Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Miscarriage Song Shulan woke up the next day and hurried off to court, forgetting again to go find Princess Rongjia. When he returned from court, he ran into Huadie on the way and followed her off. In all the time Princess Rongjia had been married into the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, this was the first time Song Shulan had ignored her for an entire day and night. She hadn't slept well all night. "That slut Huadie!" "Your Highness, please calm down. Just endure it for now—once Huadie has a child, everything will be fine." Wang Shanxi's Wife knew her mistress was in a bad mood and hurried to console her. "She'd better get pregnant quickly, or I won't tolerate her!" Princess Rongjia said, taking a deep breath. "She doesn't even have Concubine Zhao's looks. It's a pity Concubine Zhao's health is poor—otherwise she could have been useful." A woman who couldn't easily bear children—no matter how much she elevated Concubine Zhao, it would be useless in the end. Nothing would come of it. With that said, Princess Rongjia wanted to drink hawthorn tea again. Wang Shanxi's Wife brewed a fresh pot and handed it over. "Think about it, Your Highness—if the Marquis goes to Huadie's place, that's still better than him going to Qiushuang Zhai." At the mention of Qiushuang Zhai, Princess Rongjia grew even angrier. "Cui Lingrong can wait. She'll have her day of tears." At that very moment, Cui Lingrong was speaking with Mama Yu from the main kitchen. "The Princess's diet hasn't changed—same as before. She likes sour things, still eating hawthorn and bamboo shoots. A few days ago, she had the kitchen make braised soft-shelled turtle. But the Marquis was also at Wutong Yuan, so it might have been the Marquis who wanted it." Mama Yu had been pregnant herself and knew what was safe to eat and what should be limited. Still, the Princess's diet hadn't changed after becoming pregnant—that was normal enough. Her pregnancy was still early. Cui Lingrong said she understood. "Miss He hasn't been feeling well lately. You know how frail she is—please be extra careful with her daily meals." "This old servant understands." Mama Yu said. After Mama Yu left, Nanny Qiu found it strange. "How is it that the Princess's tastes haven't changed at all?" "What about the medicine? Can't we get even a trace of the dregs?" Cui Lingrong asked. Nanny Qiu shook her head. "No good. Princess Rongjia's medicine is decocted personally by Wang Shanxi's Wife and He Qingxue. After it's done, the dregs are dumped into the slop bucket and stirred in—there's nothing to find." Cui Lingrong had wanted to work through the medicine dregs, but Wutong Yuan was like an iron bucket—no way to get a hand in. Nanny Qiu asked, "Our people at Wutong Yuan have countless eyes watching them. Should we find someone who regularly goes in and out of Wutong Yuan?" "You mean Huadie?" "Yes." "Huadie could be used, but not openly. We'd have to make her work for us without even knowing it." Cui Lingrong thought for a moment. "Don't I have that red ginseng for preventing miscarriage? Take it to Huadie. Tell her that since she attends to the Marquis most often, she should use it to nourish her body." Nanny Qiu understood immediately and took the red ginseng to Huadie's courtyard. When Huadie learned that the Eldest Young Madam hoped she would have a child, she was pleased. But remembering what Wang Shanxi's Wife had told her, she said in a low voice, "The Eldest Young Madam is a good person, but I can't accept her gifts. Let me be honest with you, Nanny—the Princess has her eyes on me. She doesn't want me getting close to the Eldest Young Madam." She didn't dare accept anything that wasn't given to everyone. Especially after being sent that medicinal soup by Princess Rongjia—she'd never forgotten that. "Ah, the Eldest Young Madam just sees that you're favored, Concubine, and hopes you can have a child too. In these deep courtyards, isn't a woman's life built on her children? Don't mind me speaking bluntly, Concubine—but who can guarantee they'll stay favored forever?" Nanny Qiu still set down the red ginseng. "The Princess won't be so petty. Just focus on regulating your body and giving the Marquis heirs as soon as possible." "I..." "Rest easy, Concubine. If the Princess says anything, you just come find the Eldest Young Madam." As Nanny Qiu left, she deliberately walked slowly. Before long, Princess Rongjia learned that Nanny Qiu had gone to see Huadie. Princess Rongjia was already furious at Huadie for monopolizing the Marquis, and she immediately summoned her. "You're quite the favored one now—even Qiushuang Zhai is sending you gifts. What good fortune." "Your Highness, the Eldest Young Madam insisted on giving it. This concubine said she didn't want it." Huadie felt more and more that Princess Rongjia was inferior to the Eldest Young Madam. The Eldest Young Madam was so magnanimous, while Princess Rongjia wanted to interrogate her. She had no choice but to kneel. "If you'd firmly refused, could she have forced it on you?" Princess Rongjia snorted coldly. "Don't think I don't know what's in your head. You're relying on the Marquis's favor, aren't you—thinking you don't have to listen to me anymore?" Huadie said she wouldn't dare. Just then, Wang Shanxi's Wife brought in the medicine. Princess Rongjia glanced at it, reluctant to drink, and dismissed Huadie. "Alright, don't just stand there. I'm only reminding you—you're someone who came out of my Wutong Yuan. Qiushuang Zhai can't possibly be sincere with you. Understand?" Huadie said she understood. On her way back, she walked quickly. What did she mean, "not sincere"? The Eldest Young Madam would never say such things. Once she had a son, who would dare not show her respect? She stormed back, not noticing the person at the corner, and collided head-on with Caixia. Caixia quickly apologized. "I'm so sorry—this servant wasn't paying attention. Are you hurt?" Huadie saw that it was the head wife's person, so she didn't get angry. She asked, "Miss Caixia, you're usually the most careful one. Why are you so flustered today? Didn't you see anyone?" Caixia gave a bitter smile but said nothing. "Did the head wife scold you?" Caixia said no. "The head wife is such a good person—how could she scold me? It's a family matter. My sister-in-law is pregnant, but she hasn't been stable. The miscarriage-preventing medicine prescribed by ordinary doctors doesn't seem to work for her, so I've been worried." "So that's it. It's a pity I'm of such low standing. If I had the Commandery Princess's prescription, it might help your sister-in-law recover, since those are the doctors commonly used by the Rong Prince Mansion." Huadie sighed. "Concubine, you jest. Even if people like us had the prescription, we couldn't afford those medicinal ingredients." Caixia said. "That's true. What the Commandery Princess consumes are ginseng and deer antler tonics—ordinary people really can't afford them." At this point, Huadie remembered the Commandery Princess's instructions and dared not say more, hastily saying she needed to return. When Caixia heard ginseng and deer antler, she thought to herself, does the Commandery Princess really take such nourishing supplements? She returned with the information she had gathered. Cui Lingrong listened thoughtfully and instructed Caixia and Caiyue to keep watch, saying it would be best if they could obtain the herbal dregs. In the following days, Bianjing grew colder and colder. The parasol trees in the garden were left with only bare branches. The marquis residence's winter clothes had been made and, after being inventoried by Cui Lingrong, were sent to various places. Caixia was responsible for delivering winter clothes to Wutong Courtyard. When she returned, she was sweating all over from running. "Bad news, h—head wife." Caixia was breathless. Nanny Qiu poured her some tea. "What's so urgent? Catch your breath before you speak. The sky hasn't fallen." "It's... it's almost as bad as the sky falling." Caixia didn't have time to drink the tea. Under the puzzled gazes of the head wife and Nanny Qiu, she said hurriedly, "The Commandery Princess... she had a miscarriage. They say Yu-jie bumped into her. Old Madame is furious."