Lanqin understood. Her daughters, in these kinds of social situations, didn't like saying things they didn't mean, nor did they like flattering others. But that's society, that's reality.
Lanqin knew that her daughters were destined to be princesses, waiting for others to pamper them. But they would also get married one day and grow old. How long could their status help them then?
"This makes you unhappy? Then why don't you go and chat with someone else about something you're interested in? Why do you have to stay on the sidelines, full of resentment and unwillingness?" Lanqin angrily tapped Wuxiha's head and touched Bechuk's cheek.
"I know, Mother. Doesn't Thirteenth Sister-in-law have any children?" Ushiha suddenly asked.
"Hmm. Your thirteenth uncle hasn't returned yet, so where is she going to give birth?" Lanqin said, thinking about how the thirteenth master had been punished to beekeeping alley for eight years. Zhao Jia's life has really been tough! But seeing her radiant face today, she doesn't look like a woman without a husband by her side at all.
"Mother, why hasn't Uncle Thirteen returned? Where did he go?" Bechuk asked, frowning. Zhaojia had given them many gifts, so they were quite close to her and genuinely cared for her when they asked these questions.
"It's not that he doesn't want to come back, it's that your imperial grandfather hasn't asked him to return yet," Lanqin said softly. She didn't know how to explain the Thirteenth Prince's situation to them, so she changed the subject, "Tell your mother quickly, what interesting things did you see at the temple fair?"
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Yongwang Mansion, stood a graceful young woman, beside whom stood the mistress of the mansion—Ulanara.
"Ying'er, take this letter back and give it to your father. It's not that your aunt doesn't want to help with Hongshi's matter, but the Prince has already made a verbal agreement with someone." The Fujin took out a letter from her horse-hoof sleeve and handed it to Xueying.
As the sun set, the golden rays bathed Ulanara Xueying in a golden glow, making her seem to radiate boundless light.
Xueying silently accepted the letter and said to Ulanara, "Then Xueying will bid farewell to Aunt. Aunt, please take good care of yourself. I will come to visit you again next time."
As they were talking, Xueying was facing the Fujin (principal wife), and she happened to see the person hiding inside the gate who was looking in her direction.
The boy Cheng Liang's shiny forehead flashed by in the doorway; she only saw his shoes and a corner of his robe.
"Alright, then go ahead. Be careful on the road," Ulanara said to the coachman.
After Xueying boarded the carriage with the help of her maid, the person inside the door peeked out again and looked at Xueying's back.
The carriage finally left the Yong Prince's residence. As the carriage disappeared into the distance, the Princess Consort suddenly remembered how proud she was when she was the same age as Xueying, being betrothed by the Emperor to the Fourth Prince as his primary wife.
I was full of vigor back then, but who would have thought what kind of life I've been living all these years?
The princess sighed; she was unwilling to accept this. Now that Hongshi's marriage was arranged, she was only waiting for Lady Irgen to enter the family.
As the Fujin turned to enter, she found someone standing inside. Upon seeing her, the person immediately took a few steps back, but finally stopped and whispered, "Empress."
Hongzhou!
The princess looked at the boy in front of her and was surprised to see how tall he had grown.
"You've been here the whole time?" the princess asked, concealing her surprise.
"No, it was Hongzhou who just happened to be passing by. Was that cousin Xueying who just left?" Hongzhou asked. The children in this household are, in name only, the Fujin's children, so naturally they are all cousins of Xueying.
“She’s not your cousin, she’s a year or two older than you!” The Fujin said, sizing up Hongzhou. The boy had clearly looked a little uncomfortable when he lied. These subtle changes couldn’t escape the Fujin’s shrewd eyes, and she concluded that this Fifth Prince had taken a liking to her niece!
Just as she was pondering this, the sound of carriage wheels rolling on the ground came from the doorway again; it was Lanqin's carriage returning.
As soon as Lanqin stepped off the carriage, she saw the Fujin standing at the door, and surprisingly, Hongzhou was also standing inside. She was immediately stunned by the sight before her.
"This humble servant greets the Fujin!" Lanqin had no choice but to bow to Ulanara. She was positioned just below the steps, and her slight bow made the Fujin standing on the steps appear even more superior.
The Fujin looked down at Lanqin, and her lips involuntarily drooped. Just then, Ushiha and Bechuk also came down, walked behind Lanqin, and greeted the Fujin.
"Where did Consort Niu take the Fourth and Fifth Princesses?" Consort Niu wondered, seeing that they had only returned at this hour.
"It was a flower viewing party held at the Thirteenth Prince's residence, and I took them to join in the fun. I wonder why the Prince is standing here. It's getting late, be careful not to catch a chill. I'll take them back first." Seeing that the Prince didn't mention it, Lanqin got up herself. Anyway, she and the Princess were already irreconcilable enemies.
"Hongzhou, what are you doing here?" Wuxiha saw Hongzhou standing inside the door, unsure whether to leave or stay.
"Well, I just happened to be passing by and saw my stepmother escorting my cousin Xueying, so I came over to take a look," Hongzhou said, blushing slightly.
Lanqin looked at him and couldn't help but notice the strangeness in his expression. She thought to herself, "Oh no, Hongzhou is not even twelve years old yet, and he's already fallen for a woman."
"Hehe, the Fourth Princess and the Fifth Princess have grown up so much, and your mother has never heard you call me 'mother' before!" The Fujin was quite displeased to see Wuxiha acting so unreservedly in front of her.
Ushiha and Bechuk had only followed behind Lanqin and bowed, without calling out to her.
When Lanqin saw that the Fujin suddenly said this, she knew that she had seized on the mistakes of Wuxiha and Bechuk, so she could only give the two of them a wink.
After hesitating for a moment, Bechuk said to his wife, "Mother, it's windy at the gate, so let's go back soon."
Ushiha, however, seemed a little awkward. She kept her head up and refused to go and call for the Fujin (wife).
The princess looked at Ushiha with a cold face, but turned her head to Bechuk and said, "Good child, then your mother will go in first."
After the Fujin left, Lanqin said to Hongzhou, "You keep asking me, why are you here?"
Hongzhou was already quite familiar with Lanqin, and seeing that Lanqin seemed very angry, he couldn't help but feel a little scared. He had just been caught by his primary wife, and now he had been caught by Lanqin. If he didn't report this to his father, his father would say that he was too young to be thinking about young girls.
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