Chapter 35

Chapter 35

◎Combined Chapters◎

A new first-class maid named Shunfang had been promoted in Grand Dowager Wu's courtyard. Huiyin had heard plenty of rumors about Shunfang, who was bought from outside. Those who came in with her were only assigned to serve inside the chambers, but Shunfang had already become a first-class maid. Everyone was speculating about her connections.

In Huiyin's opinion, Shunfang's embroidery skills were not better than the others and could only be considered passable. Her seniority was only slightly higher than the granddaughter of Nanny Fan, yet it was she who got the promotion. This was a clear indication that the Huaiyin Mansion only employed those with strong connections, all vying to show whose backing was the strongest.

"Young Princess, the Dowager said that from now on, when you go to pay your respects, bring the heir along as well," Nanny Fan came to relay the message.

Huiyin smiled and said, "Alright, I understand."

Nanny Fan didn't expect Huiyin to agree so readily. She had thought Huiyin would refuse. Huiyin had one of her maids give Nanny Fan a reward and also kept her for a cup of tea, even giving her a new set of cosmetic boxes.

"I'll have someone deliver it to your quarters later. I heard that your eldest granddaughter is about to marry, so consider this my gift for her wedding," Huiyin said with a smile.

Nanny Fan thanked her repeatedly, "Thank you, Young Princess, for remembering."

"Yes, you may go now. I'm afraid if you stay too long, the Grand Dowager might blame you," Huiyin said considerately.

Nanny Fan had never revealed any secrets to Huiyin, but she always received rewards, and she knew that the Young Princess could handle many things on her own and didn't need her to do much. However, the more this happened, the more Nanny Fan felt obliged to repay her kindness. She needed to find an opportunity to return the favor.

It wasn't that Nanny Fan was particularly good or conscientious. Being the head maidservant by Grand Dowager Wu's side required more than just a conscience; she had even stepped on others and framed people before. But she was pragmatic.

It was clear who the future of the mansion belonged to. When the mistress took the initiative to extend an olive branch to her, if she didn't accept it, once Grand Dowager Wu passed away, she would become useless. If she could help the Young Princess even a little, she would still have a place in the mansion.

Once Nanny Fan left, Nanny Nan was anxious. "My lady, are you really going to bring the heir to pay respects? The weather is getting colder, and young children are most susceptible to wind."

Huiyin smiled, "Nanny Nan, what are you suggesting? Of course, I wouldn't do that. I said I understand, but I didn't say I would definitely bring the child over. It's ridiculous. If she wants to make things difficult for me, it's just the old saying about a great-grandmother-in-law testing her granddaughter-in-law. Even if I have a thousand grievances, outsiders would think I should endure it. But as an elder, tormenting a little baby? I would never agree to that. If she dares to say that the child should be brought to her while asleep, I'll immediately send a letter to Li Cheng."

"Young Princess, how dare you call the little prince by his name?" Nanny Nan was startled.

Huiyin snorted coldly.

Grand Dowager Wu, of course, wanted to see her grandson more often. As for wind and rain or the early hour, these were not considerations for her.

When she saw Huiyin come alone, she was somewhat angry. "Why didn't you bring Jing'er over? Didn't I tell you to bring him here?"

Huiyin replied calmly, "Grandmother, you know that Jing'er is only three months old and too young to be exposed to the wind. He hasn't woken up yet. I thought you would be considerate, so I didn't bring him over."

"You..." Grand Dowager Wu realized she had been outwitted by Huiyin.

"You have disobeyed your elder several times. Kneel down."

Huiyin looked at her in disbelief. When Grand Dowager Wu pointed at her, Huiyin, who had only thought the old lady was muddle-headed and had ignored the matter of Xun Rou, realized how muddle-headed the old lady was to demand that she kneel, disregarding all propriety.

But she wouldn't confront her directly. Otherwise, being in the right would turn into being in the wrong.

So, Huiyin said, confused, "Grandmother, what do you mean? Just because you want to see the child, should I disregard the fact that he is only a hundred days old and that the journey would be too taxing? Now, because I'm afraid the child might catch a cold, you want to humiliate me?"

Nanny Fan was afraid things would escalate and quickly stepped in to mediate. "Dowager, your health is not good. Let me help you inside to rest."

"No, make her kneel before me. Have you ever seen a granddaughter-in-law argue with her mother-in-law?" Grand Dowager Wu had never been challenged before.

Huiyin thought that if she knelt today, she would write her name backward in the future. She cried out, "Heaven help me, Grandmother is trying to ruin me!"

She rushed toward a pillar as if to bash into it, but the servants held her back. She still struggled to crash into the pillar and fainted. Before losing consciousness, she signaled to Qiu Feng.

Why was Huiyin looking at Qiu Feng? It was because Qiu Feng had been known for her dramatic wailing in the past.

Qiu Feng’s voice, always sharp and resonant, broke into a fresh wave of sobs: "My lady! You traveled all the way from Jizhou to marry into this family, and after nearly dying to give birth to the heir, they now want to force you to your death! Heaven, have mercy on our young princess! Young Prince, please come back and look after our princess!"

Nanny Nan, meanwhile, was organizing the sedan chairs with the others.

Elderly Dowager Wu was both frightened and furious. She felt that Huiyin had disobeyed her too many times, which made her lose face. She wanted to teach this daughter-in-law a lesson. If Huiyin were to kneel down, whether she was in the wrong or not would no longer matter; kneeling itself would be her punishment.

Unexpectedly, Princess Zheng was so fierce that she not only resisted but also screamed loudly. Elderly Dowager Wu, both anxious and angry, said to Nanny Fan, "Stop that girl from wailing. What nonsense is she saying? Go and slap her mouth."

Nanny Fan, however, found herself at a loss. "You made this mess," she thought, "and now you expect me to clean it up by offending others?"

Although most of the people in the mansion were Elderly Dowager Wu’s, some still quietly criticized Huiyin behind her back. However, Huiyin wasn’t someone to be trifled with. She had her own plans and wouldn’t tolerate humiliation. So, she feigned illness and discreetly spread the word, ensuring everyone knew what was happening without directly confronting Elderly Dowager Wu.

She even stayed in bed and refused to get up.

Word of the incident quickly reached the Prince of Wei’s Mansion. Wei Imperial Consort then invited Elderly Dowager Wu for a private discussion. Although there were many issues in Wei Imperial Consort’s own household—rivalries between wives and concubines, the Prince of Wei’s favoritism for Consort Xu, and the heir not yet being decided—she was clever enough not to mention these troubles to Elderly Dowager Wu. Elderly Dowager Wu, however, always felt the need to take the upper hand in front of others, so she said to Wei Imperial Consort, "My daughter-in-law is so disrespectful. Sister, I truly envy you for having such sensible and obedient daughters-in-law. Mine, on the other hand, is always threatening to die. She disobeys me, yet it’s somehow my fault."

"Dear sister, don’t be angry. If you don’t mind, I can help talk to her," Wei Imperial Consort comforted Elderly Dowager Wu, seeing her distress.

Elderly Dowager Wu said, "If I don’t speak out, who knows what rumors will spread outside."

As the two imperial consorts talked, it was time for lunch. Princess Wei arrived with Yin Lifang to attend to them. Yin Lifang had crafted a pair of knee pads for each of them. Made from soft white fox fur, they were both warm and smooth, fitting snugly around the knees. For Wei Imperial Consort, who was still relatively young, the pads featured a vibrant red ‘longevity’ character embroidered at the bottom, surrounded by blooming peonies. For Elderly Dowager Wu, the design was more traditional, with a Ruyi longevity pattern and embroidered pine and cypress, symbolizing long life and prosperity.

"These embroideries are truly exquisite," Elderly Dowager Wu said enviously.

Why were other people’s daughters-in-law so wonderful? Her fate was truly bitter.

Yin Lifang, however, didn’t care much. For her, these embroideries were just a way to pass the time. She even thought Elderly Dowager Wu was quite unreasonable. Huiyin, having the Prince of Wei’s only son, was now being forced to kneel or even die. While people wouldn’t say anything out of respect for Elderly Dowager Wu’s age and status, who wasn’t secretly gossiping about it?

In fact, what Elderly Dowager Wu considered public condemnation of Huiyin was of no concern to Huiyin herself. After the incident, she continued her daily greetings as if nothing had happened, but Elderly Dowager Wu didn’t dare ask her to bring the child over again. Later, Huiyin was also invited to the Prince of Wei’s Mansion to appreciate chrysanthemums.

Seeing Huiyin and Elderly Dowager Wu standing apart, Wei Imperial Consort said to Huiyin, "You should help your great-grandmother a little."

Huiyin smiled politely but deliberately, replying to Wei Imperial Consort, "Thanks to you, we are able to appreciate such beautiful chrysanthemums after returning from Xuzhou."

Wei Imperial Consort, hearing this, pretended not to hear and decided to ignore it, but she couldn’t help but feel that Princess Zheng’s temper was somewhat rebellious. Huiyin had done it intentionally because, in her eyes, Elderly Dowager Wu was a foolish person who spoke nonsense, while Wei Imperial Consort often stirred up trouble. If it weren’t for Wei Imperial Consort’s letter, she wouldn’t have come to Jianye with her child. This person had a Buddha-like face but a venomous heart, so it was better to keep a respectful distance.

Even if she explained the situation clearly, Elderly Dowager Wu wouldn’t listen to her.

Although Elderly Dowager Wu claimed to be devoted to Buddhism, she loved talking with Wei Imperial Consort. She often visited, and Huiyin eventually stopped pretending, not going to the Prince of Wei’s Mansion for almost half a month.

However, after Huiyin’s outburst, Elderly Dowager Wu didn’t dare push too far, only making snide remarks occasionally.

Like now, when Huiyin came to pay her respects, Elderly Dowager Wu held up a headband and said, "Look at this. It was given to me by Consort Yin. They are truly filial."

"Yes, in the Prince of Wei’s Mansion, the mother-in-law is kind, and the daughters-in-law are obedient. They are especially loving to their grandchildren. The last time Elderly Madame Huo celebrated her birthday, Wei Imperial Consort didn’t allow the Princess to bring the eldest princess back to her natal family, afraid she might catch a cold. But in our mansion, with you in charge, we just need to be filial to you," Huiyin said with a smile.

Elderly Dowager Wu understood the underlying meaning in Huiyin’s words: as an elder, if you don’t set an example of respect, how can you expect the younger generation to honor you with filial piety?

Elderly Dowager Wu, however, seethed with frustration over Huiyin’s defiance. She had letter after letter sent to Li Cheng in Xuzhou, urging him to come to Jianye and discipline Huiyin.

However, Huiyin never wrote a single letter to Li Cheng. The only letter she wrote was to her parents, to be delivered via Jiang Bipbo’s trade caravan in Jizhou.

She knew that any letter to her parents would first be reviewed by Li Cheng. This wasn’t because Li Cheng was nosy, but because their marriage was a strategic alliance. Any leaked information could have serious consequences for both Xuzhou and Jiangnan. If she wrote directly to Li Cheng, both her and Elderly Dowager Wu’s letters would end up being a he-said-she-said situation, and given Elderly Dowager Wu’s seniority, Li Cheng might side with her and fault Huiyin for not being more accommodating.

She wrote to her in-laws, sharing these matters to build a good reputation for herself.

As expected, Li Cheng had someone intercept Huiyin's letter and read it first. The letter began with greetings to her in-laws in Jizhou, followed by a litany of grievances. She mentioned that the child had started vomiting milk soon after arriving in Jianye and that Grand Dowager Wu had not visited them even once. To avoid gossip, Grand Dowager Wu gave her a pair of bracelets. Huiyin also wrote that the Grand Dowager wanted to take the child away and had asked her to go for morning greetings on a windy autumn day. Huiyin refused to go because the wind was too strong, which angered the Grand Dowager. The latter then forced her to kneel and kowtow in front of all the servants, humiliating her. In her distress, Huiyin considered killing herself by running into a pillar but decided against it at the last moment, thinking that she couldn't die in vain since heaven had given her life. Instead, she frightened Grand Dowager Wu a little.

Reading this, Li Cheng smiled. This was the Huiyin he knew, someone who wouldn't let others trample over her. He continued reading as Huiyin mentioned that she had few friends in Jianye and that most of the household staff were Grand Dowager Wu's people, who often bullied her. She concluded by saying that she longed to return to Jizhou and that her complaints were not to be taken too seriously by Lady Zheng.

For a moment, Li Cheng felt like a terrible person. His wife and child were suffering in the inner household. Grand Dowager Wu's letters only complained about Huiyin's lack of respect but never provided specific instances of disrespect.

Poor Huiyin! He needed to rescue his wife and child as soon as possible.

Grand Dowager Wu knew nothing of Huiyin's plans. Meanwhile, in Jianye, Yin Liying had brought Lord Xie back, whose poison injuries had greatly improved. The Prince of Wei did not blame him for losing the battle but was upset that Qingzhou had been taken again, with the loss of soldiers and resources. For now, Xie Jiuyi was no longer under consideration.

Huiyin also prepared lavish gifts for her visit to the Xie family. When she went, she happened to meet Yin Lifang, and the three women started chatting.

Interestingly, Yin Lifang and Yin Liying, despite being sisters, didn't look very similar and had completely different personalities. Huiyin had first interacted with Yin Liying, who was extremely beautiful but acted rashly, often without thinking things through and not always following proper etiquette. Yin Lifang, on the other hand, was much smarter and more composed. Huiyin had met Consort Xu a few times and found her too pretentious.

Yin Lifang initiated the conversation, "How is the young prince? Our Jing'er has been asking to see your heir ever since he saw him."

"He's doing well now, but I've been smelling something like burning charcoal lately. I wonder if any of you have noticed it," Huiyin casually mentioned. She knew the reason—because of the exhaustion from caring for the child, she was starting to imagine smells due to fatigue.

Yin Lifang could relate. "I went through something similar when I was pregnant with my son. I felt unwell for about a month and kept smelling burnt grass. Once I relaxed a bit, it got better."

Yin Lifang wasn't seductive or showy like Yin Liying, who always flaunted her relationship with Li Cheng. Yin Lifang spoke appropriately and could make people feel fond of her with just a few words.

Huiyin smiled and nodded in agreement.

Yin Liying also mentioned that she had ridden to Qingzhou but had to turn back before reaching it because Lord Xie had already headed to Jianye. Fortunately, the couple reunited in time.

After some conversation, Huiyin prepared to leave, and so did Yin Lifang.

"I have to rush back because my child is too young. You can stay longer and catch up with Lady Xie if you'd like," Huiyin suggested, seeming to get along well with Yin Lifang.

Yin Lifang honestly replied, "I have to go back early because the Dowager is attending a theater performance, and the Princess needs me there."

With that, Huiyin didn't say more.

After they left, Yin Liying said to her maid, Qiaozhen, "Did you notice that my sister gets along quite well with Princess Zheng? I feel like Princess Zheng can be quite cold and distant, and we don't always see eye to eye."

"Well, Miss Yin has always been like that," Qiaozhen replied cautiously. At first, everyone seemed to like her because she was pretty, carefree, and enthusiastic, but in the end, they all ended up preferring her older sister.

Yin Liying didn't get angry. She rested her head on her hand and looked at Qiaozhen. "I was worried before, but now I'm not worried about anything."

Qiaozhen advised, "You should take care of yourself. Last time, you had a miscarriage and didn't properly recover before running off again. Your health..."

"Alright, alright. I'll listen to you, okay?" Yin Liying also felt that her health wasn't as good as before.

Another person in confinement was Lü Xiao. She had been pregnant but miscarried after a fall. Lü Xiao was devastated and stayed in bed, constantly feeling chilled, even wearing socks. Grape brought her a cup of hot tea. "Crown Princess, please drink some hot tea. The imperial doctor said that your pregnancy was unstable from the beginning. With the Crown Prince's favor, you'll definitely have another child."

The Crown Prince was indeed very good to her, even neglecting his previous consort, Zheng Liangdi.

Just as she thought about it, she was told that Zheng Liangdi had arrived. Grape, feeling annoyed, said, "You're in recovery. What does she want?"

"Don't say that. When she was favored, she never reduced her interactions with me," Lü Xiao replied, not wanting to offend Zheng Deyin.

When Zheng Deyin entered and saw Lü Xiao's pale face and colorless lips, she felt a pang of guilt. Li Heng had told her that he had courted the Lü family for the great cause and that Lü Xiao's miscarriage had been influenced by them. The Crown Prince wanted the child to be born to someone else, rather than Lü Xiao, for the good of the realm.

"So, De Yin said quite a bit here: 'I am merely managing the Eastern Palace on your behalf for a few days. Once you have recovered, I will return the authority to you.'

Lu Xiao gave a weak smile. 'Zheng Liangdi, you’ve always been so good at managing the household. I’m not cut out for it. You should keep handling it.'

De Yin felt guilty again and thought, 'In the future, once I have a child, I will certainly treat you well.'

This time, without the Zheng family, the Eastern Palace was still the rightful ruler, reclaiming Qingzhou as in her past life. This showed that history remained unchanged. Li Cheng would eventually die. In this life, she also planned to bring Huiyin back from the south of the Yangtze as a way to make amends.

**

After jumping rope yesterday, her back and waist were aching today. Huiyin held her waist and went back to lie on the bed, picking up a book to read. Today, Grand Dowager Wu went to visit Wei Imperial Consort to chat about trivial matters. This gave her some leisure. Otherwise, the daily morning and evening greetings were exhausting. She was actually a lazy person and especially disliked serving others.

Moreover, if her letter were to be seen by Li Cheng, he would immediately come to fetch her back. There was no need for her to deal with this old woman.

Of course, Grand Dowager Wu went to chat with Wei Imperial Consort again, using the same old tricks. Wei Imperial Consort was also lonely. The troublesome matters in the Prince of Wei’s Mansion were nothing compared to the amusement of hearing about other families' gossip.

Furthermore, she could see that Princess Zheng was strong-willed and unyielding, unlike Grand Dowager Wu, who was easily swayed.

They spent the morning chatting, and at lunchtime, they heard that Li Cheng had come from Xuzhou, just after meeting with the Prince of Wei to report on military matters concerning Qing and Xuzhou. Wei Imperial Consort was delighted. 'It seems your grandson has come to support you.'

Grand Dowager Wu remained calm. 'What support? My grandson is filial and has surely come to visit me.'

The two of them were quite excited to finally see Li Cheng.

Naturally, Li Cheng would not create trouble in the Prince of Wei’s Mansion. He first pretended to be casual and paid his respects. 'Greetings to Grandmother and Wei Imperial Consort.'

'What brings you here from Xuzhou?' Wei Imperial Consort feigned asking.

Li Cheng replied, 'The court has withdrawn troops from Qingzhou. There are some military matters concerning Qing and Xuzhou that I need to report to Uncle Wei Wang.'

Wei Imperial Consort laughed. 'We don’t understand outside matters. Since you’re here, join us for lunch. We haven’t seen you in a long time.'

'Yes,' Li Cheng obliged, and accompanied them for the meal, even telling a few jokes, which made both imperial consorts laugh heartily.

This made Grand Dowager Wu even more convinced that her grandson was supporting her. She thought it would be best to take in more concubines and keep Princess Zheng confined to the cold, remote northern rooms, never to be favored. That would be her punishment for opposing her.

The more Grand Dowager Wu thought about it, the happier she became, and her expression revealed some of her thoughts.

Li Cheng glanced over and felt deeply troubled. Seeing his grandmother so happy, he knew she likely took pleasure in tormenting Huiyin. In Jianye, the people in the Prince of Wei’s Mansion must be siding with Grand Dowager Wu. Even the usually amiable Wei Imperial Consort would stand with Grand Dowager Wu. No wonder Huiyin felt isolated.

Huiyin was really too pitiful. Fortunately, he had come. Thinking of this, Li Cheng took a fierce bite out of the skewered lamb.

Seeing Li Cheng’s fierce expression, Grand Dowager Wu even proactively had someone pour wine for her grandson. 'Have some wine. With wine, your courage will grow. Let’s see how long Princess Zheng can hold out.'"