She suggested learning etiquette from Shen Qingyu, but this was only because Shen Qingyu had previously taken a liking to her and she thought her father's connections would be useful, so she wanted to cultivate a good relationship with her. Yongle was just a smokescreen she had brought along.
Unexpectedly, Shen Qingyu and Yongle get along so well.
Although Yongle has a bit of a temper, she is kind at heart. She may be sharp-tongued, but she never intends to harm anyone. Moreover, the little girl is extremely cheerful and is very popular with elders. Otherwise, how could even a strict disciplinarian like Granny Feng have failed to teach her properly?
I just feel bad for them! I can't bear to punish them!
"Young Madam, the Princess Consort has arrived."
Upon hearing that Song Yaozhu had arrived, Yongle, who had just been looking on with a thirst for knowledge, immediately became displeased.
"Hmph! Weren't you going to see a play today? Why are you here again?" she said sarcastically.
"A few students smashed up the opera house, hoping to see what would happen!" Song Yaozhu shrugged.
"Huh?" Yongle became interested and asked why.
Song Yaozhu then recounted the contents of the play, which made Shen Qingyu lose interest in teaching.
"Although these things are not something we young ladies should concern ourselves with, if things really become so corrupt..." She didn't finish her sentence, but Song Yaozhu knew what she meant.
Having experienced turmoil herself, she naturally understood how hard-won the current peaceful life was. If the court did not resolve to address its deep-seated problems, the political situation would likely not remain stable for long.
"Miss Chen, you should stay home as much as possible lately, there might be some trouble," Song Yaozhu kindly advised.
Shen Qingyu was deeply moved when she heard her address her as "Miss Shen" instead of "Young Madam Fang".
Before seeing the two off, she gave Yongle a few books.
"Princess, you've been reading at home these days. I'll ask you questions when you come in a couple of days."
Yongle flipped through the book, thinking it was something like "Rules for Women" or "Admonitions for Women," which she had read since childhood but never listened to! But she didn't expect it to be a travelogue about mountains and rivers.
Holding the book, she asked suspiciously, "Will this be useful?"
I thought Shen Qingyu would say "it works" without hesitation, but to my surprise, she said, "Let's try it first, just in case."
"Well......"
To show his respect for Shen Qingyu, Yongle personally accepted the book with both hands.
"Thank you, Master, for the book."
Song Yaozhu felt that there was still hope for this child.
Before leaving the Fang residence, Song Yaozhu and Yongle encountered Xu Wan'er, Fang Wencai's favored concubine. Xu Wan'er respectfully bowed to the two, but Yongle snorted arrogantly, "Does anyone, no matter who they are, get to see this princess? Perhaps you should invite the tutor to my palace another day!"
Xu Wan'er's face was stiff. After the person left, she went angrily to Shen Qingyu's courtyard.
"Sister, don't think that you can win the master's favor just by getting close to the princess and the noble lady!" As she spoke, she proudly touched her lower abdomen.
She was diagnosed with pregnancy a few days ago, and now she's the whole family's precious baby!
Shen Qingyu ignored her, only glancing at her personal maid, "Are all the old women in the courtyard just sitting around doing nothing?"
Several old women immediately blocked the mistress's way, and Shen Qingyu said calmly, "Aunt Xu, now that you are pregnant, it's best not to go out. If you slip and fall like I did, it's a small matter, but losing the baby is a big deal."
She was taking a walk in the yard when she realized that someone had smeared oil on the pebbles. She slipped and fell several meters away, losing her child.
She knew who did it, but what could she do? The whole family favored Xu Wan'er.
"So what if I'm not favored by my husband? You, as a concubine, can't socialize for him." She said calmly while sipping her tea. "Send Concubine Xu back. Princess Yongle is lively. If she bumps into the princess, who knows what will happen."
Xu Wan'er turned pale with anger.
Ever since the Emperor's decree ordered her to teach Princess Xiaoyao and Princess Yongle etiquette, the whole family's attitude towards Shen Qingyu changed drastically. To avoid suspicion, Fang Wencai hadn't even entered the inner courtyard in ages!
If this continues, all the women outside will probably be pregnant! But Shen Qingyu doesn't seem to care at all!
After Xu Wan'er left, the maid massaged Shen Qingyu's shoulders and said, "Madam, we must cling to the Princess's coattails. If it weren't for the Princess asking you to teach her etiquette, we wouldn't be living such a good life."
Shen Qingyu's gaze deepened. She placed the teacup on the table and sighed, "The princess is doing this for my father, but I don't know what she's planning."
The Shen family is no longer what it used to be, and she doesn't want to drag her family down with her.
"Madam, you've suffered so much injustice, why don't you tell the master!" The maid cried, feeling wronged.
Shen Qingyu thought to herself, she came from a family steeped in traditional values, and if a divorced woman were to emerge from her family, it would mean the Shen family would have no chance of ever rising again. If she were to divorce, the Emperor would surely find an opportunity to have his men replace her father. She couldn't ruin her father's career for her own sake.
“If a husband does not act like a ruler, he is guilty of wrongdoing; if a subject does not act like a subject, he is punished (Note 1). I may lose my husband, but I will never divorce him or be divorced.”
The maid wiped her eyes and looked at her mistress, feeling that she was not quite the same as before.
Meanwhile, Song Yaozhu returned to the Prince's Mansion and wrote a letter, which was then sent to the Song family.
Song Wenyue has been confined by Grand Tutor Song for the past few days because he found out that she had people smearing Princess Yongle.
Even Uncle Song was implicated, simply because it was Aunt Song's people who did it.
Song Wenyue had expected that after Princess Yongle's reputation was ruined, the Xuan Prince's Mansion would retaliate fiercely against Song San. However, not only did that not happen, but the letter Song San sent also said that although she and Princess Yongle were aunt and niece, they were as close as sisters. She also said that she had seen Prince Yong today, and that His Highness was still as handsome as ever, truly a perfect match.
Song Wenyue's eyes turned red as she watched, unable to understand why this was happening!
"That Song San, how come she's so lucky! How come she hasn't been played to death by Xie Liwei yet!" She was so angry that she swept everything off the table.
She was so angry that she didn't notice Madam Song outside the door.
Madam Song was worried that her grandfather had confined her and that she was in a bad mood, so she came to see her. Unexpectedly, the moment she entered the door, she heard such vicious words and took a step back in fright.
Is this really the daughter she raised herself?
She cherished her like a precious treasure, yet she cursed her own daughter!
Madam Song's heart pounded. Suddenly, she realized that the reason she had let Song San marry in her place was to protect Song Wenyue from being persecuted by Xie Liwei.
Her own daughter suffered for more than ten years outside, and she even sent her to the cannibalistic backyard of the Prince of Xiaoyao's mansion!
She staggered back, the guilt hidden deep in her heart finally breaking through the thin layer that had been pressing on it, gushing out like a gushing spring along with her tears.
Her biological daughter, Song Yaozhu!
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