Chapter 70: Chapter 70

Chapter 70

“Dowager Consort Hua acted with such humility and grace,” Yu Shi recounted, her usually plain demeanor now animated. “She personally helped your grandmother to her feet, saying, ‘My dear old sister, have you forgotten me? Why stand on such ceremony? It should be I who bows to you, thanking you for raising both my children so well.’ Even I, simple as I am, found it quite a scene.”

She Niang chuckled. “And what did the Old Madam say?”

Yu Shi quickly replied, “What could she say? She looked torn between not wanting to accept the favor and being utterly mortified. As soon as she got home, she declared she was returning to her hometown.”

“How… typical,” She Niang mused. Dowager Consort Hua’s treatment of Old Madam Pei wasn’t subservience. Many people, once they gain power, become arrogant and domineering—that’s the mark of those without true cunning or depth, who only know how to vent their emotions.

Those who truly hold high positions are the ones who leave you speechless with their subtle power. Dowager Consort Hua was precisely such a person. *In the past, you, Old Madam Pei, were intolerant, trying to drive me away, even scheming against me. But now, I hold a higher position than you, my status surpasses yours, and my magnanimity exceeds yours. I’ll leave you with a bitterness you cannot voice.*

Old Madam Pei was indeed caught in this bind. Though she dramatically announced her return to her hometown, she also thought, *What have I done wrong? Why should I be the one to leave? That woman, Hua, was the one who schemed with all her might back then; I have nothing to feel guilty about.*

Nanny Xiang, recognizing Dowager Consort Hua, was visibly shaken. She ventured, “Old Madam, back when we wanted Sixth Girl to marry into the Prince of Xiang’s household, could it be that she was the one who obstructed it?”

“That must be it! Her old flame, that man surnamed Fu—I truly sent a lamb to the wolf’s den. And that wretch still puts on airs of magnanimity. I fear the Sixth Branch knew all along, just waiting for me to make a fool of myself.” Old Madam Pei was consumed by shame and fury.

When she left, her mind was so clouded that she forgot to question Yu Shi further.

By the time she sought Yu Shi again, Yu Shi had already departed for the Prince of Qing’s mansion.

Old Madam Pei found it impossible to discuss such a matter with her family. How could she tell them that the person she once loathed was now in a position of power far above her? What would they think?

In this world, it’s not about who is right; it’s about who is believed. Most people assume that those in high positions speak the truth and act rightly.

This realization left Old Madam Pei profoundly uneasy.

Li Niang, of course, heard the news. She immediately stormed into the Prince of Qing’s mansion and declared to She Niang, “That old hag ruined my entire life! If not for her, I’d be the *zhuangyuan*’s wife by now. Even if not, I’m certain I would have married into a better family.”

Though Li Niang was railing against Old Madam Pei’s meddling in her marriage, She Niang still advised her sister, “Really, you already have several children now. What’s the point of bringing this up again? If word gets out, what do you think your brother-in-law will think?”

“I know, I know, I’m just too angry. But here you are, my younger sister, scolding me instead.” Li Niang knew her sister was right and glanced around cautiously.

After this idle chatter, She Niang mused, *Now that Father is the Grand Minister of Dali Temple, that Old Madam isn’t foolish enough to openly oppose him. You should also be more careful in daily life. I’m afraid she might still cause trouble at home.*

After all, there was still Huang Shi at home.

Her adoptive mother from her previous life was a deeply hidden and unfathomable person.

She Niang was currently in confinement after childbirth. Even on normal days, her status required a full retinue when going out, which was very inconvenient. So, she asked Li Niang to keep a closer eye on things. Although Huang Shi was her sister-in-law, she had married into the family later and wasn’t privy to many family matters. Without shared experiences, it was even harder to confide in her.

Her brother could talk to Huang Shi, but it wasn’t appropriate for the sisters to do so.

Li Niang rolled up her sleeves. “Don’t worry. I don’t have much to do these days anyway. I’ll naturally keep an eye on things.”

Li Niang might be limited in other areas, but when it came to gathering information, few could match her. She Niang found it amusing to see her like this.

The two sisters also chatted about their children before Li Niang reluctantly took her leave.

Of course, when it came to stirring up trouble, Li Niang was always full of energy, but on normal days, she appeared as delicate as a willow swaying in the wind. Indeed, as she stood up, she even seemed a bit unsteady.

“You wouldn’t eat properly, but you just had to take a liking to my crispy pork crackling. Well, my jaw is tired from chewing it anyway, so you can take it all back.” She Niang had no choice but to indulge her sister.

Li Niang’s habit of loving snacks was something she could never break. However, nowadays, she didn’t just snack; she also ate proper meals and didn’t treat snacks as her main food like before.

After Li Niang left, the Princess of Qing returned from the Marquis of Shouning’s mansion. She was utterly exhausted. In front of her daughter, she had to maintain composure, but after returning, she honestly didn’t know what to do.

If she forced Wu Ting to send the woman away, the rift between him and her daughter would likely grow even wider. Wu Ting had also said he would never show favoritism to anyone. It was just that the woman was once a cousin in his family, with no one to rely on, and he was merely giving her a bowl of rice, which shouldn’t cause any trouble.

She quickly summoned the Prince of Qing to discuss the matter, but he said, “That person isn’t even a concubine. Why do we need to get involved in such a trivial matter?”

“Your Highness, what kind of talk is that?” The Princess of Qing felt that the Prince of Qing was being too indifferent to their daughter’s situation.

The Prince of Qing stood with his hands behind his back. “There’s a lot going on at home. She’s the one managing the household now. Why should we intervene in such a small matter? What is our status? We shouldn’t lower ourselves to this.”

The Princess of Qing was a dignified woman. She also didn’t want to outright forbid her son-in-law from taking a concubine. After all, matters within one’s own household ultimately had to be handled by oneself. With no one else to turn to, she could only wait for She Niang to finish her confinement before bringing it up: “My child, I’ve been quite tired these past few days. When your sister gives birth, could you go over and help?”

She Niang had no choice but to agree, though she asked, “How is my sister doing? Is she in good health?”

“Although there was some bleeding, the moxa treatment has stabilized the pregnancy,” the Princess of Qing replied.

She Niang patted her chest in relief. “That’s good. Giving birth is like passing through the gates of hell. I’ve been worried sick.”

Seeing She Niang’s concern, the Princess of Qing thought that aside from a potential jealous streak, this daughter-in-law had no other flaws. She had already given birth to two grandsons and had always managed the household impeccably. Last time, it was also her idea to handle the matter. Since she had already helped before, it was best to ask her again. So, she brought up the matter of Wu Ting taking a concubine. She Niang already knew about it but pretended to have just found out.

“If you ask me, don’t bother with this concubine for now. Since she was sent away and then brought back, it means she’s his beloved. What does the Prince say? Can’t he pressure him?” This was a matter for men to resolve among themselves.

The Princess of Qing said, “Your father-in-law is busy all day. When would he have time to deal with this?”

Once again, she was being asked to clean up her sister-in-law’s mess. She Niang said, “In that case, what does my sister say?”

“Of course, she wants the woman sent away, but Brother-in-law Wu refuses,” the Princess of Qing replied. If they were to use their status to pressure him, it would mean a breach. Moreover, the Prince of Qing didn’t seem to approve either.

She Niang could only say, “Just don’t worry about it. Let’s wait until after my sister gives birth before dealing with this.”

Having just finished her confinement, she was still sensitive to the cold. Aside from paying respects, she stayed at home to recuperate and didn’t go out. This went on for over a month until the Princess of Qing became somewhat dissatisfied. She mentioned to Nanny Gong, “I told her about the business with Bao Ying, but it was as if I never said anything.”

Nanny Gong said, “The Crown Princess’s health might not be very good either.”

How many mothers-in-law genuinely care about their daughter-in-law’s health? Most would prefer their daughters-in-law to work tirelessly without complaint. But She Niang didn’t seek temporary praise; she had her own plans.

When spring came, seeing that the Princess was nearing her due date, she finally went to the Marquis of Shouning’s mansion.

The Marchioness of Shouning wasn’t particularly afraid of the Princess of Qing but was somewhat intimidated by this Crown Princess. At the moment, she was all smiles while drinking tea and said, “I haven’t been feeling well these past few days, so I didn’t have time to come over despite your invitation. Now that I’m feeling better, I came to see how you were.”

The Marchioness of Shouning said, “I haven’t yet congratulated the Crown Princess on the birth of another son.”

Having one son was risky, but having two sons provided an extra layer of security—that’s what outsiders thought, especially since the royal household genuinely had a title to inherit.

“I don’t expect my children to be exceptionally talented in both civil and military arts. I only hope they remain healthy and safe,” She Niang said with a smile.

After sharing a cup of tea, She Niang stood up. “I’ll go see the Princess now. It’s been a while since we last met, and I miss her.”

The Marchioness of Shouning smiled obsequiously. “Of course, of course.”

She Niang first went to the Princess’s quarters. On her way there, she encountered Wu Ting at the door. Wu Ting hurriedly bowed, and She Niang nodded slightly before entering. Wu Ting noticed that She Niang hadn’t spoken to him today and unconsciously rubbed his nose.

The weather was warm now, but the Princess’s room still had a charcoal fire burning. She Niang coughed a few times. “Isn’t it too hot in here? Pregnant women tend to feel warm easily. You should open the windows a bit.”

“The Princess often feels cold and won’t allow it,” the maids said cautiously.

She Niang walked around the red sandalwood screen and entered the inner chamber. She saw the Princess leaning against the bed. When she saw She Niang, she spoke very politely: “Sister-in-law, you’re here. I’m sorry I can’t get up to greet you properly.”

“With your belly so big, you should be resting properly. Why bother getting up? If I hadn’t also just given birth, I would have come to see you sooner.” Sitting on the edge of the bed, She Niang also looked full of concern.

In truth, the Princess’s physical condition wasn’t the main issue; rather, she was sick at heart. But how could She Niang help her drive away the concubine in her husband’s household? For one, she disliked sticking her nose in other people’s bedroom business. Moreover, everyone wanted to play the good person while expecting her to be the bad guy—that was out of the question.

Therefore, she only inquired about the midwives and wet nurses. Nanny An quickly answered on behalf of the princess, and She Niang nodded to herself. “You are an experienced nanny and the princess’s wet nurse, so we feel assured. Since that’s the case, I should get going now. My second son is still young, and I cannot be away for too long.”

Seeing that the main issue had not yet been addressed and the Crown Princess was about to leave, Nanny An hurriedly said, “Crown Princess, you must save our princess!”

She Niang frowned. “Nanny An, I just praised you. Why are you acting like this? What exactly has happened?”

Nanny An said through clenched teeth. “Our master has taken in a concubine.”

“Her Ladyship mentioned this to me. In my opinion, why bother with this person now? The priority is to give birth to the child. Once the child is born and the princess has her hands free, as the mistress of the house, she can deal with it later,” She Niang said indifferently.

*Trivial matters like this every day, always eager to get others to do their dirty work, and spreading gossip everywhere—do such people even have any shame?*

The princess, however, asked, “Sister-in-law, what do you think should be done? I don’t know.”

“Every family’s situation is different. Our family has never had such matters,” She Niang replied.

With that, she stood up and said to Nanny An, “Take good care of your princess.”

No one dared to stop her from leaving, but the princess was furious.

“If it weren’t for me, how could she have become the Crown Princess back then? Now, she washes her hands of my troubles.” The princess did not dare to offend Wu Ting at this point. Once Wu Ting was determined, it was difficult for her to change his mind.

Why was Wu Ting acting like this?

She Niang returned home and first went to see the Princess of Qing, reporting that the princess was in good health before going back to her rooms.

Upon returning to her room, she called for A Heng. A Heng was originally supposed to begin his schooling this year, but since Li Ju was not at home, some matters were difficult to arrange. So, she decided to teach him herself for the time being.

Xia Mama remarked, “Will the princess complain about you in front of the Princess of Qing later?”

“I helped her before, and she never hesitated to criticize me. Since that’s the case, why should I help her?” She Niang had her own temper.

Xia Mama thought to herself that the Crown Princess was actually very clever. She knew how to handle things well, but she always had a temperament of preferring to be broken jade rather than intact tile—ready to confront anyone at any time, utterly fearless.

Such a person might seem polite and gentle on the surface, but Xia Mama knew best how formidable she truly was.

Yet the princess seemed unaware. Usually, she was not very courteous and failed to reciprocate kindness, yet she always expected others to help her. If they refused, she would use the Princess of Qing to pressure them. For someone like the Crown Princess, this was nothing short of a provocation.

Just as she was thinking this, news arrived from the palace that the second prince had died.

She Niang was startled. “The second prince has died?”

The emperor currently had no heirs, and due to the reduction of feudal powers, he had summoned all the imperial clan members to the capital. She wondered if the imperial clansmen were now stirring with ambition...

As she pondered this, a messenger from the Prince of Qing came to deliver a message: secure the gates and forbid anyone from moving about freely.

She Niang immediately ordered the doors locked. She had a feeling that something major was about to happen—Wu Ting, the Prince of Qing, Li Ju, the second prince...

These seemingly unrelated individuals were all acting unusually. Li Ju had gone to Liaobei and had not sent a single letter back. Wu Ting seemed no longer under the control of the Prince of Qing’s household, as if he had suddenly gained confidence. With the second prince’s passing, her father-in-law had ordered the doors locked.

Even A Heng asked, “Mother, what’s happening?”

“Nothing, but something big might be unfolding.” She Niang sensed something unusual.

Outside, chaos had already erupted. After the second prince’s death, the emperor fell ill. The Prince of Jin had long prepared his forces and, in disguise, led his men into the palace. With coordination from inside and out, although the Prince of Jin was stabbed by the emperor’s guards, the emperor ultimately passed away.

In the end, the Prince of Jin took the throne. Though it differed somewhat from the previous life, things seemed to have returned to their origin.

The Prince of Qing also seemed to have had a hand in it. Without him, the Prince of Jin would not have succeeded so smoothly. Wu Ting, too, had protected the Prince of Jin as they charged into the palace.

However, the first thing the Prince of Qing did after the success was to request to become the Supervisor of Imperial Tombs and cede his title to his son, Li Ju.

Immediately, the Prince of Jin agreed to allow Li Ju to return.

She Niang had not expected that before she had time to prepare, she would be elevated from Crown Princess to Princess.