Yuan Zhao looked at Wei Shaoqing's stunned face and knew what he was thinking.
Even though he was the top scholar in the imperial examination, when the two of them first got married in the capital, everyone in the capital called him "Prince Consort".
Yuan Zhao was the eldest princess, the most noble woman in the world except for the empress dowager and her deceased mother.
Wei Shaoqing married her, and she was marrying down.
It was also because of marrying her that he was able to succeed in the officialdom of the capital despite having no background or family background.
But Wei Shaoqing had a strong sense of self-esteem and always felt that his ambitions were inferior to Yuan Zhao's reputation and status.
Later, he asked to be exiled to Yangzhou. Yuan Zhao knew that he was unhappy, so after he came to Yangzhou, he asked everyone in the mansion to stop calling him "Your Highness" and "Prince Consort".
It is precisely because of my humble attitude that some people have forgotten their identities so early.
A trace of embarrassment, awkwardness, and resentment flashed across Wei Shaoqing's face.
He had originally promised Yue Niang that he would finish his official duties early and go back to celebrate the holidays, but he was delayed because of this matter.
"What do you call me at home..." He wanted to argue, but he was still a little hesitant.
I could only sit down next to Yuan Zhao and put my arm around her waist:
"Zhao'er, I know you're angry that Zhizhi is missing, but you also know how old your mother is. I'm also worried about what might happen to her."
"If this makes my mother sick, and word gets out, I'll be accused of being unfilial."
His attitude softened, and Yuan Zhao, who was hugged by him, raised his head and stared at him.
That's how he used to coax her.
[Mother, he is threatening you!]
Yuan Zhao felt like a bucket of cold water was poured on his head, and he suddenly woke up.
Zhizhi was right. He wasn't trying to coax her. He was clearly asking her to bow to the old lady, or else he would spread the news and accuse her of being unfilial.
She lowered her head to block her cold eyes.
Seeing that she remained silent, Wei Shaoqing assumed she had been convinced by him, so he continued, "Zhao'er, Mother has been so angry that she's bedridden. The court doctor says she needs proper care. I think it would be best if I could buy her a few hundred-year-old ginseng plants. What do you think?"
Yuan Zhao wanted to see what he was going to do, so he looked up and agreed: "Respecting your mother is what you should do."
"It's just..." Wei Shaoqing looked embarrassed, "Ever since you gave birth to Zhizhi, the expenses in the mansion have been high."
"How about using this century-old ginseng from your personal account first? It would be a token of your filial piety towards your mother. What do you think?"
[Shame on my scumbag dad! A grown man is actually using my mother's dowry money!]
Wei Shaoqing's eyes were full of tenderness and affection, and any woman would drown in such passionate eyes.
He lowered his head and wanted to kiss the side of her face.
'The two of them kissed each other goodbye, their behavior was very intimate, just like a couple!'
Gan Tang’s words instantly exploded in Yuan Zhao’s mind, and Yuan Zhao felt nauseous.
She turned her head away and vomited.
"What's your reaction?"
Anger showed on Wei Shaoqing's face. He had been humiliated by Yuan Zhao three times today.
Yuan Zhao held the handkerchief in one hand, her brows furrowed. She turned and asked him, "What's that scent on my husband? It's so strong and pungent?"
Wei Shaoqing was stunned and raised his hand to sniff his official uniform.
A trace of panic flashed in his eyes. This official uniform was washed at Yue Niang's place yesterday. Could it be...
Yuan Zhao sat up straight, lowered his eyes, and felt a sharp pain in his heart.
This was not the first time she had smelled this smell, but she only noticed something unusual today.
She has loved fragrance since she was a child. Living in the palace, she has been exposed to nearly a hundred different spices.
But after arriving in Yangzhou, Wei Shaoqing said that she used too much incense, so she put aside the spices given by her father.
The fragrance on Wei Shaoqing's body is called Cangchunxiang.
At the beginning of the year, her brother specially ordered someone to send a boatload of treasures and toys from the capital, some for the children and some for her.
At that time, she took a quick look and saw that there were several different kinds of incense inside. She smelled them one by one and had an impression of all of them.
But she was of no use. Wei Shaoqing was there at the time and said that since it was something being sent home, he would put it in the warehouse.
What my brother sent were all rare items bestowed as tribute by the emperor.
She has never used it, so where does the fragrance on Wei Shaoqing come from?
It's impossible for the prefect to light this kind of daughter's incense, so the only option is...
Yuan Zhao clenched his hands tightly.
She believed him completely, but she didn't know that another woman had secretly stolen her man, was using her things, and was showing off to her.
"Such a strong smell, could it be the smell picked up from one of your husband's confidantes outside?" Yuan Zhao pretended to joke.
Wei Shaoqing was born with a handsome appearance, otherwise he would not have been chosen by his father as the emperor's consort.
Ever since he was in the capital, many women have fallen in love with him.
When he came to Yangzhou and became the prefect of a state, he attracted many women to fall in love with him.
But everyone in Yangzhou knew that Wei Shaoqing kept himself clean and kept himself safe for Yuan Zhao.
"Zhao'er, what are you talking about?" He patted his official uniform as if to cover up his mistake. "Maybe I picked up some of the smell while inspecting the snow situation in the city today."
Yuan Zhao smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes, and returned to the topic of buying old ginseng:
"It's not a bad idea to buy some old ginseng for the old lady, but since my mother is ill, and I'm getting better these days, I won't bother her with housekeeping."
She stared at Wei Shaoqing with a smile, and the man sitting opposite her was dazzled.
Yuan Zhao is undoubtedly beautiful, and Princess Showa is the most outstanding one, known to everyone in the world.
But over the years, she has been bedridden most of the time, depressed and down, and Wei Shaoqing has almost forgotten how beautiful she was in her youth.
Today, there is a different charm in her eyebrows and eyes.
After a moment of hesitation, Wei Shaoqing realized what Yuan Zhao meant and quickly turned his gaze away:
"You haven't been in charge of the household for many years. It would be better to let your mother continue to manage it." He refused outright.
"It's hard to be the head of the household. My mother is old and in poor health. How can she continue to be the head of the household?" Yuan Zhao paused and scooped the porridge in the bowl with a spoon and drank it in small sips.
A trace of impatience flashed across Wei Shaoqing's brows. In the past, Yuan Zhao obeyed him in everything and always kept his word, but today he contradicted him everywhere!
But something occurred to him, and he pressed his brows together. "Zhao'er, your health is even worse, and you have several children. Now Zhizhi is here with you. I'm afraid you'll be too tired, so I'm letting mother share some of the burden."
I thought Yuan Zhao would continue to insist, but she simply put down the spoon and nodded, "Indeed, now that I have to take care of Zhizhi, I have even less time and energy to manage the household. I'll have to trouble you, mother."
Wei Shaoqing breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't let Yuan Zhao get close to the household.
"Then it's settled. You take good care of mother."
"I still have some official business to attend to, so I'll go to the study to rest tonight."
Wei Shaoqing left without even looking back. From beginning to end, he never even glanced at Yuan Zhizhi in his arms.
Yuan Zhizhi drank milk, lifted up her little feet, and didn't care at all.
Yuan Zhao just felt chilled.
Gan Tang asked her, "Your Highness, what should we do about the power of the family..."
Yuan Zhao weighed Zhizhi in his arms and felt that she was slightly heavier than yesterday.
"There are advantages to taking it back, and there are advantages to not taking it back."
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