When Song Yixiao woke up the next day, it was already in the morning and her husband was gone.
She summoned Jinxun inside for service. While serving her to wash up carefully, Jinxun reported in a soft voice, “His Highness has gone to the Empress Dowager’s palace. Before leaving, His Highness asked me to tell you not to go anywhere but wait at the mansion for his information.”
Song Yixiao had learnt that it was Jian Xubai who asked Jinxun to stop her. Now Jinxun’s face was clearly swollen despite being covered with make-up. After all, this maid had served Song Yixiao since she was a child. Hence, Song Yixiao felt pitiful for her and said softly, “Go and see a doctor later. A girl’s face is very important and don’t leave any scar on it!”
“I am not that delicate.” Jinxun was reckless and yet not vengeful. Now that she knew that her mistress was not mad with her, she instantly said with her face wreathed in smiles, “Moreover, you didn’t slap harshl
Song Yixiao entered Qingxi Hall uneasily.The uneasy feeling got increasingly apparent when she found that Jian Xubai was not present.Unexpectedly, after Song Yixiao made a curtsey, the Empress Dowager didn’t look angry and instead, waved her hand amicably, saying, “Good girl, come and sit next to me.”“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Song Yixiao, not sure of the Empress Dowager’s intention, curtsied respectfully and sat on the embroidered chair near the Empress Dowager. She only sat on the one third of the seat, which demonstrated her reverence and respect.The Empress Dowager saw her bearing clearly and said smilingly, “No need to be so nervous! I won’t eat you anyway!”Yuguo, standing aside, said with a smile, “Duke Jian begged you in your arms for a while just now. Even if you really eat people, you won’t eat Lady of Yan! Otherwise, if His Highness can’t find Lady of Yan after going back to the mansion and come to you f
Song Yixiao returned home and found that Jian Xubai and Ms. Zhao were not back yet. Neither did any message come about them.She was very disappointed to hear that.Having struggled to look through the list for her mother-in-law’s birthday in a few days, Song Yixiao was about to ask Jinxun whether she had seen a doctor when a maid came forward and reported, “Your Highness, Madam Cheng asks to meet you!”“Madam Cheng?” Song Yixiao didn’t think of who she was and Qiaoqin gave her a reminder, “Is that the mother of Side Concubine Cui, Madam Cheng?”She took a tumble and couldn’t help frowning, “She came alone? But why does she want to meet me?”The maid answered respectfully, “Your Highness, Madam Cheng takes a 20-something woman who looks like her daughter-in-law, but I have never met the Cui Family before, so I’m not sure about it.”“Madam Cheng says nothing but to ask to meet Your Highness.” She added.
Jian Xubai looked at his wife’s disappointed look and felt sorry, saying gently, “Now this matter is in the limelight. Grandmother’s asking them to leave at once is for their own good. When this comes to an end in a few years and no one cares about this, we can let them come back. Even if they are not allowed to step into the imperial capital as the Crown Prince required and they just stay in the environs, it will be rather convenient for you to pay them a visit.”“As long as they live well, I’ll be relieved!” However, Song Yixiao just shook her head and sighed, “Regardless of her virtue, You Qingchun is still the birth daughter of Ms. Zhao. If I hadn’t meant to conspire against Cui Jianlian, I could have given her an opportunity to draw in her horse at the edge of a cliff. After all, regarding this matter, I feel so sorry for Ms. Zhao! Back then, she and her husband risked their lives to help me out. This time, for Zhiqin, I saw their daughter fall into a helpless situ
“Madam Huang passed away?” The couple were startled to hear the news, asking in one voice, “How did that happen? Wasn’t she okay at the imperial feast of the Lantern Festival?”Song Yixiao greeted her at that time!It had only been a few days since then!“It is said that she died of an acute disease,” the maid said cowardly, “As it happened too hastily, the messenger came and left in a hurry, telling that he had to send the message to other relatives too. Hence, we didn’t invite him into the mansion.”Song Yixiao called Madam Huang as Grandma and the latter was kind to her, but they actually had no communication in private and their amicable relationship on the surface was only a show to the public.Therefore, when Song Yixiao heard of the death of this nominal grandmother, she was astonished and yet not grieved. Then she came to her sense quickly, sent away the maid and then started to discuss about the condolence wit
After returning to Duke of Yan’s mansion, Song Yixiao was broody until she went to bed.In order not to disappoint her husband, when Jian Xubai took off her clothes, she put her arms around his neck obediently, but she was somewhat absent-minded while they were doing it.Jian Xubai realized that so he specially sent words to Commandery Princess Qingjiang the next day.Commandery Princess Qingjiang received her brother’s message for help and then went into the imperial palace to fish for information. It turned out that Madam Huang’s death did have something to do with Cui Jianlian!“I can’t understand why she thought that way. How could she regard Yixiao as a huge threat which must be eradicated?!” Commandery Princess Qingjiang found it funny and annoying, saying to Ji Su, “However, the Crown Princess is always inclined to drag Yixiao to her side. Madam Huang failed to drive a wedge in between and yet, she realized that Cui Jianlian
How could Qiu Shuxia and his peers let Prince of Yi take over the job?Yet, Emperor Xianjia was not a push-over!Instantly, he thumped the table in anger, “Spring ploughing is around the corner! The situation in the northern borderland has just settled down! There are so many affairs to be discussed about after the New Year holidays! Now as the court is just opened, you are demanding to abolish the Crown Prince, negligent of the national affairs and people’s livelihood. Yet, you kept saying that you were thinking for the good of the country! I’ve tolerated it!”“Then you demanded to investigate the case of the Crown Prince thoroughly, which I’ve permitted!”“Now that I assign the investigation job to the uncle of the Crown Prince, you still have objection!”The imperial tea bowl made of sweet white porcelain with the painting of native land on it and the golden edge, along with the growl of Emperor Xianjia, was thrown
The Qiu Family was so scarcely populated that there was not even a distant relative out of Wufu. Qiu Shuxia adopted Liu Zhiyin as his son for the sake of political interest exchange—to let Liu Zhenxi “confess” readily without worries behind.Yet, since Qiu Shuxia had no son, he had no reason to maltreat this adopted son.Under the circumstance, Liu Zhenxi, obviously leaving life and death out of consideration, was determined to pave the path for the son adopted by Qiu Shuxia with all his family’s lives and his after-death reputation!“This man worked in the Ministry of Punishments before, so he must know how to make an ironclad proof.” Song Yixiao immediately realized the gravity of the situation, “Especially Cui Jianlian and Madam Huang are dead, who cannot give witness. Even if His Majesty assigns Prince of Yi to investigate the case, it won’t be easy to handle then.”Emperor Xianjia could harness the officials but judge from his
Here was a brief introduction of Emperor Xianjia’s children. Putting aside the two princesses, currently, Emperor Xianjia had only five sons alive, that is, the eldest son, aka, the Crown Prince; the second eldest son, aka, Prince of Wei; the third eldest son, aka, Prince of Liang; the fourth eldest son, aka, Prince of Zhao; the fifth eldest son, aka, Prince of Shu.Although Qiu Shuxia had appealed to change the heir in court, now the Crown Prince was still the heir. Hence, he could never be adopted!Empress Su expressed her opinion of not giving away Prince of Zhao, so the range of choices was limited to Prince of Wei, Prince of Liang and Prince of Shu.For Prince of Su and Prince of Xiang, at least two imperial sons were needed.“Given the current situation, the Empress can’t choose Prince of Wei, or Daiguo Grand Princess will fight with her then!” Song Yixiao was speculating about the Empress’s thinking, “So she can only choose