Volume 1 Chapter 36

  In the warm room, Xia Ting lay on the couch covered with soft blankets, while Qianqian Su's hands were neatly flipping through the account book of 'Yu Yan Lou'.

  These days, the business of Mei Ren Tang and Nuan Yan Lou has been getting better and better. Taking advantage of this trend, Xia Ting Cong launched the "Yu Yan Lou" beauty tonic food, with the slogan "Let your beauty shine from the inside out".

  The noblewomen and young ladies of Kyoto all flocked to the "Yuanyan Building" every day, ordering a few dishes of beauty-enhancing medicine, and then drinking a pot of detoxifying and beautifying flower tea. They spent the entire afternoon in the "Yuanyan Building". Gold and silver poured into Xia Ting's purse endlessly.

  Just then, Lu Wu walked into the house and came before Xia Ting Cong, saying "Miss, Third Miss and Fifth Miss have arrived."

  Xia Ting's slender eyebrows rose slightly, just as she was about to speak.

  Just then, a voice came from the doorway, "It's really what kind of master has what kind of servant, Xia Ting, your servant actually dared to make me and Third Sister wait outside, what a big nerve."

  As soon as the words fell, Xia Lian and Xia Rong had already walked into the house on their own. The two of them were each wearing a large red cloak.

  Xia Ting's eyes turned cold, she hadn't even said she wanted to see them yet, but these two people didn't have the slightest courtesy and directly burst in.

  With a dismissive glance, Xia Tingjing turned to Lu Qing and said, "You can go now, there's nothing else here." Without even offering tea, it was clear she didn't want to entertain her guest.

  Lu Weng nodded and obediently backed down.

  Xia Ting continued to flip through the account book, without even raising her head, saying "My people are not yet qualified for you to teach, if you don't like waiting, then roll back to your own courtyard, not even a bit of etiquette is understood, and still have the face to say others. So many years of courtesy, I don't know where it was learned."

  Xia Rong's face turned red with rage, and she almost rushed forward without caring about the consequences. However, Xia Lian firmly stopped her, and all she could do was shout angrily: "You little slut, how dare you say I'm not dignified? You're just a concubine-born bastard. When did you become qualified to lecture me?"

  That furious expression was as if he couldn't wait to pounce on Xia Tingcong and tear his face apart.

  "Alright, Rong'er, stop it." Xia Lian firmly pressed down on Xia Rong, this younger sister was really impatient, just being provoked like that and she immediately revealed her true nature.

  Xia Ting listened intently while looking at the thin account book and picked up a purple yam glutinous rice cake with her hand, lightly biting into it.

  Not paying the slightest attention to Xia Rong's scolding, he said leisurely, "Look at you now, what elegance of a noble lady do you have? If I were to spread this outside, you'd never be able to marry in your lifetime."

  Shaking her head as she spoke, this Li family didn't know how they had taught their daughter. What kind of person would any family dare to want her?

  Xia Lian softly comforted Xia Rong, and upon hearing Xia Ting's words, she couldn't help but raise her head and frown, saying "Second sister, Rong'er is still young. Although there was some offense earlier, I believe that someone as magnanimous as second sister would not hold it against her."

  She and Rong'er are in the same boat, sharing honor and shame together. If Rong'er really gets a bad reputation, then she as an elder sister will also be affected.

  Xia Ting picked up the teacup and took a sip of hot tea, then lightly sneered "I never said I was a magnanimous person. Besides, my mother only gave birth to me and my younger brother, not worthy of your title 'Second Sister'."

  Xia Lian's words aren't hinting that if she were to argue with Xia Rong, she would be a petty-minded person. What a joke, when has she ever said she was magnanimous? She actually wants to use this to suppress her and make her swallow her anger.

  Xia Lian was choked by Xia Ting's ruthless words, and she also started to get angry. The two sisters originally wanted to come to Liyuan to humiliate Xia Ting today. Unexpectedly, from the moment they entered, they didn't humiliate her, but instead found themselves at a disadvantage.

  "Xia Lian took a deep breath and said, 'Xia Ting Ning, you will soon be going to the Jing Wang Fu as a concubine. Now is just letting you have your way for a moment. Once we arrive at the Jing Wang Fu, I'll see if you can still be as arrogant as you are now.'"

  But she was just a person who would go and serve as a concubine for the sickly young master, and in the future, she would have her own good fortune.

  Xia Rong, who had been calming down her anger on the side, couldn't help but laugh when she heard her sister's words. "That's right, you can only be so arrogant for a few more days. In the end, you'll still have to obediently become someone else's concubine. But my sister and I are different, we will marry into a powerful family and enjoy a lifetime of wealth and glory."

  Why bother with this cheap person now, it's just letting her get away with it.

  Xia Rong laughed even more and continued, "You probably don't know yet, but it was my sister who originally sent her birthdate to the palace for selection. Luckily, our grandmother remembered you and had your father bring you back from Yixing City. The plan was for you to replace my sister in the selection. Who would have thought that with such bad luck, you actually got selected?"

  Xia Lian continued with a smile, "However, even if you weren't selected, it doesn't matter. At that time, my mother will naturally arrange a good place for you to settle down. She'll either casually marry you off to some poor scholar's son or send you to those high-ranking officials as a concubine, all depending on her mood."

  Looking at the two people in front of her, Xia Tingjing didn't react at all, and coldly snorted, "It's just you? You still want to marry into those powerful families? You're really just like your mother, both of you are muddled. The Xia family is only a fourth-rank official household. Even if you were born legitimate, you wouldn't have the qualifications to marry into a noble family as a proper wife. It's better to wake up early and not waste your time daydreaming and making people laugh."

  Xia Lian and Xia Rong both changed their faces, extremely annoyed.

  Xia Rong slapped the table and said, "You're clearly jealous of us, that's why you're saying this. Look at us, we'll become someone else's legitimate wife in the future, while you can only be a lowly concubine, that's why you're so envious."

  Xia Lian's face was also full of resentment. "Xia Ting, you can't even get grapes and yet you say they're sour. My sister and I will definitely be superior to others in the future, we won't end up like you, becoming someone else's concubine. Rong'er, let's go."

  The two of them stormed out of the house, full of anger and resentment.

  Xia Ting didn't bother with them, just coldly laughed and said, "How ignorant." This Li family really doesn't know what they're thinking, treating those two daughters of theirs like precious steamed buns, as if everyone is fighting to get them. They've actually instilled such arrogant thoughts in them. One by one, their brains don't even know what they're for.

  Xia Ting gently closed the account book, her eyes dim and unclear.

  This time, the marriage arrangement was also manipulated by Old Lady Xia. She didn't hesitate to sacrifice her own daughter for the sake of her legitimate grandson. It's likely that she kept Xia Lian just to use her as a bargaining chip to gain more benefits for the Xia family. After all, a legitimate daughter is always more valuable than an illegitimate one. This Old Lady Xia was selfish and self-serving; she had indeed chosen the right partner back then.

  It was just Xia Lian and Xia Rong who came to make trouble today, but inadvertently gave her a wake-up call.

  Even if she solved the marriage problem safely this time, what about in the future? Would Li and Old Lady Xia let her off easily?

  The answer is definitely no, these two people are afraid that they will still hit her again next time. Next time, will she be lucky enough to escape?

  Besides, she is now fifteen years old after the Chinese New Year, which is a good age for matchmaking. According to the rules, her marriage is in the hands of Li's family. Who knows how Li's family will deal with her? Her career has just started and it's better not to expose herself unless necessary.

  Now, such a difficult problem is in front of her, she must think of a permanent solution.

  Digression

  Everyone, more text. So sleepy, rarely have a day off, I'm going to bed early tonight. Spoiler alert, the male and female leads will meet tomorrow.