Since Jiaming decided to put her youngest son, Hongchang, under pressure, she hasn't watered her plants in the mornings for a month.
And so, I've had some free time again.
Feeling too idle and with nothing to do, Jiaming once again took the initiative to ask Xiao Hezi for gossip.
"Hey, little He, has anything happened lately? It can't be anything from the manor."
Always ready, Xiao Hezi blurted out, "Yes, and it should be something that you, Master, would be interested in."
"Oh?" Jiaming became interested and quickly put down the storybook she had been casually flipping through out of boredom, looking at Xiao Hezi with great interest.
Xiao Hezi didn't keep them in suspense and said directly, "It's about the neighboring family, and it's related to that Wang woman..."
"Wait!" Jiaming interrupted Xiao Hezi, saying, "Don't say anything yet, let's see if your master's guess is right?"
Xiao Hezi nodded, "Then, Master, can you guess what happened?"
Jiaming blinked and guessed, "It's not about the power struggles in the inner quarters of the Wang family, the Nian family, and the Eighth Prince's wife, is it?"
Xiao Hezi: "...Yes and no."
"Oh?" Jiaming raised an eyebrow, then thought for a moment and decided not to guess anymore. Rather than the fun of guessing, she wanted to know what had happened immediately.
"Alright, Little He, your master admits defeat. I'm not guessing anymore. Tell me."
Xiao Hezi said, "Originally, the concubine from the neighboring household was very favored after she entered the manor. I heard that the Eighth Prince's wife and that Lady Wang were both neglected by the Eighth Prince. However, these days, that Lady Wang has risen again." At this point, Xiao Hezi changed the subject, "Master, do you know why that Lady Wang has suddenly become favored again?"
Jiaming glared at Xiao Hezi and urged, "Stop asking. I said I wouldn't guess anymore, so hurry up and tell me."
Xiao He chuckled and said, "A few days ago, didn't we hear that the Empress Dowager was seriously ill? That Wang woman found an opportunity to personally present the Empress Dowager with a miraculous medicine, and after taking it, the Empress Dowager has already begun to recover."
Jiaming blinked: "She presented it herself, without going through Eighth Master?"
Xiao Hezi shook his head.
"Tsk, she really doesn't know what she's doing. Such a useful elixir, and she actually offered it up in such a grand manner. Isn't she afraid that someone will ask her for it? Moreover, such a good medicine, and she didn't even offer it to the Emperor first. Tsk, Eighth Master next door, he's been really screwed over by that Wang woman."
Xiao Hezi deeply agreed and felt great sympathy for Eighth Master.
"Indeed, ever since that Wang family member offered the medicine and the Empress Dowager recovered, there have been so many people coming to the Eighth Master's door next door every day. I reckon the high threshold of the Eighth Master's mansion is probably worn down from all the footsteps. It's said that they're all asking for the medicine or inquiring about this kind of miraculous elixir. I've heard that the Eighth Master, who is usually so charming and always smiling, hasn't been smiling lately. He's even been avoiding those who come to see him."
Jiaming added, "I doubt His Majesty would want to see this."
Red Heart, who had been listening intently, immediately became suspicious.
"It seems that the Eighth Prince doesn't really like these people coming to visit. It feels like the Eighth Prince has been tricked by Wang Shi. But even though he's been tricked, why does the Eighth Prince still dote on Wang Shi so much, even overshadowing his new favorite, Consort Nian?"
Jiaming: "Of course, it's for the elixir in the Wang family's possession."
"Huh?" Red Peach was initially confused.
Xiao Hezi's eyes sparkled; clearly, he understood what Jiaming meant.
Seeing that Hongtao was still confused and couldn't understand, he asked, "Do you want the elixir?"
"Yes," Red Peach nodded affirmatively without hesitation.
"That's settled then. You think so, and so do others! Who wouldn't want a miraculous medicine that could save their lives? Those officials who come to curry favor with the Eighth Prince want it, and the Eighth Prince, and even the people in the palace, want it too."
Xiao Hezi has made his point so clear, how could Hongtao not understand?
In the fifty-sixth year, the favored Lady Wang soon became pregnant.
In early 1957, at the Yong Prince's Mansion, Hongshi held his wedding.
This was a joyous occasion, but Li's expression was somewhat unpleasant.
Because the family background of Hongshi's wife was significantly inferior to that of Hongxuan's wife.
With such a huge difference, it's no wonder Li Shi couldn't have a pleasant expression.
No matter how dissatisfied she was, there was nothing she could do; she had no right to choose a wife for Hongshi. She couldn't even participate; the master hadn't consulted her at all, he'd simply informed her of the result.
Lady Li's dissatisfaction with the Fujin was very clear.
Therefore, after Hongshi's wife entered the family, she did not get along well with Lady Li.
Hongshi got along fairly well with his wife, Dong Eshi, so for a time, Hongshi, caught between his mother and daughter-in-law, was in a very difficult position.
To avoid being seen, he often stayed in the study or at the residence of his concubines.
As a result, Hongshi's wife, Lady Dong'e, grew increasingly disgusted with Lady Li, and whenever she had the chance, she would sow discord between Hongshi and Lady Li, mother and son.
So much so that when Li was later taken out of the palace by Hongshi and returned to the Prince's Mansion to be cared for, she lived a very stifled life!
After all, at that time, the person in charge of the household affairs in the Prince's mansion was none other than Consort Dong'e, with whom she did not get along.
Taoyuan
Not long after Hongshi got married, one day, Xiao Hezi reported something to Jiaming.
"Master, Madam Wang from the Eighth Prince's residence has given birth. Unfortunately, the delivery was not smooth. The baby was delivered with great difficulty, but the older one almost suffered a massive hemorrhage."
Jiaming raised an eyebrow: "Not using her elixir?"
Xiao Hezi chuckled: "She did want to use it, but unfortunately, the medicine never even went into her mouth. Otherwise, she wouldn't have suffered such severe bleeding and almost died."
"The medicine was switched?" Jiaming asked with some certainty.
"I suppose so. My servants found out about it afterward. It's because that Lady Wang kept muttering to herself, 'Impossible. She clearly gave the medicine to her trusted maid when she was about to give birth. If something had happened to her, she would have taken the last pill. She clearly took it, so why didn't it work?'"
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