Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Heirs
The eldest wife walked down the stone steps, her eyes filled with tears, her hands covering her lips, and she wiped the corners of her mouth desperately with a handkerchief.
Chu Xian was puzzled at first, then hurriedly lowered her head and reached out to rub her lips anxiously.
It's over. I can't take the small bronze mirror at this critical moment, and I don't know if the lip balm has been evenly applied.
When Chu Xian raised her head nervously, the Fourth Prince suddenly reached out and gently rubbed her lower lip with his fingertips. Chu Xian was so startled that her lips parted and she dared not move.
"Okay." The Fourth Prince said in a gentle tone.
What's good? Chu Xian was confused.
"Fourth sister-in-law, come over and talk quickly."
When the eldest wife's voice came, Chu Xian was nervous and did not dare to look up at the eldest wife.
"Fujin, go ahead."
The Fourth Prince nodded at her, and her panic inexplicably calmed down. She felt more at ease than ever before and bit her lip lightly.
Forget it, let's try it out.
She raised her eyes to look at the eldest wife, until she saw that there was no anger in her face, Chu Xian was secretly happy in her heart, it worked.
At this time, the Third, Fifth and Seventh Concubines surrounded the First Concubine, all bowing their heads and wiping their lips.
Seeing the First Concubine pointing at her lips with a pleasant expression, Chu Xian gave the Fourth Prince a grateful look and walked off to find the First Concubine.
She didn't expect that the Fourth Prince and she had such a tacit understanding. She didn't have to say anything, he had already guessed what she was thinking.
Chu Xian moved closer to the eldest wife and had a small bronze mirror stuffed into her hand.
"Fourth sister-in-law, please change your red lip makeup quickly. I was just scolded by the Empress Dowager, who said I was a foxy girl. Woo woo woo..." The eldest concubine sobbed a few words and bit her lip to stop crying.
"Thank you for your help, sister-in-law. If it weren't for your help, we would all be punished today." Chu Xian pretended to be grateful and shed tears.
She took the lip balm handed to her by the eldest lady and painted her lips red.
"We are all family. It doesn't matter if I get punished. You just need to stay out of the way."
"Sister-in-law, I will come to your house in two days to express my gratitude." Chu Xian quickly put on the palace-style crimson lip makeup.
"Sister-in-law, I'm so grateful for your kindness. I will come to your house tomorrow to express my gratitude."
The lip balm style on the Seventh Lady has been changed to the more conventional palace style.
The other sisters-in-law were all moved to tears.
"The Crown Princess didn't even mention it when she came out. She's lived in the Forbidden City for a long time, so she must know the Empress Dowager's preferences very well. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone out of her way to change her lip makeup to the palace style today."
"She wouldn't normally wear such dull makeup."
The eldest wife said sarcastically, "Red lip makeup has long been out of fashion outside the palace. Look around the city and you'll see which woman doesn't have a cherry lip painted on her lips, a peach blossom makeup, or a wine-stained makeup. In the past, I could enter the palace to pay my respects without wearing red lip makeup."
The eldest wife was holding a grudge, thinking that it must have been the Crown Princess who instigated the Empress Dowager, which was why she was scolded by the Empress Dowager for forgetting her roots. She would remember this injustice today!
"That's right. She's the Crown Princess. How can we deserve her advice?"
The Third Lady, who was on good terms with the First Lady, muttered softly.
"Ahem, ahem, Third sister-in-law, the lip balm on your upper lip isn't evenly applied." Fifth Lady interrupted.
"You guys should go quickly. I'm glad that I'm the only one being punished today." The eldest wife was about to cry.
The sisters-in-law were grateful again.
Xianrong, who was following behind Fu Jin, was completely confused.
The concubine had clearly applied crimson lip makeup, so why did she quietly wipe it off just now and now apply it again?
After watching her masters enter Ningshou Palace, Xianrong looked at Nanny Chun in confusion.
"Madam, why are you in the Forbidden City? How is Princess Song?"
Nanny Chun shook her head and sighed, "I went with her to her parents' home today and was shocked to hear that her mother had passed away last winter. Her aunt was so unkind that she suppressed the matter and never announced the death. Luckily, Song Gege racked her brains to scrape together the money, but it all ended up in the hands of others."
"Ah...Wouldn't Song Gege cry herself to death?"
"I cried so hard that I almost choked. When I returned home, I fainted several times from excessive grief."
"She asked Madam Fu to observe a year of mourning for her mother, but I didn't dare agree, so I came to ask Madam Fu for permission."
Manchus only need to observe mourning for 100 days, while Han people need to observe mourning for three years, and married women need to observe mourning for at least nine months.
He was not allowed to sleep with his wife for nine months, and no one dared to agree unless the wife agreed.
Xianrong exhaled, "Mammy, I don't understand what you just said."
Nanny Chun said nothing. She dragged Xianrong under the red wall and lowered her voice, "Just remember this: when everyone else is wrong, you're the only one who stands out. When everyone else is right, you're the only one who's wrong. That's bad luck for you."
"Huh? What kind of twisted logic is this? Why am I always wrong, no matter whether others are right or wrong?"
"You..." Nanny Chun poked Xianrong's eyebrows with her fingertips and said earnestly, "Today, except for the wife and the Crown Princess, all the other wives' lip makeup is wrong. If the wife didn't make any mistakes, and instead appeared to be farsighted and farsighted, surpassing the other princes' wives, she would definitely offend people."
"Others would certainly suspect that perhaps Fu Jin had already heard about the Ningshou Palace or the Crown Princess, and that's why she deliberately put on the same lip makeup to watch them being punished."
"If everyone is right today and only Madam Fu is wrong, then Madam Fu can only blame her for her bad luck."
"Highbrow music is difficult to appreciate, and exquisite skills are hard to master. One must be humble and accept human feelings. The so-called interpersonal relationships require give and take, and only then can one achieve success on both sides."
"A tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind."
"Today, Fu Jin must make the same mistake as others. It is better to make the same mistake as many people. Wrong is right, and right is wrong."
Nanny Chun secretly felt lucky that the lady had used light lipstick today. If one did not look closely, one would not be able to tell what kind of lip makeup she was wearing. Otherwise, it would be difficult to save the situation.
“....”Xianrong was speechless.
If being a superior person meant living such a precarious life with so many twists and turns, where one sentence could have eight different meanings, she would rather be a slave for all her lives.
"The Fourth Prince and his wife were so in tune with each other just now. They really understand each other." Nanny Chun's eyes were full of joy.
"It's true. Fu Jin's reaction is so quick. I didn't even react just now."
Xianrong was surprised. She felt like she had seen that scene somewhere before. The familiarity of it made her inexplicably terrified.
"Silly girl, you're wrong again. Whether you and I reacted or not, we shouldn't act rashly."
"Si A-ge and his wife are close, and others will only think that they are a couple. You and I are just servants, so isn't it just a case of trying to cover up the truth?"
"If a servant approached the master in public, it could only be because the master urgently needed my service. When the concubine saw the eldest concubine coming out crying, she immediately asked me to come forward and fix her makeup. Did she use her cleverness to figure out why the eldest concubine was being punished?"
"Or did she let the First Lady think that the Fourth Lady was smarter than her? She didn't even say anything, but you knew where the First Lady was wrong?"
"How can the then concubine still accept the kindness of the First Concubine? The First Concubine will only become more angry. Everyone can see where she is wrong, but she is being treated with disrespect by the Empress Dowager. Is she stupid? Are others smarter than her?"
"Mammy, doesn't the Crown Princess stand out from the crowd?" Xianrong suddenly realized.
Nanny Chun looked solemn and nodded: "The Crown Princess is the future Queen. A lean camel is bigger than a horse. It's not your turn to worry about it."
Xianrong looked up at the sky that was divided by the red walls and glazed tiles. It felt like a cage, suffocating and unable to breathe.
Her mind was in a mess. She felt that Fu Jin was too pitiful. It would be better for her to marry Chi Zheng, the poor scholar. At least she wouldn't have to live such a depressed life.
In Ningshou Palace, Chu Xian knelt half a step behind the Fourth Prince.
As soon as you step into Ningshou Palace, the melodious sound of horse-head fiddle comes.
The old empress dowager was chatting with Princess Borjigit of Xianfu Palace.
Today, only these two Borjigits remain in the Forbidden City harem.
Princess Borjigit of Xianfu Palace entered the palace and was favored by the emperor in the 16th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign.
Twenty years passed, and she was still only called Xianfu Palace Princess. It was not until the 56th year of Kangxi's reign that she was canonized as Xuanfei, and she had no children.
It goes without saying what His Majesty's attitude is towards the golden bloodline of the grassland with whom he once fought together to conquer the world.
Even the Cining Palace was not willing to be used by the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was supposed to live in the Cining Palace, but Emperor Kangxi used the excuse that he needed to mourn his grandmother, Empress Xiaozhuang Wen, often and wanted to use the Cining Palace as a ancestral hall.
Despite opposition from court officials, Emperor Kangxi still insisted on using the eastern side hall of the Cining Palace to commemorate Empress Xiaozhuang.
The dead are enshrined in the Cining Palace, so how can one live with the dead?
There were even rumors that the Cining Palace was haunted, which clearly showed that they did not want the empress dowager to live in the Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager and Emperor Kangxi, mother and son, played games for a long time. Finally, the Empress Dowager was defeated and took the initiative to find a way out. She said that she did not dare to be on par with Empress Xiaozhuang Wen and was not worthy of living in the Cining Palace. So she moved to the Ningshou Palace to live in peace.
The old empress dowager was unhappy, and someone had to bear her wrath.
The eldest wife's uncle from her mother's side was once the Minister of Rites. The Minister of Rites played an indispensable role in the Empress Dowager's exile to Ningshou Palace.
In the past few days, His Majesty politely declined Korchin's offer of a noble lady to enter the palace to enjoy favor, which inevitably brought back the Empress Dowager's sad memories.
Even if the eldest wife is cautious and does not make any mistakes today, she will still be blamed. Her life is unforgivable.
The Empress Dowager and the Princesses of Xianfu Palace sang in unison, chatted for a few words, and then gave out New Year gifts to each of them.
Chu Xian was given a pair of Bahrain stone Ruyi tribute from Khorchin.
When he turned around, he saw the Third Lady Dong E with a strange look on her face, holding a pair of lifelike Tianhuang jade pear bracelets in her hands.
The Fifth Lady was holding a pair of red tourmaline bracelets, her eyes fell on a pair of Tianhuang jade pear bracelets, and she quickly looked away.
The reward given to the Seventh Lady was a set of peony headpieces inlaid with kingfisher feathers and gold petals. She lowered her head and said nothing.
I heard that the third concubine Dong E received pears as a gift in Ningshou Palace every year, so I left with the pears.
The late emperor's favorite concubine, Dong E, loved pear blossoms the most. There is a pear tree in full bloom in the Cheng Qianlong Palace where Dong E once lived, which is still in full bloom today.
The Empress Dowager took out all her resentment towards Concubine Dong E on the Third Concubine Dong E.
Even if you are from heaven, there are still difficult things to do.
"Xiao Shi, come over here, Mama. I haven't seen you for a few days, and you've gained some weight."
"My grandson is here." The elder brother smiled shyly and stepped forward to answer.
Last year, the tenth prince chose his first wife, Abagai Borjigit, the daughter of Prince Wuerjin Galapu of the southern desert.
No wonder the Queen Mother is so concerned about whether the Tenth Prince is fat or thin.
The Third Prince led a group of younger generations to kneel down in gratitude before stepping out of Ningshou Palace. The Third Lady stuffed the jade pear into the Third Prince's hand, holding back her tears.
After leaving Ningshou Palace, the eldest prince led everyone to the Qianqing Palace to pay respects and wish a happy new year.
As we approached the red gate of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, we could hear the hearty laughter of the Crown Prince and Emperor Kangxi.
Liang Jiugong leaned out of the red door and bowed: "Happy New Year to all the princes and wives."
"Happy New Year, Liang Anda."
"Everything goes well for Liang Anda."
The princes were polite to Liang Jiugong. Chu Xian glanced at Liang Shibo and happened to meet his eyes. He seemed to have something to say to her.
Chu Xian glanced at Nanny Chun, who nodded.
After watching the wife enter the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Nanny Chun politely came up behind Liang Jiugong.
Liang Jiugong was being surrounded by the princes' servants, who were saying auspicious words to him. After greeting everyone one by one, he walked over to the servant girl of the Fourth Lady and spoke to her.
"How is the Fourth Lady these days?"
The greetings were polite, and his attitude was even more distant than before towards the Third Master's entourage.
Liang Jiugong is the eunuch in charge of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. His every word and action is watched by many eyes, so he is extremely cautious.
"Thank you, Eunuch Liang. The Fourth Prince and his wife are newlyweds, and everything is going well."
"Hahaha, that's good. Your Majesty is looking forward to the good news that the Fourth Prince has a legitimate son."
Liang Jiugong smiled meaningfully.
"Yes, I will report His Majesty's wishes to Madam Fu."
"Tomorrow the Fourth Prince and his wife will return to their parents' home to visit their parents, and the Master will certainly urge them to come."
Liang Jiugong nodded and left.
The Fourth Prince did not treat Xiao Xian'er as harshly as the outside world rumored, and next he knew what to say in front of the Emperor.
If the Fourth Prince treats Xiao Xian'er badly, what does it matter if he dies?
The Emperor had many sons, and many of them died, so he wouldn't need one or two more, but he only had one, Guai Xian'er.
He will kill anyone who treats Xian'er badly.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the princes practiced wrestling with Emperor Kangxi in the cloth storage room for half a day. After lunch, they went to the palace of the four concubines to pay New Year's greetings.
After paying her respects to Concubine Yi in Yiku Palace, Chu Xian entered Yonghe Palace with trepidation.
Concubine De had a beautiful and elegant appearance, spoke softly, and had a warm smile in her eyes. She was like the gentle breeze and orchid snow, and she greeted everyone together with Little Fourteen.
Chu Xian naturally wanted to step forward to help her mother-in-law.
After everyone left, the happy scene suddenly froze.
Concubine De was chatting with the Fourteenth Prince about having copper pot dinner tonight, while Chu Xian was standing silently behind the Fourth Prince.
The Fourth Prince had a calm and composed expression, saying nothing, showing neither sadness nor joy.
The relationship between this mother and son is very strange. Although they are biological mother and son, they are extremely distant from each other.
While Concubine De and the Fourth Prince were chatting, Chu Xian got up to change her clothes. The so-called changing clothes was a euphemism for going to the toilet.
But she did not really go to the toilet. Instead, she was well-behaved and tactful, making room for the mother and her two children in the hall to talk privately.
At this moment, she was standing in the back hall of Yonghe Palace to get some fresh air.
She was very clear about her identity. She was just a passer-by and an outsider. There were some things she shouldn't know, and she was never curious about them.
It was the middle of winter, and the back hall was filled with flowers. Chu Xian curiously reached out and gently stroked a cluster of blooming wisteria.
This flower does not bloom in the dead of winter.
The touch on my fingertips was extremely delicate and soft, with a faint fragrance. It turned out to be a silk flower that was indistinguishable from the real thing.
The back hall was full of colorful flowers and vitality, but it was filled with dead objects. Chu Xian's heart tightened and she was instantly horrified.
"Empress Defei has been favored for many years. This beautiful garden was given to her by His Majesty last month."
Nanny Chun reminded in a low voice.
At this time, Defei's low voice of scolding was heard from the hall.
Defei scolded the Fourth Prince for being unfilial and an ungrateful person. Her voice became increasingly low, and one could only vaguely hear Defei scolding the Fourth Prince for not being able to tell what was going on.
Chu Xian stopped and didn't dare to go in.
With a bang, the palace door opened.
The Fourth Prince walked out of the front hall with an expressionless face and actually reached out to hold her hand tightly.
"Fujin, let's go." Yinzhen suppressed his anger.
"Mother, I'll take my leave first." Chu Xian called out respectfully towards the hall.
The two of them left Yonghe Palace together, and the Fourth Prince never let go of her hand until they left Cangzhen Gate.
"Master, aren't we going to the Yuqing Palace for the banquet?"
"Well, the prince has something urgent to do."
"Then you won't be attending the family dinner at the Forbidden City tonight?"
"Hey, Madam, the lunch in the Palace of Heavenly Purity is a family banquet." Chai Yu reminded hurriedly.
"Look at my memory. I got dizzy after wandering around the Forbidden City today." Chu Xian smiled awkwardly.
I really didn't expect that today's ordinary lunch would be the famous Forbidden City family dinner?
The usual milk tea and steamed buns, fried rice cakes, pork meatballs, roasted venison, braised lamb, pickled vegetables, southern side dishes, and dumplings with ginger vinegar.
The dumplings are vegetarian.
Finally, a large piece of fat meat boiled in plain water was served, without even any salt. They said it was sacrificial meat for ancestor worship and must be cherished.
Chu Xian's stomach churned at the thought of the greasy, soft, and fishy smell of fat meat between her lips and tongue.
Where is the promised Manchu-Han banquet?
At the emperor’s family banquet in the Forbidden City, the only delicious dish was the sachima.
When they came out of Cangzhen Gate, the carriages and horses were already waiting outside the gate. The Fourth Prince stepped into the red-wheeled carriage first.
He stretched out his hand, and she subconsciously placed her palm in his.
As the Fourth Prince waved his sleeve, it slid down to his wrist. Chu Xian was stunned and her eyes could not help but fall on the purple pinch marks on the Fourth Prince's wrist.
The pinch marks were still bleeding.
wrong.
They were not pinch marks, but two bloody holes, punctured by a sharp object.
The Fourth Prince quickly lowered his sleeves to cover the wound.
Chu Xian sat silently on the side. Just now in Yonghe Palace, the Fourth Prince was beaten.
What had happened? Concubine De had treated the Fourth Prince so cruelly, without even caring about her dignity.
Oh, he still had some decency and didn't hit her in the face. He only hit the invisible places under her clothes.
If she remembered correctly, Concubine De took off the long, sharp armor on her fingers before wiping the sweat off the Fourteenth Prince's face.
When it was his turn to talk to the Fourth Prince, he put it on again without knowing when.
Chu Xian recalled that when she was leaving the palace, she glanced back and happened to see Concubine De with eyes full of love for her child. She gently stroked the Fourth Prince's cheek and softly told him to eat more.
The sharp armor shone with a cold light. If one was not careful, the armor would pierce the Fourth Prince's eyes.
This mother and son don't even want to act out the deep mother-son love, what is the hatred and grudge between them?
Her mind was full of those bloody holes.
No, maybe the Fourth Prince deliberately exposed the wound to test whether she was loyal to him.
Chu Xian hesitated for a long time and took out a small enameled medicine box from her purse.
"Master, I have some golden medicine here. Would you mind me applying it for you?"
After Chu Xian finished speaking, she took off her armor, rubbed a piece of ointment with her fingertips, and applied it on the back of her hand first.
"Thank you, Madam."
"You and I are allies, so we share honor and disgrace." Chu Xian carefully rolled up her sleeves, cleaned the wound with a handkerchief, and applied medicine to the Fourth Prince.
Worried that he was in too much pain, she leaned over to the wound and blew hot air on it.
When he heard the word "ally", the smile in Yinzhen's eyes turned into helplessness, helplessness and powerlessness.
The carriage drove into Guozijian Street. Chu Xian suppressed her joy and calmly opened half of the carriage window.
Looking out at the persimmon tree and the yard standing in the deep alley.
In February, Chi Zheng should return to Beijing.
Yinzhen followed Fu Jin's dazed gaze and took a distraught look at the towering persimmon tree.
Pursing his lips, he raised his hand to close the window tightly: "It's cold."
It was freezing cold.
"Please forgive me, sir. I just wanted to get rid of the smell of medicine in the carriage." Chu Xian sat up straight and didn't dare to move.
"Don't you like the jade bracelet I gave you?" Yinzhen asked knowingly.
"What's that on your hand? Ugly."
"This is a consecrated jade bracelet I obtained from Tanzhe Temple. The master said it must be worn close to the body, otherwise there will be blood disasters."
Chu Xian subconsciously pushed the jade bracelet hard towards her wrist, causing it to hurt. She blushed and pushed again, but the bracelet got stuck on her elbow.
"Do you like it so much?"
Chu Xian smiled tightly and said, "I like it. I will wear it for the rest of my life."
"Was it a gift from that man's... mistress? Hmm?"
Chu Xian was so frightened that she sat up straight, her tone weak: "Hmm..."
She wanted to change the subject and ask him if Shu'er had sent him any New Year gifts, but when she saw the Fourth Prince's gloomy face, she quickly shut her mouth.
It seems that Shu'er doesn't care about the Fourth Prince. The purse hanging on the leather belt around his waist was given by her.
There are no other pendants.
忒可怜，大年初一挨揍，心爱之人还对他如此漠视。
Chu Xian decided to ask Nanny Chun to embroider an extra purse for the Fourth Prince, so that they could at least make a pair.
Back at the main courtyard of the royal family, Nanny Chun reported the scandal of Song Gege's family.
"Well, let her observe the mourning period, but she is not allowed to wear mourning clothes. She is the prince's concubine and must not wear mourning clothes lightly. Otherwise, it will be a serious crime. Go to the front yard and inform Chai Yu in person."
It was common for imperial concubines to observe mourning for their parents, but they were not allowed to wear mourning clothes.
She wouldn't make things difficult for the Song family.
Chu Xian had a splitting headache. There were only two useless concubines in the harem. Now Song had to observe mourning for nine months, leaving Li alone to fight.
"Mammy, how many servants are there in the house that my mother's family sent me?"
"Two more were sent last autumn, making a total of three."
"I let them have their day off in the spring and let them come to my room to serve me." Chu Xian held her forehead with her hand as she felt a headache.
"When you go back to your parents' house tomorrow, go pick out two more good-looking ones. Keep them ready for later. They'll come in handy sooner or later."
Chu Xian was so anxious that she tried every possible means. As long as she didn't sleep with the Fourth Prince, anyone would do it.
It has nothing to do with her.
On the morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year, Sui Qing dressed up the concubine according to the beautiful look of yesterday.
"Suiqing, I'm going back to my parents' home today. Please dress me up elegantly and use a lot of makeup. I must make sure that I look dazzling and radiant with jewels."
"I can't let my father worry and think that I'm not doing well."
"yes."
After dressing up, Chu Xian walked gracefully to the front of the carriage. The Fourth Prince was still sitting in the carriage as usual. When he saw her coming, he still held out his palm tenderly.
As the carriage slowly moved forward, Chu Xian lowered her voice and said, "Please bear with my family later."
"If I have offended my family, please show some respect. When I return home, I will go to the front yard and apologize."
"Fujin, I am not a bad-tempered or narrow-minded person, so there is no need to worry." Yinzhen felt depressed. She was so cautious and worried that he would treat her family badly.
In her heart, he was so hateful.
"Master, my family is usually very casual, and I'm afraid that I might break the rules and offend you." Chu Xian explained nervously.
"That's alright." Yinzhen paused, swallowing the words "you and I are one" bitterly. "You and I are allies, we need to be tolerant and understanding of each other."
"Yes, yes, you are absolutely right, sir." Chu Xian agreed flatteringly.
It's really tiring to talk to the Fourth Prince. I have to carefully consider every word, for fear of saying something wrong and making him unhappy.
Chu Xian couldn't help but miss Chi Zheng. Xian Rong had just brought her great news that Chi Zheng did not return to Baoding Prefecture for the New Year.
Chu Xian felt sad when she thought of Chi Zheng spending the New Year alone in his private residence, and she wished she could go and accompany him immediately.
Not long after the carriage drove out of the mansion, Chu Xian couldn't help but open half of the window and look out eagerly.
With a bang, the carriage window was closed again by the Fourth Prince.
"Fujin, it's freezing cold, why do you keep opening the window?"
"My Lord, I haven't been back to my parents' home for a long time. I'm eager to go home and want to see when I can arrive."
Chu Xian suppressed her bitterness and anger and responded softly.
"Fujin, just go around another alley and you'll be there," Nanny Chun reminded.
"Um."
Chu Xian was bored and twisting her handkerchief. She felt extremely awkward being with the Fourth Prince. They really had no conversation at all.
After a cup of tea, the carriage slowly stopped.
Chu Xian couldn't wait to lift the curtain of the carriage, and was shocked to find that her entire family, young and old, were kneeling on the snow to greet her.
She was angry and anxious and jumped out of the carriage.
Damn Fourth Prince, why did he come to humiliate her family?
"Your servant Fei Yanggu and his family respectfully welcome the Fourth Prince and his wife."
"Father, please get up quickly." Chu Xian held back her tears and stretched out her hand, but a pair of hands were faster than hers and helped Father up.
"No need to be so polite, father-in-law."
The Fourth Prince personally helped his father up, and Chu Xian turned around and picked up her nephew and niece.
"Fourth brother and fourth sister-in-law, please stand up."
Chu Xian gave a look, and Sui Qing and Xianrong helped the two of them up.
As for the rest of the people, Chu Xian didn't care to worry about them.
"Fourth Lady, I respectfully welcome you to your boudoir to rest."
Her fourth sister-in-law, who was usually very close to her, was like a puppet with its core replaced, and she was servile to her.
She didn't dare get too close to her fourth sister-in-law, and the two young eunuchs and Chai Yu in the front yard followed closely behind her.
It was as if if she left their sight, she would have an affair with another man, which was disgusting.
But she didn't dare to get angry, that was the rule.
When the prince's wife came to visit her parents, there was a fixed number of servants serving her. Male servants were never allowed to get close to her. She was only served by eunuchs and maids.
Even her father and brother had to talk to her through a group of maids and eunuchs, and then separated by a screen.
Even if you kill her, she will never come to bother her family again next year.
All the female relatives and young children gathered in the courtyard of the rear house and greeted her with New Year's greetings.
Chu Xian absentmindedly gave away the New Year gift, worried about having lunch later.
What should she do if the Fourth Prince asks her elderly father to stand and serve him during meals?
What else could she do? She could only swallow her anger, unable to fight back.
As lunch approached, Chu Xian nervously went to the flower hall and was surprised to see her father and fourth brother sitting on the left and right of the fourth prince, chatting happily with him.
Chu Xian looked at the Fourth Prince's gentle and smiling face in surprise. He looked more amiable than ever before.
He looks pretty...good-looking when he smiles.
Chu Xian lowered her head to eat her food, when suddenly a braised goose leg with bones removed appeared on her plate.
Chu Xian's nose felt sore, and she knew it was Ama without having to guess.
She lowered her head and ate the goose leg, holding back her tears. Suddenly, a shad appeared on the plate. Shad had many bones, and she loved to eat them. In the past, as long as her fourth brother was around, the shad she ate would never have a bone in it, and the shrimp she ate would never have the shell on.
She was really spoiled by her father and fourth brother. She always forgot to pick out the bones when eating fish in the fourth prince's mansion.
As soon as the thought of shrimp flashed through my mind, a plate of peeled shrimps appeared in front of me. However, the shrimps were stacked neatly, with the heads in place and the tails in place, which did not look like the way Fourth Brother did it.
It was more like... Chu Xian was horrified and looked up at the Fourth Prince. Sure enough, she saw him chatting with his father while peeling shrimps and putting them on a porcelain plate.
Tsk, this guy really shows off his acting skills anytime and anywhere. Now he starts to look at her lovingly again.
Chu Xian was unwilling to be outdone, so she pretended to look at him affectionately, but in the end she was the first to give in.
His passionate and affectionate eyes are frightening. It turns out that even if you dislike each other, you can still pretend to be deeply in love.
No wonder the Fourth Prince was able to break through the siege in the fight for the throne in Kowloon. He is really good at pretending.
There was no awkward and humiliating scene of kneeling at lunch. Father and Fourth Brother were grinning from ear to ear, and were so fooled by Fourth Brother that they were at a loss as to what to do.
The Fourth Prince kept praising his Concubine for her beauty and intelligence. He looked at her with a loving and smiling look. If she hadn't known the Fourth Prince's true face, she would have been fooled.
According to the rules, she was not allowed to stay overnight at her parents' home. When she was leaving, the Fourth Prince was kind enough not to let his father, his brother and his wife kneel down.
The other three families all prostrated themselves on the ground in an orderly manner. From the moment she stepped out of the middle door until she sat in the red-wheeled carriage, the eldest brother, the second brother, and the third brother all knelt to see her off.
She turned a blind eye and asked them to kneel. They owed her too much and could not repay it by kneeling.
On the way back, Chu Xian once again peeked into Chi Zheng's temporary residence.
She closed the window reluctantly and turned around, only to meet the Fourth Prince's sinister eyes.
She immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
"Fujin, you seem to like that persimmon tree quite a bit?"
"Yes, I saw the red persimmons frozen on the treetops, which was so festive that I couldn't help but take a second look."
"Oh, Chai Yu, go to that house and transplant the persimmon tree to the main courtyard of the concubine's house so that the concubine can see it to her heart's content."
"No need, no need. I already have two persimmon trees in my yard and can't move any more. Thank you very much for your kindness."
There was a dead silence in the carriage. Just when Chu Xian was feeling embarrassed, the carriage slowly stopped.
"Master, Madam, the carriage has entered the stables of the mansion."
"Thank you so much for your kindness today, my Lord, in accompanying me back to my parents' home. I will go back and change my clothes first, and then I will take my leave."
Only after seeing the Fourth Prince nod did Chu Xian dare to stand up and leave the carriage.
After counting the gifts sent by her parents' home, Chu Xian hid a small rosewood box in a secret compartment.
Near lunchtime, word came from the front yard that the Fourth Prince would not stay overnight at the Lady's main courtyard today.
Chu Xian was overjoyed and hurriedly called Nanny Chun to boil a pot of Tusu wine.
"Fujin, Miss Wan Ning is here to pay New Year's greetings."
"Please invite Wan Ning in to talk."
Chu Xian's gloom disappeared and her eyes were filled with joy.
"Have the kitchen prepare Wan Ning's favorite copper furnace hot pot, and cut two more plates of Yanchi lamb and sika deer meat."
"Xian'er, Fourth Lady~Happy New Year!"
"I wish the Eighth Lady a happy and healthy New Year." Chu Xian smiled and patted Wan Ning's temples.
"Cui, I'm not married yet. You...call me twice more. I love to hear it." Wan Ning's face flushed. She raised her hand and inserted a butterfly hairpin with gold beads and rubies on Chu Xian's hair.
Chu Xian turned to face the mirror. The jewelry Wan Ning gave her were always the most expensive and fashionable styles. This was the first time she saw a butterfly hairpin with wings flapping, ready to fly.
"You can tell it's from an old silver shop. And the butterfly's wings even move."
"I knew you would like it at first sight." Wan Ning raised her hand and poked the flickering butterfly wings.
"I have a gift for you too, come with me."
Chu Xian took Wan Ning's hand, walked quickly to the chest of drawers behind the screen, and took out a small box from the chest.
"You and the Eighth Prince will be married in the spring of next year. A few days ago, my fourth sister-in-law sent me some fertility pills, saying they were valuable items from the imperial court of the previous dynasty."
"My fourth sister-in-law had a cold constitution, and the imperial physician declared her hopeless in this life. However, after taking this fertility-enhancing pill to regulate her body, she now has a son and a daughter."
"You have a cold body, this is perfect for you. I'll give it all to you."
"Xian'er, keep it for yourself. When you and the Fourth Prince have a son and a daughter, if I don't have any children, you can give it to me."
"Here, who are you looking down on? I still have more."
"Xian'er, I'm actually afraid. I'm afraid that I won't be able to give birth to a child and that Yinsi will dislike me."
Chu Xian remained silent. In history, the Eighth Concubine had indeed no children.
"Wan Ning, if the Eighth Master despises you because you have no children, why do you still like him? Even if you have no children, so what? Would he dare to divorce you?"
"That's true. At worst, I can kill the mother and keep the child. I can snatch a pair of children from my knees."
"Ahem... only a fool would raise someone else's child."
Chu Xian's face paled at Wan Ning's harsh words, and she quickly changed the subject: "I found a new box of oriental pearls in the Forbidden City yesterday, and I had them placed in the secret compartment under the carriage."
"Xian'er, how about going to the Forbidden City to pay New Year's greetings? Are those sisters-in-law easy to get along with?"
"Don't mention it. You'll know when you get married next year. We can just keep each other company and be unlucky together, haha."
"What are you afraid of? If anyone dares to bully me, I'll fight back. Who bullied you today? Tell me first, and next year I'll get it back with interest."
"No one, you don't have to worry about me. I just happened to explore the way ahead of time, so you can avoid the open and hidden attacks in the future."
"Stop talking about the Forbidden City. Let's go eat some Tongluo Hot Pot. We'll be full if we keep talking."
There was lively conversation and laughter in the main courtyard.
At this time, Su Peisheng had a sad face and was standing under a persimmon tree covered with icicles diagonally opposite the Fourth Prince's mansion.
"Master, the tung oil is ready."
Yinzhen, his eyes blurred with drunkenness, took the torch and threw it towards the study.
It’s time to set things right and end this evil relationship.
He couldn't wait and had to strangle Chi Zheng himself tonight. He had been driven crazy by Chi Zheng.
Chi Zheng, you must be completely buried in this chaotic dream tonight.
He was overwhelmed with grief and didn't know how to face his wife.
It felt like there was a thin thread hanging on the apex of my heart, stretched tight, pulling with all my might, jostling left and right, pulling until my liver and gallbladder were torn apart and I was in unbearable pain.
The raging flames burned through the night. He stared at the flames coldly, waved his hand and threw Chi Zheng into the sea of fire. His face was gloomy and twisted, and he was no longer recognizable.
In the main courtyard of the concubine's house, Suiqing and Xianrong were guarding outside the door with the servants around Miss Wanning.
Suddenly, the pitch-black night sky was lit up with an enchanting dark red, and in an instant flames shot up into the sky.
"The fire is burning!" Sui Qing exclaimed.
"Fujin! There's a fire!" Sui Qing staggered and almost fell to the ground.
"Don't panic, the fire is in the alley outside the wall..."
Xianrong was halfway through her words when she suddenly looked up towards the direction of the fire with a strange expression on her face.
"Fujin! There's a fire in the alley across the street!" Xianrong pushed open the door.
There was a crisp sound, and the cup was crushed to pieces.
"Xian'er, where are you going? You haven't put on your shoes yet."
Seeing Xian'er rushing out of the house barefoot, Wan Ning was dumbfounded and hurriedly picked up her embroidered shoes to chase after her.
Chu Xian, with her hair disheveled, stumbled out of the corner door.
The flickering flames burned the sky and earth red, and the towering persimmon tree was reduced to ashes.
Chu Xian clenched her teeth, her heart aching, and she was heartbroken.
It hurts so much, as if a sharp, blunt knife is tearing and cutting the flesh, again and again.
Her throat was dry and she opened her mouth wide to gasp for air, feeling so desperate and suffocated that she couldn't even breathe.
Her life was burned by the fire. Her scalp was numb and the raging flames poured into her internal organs. She had never felt such heat and pain.
Heartbroken, Nu Luo had no one to turn to. She and Chi Zheng were separated by life and death, and she had lost her love forever.
"Chi Zheng!"
Her face was as pale as a corpse, and she cried and screamed in pain in the sea of fire and ashes.
"What Chi Zheng?"
Wan Ning rushed over. Xian'er was heartbroken and crying bitterly. She vaguely guessed what was going on.
"Xianrong, Suiqing, Qiushuang and Rendong, the four of you, block all four passages immediately!"
"Xian'er, calm down, Xian'er."
Wan Ning suppressed her fear, pulled off her cloak, and draped it over Xian'er's trembling shoulders.
"Woo..." Xian'er's eyes were bloodshot and she let out a shrill and terrifying cry.
Wan Ning was shocked. It was over. Xian'er had a seizure at this critical moment.
Her teeth creaked and she let out a strange roar. Her pale cheeks flushed a strange red. She suddenly rushed into the sea of fire.
"Xian'er, you're trying to kill yourself." Wan Ning trembled and hugged the frantic Xian'er tightly.
Suddenly she groaned in pain, and felt a sharp pain in her shoulder blade. Xian'er had actually bitten off a piece of her flesh, and blood was flowing out.
Wan Ning gritted her teeth, hugged Xian'er around the waist, and carried the struggling and sobbing Xian'er on her shoulders.
No one can discover that it is Xian'er who is going crazy tonight, and no one can discover Xian'er's secret.
Wan Ning carried Xian'er on her back and staggered forward, leaving bloodstains on the remaining snow under her feet.
The heavy burden on her shoulders suddenly relaxed, and Wan Ning turned around with horror in her eyes, only to find that the Fourth Prince had appeared behind her at some point, holding Xian'er, who was biting her madly, tightly in his arms.
Wan Ning burst into tears and choked with sobs, begging: "Fourth Prince, Xian'er was just drunk and acting crazy. She was just drunk. Don't be angry. I was wrong. It's my fault."
"Everything was my fault. I pushed her to drink, and she just got drunk."
With a sudden scream, Xian'er broke free from the Fourth Prince's arms and rushed into the sea of fire.
The Fourth Prince rushed forward in panic and blocked Xian'er. Seeing that half of the Fourth Prince's sleeve was still burning, Wan Ning was so scared that she raised her hand to put out the flames.
Wan Ning was trembling all over, wiping her tears as she followed the Fourth Prince who was holding Xian'er.
When they arrived at the front yard, the moment the Fourth Prince placed the unconscious Xian'er on the bed, Wan Ning tightly grasped Xian'er's cold hand, not daring to let go.
"Eighth sister-in-law, there was another person at Hongluo Temple on that night when the snow was lingering on the chaotic mountains. Who was it?" Yinzhen's face showed a sad expression.
Wan Ning's eyes were filled with fear, and she stammered for a long while: "You...you...Fourth Prince, I...I don't know what you mean by that."
"Eighth sister-in-law, Xian'er's hysteria needs a kind of heart medicine to be completely cured. That person is the heart medicine."
Yinzhen's eyes never left Xian'er's pale face.
"You...so you know everything...Fourth Prince! Since you knew about the scandal back then, why did you still marry Xian'er? What on earth do you want to do to her?" Wan Ning was furious.
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