Chapter 819, Stealing People
In March, spring is warm and flowers are blooming.
The flowers in the Hundred Flowers Garden of Prince Ping's Mansion are in full bloom. A few days ago, Princess Ma sent invitations to the wives of the princes and nobles of the current dynasty, inviting them to come to the palace to enjoy the flowers on the third day of March.
A princess of a royal family invited everyone to a banquet, so everyone had to give her face and came to the palace early on the third day of March.
Princess Ma and Luo Qiongyan greeted everyone with a smile, and did not send anyone to call Daohua, as if she had forgotten her existence.
In Pingxi Hall, the maids and old women, under Wang Maner's instructions, were doing their work in an orderly manner and did not pay much attention to the hustle and bustle in the main courtyard.
In the main room, Daohua was busy calculating the expenses of Pingxitang.
It has been three months since she married into the palace. She has gradually gotten used to her current life and has stepped into the role of a wife in an orderly manner.
She didn't take it to heart at all that Princess Ma deliberately ignored her existence, and even thought it was a good opportunity to get away from it.
Anyway, when other people have banquets, they will send her a special invitation. Princess Ma's desire to block her from socializing is just assumption.
Originally, everyone was living in peace and harmony, and today's flower-viewing banquet would have passed just like that. However, Princess Ma wanted to make things uncomfortable, and around noon, she sent someone to ask Daohua to meet the guests.
Daohua could choose not to offer tea to Princess Ma or to pay her respects. After all, this was an internal matter of the palace and no one outside knew about it. But now that she was asked to meet the guests in public, she could not refuse.
If she doesn't go this time, tomorrow she will definitely be known for being disrespectful to her elders and arrogant.
"Let's go and see what the princess wants from us."
Daohua arrived at Pingxi Hall and greeted the ladies above her in order. Then she bowed to Princess Ma and, without waiting for her to speak, she spoke first:
"I didn't know the princess was having a banquet today. Luckily I didn't go out. Otherwise, if the princess hadn't sent people to Pingxi Hall and couldn't find me, everyone wouldn't have known the situation and would have thought I had deliberately not come and was being arrogant."
Princess Huijia couldn't help laughing after hearing this, and then she scolded with a smile: "Wife Yeyang, you are really smart with your mouth!" As she said that, she looked around and laughed.
"Are we really that ignorant of right and wrong? We're just accusing people of things before we've even figured out the truth. Do you think we're all old and confused?"
The ladies present also smiled and agreed.
It is true that Princess Ma was promoted to the position of legitimate wife, and Xiao Yechen is now nominally the eldest son of Prince Ping, but their status is only better in name. Compared with Xiao Yeyang, who is deeply loved by the emperor and holds great power, anyone with a little bit of common sense knows how to make a choice.
Daohua immediately smiled and slapped her mouth: "I said the wrong thing, I deserve it. Ladies, please consider that I'm still young and don't bother with me."
Seeing Daohua become one with the crowd after just a few words, Princess Ma felt very upset. She glanced at the girl from the Ma family's branch sent by her brother and sister-in-law, coughed a few times, and drew everyone's attention back to herself before saying:
"Wife Yeyang, you've been married into the palace for quite some time now, so why isn't there any sign of pregnancy?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Daohua and the ladies present all looked at Luo Qiong with displeasure.
In terms of how long it took to marry into the palace, Luo Qiong's was probably longer.
The ladies knew what was going to happen next without even having to think about it, and they all watched the show at their leisure.
Princess Ma also noticed everyone's gazes and looked a little uncomfortable, but she still continued, "I heard that Ye Yang doesn't even have a concubine. Ye Yang's wife, you are too unvirtuous."
As he spoke, he called up the girl from the Ma family's branch.
"As the mistress of the palace and Yeyang's nominal mother, I cannot bear to see him suffer. I chose this girl especially for Yeyang. Take her home today to be his concubine."
She just didn't believe it. How could she dare to refuse in front of so many people?
If I really refuse, I will definitely be branded as jealous.
Daohua sneered out loud, not trying to hide the sneer on her face. "Princess, I heard you were sick a few days ago. Could it be that you haven't recovered yet and your mind is still confused?"
"Father doesn't care about Xiao Yeyang and me, so why are you so bothered? First, you are not Xiao Yeyang's biological mother, and second, you have your own son and daughter-in-law. You should take care of them. Why are you always staring at Xiao Yeyang and me? Do you have so much free time?"
"Ahem~"
"Puff~"
All kinds of strange noises were heard in the room at the same time.
Daohua took a quick look and found that many ladies had blushing faces and some of their shoulders were still shaking.
Princess Ma felt embarrassed when she saw everyone's reactions, but she didn't know how to deal with the situation. She was so angry that she couldn't speak and could only glare at Daohua.
Luo Qiong was silent for a moment, then finally spoke: "Second sister-in-law, Mother is the elder. Even if you are dissatisfied with her in your heart, you should not be so disrespectful to her."
Daohua looked at Luo Qiong in surprise. Whenever they had conflicts with Ma's mother and son in the past, she had never intervened. She almost always stood by silently like a wooden man.
"Sister-in-law is so filial, why don't you take this girl in and fulfill your filial piety to the princess?"
Luo Qiong smiled and said, "This was given to you by your mother. How can I take away someone else's love?"
Daohua smiled even brighter than she did. "I don't love it at all. Take it, sister-in-law." Without waiting for Luo Qiong to speak, she continued, "Sister-in-law, don't just talk nicely. You have to show it with your actions, too. You're not the kind of person who only talks but doesn't do, are you?"
Luo Qiong was silent, thinking about how to answer.
Daohua didn't wait for her, and smiled at the women in the room: "The day after I married into the palace, when I offered tea to my father, he said in person that all matters of Pingxi Hall, big or small, would be decided by me, and the princess was not allowed to interfere."
"I didn't mean to be disrespectful to the princess. I was just following my father's instructions. Ladies, please don't misunderstand me!"
Princess Huijia turned to look at Kang Naixin who was sitting next to her and said, "If you can be like Yiyi in the future, I won't have to worry about you being bullied by your in-laws."
Kang Naixin smiled and said, "I have my mother's support, so naturally I am not afraid of my in-laws."
Princess Huijia glanced at Daohua, who was still smiling, and whispered, "Having your family's support is certainly good, but you also need to be strong in your own ability. Whether a man has concubines or not depends not on the women, but on whether the man wants them."
Kang Naixin's head drooped immediately: "Then this matter is a bit difficult to deal with. It's beyond my control."
Princess Huijia knocked on Kang Naixin's head and said, "Spend more time with Yiyi in the future. In the past, I also thought Yeyang was attracted by Yiyi's beauty, but now that I have been with her more, I find that it is not entirely true. Yiyi is a very smart girl."
Of course, Daohua did not bring the last girl Ma back to Pingxitang.
After lunch, Daohua left Pingxitang on the pretext that she had something else to do.
On the way back, Daohua thought about Luo Qiong she had seen today, and a puzzled look appeared on her face: "Have you noticed that my sister-in-law seems to be in a much better state recently than during the Chinese New Year?"
Wang Maner: "It's not a lot better, it's a lot better. When the girl first got married, Grandma never smiled, giving people a cold and distant feeling. But recently, Grandma's face is not only rosy and radiant, but there is also a smile between her eyebrows. Her whole demeanor has become much softer."
Daohua rested her chin on the tip of her hand and pondered, "Why is the change so big?"
Wang Man'er hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice and said, "Maybe it's because I'm more harmonious with you, Master?"
Daohua blinked her eyes, and after understanding what Wang Maner meant, she suddenly revealed a look of enlightenment: "Yes, you are right, this should be the possibility."
Guyu and Lixia were confused, so they pulled Wang Maner and asked her to explain.
Wang Man'er had no way to explain, so Daohua finally smiled and said, "You'll know when you get married in the future." As she spoke, she frowned again.
"That's not right. If there really is harmony, then why does Xiao Yechen still have such a stern face every day, as if everyone owes him money?"
Wang Maner couldn't answer this question.
After returning to Pingxi Hall, Daohua was still thinking about Luo Qiong. After thinking for a while, she called Pingji's wife, who was in charge of watching over Chenyuan, and asked, "Grandma, have you really not behaved in any unusual way recently?"
Pingji's wife shook her head and said, "Apart from paying respects to the princess every day, Grandma spends the rest of her time either staying in her own courtyard or admiring the flowers in the Hundred Flowers Garden. She rarely does anything else."
Daohua asked again, "Has Grandpa been to Grandma's room often recently?"
Pingji's wife shook her head again: "During the first month of the year, Grandpa and Grandma had a quarrel for some reason. Since then, Grandpa has never entered Grandma's room again."
Daohua was stunned for a moment: "Are you sure?"
Pingji's wife nodded affirmatively: "I dare not neglect the things that Second Madam ordered, and I have been keeping an eye on First Madam."
Daohua frowned. If Xiao Yechen had not entered Luo Qiong's room, then Luo Qiong's current condition would be in big trouble.
Could it be what she thought?
Daohua shook her head. That shouldn't be the case. Not to mention how important the concept of chastity was for girls in this era, she didn't think Luo Qiong would be so stupid as to commit adultery.
This kind of thing cannot be resolved peacefully even in an ordinary family, let alone in the prince's palace and the royal family. She should not disregard the reputation and safety of the Duke of Weiguo's Mansion.
Pingji's wife spoke again: "Second Madam, First Madam has been back to the Duke of Wei's Mansion several times since mid-February. Is this considered unusual behavior?"
Daohua: "Yes, of course. Grandma, do you often go back to the Duke of Wei's Mansion?"
Pingji's wife nodded: "I come back much more often than in previous years."
Daohua was silent for a moment. "Next time Grandma goes back to the Duke of Weiguo's mansion, tell your husband to follow her. Remember, no matter what you see, don't alert the enemy."
Pingji's wife didn't dare ask the reason and nodded in agreement.
(End of this chapter)
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