Chapter 402: Concubine Zhao's Background
Zhen was a gentle person. She had always liked Xiao Baozhu, and now that their identities had switched, she treated Xiao Baozhu even more gently and attentively.
The knot between Xiao Baozhu and Empress Sun has been untied, but the lack of maternal love is real and no one can deny it.
From Zhen, Xiao Baozhu felt the missing maternal love.
So this is what it feels like to be loved by a mother.
These words left Lu Zhiran and Xing Chuxue silent.
Lu Zhiran had received her mother's unconditional love, but the time was too short, so every time she recalled it, she felt only bitterness in her heart.
As for Xing Chuxue, although she had a mother, she had never been favored.
Now, the mother and daughter are like strangers.
It is really a blessing for Xiao Baozhu to have such a mother-in-law.
Everyone had a meal together at Prince An's Mansion. When it was almost time, everyone went home.
Prince An's Mansion acted quickly, and within a few days, everything was ready.
Xiao Yanheng brought Xing Chuxue into the palace to bid farewell to Emperor Defeng.
Emperor Defeng was like a kind father. He gave them many instructions and warnings, and at the end he rewarded them with a lot of things. Xiao Yanheng accepted them all.
After leaving the imperial study, they went to Huipin's Yunjin Palace.
Huipin is Xiao Yanheng's adoptive mother. It is reasonable for them to say goodbye to Huipin.
Huipin happened to have a guest, the eighth prince's mother, Concubine Zhao.
Concubine Zhao and the Eighth Prince, mother and son, are both very low-key and inconspicuous.
Recently, the eighth prince's marriage was put on the agenda, and Concubine Zhao began to appear in public.
When she saw Xiao Yanheng and Xing Chuxue, Concubine Zhao was even more nervous than them and quickly stood up and took her leave.
Xiao Yanheng didn't care about other people's business, and his relationship with Concubine Hui was just average. He just greeted her and sat down to drink tea. Xing Chuxue wanted to find a topic, so she asked about Concubine Zhao.
Huipin said, "She came for the Eighth Prince's marriage."
Xing Chuxue then asked, "Is there a suitable candidate?"
Contempt flashed in Huipin's eyes. "How can someone with her background find a suitable candidate? Someone else will take care of this matter. It's not our turn to meddle in other people's business."
Xing Chuxue shut up tactfully.
Xiao Yanheng put down his teacup and started talking about business.
"We have made all the necessary preparations and will depart for our fiefdom tomorrow. I have come here today to bid farewell to Mother."
Huipin was surprised, "So fast?"
Xiao Yanci: "It's better to do it sooner rather than later."
Huipin's eyes showed dissatisfaction, "You were the one who brought up this matter. If you hadn't brought it up, the Emperor would definitely not have kicked you out."
These words clearly showed criticism and anger towards him.
Xing Chuxue's expression tensed slightly, and she felt a little uneasy for a moment.
She was worried that they would quarrel and if word got out, as the younger generation, they would be doomed to suffer.
This Prince Yu has a bad reputation.
Xiao Yanheng's expression remained cold, and his tone was calm. "I know my own worth. Rather than waiting for Father to tell you to stop me, I'd rather take the initiative. This way, I can save some face."
Huipin's expression was slightly stiff, and she was obviously a little annoyed.
"Before you act, you must at least discuss this with me."
"Mother cannot make the decision on this matter, and it is useless to discuss it with you."
Huipin was blocked by his words and her face became even uglier.
Xiao Yanheng stood up and said, "I will be leaving tomorrow. I still have a lot of trivial matters to take care of today, so I won't disturb your rest. I will take my leave."
After saying that, he pulled Xing Chuxue away.
Xing Chuxue hurriedly bowed and followed in small steps.
After leaving Yunjin Palace, Xiao Yanheng's face still looked bad, as if covered with a layer of gloom.
Xing Chuxue held his hand back and interlocked their fingers.
Xiao Yanheng's expression paused slightly, then slowly returned to normal.
Back in her carriage, Xing Chuxue still sat quietly and didn't ask anything.
Instead, it was Xiao Yanheng who took the initiative to speak, "Aren't you curious about why our relationship has become so cold?"
Xing Chuxue said honestly, "Of course I'm curious."
"Then why don't you ask?"
"Your Highness is not an ungrateful person. You have your reasons for acting this way. The circumstances behind this are probably somewhat unpleasant, and I don't want to expose your sorrow."
Xing Chuxue also has some sad things that she doesn't want to talk about. Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you.
Xiao Yanheng looked at her, his eyes filled with soft light.
"I've let it go."
Xiao Yanheng spoke lightly as he explained the whole matter.
Concubine Hui had no children, so she took the initiative to fight for Xiao Yanheng, snatching him from other concubines and registering him in her name.
But raising a child is not easy, especially since Xiao Yanheng has been a child with a medical condition since childhood, so it takes even more effort to take care of him.
Huipin was still able to be patient at the beginning, but Xiao Yanheng was too difficult to take care of. He often fell ill and cried, which caused her to be scolded by Emperor Defeng several times. Over time, Huipin's treatment of him became superficial.
In private, she often spoke ill of Xiao Yanheng and was very disgusted with him.
She might have thought that Xiao Yanheng was a child who couldn't understand or remember those words.
But he was precocious since childhood, and those vicious words fell into his heart word by word.
He knew that his mother had no sincerity towards him and that he was just a bargaining chip for her to consolidate her position.
If others treat him well, he will return the favor three times.
Even if others dislike him or hate him, he will not flatter them actively.
Maintaining superficial harmony between mother and son was the greatest respect Xiao Yanheng could give her, and it was also a way of repaying her for raising him.
Xing Chuxue felt a surge of heartache when she heard him narrate these things in a calm tone.
There was no longer any ripple in Xiao Yanheng's heart.
Because he had already let go of it and no longer had any unnecessary hopes for his adoptive mother.
If you don't have hope, you won't be disappointed.
"It's all in the past. We're about to head to the fiefdom. Everything in the past is no longer important."
Xing Chuxue held his hand and nodded vigorously.
"Well, we will definitely live well in our fiefdom."
Xiao Yanheng nodded with a smile.
Xing Chuxue asked about Concubine Zhao again. Although she was from a noble family, she had no idea about the origins of the concubines in her palace.
From what Huipin said just now, it seems that this Concubine Zhao is not of high birth.
Xiao Yanheng patiently explained, "Zhao Jieyu's family background is indeed humble. Her grandfather was a fisherman who made his fortune by sailing. After Zhao Jieyu entered the palace, the Zhao family prospered and became prominent for a time."
"Before? What happened to the Zhao family later?"
Xiao Yanheng recalled, "Back then, the Zhao family was granted official positions, and Concubine Zhao's brother was appointed a military commander and sent to garrison Xiping. Later, news came back that he had been visiting prostitutes in the army and even raping decent women. He was publicly executed by military court, and the rest of the Zhao family was also dismissed from their positions. If Concubine Zhao hadn't been pregnant, the Zhao family would have been punished even more severely."
After hearing this, Xing Chuxue couldn't help but feel indignant.
"The Zhao family is not wronged."
Especially Concubine Zhao's brother, who raped a decent woman and deserved to die.
Xing Chuxue asked a few more questions out of curiosity, but after hearing these words, she stopped asking.
Anyway, she will have no interaction with the Eighth Prince and the future Eighth Prince's wife.
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