The day of the Fifth Princess Biechuk's third-day celebration arrived. Just like when Ushiha was given her third-day celebration, Lanqin was still lying in bed, watching the Fourth Prince, his wife, and the women of the mansion all surrounding Biechuk for her third-day celebration.
Song deliberately stood beside Nian and carefully examined her wrist. Sure enough, she was still wearing the same bracelet. When everyone's attention was on Bechuk, Song tugged at Nian's sleeve and whispered a few words in her ear. Nian looked at Song with disbelief for a few moments before responding.
After the baby's third-day celebration, it's time to give gifts.
The Fourth Prince presented Wuxiha with a set of white jade jewelry; the Princess Consort, as usual, presented a gold lock and necklace; the others presented gifts including small clothes, socks, shoes, and hats. After exchanging a few auspicious words, the Fourth Prince dismissed them and sent them home. Song Shi naturally stayed behind to keep them company, as did Geng Shi.
Fourth Master originally wanted to spend more time with Lanqin. He had specially taken a day off to celebrate Biechuke's third-day memorial service and to spend more time with Lanqin.
"My lord, I would like to have a private chat with my sisters. Why don't you go to the study and read some books?" Lanqin said to the Fourth Prince.
Upon hearing this, both Madam Song and Madam Geng looked at Fourth Master with embarrassment and surprise. They thought to themselves that they were hoping that Fourth Master would come to their room, but he was actually kicking them out.
Fourth Master glanced at Lanqin a few times, then actually lifted his foot and walked out.
"Sister, has Nian left?" Lanqin asked casually.
"I told her to wait for me at the pavilion outside the South Courtyard. I'll go find her now," Madam Song said hurriedly.
Seeing that Song and Lanqin seemed to have made some kind of agreement, Geng asked in confusion, "Qin'er, what do you want her to do with?" Geng was thoroughly fed up with Nian's domineering attitude when she went out with her to serve the Fourth Master.
"Sister Geng, do you know how Nian miscarried?" Lanqin asked without responding to Geng's question.
"She even tried to frame me back then, but she actually miscarried. Perhaps old age has its eyes, and she got what she deserved." Geng still felt lingering fear when she mentioned that incident. If Nian hadn't miscarried and had instead used that incident to harm her, she didn't know if she would still be standing here today.
"Sister, don't act rashly. The matter I asked you today concerns the Fujin (wife of the Nian family). Think carefully about how Nian was miscarried," Lanqin said.
Upon hearing Lanqin's words, Geng thought carefully about everything that had happened to Nian during that time, and finally shook her head and said, "I didn't have much contact with her; we each lived in our own rooms. It seems that she suddenly started having a miscarriage. Master also went to fetch a doctor, who said that it was because she had been in contact with musk for a long time. But the doctor searched all her belongings and still couldn't find it."
Lanqin later heard that Nian had miscarried outside, but she didn't know the specific reason. When she suddenly heard Geng say it was musk, her heart skipped a beat and she thought to herself: It's musk again!
After leaving the south courtyard, Madam Song walked towards a small pavilion not far away, where she had arranged to meet Madam Nian.
"Princess, why did Madam Song suddenly call you?" Cui Ling sat with Madam Nian in the small pavilion, the cold autumn wind wrinkling their delicate skin. Cui Ling rubbed her hands together as she asked. Madam Nian was wearing a cotton shawl and holding a small hand warmer, so she wasn't cold, but Cui Ling was quite chilly.
"She told me she could help me find out who caused my miscarriage!" Mrs. Nian's tone at this moment was as cold as the temperature in late autumn, startlingly so.
“Princess, we were outside at the time, how did Princess Song know why you miscarried?” Cui Ling asked, puzzled.
"Hmph, since she said that, let's go over and listen to what tricks she's up to. Lately, there are only two people on my mind: one is Niohuru, who just gave birth to a daughter, and the other is that Yehe woman," said Lady Nian with resentment.
Seeing that Nian was unhappy, Cui Ling quickly comforted her, "That wretched girl Tao Hua hasn't figured out why Ye He Shi is favored. She did accept the princess's seven-colored tourmaline bracelet."
A glint of light flashed in Nian's eyes as she said, "You have to put some pressure on Peach Blossom from time to time, otherwise how can she find out the truth as quickly as possible?"
Cui Ling nodded quickly and agreed. Just then, Song Shi and Qing Ping came over.
"I've been waiting here for my sister for quite some time," said Madam Nian, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips.
"Thank you for waiting here, sister. Let's go together to see the concubine." Madam Song said without further ado.
"Is this matter also related to the concubine?" Lady Nian, unaware of the details, became even more suspicious upon hearing Lady Song's words.
“That’s right, come with me. The concubine has the same jade bead as you. You’ll see when you go over,” said Madam Song.
Lady Nian was surprised. When the Fujin (principal wife) gave her this bracelet, she didn't mention that she would also give one to the concubine.
The two then turned and headed towards the south courtyard. Lanqin was reclining in the room reading when she heard footsteps and knew it was Song and the others. Geng, who had been sitting nearby instructing Cui Niang on her embroidery, also quickly turned her head to look at the doorway. Lanqin had already briefly explained the situation to her, and now she was also eager to know what the problem was with the pair of beads.
Sure enough, Madam Song and Madam Nian returned one after the other. Cui Niang quickly moved chairs for the three of them and placed them next to Lanqin's bed, so that the three princesses could sit down.
"Consort, I heard from Sister Song that you also have a bracelet like this?" Lady Nian couldn't wait any longer and asked impatiently.
Lanqin smiled slightly at Cui Niang, signaling her to take out the string of beads immediately. Nian Shi looked at the bracelet in Lanqin's hand, couldn't help but stand up and walk over to it. After looking at it, she immediately took off her own bracelet and placed it in Lanqin's hand as well.
Several people gathered around and examined the two bracelets closely; they were indeed identical.
“This string of beads was given to me by Lady Yehe. She said it was part of her dowry given to her by her mother. But I suspect it was also given to her by her wife. Yet she gave it to me,” Lanqin said.
“How can something given by the Princess Consort be given away to someone else so easily!” said Madam Song.
"Is it said that Princess Nian's miscarriage was caused by the musk she was exposed to?" Lanqin asked, seeing Nian's increasingly surprised expression.
"That's right. I was less than two months pregnant at the time, but I was poisoned by some kind of musk. However, I could never find where the musk was." Madam Nian said with heartache, thinking of the child who had only stayed in her body for a little over a month.
“When I was five or six months old, I was also diagnosed with musk poisoning. And that bracelet was already with me at that time,” Lan Qin said, referring to everything.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
