291 Spoiling Things

Cao Yingxue thought that now that the Empress Dowager had punished her, her reputation would be ruined. No matter how she tried to salvage it in the future, it would be impossible. Her mother had previously agreed that it would be impossible for her to become the lord of a county.

What was hateful was that Yu Youyao had stepped on the dignity of the Marquis of Changxing’s Residence and obtained the Empress Dowager’s praise for no reason. She had even been given a palace token. Although it was only a palace token, it depended on who had rewarded it. Since it was given by the Empress Dowager, it was equivalent to the title of a fifth-grade county lord.

Yu Youyao had taken all of her glory.

Cao Yingxue lowered her head and looked at her toes.

Yesterday, she and her mother had stayed in the palace until dusk and the sun had set before they were allowed to leave the palace. When they returned home, it was already dark.

As soon as she stepped out of the carriage, she was invited to her grandmother’s house by a maidservant.

Old Madam Cao was so angry that she smashed the teacup on the spot. The teacup landed beside Cao Yingxue’s feet, and fragments flew everywhere, scaring her so much that she closed her eyes and screamed.

Old Madam Cao shouted angrily, “Shut up!”

Cao Yingxue’s body went limp and she fell to the ground, crying.

The Marquis of Changxing’s wife’s face turned pale with fright. She knelt at the side, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Cao Yingxue was already crying, but her grandmother still did not let her off. She pointed at her nose and scolded, “You disgraceful thing. How dare you cry? Even though the Eldest Miss of the Yu family’s reputation was almost ruined, she can still straighten her back and argue with others. Why are you crying? How dare you cry?”

They were all granddaughters who had been raised by noble families. Why was there such a big difference?

She was usually a little smart, but in front of her, she was used to currying favor and pretending to be obedient.

However, once this matter was settled, her mind would be blank.

At the thought of this, Old Madam Cao became even angrier. “Look at your useless character. You’ve embarrassed the Marquis of Changxing’s Residence. Your father worked hard to earn glory for you in Youzhou. You’re a scourge and a burden to your family. Back then, when your mother gave birth to you, why didn’t I drown you in a basin of water?!”

The sound of guns being fired was like a firecracker. Cao Yingxue fell to the ground, her mind blank.

No matter how much the Marquis of Changxing’s wife doted on her daughter, she did not dare to say anything.

Old Madam Cao was tired of scolding. She handed a cup of tea to the nanny in front of her. After drinking the tea, she turned her anger to the Marquis of Changxing’s wife. “Seventh Miss is only a growing child. Even if she did something wrong, it’s still a quarrel between children. You’re an elder, yet you’ve even been given a warning. Why are you meddling blindly? Is your brain muddled by feces and urine? All you can see is that Eldest Master Yu is only a fourth-grade censor. Eldest Miss Yu lost her mother when she was young, but why haven’t you thought about the background of the Yu Clan?”

The Marquis of Changxing’s wife was so scolded that she couldn’t raise her head. She didn’t even dare to say anything. She opened her mouth to explain, but when she saw the Old Madam’s angry expression, she quickly lowered her head.

Old Madam Cao’s chest rose and fell. “The Yu Clan has been a scholarly family for generations. Their ancestors were extremely prominent. They used to be with the Ye Clan of the Linjiang Prefecture and were known as the number one literary school in the world. They were known for their status. Back then, before the Great Zhou Dynasty was established, there were flames of war everywhere in the world. The last minister of the previous dynasty was from the Yu Clan. He was Prime Minister Yu, who was known later as the number one minister of the six dynasties. He studied Confucianism and Daoism at the same time. Looking at the stars, he asserted that the dragon vein of the previous dynasty had been severed and that his life was over. He said, ‘The people live in suffering, but the people die in suffering.’ In the end, he was the one who risked the world’s condemnation and killed a king. At that time, the Great Zhou Empire was spared from the flames of war.”

At the mention of this past, even Old Madam Cao’s tone became serious.

The Marquis of Changxing’s wife, who was kneeling in the hall, was even more shocked. With such a history of the Yu Clan, how could they be easily provoked?

Old Madam Cao looked at her trembling face and was even angrier. “When Emperor Gaozu entered the Imperial City, he was grateful for Yu Xiang’s help and called him into the palace overnight. Do you know what happened after that?”

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly turned solemn. Old Madam Cao raised her voice and said, “Other than the children who were learning how to walk, all the men, women, and children in Prime Minister Yu’s branch committed suicide in the family shrine.”

The Marquis of Changxing’s wife’s pupils constricted.

As Old Madam Cao sucked in a breath of cold air, she said, “When the previous emperor received the news, he rode out of the palace overnight. He used the blood of the Yu family to write the words ‘Honourable Lord’ and ‘Loyal Lord’. Then, he conferred the title of Minister Yu.”

Old Madam Cao also sighed. “It’s also because of this tragic past that the Yu Clan hasn’t fallen. It’s also because of this past that the Yu Clan has become much more low-key. No one dares to mention their ancestors’ names, afraid that they will disgrace the loyalty of Minister Yu’s branch.”

At this point, Old Madam Cao changed the topic. “However, the bloody words and the meritorious deed are still shown in the ancestral hall of the Yu Clan. Duke Lie is also known as the ‘Little Saint’ among scholars. The Yu Clan is still a place for scholars in the world to make pilgrimages.”

The Marquis of Changxing’s wife gritted her teeth and did not dare to speak.

Old Madam Cao’s eyes turned green with anger. “Although the Yu Clan is in dire straits, the previous emperor once left a decree that the future generations should treat the Yu Clan well and promote them more often. The loyal lord is the monument of the Yu Clan. With this monument, the Yu Clan will be associated with the most reliable minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Therefore, as long as any outstanding disciple of the Yu Clan enters the imperial court, they will have a place in the imperial court.”

At this point, she thought of Second Master Yu, who had been ranked second place at palace examinations. She glared at her daughter-in-law.

“Why do you think Second Master Yu has been in the Ministry of Revenue and was the third-grade Assistant Minister of Revenue for so many years?”

The Marquis of Changxing’s wife’s lips trembled.

When Old Madam Cao saw her stupid expression, she really wanted to slap her. “It’s because he’s waiting to take on the position of Xia Yansheng’s Grand Secretary. He’s trying to gain experience. Eldest Master Yu doesn’t look outstanding, but it’s the Xia family who has a knife in the Imperial Courtyard. They’ll stab wherever they point.”

The Yu family was going to have a Grand Secretary? The Marquis of Changxing’s wife was stunned.

Old Madam Cao took a deep breath and said, “Old Demon Yu is a widow and has been quite fierce in the past. Even the old lord of the Marquis of Weining’s Residence doesn’t dare to provoke her. You should be glad that she didn’t ask Yu Youyao to ruin you and your daughter’s reputations yesterday. Otherwise, that old thing would have been able to get an imperial order and charge into the Marquis of Changxing’s Residence. At that time, the Marquis of Changxing’s future would have been ruined.”

The Marquis of Changxing’s wife’s eyes darkened and she almost fainted on the spot. “How can this be!”

Cao Yingxue was so frightened that she collapsed and did not even dare to cry.

After Old Madam Cao’s outburst, she calmed down a little and said coldly, “Since the Empress Dowager has come forward to punish you, the Yu Residence won’t hold on to it anymore.”

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