Xiangyue Courtyard.
Xiangli Mingzhu had Hexiang serve tea and snacks, and then dismissed everyone else, leaving only the mother and daughter in the room. Even Jiang Songlu was not allowed to be present.
Jiang Bailu was in a bad mood. There was no one else in the room, and she finally couldn't hold back her tears, which streamed down her face.
Xiangli Mingzhu was heartbroken. She only had one daughter, and she had never cried like this while growing up in the Jiang family. She had only been married into the Eastern Palace for a short time, and she had already cried her way back.
She hugged her daughter and gently patted her shoulder: "Don't cry, don't cry, your mother is here. If you have any grievances, just tell me and see if your mother can give you any advice."
Jiang Bailu's shoulders trembled as she cried, soaking two handkerchiefs, and she remained sobbing, refusing to speak.
The more silent she remained, the more anxious Xiangli Mingzhu became: "What exactly happened? Did someone in the Eastern Palace bully you? Or has the Crown Prince taken a liking to someone else?"
She urged him fiercely, "What's the use of crying, child? How can I give you advice if you don't tell me?"
Jiang Bailu cried even harder, sobbing loudly. The maids serving outside heard it all, and they looked at each other, their curiosity piqued.
After a long while, Jiang Bailu finally stopped crying, sobbing softly, "Mother, you must help me."
Xiangli Mingzhu nodded and said, "Don't worry, anyone who dares to bully you is going against the Jiang family and the Xiangli family. I'd like to see who can withstand the wrath of the Jiang and Xiangli families. They wouldn't dare even if they had a hundred lives."
Jiang Bailu shook her head: "No one bullied me. When I first got married to His Highness the Crown Prince, he treated me very well. Although he didn't come to my room every day, he would send people over from time to time to deliver things or ask me to come and dine with him. But after only half a month of good days, His Highness the Crown Prince suddenly stopped paying attention to me."
Xiangli Mingzhu's first thought was that someone had spoken ill of her daughter to the Crown Prince: "But what did someone say about you to the Crown Prince?"
Jiang Bailu started crying again: "I don't know, but I only know that besides me, His Highness the Crown Prince has two beauties serving him. These days, His Highness hasn't favored them, so they shouldn't have had a chance to speak ill of me to His Highness. I don't know why, His Highness has ignored me for more than half a month, Mother..."
Xiangli Mingzhu immediately understood: "You silly child, I thought it was something serious, but isn't this normal? As the Crown Prince, His Highness is busy with countless affairs of state. How could he have time to think about women all the time? Just like your father, he doesn't come to my room for ten days or half a month at a time, always going to Concubine Li's place or the Chun Guang Courtyard. What can I do? Can I just stay away?"
"Also, it's the New Year now, and there are many things to do in the palace. His Highness is also busy. You should understand and be considerate of His Highness. If it really doesn't work out, why don't you take the initiative to go to the Crown Prince and make some tonics for him and send them over, just make up any excuse."
Jiang Bailu nodded: "Mother, the nanny has already given me this idea. I made chicken soup for His Highness, but I didn't even get to see His Highness. I also spent money to tell Hong Siku, who serves His Highness, that His Highness has been busy cultivating these days and hasn't summoned any beauties, so I don't need to come and bother him."
Xiangli Mingzhu said "Oh," and then sighed, "What else can we do? In that case, you should find something to do by yourself and not bother His Highness, lest you end up losing more than you gain. As long as no other woman steals His Highness away, we have nothing to fear."
Xiangli Mingzhu gave her some advice, and Jiang Bailu also came to a better understanding. Men have important things to do and can't always revolve around women. Once she understood this, she gradually stopped crying.
At lunchtime, the Jiang family members all came to the dining hall. Jiang Bailu also put on a happy smile. She didn't want anyone to know that she was being neglected by the Crown Prince, so as not to be ridiculed.
She had applied a warm compress to her eyes, so you couldn't tell she had been crying, but Yuan Qi, with his sharp eyes, still noticed.
Jiang Jiulu whispered to Yuan Qi, "Did you see that? Fourth Sister cried. She must be having a hard time in the Eastern Palace. Luckily, I listened to you and didn't become a concubine, otherwise my life would be even worse."
Yuan Qi nodded in agreement: "His Highness the Crown Prince is not suitable for you. Remember my words, you can't rush into marriage."
Jiang Jiulu sighed deeply. Jiang Bailu was the legitimate daughter, of noble birth, and married the esteemed Crown Prince, yet she still cried and returned to her parents' home. As an illegitimate daughter, her life would surely be even more difficult, and she might even be tormented to death.
Jiang Bailu distributed the gifts she brought back from the Eastern Palace to everyone one by one. The Jiang family was very wealthy, but they were not royalty after all. The things Jiang Bailu brought back made everyone's eyes light up.
She distributed jewelry and beauty cream to Feng Caiyi, Jiang Songlu, Jiang Jiulu, and Yuan Qi. Each person received a piece of jewelry and a bottle of beauty cream, which was a secret palace recipe and not available outside. Everyone was very happy.
"Thank you, Fourth Sister." Jiang Songlu was the first to express her gratitude, and she asked curiously, "It must have been very difficult to get this, right?"
Everyone looked at Jiang Bailu with curiosity, waiting for her to give her answer.
Jiang Bailu smiled slightly: "It's not too difficult. One bottle was given by the Imperial Household Department, one bottle was a gift from the Imperial Concubine, two bottles were a gift from His Highness the Crown Prince, and the Empress was a gift from the Empress."
Jiang Songlu couldn't help but exclaim, "Sister, you're so popular! You're thriving in the palace and so loved by so many people."
Jiang Bailu's smile froze. She didn't refute Jiang Songlu's words, but instead readily admitted, "Look at what Sixth Sister is saying, as if everyone in the palace revolves around me."
Feng Caiyi didn't think much of the beauty cream. Consort Feng was her aunt, and she had received beauty creams before. She pretended to be happy only because she didn't want Jiang Bailu to lose face.
Jiang Songlu's statement was indeed somewhat exaggerated, but she didn't call her out on it.
Jiang Songlu continued to flatter her: "Sister, you are the Crown Princess. When His Highness ascends the throne, you will be the Empress. Who else will revolve around if not you?"
Jiang Bailu was overjoyed by these words, but she still politely said, "Sixth Sister, please don't say that. Even if His Highness ascends the throne, the Empress will still need to be appointed, but it's not certain that I will be appointed."
Jiang Songlu snorted: "Sister, you are of noble status. If we don't bestow titles upon you, who else can we bestow titles upon?"
Xiangli Mingzhu, standing to the side, said with a rather arrogant air, "That's right."
Jiang Jiulu lowered her head to smell the beauty cream, finding it extremely rare and precious. She glanced at Yuan Qi, seemingly unconcerned, but when she looked up again, she saw Jiang Bailu also staring at Yuan Qi, her expression somewhat unnatural.
Jiang Bailu asked, "Seventh Sister, don't you like this gift?"
Yuan Qi gave a very perfunctory reply: "The gift is nice, I like it."
Jiang Bailu knew that even worse things were yet to come, so Yuan Qi couldn't bear to upset her and said a few things against his will.
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