Chapter 81
After the emperor appeased Wang Shuhuai, the court officials who had been waiting to see him immediately flocked to the palace to ask about his well-being, and the wives of officials also followed their husbands to make friends with Xie Yunchu. In the last few days of the month, Xie Yunchu was busy welcoming and seeing off guests.
Some of the wives of officials were of high rank, so Xie Yunchu still had to be polite in his socializing with them. Some were of lower rank than Wang Shuhuai, so they would naturally try to flatter him with their words. Xie Yunchu should judge them by themselves and should not neglect them.
Such a scene suddenly reminded her of her previous life. In her previous life, after she became the wife of the Prime Minister, it was Jiang who enjoyed the most. Jiang left the housework to her and acted like the mother of the Prime Minister. She was followed by many people wherever she went, and it was so glorious.
But she fell ill before she could enjoy this wealth and glory.
In this life, she hoped that her husband would smoothly ascend to the position of Prime Minister, and also hoped that one day they could separate the family so that she could live a leisurely and comfortable life.
On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, during the winter festival, the Duke returned home to preside over the sacrifice. On that day, the Wang family stood in line outside the ancestral hall according to their age.
This time, to everyone's surprise, the Second Master stood beside the Duke for the first time as the eldest son to offer sacrifices. The "Shu" generation was headed by Wang Shuhuai, and on the female side, Jiang was in the lead, with Xie Yunchu standing in the position of the eldest grandson's wife to offer sacrifices.
The identity of the second eldest son was completely confirmed.
After the worship in the main hall was over, everyone followed the Duke to the last room in the ancestral hall. This small room was located at the westernmost part of the ancestral hall, ten steps square and not very big. In the due north was placed a tablet that had been mottled with age, with the words "The seat of Zhen, the wife of Duke Wang He" written on it.
The Duke personally stepped forward with a handkerchief to wipe the tablet for his deceased wife, while the Second Master Wang Shou knelt below with tears in his eyes and lit candles to pay his respects.
Behind him, people from each room knelt down and kowtowed one by one.
After three kowtows, the Duke kept Wang Shuhuai and the Second Master alone and sent the others out for dinner.
The second master couldn't stop crying when he saw his mother's tablet lying there alone.
"Father, please tell me something today. When the late queen saw that the Duan family was in trouble and the eldest princess was widowed, did she kill my mother with a cup of poisoned wine in order to restrain you, and then find a way to betroth the eldest princess to you?"
When the Duke heard this, his gentle eyes suddenly turned cold and fierce, and he shouted at the Second Master,
"Nonsense, I told you a long time ago not to listen to rumors. These people are trying to sow discord with you. Your mother had a heavy hemorrhage when she gave birth to you, and she was weak after giving birth. She died not long after. It has nothing to do with anyone."
The second master still didn't believe it, and snorted softly. He pointed to the tablet above and said,
"If that's the case, why can't you bring your mother to the main temple for worship? She is the legitimate wife of the Wang family. To put it bluntly, the eldest princess has to take a back seat!"
The Duke looked at his son with a look of disappointment and said in a cold tone, "You also know that she is the eldest princess. What is an eldest princess? She is the monarch and we are the subjects. You let a regent eldest princess bow in front of your mother. Are you rebelling?"
"It is the will of the late queen to build a separate temple for your mother. Your father cannot disobey. As for right and wrong, your father knows better than you what to say and what not to say. I hope you can understand clearly and don't bring disaster upon yourself!"
Wang Shou was unwilling to give in, and argued with his neck stiff, "Then let me ask you, after a hundred years, will you be buried with your mother or with the eldest princess? Where will my mother be buried?"
The Duke's expression suddenly became deep, like still waters with no ripples visible.
At this time, Wang Shuhuai also glanced at his grandfather. He saw a barely perceptible struggle on the face of this weather-beaten grandfather.
The room was silent.
Wang Shou said with great sorrow, "She is the eldest princess. Will she allow my mother to enter her mausoleum? Even if she does, what is my mother to her?" Tears trembled faintly as they slid down his eyes and finally fell into his clothes.
The Duke took a deep breath and spoke in a much slower tone, "My child, I will definitely take care of this matter and give you an explanation."
Wang Shou shook his head. He looked up, trying his best to hold back his tears, and said with a deep sense of sadness, "I think if my mother is still alive, she would rather be buried alone in a grave than be buried with you."
After Wang Shou finished speaking, he fell to the ground and burst into tears.
The Duke slowly put down the tablet, and placed his rough palms lightly on the altar. He looked at the window in front of him with a blank expression. The sun shone in, and some dust was swirling in the air. He couldn't help but shake his eyes, and his old spine trembled as if it couldn't bear the weight for a moment. His lips and jaw moved several times, but in the end he said nothing.
Wang Shuhuai glanced at his grandfather, then at his father, and left the ancestral hall without saying a word. The ancestral hall was backed by mountains and faced the water. Walking west along a flat water bridge on the side, he saw Xie Yunchu and his children basking in the sun in the waterside pavilion opposite.
Brother Wei is almost four months old and has grown very strong. He is held in Xie Yunchu's arms, while Sister Ke is running on the wide platform with a birdcage in her hand.
Wang Shuhuai crossed the stone bridge and came to the waterside pavilion. He teased the baby in Xie Yunchu's arms, but Xie Yunchu followed his gaze and glanced at the ancestral hall.
"Did father and grandfather have a quarrel?"
Such scenes were commonplace. Every time there was a sacrifice, it became a source of worry for the Second Master. Normally, the Second Master did not dare to talk back to his father, and only at this time did he dare to vent some of his dissatisfaction.
Wang Shuhuai looked at the water ahead and said calmly, "Yes."
However, Xie Yunchu knew that her husband's heart was not as calm as he appeared. After the Duke passed away in his previous life, Wang Shuhuai had a big quarrel with the Princess over where to bury him. Later, he succeeded in his fight for the throne, and the Princess committed suicide after her defeat, leaving her grave alone. Wang Shuhuai buried his grandfather and grandmother in the same place, and moved the tablet of Old Madam Wang from the small room to the ancestral hall, for all descendants to worship.
Although the Duke is fine in this life, how this matter will be handled in the end has become a sword hanging over the head of the second house.
In his heart, Xie Yunchu naturally felt more sympathetic towards the deceased grandmother.
After all, she was also the deceased first wife.
This matter would be easy for anyone to handle, with the first wife in front and the second wife in the back, but that person happened to be the regent princess, and no one could figure out the conflict between clan law and national law.
The late queen's arrangement of love affairs is really a headache.
Just for this reason, Xie Yunchu must live a good life in this life. She must not let anyone take her place, and she must not let her children be deceived into calling someone else their mother.
By the afternoon, an even more shocking news spread throughout the palace.
"What did you say? The princess wants to move back to the mansion?"
The fourth wife was so frightened that she grabbed the housekeeper's wrist tightly, accidentally scratching her and leaving a red mark.
"What's the reason for moving back to the mansion?"
The housekeeper replied while holding back the pain, "Today is the first day of the lunar year. The eldest princess accompanied His Majesty to the court. As a result, an imperial censor was so bold that he scolded Her Highness the eldest princess for being a hen that crowed at dawn, and even threatened Her Highness the eldest princess to leave the palace by ramming his body against a pillar."
"Then His Highness returned to Changchun Palace and ordered the palace maids to pack their luggage, planning to return home this evening."
Upon hearing this, the fourth wife slumped down in her armchair, her spirit instantly deflated.
Once the eldest princess leaves the palace, it means the Wang family will lose power, and it also means that several wives will have to face this mother-in-law. As the mistress of the household, the pressure on the fourth wife will be doubled.
The fourth wife hurriedly left the accounting office and returned to the glass hall, where she saw that all the women in the mansion were discussing the matter.
When the fourth wife saw the first wife and the other two sitting by the stove in the north, she immediately squeezed over and said, "Third sister-in-law, have you heard any specific news? Is mother really going to leave the palace?"
The four ladies did not look relaxed. The eldest princess had been living in seclusion for these years and no one had really tasted the hardship of being a daughter-in-law. Once the eldest princess returned home, everyone's life could be imagined. Even if she left the palace, she was still the eldest princess of the royal family and the emperor's sister with outstanding achievements. Who would dare not to respect her?
Jiang was gloating over the misfortune, but at the same time she was afraid that the princess would come back to her house to make trouble. "It's just an imperial censor. My third brother was the deputy imperial censor of the Metropolitan Censorate at the time. It should be easy for him to settle this matter."
The Third Madam said worriedly, "This happened suddenly, and he didn't receive any news. Now that he has made a scene in public, it will be useless even if we beat the censor to death."
The fourth wife was almost on the verge of tears. Being the head of the household under the watchful eyes of her mother-in-law was like walking on thin ice. God was really against her. How long had her glorious days lasted?
"What should we do? Our Xu and Ye have not taken the imperial examination yet, and they still rely on mother for support. If mother suddenly leaves the palace, who can we rely on in the future?"
The third wife was more open-minded than she was. "No matter where the mother is, the child must rely on his or her real ability to take the imperial examination. As long as he or she passes, there will always be a way out."
The Fourth Wife was not as optimistic as the Third Wife. She also thought of someone, that is Wang Shuhuai.
With Wang Shuhuai's meritorious service in the Ministry of Revenue, he will soon become a minister. However, the Fourth Wife would never be so proud as to try to please the Second Wife. She looked towards the grandmother's table, but did not see Xie Yunchu.
"Where's Yunchu?"
The eldest young lady Miao continued, "Yun Chu went to the Discipline Court. At noon today, a maid drank some wine and acted crazy. She accidentally let a boy in through the second gate, causing some trouble. Yun Chu is dealing with it now."
After these words were spoken, the Fourth Madam felt even more upset. Why did she think of sending Xie Yunchu to the Disciplinary Institute? Now that she had offended someone, how could she have the face to beg for help in the future?
Xie Yunchu also heard the news and walked into the hall leisurely.
Immediately, a maid attentively replaced her hand warmer. Xie Yunchu came over with the warmed warmer to greet the ladies and finally sat down next to the eldest grandmother. Miao's face looked extremely grim.
"Second brother's wife, I'm afraid this New Year will not be easy." The eldest princess is the only hope of the eldest branch of the family.
Dou Keling and Xu Shiwei were also very afraid of the eldest princess.
Xie Yunchu was calmer than anyone else. Why? She knew that this was a clever plan of the eldest princess to retreat in order to advance.
There was a similar incident in the previous life. The eldest princess keenly sensed the mystery in the dark and decisively returned to the palace. What happened in the palace afterwards was more shocking than the last, but the eldest princess not only stayed out of it, but even kicked out her political enemies.
Except for the final defeat to Wang Shuhuai, the eldest princess was successful in everything.
She was really curious, in this life's struggle for the throne, would the eldest princess and Wang Shuhuai go their separate ways or join forces to fight the enemy?
Precisely because he knew the inside story, Xie Yunchu acted very calm.
"I think it would be good for Her Royal Highness to return home and take a rest. You will surely make a comeback one day."
When Chao Yun was ordered by the eldest princess to return to the mansion to clean up Qinghui Palace, she heard these words. She couldn't help but admire Xie Yunchu. This second young lady had noble character and broad vision. She even inadvertently spoke out the eldest princess's thoughts and was able to remain calm at any time regardless of honor or disgrace.
When Chao Yun came back, everyone hid their worries and greeted him politely.
After saying hello, Xie Yunchu returned to Chunjingtang.
Today is also the day when Uncle Lin delivered the accounts. Dong Ning has already checked them in the side room. Xia An is in the east room with Ke Jieer folding lanterns. Brother Er is being held by Nanny Lin and sitting on the bed playing. Since Wang Shuhuai moved back to the backyard, the west room was used as his study, so the two children can only squeeze into the east room to play.
In the evening, Wang Shuhuai came back for dinner on time as usual, which Xie Yunchu found strange.
"Such a big thing happened in the palace today, why did you come back so early?"
Wang Shuhuai's expression is always so calm and composed.
"It is precisely because something big happened that I returned early. From now on, the palace will be closed to visitors and no one is welcome to visit."
Xie Yunchu suddenly asked, "Do you know what grandma is planning?"
Xie Yunchu wanted to know how closely Wang Shuhuai cared about the eldest princess.
In the past, Wang Shuhuai would not tell her about the turbulent situation in the court, fearing that it would scare his wife. But now, knowing that his wife has her own ideas, he is happy to discuss it with her.
"Grandmother didn't say anything else, just told me to wait and see. I smelled something wrong in the palace, so you should go out less before and after the New Year. If anything happens, you must let me know. If I'm not around, let Qi Wei follow you."
Xie Yunchu sighed inwardly. It seemed that the princess wanted to give Wang Shuhuai some advice, but she had not completely let down her guard. And Wang Shuhuai obviously had his own plans.
"Then Second Master, don't worry about anything."
Wang Shuhuai listened to her calling him "Second Master" and smiled calmly.
Just at this moment, Sister Ke ran towards him. Wang Shuhuai picked up his daughter again and lifted her up high. Sister Ke's arms moved up and down and she giggled.
Xie Yunchu shifted his gaze to Erge'er, who looked at him curiously with eyes wide open.
Xie Yunchu suddenly tugged at Wang Shuhuai's sleeve.
"Don't just hug your daughter, hug your son too."
Wang Shuhuai had almost never held his son. In the past, he was too young and he was afraid of hurting the child by accident. When he came back after two months away, the child had grown a little and he was not used to holding him.
He put his daughter down and took Er Ge'er from Nanny Lin.
But when Er Ge looked at him, he frowned, and then impatiently stretched out his hand to Xie Yunchu.
The room suddenly became quiet. Nanny Lin and the others dared not utter a word, fearing that Wang Shuhuai would get angry, and they all lowered their eyes.
Xie Yunchu was confused by his son and was forced to take it. He held it in his arms and pointed at Wang Shuhuai and said,
"This is your daddy."
Brother Er has no impression of his father.
Wang Shuhuai's face was embarrassed for a moment, and he realized that it was the result of his own fault. He had nothing to say, so he waved his hand to signal the servants to leave. He brought a brocade stool and sat in front of Xie Yunchu, and opened his hands seriously again.
"Brother, let daddy hug you."
Brother Er looks like Xie Yunchu, but his eyes are very much like Wang Shuhuai, quiet and rarely showing any emotion.
Brother Er didn't move and turned his face away.
Wang Shuhuai laughed angrily and simply held the mother and son in his arms. Xie Yunchu felt his body lighten and he moved her to sit on his lap. This had never happened before. Xie Yunchu didn't know whether he was embarrassed or shy, his face turned red.
"I have a child in my arms, please put me down quickly."
Wang Shuhuai held his wife and child in his arms without moving. Seeing them coming like a gust of wind, Ke Jieer also began to climb onto her mother, "I want to be hugged, I want to be hugged..."
Children just like to join in the fun.
Wang Shuhuai held her back with one hand to prevent her from falling. Xie Yunchu felt like she was sitting on pins and needles and struggled to get up.
Sister Ke slipped down again. When Brother Er saw that his sister couldn't climb up, he grinned.
Xie Yunchu got up, called the nurse, and handed the baby over. When he looked back, he saw that Ke Jie was sitting firmly in Wang Shuhuai's arms. He said proudly,
"Daddy is here with me, come and grab it, mom."
Upon hearing this, Wang Shuhuai looked at Xie Yunchu deeply.
Xie Yunchu waved his hand and walked calmly to the back room, "Mother still needs to check the accounts, you can play with father."
About half an hour later, Xie Yunchu came back after finishing her work. The palace lanterns in the east room had gone out, leaving only a small glass lamp. Xia An came in to fetch water and helped her wash up.
"Where are the children?"
Xia An twisted the bucket in front of her, squatted down to wash her feet, and said, "Second Master coaxed her to sleep."
"Second Master coaxed me to sleep?" Xie Yunchu was a little surprised.
It’s fine if he just coaxes Sister Ke, but he even coaxes his son?
Xia An glanced at the center quietly, and whispered to Xie Yunchu, "I feel that the Second Master has become much better recently. Just now, even though my brother ignored her, the Second Master patiently coaxed him to sleep."
Xie Yunchu smiled, "He's his son, so it's only natural."
After soaking her feet in a warm bath, she went back into the inner room to take off her hairpins and rings. The curtains were half-down, so Xie Yunchu didn't take a closer look.
After a while, Xia An handed her another hot water bottle. It was cold at night and Xie Yunchu would always wake up from the cold in the middle of the night. With the hot water bottle, she could sleep more peacefully. Xie Yunchu went to bed with the hot water bottle, only to find that there was only a quilt left on the bed, and Wang Shuhuai was lying in her quilt.
Hearing the noise, he came over, his eyes were as calm as usual, and his tone was also normal.
"It's cold, let's sleep in the same bed."
Xie Yunchu was obviously hesitant, so Wang Shuhuai simply reached out and pulled her into the bed. He held her in his arms. Xie Yunchu struggled at first, but then seemed to be hit by something, so she just lay still.
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