NFBE Chapter 142 Will you still call me mother?
Chapter 142 Will you still call me mother?
Zheng Peipei gently patted the hand of Yu Wanran, who was nestled beside her with slightly reddened eyes, and said softly, "Don't worry, I will stand up for you!"
He turned to Granny Ding, his expression changing to one of sharp words and sternness.
"Go and summon a few guards, gag that Tinghe, and give her twenty lashes in public! Also, tell everyone else that if anyone dares to disrespect Miss Yu again, they should be killed on the spot!"
She can't control her own flesh and blood, and she can't even manage a bunch of servants?
This beating was also meant to show Xiao Yao! In the past year, the daughter she brought back has caused her no end of trouble!
Yu Wanran was genuinely moved. At first, it was merely a matter of weighing the pros and cons and maintaining a superficial relationship. Now, thinking back, she realized that while she had been reborn, the Duke and his wife had not.
They didn't end up completely estranged like in their previous life; the Duke and Duchess still held feelings for her in their hearts.
She looked at Cheng Pei-pei, and the emotion she revealed unconsciously became more sincere.
"Thank you, Madam, for making the decision for me."
Zheng Peipei reached out and took her hand: "I regret it so much. In a fit of anger, I kicked you out of the Duke's mansion. But what did you do wrong? You were just a baby back then!"
Yu Wanran felt a pang of sadness in her nose.
After two lifetimes, she finally heard the words she longed to hear most. Although she had already let go of the people and things of the Duke's mansion in her heart, the reconciliation he spoke still brought her peace of mind.
"you……"
Zheng Peipei hesitated, looking at her with hopeful eyes: "Would you still... be willing to call me mother?"
Yu Wanran looked up in shock, unsure how to react. Just then, Xiao Yao stormed in from the next room, seething with anger!
"Mother, you actually hit my maid for that fake product?"
Seeing the two of them so intimately together, he immediately forgot all about the girl. His eyes red, he rushed over and shoved Yu Wanran aside!
Yu Wanran breathed a sigh of relief and obediently let her push her away.
Zheng Peipei stood up angrily, grabbed Xiao Yao who was still trying to fight Yu Wanran, and pulled her hard.
"Yaoyao! Do you look like a county princess right now?"
She's no different from a shrewish village woman yelling in the street! This daughter has been completely ruined. For a moment, she didn't know whether to be angry or to feel sorry for her.
Xiao Yao felt extremely wronged. She had been switched at birth for sixteen years, and when she returned to the Duke's mansion, her parents still complained that she was inferior to the fake in every way, and even considered bringing the fake back!
How could she stand this?
Although life in the countryside was tough back then, Ji Chunhua loved her and always indulged her.
Everyone says that girls are worthless, but in the Yu family's second branch, she was truly pampered at home. Even when she made a mistake, Ji Chunhua always stood up for her!
Unlike those people in the Duke's mansion, who not only favor counterfeiters but also find fault with everything she does. If her country mother were here…
She suddenly felt extremely remorseful.
Why didn't she give that woman a second glance back then? Even when the woman, dragging her broken leg, struggled to crawl out and called out to her, she didn't turn her head...
If Ji Chunhua were still by her side, she would definitely stand by her side regardless of right or wrong, right?
"Wow--"
Xiao Yao ran back to her room in tears.
Wei Baifeng, who had just followed, hesitated for a moment, glanced at Yu Wanran, and then turned around and followed Xiao Yao again.
At this time and in this situation, he must fulfill his responsibilities as a fiancé.
Cheng Pei-pei's face was extremely pale, and she muttered, "What a tragedy..."
Yu Wanran also felt uncomfortable.
Although she loathed and even hated Xiao Yao, Xiao Yao, like her, was a victim of the switch between the real and fake heiresses.
No one could understand Xiao Yao's feelings better than her.
However, the two are on opposing sides, making a reconciliation impossible.
She curtsied to Zheng Peipei and said in a low voice, "Please go and see the county princess, Madam. I will go and inspect the camp first."
After saying that, he walked out.
Zheng Peipei watched her retreating figure with a sigh. She was truly more worried about her biological daughter, so she had to go to the next room to comfort Xiao Yao first. Otherwise, the journey to the capital was long, and she didn't know how they would travel together.
This time, when Yu Wanran questioned the maids and nannies about their identities, no one dared to cause trouble. Tinghe, who had been beaten half to death, was still groaning in the tent!
Even with the medicine, the bumpy journey by carriage meant the injury might not heal completely. In short, even if the person survived, they would be crippled.
Yu Wanran asked all the maids and nannies outside, but there was no one named Granny Fan. Upon further inquiry, she learned that Granny Fan was considered one of Xiao Yao's confidantes. She stayed in Xiao Yao's tent and didn't need to come out and squeeze in with the other servants.
Yu Wanran glanced at the main tent but said nothing. After inspecting the area and confirming that nothing was amiss, she went straight back to her own tent to sleep.
The next day, as usual, because the masters of the Duke's mansion slept in late, the group ended up spending the night in the wilderness.
Fortunately, Wu Jian was quite experienced in dealing with these pampered clients, so he divided the day's itinerary into two days. On the third day, they successfully entered the town and checked into a pre-booked inn.
Not to mention Xiao Yao and the others, even the maids and nannies of the Duke's mansion were secretly complaining, blaming the escort team for not serving them properly. They had actually been left to live in the wilderness for two days!
The inn's staff were being bossed around by these second masters, who demanded hot water and food, causing chaos throughout the inn. Wu Jian, not wanting to openly display the Duke's mansion's name, could only secretly give the innkeepers extra money to appease them.
Yu Wanran did eventually meet that Granny Fan.
She wandered around the inn, looking for anyone suspicious. Just then, she heard someone call for Granny Fan, and obsequiously accepted the basin of water from a woman in green.
Yu Wanran sized up the woman in green, and her eyelids twitched suddenly.
The other person's back view looked so familiar!
Despite the woman's deliberate hunchback and hurried steps, she quickly returned to Xiao Yao's room. Yu Wanran immediately recognized her as a female assassin in disguise!
Xiao Yao, the female assassin...
Yu Wanran smiled coldly. The fact that these two could hang out together shows how intensely Xiao Yao wanted her dead!
This person of unknown identity and wolfish ambition dares to negotiate with a tiger? Aren't they afraid of dragging the Duke's mansion into the abyss in their attempt to deal with her?
Yan Bai's assassination attempt on the Duke was probably a treacherous scheme devised by this woman, a way to use someone else to kill her.
Unfortunately, the other party underestimated the Duke and Duchess's level of trust and regard for her!
Yu Wanran returned to her room upstairs and peered through the half-open window, watching the inn's lobby for any activity.
As the inn gradually returned to its quiet and deserted state from its bustling activity, she saw Wei Baifeng, along with "Granny Fan" and a group of maids, surrounding Xiao Yao, who was as proud as a peacock spreading its tail feathers, as they walked out of the inn to go shopping.
The bodyguards at the gate tried to dissuade them to no avail, but were instead slapped hard by a maid and forced to back down.
Yu Wanran frowned as she watched Xiao Yao leave in a grand manner.
A moment later, Xiao Baichen also came out, leading two beautiful women and a group of guards, leaving the inn with a retinue of attendants.
This time, the bodyguard hid to the side, not daring to ask any questions.
Yu Wanran felt a surge of anger, thinking to herself what a pair of foolish siblings they were! Daring to act so blatantly in a place they knew no one, were they afraid that someone with ulterior motives wouldn't notice them, their "fat sheep"?
Last time we barely made it to the capital, and now, because of the stupidity of my companions, will things get complicated again?