The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 533 - 500: Consort Qing Is Pregnant (Part 1)
The journey back to the palace is still long. Zhao Xi collected his thoughts and looked at him, "Song Hao."
Yuanbao paused for a moment before responding, "What’s the matter?"
Anyone who knows his nickname would call "Yuanbao," except for Zhao Xi, who always coldly called him by his full name, "Song Hao." He was so used to the nickname that sometimes he didn’t realize Zhao Xi was calling him.
As a competent prince, Zhao Xi was keenly perceptive and sensitive, "You just introduced the life story of Song Sicheng to me. Why did I not hear anything about your biological mother?"
At first, Yuanbao blurted out "My mother," and Zhao Xi always thought he was referring to his biological mother, until he mentioned Jinbao, then Zhao Xi realized it was his stepmother.
Yuanbao asked him, "Since when did Your Highness become so interested in other people’s affairs?"
Zhao Xi remained the same in expression, "I just wanted to correct your habit of speaking with inconsistent logic."
Yuanbao also noticed the loopholes in his own words and lowered his eyelids, "My biological mother passed away shortly after I was born, I never even met her. How do you expect me to start talking about her?"
Zhao Xi understood and didn’t ask any further, reaching into a hidden compartment on the sidewall to take out a small black-glazed jar and handed it to him.
Yuanbao stared at Zhao Xi, his face expressing surprise, "Is this... wine?"
Impressions showed that Zhao Xi, although his drinking capacity was good, never overindulged even at grand banquet events. In the two years he had been in the palace, Yuanbao had never seen Zhao Xi drunk, proving how strict Zhao Xi was with self-discipline.
So, why would he hide wine in the carriage?
Before Yuanbao could think more, Zhao Xi said, "If you don’t want it, I’ll take it back."
"No..." Yuanbao’s head buzzed, more dizzy than if he’d actually been drunk, "Aren’t you afraid I’ll drink too much and vomit all over you?"
As he spoke, he reached out to take the jar, opened it, brought it to his nose to sniff, and sighed, "Good wine!"
Glancing at Zhao Xi’s expression, Yuanbao raised his neck and gulped down two mouthfuls.
He wanted to emulate the carefree and bold heroes of Jianghu and drink wine directly from the jar, but his capacity fell short. By the time they reached Yutang Palace, he was drunk to the point of not recognizing his relatives. Fortunately, this time, he made progress and didn’t vomit.
Eunuch Sanbao timely supported him to the side hall for rest, then returned to the main hall to report, "Your Highness previously didn’t allow Young Master Song to drink at the Banquet Guest House. Why allow him to drink so much in the carriage?"
Zhao Xi replied, "There’s a saying among the common people, ’One drink relieves a thousand sorrows.’
"Oh, that saying isn’t reliable." Eunuch Sanbao replied, "No matter how much you drink, you have to wake up to face reality. Where is the relief from a thousand sorrows? Drinking only causes trouble!"
Zhao Xi nodded, "Then we’ll talk when he wakes up."
——
After the farewell banquet, Xue Yinhuan and her brother returned to the mansion to pack their things, with the journey set for two days later.
No matter the past discord, now that they’re leaving, as a granddaughter, Xue Yinhuan ought to say goodbye to her grandfather.
Minister Xue sat in the bamboo rocking chair, his aged eyes deep and dark, gazing at Xue Yinhuan kneeling before him, "Have you really decided to go to Jiangnan?"
Xue Yinhuan’s eyes showed no hesitation, "Thanks to grandfather’s care over all these years, it’s the granddaughter who has been unfilial."
"You are indeed unfilial." Minister Xue snorted coldly, "As the legitimate daughter of the Minister’s Mansion, yet not presenting yourself as such. Didn’t I try to stop you from entering the palace back then? It was you who insisted on agreeing. Now that the Yun Family interfere, forcibly separating you from the Xue Family, you silently annul the engagement with the Eldest Prince. Do you not truly want to be a Prince Consort, or do you intend to seize the opportunity to retaliate against the Xue Family—only you yourself know in your heart."
Xue Yinhuan kept her head down; regardless of what Minister Xue said, she did not retort.
She had heard from her aunt about the grievances between the Xue and Yun Families, fully understanding that her grandfather transferred his resentment onto her and Ah Yin due to her little aunt’s death.
Her father actually had feelings for her mother, but under pressure from her grandparents, he had to deliberately distance from her mother, only secretly taking care of her after her mother’s death.
Xue Yinhuan had thought more than once that if her grandfather had cared for her a little more, giving her a sense of reliance in this home, she would surely not have agreed to become Zhao Xi’s concubine when faced with no other choice.
She didn’t act without reason.
But these grievances had nowhere to be aired because she knew well that the enmity between the Xue and Yun Families could not simply be measured by right or wrong. She couldn’t change her grandfather’s perception of the Yun Family and herself, so she obediently kneeled and listened to the reprimand.
Whether he said she was going back on her word and tarnishing the family’s reputation, or accused her of using her mother’s death as an opportunity for revenge, she accepted it all silently.
Minister Xue scolded for a long time, and seeing that Xue Yinhuan remained silent, he frowned and let her leave.
Xue Yinhuan secretly let out a sigh of relief, and after exiting Anhe Courtyard, she didn’t rush back to her room. Instead, she instructed her maid to prepare a carriage, intending to enter the palace once more, say goodbye to her aunt, and return the waist card used for entering the palace.
...
Xianfu Palace.
Consort Qing had just returned from worshiping at Chonghua Hall when she heard the first-class palace maid Bai Zhi say that the third young lady had arrived.
Thinking about the recent uproar over the canceled marriage, Consort Qing frowned slightly, "Why is she coming at such a critical moment?"
Right now, wherever one went, one could hear palace attendants and eunuchs gossiping about the marriage between the Eldest Prince and the third young lady of the Xue Family.
The servants and slaves are always looking to curry favor, so naturally, they would not dare to speak ill of the Eldest Prince.
As a result, the blame fell on Xue Yinhuan, and the rumors were as unpleasant as they could be.
The Eldest Prince’s birth mother, Princess Consort Qi, upon learning about the cancellation, was all smiles these days, as if her son had managed to marry some celestial princess instead.
To this, Consort Qing could only look on dryly, worrying about her niece.
Tightening her face, Consort Qing said, "Invite her in."
Fifteen minutes later, Xue Yinhuan stood inside the Rose Pavilion at Xianfu Palace.
Consort Qing had always been fond of this niece; she was a reasonable person and did not immediately blame her without understanding the situation. Instead, she softly asked, "Huanhuan, what brings you to the palace?"
Did she not know that coming to the palace at such a time could be misinterpreted as stubbornly clinging on, as if she was desperate to get close even after the Eldest Prince has ended the engagement with her?
Xue Yinhuan curtsied and said, "Aunt, I’ve come to say goodbye."
"What? Goodbye? Where are you going?"
Consort Qing was a bit bewildered.
"I am going to follow my uncle back to Jiangnan, and I don’t know when I will have the chance to enter the palace to accompany you again."
Consort Qing’s expression changed, "You’ve grown into a fifteen-year-old young lady, yet you’re going with your uncle to Jiangnan? Is it your grandfather’s idea to let you avoid the gossip?"
Xue Yinhuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Yes. Because of the broken engagement, there is much talk about me now, and my grandfather thinks it’s best for me to stay in Jiangnan for a while until things calm down."
Relieved, Consort Qing patted her hand, "Your grandfather is right in doing so. Don’t worry, once you’re there, we can keep in touch through letters, my niece."
"Alright." Xue Yinhuan nodded.
Consort Qing remembered Yun Liulang coming to the Capital and asked her, "How has your grandfather been treating your uncle these past few days?"
"Just as usual, neither warm nor cold, it’s tolerable."
In this matter, Xue Yinhuan could not lie.
Consort Qing sighed, "It’s understandable. No matter how at fault your little aunt was, a life was lost. It would weigh heavily on anyone."
Xue Yinhuan said, "I understand."
Consort Qing invited Xue Yinhuan to stay in the palace for lunch and picked out quite a bit of rouge and jewelry for her.
Looking at the dazzling array of jewelry in the makeup box, Xue Yinhuan was astonished, "Aunt, how did you get so many nice things?"
In the past when she visited, her aunt had not much to spare, even for small gifts to the servants.
"All were bestowed by the Emperor." Consort Qing smiled, "I’ve always preferred simplicity and normally do not like to wear jewelry unless necessary, so they have just been sitting here."
As Xue Yinhuan let go of the dangling pearl lotus hairpin in her hand, she said, "I can’t take it, Aunt. You’ve waited so long for the Emperor’s favor, you should keep these things well."
Consort Qing waved her hand to dismiss the palace maids and whispered to her, "As long as I can successfully give birth, how could the Emperor’s rewards possibly be scarce in the future?"
Xue Yinhuan gasped sharply at the remark, "Aunt, you... are expecting?"
"Perhaps your father in heaven is blessing the Xue Family and me." Consort Qing said, "Only a little over two months, the pregnancy isn’t stable yet. I haven’t announced it yet, planning to tell the Emperor when I reach the third month."
Thinking of the difficult-to-get-along Princess Consort Qi living in the same palace, Xue Yinhuan grew more anxious than Consort Qing, "Aunt, you must be extra careful, and try to avoid the Imperial Concubine, lest she senses something."
Consort Qing said, "Apart from greetings, she isn’t keen on seeing me either, so I enjoy the peace."
Even so, Xue Yinhuan’s heart was still heavy with worry, "I heard that when Princess Consort Duan was pregnant, the Emperor specifically sent her out of the palace under the pretense of recovery. Why don’t you inform the Emperor sooner and have him think of a solution for you?"
Consort Qing chided softly, "Are you foolish? How can I compare to the former Princess Consort Duan? Even when she was demoted to Consort Duan, she remained dear to the Emperor’s heart. I, on the other hand, have merely received some favor thanks to your father’s merit."
"But you are carrying the Imperial Heir..."
Before Xue Yinhuan could finish her sentence, Princess Consort Qi’s voice suddenly came from outside, "Isn’t Consort Qing supposedly unwell? Why are you all standing outside instead of serving her indoors?"
