The cannon fodder character in the Dream of the Red Chamber's story of a substitute bride tries her best to rewrite her life 13...
Jia Hui was eager to know the truth, so she summoned the little system and asked it to keep an eye on the Eighth Prince's residence for the next few days to see if the Eighth Prince's wife had been drugged.
More than a month later, the system finally replied: "You were indeed infected. Guess who administered the drug?"
Jia Hui blurted out a lie: "It couldn't possibly be the family physician, could it?"
The little system bounced up: "You guessed right, there was a physician from the Imperial Physician. This is a gang operation."
The imperial physician was responsible for providing Zhu Yanjin, while Mo Xiang, the maidservant of the Eighth Prince's wife, was responsible for administering the medicine.
Another maid, Hongxiu, assisted them; the three of them worked together, no wonder it took them so long to find the person.
Jia Hui asked in confusion, "It's understandable that the two maids have a grudge against the Eighth Prince's wife, since she often beats and scolds them. What is the reason for this, Your Majesty's wife?"
"Actually, the three of them were avenging one person. When Consort Liang was still Noble Lady Wei, she had a palace maid named Hongyu by her side."
This Hongyu was not only beautiful, but also gentle and capable. Consort Wei relied on her greatly and bestowed her upon the Eighth Prince as a trial marriage maid.
Later, she became a princess in the Eighth Prince's harem. The Eighth Prince liked her very much, and since she was given to him by his own mother, he did not neglect her even after he married the Eighth Prince's wife.
Later, Hongyu became pregnant, and the Eighth Prince's wife tried to abort the child in her womb. Unexpectedly, both she and her unborn child died, and Hongyu also perished.
When the maid named Moxiang fell ill, it was Hongyu who spent all her money and braved the heavy snow to run to the Imperial Hospital to beg for medicine, saving her life. For this, she was punished by Consort Hui by being made to kneel for several hours.
The maid named Hongxiu is Hongyu's younger sister, born of the same mother. She has come to avenge her sister.
The imperial physician was Hongyu's former sweetheart. Hongyu entered the palace to earn money so that her younger sister could have a better life under her stepmother.
She actually had someone she liked long ago and had been hoping to leave the palace at the age of twenty-five to marry her beloved.
As a result, Consort Wei bestowed her upon the Eighth Prince. Helpless, she could only ask someone to tell him that she had changed her mind and that he should marry another bride and live a good life.
The physician didn't believe it, so he asked around and received the devastating news that Hongyu had miscarried and suffered a postpartum hemorrhage.
In order to investigate the cause of Hongyu's death, he was recommended by a senior brother to become the physician in the Eighth Prince's residence, where he met Moxiang and Hongxiu.
The three hit it off immediately and meticulously devised a plan to avenge Hongyu.
The saying goes, "To kill someone, you must first destroy their spirit." What did the Eighth Prince's wife care about most? And what did they want her to lose?
Zhu Yanjin, one of the Eighth Prince's consorts, suffered a non-fatal injury, but it rendered her infertile. It also caused her to lose control of her emotions, leading to discord in her marriage.
Jia Hui clicked her tongue in admiration: "Those three are quite ruthless, aren't they? They caused her even more pain than killing the Eighth Prince's wife."
The little system snorted: "Cause and effect are cyclical, and retribution is inevitable. You reap what you sow. Even if it's bitter, you can't blame anyone else."
"Let me tell you, she doesn't deserve any sympathy. She's been trying to get rid of your baby these past few days."
Jia Hui snorted coldly: "Keep dreaming, all of you. I don't think her fate is tragic enough."
Go and put up a bad luck charm for the Eighth Prince, so that he and his wife can experience what happens when they offend their mother.
Tongzi looked astonished: "No, Huihui, you've got it wrong. Shouldn't it be given to the Eighth Prince's wife?"
“Teach your son in public, teach your wife in bed. If the Eighth Prince’s wife makes a mistake, does the Eighth Prince, as her bedmate, have no fault at all?”
Since he's wrong, what's wrong with pinning the blame on him? They're husband and wife, one entity; if the Eighth Prince suffers misfortune, the Eighth Princess Consort will feel even worse.
The little system felt that Jia Hui's words made a lot of sense, but something felt off, though it couldn't quite put its finger on what it was.
The talisman was quite powerful; that very afternoon, I heard that the Eighth Prince's horse had suddenly come to an abrupt stop while running.
The Eighth Prince was thrown out, landing on his buttocks. He wasn't seriously injured, but the humiliation was extremely intense.
The Eighth Prince was carried back in a sedan chair, but halfway there the sedan chair broke, and the Eighth Prince was injured a second time.
The Ninth Prince was about to visit the Emperor at his residence when the Tenth Prince stopped him: "My dear Ninth Brother, don't be foolish. Father Emperor is still angry."
Our title of Prince was hard-won, because he angered Father Emperor and demoted us to bald princes, making us a laughing stock in front of all the brothers.
Anyone with eyes can see that Eighth Sister-in-law and Mingrui and his wife are at odds. If you get involved, won't you be caught in the middle?
And another thing, there's something strange about the myna bird incident. Think about it, we've been riding horses since we were kids, and whose horse isn't carefully selected and meticulously trained? How could it have just thrown off? And why did the sedan chair just happen to break?
Something feels really off. Anyway, I think we should wait and see.
After observing this, the Ninth Prince wondered if his Eighth Brother had really offended someone as the Tenth Prince had said. How could someone be so unlucky?
He felt it was best to avoid too much contact with the myna bird for the time being. He would go to great lengths for the myna bird, but he couldn't bear to share its misfortune.
The bad luck was secondary; the real problem was the embarrassment. The unlucky charm that the little system gave the Eighth Prince wasn't the kind that was powerful from the start; it was a free trial version that they'd gotten from a mission taker who went to the cultivation world.
The effect is only one-third of what's sold in the system store, and the key point is that it's free. That task master likes to improve talismans, so this one is more of a prank talisman than an unlucky talisman.
If you stick it on someone, it will cause them to experience a series of bizarre and unfortunate events over the next six months. Unless you're trying to kill yourself, you'll only suffer minor injuries each time.
For someone like the Eighth Prince, who cherishes his reputation and is very concerned about his image, the damage was minimal, but the insult was extremely strong.
Emperor Kangxi has been quite troubled lately. Ever since he angrily stripped the Eighth Prince of his title and made him a bald prince, that good-for-nothing prince seems to have become a jinx. He's useless at everything, and always the first to get injured.
Whenever he saw Li Dequan enter with a stooped posture and a hesitant expression, he knew that Lao Ba had been injured again.
Emperor Kangxi looked helpless: "What is it now? Just say what you have to say. Are you trying to drive me crazy by beating around the bush?"
Li Dequan bowed even lower: "Your Majesty, the Eighth Prince slipped and fell this morning when he went out... and pulled on that spot!"
Kangxi looked astonished: "Are you sure?"
Li Dequan lowered his head, and Kangxi suddenly found it a little funny. He coughed twice and said, "Since he's injured, let the Eighth Prince rest and recuperate at home. By the way, don't come to the palace for now."
Emperor Kangxi thought that this jinx should stay in his residence and avoid coming to the palace. He wasn't afraid, but it would be bad if he offended the Empress Dowager.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, a servant reports that the Eighth Prince has been injured again."
Nersu urged the butler, "Stop being so mysterious, just tell me, did you bump into something, fall, or get your foot caught in the door this time?"
The butler gloated, "This time he slipped and fell on the way out, tearing his balls..."
Nersu looked at the butler in disbelief: "No way? How painful must that be!"
With her pregnant belly, Jia Hui's expression was exactly the same as Nersu's. After her initial surprise, she waved to the little system: "System, you must get along well with that talisman master's system!"
"It's okay if you can't get the freebies, we can still buy them. Use your points as much as you want, buy a lot, her talismans are amazing."
996 chuckled twice: "Don't worry, the boss's system is my senior sister. She's very good to me and likes to give me talismans and pills all the time."
I got you a few bottles of some common medicine pills that are good for the fetus during pregnancy, as well as some medicines to help with pregnancy and a smooth delivery. Remember to read the instructions and take them on time.
You're pregnant with twins this time, so eat well and nourish your body. It's okay if the babies are a little thin or small; they'll recover with proper care later.
"I know! Hey, I clearly took twin pills, so how did I end up with quadruplets? I'm only six months pregnant, but my belly looks like I'm about to give birth."
This little system actually knows: "The spiritual herbs that master of both pill refining and talisman making use are all grown by herself in the secret realm. Although they are ordinary pills, their effects are doubled. No wonder she can have quadruplets!"
She also felt embarrassed, otherwise why would her system have sent her such a common-grade pill?
In addition, she also gave us a big box of storage bags. Although they were all her practice creations, with varying sizes, they were all free.
My senior sister said that her host has a hoarding obsession; every now and then she likes to clear out her inventory, getting rid of anything she feels is useless, and then stocking up again...
This is perfect for newbies like us who are relatively poor but stable; she said she'd leave all the remaining inventory to us.
Jia Qiong, who was stable, felt great about being carried by a powerful figure. Of course, first of all, there had to be a capable system, and her 996 family member was truly a diligent and thrifty good child.
"Your Highness, the Jia family has sent someone to deliver a message: the Duke of Rongguo left last night."
Jia Hui said she understood. She hadn't spent much time with this adoptive father, and after getting married, she had hardly seen him at all.
To Jia Hui, his death was no different from that of a stranger.
As for whether she will return to the Jia family to attend the funeral, I'm sorry, she is currently six months pregnant. If she attends the funeral, it is believed that she will bring bad luck to the deceased or affect the fetus.
The Jia family would definitely not want her to go if she chose the former, and Mingrui would stop her if she chose the latter. Anyway, she didn't want to go; with such a big belly, it was best not to go through the trouble.
She's been eating and sleeping all the time, and I don't know if it's because she's pregnant with multiple babies, but she's been especially sleepy.
It's a little better now. There was a period when she would fall asleep while eating or talking to people.
Mingrui was so frightened that he wanted to call the imperial physician every day, but fortunately, even at its worst, it only lasted for a little over half a month. Jia Hui also only then realized that pregnancy reactions could be quite strange; she had a great appetite but was very sleepy.
She was carrying quadruplets and could only be delivered vaginally. The system created a detailed diet plan for her, which she strictly followed every day to keep her weight within a safe range.
She insists on taking walks and exercising every day. Even with the birth control pills, she's still carrying quadruplets, so she should be extra careful.
As a married woman, she was pregnant and could not return to her parents' home to attend the funeral, but a year of mourning was still necessary.
Of course, she wouldn't completely become a vegetarian for the sake of the child in her womb, but she still needed to keep it a secret, after all, it was an ancient society where filial piety was the foundation of governance.
In addition, she must wear plain clothes throughout the year, and cannot attend banquets or go to the palace to pay her respects. She just needs to stay at home obediently.
She stayed home obediently, but trouble kept coming to her door.
She slept until late morning that day, had brunch, and had just strolled around the small garden when the housekeeper came to report that Jia Min and Jia Wei had come to visit.
Jia Hui was a little confused. How did the two of them end up together? Jia Min rarely associated with these concubine daughters before.
Jia Wei was always jealous of Jia Min, and the two of them barely spoke to each other when they met, except for exchanging greetings.
She was led to the flower hall by her maid. When they saw her come in, Jia Min and Jia Wei quickly got up to greet her.
Jia Hui didn't tell them to skip the formalities. After they had done so, she slowly said, "We're sisters, no need for formalities. Please sit down."
Jia Min was clearly a little reserved. Come to think of it, before her marriage, she was a proud legitimate daughter, but after marriage, she had to pay her respects to her half-sister, Jia Hui.
Jia Wei was clearly much more at ease than her. In addition, after her remarriage, she and her husband were harmonious, and she gradually let go of the past. Her expression became much more peaceful.
Jia Wei smiled, "My fourth sister's husband is being sent to guard the northwest frontier. My fourth sister is going to her post with him, so Mother said she would hold a farewell banquet for her. She then asked my fourth sister and me to invite my third sister."
Jia Hui smiled apologetically: "It's not that I'm refusing, but as you can see, I'm pregnant with multiple children this time, and I'm in no condition to ride in a carriage. I'll offer you tea instead of wine to congratulate Fourth Sister."
Jia Wei curiously reached out and touched Jia Hui's belly: "Isn't this belly too big? How many babies? You are lucky to give birth to so many at once. The Prince Rui's mansion, which has only had one son for generations, must be treating you like royalty."
Of all the sisters in our family, I think you, Third Sister, are the most blessed. As for Eldest Sister, she's in Yuqing Palace; let's not even talk about her. Last time I visited her, she was already on her third miscarriage.
I don't know what's wrong with her. It's like she has some serious mental illness. She's pregnant but doesn't take good care of herself. Instead, she insists on competing for the emperor's favor with those concubines and princesses.
"Now look what's happened. She didn't win the favor, and now her unborn child has been harmed. I overheard the maidservant who serves her whispering that she's damaged her health and might not be able to conceive again."
Now that Jia Wei has calmed down, she realizes that she was too dramatic in the past. Being reborn is a blessing from heaven, but instead of cherishing it, she made a mess of her life. She was really stupid.
Speaking of Jia Wei's second husband, coincidentally, it was Gu Qingyuan, the second-place scholar whom Jia Daishan had chosen for Jia Min that year.
Gu Qingyuan had been seeking a posting to a local post, but the experience of a colleague who, like him, had no family connections, made him think that he should just wait it out in the Hanlin Academy.
Later, through his superior's introduction, he married Song, the illegitimate daughter of the Vice Minister of Works. However, Song had a lover before the marriage. Forced to obey her parents' wishes and marry Gu Qingyuan, she was depressed and died not long after.
Gu Qingyuan thus became a widower. His former in-laws not only took back Song's dowry, but also spread rumors everywhere that he was a jinx to his wives.
Now, Gu Qingyuan, whose popularity was already low, is finding it even harder to find a wife.
Whether it was fate or not, one time Jia Wei went to Tanzhe Temple to offer incense and twisted her ankle while playing in the back mountain. Coincidentally, Gu Qingyuan was in a bad mood and went to clear his mind, so he helped her out.
Jia Wei's first life was marred by the aftereffects of marrying a sickly man, so she prefers men who look strong and healthy, and doesn't really care much about their looks.
She admired men who possessed both the refinement of a civil official and the heroic spirit of someone with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and Gu Qingyuan was exactly that type.
He was the kind of person that later generations would describe as having a perfect match in every way except for his face.
Jia Wei was beautiful, spoke sweetly, and possessed the charm of a young woman. Gu Qingyuan was completely captivated by her.
After returning home and thinking it over, he decided to take a bold step and asked a matchmaker to visit the Jia family to propose marriage.
Jia Daishan had taken a liking to him and even wanted to marry his eldest daughter to him. Now, when he came to ask for a marriage proposal, he was offered the hand of his second daughter, Jia Wei, who was causing him a great deal of trouble.
Jia Daishan was overjoyed to quickly pass this hot potato to Gu Qingyuan.
Therefore, Jia Daishan meticulously prepared another dowry for Jia Wei, which was several times more generous than when she married Su Jingxing.
Knowing he wouldn't last many more years, Jia Daishan gave Jia Wei a larger dowry, partly to give her more confidence in her husband's family.
Secondly, it's also an investment in Gu Qingyuan. He knows Gu Qingyuan is capable; what he lacks now is connections.
Jia Daishan had accumulated a considerable network of connections over the years as a favored minister of the emperor. Now that his two sons were both incompetent rulers, these connections could be used on his sons-in-law in the same way.
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