Qinye bowed her head very quickly, which made Song Yixiao and Jinxun thought that she was humble. Instead of being suspicious of her, Jinxun took a pouch to her as a thank you, “Thank you! But this dress doesn’t seem to be the one Madam brought into the palace?”
“The maid sent by Commandery Princess Qingjiang said that the side halls of Palace of Mingguang are now crowded with people who are grooming, and Commandery Princess Qingjiang couldn’t find Madam Song’s clothes at the moment.” Qinye steadied herself and said, “She was afraid that you’re waiting anxiously here, so she sent her own spare clothes over first. She asked you to make do with it, Madam!”
On hearing this, Song Yixiao and her maid were relieved.
After Qinye thanked Yixiao for the reward and then left, Jinxun served Song Yixiao to get dressed and went to thank Lady Nuan.
Lady Nuan smiled and was about to say something but was interrupted by the maid sent by Commandery Princess Qingjiang who was still there. When she saw Song Yixiao out, she reminded her, “Her Highness Princess Yushan has been persuaded by Commandery Princess Qingjiang to return to Palace of Mingguang. The clothes and skirts of a few young ladies and madams were wet and someone even fell down, which seemed to be known by Virtuous Consort Jiang, who might have been on the way back to Palace of Mingguang!”
In order to let the participants of the small banquet feel more comfortable, Virtuous Consort Jiang deliberately found an excuse to go to Palace of Weiyang to chat with the Empress. It meant she left Palace of Mingguang to those participants.
Now since Virtuous Consort Jiang rushed back, Song Yixiao, as the guest in the banquet, couldn’t keep chatting with Lady Nuan here. She had to go over immediately and ready to plead for Princess Yushan.
Under such circumstances, Song Yixiao looked at Lady Nuan apologetically, “I am grateful for your help today! Since Her Highness is about to return to Palace of Mingguang, I couldn’t stay here and disturb you any longer. I have to leave now!”
Lady Nuan was pretty disappointed, but she didn’t dare to reveal any hint of it. She forced a smile, “You are welcome. It’s no bother… Madam, please go ahead!”
After they left, Lady Nuan returned to the inner room unhappily. Qinye followed in, sending other maids away with an excuse, kneeling to the side of the bed and reporting in a low voice, “Your Highness, I just discovered something odd!”
Lady Nuan was not in a good mood now, saying weakly, “What?”
“When I went to deliver clothes to Madam Song, I found that Shougong Sand was still on her arm!” Knowing that Wuhuan didn’t have the custom of applying Shougong Sand, Qinye lowered her voice to explain, “It is said in the palace that Madam Song and Duke Jian are an affectionate couple, but I saw her arm clearly! It can’t be wrong!”
“Madam Song has been married for several months. How could she still be virgin if they are a normal couple? I suspect that Duke Jian maybe…not healthy!”
That she solemnly reported this matter was not simply to gossip, “Duke Jian was just eleven years old when he went out with the army! It wasn’t time to think about things like marriage yet, so no matter why exactly he was deficient, I’m afraid that Jinguo Grand Princess would blame it on Wuhuan! However, you are the only person from the Wuhuan royal family and the only one who can protect you from Jinguo Grand Princess is His Majesty!”
Therefore, “You can never be cold and indifferent to His Majesty in the future, or else His Majesty will be persuaded by Jinguo Grand Princess to put you at her disposal. Then, I will not dare to think of your end at all!”
Qinye used to be a maid who did the lowest class of work, and thought that she would be meteoric at any time after being sent to serve Lady Nuan, the one with rare beauty. Unexpectedly, it had been almost a year, and Lady Nuan was still a Lady, not to mention that she had even lost her child!
Although she was from a humble background, she was an ambitious maid. So how could she not be anxious when she saw this? However, Lady Nuan had been depressed all day for the fall of her country and the destruction of her family. No matter how Qinye persuaded her, she never spoke to Emperor Xianjia encouragingly.
Now Qinye finally found a reason to persuade her master to forge ahead. Naturally, she would spare no effort.
It was unexpected that Lady Nuan was startled for a moment at the news, and suddenly burst into tears!
“When Wuhuan still existed, I begged my father to let me marry to Xubai, when he was already poisoned. While my father was afraid that he wouldn’t live long enough to be a marriageable man, so he secretly sent a doctor to take his pulse. If he did in a bad condition, how could my father not tell me?”
“It’s a pity that he was unable to get over his situation as a prisoner after all, and flatly refused my father’s promise of marriage!”
“However, when the Prime Minister turned to Great Rui and wiped out our royal family, if he hadn’t spoken up to defend me, I would have died on the road in humiliation, just like my sisters!”
“It shows that he has a love for me after all!”
Lady Nuan’s emotions were churning and tears fell like beads. She had to raise her sleeves to cover her face so that Qinye wouldn’t see her sad face.
She was filled with sorrow as she thought, “So how could he have physical problems? I’m afraid he doesn’t like Madam Song at all, but he needs a wife to take care of house affairs and has to make a show of it in front of people!”
It took a while before she managed to control her emotions and spoke out to conceal her feelings, “But I heard that His Majesty greatly respects Jinguo Grand Princess. So if Jinguo Grand Princess wants to make trouble for me, even if His Majesty likes my looks, he may not go against her wishes, right?”
Qinye was overjoyed on hearing the words, “Your Highness, have you forgotten that when you entered the palace, Jinguo Grand Princess opposed it? You’re more important to His Majesty than her. As long as you serve His Majesty well later, how can Jinguo Grand Princess do anything to you?”
Qinye added, “What’s more, Duke Jian stands by the Crown Prince. Nowadays, Prince of Wei and Prince of Zhao are both vying for the throne, and no one could tell what the result is. If the throne is changed into others’ hands someday, Duke Jian will surely be in a bad situation. Then Jinguo Grand Princess won’t even be able to save his life, so how could she care about anything else? Maybe she will turn to you for help!”
Lady Nuan lowered her eyes, “Today is Her Highness Princess Yushan’s birthday. His Majesty will definitely go to Palace of Mingguang in the evening. I’m just a Lady now, and I can’t afford to offend one of the four Consorts!”
Qinye understood, “You are young, and there is no hurry! As long as you are willing to do so, I dare to say that one day, no one in the harem will be able to offend you!”
At that time, the servants would become noble because of their master. She would also go from being a humble Lady’s maid to a great imperial maid that many lowly concubines would not dare to offend, and even the Empress would have to show her some respect!
Song Yixiao and Nie Wuying naturally knew nothing about what happened in the Pavilion of Pinglan.
When they returned to Palace of Mingguang, Virtuous Consort Jiang had already arrived and was berating Princess Yushan, “Look at you! What have you done to a nice little banquet? It would be fine if it happened in summer, when I would think you are too young to understand. But what season is it now? If you let all of them catch a cold, see how I’ll deal with you!”
Commandery Princess Qingjiang and the others had to plead for the princess, “Your Highness, please don’t be angry. It was us who played so happily that we forget to be cautious. Please don’t blame Her Highness.”
“This child is spoiled by me and behaves improperly!” Princess Yushan was Virtuous Consort Jiang’s unique daughter, so she was obviously loved by Virtuous Consort Jiang. So she scolded Princess Yushan in public just for making a show.
When she was persuaded, she stopped scolding her at the right time and turned on behalf of her daughter to make an apology, “Please don’t be angry with her. Is ginger decoction here? Hurry! Serve it to everyone to warm up!”
It was late, so everyone finished their ginger decoction and left after some exchange of pleasantries.
Although Song Yixiao had changed clothes in the Pavilion of Pinglan, she still felt cold in her lower abdomen after returning to Duke of Yan’s mansion. After thinking about it, she sent for a doctor.
When the doctor came, Jian Xubai also arrived. He was surprised, “Why do you sent for a doctor as soon as you return?”
As he spoke, he came over and stretched out his hand to take her pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief, “You are fine.”
“Talk to you later!” Although Song Yixiao knew that Xubai had some knowledge of medicine, after all, specialized doctors were more credible. So, when the doctor said it was fine, and just asked her to drink more ginger and sugar juice in these days, Yixiao put her mind at ease. Then she told her husband about what happened today after asking Qiaoqin to send away the doctor.
Jian Xubai frowned slightly when she heard that she went to the Pavilion of Pinglan and even saw Lady Nuan. Then when he heard that Su Shaomo pressed Song Yixiao into the snow, his face instantly darkened, “How could the Su Family bring up such an unruly girl?”
“She’s not bad-hearted, but just a bit reckless.” Song Yixiao knew that Su Shaomo didn’t do it on purpose, and the doctor just said there was no harm, so she had no resentment towards Su Shaomo. She smiled when hearing these words, “Today, Roumei and Wuying have also scolded her, so let’s just let this matter go. After all, she is the Empress’s niece. Moreover, Master Shaoge had saved Wuying when they were in Zhanchun Venue!”
Jian Xubai snorted, “I’ll return Su Zhiyong’s favor, but that’s no reason for the Su Shaomo to be rude to you!”
“Master Shaoge and Miss Shaomo are both people who know how to be courteous, and she might be brought here tomorrow to make amends.” Song Yixiao said softly, “If we still quibble, it will be a laughing stock of others if word gets out! I’m afraid no one will dare to joke with me in the future!”
Only after hearing this did Jian Xubai say, “If the Su Family comes to make amends later, let’s forget about this. Otherwise, I’ll personally go to the Su Family and ask for advice on how to teach their daughter!”
Song Yixiao smiled and lay down on his shoulder, kissed him on his cheek, wrapped her arm around his neck and smiled broadly, “You are so loving and caring, and I’m so touched!”
Although she was generous, her husband’s care and defending for her should also be praised!
Before she finished her words, she had been hugged to the lap by Jian Xubai, with his large hands pressed behind her head. They had kissed for a long time before Jian Xubai had a slight gasp and said with a raised eyebrow, “Since you are so touched, when you are not in your period later, give me your body as rewards!”
“No! No way!” Although Song Yixiao said like that, her fingers touched around her husband’s chest slowly, with her eyes full of love and seemingly rejecting. Jian Xubai bent his lips and quickly pushed her back onto the bed, “Again?”
Song Yixiao said with an innocent face, “What?”
“Anyway, just don’t regret it in a few days!” Jian Xubai knew she was pretending to be confused and didn’t reveal it, just reaching out and pinching the tip of her nose, as if smiling, “Don’t beg for my forgiveness then!”
“I will!” Song Yixiao grabbed his hand and pressed it on her lower abdomen, feeling satisfied, “It is really much warmer and more comfortable than the warmer. My good husband, keep your hands there longer!”
Jian Xubai didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry, and was speechless for a moment before he said, “You’re deliberately arguing for the sake of arguing, aren’t you? I’ll see how you cry later!”
However, he still put his wife back on his lap and pressed her lower abdomen to warm her up. Leaning on her husband’s bosom, feeling the warmth from his palm, Song Yixiao closed her eyes comfortably and thought, “See, I know he is easy to coax! He is just serious at words, but actually would be fine after being coquetry!”
There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with it!