
Was the elderly lady really just grabbing whatever was at hand?
No, she had prepared them well in advance, regardless of whether Yun Jinnian’s performance was good or poor, it would always be that gold hairpin.
The elderly lady’s complexion was very unsightly as she dryly said, "That will be all, you may disperse!"
Her thoughts, which she thought no one noticed, were actually known to everyone!
Everyone returned to their respective courtyards.
Mrs. Han felt aggrieved, having wanted to explode earlier. If it weren’t for Bai Que holding her back, she really would have caused a scene.
But then she thought, making a fuss over some trinkets would indeed be embarrassing.
Although she had long known of the elderly lady’s partiality and ruthlessness, she did not expect her to be so bold even in front of her...
Once back at Qiyue Academy, she began smashing things. Yun Qi stood at the doorway, watching quietly, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
It was only after Mrs. Han had smashed everything she could in the parlor that she looked at Yun Qi, "This is the Yun Family’s elderly lady, she’s nothing but a foolish woman!"
She stormed into her bedroom with a swish of her sleeves.
Yun Qi took a deep breath, entered the parlor, carefully avoided the debris, and went into the bedroom where he saw Mrs. Han sitting at the dressing table, with Bai Que helping her remove her makeup.
Yun Qi stepped forward, gesturing Bai Que away with a wave of his hand. Bai Que glanced at Mrs. Han through the bronze mirror and, seeing that Mrs. Han said nothing, withdrew and instructed people to clean up the debris in the parlor.
In the bedroom, Yun Qi loosened Mrs. Han’s hair bun, revealing her head full of blue-black hair, which he gently stroked a strand of in his palm.
Mrs. Han was preoccupied and didn’t notice.
But in her heart, she had already made up her mind.
She intended to get on good terms with Yun Qi, to keep him firmly in her grasp, and then make the first and second branches of the family divide the inheritance. She wished to bring the elderly lady over, to "care" for her properly!