Madam Zhao watched the Fourth Prince's retreating figure, muttering to herself in confusion, "It's really strange. I always feel that the Fourth Prince doesn't seem happy. His wife is pregnant, shouldn't that be a joyous occasion? Why is he reacting so coldly?"
A blunt lady asked, "Is there something wrong with the child in the Fourth Prince's wife's womb?"
Gu Qinlan interjected at the opportune moment: "The child is healthy and perfectly fine."
Madam Zhao frowned in thought: "That makes it even more puzzling. Logically speaking, such a joyous occasion should be widely publicized, so why does the Fourth Prince seem unwilling to announce it? Could it be that this child..."
Before she could finish speaking, she hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand, apologizing hastily for her slip of the tongue: "Oh dear, I'm so senile! The Fourth Prince must be too excited and hasn't had time to calm down yet. He already has difficulty conceiving, and suddenly hearing such good news, it's inevitable that he's a little overwhelmed. Please don't overthink it, the child is definitely fine."
The ladies present exchanged glances and chimed in, "Madam Zhao is absolutely right. The Fourth Prince is simply overjoyed."
However, soon news of the Fourth Prince's wife's pregnancy and rumors of the Fourth Prince's displeasure spread quickly throughout the mansion.
"Haha, that's really hilarious! Your wisdom truly amazes me!"
"Oh my, I'm laughing so hard I can't breathe. Sister, your tit-for-tat move has really given the Fourth Prince a real hard time."
“Who says otherwise? You two should both learn from Qin Lan. If you can learn even half of her wisdom, it will benefit you for life.”
The banquet hall of Prince Duan's mansion was filled with laughter and exclamations of praise.
The Zheng and Zhao families gathered together, excitedly discussing the events of the day.
Ever since the Zhao family learned who the true owner of the Xiaoxiang Pavilion was, their hatred for the Fourth Prince has burned like a raging fire. Otherwise, Madam Zhao wouldn't be going to such lengths today.
The three sons of the Zhao family also deserve credit; the rumors and gossip that are now sweeping the city are the result of their careful planning.
Everyone laughed uproariously, but Old Madam Zheng was completely bewildered.
"What exactly happened today? Why would the Fourth Prince's wife use her own child against us?"
Madam Liang patiently explained to her, "The Fourth Prince has always claimed that he is infertile, so that he will not be seen as a threat by the other princes. However, the Fourth Prince's wife suddenly became pregnant, which is undoubtedly a fatal blow to the Fourth Prince. Therefore, he wants to use the Fourth Prince's wife's pregnancy to frame us and make the Duan Prince's Mansion bear the crime of harming the imperial heir."
"Imagine what a momentous event it would be if a prince who was thought to be infertile suddenly had offspring. If this were to happen, how would the Emperor view the Prince Duan's residence? At that time, the Fourth Prince would not only gain the sympathy of the people, but also reap huge benefits. It could even mitigate the impact on his concealment of his fertility."
At this point, Madam Liang couldn't help but laugh out loud: "But he never expected that the whole city would be speculating whether he had been cuckolded. If he doesn't want this cuckoldry to be confirmed, he must admit that there is no problem with his fertility. In that case, he will definitely be closely watched by the other princes in the future, and it will be much more difficult for him to carry out his schemes in secret."
Finally understanding the truth, Princess Duan slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "This is truly gratifying! This wicked fourth prince deserves his fate! Why doesn't the fourth prince's wife really give him a cuckold's horns?"
Seeing her regretful expression, everyone couldn't help but chuckle.
But Princess Duan quickly frowned again: "Wouldn't that make the Fourth Prince hate us to the core? He's so cruel, he'll definitely try every means to take revenge on us..."
She had little experience in the world and few family members, so she was deeply afraid of power struggles.
Zheng Huiyi gently patted her back: "Mother, even if we don't provoke him, he will still use any means to deal with us. If it weren't for my sister-in-law's clever response today, our whole family might already be in prison. He wants to kill us anyway. If we are still hesitant here, we might as well kneel down and beg for mercy, and submit to him."
Princess Duan immediately retorted, "How can that be! Our Zheng family's ancestral precepts are still in place, how could we possibly do such a thing! Besides, his Xiaoxiang Pavilion has harmed you. If we bow down to him, what kind of people would we become? What's the point of living a life of ignominy!"
Madam Zhao couldn't help but look at Princess Duan with new respect: "My dear in-law is right. We would rather stand tall and take the blows than bow down. Besides, the Fourth Prince might not be able to easily lay a hand on us."
Previously, she had a poor impression of Princess Duan, thinking her to be weak, incompetent, and muddle-headed, unable to handle anything. She never expected Princess Duan to be so resolute and principled in this matter.
A faint blush rose on Princess Duan's cheeks as she said shyly, "He often told me his famous saying, 'Better to die a glorious death than live a shameful life.' Although I don't fully understand it, I do know a little about it. Every generation of the Zheng family has established itself through genuine military achievements and outstanding abilities; there has never been a weakling among them. I don't know much about those profound principles, but I firmly remember the saying, 'A woman follows her husband wherever he goes.' Since my husband has instructed me to do so, I must do my utmost to fulfill it."
A sincere light flashed in Madam Zhao's eyes. She held Princess Duan's hand tightly and said affectionately, "Sister is absolutely right. People must fight for their pride, and even Buddhas must fight for their incense. If anyone dares to offend us, we will resolutely fight back! Let those with ulterior motives taste bitterness, and they will not dare to offend us again."
Lord Zhao nodded slightly, his expression revealing appreciation. "We have caused the Fourth Prince a great loss today. Given his character, he will surely retaliate fiercely afterward. Therefore, we must prepare in advance to prevent any unforeseen circumstances. However, you women need not worry about these matters. You only need to be more careful when you go out in your daily lives, and leave the rest to us men."
"Everyone is exhausted today, especially Qinlan. She must have suffered a lot from that impact. She must rest well for a few days. We'll take our leave now. If anything happens, please remember to send someone to let us know."
After the Zhao family left, Zheng Dinglian carefully carried Gu Qinlan back to the courtyard and gently placed her on the bed.
Gu Qinlan smiled slightly and said with a hint of joking, "I'm not that fragile. Besides, Miss Mei has already examined me and there's nothing seriously wrong."
Zheng Dinglian frowned sternly and rebuked, "You were far too reckless today! How could you risk your life to catch the Fourth Prince's Consort! Do you know how dangerous that was?"
Gu Qinlan knew in her heart that she had indeed acted impulsively, but the situation at the time prevented her from thinking too much.
She then smiled coquettishly and said, "I know I was wrong, and I will never be so reckless again."
Zheng Dinglian, however, did not relax and remained stern-faced.
Gu Qinlan rolled her eyes and deliberately said in a coquettish tone, "Ouch, that hurts!"
Zheng Dinglian immediately asked anxiously, "Where does it hurt? Is the place where you were hit starting to hurt? Let me see."
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