Chapter 189
"Who is your young lady? Ask yourself, why are you asking her?"
Ye Yunniang was speechless and continued walking forward.
"Stop right there." The maid chased after her, reaching out to grab Ye Yunniang.
Qiushuang intercepted the maid, grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her back.
Her arm was firmly pinned.
"Ah, it hurts! Let go!" the maid screamed in pain.
At that moment, another maid walked over and bowed respectfully to Ye Yunniang.
"Greetings, Madam Jiang. Hongluo was rude with her words, please forgive her. My young lady sincerely wishes to meet with you, Madam. My lady said that she can help you with what you seek."
Ye Yunniang followed the second maid, who introduced herself as Hongling, to a teahouse up ahead and went up to a private room on the second floor.
Two young maids stood guard outside the room.
"Please wait a moment, Madam Jiang."
Hongling entered the private room and quickly came back out. "Madam Jiang, please come in."
Ye Yunniang stepped into the private room.
"You cannot enter."
Turning around, she saw that Qiushuang had been stopped at the door.
"Step aside." Qiushuang had been strictly instructed by Jiang Mingzhe to protect Ye Yunniang at all times and never let her out of her sight.
"Let her in," a young girl's voice called out from inside the room.
The maids guarding the door stepped back.
Qiushuang walked to Ye Yunniang's side.
Ye Yunniang entered the room and laid eyes on an exceptionally elegant and beautiful young woman.
"Please have a seat, Madam Jiang."
Ye Yunniang sat down and listened as the young woman across from her spoke.
"Madam Jiang, allow me to introduce myself. My surname is Zhong, and my name is Zhaoli."
Zhong Zhaoli was born into the Duke of Zhong's estate. Her father was the current Duke, and her mother was the Duchess.
She had two older brothers, both of whom held important positions in the imperial court.
As the youngest daughter, Zhong Zhaoli was deeply favored.
Given the Zhong family's prestigious background, the finest young men in the capital were practically lining up for her to choose from.
However, Zhong Zhaoli had no interest in any of them; she only had eyes for the rebellious and untamed Tong Mo.
Tong Mo, on the other hand, did not like Zhong Zhaoli at all. Faced with her relentless pursuit, he simply left the capital and followed Bao Min to serve as an official in the provinces.
Zhong Zhaoli refused to give up and secretly investigated Tong Mo's whereabouts.
Tong Mo made no effort to hide his affection for Ye Yunniang.
Zhong Zhaoli quickly found out and sent people to look into Ye Yunniang.
She discovered that Ye Yunniang was a few years older than Tong Mo, a widow, and burdened with three children from a previous marriage.
Zhong Zhaoli could not understand why Tong Mo would fall for an older woman and yet look down on her.
Zhong Zhaoli scrutinized Ye Yunniang. Her looks were barely above average. She exuded a petty, provincial air and was far inferior to herself.
No matter how she looked at it, the woman was not attractive.
"What exactly does Tong Mo see in you?"
"Miss Zhong should go ask Tong Mo that question."
"Are you feeling very proud of yourself, Madam Jiang?"
"Where does Miss Zhong see that I am proud?" Ye Yunniang was genuinely puzzled.
"Sharp-tongued."
"I am flattered." Ye Yunniang took it as a compliment.
"You are so impolite to me. Aren't you afraid I'll make trouble for you?" Zhong Zhaoli's pretty face darkened.
"If I fawned over you, would you help me?" Ye Yunniang asked in return.
"No." If Ye Yunniang had been obsequious, respectful, and humble toward her, Zhong Zhaoli would have felt insulted.
To think that the boy she secretly loved actually liked this kind of cheap woman.
"Now I somewhat understand why Tong Mo likes you."
"I am already married, and I don't need the affection of other men." Tong Mo's affection was nothing but trouble for Ye Yunniang.
"A peerlessly handsome young man adores you and goes crazy for you, and you aren't happy?"
"It is a nuisance."
"Have you never had feelings for Tong Mo?"
"Someone else once asked me that same question."
"And what did you say?" Zhong Zhaoli was eager to know.
"I did, but it dissipated quickly." Ye Yunniang knew exactly what kind of life she wanted. Tong Mo could never give her that.
The person sitting right in front of her was proof of it.
"You consider me a nuisance too." Zhong Zhaoli was displeased.
"When we were downstairs, I thought you were a nuisance. But now, I think you are my benefactor." Ye Yunniang's words made Zhong Zhaoli smile.
"I am starting to like you a little bit too."
"It is my honor."
Ye Yunniang's gracious acceptance of her liking made Zhong Zhaoli both surprised and curious.
"Your answer is quite beyond my expectations."
"My mother taught me that when someone praises you, you shouldn't be embarrassed, but rather accept it graciously."
"Your mother sounds very special. I really want to meet her." Zhong Zhaoli was curious about the mother Ye Yunniang spoke of.
Although Madam Zhong doted on her youngest daughter, she also demanded that she be modest, cautious, and strictly adhere to etiquette.
"My mother has been afflicted with the Thousand Days of Slumber poison." Ye Yunniang's face showed sorrow at the mention of this.
"Imperial Physician Gu from the Imperial Academy of Medicine has extensively researched toxicology. He is a good friend of my uncle. I can ask him to go to the Jiang residence to treat your mother."
Hearing this, Ye Yunniang stood up and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Miss Zhong. I, Yunniang, will never forget your great kindness."
"I have a condition." Zhong Zhaoli cut off Ye Yunniang's gratitude.
"You must make Tong Mo marry me as his wife."
Ye Yunniang sat back down upon hearing this. "I am sorry, I cannot do that."
Ye Yunniang's refusal caught Zhong Zhaoli by surprise.
"Do you not want to save your mother?"
"Miss Zhong, if you asked for my life today, I would agree without blinking an eye. But if you want me to persuade Tong Mo to marry you, please forgive me, I cannot agree."
"Why?"
"I do not want you to suffer for the rest of your life."
Based on Ye Yunniang's understanding of Tong Mo, if she were to ask him, he would agree to marry Zhong Zhaoli.
But since it wouldn't be a sincere proposal, Zhong Zhaoli would always have a knot in her heart, and so would Tong Mo.
Knowing Tong Mo, he would never take the initiative to resolve such marital friction.
Zhong Zhaoli had been pampered since childhood. Because she loved him, she might accommodate Tong Mo for a short while, but a lifetime is very long.
"I have children of my own, and I understand that a mother would never want her daughter to suffer. I cannot agree to your condition."
"If you don't agree, I will give the order forbidding all doctors in the capital from stepping foot into the Jiang residence," Zhong Zhaoli threatened.
"Even if I agreed and my mother woke up, she would not be happy about it." Ye Yunniang's attitude was resolute.
"What will it take for you to agree?"
"Miss Zhong, you are of noble birth, beautiful, and possess a wonderful temperament. You can have any kind of husband you desire. Why must it be Tong Mo?"
"No matter how good other men are, they are not Tong Mo." Zhong Zhaoli was determined to marry no one else.
"You shouldn't involve me in the romantic affairs between you and him." Ye Yunniang's involvement would only push Tong Mo further away from Zhong Zhaoli.
Zhong Zhaoli understood this reasoning.
It was just that she was running out of time.
"Let's take a step back. Make him spend three months with me."
"Miss Zhong, I apologize." Ye Yunniang refused once more. If Tong Mo spent three months with Zhong Zhaoli, her reputation would force him to marry her whether he wanted to or not.
This was just a disguised form of coercion.
Ye Yunniang could not trade someone else's entire future for Cai Damei's life.
Furious, Zhong Zhaoli smashed the teacup in her hand.
"Ye Yunniang, just you wait and see."
Zhong Zhaoli left with her entourage, leaving Ye Yunniang feeling weak and limp.
Qiushuang quickly supported Ye Yunniang.
"Madam, why didn't you agree?"
"If someone came to me and said they fancied you and wanted to marry you, would you want me to agree or disagree?"
"Of course you shouldn't agree. I decide who I marry," Qiushuang retorted, immediately understanding the reason for Ye Yunniang's refusal.
"Madam, what should we do if Miss Zhong orders the doctors not to treat Madam Li?"
Ye Yunniang did not know what to do either.