Qin Shi didn't agree with her son's statement. The princess was pregnant with the Xiao family's grandson. How could she be in a bad mood and eat poorly? So, for the first time in her life, Qin Shi refuted her son.
"Whether a woman can eat at this time is related to how the child will grow up in the future. It is very important! You must not be careless." Qin did not bother to argue with her son. She turned around and comforted her daughter-in-law. In her eyes, no one is more important than the person in front of her.
"I don't want to cause trouble to my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law, but I feel bored staying alone in the princess's mansion. Alas! It's all because I don't even have a friend in Tianyu, so my child can only live a lonely life with me." Princess Xiyue deliberately frowned as she spoke of her suffering.
"If you have any requests, just ask as long as they are available at home." Qin patted her daughter-in-law's hand to comfort her. At first, she was indeed not optimistic about the marriage between her youngest son and Princess Xiyue, but in the face of imperial power, how could a minister have the right to refuse? Now that they have a child, the feeling of being a family is getting stronger and stronger.
"Grandfather, I'm sleepy. Can I go lie down inside for a while?" Xiao Yao moved to the side of Old Marquis Xiao and slipped into the inner room before the old marquis could react. No one understood what she meant. They were eating! How could she be sleepy just like that?
"My sisters-in-law at home are all very busy, and I'm embarrassed to disturb them. I also don't have the heart to trouble you given your age. Can you see if Ping'an and Ruyi can move to the Princess' Mansion to keep me company?" Princess Xiyue said shyly and awkwardly.
"Oh!" A heavy sigh came from the inner room. Some things will not happen if you avoid them. Facts have proved that what is supposed to happen will eventually happen.
"Ping'an... Ping'an, you are trying to escape... Haha, haha... You are killing me with laughter." Xiao Jingyan didn't even eat his meal. He was so happy that he almost rolled on the ground, holding his stomach.
"Hmph." Xiao Yao walked out again and pouted her lips towards her fourth uncle and snorted, "How dare you laugh? You can't even deal with your own wife, and now you're implicated your niece. It's so embarrassing."
Who still doesn't understand what Xiao Yao's sudden action just now means? While everyone lamented that Xiao Yao's reaction was too fast, they also sympathized with her situation. After hiding for so long, is she still going to fall into the palm of someone's hand?
"What do you think, eldest brother's wife?" Although Qin did not agree directly, her meaning was almost the same. Could Tong Mingyu refuse?
Xiao Yao met Tong Mingyu's gaze and asked only one question: "Mother, if I go to live in the Princess's Mansion, you will be more relaxed, right?" Tong Mingyu gently stroked her daughter's tender face. This child was a headache when she was naughty, but so touching when she was warm-hearted.
"Fourth Aunt, of course it's okay for me to accompany you, but I still need to study and learn talents, can I..." Before Xiao Yao finished her words, she heard Princess Xiyue say in a cheerful tone: "Just bring your master and teachers to the Princess's Mansion, Ping An, if you have any other requests, just let me know."
Xiao Yao choked. Is this a plan to stay at the Princess' Mansion permanently? Fourth Aunt, you're pregnant now. Do you understand what a pregnant woman is? Taking good care of the baby is what you should focus on, okay? What's the point of always staring at a child?
Old Marquis Xiao's face was not looking good either. What was the intention of this daughter-in-law who was always thinking of taking my granddaughter to the Princess's Mansion? Didn't she know that I, an old man, couldn't live without my granddaughter?
"Ping'an and Ruyi, go to the Princess's Mansion and stay with your Fourth Aunt for a while! She's alone in Tianyu with no relatives or companions, so it's inevitable that she'll feel lonely."
Grandma had already said so, what else could Xiao Yao do? Even though she was extremely reluctant, she had to nod and agree happily with a proper smile on her face.
Xiao Rui lowered his voice and whispered to Xiao Jun who was nearby: "This is the first time Ping An has suffered a loss! I think Fourth Aunt is her nemesis."
"Ping'an and Ruyi must come back for dinner every day, and they must come back to stay for a few days a month. Xiao Si should spend more time with your wife. The children have so many things to do every day, and they are still young. You will feel more at ease letting them accompany you." Old Marquis Xiao glared at his disappointing youngest son. You actually have the nerve to laugh at Ping'an. You have the time to coax your wife instead of doing it. What a useless guy.
Since the matter had been decided, the princess's mansion began to clean the courtyard the next day, and the maids in Yaoyuan Building also began to pack up their things. At least they had to bring all the young ladies' commonly used items.
Since March, Xiao Yao and Xiao Yuan have been running back and forth between the Princess's Mansion and the Loyal and Brave Marquis's Mansion. Through their daily interactions, Xiao Yao has learned that Princess Xiyue is a straightforward and unpretentious person. If you can ignore her occasional claws and infatuated eyes, you have to say that she is still a very good person.
A few months passed, and Princess Xiyue became pregnant. Marquis Xiao, fearing their young age might cause trouble for his daughter-in-law and grandson, rescued his granddaughters and brought them back to the mansion. The Xiao Yao sisters still visited their aunt frequently, taking walks and chatting with her. To thank his nieces for their dedication, Xiao Jingyan gifted each of them a mountain villa.
Every summer, the Xiao sisters would go to the manor to escape the heat. This year, the team has grown again. Not only is there Yun Ruonan, but there is also a pregnant Princess Xiyue.
If there was a pregnant woman from another family, Yin Qianhua would definitely not let her daughter participate. But because it was the Xiao family, she agreed without hesitation. The conspiracies and intrigues of other families would never appear here, so there was no need to worry at all.
In just a few months, Mu Fengwu got engaged and would get married in the fall. The Ninth Prince also decided to make Yuan Min his consort and Han Yuejiao from the Duke of Qing's mansion his concubine.
Queen Mother Han fell ill due to anger because her niece's granddaughter did not become the queen. This time her illness seemed to be quite serious. A group of imperial doctors surrounded her and tried to save her for a long time before she regained consciousness and was able to speak.
"Are the women of our Han family destined to be concubines? Do you still see me as your mother?" Queen Mother Han cried bitterly.
"Mother, please take care of yourself. For some things, I must consider Tianyu's interests first, and then think about my own gains and losses. The Han family is my son's maternal uncle's family, and this will never change. Because of this, when I weigh the pros and cons, I will put them in the position of my own people, and think of them after I have won over and arranged for others. Why do you think my son is wrong to do this?
Or does the Queen Mother want her son to always put the Han family first and put Tianyu, the court, and the Yun family's affairs behind? "The Emperor said earnestly. The Queen Mother had quarreled with him over the Han family's affairs more than once.
When she was conferred the title of Queen, when she was conferred the title of Princess Jing, and now when she was conferred the title of Princess of the Crown Prince, she was still like this. Little did she know that the more she was like this, the less likely she would put the Han family girl in the position of the principal wife. Who could guarantee that in ten or dozens of years, Tianyu would not have another Queen Mother Han, a Han family with two Dukes in one family! The Emperor would never allow such a thing to happen again. It was a taboo for the relatives of the emperor to become powerful!
"My mother was just a little beauty back then, but she climbed up step by step and endured so much hardship and fatigue for you two brothers. If it weren't for the support of your uncles, how could she have persisted until today?
"My mother won't interfere in state affairs, so I didn't stop you from punishing the two Dukes! The Han family is no longer powerful, and their status is far different from what it used to be. "Don't you think my mother only wants them to retain a bit of glory and respect?" Queen Mother Han began to soften her stance, playing the family card instead.
"Isn't what my son has done enough? With the mistakes made by my uncles, which one of them is not enough, confiscating their property, exiling them, or even executing them? Didn't they endure it for your son? The Han family still retains the title and has so much ancestral property. What else do you want?"
"Your Majesty, you don't have to ask about men's affairs, but why can't the position of a prince's consort be given to Yue Jiao? The Yuan family is just a family of military commanders, why do they have the right to occupy the position of consort? There are so many princes, you can let her marry anyone, why did she have to marry Xiao Jiu, your Majesty's favorite!"
"You also said that there are so many grandsons. Which one do you like? Doesn't my uncle have a legitimate granddaughter? Just tell me, and I will immediately make her the prince's consort."
"You..." How could the status of those princes compare to Xiaojiu? Either their mothers were of low status, or the princes themselves were not outstanding. No matter how they were compared, they were still far behind Xiaojiu.
The emperor thought that letting the Han family's daughter be a concubine was already the limit for him, and he even planned to find an excuse to send the Han family's granddaughter to the temple in two or three years!
"Yi Bai's wife hasn't been appointed yet, you can marry your uncle's granddaughter to him as his wife!" Wouldn't it be perfect for the Han family's granddaughter to serve the Han family's grandson?
"The Queen Mother has already made plans for Yibai's main wife. She will choose the granddaughter of Old Master Lin. The position of concubine will be left to the Xiao family. Don't they have a daughter? And she is a military commander, so she is just right."
The Emperor: How dare you let the granddaughter of the Marquisate be a concubine to a lame prince? Are you doing this to help your son or to make him hate you? Everyone in Tianyu knows that Marquis Xiao dotes on his granddaughter to the extreme. He has no intention of letting her enter the palace. Not to mention a concubine, even if she were the main wife, Mr. Xiao would not look down on her!
King Jing: Are you planning to take advantage of your own daughter-in-law? It's a pity that the brat Achen is not here, otherwise he would have changed his face again! Not to mention that my son is interested in the little granddaughter of the Xiao family, even if I see that my wife likes the little girl so much, I will not let my mother get her wish.
"Let's not talk about Yue Jiao anymore. Yue Yan must be made a queen, and it just so happens that A Chen..."
"Mother, Achen is still young. I plan to send him out to gain experience for a few years. I will not consider getting married for the time being." Prince Jing did not care about etiquette and hurriedly interrupted Queen Mother Han's topic. No girl from the Han family would be allowed into Prince Jing's mansion. Not to mention that his son had no such feelings for his uncle's granddaughter, even if he did, he would not agree.
"Isn't it possible that Ah Chen won't marry this year, next year, or the year after?"
He really won’t be able to marry her next year. The girl won’t be that old next year. As long as his son’s mind remains unchanged, Prince Jing’s Mansion can wait for him!
"A master has calculated for Achen and found that he is not suitable for early marriage. So don't delay your uncle's granddaughter! Please forgive me, mother and uncle."
This was clearly an excuse. Empress Dowager Han was so angry that she could only gasp for breath. The emperor looked at his mother and brother clashing again, and helplessly rubbed his temples with his hands.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
