Chapter 67: Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Li Ju, returning from disaster relief efforts, was deep in thought. He looked thinner, his lips cracked from exhaustion. She Niang offered him tea to soothe them, remarking, "No wonder they call humans 'two-legged sheep'—a grim term for desperate souls during famines. In times like these, commoners not only sell their children but some even resort to swapping them to eat. Thankfully, you were there to rein in some of the corrupt officials. These men truly lack conscience, stealing rations meant for the starving!"

"Indeed," Li Ju replied. "I used to believe officials wouldn’t go that far—that they still cared about reputation. But now I see they’re no better than vermin." Even having lived a second life, Li Ju remained sincere and passionate.

She Niang continued, "You’ve heard what happened in the capital, haven’t you? The Prince of Jin has been placed under house arrest. The Zhao family’s daughter wept bitterly, but she’s still set to marry into his household next year."

She hadn’t expected the Prince of Jin to be confined, but one move shifts the entire game. In this lifetime, with the emperor still alive, it was nearly impossible for the Prince of Jin to ascend the throne.

Li Ju set down his teacup. His thoughts diverged from those of the Prince of Qing. His father believed the Prince of Jin might attempt a coup like the Xuanwu Gate Incident, but this dynasty was not the Tang, and the Prince of Jin was no Qin Wang.

Li Shimin had fought to found the Tang dynasty—how could the Prince of Jin command such loyalty?

Yet the emperor had only placed him under house arrest rather than eliminating him completely, likely fearing future unrest.

Reflecting on this, Li Ju realized that as a member of the hereditary Qing princely household, his priority was choosing the right side. Why should he think from the emperor’s perspective?

Meanwhile, the Prince of Chongning was praised by the emperor for his role in the Prince of Jin’s downfall and even granted an additional title for his youngest son. The emperor also inquired about the Qing household adopting the Prince of Chongning’s grandson, pressuring the Prince of Qing to register Li Xing into the family.

No one was happier than Bai Shi.

Her joy was so evident that even the usually compassionate Dowager Consort grew cold toward her. Simply put, the Qing household wasn’t opposed to adoption—they had delayed only to avoid taking someone from the Prince of Chongning’s line, hoping to find a more suitable candidate later while still supporting Bai Shi financially so she could have an heir.

But Bai Shi cared only for herself, ignoring the household’s broader concerns. From then on, the Dowager Consort’s attitude toward her turned icy.

During the New Year celebrations, she even publicly humiliated her.

Bai Shi fled back to her quarters in tears. This time, Yang Mo did not comfort her. To Yang Mo, delighting in the household’s turmoil was the real pleasure—she had no genuine loyalty to Bai Shi, a mere widow, and didn’t want to risk offending the family.

She Niang’s agent, Zi Teng, stirred trouble in front of Bai Shi: "Madam Yang is quite something. Usually, she never leaves your side, but today at the banquet, she didn’t utter a word in your defense."

Bai Shi replied, "Before the Dowager Consort, she has no right to speak."

Yang Shi was the only one she could confide in. She couldn’t push away everyone on her side or she’d be left completely alone.

But Zi Teng pressed on, "I fear that after how the Dowager Consort treated you, the servants below will follow suit. How will we manage then?"

"I am the eldest daughter-in-law of this household. Who dares challenge me? It was just a scolding from an elder—nothing more." Bai Shi felt anxious but forced a brave front.

She believed she’d done nothing wrong. As a widow, her husband held a title, and her adopted son should have been registered long ago. Instead, some in the Qing household seemed jealous. Earlier, they hadn’t even allowed him to study—cruel beyond measure.

The Princess of Qing usually disliked her, but out of pity for her widowhood, had granted her the same allowances and monthly stipends as herself. Yet Bai Shi grew increasingly arrogant. When the princess returned, she even complained about Bai Shi to her daughter.

Surprisingly, the princess’s daughter felt more sympathy for Bai Shi. As a widow, Bai Shi struggled despite the extra support, while Lady Pei had a husband, a son, and control of the household. In comparison, she advised her mother: "Mother, why bother with her? It’s only natural. Sister-in-law finally has a son, and only by registering him will it be official."

"It’s natural she wants the adoption," the Princess of Qing replied, "but someone from the Prince of Chongning’s household? When the old prince was alive, the Prince of Chongning claimed your grandfather had given the title to your father and used that to extract endless benefits. Now bringing someone from his line into our home is like inviting a wolf. Everything here should go to your brother." The Princess of Qing was no fool, nor was the Prince of Qing—they understood the implications.

The princess’s daughter wasn’t overly concerned. After all, she was married now; these matters no longer involved her.

Moreover, she had a vague sense that even if her brother inherited the estate, it would ultimately benefit her sister-in-law and A Heng.

The princess’s daughter and She Niang held no personal grudges. In fact, they had gotten along well when she lived at home. But marriage changed her perspective. Especially when she returned, her sister-in-law seemed more like a true member of the household, managing everything while A Heng was beloved. Gradually, she felt she no longer belonged.

Before, the Princess of Qing had doted on her, but now her attention was elsewhere—on her nephew.

She changed the subject: "Mother, I heard from Wu Ting that sister-in-law used his connections to send items to someone in the Prince of Jin’s household?"

The Prince of Jin was under surveillance, and Wu Ting was in charge. The princess’s daughter always thought Wu Ting too kind-hearted and feared he might cause trouble.

"Oh, that," the Princess of Qing said. "Your sister-in-law mentioned it. It was for her cousin, who grew up in a nunnery and had a hard life. She just sent some medicine and clothes and left before finishing a cup of tea." She didn’t think it troubled Wu Ting. The Prince of Jin had problems, but what did the women in the inner quarters know? In fact, she admired her daughter-in-law’s compassion—at least she wasn’t trampling on the fallen.

The princess’s daughter, however, said, "The Prince of Jin is in a delicate situation. Shouldn’t she have waited until things settled before sending anything? She’s not thinking ahead. I never knew her to visit the Prince of Jin’s household before, but now that he’s in trouble, she reaches out."

Nanny Gong, standing behind the Princess of Qing, thought to herself that the Crown Princess’s cousin was merely a concubine in the Prince of Jin’s household. Associating with her might seem undignified—given your status, you must respect boundaries. But now that the woman was suffering, helping was only right. The princess’s daughter had always been compassionate before marriage—why had she changed so much?

Nanny Gong kept these thoughts to herself. The Princess of Qing doted on her daughter and didn’t want to argue. Instead, she brought up another matter: "Speaking of which, you’ve been married over a year now. Starting a family is especially important."

"If he rarely visits, what can I do?" The princess’s daughter clearly resented this.

The Princess of Qing actually liked her son-in-law, Wu Ting. He personally delivered seasonal gifts, got along well with her son, and was genuinely kind. Not to mention, he was handsome and a military man.

She could only say, "You can’t always stand on ceremony. As the saying goes, 'gentleness prevails over force.' I know you’re a princess, but in marriage, it’s not about status—it’s about mutual care."

This was practical marital advice. Lady Wang had also married up—the Prince of Qing wasn’t particularly gentle or considerate, and she had endured hardships only she knew.

The princess’s daughter flicked her handkerchief. "It would be better if he never came at all."

Though defiant in words, after returning home, she had someone summon Wu Ting. She laid out delicate snacks on the kang table and said, "I visited my parents today. Mother asked me to bring back some dishes she thought you’d like. Try them."

Wu Ting was pleasantly surprised. He smiled and said, "Thank you for remembering my tastes."

He removed his shoes and sat on the kang. They chatted about daily matters, and the atmosphere warmed.

But when military reports came from outside, Wu Ting immediately stood, put on his shoes, and apologized before leaving. The princess’s daughter’s face darkened, but Wu Ting had no choice—he had to go.

The Marquis of Xinan and the Marquis of Shouning both held hereditary iron certificate titles. Xiao Tang had already fought Japanese pirates in the south and was reportedly being sent to guard Fujian this year. Yet Wu Ting had only been assigned to Liaobei without seeing any action. He needed to train his troops properly.

After Wu Ting left, the princess’s daughter felt he didn’t value her.

She Niang couldn’t quite understand such petty grievances. She was discussing He Biyun with Li Ju: "She’s bold—she once impersonated my third sister. I wanted to observe her behavior in the palace, but I didn’t get to meet her that day. I didn’t want to alert her."

Li Ju wasn’t aware of the details. He said, "Someone so cunning could cause trouble in the palace. Don’t worry—I’ll have someone look into it."

"Good, that’s a relief," She Niang said, visibly relieved.

They rarely had time together at home. She laid out fresh fruit Li Ju liked and had special drinks brought in. Smiling, she said, "Let’s just enjoy some fruit and drinks. No one will smell alcohol, and we can truly relax."

She Niang longed to unwind. When one’s mood lifted, so did one’s spirit. She hoped Li Ju could relax too—the memories from the disaster zone still haunted him, making it hard to sleep.

That’s why she had finished her duties early to be with him.

The couple didn’t need many words—just enjoying fruit together. She Niang playfully tried to snatch some, and Li Ju teased her back. When someone came to summon him, She Niang smiled and said, "You’re such a conscientious man. Go ahead—I’ll leave a light on. Come back soon."

"Alright, I’ll go take care of it," Li Ju said, tossing a piece of fruit into his mouth before leaving cheerfully.

After he left, She Niang yawned and reclined on the couch.

Lan Ruo lowered the inner room’s curtain and lit a stick of calming incense. Seeing She Niang’s steady breathing, she assumed she had fallen asleep and signaled the maids to step outside and continue their needlework.

Gui Fang took out an embroidery pattern—she was making an underrobe for She Niang and dared not slack. These maids, serving the Crown Princess in the princely household, could practically act boldly, but the Crown Princess ran a strict household and forbade them from bullying others.

When She Niang woke, dusk had fallen. She had fallen asleep on the couch but had somehow been moved to bed. Sitting up, she heard Li Ju’s voice from outside: "She Niang, are you awake?"

She Niang opened her mouth, her voice slightly hoarse. "I’m awake. What brings you back?"

"I came back right after finishing my business outside and found you asleep. Your clothes were wrapped too tightly, so I took off your outer robe and carried you to the bed."

With that, he came in. Without delving into the details of their intimate moments, it was not until just before the Dragon Boat Festival that She Niang realized she was pregnant.

By the time A Heng was nearly three years old, she was pregnant again. She felt grateful that she had taken good care of her health; otherwise, some minor ailments from the past could easily have flared up during pregnancy.

But in this vast manor, with so many people coveting her position, she would never allow anyone to take her place.

With this new pregnancy, she often felt nauseous. After some thought, she decided to return the housekeeping tallies to the Princess of Qing, explaining, "Now that I am with child, I fear I may not have the energy to manage affairs properly. It would be best to return these tokens to you, Mother, to ensure nothing is overlooked."

Although the Princess of Qing nominally remained in charge of household affairs, She Niang had been handling most of the tasks, with only the most critical decisions brought to the princess. She Niang also made sure to report regularly, never neglecting her duties or acting arrogantly because of her authority.

Thus, the Princess of Qing was quite satisfied with her daughter-in-law’s management. Still, recognizing the reason in her words, she replied, "Just leave the tokens here. Focus on resting well and taking care of your pregnancy."

Family lineage was of utmost importance. Her daughter-in-law had given birth to A Heng, a bright and clever child. Though not yet formally schooled at three, he already recognized many characters, could recite texts, and was in excellent health—everyone adored him.

He was far superior to any child born of a concubine, so the princess eagerly hoped her daughter-in-law would have another.

However, she had not been managing the household for a year or two and was not as young as she used to be. Now, taking up these trivial tasks again, her back ached for three days straight. When the Prince of Qing visited and noticed her restless at night, he asked, "What’s troubling you?"

"Too many matters to handle—I feel weighed down," the Princess of Qing replied. She thought of calling for a medicine woman the next day for acupuncture, as she felt completely out of sorts.

The Prince of Qing said, "You’re getting older. Why not call for a doctor tomorrow to examine you?"

The Princess of Qing agreed.

A few days later, the housekeeping tallies were back in She Niang’s hands, along with instructions that she had full authority to make decisions without needing to report constantly. She was urged to take good care of her health.

She Niang responded, "Without you, Mother, I would be as helpless as a child. I still need you to guide me..."

"I think you manage exceptionally well. Besides, you are pregnant now and should avoid too much activity," the Princess of Qing said sincerely. Earlier, she had clung to power out of reluctance to let it slip away, but now she relinquished it because the burden had become too heavy.

Such is human nature—when constantly occupied, one hardly notices the strain, but after a period of ease, taking up responsibilities again feels overwhelmingly difficult.

Moreover, her daughter-in-law was both humble and highly capable, making it easy for the princess to trust her with authority.

So, when the Princess sent someone to deliver Dragon Boat Festival gifts, she heard Nanny An remark, "The Princess Consort is pregnant again, and I heard the Princess has handed over all household authority to her."

"Wasn’t she already managing things before?" the Princess asked, unsurprised.

Nanny An pointed out, "Although she handled affairs before, she still had to ask for approval for everything. Now she has full authority—it’s entirely different."

The Princess opened her mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing. Her mother had always been keen on holding power—how had she managed to hand over all control to her sister-in-law?