Seeing that Chen was still hesitating, the Eighth Prince's wife asked, "Chen, if there is anything you are not satisfied with, just say it. I will do my best to satisfy you. Is it because you think the money is not enough? I will find a way. If all else fails, I will give you all the silver that the Eighth Prince has accumulated over the years. As long as you agree, it will all be yours."
Madam Chen shook her head and stammered, "Please forgive me, Your Highness. It's not about the money. It's just that I'm only a concubine. If I leave, I'll be left with two children and nowhere to live. I can't go back to my family home either. I'll have no one to rely on. It's not safe for a woman like me to be out in the world. How am I supposed to survive? It's better to stay in the Eighth Prince's residence. At least there are servants to take care of us. Besides, the Emperor might not harm us."
The Eighth Prince's wife was so enraged by Chen's weakness and stupidity that she wanted to unleash a torrent of abuse. She stood up, wanting to teach Chen a lesson, but seeing Chen's frightened expression and remembering that she still needed Chen's help, she knew she couldn't afford to offend her if she scolded her. So, the Eighth Prince's wife suppressed her murderous urge and couldn't help but sigh. She realized that she had never spoken to Chen so humbly before. The other concubines and maids were always so cautious and timid around her, always moving with the utmost respect. They would obey her every command, going left or right as she pleased—when had they ever been so restrained?
But now, even though I'm begging her so much, she still won't agree. If it weren't for the fact that only this Chen woman could save the Eighth Prince's bloodline, I wouldn't even give her a second glance.
The Eighth Princess Consort thought to herself, "If she has a chance to escape this calamity, she must teach Chen a lesson and show her what it means to be obedient."
For the sake of the Eighth Prince and their children, the Eighth Princess had to lower herself, suppress her anger, and patiently say to Madam Chen, "Madam Chen, think about it, with money, are you afraid of not having a place to live? Your own private savings, plus the Eighth Prince's savings over the years, are enough for the three of them to live on for several lifetimes. From now on, you will control all this money, and you will be the mother of the two children."
Madam Chen was already tempted by the Fujin's private savings, and now that the Eighth Prince's accumulated silver was added to the mix, she was even more reluctant to give it up.
She hesitated and said, "Well... I know that, but how can I get out?"
Seeing that she had relented, the Eighth Prince's wife continued, "Aren't you and Consort Xi cousins? As long as you can get Consort Xi to help you and the Fourth Prince release you and your children from the mansion, given the Emperor's favor towards Consort Xi, it's a piece of cake. Once you're outside, you can just buy a new mansion and become the master of it. As for servants, you can just hire more. With money, countless people will line up to serve you. You won't have to be ordered around or suffer resentment anymore. If you're worried about safety, don't worry, I have family members who will secretly look after you. So you can rest assured."
Only then did Madam Chen understand what the Eighth Prince's wife meant. She lowered her head and thought for a while. She knew Lanqin's personality. If she asked, Lanqin would definitely help. If she went out and had a lot of money, she wouldn't need to rely on anyone, nor would she need to take anyone's orders. With her own house, she could do whatever she wanted.
Even if her family begs her to go back, she won't.
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