The three of them quickly returned to the Ding family clinic.
"Eldest daughter-in-law, come quickly and help."
At Dr. Ding's shout, Aunt Ding, who was busy in the backyard, quickly came out.
"What happened? What happened? Oh dear, did you fall into the water?"
Aunt Ding was a kind-hearted person. She quickly took Guan Shi from her son's back and helped her walk inside.
Old Doctor Ding directed his grandson to weigh and prepare the medicine, and then sent someone to deliver a message to the Guan family's general store.
The strong smell of medicine filled the room, bringing a long-lost sense of peace to the Guan family who had been feeling lost.
Aunt Ding helped her change out of her soaking wet clothes and brought her a clean and refreshing padded jacket.
"These are clothes I just had made before the New Year. If you don't mind, you can wear them for now."
Ms. Guan was a little embarrassed, but she still accepted the clothes and thanked Aunt Ding.
Aunt Ding didn't ask anything else, just gave a few instructions and left.
After changing her clothes, Guan listened to the busy sounds outside and recalled the events of the past three years in the Meng family. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Aunt Ding lifted the curtain and came in. Guan Shi quickly turned to the side and wiped the corner of her eye.
"Have some ginger soup to warm up first."
Aunt Ding handed a large bowl of bright red ginger soup to Guan Shi.
Looking at the steam rising from the bowl, Guan thought of her stingy mother-in-law and couldn't help but shed tears again.
"Thank you, Auntie. I'm so sorry to have troubled you."
She said softly.
Aunt Ding sat down next to her and comforted her.
“Actually, life is always full of ups and downs. The important thing is that the two of you are of one mind, then there is no obstacle you can’t overcome. Your mother-in-law is a bit tough, but your husband has a bright future! He works in the palace, right in front of the emperor. Who knows when he will be promoted and become an official. Then you can become a lady of high rank, and your hardships will finally come to an end.”
Guan closed his eyes.
This was also what her mother often advised her before she passed away.
When the Meng family came to propose marriage, the Guan family had their eye on Meng Liang because they believed he would amount to something great. So, even though Meng's mother was shrewish, stingy, and had a sharp tongue, she still married him.
Not long after she married into the family, she became pregnant and gave birth to a son after ten months of pregnancy. Guan and her parents breathed a sigh of relief.
Her mother-in-law always bossed her around, but when it came to the children, she couldn't find a single fault with them.
Guan originally thought that she could just endure it like this, and once her mother-in-law died, she would finally be free of hardship.
But unexpectedly, this became a pipe dream.
"Auntie, the Meng family wants to divorce me!"
Thinking of this, Guan was overcome with grief and burst into tears, hugging Aunt Ding.
Aunt Ding was shocked, but dared not ask any further questions. She could only pat her back and gently comfort her.
Ding Gui, who had just finished brewing the medicine and reached the door, was startled by the crying inside and stopped in his tracks. For a moment, he was caught between a rock and a hard place.
Fortunately, Guan stopped crying not long afterward.
Aunt Ding hurriedly asked, "What exactly happened? Why would the Meng family divorce you? You're a well-known virtuous daughter-in-law around here; so many families envy your mother-in-law!"
Aunt Ding's three daughters-in-law are all fine, but with so many people in the Ding family, there are bound to be some disagreements and arguments.
Ms. Guan, clutching the hem of her clothes, began to recount what had happened.
Aunt Ding's mouth dropped open in disbelief.
"Marry a princess? Are they dreaming? Is it true? No matter how good Meng Liang is, he's just an ordinary guard. How could a princess possibly be interested in him? Is your mother-in-law mistaken?"
"How could there be a mistake? I heard it clearly."
"What did Meng Liang say? You've been married into their family for three years, and there's nothing wrong with you. Besides, you have a son. Does he dare to divorce you? Does he want to abandon you?"
Mentioning Meng Liang, Guan's expression became even more dejected.
"How dare he disobey his mother?"
After a pause, Guan gritted her teeth and said something.
"He wants me to be his concubine!"
Aunt Ding was utterly shocked.
"A concubine? What are the Meng family thinking? You're a lawfully wedded wife, and they want you to be a concubine? That's incredibly insulting!"
Aunt Ding was so angry that her face turned red.
In ordinary families, it's not uncommon for families to make do with their money or for other reasons, and for daughters to become concubines. But to demote the principal wife to a concubine like this is unheard of.
"Good! The Meng family wants to have their cake and eat it too! They want the princess, the noblewoman, and you, the virtuous and gentle one too? Where in the world can you find such a good deal? They're dreaming!"
Aunt Ding paced back and forth in the house twice, so angry she wanted to punch the wall.
“Our old man has already sent someone to inform your father. Once your father arrives, we will gather a group of people to go to the Meng family to seek justice for you.”
But Guan shook his head and smiled bitterly.
"My dad's personality... that's impossible."
She guessed correctly. Doctor Ding sent someone to deliver a message to the Guan family's general store. Not long after, Old Man Guan arrived. However, after hearing what had happened, he hesitated for a long time and only told Guan Shi to be patient, without saying anything else.
Seeing his timid and submissive manner, Aunt Ding was so angry that she started cursing and almost rolled up her sleeves to hit him, but fortunately her two sons held her back.
Old Man Guan was also helpless. He was just a commoner, how could he dare to go against the official? Even if the official was his son-in-law, he wouldn't dare!
After Old Man Guan left, Aunt Ding comforted Guan Shi.
"Don't be afraid. If the Meng family dares to forcibly divorce you or demote you to a concubine, I will lead the neighbors to make a scene!"
Guan gave a bitter smile.
"Auntie, don't offend people for my sake... it's not worth it."
"How is it not worth it? The Meng family deserves to be despised for what they did. And people like that want to marry a princess? Bah!"
Aunt Ding, being a kind and helpful person, called her eldest son over and asked him to bring Dingxiang back.
"Our Ding family has connections in the palace!"
However, Dr. Ding was afraid of causing trouble for Song Xibai and Ding Xiang, so he usually kept a low profile and never publicized it.
Dingxiang received the letter the next morning.
The letter was written urgently, but it didn't say what it was about. Dingxiang was worried that something had happened at home, so she rushed to find Song Xibai.
"Xixi, my mother is urging me to go home urgently. I don't know what happened."
Song Xibai stood up abruptly.
"Then you should hurry back and check on things. I'll have a few guards escort you."
Dingxiang shook her head.
"No need, my elder brother is waiting outside the palace gate!"
After saying that, she turned to leave, but Song Xibai called her back.
"Wait a minute, take some things with you."
Song Xibai beckoned to Wei Hong and instructed her to bring the newly presented tribute items, which Dingxiang was to take with her.
Dingxiang really wanted to refuse.
“Every time I go back, you make me bring a lot of things. We don’t need those nice things at home. They’re just sitting there and going to waste. Let’s just forget about it.”
Song Xibai persisted.
"Take it if I tell you to. When you get back, tell your mother not to keep it all the time. Use it when you need it. The palace has plenty of these things every year, more than it can use."
Dingxiang couldn't refuse, so she had no choice but to nod in agreement.
She was followed by seven or eight palace servants, carrying large and small bags, as they arrived outside the palace gate.
Dingxiang's elder brother, Dingsong, drove a donkey cart and was quite troubled by all the things he saw.
The car is too small to fit it!
I need to talk to my mother when I get back and ask her to change the carriage.
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