Chapter 373: You Reap What You Sow (1)
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Concubine Meng had entered the manor fifteen years ago. She was the daughter of a proper family. But her family was in such straitened circumstances that she never found a suitable marriage. The rich and powerful families looked down on her, she also looked down on the commoners and small families. After a while, she got old. Although the women of the Great Zhou Dynasty married later than the women of the previous dynasty, there were still not many unmarried women after seventeen. She gradually became worried about her marriage. Her mother brought her to the temple to ask for marriage. She drew a good fortune and was overjoyed. She thought that her marriage was finally settled. In fact, it was indeed so. On the way home, she encountered a few little thieves and was saved by the guards of the Xiao family who passed by.
To this day, she still remembers that towering man like a ferocious beast that was ready to attack. She felt that she was trembling violently just by looking at him from afar. Such a man was much more terrifying than a thief, but if he was her husband, he would definitely be able to protect her well.
However, that man did not look her in the eye in the end. Instead, another elegant and thin young master alighted from the carriage at the side. When the young master asked her if she was injured and if she needed a doctor, she met his gaze with tears streaming down her face. A trace of unconcealable amazement flashed across the young master’s eyes.
Concubine Meng only found out after the incident that the tall and mighty man was the famous Grand Marshal Xiao Zhenting. At that time, Xiao Zhenting was not married yet, and that elegant young master was Xiao Zhenting’s biological brother who had already married a wife.
Concubine Meng had once been deeply vexed. It was clearly Xiao Zhenting’s guard who saved her, so why wasn’t Xiao Zhenting the one who liked her?!!
If she could marry Xiao Zhenting, she would be a proper Mrs. Xiao. Unfortunately, there were no ifs in the world. A few days later, the nanny of the Xiao family came to visit. She was on the orders of Eldest Master Xiao and asked her if she was willing to enter the manor and be a concubine.
Compared to marrying into a small commoner family and being a useless wife, of course, she was more willing to enter the Xiao Manor to enjoy endless glory and wealth. However, she never expected that the heir of the Xiao family was actually not her husband. That refined and handsome appearance was only an appearance. Not only was Eldest Master Xiao idle and accomplished nothing, but he also caused trouble for the Xiao family all day. But since she was already here, it was impossible for her to go back on her word.
Fortunately, Xiao Zhenting was tolerant. No matter how his brother messed around, he did not have the intention of letting his brother leave the family. She thought that as long as she could give birth to a son and a daughter for her husband, she would not have to worry about her life in the Xiao family in the future. However, she was not lucky and was never pregnant after giving birth to Xiao Zilin.
Xiao Zilin was her only child. She had really put in a lot of effort into this child. After the incident at the Prince Cheng Manor, Eldest Madam had sought punishment and slapped her daughter’s hand until it was swollen. She even punished her daughter to kneel in the cold ancestral hall. Her daughter was so frightened that she fell seriously ill. Only today did she recover slightly.
Concubine Meng hated Eldest Madam for being heartless and also hated Yu Wan for being scheming. However, she had experienced Eldest Madam’s methods and did not have the guts to go against her. On the other hand, Yu Wan looked young. It was said that she had married into the Young Master Manor by climbing into his bed. No matter how she looked at it, this girl was just superficial. In a while, she would teach her a lesson and let her know the consequences of bullying her daughter!
Yu Wan, Xiao Ziyue, and the others went to the grape trellis. Strings of green grapes hung under the green leaves. They looked heavy. These grapes were planted in an airy and quiet wooden walkway. The servants had long known that they were coming and had prepared all the ladders and stools.
Princess Consort Cheng knew martial arts, so why would she need these? With a whip, she obtained a bunch of grapes.
“Wow!” The little friends opened their mouths wide in envy.
Princess Consort Cheng was happy to be in the limelight. She used her whip to pluck a few more bunch, making everyone envious.
“Let’s go pluck it too,” Xiao Ziyue said.
The grape trellis was not high. With a height like Fu Ling, she could pick it with her bare hands. The young ladies of normal height needed to use tools. The ladder was helped by the servants, but there were still young ladies who did not dare to go up, so they stepped on the stool.
Xiao Ziyue was timid. She wanted to step on a stool to pick it, but she saw Yu Wan calmly go up the ladder. So she also asked for a ladder. Two strong old women clamped the ladder to the pillar and held it steadily with four hands.
Xiao Ziyue carefully stepped on it and used a pair of scissors to cut off her first bunch of grapes.
Yu Wan had long cut seven to eight bunches. She was used to farming, so she was naturally not comparable to these pampered young ladies when it came to picking grapes. She was almost done when she turned around and saw Xiao Ziyue looking at her with an aggrieved expression. With a thought, she handed over the bunch of grapes she had just cut.