"Xinghui greets the princess!" Xinghui saw that Yan Yu was wearing a magenta brocade robe with snow fox fur trim, sitting upright on the warm couch and reviewing the various expenses of the household after the New Year.
"Big brother is here! What are you doing, big brother? Hurry up and do it, little sister will pay her respects to the Deputy Commander!" When Yan Yu saw Xing Hui arrive, she immediately stood up, smiled and closed the booklet in her hand.
"Be careful, little sister, your belly is quite big," Xinghui said politely, and then sat down in the guest seat.
After Yan Yu signaled Yun Yuan to apply the needle, she dismissed all the maids in the room, leaving only the two siblings. Even Yun Yuan left.
"How are things going with your brother's side?" Yan Yu asked directly, stroking her five-month pregnant belly.
“Yan Yu, I’ve come today to tell you that it’s best not to create that strange phenomenon you mentioned. Fourth Prince is still just a prince. If a strange phenomenon occurs before his offspring are even born, wouldn’t it arouse the Emperor’s displeasure? The Crown Prince is still residing in Minqing Palace. Therefore, creating such a phenomenon at this time might not be of much help to your unborn child, but could even bring him trouble.” Xinghui said, his tone completely different from before.
Yan Yu had been brimming with pride, eagerly anticipating Xinghui's update on the situation, but upon hearing these words, she felt a pang of displeasure. She had desperately hoped to gain a promotion through this child. But Xinghui's words at this crucial moment truly displeased her.
"Big brother, you had already agreed on this, so why are you saying this now? Didn't your eldest sister give you some benefits?" Yan Yu raised an eyebrow. After all, they were siblings, and she could guess pretty much what each of them was thinking.
Seeing that he couldn't hide it any longer, Xinghui had no choice but to say frankly, "Xiayu is, after all, the principal wife, and she is highly regarded by Father. You've been under her command, so don't overthink it. She is, after all, your elder sister, and she won't mistreat you."
Seeing that Xinghui was completely siding with the Fujin, Yan Yu threw a tantrum and said, "Take my child and raise it yourself. Is that what you call not mistreating me?"
Xinghui also knew that this Ninth Sister had been precocious since childhood. Although she was born out of wedlock, she was favored by Fei Yanggu because of her young age, so she always surpassed her legitimate older brothers and sisters.
But the distinction between嫡 (legitimate) and 庶 (illegitimate) children was a crucial moral rule in feudal society. How could a 庶 (illegitimate) daughter compete with a嫡 (legitimate) wife? Both were daughters of Fei Yanggu, yet one became the principal wife of a prince, while the other could only be a princess.
Seeing that she and Xinghui couldn't agree on anything, Yan Yu excused herself, saying she wasn't feeling well, effectively telling him to leave. Xinghui, realizing she wouldn't listen, shook his head and got up to leave.
The Fujin (principal wife) did indeed speak to him, analyzing the implications and scolding him for his foolishness. The fact that Wuge inherited Feiyanggu's title was the emperor's will; to choose a son of a concubine over a legitimate son was a challenge to feudal morality. The Fujin warned him not to follow Yan Yu's reckless actions, as she wouldn't be able to handle any uncontrollable situations that arose.
After giving Xinghui a few good whacks, the Fujin (principal wife) didn't forget to offer him some sweet treats, promising that she would definitely remove the "deputy" title from his official name.
Yan Yu never expected that her elder sister was so capable, that she had already seen through everything she had done, and that she had already taken action to deal with Xinghui beforehand.
"Damn it!" Yan Yu suddenly overturned the account book on the table and shouted angrily.
"Princess, be careful, your hands hurt." Seeing that Yan Yu was quite angry, Fang Yun quickly went forward to pick up the account book that she had thrown on the ground and went to her side to comfort her.
"Yeah, she deliberately showed me these things, then tripped me up behind my back. I really underestimated my older sister," Yan Yu said angrily, her chest heaving.
“Actually, it’s not that difficult for you to get promoted to a higher rank sooner, Princess. Now that Lady Li has been deposed, her position as a secondary consort is vacant. If you give birth to a prince, who will be the sister of the primary consort, it would be a natural progression for you to be promoted.” Fangyun carefully observed Yan Yu’s expression and tried to comfort her.
“But I’m afraid she won’t be so easy to talk to. She’ll definitely try to negotiate with me. For example, she might ask me to adopt the child I gave birth to.” Yan Yu said, twisting her handkerchief.
"Your Highness is overthinking it. Now that the Princess Consort has the Fourth Prince, in my opinion, it's time for Your Highness to worry about him. If the Princess Consort makes him the legitimate heir, it will be very disadvantageous for our youngest prince." Fangyun was, to say the least, a very quick-witted person.
Yan Yu raised an eyebrow and said, "That is, after all, Li's child. How could the Fujin truly treat the son of her enemy?"
"Princess, don't forget, the Fourth Prince is only a little over a year old. He doesn't know who his birth mother is at all. I'm afraid that if he's raised under the Fujin's care from now on, he'll recognize her as his birth mother. Princess, you should make the Fujin gradually dislike the Fourth Prince, or even get rid of him, to ensure that the little prince in your belly will have a chance to be made heir apparent from birth," Fangyun advised.
Her words jolted Yan Yu awake. She had been so focused on becoming a concubine so she could raise her child by her side, but she had forgotten that the Fourth Prince was now being raised by his primary wife. If that child became the legitimate heir, wouldn't he be a level above her own children?
Thus, a conspiracy targeting the Fourth Prince Hongshi gradually fermented in Yan Yu's heart.
However, Lady Li never imagined that the son she gave birth to would later become the "legitimate son" that the Fujin (principal wife) had always relied on. She took Honghui away, but compensated the Fujin with her own son as a substitute.
The Fourth Prince and his wife's celebrations at the palace lasted until the fifteenth of the lunar calendar, finally coming to an end. During this time, nothing major happened in the mansion, except that someone came to report that Lady Li in the East Courtyard had fallen ill.
When the Fourth Master learned of this, he ordered Doctor Zhou to take a look. After all, she had given birth to two sons and a daughter with him, and he couldn't be too heartless for the sake of the children.
After taking Li's pulse again, Dr. Zhou found that her pulse was getting weaker and weaker, as if she had been poisoned, but he could not diagnose what kind of poison it was.
Just as Doctor Zhou finished packing his medicine box and was about to tell Fourth Master about Li's condition, a pair of master and servant went inside right after Doctor Zhou left.
After Mingyan tucked the bedding into Li's bed, she was about to pour her some hot tea when she saw the Fujin (principal wife) helping Li's nanny in.
"Mingyan, come out with me. The Fujin (principal wife) has a few important words to say to your mistress," said Granny Li.
At this moment, Madam Li opened her eyes and saw the woman standing not far from her bed. She moved her lips and said, "Nala Xiayu, you are so vicious. You have harmed me like this, and you are not satisfied. Now you are poisoning me."
The Fujin looked at Li Shi, who was lying on the bed on her deathbed, and said with a cold smile, "It is impolite to reciprocate. Don't think I don't know what you have done."
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