Qingying and Madam Pan entered the room and saw Madam Luo sitting blankly on the edge of the bed without saying a word.
"Sister-in-law, what are you doing? You're pregnant and you don't even care about your health."
Madam Luo raised her eyes slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I understand, sister-in-law. It won't happen again..."
Qingying asked in bewilderment, "Why is Aunt ruining her body like this? Even if you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about the baby in your belly."
Luo raised her hand to her abdomen, then suddenly changed her expression and pressed her hands tightly against her stomach through her clothes.
Qingying and Madam Pan were both startled and quickly stepped forward to stop her, prying her hands apart from the left and right.
Pan shouted angrily, "Are you crazy!"
Luo's eyes were red-rimmed, her expression almost insane, and she said hoarsely, "Yes, I'm crazy! You all keep talking about children, but has any of you ever thought about me!"
Madam Pan didn't understand why she was acting this way. She pressed down on her hand and coldly scolded, "It's a woman's duty to marry and have children. How can you argue with an unborn child? I think you've really lost your mind! If your mother-in-law hears this, how will you ever be able to live in this household again?"
Two clear tears streamed down Luo's face, her already haggard complexion turning even paler. She choked out, "But why?"
Qingying frowned and said coldly, "Auntie, do you still have feelings for that Gu Sheng?"
She shook her head. "No, I won't study anymore... You wouldn't understand. You were born into privilege, you wouldn't understand my situation..."
She struggled to pull her hand away, covered her face and wept bitterly, tears streaming through her fingers and dripping onto the bedding, leaving a small puddle.
Her voice became hoarse, filled with sobs, "You might think I'm just making a fuss over nothing. Yes, from being a lowly merchant's daughter to becoming the second wife of a great general, I'm already incredibly fortunate. What more could I ask for? But... I hate it! No one has ever respected me, no one has ever cared about me! Those I loved, those I believed in, those I gave my all to, all betrayed me. They all betrayed me!"
Pan sighed deeply, as if exhaling from her lungs, filled with helplessness. Seemingly empathetic, she opened her arms and embraced Luo, gently and slowly stroking her back like she was comforting a child.
Qingying stood aside watching them, silently observing them with confusion, bewilderment, and a hint of helplessness in her eyes.
...
After returning from the west courtyard, Qingying sat in the courtyard lost in thought, looking at the book in her hand for a long time without turning a single page.
Just then, a maid came to deliver a message: "Miss, the Seventh Prince has arrived and specifically requests to see you."
Qingying frowned and put down her book. "It's been almost half a month since he last entered the palace. Why is he only coming now?"
As soon as she returned to the manor, she began to feign illness, and this act lasted for more than ten days. The news that was released spread like wildfire for a few days before quickly subsiding, and people thought that the people in the palace did not take the matter to heart.
It turns out he was just good at keeping his composure.
Qingying went to the reception room without even changing her clothes.
Wei Huaichong was the first to see her, a look of amazement flashing in his eyes.
The last time I saw her, she was dressed in a gorgeous gown and adorned with jewels, standing out among a group of equally gaudy noblewomen. Now, she was dressed in a simple, plain white dress, her dark hair adorned only with a single red jade hairpin. Her face was unmade-up, and although she appeared slightly pale, it did not detract from her beauty; instead, it added a touch of fragility, like the delicate and beautiful Xi Shi described in the book, who was frail yet still ethereal and otherworldly.
She's only fourteen and already has such beauty; one can only imagine how stunning she will be when she's sixteen.
No wonder she could move the heart of Wei Huaixu, who was usually indifferent to women.
Qingying came up to him and bowed. He personally got up and helped her up, saying, "I heard that Miss Liu fell ill after returning from the palace, but she looks quite well now."
Qingying didn't even raise her head, maintaining a respectful demeanor, but her words were anything but polite: "Your Highness is joking. It's been almost half a month since I returned from the palace. If I weren't dying, this illness would have healed by now."
Wei Huaichong paused for a moment, then lowered his eyelashes to conceal the turmoil in his eyes, and said softly, "That's true. That matter... it's my fault. I didn't control my strength well when I was practicing swordsmanship and almost hurt you. Today I've come to apologize to you in person."
Qingying smiled gently and said softly, "It's alright. I know Your Highness did it unintentionally and didn't take it to heart. My illness is just because I was weak to begin with. It has nothing to do with Your Highness. Your Highness doesn't need to blame yourself."
"As expected of the daughter of a great general, you are indeed magnanimous. However, even if you don't hold it against me, I am here to apologize. You must accept those gifts, otherwise I won't be able to explain to my mother when I return to the palace, will I?"
Qingying originally wanted him to admit his mistake, so her words were just a pretense of refusal. Since he insisted on giving her the gift, she could only "reluctantly" accept it.
"This humble girl thanks Your Highness and the Imperial Concubine."
"Miss Liu, there's no need for such formalities. You deserve this."
After seeing Wei Huaichong off, Qingying had someone take stock of the gifts he had sent.
Madam Wang glanced at it briefly and said in a nonchalant tone, "The Seventh Prince's gift is quite sincere."
Qingying felt that she was being modest; she was actually quite sincere. Gold and silver jewelry, silk and satin, century-old ginseng, thousand-year-old lingzhi mushrooms... Anyone who didn't know better would think she was there to propose marriage to the General's Mansion.
Pan said, "Now the harem is managed by Consort Yan, so this little bit is nothing to her."
The Empress Dowager and Consort Yan were aunt and niece, and the Empress Dowager's brother and Consort Yan's father was none other than Yan Xiuji, the Grand Secretary of the court.
It's not hard to guess that the reason the Emperor hasn't established a new Empress for so many years isn't necessarily because he loves the late Empress so much, but rather because he's worried about the power of the Empress's relatives.
"Shushu, our Liu family absolutely cannot form a marriage alliance with the Yan family," Madam Wang said slowly, looking at her.
Qingying nodded and replied, "Granddaughter understands."
Pan asked, "Have you had any contact with His Highness the Crown Prince recently?"
Qingying was stunned for a moment, thinking that she had admired the moon with him last night. He stood outside the window as always, the clear moonlight shining through the gaps in the shadows of the trees and falling on his black robe, just like the night sky dotted with stars. It was as if he was wearing the summer night on his body.
"Shushu? Shushu?"
Pan called her several times before she heard him.
She hurriedly gathered her thoughts and came to her senses, feeling somewhat flustered: "No... I haven't seen him for a long time."
Madam Pan looked at her and frowned. "What were you thinking about so intently just now?"
"Yesterday, the eldest daughter of the Xie family sent me an invitation, inviting me to travel with her in a few days. I would like to ask my mother for permission first."
"Just for this?" Madam Pan's brows relaxed, and she smiled, saying, "Go if you want. It's already summer, but you still need to take care of yourself and not get into the water."
"Mother, I'm not a child anymore."
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