Chapter 353 Madam Huo

Huayi's eyes showed grievance: "Your Highness, look at Moji, he's started lecturing me. I've been so respectful to the Princess Consort, yet he says I don't respect her. If this gets back to her ears, how am I supposed to explain myself?"

"Moji, do you think you can lecture Huayi?"

Xiao Qingyuan reprimanded Mo Ji: "Isn't Hua Yi gentle enough? Isn't she respectful enough to Shen Wantang? How dare you find fault with her!"

Mo Ji gave Hua Yi a deep look, then wisely lowered his head: "It was all my fault for speaking out of turn. I know I was wrong."

Xiao Qingyuan waved his hand: "Alright, go to the kitchen and check. Bring back the food. If the kitchen won't give it to you, just say I told you to go get it. Do you think I, the heir of a royal family, can't even get a bite to eat?"

Moji dared not disobey the order and could only go to the kitchen.

Not long after, he returned with a food box.

When the food box was opened, there were only two completely cold dishes inside, both of which were just plain, watery vegetarian dishes.

Hua Yi was furious when she saw the two dishes, but she still maintained a gentle expression: "Mo Ji, today is New Year's Eve, and this is all you brought back for me to eat? Did I offend you sometime and you're deliberately targeting me, so you won't even bring me a meat dish?"

Xiao Qingyuan frowned: "Moji, what are these things you brought back? Is this food for people? Didn't the kitchen make pigeon soup tonight? Why didn't you bring some back for Huayi?"

Mo Ji hadn't learned anything else from Hua Yi these days, but he had certainly mastered the art of appearance. He was trembling with fear and looked helpless: "Master, there's nothing left in the kitchen. The pigeon soup was all sent to the main courtyard a long time ago because the princess wanted to drink it."

Xiao Qingyuan hesitated for a moment: "Qingxi? Well... since she wants to drink it, let her drink it! What about the other dishes? Didn't we make dozens of dishes?"

"The other dishes were distributed to the guards and servants. Because it is the New Year, the Crown Princess specially instructed that everyone should eat well."

"Then have the kitchen staff redo it!"

"The kitchen staff have all been given a holiday; most of them have gone home for the Chinese New Year. Only two widowed women are left to tend the fire."

Xiao Qingyuan was speechless. It's true that the Ning Prince's Mansion used to have such a rule. During the New Year, the servants would be given a holiday and allowed to go home to celebrate the New Year with their families. Only those who had nowhere to go or did not want to go home would stay in the mansion to work. Of course, they would also be given extra money as a reward.

After a long while, he said to Huayi, "Why don't you just eat a couple of bites for now? When the kitchen staff come back tomorrow morning, we can ask them to make you something nice to eat."

Hua Yi looked at the boiled cabbage and the watery loofah soup in front of her, her smile somewhat forced: "I'm not actually that hungry, it's okay if I don't eat. But the injury on the young master's face should be treated with medicine."

Xiao Qingyuan touched his face; it hurt terribly. However, he didn't ask Mo Ji to get medicine from Shen Wantang because he felt that Shen Wantang definitely wouldn't give it to him.

——

Just as dawn was breaking, Shen Wantang was awakened by Qin Xin.

She changed into a lotus-colored dress and hurriedly went to Wutong Garden.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Prince Ning's mansion was devoid of any liveliness or joy; instead, it was filled with oppression and a deathly stillness.

When she arrived, Madam Huo and Huo Yunzhou were already sitting in Princess Ning's room.

Prince Ning was also there, but his expression was very unpleasant. It was clear that they had already had a round of talks before Shen Wantang arrived, and the conversation had not been pleasant.

After Shen Wantang arrived, Xiao Qingyuan also arrived very quickly.

As soon as Huo Yunzhou saw him, he immediately said, "Qingyuan, you've finally arrived! Please help me explain to my father-in-law and mother-in-law that I haven't kept a mistress. I just bought Rouxin a house and visit her occasionally! Her father and brothers all died on the battlefield. How could I ignore her? Would I be human? But my visits to her don't mean she's my mistress!"

Xiao Qingyuan said irritably, "How would I know what's really going on in your affairs? Last night, on New Year's Eve, you made Qingxi come back crying. She hates me to death, thinking I colluded with you to lie to her! Look at my face, she almost scratched it to pieces! I'm never going to get involved in your mess again!"

Huo Yunzhou looked at the scratches on Xiao Qingyuan's face and couldn't help but touch his own neck. He had also been scratched by Xiao Qingxi's sharp nails, but fortunately, he was not injured on his face, but on his neck.

"Alright, Yunzhou, we've already said everything we needed to say. You don't need to explain anymore."

Madam Huo spoke calmly, her tone carrying a hint of displeasure: "Your care for Rouxin was approved by me and your father. The claim of her being a mistress is pure fabrication. The princess is easily swayed by rumors, throwing tantrums over the smallest things, almost bringing the entire Huo family to ruin. The Huo family didn't even get to have their New Year's Eve dinner last night."

Princess Ning sneered, "Does Madam Huo mean that this is my daughter's fault?"

“Oh, Your Highness, I didn’t say that.”

Madam Huo straightened her back and raised her head, saying, "But the princess has indeed misunderstood this matter. How could my son keep a mistress or take a concubine? Do you think my son is like those dissolute men who bring all sorts of women into the house?"

As she spoke, she glanced at Xiao Qingyuan, her disdain almost overflowing.

Her implication was so obvious that Xiao Qingyuan was somewhat annoyed: "What does Madam Huo mean by this? Are you insulting me?"

"Why are you in such a hurry, Your Highness? I didn't scold you. I was talking about those dissolute men, not you."

After Madam Huo finished speaking, she stood up and said, "I came to the Prince's Mansion before dawn on the first day of the Lunar New Year just to bring my daughter-in-law home. Now that Qingxi has married into the Huo family, she should act like a proper daughter-in-law. It's really unreasonable for her to cry and go back to her parents' home at the drop of a hat and even turn around and blame my son."

"However, Qingxi is pregnant now and has the Huo family's child. It's okay for her to be a little willful and mischievous. Our Huo family still has Yunzhou, and we will indulge and pamper her."

"Therefore, Your Highness and Your Highness, please call her out and come back to the Huo family with me! It's getting late, and the relatives who went to pay their respects for the New Year should be arriving soon. It wouldn't be appropriate for Qingxi not to show up."

Princess Ning clenched her fists tightly and said coldly, "My daughter will not go back with you! Qingxi's surname is Xiao, and she will spend the New Year at the Ning Prince's residence from now on. As for your Huo family, they are not worthy!"

Madam Huo curled her lips: "The Princess Consort is quite arrogant, saying that our Huo family is not worthy. She must not think much of Yunzhou at all, right? It was originally just a small matter, but the Prince Ning's Mansion insisted on making a big deal out of it. I really can't see what good this will do for the Mansion."

"The Crown Prince's marriage has already been fraught with difficulties enough. Does the Princess Consort want her daughter's marriage to be equally fraught with hardship? This is not conducive to the prosperity of the household!"