CH 133.2

Jin Wang Dotes on His Concubine Ch 133 Pt. 2

Translated by gingercat

Edited by gingercat

“No, no, no, you’re different. From what His Highness told me, fifth brother-in-law and fifth sister-in-law had never had a good relationship ever since they got married. A knot exists between the two of them that can never be resolved. Apparently, fifth sister-in-law did something unforgivable to fifth brother-in-law. Although His Highness didn’t go into the specific details, I still have a rough idea of his overall meaning. This is why despite being our fifth sister-in-law, it’s only in name. But you are different. You’re the person that fifth brother-in-law personally mentioned to His Highness. This is why despite your status, I address you as little fifth sister-in-law. You understand what I mean, right?”

Yaoniang hesitated before nodding.

Consort Qing smiled with relief. “So you mustn’t demean yourself. Side Consort Hu and you are not the same. Her heart is not right…” 

Whenever Side Consort Han was mentioned, Consort Qing’s face would become complicated. Her expression showed how guarded she was towards this woman and even some fear as well. It was to the extent that this woman almost became her inner demon.

She gave a wry smile and said, “Actually, it’s different from what you think. His Highness and I have a good relationship, even now. Since you only joined the family recently, you’re probably unaware of the relationship between His Highness and fifth brother-in-law. One would expect that with their identities, they’d only share a superficial brotherly relationship on the surface. But that’s not the case with His Highness and fifth brother-in-law.”

As Consort Qing continued to explain, Yaoniang finally learned the truth of Jin Wang’s relationship with Qing Wang.

Although Qing Wang was a prince, he didn’t have a high status from birth. This was because Qing Wang’s mother consort, Consort Han, came from Goryeo.

Consort Han came here from Goryeo as a tribute. Every few years, Goryeo would offer some women as tribute. Some were bestowed to the minister, dukes, and princes, while others became performers in the palace. Consort Han was lucky. Emperor Hongjing had chosen her to stay by his side because of her outstanding appearance.

There were countless people like Consort Han in the palace. When she first entered the palace, she was only a small gengyi. Low-ranked imperial concubines like her were not qualified to live in their own palaces. They usually lived in the side hall of a higher-ranked imperial concubine’s palace. As for Gengyi Han, she lived in the side hall of Jingren Palace.

The main owner of Jingren Palace was Consort De, the mother consort of Jin Wang.

One had a weak body and was aloof from the world while the other was forced to leave her home and lived in fear and uncertainty. Shen Luan’s temperament was tolerant while Gengyi Han’s temperament was soft. Despite living in the same palace, the two got along very well.

Later, Shen Luan became pregnant with Jin Wang. Within two years, Gengyi Han became pregnant with Qing Wang. Unfortunately, Gengyi Han died of dystocia during childbirth, leaving Qing Wang on his own.

Gengyi Han had never been considered favored and remained a gengyi until the day she died. It was only after her death that she was given the posthumous title of consort. Since Shen Luan was the main owner of Jingren Palace, Qing Wang was raised by Shen Luan. When Shen Luan died, both of these brothers became motherless children.

However, by then Jin Wang was already grown up and did not need to be raised by anyone. He lived in the Fifth Ganxi Institute on his own. But Qing Wang was still young, so he was raised by a concubine for another two years, before he also went to live at the Fifth Ganxi Institute. According to the Dagan system, once a prince reached five years old, he would leave his mother and go live at the Fifth Ganxi Institute.

This was why Jin Wang and Qing Wang had a good relationship ever since they were young. Qing Wang always took Jin Wang as the leader.

After listening to the story of Jin Wang and Qing Wang, Yaoniang remained silent for a long while. All that she knew was Jin Wang’s mother consort, Consort De had passed away long ago. She did not know that Jin Wang, Qing Wang and their consort mothers had such a relationship.

“His Highness’s status in the palace is low because his consort mother was a foreign woman, offered to the palace as tribute. Fortunately, fifth brother-in-law was there to protect him. A few years later, fifth brother-in-law was given his own feudal state. At that time, I had just married His Highness and he was the one who told me all this. Not even two years had passed before His Highness was also decreed a vassal state. However, communication between fifth brother-in-law and His Highness never stopped.”

Speaking of this, Consort Qing suddenly smiled. “Are you wondering why I’m telling you about the past between fifth brother-in-law and His Highness, instead of Side Consort Han?”

Yaoniang wasn’t stupid. Side Consort Han’s surname is Han. Consort Han’s surname is also Han. Side Consort Han also seemed a little off to her and only then did she realize it was her accent. Moreover, this woman was fair and tender and didn’t look that different from the women of Dagan but she still gave off this feeling of exoticness. 

“Could it be that Side Consort Han and Consort Han–“

Consort Qing gave a wry smile and nodded. “Even I didn’t expect that given His Highness and my close relationship, someone like her would show up and disrupt our relationship. His Highness once left for a month and when he came back, he had her with him. Her mother and his consort mother were sisters. His mother consort came to Dagan, but her mother stayed in Goryeo. Her mother was seriously ill and about to pass away. Worried about her daughter, she had someone send her to Dagan.”

Yaoniang was utterly shocked. After over 20 years of separation, there were still people showing up and claiming blood ties.

“Could there be…”

“Are you wondering whether she could be a fake, an imposter?” Consort Qing shook her head and smiled bitterly. “That’s what I also thought. Only later did I learn that Goryeo was only a small country. Very few women who came to Dagan as tribute were given the title of consort, which is why mother consort’s maternal family greatly benefited. That woman’s mother ended up marrying into a decently good official’s family. Unfortunately during the turmoil for the throne, the woman’s father died. Only because of their relationship with consort mother did she and her mother escape by chance. Before she came to Qingzhou, she went to the capital. Later, people from the capital escorted her to Qingzhou. Her background couldn’t have been faked.”

“Since she’s a cousin, she could’ve been married off as a cousin. Why did something like this happen?”

“That’s why I said her heart isn’t in the right place. When His Highness brought her back, he intended to marry her off as a cousin. But she took the opportunity when His Highness was drunk to climb into his bed. This was also because I was too foolish to realize her true thoughts. By the time I knew, it was already too late, and the matter was a done deed. When I said that she had ill intentions, His Highness explained on her behalf that it was his fault for being drunk and for ruining her honour. He took pity on her miserable past and took her into the manor, giving her the position of a side consort.”

“His Highness is a good, sincere, magnamious and tolerant person who doesn’t doubt others randomly. Adding in their blood ties, he treats her even more favourably. Before long, she showed her true face to me while acting meek in front of His Highness. Especially today during the birthday celebration for Cheng Ge’er, she acted even more daring. In the past, His Highness and I rarely fought, but because of her, conflicts happened more and more often. Now our husband and wife relationship is a lot more estranged.”

“You never mentioned any of this to Qing Wang?”

“What am I supposed to say? Even if I tell him, he doesn’t believe it. Little fifth sister-in-law, you should know that there are simply too many methods in this backyard to make it difficult for people to speak up.”

Yaoniang was silent. After living for two lifetimes, of course she understood this.

The two fell silent. The three children sat on the side with awe on their small faces. It was unknown how much they understood what was said.

Consort Qing suddenly laughed. “Fifth sister-in-law, I’ve worried you with my matters. It’s all because I’ve held these things in my heart for too long. I don’t dare to share these with outsiders. As for my family, it’s even more difficult for me to tell them these things. You must’ve been exhausted listening to all this.”

“It’s okay but I can’t do much to help.”

“No one can help with this kind of thing.” Consort Qing gave a bitter smile with a sad expression on her face.

Yaoniang glanced at Consort Qing and hesitated before saying, “There is something but I don’t know if I should say it or not.”

“We’ve already spoken so much today. There’s nothing else that can’t be said.”

Yaoniang nodded and said, “Then I think you should cast away the melancholy and arrogance in your heart. Unless you want to completely cut off the relationship between you and Qing Wang. Unless you want to watch Qing Wang drift further and further away from you. Unless you want to watch Qing Wang dote on Cheng Ge’er but treat Yan Ge’er coldly. Then she’ll be the one to have the last laugh while you weep bitter tears. As husband and wife, there’s nothing wrong with lowering your head. So take on a soft attitude and talk to him. I don’t believe Qing Wang won’t listen to you.”

“There’s no need to use force. Even dripping water wears through stone. Approach your prey  in silence. I don’t believe she can hide her true self for the rest of her life. Since you know that she harbours ill will, then you should also know that the better your relationship with Qing Wang is, the more anxious she will be. Anxious people slip up and make mistakes. Once she makes a wrong move, Qing Wang would no longer regard her with so much trust.”

Consort Qing’s eyes were bright as she clenched the handkerchief in her hands. Then she loosened it before gripping tightly again. She couldn’t help asking, “Fifth sister-in-law, how do you know this?”

Her? In the end, she has lived for two lifetimes. Even if she had never eaten pork, it wasn’t like she had never seen a pig run.

Consort Qing thought even more deeply. She recalled Consort Jin who was sent to recuperate in the countryside. Did little fifth sister-in-law use this method to force that person away?

Right away, she felt that ‘force’ was too strong a word to describe little fifth sister-in-law. She heard Qing Wang say that little fifth sister-in-law had suffered a lot in the past. Even after she met fifth brother-in-law later, she still knew her place and didn’t act out of place. It was Consort Jin who took advantage of little fifth sister-in-law’s pregnancy to make a move, angering fifth brother-in-law. In the end, she was sent to the countryside to recuperate from her illness.

“Would this work?” Consort Qing was uneasy and hesitant.

“It doesn’t hurt to try, and you won’t lose anything. If all goes well, you’ll no longer feel wronged, neither will your children.”

Consort Qing and Yaoniang sat together and spoke for a long time. With this, their relationship became a lot closer.

Seeing their mother smile again, Yan Ge’er and Zhuzhu’s spirits became a lot better. Yaoniang asked the two siblings to take Xiaobao to play, so the three little ones went out to play together.

Yaoniang said to Consort Qing, “In the future, no matter what, remember to not show anything in front of the children. Although they may seem young and ignorant, they know more than you think.”

Consort Qing nodded. Ashamed but grateful, she said, “If it weren’t for you, I really wouldn’t have known that this could cause such damage to the children.”

At this time, the banquet had already begun. But instead of going outside to partake in the feast, Consort Qing and Yaoniang ate in the courtyard.

While eating, Xiaobao’s appetite stunned Consort Qing, Yan Ge’er and Zhuzhu.

Zhuzhu’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets in shock. How could this little brother eat so much? And with such finesse? Unwilling to appear weak, she waved away the maid who fed her, and tried to eat on her own. Unfortunately, her hands were too small and this was her first time trying to feed herself. As a result, she had no idea how to use the spoon to scoop up the rice.

But the child was stubborn. Even though she didn’t know how to feed herself, she still didn’t want others to help.

While everyone’s attention was on Zhuzhu, Yan Ge’er also asked a maid for a bowl of rice and a spoon. Then he used the spoon to scoop out some of the rice in the bowl.

While everyone’s attention was elsewhere, Yan Ge’er finished his bowl of rice. Seeing that Xiaobao was already on his second bowl, he also asked the maid to bring another serving for himself.

Consort Qing was both happy and excited. She said to Yaoniang, “Yan Ge’er has never eaten so much. Every meal, he would only take a few bites before stopping. He doesn’t like to eat anything, but today he has such a good appetite.”

Yaoniang thought for a while, then said: “Yan Ge’er is now older. He shouldn’t always be carried around by others. The more energy he consumes by moving around, the more he’ll want to eat. If he only sits there without moving, naturally he wouldn’t feel hungry.”

Consort Qing nodded as she listened. “Fifth sister-in-law, that’s really smart. From now on I’ll have them play with Yan Ge’er more. You should also bring Xiaobao to my place more often in the future. With Xiaobao around, Yan Ge’er will definitely be more active and eat better.”

Xiaobao, who was scooping up his rice, looked at the two yet-to-grow hair children next to him with their faces covered in food.

He was the youngest. These two were both older than him. But their words make it seem like he was very skilled in eating!

On the other hand, the banquet was soon over.

Or more specifically, the side where Jin Wang and the others sat. The princes were all gathered together and they all had their own thoughts and plans. As a result, they didn’t eat a lot but ended up drinking plenty of wine.

Lu Wang started making trouble as soon as he drank, and the quality of the wine Hui Wang offered wasn’t superb. Naturally, the meal was pleasant and it was soon over.

Word soon spread to where Yaoniang and Consort Qing were and Yaoniang stood up with Xiaobao in her arms. Consort Qing held onto Yaoniang’s hand, reluctant to part. She told Yaoniang repeatedly to come over when she was free. Consort Qing was also invited to Jin Wang Manor when she had time.

Once she got on the carriage, Yaoniang could smell the scent of alcohol on Jin Wang’s body. With one look she could tell that he didn’t drink a small amount of wine.

The carriage quietly drove to Jin Wang Manor. Jin Wang’s eyes were partially closed, seeming to be resting or deep in thought. But his large palm was wrapped around her hand, rubbing it every so often.

It was very quiet. Yaoniang also realized that all the pent-up emotions inside her chest had dissipated after talking for so long with Consort Qing.

Why should she be bothered over Jin Wang’s plans? No matter if that young miss from the Wang Family came or not, in the end, there’s still a Consort Jin. Whether the woman occupying that position was the current Consort Jin or the young miss surnamed Wang, it had nothing to do with her. Nor was she in a position to interfere.

These past few days had lulled her into thinking of herself as his wife. Only when one yearns for what one couldn’t have would there be pain and bitterness.

Silently, Yaoniang realized that her heart was very calm and peaceful. Of course, there was still some minor discomfort, but it could be ignored.

“What are you thinking about?” Jin Wang gazed at her with his narrow eyes half-opened. Due to the amount of alcohol he had drunk, his eyes were slightly unfocused. It was hard for one not to hitch their breath upon seeing him like this.

With him looking at her like that, Yaoniang’s heart started boiling again.

She recalled the words of advice she had said to Consort Qing…

“I met someone today…”