The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 1533 - 1530: But You Can’t Fool Me
Wang Yongzhu arrived comfortably at the gate of the palace.
After verifying the waist badge, he entered the palace. Little Luzi from Changchun Palace had long been waiting with others, driving a carriage, with an anxious look on his face.
Seeing Wang Yongzhu, he welcomed him as if he had found a treasure: "The Wife of the Heir-Apparent has finally arrived! Our Noble Consort has been hoping to see you since she woke up this morning!"
Wang Yongzhu explained briefly: "I should have arrived earlier, but Madam at the residence was ill and that caused a delay."
Little Luzi, being smart, did not ask further questions and simply invited Wang Yongzhu onto the carriage.
He sat at the front, chatting idly with Wang Yongzhu as they rode.
Wang Yongzhu then asked him if the Imperial Noble Consort was in good spirits today.
Little Luzi couldn’t help but joyfully exclaim: "Our Noble Consort looked much better today, with a healthier complexion. She followed the diet prescribed by the Wife of the Heir-Apparent and had a few more dishes than usual for breakfast..."
With Little Luzi accompanying and chatting, time passed quickly, and soon they reached a point where the carriage could go no further.
Getting off the carriage, and walking a bit further, they arrived at Changchun Palace.
Compared to yesterday, when the palace was sparsely populated, today there were eunuchs and palace maids frequently passing by.
There were gazes from all directions that never ceased along the way.
Little Luzi, who was smiling before, couldn’t help but show anger upon seeing this, whispering: "These are all spies sent by different palaces. Yesterday’s incident with our Noble Consort has spread throughout the palace. Early this morning, people from various palaces have sent gifts, claiming to visit our Noble Consort, but in reality, they are here to see a joke."
"Luckily, His Majesty has ordered that no outsiders are to disturb, otherwise Changchun Palace would have been lively! These people must have learned about the Wife of the Heir-Apparent’s arrival and have come to see the spectacle!"
Wang Yongzhu knew well that these people were not just here to see the spectacle, but also to see what this unlucky person, still tied to the Imperial Noble Consort, looked like, so they could go back and gossip to their masters.
Hearing Little Luzi’s complaints, he felt a sense of gratitude—at least the Emperor had a conscience and knew to order that no one disturb the Imperial Noble Consort in Changchun Palace.
Otherwise, if these women were allowed into Changchun Palace, it’s likely the Imperial Noble Consort would be so aggravated that it would be detrimental even before childbirth.
Entering Changchun Palace, compared to the lifeless, dejected state of the palace maids yesterday, today they seemed to have gained some spirit.
Although their expressions were still somewhat gloomy and their smiles rather forced, they managed to muster some spirit.
After all, as long as their master was there, they had to serve, didn’t they?
Entered the Warm Pavilion.
The Imperial Noble Consort was slowly walking in circles, supported by Hong Fei in the Warm Pavilion, and upon seeing Wang Yongzhu, she hurriedly waved: "Finally, you’ve come—"
Wang Yongzhu offered a brief explanation and then asked if the Imperial Noble Consort had done the routine exercises in the morning.
Hong Fei and Lv Cui honestly responded from the side.
Wang Yongzhu checked the pulse of the Imperial Noble Consort; compared to yesterday, the fetus seemed more lively in the womb, which gave him peace of mind.
He instructed someone to bring in water so she could wash her hands clean.
He then had the Imperial Noble Consort lie down, and after washing her hands, he began to massage her. Everyone else was dismissed, leaving only Hong Fei and Lv Cui to attend.
Wang Yongzhu also intended to teach them, in case there was a day he could not enter the palace, Hong Fei and Lv Cui would be able to take over for a while.
Thus, he was especially patient, explaining as he massaged.
Hong Fei and Lv Cui were fully attentive, not daring to blink for fear of missing a movement, and listening intently for fear of missing a word.
Massaging the Imperial Noble Consort appeared easy, but in reality, the control of pressure and timing had to be extremely careful.
Even someone as strong as Wang Yongzhu felt more exhausted due to the greater effort required to control the force. After one session, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
The Imperial Noble Consort probably slept well yesterday, as even though she seemed a bit drowsy during the massage today, she did not fall asleep.
Once Wang Yongzhu finished, she asked: "Was there any difficulty upon returning to the residence yesterday?"
Although the Imperial Noble Consort hadn’t interacted with Song Hong, she knew all the affairs of Duke Weiguo, Song Hong’s family, quite clearly.
Naturally, she could also see that Song Hong was someone who prioritized interests above all.
With her pregnancy being so precarious, knowing Song Hong’s character, it’s likely he would cause trouble for Wang Yongzhu after finding out.
Wang Yongzhu smiled and did not hide the matter from the Imperial Noble Consort, thinking it was good for her to know.
He recounted the situation where Song Hong wanted to divorce Song Chongjin.
The Imperial Noble Consort snorted coldly: "As expected, His Majesty was right; Duke Weiguo is indeed shrewd. As soon as he received the news, he decided so quickly. Truly extraordinary!"
Wang Yongzhu just drank tea without speaking.
The Imperial Noble Consort, knowing her limits, only made this one comment before stopping, instead asking: "What will you do? Keep in mind, your husband is far away in Chicheng City, and Lady Gao is someone who complies with Duke Weiguo in everything. If they really decide to divorce you, even if your husband finds out later and reconciles with you, your reputation might suffer."
"Otherwise, I could issue an imperial decree to Duke Weiguo Residence? Although everyone knows I won’t live long, at least for now, I am still the Imperial Noble Consort. If someone dares to ignore my status, even if I tear all pretense, they won’t gain anything good. At least they can endure until after I’m gone!"
Seeing Wang Yongzhu not speaking, the Imperial Noble Consort sighed: "Ultimately, I am the one causing you trouble! Rest assured, though I’m a woman, I am not ungrateful! The grace you’ve bestowed upon me and the child in my womb, I will forever remember! No matter what circumstances arise, I will never blame you!"
"At the very least, I can ensure your safety!"
The Imperial Noble Consort had promised.
Wang Yongzhu stood up and thanked the Imperial Noble Consort: "Your Grace worries too much. Yesterday, when Lord Duke tried arranging to divorce his son’s wife, fortunately, our Madam argued with reason and managed to hold the Duke back!"
The Imperial Noble Consort, upon hearing this, raised her eyebrows: "Lady Gao? Argued with reason?"
How is that possible?
Wang Yongzhu nodded, recounting what Lady Gao said without any concealment.
The Imperial Noble Consort became more confused and, after a moment of contemplation, said: "Logically, as an outsider, I shouldn’t comment on family matters. But if I say I don’t regard you as an outsider now, only as a benefactor or even a sister, you might not believe me. Just know, my child and I rely on you for survival, and we do not wish for any trouble to come your way! Please hear me out!"
"When something seems unusual, there is usually more beneath the surface! No matter what the reason is behind Lady Gao standing up for you, things don’t sound right! Don’t foolishly assume Lady Gao genuinely acts in your interest; she may be plotting something behind your back. Such tricks might deceive you, but they can’t fool me!"
"Don’t let her words make you truly see her as a good person or ingenuously trust her! Let me tell you, no woman can bear to see her husband having children with someone else while she can’t, and still treat her husband’s children with other women as her own!"
"Women who do so are either foolish or have ulterior motives! Lady Gao is the daughter of County Monarch Rongyi, who had a significant face with the Empress Dowager. Remember, in the palace or outside, even a princess doesn’t hold much value before the Empress Dowager, let alone a County Lord?"
"County Monarch Rongyi being favored by the Empress Dowager, how could she be easy to deal with? County Monarch Rongyi only bore one daughter, Lady Gao, and cherished her like a jewel, raising her personally. With such constant proximity, how lacking could she be? I once heard from palace elders that County Monarch Rongyi told the Empress Dowager that Lady Gao resembled her greatly. Think about it carefully!"
"Moreover, Lady Gao was initially pregnant, then miscarried, and afterward couldn’t conceive again. There’s something strange there. It should have been her child who inherited the Duke’s Mansion, but instead, you and your husband benefitted. Do you think she would genuinely and kindly treat you as her own?"
