Another round-faced girl blinked and replied, "I'm not sure of the exact route, but there are maids following us. We can find the way by just asking them."
"Oriole, please take these two girls back to the garden."
Concubine Xiao turned around and spoke to her maid, a hint of concern in her tone.
"Yes, I will follow your instructions."
The oriole nodded obediently, her voice gentle and submissive.
"I wonder whose daughter-in-law this sister is?"
The thin-faced woman looked Wen Zhu up and down and asked curiously.
The person who can make Concubine Xiao pay so much attention to him must be no ordinary person.
"Oh, this is someone close to the legitimate son of Duke Anguo."
Concubine Xiao still answered this question with a smile.
Hearing this, the two girls showed surprised expressions at the same time.
I have heard this name mentioned several times. It is said that it is deeply loved by the Prince of Anguo.
But, Concubine Xiao actually had to send him out personally?
This doesn't seem to be in line with my identity and status.
"It turns out she's just a concubine."
The lady with an oval face laughed contemptuously and covered half of her face with a handkerchief.
"Miss Xu, what are you laughing at?"
Feeling the sarcasm in the other party's words, Concubine Xiao's eyes suddenly turned cold.
"I thought she was some noble lady from a prominent family, but she turned out to be just a concubine in some man's family. And she dressed like a vase, wandering around the mansion with a big belly."
Miss Xu glanced at Wen Zhu with her eyes slanted, her words full of disdain and ridicule.
Wen Zhu knew very well in his heart that this time Miss Xu was probably going to suffer.
After all, Concubine Xiao was not the principal wife either, so she naturally would not allow others to arbitrarily belittle her status.
“Bold!”
The maid Huang Li scolded angrily, her voice sharp and fierce.
Miss Xu's smile suddenly froze. She suddenly realized she had said the wrong thing and hurried forward to apologize: "I didn't mean to offend you, really, please believe me. I just can't stand seeing a concubine wearing gold and silver and showing off here, so I couldn't help but say a few more words..."
"All the gold, silver, and jewels she wears are gifts from me personally. What are you talking about? Have I done anything wrong? When did it become the turn of an ignorant little girl like you to criticize me?"
Although Concubine Xiao's tone was still calm when she spoke, as a person of considerable status, the majesty and aura that naturally exuded made people dare not underestimate her in the slightest.
"I... I really didn't mean anything else..." Fear made Miss Xu feel extremely anxious. Cold sweat kept dripping down her forehead, soaking the front of her clothes.
I originally thought that this concubine was just bluffing because the prince of the Duke's Mansion was particularly good to her; I wanted to please the noble lady Concubine Xiao by making a few sarcastic remarks, but I never thought that not only did I fail to win her favor, but I directly touched the other party's minefield.
After all, everyone knows that Concubine Xiao is Yu Mubai's biological mother.
Who doesn’t want to be that young man’s future legitimate wife?
Who would have thought that he would be so careless and miscalculate!
"You actually have no scruples about slandering someone you don't even know. This shows that your Xu family's upbringing is truly hard to evaluate. It's truly disappointing."
After Concubine Xiao finished speaking, she swept her eyes coldly across Miss Xu's face, then turned around and took Wen Zhu's hand tenderly, and slowly walked towards a side door.
At this moment, Miss Xu felt a chill rising from the bottom of her heart, knowing that she had completely lost the opportunity to climb up the social ladder of the rich and powerful.
The round-faced girl next to her was really regretting at this moment, and she was feeling annoyed in her heart. She should not have come out with Miss Xu.
After all, her reputation is so great. How could an ordinary maid like me not be influenced by her?
I hope this incident won't affect me as well.
"Don't take it to heart. I've experienced a lot of criticism and rumors like this before."
Concubine Xiao whispered to Wen Zhu, "Look at those so-called noble women who once looked down on me. Aren't they now all respectful to me? Take good care of your pregnancy. When your child is successful, maybe those who point fingers at you today will come to please you in the future."
"I understand. I don't care what they say."
Wen Zhu answered very obediently.
Hearing that she still insisted on calling herself 'slave' instead of 'I' or a more intimate name, Concubine Xiao could only sigh helplessly.
Just then, a figure appeared on the path, gradually approaching.
When he noticed the two people sitting there talking and recognized that one of them was his mother, he was stunned for a moment.
"mother."
Yu Mubai hesitated for a moment, then greeted him with a hint of embarrassment.
"Where are we going?"
Concubine Xiao couldn't help but feel a little amused when she saw her son's appearance, but she still asked with some concern: "Didn't your mother arrange for you to meet someone? Are you planning to escape at the last minute?"
"I have something to do and need to go back to Dali Temple."
Yu Mubai lowered his head and explained seriously.
"As the sole heir to our palace, do you think there is anything more important than choosing a future wife?"
After hearing this reason, the mother was obviously not very satisfied, and her tone was full of questioning and blame.
"Official business."
Faced with further questioning, the son answered briefly and firmly.
The mother was choked by this sentence and couldn't find words to say for a moment.
There was a brief silence between the two of them, and the atmosphere seemed a little subtle.
Finally, it was Concubine Xiao who broke the silence. She sighed softly and said, "Forget it. Go and finish your task quickly and come back later. But remember to be careful on your way and don't let me worry. By the way, you should pass by the Duke's Mansion on the way back, right? If it's convenient, could you please escort Miss Wen Zhu home?"
Yu Mubai's expression did not change at all. He just said lightly, "Please come in, Miss Wen Zhu."
Concubine Xiao gently patted the other person's hand and said in a gentle tone, "Next time you go out, you must bring more followers with you. In everything, you must remember one word - caution!"
After Wen Zhu thanked Concubine Xiao gratefully, he bowed gently and slowly turned around to leave the palace.
Her steps were light, as if she was stepping on soft clouds, and she boarded the carriage that was waiting at the gate of the palace.
The carriage was padded and comfortable, making her journey more relaxing and enjoyable.
Yu Mubai rode on a tall horse and followed silently behind the luxurious carriage of the Duke's Mansion.
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