Chapter 108 The Ruan Family Is Not Up to Standard
"The eldest son of the Ruan family, who is Consort Ruan's nephew, has some crooked thoughts."
Mu Xiao was still young then, I think she was just fifteen! She had been raised by the late Empress Dowager.
In addition, Mu Xiao's maternal grandparents' family was the Duke of Han's mansion, so the eldest son of the Ruan family was thinking about whether he could get engaged to Mu Xiao.
I don't know if it's because that young master Ruan has read too many storybooks or listened to too many plays on the stage, but his mind is full of stories about talented scholars and beautiful women.
Oh, it's not a story of a talented man and a beautiful woman, it's more like a hero rescuing a damsel in distress!
He thought that his status was definitely not good enough for Mu Xiao, so he thought of the daughters of prime ministers, princesses, county princesses or the like in the storybooks, and then he met with misfortune.
Finally, a commoner risked his life to save him, and then those rich girls, princesses, and other noblewomen secretly fell in love with him, vowing to marry him and refusing to marry anyone else.
Song Zhimian, do you know that?
That young master of the Ruan family actually came up with the idea of having someone else harass Mu Xiao so that he could play the hero and save her.
He thought Mu Xiao was just a naive princess who was raised by the Empress Dowager in the deep palace and knew nothing of the dangers of the world.
As long as Mu Xiao is willing, the difference in status is not a problem.
Tsk tsk tsk, they even spent money to hire some thugs to harass Mu Xiao, who only brought one palace maid with her when she ran out of the palace for a stroll.
"Do you think he's an idiot?" Xiao Ruanruan said, shaking her head.
Song Zhimin was holding sunflower seeds in her hand, unsure whether she should continue eating them.
Looking at it this way, it does seem a bit silly!
However, such scenes happen frequently.
"And then what? Did the princess expose you?" Song Zhimian poured Xiao Ruanruan more tea, gesturing for her to continue.
Xiao Ruanruan picked up her teacup, took a sip, glanced at the impatient Princess Yongxin beside her, and then continued speaking.
"Of course! Although Mu Xiao was raised by the Empress Dowager, the old lady of the Han State also frequently visited the palace."
Who hasn't Mu Xiao seen in the palace?
I've seen all sorts of underhanded and shady methods.
Mu Xiao saw through the clumsy tricks of the eldest son of the Ruan family at a glance.
Before the eldest son of the Ruan family could even reach her, Mu Xiao raised her whip and lashed his face.
Mu Xiao's whip has barbs, and the scar on the eldest son of the Ruan family's face hasn't healed yet!
At the time, everyone in the capital was laughing at them!
Even now, people say Mu Xiao has a bad temper and likes to whip people, but the only person she's actually ever whipped is the eldest son of the Ruan family.
Song Zhimian's mouth opened slightly, somewhat surprised.
Princess Yongxin is not stupid; she acts decisively, and what she did at the time was the right thing to do.
If that young master of the Ruan family gets close, who knows what people outside will say!
"Good for him! People like that deserve to smoke!"
"With things escalating like this, doesn't Consort Ruan have any thoughts on this?" Song Zhimian asked.
Xiao Ruanruan chuckled.
"How could she not have any ideas? Consort Ruan at least has a prince, and he was just granted the title of Prince of Wu, and he has established his own residence outside the palace."
That young master Ruan was also considered to be King Wu's cousin.
Mu Xiao slapped Wu Wang's cousin's face in the street, which was also a slap in the face to Wu Wang.
Even though Consort Ruan was not competitive in the harem, she still went to Consort Wu and cried for a few words.
When the Empress Dowager found out, she immediately sent word that it was nothing serious and that drawing blood was no big deal.
Upon hearing this, even His Majesty dared not utter a single word.
"Hmm, the Empress Dowager also told me why she didn't go any harder and beat him until he was crippled!"
"To avoid attracting the attention of some nobodies." Princess Yongxin added from the side.
"Anyway, the trouble caused by the Ruan family has made Consort Ruan look very bad."
However, as everyone knows, the Ruan family is not respectable.
She only gained a place in the capital because her daughter entered the palace and became a Noble Consort; in reality, her family... was utterly useless.
There was also the incident a while ago involving the eldest daughter of the Ruan family and the son of the Minister Tian.
Didn't that make us a laughing stock in the capital?
Everyone felt sorry for Consort Ruan, who had to support such a large family all by herself.
"That family is useless; they're always dragging us down," Xiao Ruanruan continued.
"What about the young ladies of the Ruan family?" Song Zhimian suddenly asked.
“My three young ladies! Isn’t the eldest young lady the one who caused that incident with the son of Minister Wada? The one you mentioned about the huge bed.”
The second young lady of the Ruan family was robbed on her way to Bao'en Temple to offer incense, and her whereabouts are still unknown.
Originally, the second young lady of the Ruan family was to become a concubine of the Prince of Zhao.
Later, the third daughter of the Ruan family entered the Zhao Prince's mansion.
However, both the second and third young ladies of the Ruan family were born out of wedlock.
Oh, the Ruan family also has a second young master named Ruan Xingzhi, who is different from the eldest young master of the Ruan family, who loves listening to operas and daydreams all day long.
He was humble and polite, and quite knowledgeable, making him one of the most outstanding students at Wutong Academy.
I'm sure I'll be on the list in next year's imperial examination.
Outsiders say that the Ruan family at least has a promising prospect.
Even Consort Wu told Consort Ruan that it didn't matter if the other younger generations were not promising, but if Ruan Xingzhi passed the imperial examination in the future, it would be enough to save face for Consort Ruan. Princess Yongxin said this to Song Zhimin.
Song Zhimin vaguely remembered these things.
The old Song Zhimin rarely went out, and even if she knew a few words, it was from the conversations of the servants at home.
This Ruan family...
"Did the second and third young ladies of the Ruan family not have the same concubine?" Song Zhimian suddenly asked.
Xiao Ruanruan and Princess Yongxin both nodded immediately.
"Yes! They were indeed born to the same concubine, and those two concubines didn't get along very well!"
Consort Ruan's brother took five concubines, making the inner quarters far from peaceful.
"It's also because of the Ruan family that Consort Ruan has had a lot of worries. She walks on thin ice in the harem and also has to support her family... Her life must not be very comfortable," Xiao Ruanruan said.
Song Zhimian hummed in agreement, and then asked a question.
"When the Prince of Wu was first granted the title and went out to establish his own residence, were Consort Ruan and Consort Wu not on good terms at that time?"
Xiao Ruanruan and Princess Yongxin were both stunned.
How did Song Zhimian find out?
When the King of Wu was first enfeoffed and established his own residence, Consort Wu did not particularly favor Consort Ruan.
I heard that he reprimanded Consort Ruan several times in front of the other concubines...
Princess Yongxin grew up in the palace, and Xiao Ruanruan frequently visited the inner palace, so it's normal for them to know this news.
How did Song Zhimian, who was raised in seclusion, find out...?
"Then suddenly all those things happened that the eldest son of the Ruan family caused."
Later, news spread that Consort Ruan's family was not respectable.
Then everyone felt sorry for Consort Ruan.
At the same time, everyone in the palace felt that Consort Ruan was no longer a threat.
"The King of Wu can only rely on other princes..." Song Zhimian did not continue speaking.
Xiao Ruanruan and Princess Yongxin were not fools; they immediately understood what Song Zhimian meant.
Why would the Ruan family cause such a series of troubles?
Every time something goes wrong, who doesn't say behind her back that Consort Ruan is pitiful? And Prince Wu is pitiful?
Even His Majesty would feel sorry for Consort Ruan!
All the officials in the court would think that the King of Wu was the least likely to ascend to the throne!
After all, without a powerful maternal family, what could the King of Wu use to compete with others?
And the times when the Ruan family caused trouble... weren't they all when the princes were at odds with each other?
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