Chapter 263: The Complex Royal Family
After dinner, Dong Yuanyao took Daohua back to her yard.
At this time, the maid had already prepared toiletries and clean clothes.
"We have similar body shapes. You can wear my clothes later. Don't worry, they are all newly made."
Daohua smiled and said, "I don't dislike you."
Dong Yuanyao snorted, but there was a smile on her face. She liked Yan Yiyi's bluntness. Since she had already recognized Yan Yiyi as her sister, she naturally didn't want her to be polite to her.
She had received many young ladies from other families, but these ladies were either too reserved or too pretentious, and she was exhausted after each reception.
Yan Yiyi is good like this, direct and clear, and generous.
"Girl, the bath water is ready, you can change and take a bath."
Dong Yuanyao glanced at the bathroom, rolled her eyes, and suddenly felt like teasing. She looked at Daohua with a smile and raised her eyebrows, "Together?"
Daohua chuckled, "Okay, let's wash together, so the maid won't have to go back and forth all the time."
Seeing Daohua walk into the ear room briskly and swiftly, Dong Yuanyao stopped and did not move forward.
Can she say she was just talking?
She has never taken a bath with someone else before!
How come Yan Yiyi is not ashamed at all?
Daohua poked her head into the side room and saw the maids had prepared two bathtubs. She immediately felt more confident and turned to look at the motionless Dong Yuanyao. She crossed her arms and said with a grin, "Why, you don't dare anymore?"
Dong Yuanyao's face froze. She loved to play and make noises, but she was still a little uncomfortable taking off her clothes in front of others. She wanted to give in, but seeing Yan Yi's provocative eyes, she got hot-headed and shouted, "Who dares not?"
Daohua smiled and said, "Why don't you hurry up?" Then she walked into the ear room.
Wang Maner followed immediately, and when she passed by Dong Yuanyao, she lowered her head and covered her mouth with her hands and smiled.
Miss Dong is dumbfounded now, right?
The girl in her family never plays by the rules.
The ear room was very large. After Daohua came in, she asked Wang Maner to move the clothes hanger between the two bathtubs. After looking at the clean clothes prepared by Dong's maid, she began to take off her clothes.
Wang Man'er put all the toiletries in place, put away the underwear she brought with her, and then quickly left the ear room, bringing the Dong family's maid out with her.
When Wang Man'er and the others came out, Dong Yuanyao was still hesitant: "Why did you come out?"
Wang Maner smiled and said, "Miss Dong, my daughter never needs anyone to help her take a bath."
Dong Yuanyao hesitated for a while, and finally came to the ear room with her head held high: "Yiyi, I'm coming in."
Daohua was already soaking in the tub at this moment, and immediately said with a smile: "Come in, if you don't come in soon, I will have finished washing."
Dong Yuanyao then stepped into the ear room and saw the clothes hanger between the bathtubs. She immediately smiled.
She almost thought Yan Yiyi was not ashamed at all. It turned out that she was just shouting too loudly.
He immediately called a maid to help him change his clothes.
While playing with the water, Daohua said, "I've used your bath beans and they're pretty good. However, I have some special shower gel for bathing. I'll bring you some when I get home. That one is more moisturizing."
Dong Yuanyao nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, the rouge and powder you gave me before are much better than the ones I buy outside. I mean, why did you think of tinkering with these things?"
Daohua said casually, "If there is a need, we will naturally find a way to solve it."
Dong Yuanyao: "You are so smart."
Daohua smiled and said nothing.
It's not that she is smart, she just borrowed the wisdom of modern people, which is nothing in modern times.
At this time, Dong Yuanyao also soaked in the tub and sent the maid away. "It's so comfortable!" She said with a smile, "Luckily you are here, otherwise, I would definitely not be able to escape the punishment today. Didn't you see that during dinner, my mother was still glaring at me."
Daohua: "But after we leave, your aunt will still punish you. You can't escape."
Dong Yuanyao said proudly, "I have my grandmother to protect me. My mother will at most give me some harsh punishments, but it won't be a big problem."
Hearing this, Daohua immediately asked, "Why did the old lady come all the way from the capital alone? Your grandfather and your uncle didn't stop her. Aren't they worried about something happening along the way?"
Dong Yuanyao curled her lips and said, "My grandfather might be worried, but my uncle won't worry at all."
Daohua asked in confusion, "Why?"
Dong Yuanyao did not hide it and said directly: "My uncle was born to the previous wife, and my grandmother was just my grandfather's second wife."
"Ah?" Daohua looked surprised.
She really didn't know this. She only heard from Zhou Jingwan that Dong Yuanyao's family came from the Yongjia Marquis Mansion in the capital, where Marquis Dong still lived. The prince was the eldest brother of Governor Dong.
Dong Yuanyao continued, "When my grandmother married my grandfather, my eldest uncle was already in his teens. At first, my grandmother wanted to build a good relationship with my eldest uncle, but my eldest uncle was very wary of my grandmother, especially after my father was born. He always felt that my grandmother would harm him."
"As a junior, I can't say much about their relationship, but it's always been a lukewarm one. My grandmother came out this time because she was worried about me and my brother, but she also wanted to relax."
"My eldest aunt is now in charge of the Marquis' Mansion. Although my grandmother is my mother-in-law, she is my stepmother after all, so she can't interfere in many things. When my father was sent away, he wanted my grandmother to come with him, but she didn't come because of my grandfather."
"This time my brother and I were trapped in Xingyun Mansion, which gave my grandmother an opportunity. Otherwise, with my grandfather around, it would have been difficult for her to travel far."
Daohua: "Your family is a bit complicated too!"
Dong Yuanyao smiled and said, "Our family is relatively well-off. Although my uncle inherited the title of Marquis, my father is also capable. He found a job and was sent out, so he is not bad either."
"Like other noble families in the capital, they have many children but no real abilities. They're all eyeing the title, fighting like mad all day long. That kind of family is truly depressing."
Daohua thought for a moment and asked curiously, "Where is Prince Ping's mansion?"
Dong Yuanyao paused and said, "As for the royal family, the relationship is naturally more complicated."
Daohua leaned on the edge of the tub and said, "Tell me, Xiao Yeyang would rather stay out of town than go home. Is Prince Ping's mansion particularly troubled?"
Dong Yuanyao was silent for a moment. "It's okay to tell you, but you can't tell anyone else. After all, this is a royal matter, and we can't talk about it too much."
Daohua nodded quickly.
Dong Yuanyao: "Everyone in the old aristocratic families in the capital knows about Prince Ping's mansion. The reason why the young prince is unwilling to return home is not only because of Concubine Ma and her son, but also because his biological mother, Princess Guo, was divorced by Prince Heping."
Daohua's eyes widened immediately, and she said in astonishment, "Xiao Yeyang's mother divorced his father?!"
Dong Yuanyao nodded: "Not bad."
Daohua was stunned for a moment, swallowed, and exclaimed: "Xiao Yeyang's mother is an amazing person!" She dared to divorce the royal prince. If nothing else, just this courage is enough to be admired.
Dong Yuanyao: "Yes, every time my mother mentioned Princess Qianguo, she was full of admiration, saying that there was almost no other woman in the world as resolute and willing to give up as she did."
"However, Princess Guo also has this confidence, and the Duke Dingguo's Mansion does not need to rely on the marriage with Prince Ping."
"The men of the Guo family have guarded the border for generations, and it was only during Governor Guo's generation that they gradually retired. However, even so, the Guo family is still highly valued by the emperor. Governor Guo is in charge of military affairs in the three northern provinces, and was appointed by the emperor himself."
"My mother often said that a woman's greatest confidence comes from her family. As long as her family is strong, she can live without any grievances, even if she marries into the royal family."
Daohua nodded. This was indeed the case in ancient times. A woman's family was extremely important to her when she got married. After a moment of silence, she asked, "Why did Xiao Yeyang's parents want to divorce?"
Dong Yuanyao: "Do you know the play Husband's Note?"
Rice Flower nodded.
Dong Yuanyao: "I don't know the specific reason why Princess Guo and Prince Heping divorced, but it should be similar to what is mentioned in the Divorce Record. The young prince has a half-brother who is two years older than him."
Daohua's face showed sudden realization: "No wonder Xiao Yeyang got so angry when he heard about this play of Xu Fuji."
Dong Yuanyao: "It's enough for you to know these things, but don't mention them in front of the young prince. The former Princess Guo is a taboo for him."
Daohua sighed: "Poor Xiao Yeyang."
His mother left home and his father didn't love him, so it's no wonder he was kidnapped by human traffickers and brought to Zhongzhou.
Dong Yuanyao agreed: "However, the emperor still loves the young prince very much."
Daohua quickly asked, "What about the Queen Mother? Didn't she say that she was also very kind to Xiao Yeyang?"
Dong Yuanyao hesitated for a moment: "How should I put it? The Queen Mother is indeed very good to the young prince, but she is also good to the son born to Concubine Ma, and she loves the daughter born to Concubine Jiang even more."
Daohua was silent for a moment: "Prince Ping has so many concubines?"
Dong Yuanyao: "Not many, just two. Concubine Ma was taken in by Prince Ping himself, and Concubine Jiang is the daughter of the Empress Dowager. After the former Princess Guo left, the position of Prince Ping's principal wife has been vacant."
"Everyone is privately discussing that Prince Ping wants to make Consort Ma his official concubine, but out of consideration for the Empress Dowager's reputation, he's simply leaving the position of principal consort vacant."
Daohua shook her head and sighed, "The royal family is so complicated. If I were Xiao Yeyang, I wouldn't go back either."
Dong Yuanyao: "Isn't it? In the capital, it's nowhere near as comfortable and free as outside." He paused and sighed, "It's a pity that such good days will only last a few years."
Daohua immediately asked, "Why do you say that?"
Dong Yuanyao smiled bitterly and said, "This year marks my father's fourth year of being sent abroad. In two years, he will be returning to Beijing to report on his work."
Daohua: "Can't it be played out all the time?"
Dong Yuanyao shook his head: "Of course not. My father is in charge of the government affairs of an entire province. His power is too great. If it goes on for a long time, the emperor will also be worried."
The rice flowers were silent.
At this time, the maid outside knocked on the door.
"Girl, have you and Miss Yan finished washing? Don't play around too much, or you might catch a cold."
"Got it, got it, we'll be right out."
(End of this chapter)
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