Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Morning Sickness Song Mingjin accepted the bracelet. Meanwhile, Cui Lingrong found Song Shulan. Before she could speak, Song Shulan said first, "Xuan-ge and Jin-ge are both going to pursue careers through the Imperial Examination. Don't think with the soft-heartedness of a woman. Being on good terms with the Rong Prince Mansion is their honor. Otherwise, relying on their own efforts alone, how far can they go?" Soft-heartedness of a woman? If she could get along well with Princess Rongjia, she would be willing to have more people to support her sons. "Does the Marquis think the Rong Prince Mansion will genuinely treat Xuan-ge and his brother well?" Cui Lingrong asked. "What do you mean?" "Princess Rongjia could scheme to frame Yu-jie, so how could she spare Xuan-ge and his brother?" Cui Lingrong saw no need to beat around the bush. "In the future, Princess Rongjia will have her own children. Once she has a son, do you think she won't want to inherit the Marquis's estate?" Seeing Song Shulan frown, Cui Lingrong pressed on, "Don't tell me the Marquis believes Princess Rongjia would never do such a thing. You can't know what's in another person's heart, especially since she has a record with me. I won't easily trust her." "Lingrong, why are you so vindictive?" Song Shulan said in a tone of utter exasperation. "The Commandery Princess has already reformed herself, and Yu-jie didn't suffer any real harm. If you keep clinging to this, are you trying to prevent harmony in this household?" Cui Lingrong was nearly laughed out of anger. "Is it me who doesn't want harmony, or is it Princess Rongjia who keeps coming to provoke? Take today at Shouan Tang—when I was disciplining Jin-ge, she had to stick her nose in. Spoiling a child is harming a child. She, who has never borne a child, wouldn't know that, but doesn't the Marquis understand?" Song Shulan replied, "The Commandery Princess only wanted to make Jin-ge happy. You're overthinking things." Cui Lingrong couldn't reason with Song Shulan. She looked at him quietly for a moment, then said with resignation, "I too hope Xuan-ge and his brother will amount to something. Rather than hoping for others to lift them up, it would be better for the Marquis himself to rise to the highest position, so that no one dares to look down on them in the future. As for Princess Rongjia, the Marquis had better tell her to stay away from my children, or else no one will have a peaceful life." Song Shulan watched Cui Lingrong walk away, anger pent up in his chest. He hurled his writing brush to the ground. Utterly unreasonable! Truly beyond all reason! Song Shulan stormed off to Wutong Court and told Princess Rongjia to stop concerning herself with Xuan-ge and his brother from now on. "If she wants to manage them, let her manage them herself. Don't bother with them, lest your kindness be misunderstood." "Sister Cui still harbors a grudge against me—I can understand that. But I believe time reveals a person's heart, and one day she and I will let bygones be bygones. As for Xuan-ge and Jin-ge..." Princess Rongjia paused, taking Song Shulan's hand, gentle and considerate. "They are Master Song's children, and thus they are my children too. If anything were to happen to them, how could I stand by and do nothing? Don't you agree?" Song Shulan sighed. "You're the one who understands what truly matters." He couldn't understand how Cui Lingrong had become so unreasonable. She used to be such a thoughtful person, yet today she came looking for a fight with him. "Master Song, rest assured. Since Sister Cui has said so, I'll keep my distance from Xuan-ge and his brother in public from now on, so as not to cause arguments between you and Sister Cui," Princess Rongjia said. The more Song Shulan looked at Princess Rongjia, the more satisfied he was. He wrapped his arms around her. "I hope we can have a child together. With a mother like you, the child is sure to amount to something." As he spoke, Song Shulan nuzzled into Princess Rongjia's neck. The touch of his tongue against her skin sent tingles through her—both numbing and thrilling. Princess Rongjia was thoroughly pleased, and she took the initiative to undress Song Shulan. The sky had not yet darkened when Chen De's Wife and the maids withdrew. Seeing Huadie approaching, she blocked her in the courtyard. "Does the concubine have some business?" "I... I wanted to have a word with the Commandery Princess." Huadie knew the Marquis was at Wutong Court, which was exactly why she had come. "The Commandery Princess and the Marquis have already retired for the night. You may come speak with her tomorrow," Chen De's Wife said. "So early?" Huadie clearly didn't believe it. The Commandery Princess must have wanted to keep the Marquis for herself and had people say so. She refused to leave. "Mama Chen, I only want to say a few words to the Commandery Princess. I'm just a concubine—how would I dare to snatch anyone from the Commandery Princess's chambers? There's no need to be so wary of me. When Mama Wang was still here, she never acted like this." She said this deliberately, to curry favor with Wang Shanxi's daughter-in-law. Ever since Mama Wang died, the Commandery Princess had appointed Wang Hechun's Wife as the steward of Wutong Court. Hearing this, Wang Hechun's Wife stepped forward immediately. "Thank you for remembering my mother-in-law, Concubine. But today truly isn't convenient. It's getting dark and hard to see—let me escort you back." Hearing this, Huadie knew she wouldn't get to see the Marquis, so she followed Wang Hechun's Wife away. Chen De's Wife watched their retreating figures, her eyes narrowing. Two tigers cannot share one mountain—it was the same between her and Wang Hechun's Wife. The Commandery Princess was sentimental about old ties, but she was someone sent by the Princess Consort. Many people in Wutong Court were from Wang Shanxi's faction, and since Wang Hechun's Wife had arrived, it had become much harder for her to get things done. Meanwhile, after Wang Hechun's Wife left Wutong Court with Huadie, she said, "Don't be upset, Concubine. The Marquis truly has retired with the Commandery Princess tonight. If there's something you need, why not tell me? I guarantee the Commandery Princess will know first thing tomorrow morning." Huadie was just about to speak when the maid beside her tugged at her hem. She clicked her tongue in annoyance. "What are you pulling at me for? Wang Hechun's Wife isn't like Mama Chen—she's clearly a good person." With that, Huadie's face was brimming with barely concealed excitement. "It's like this—my monthly cycle is a few days late. I want to ask the Commandery Princess to summon a physician to take a look at me." Wang Hechun's Wife's pupils widened slightly, and she immediately offered congratulations. "What good fortune for the concubine! If you are with child, the Commandery Princess and the Marquis will surely be overjoyed." "Don't spread this around—I'm not certain yet." Huadie was too delighted to notice the calculation brewing in Wang Hechun's Wife's eyes. When she returned to her courtyard, her maid Baitao thought she was being too hasty. "You're rushing to have the Commandery Princess summon a physician—aren't you afraid?" "Afraid of what? What is there to fear?" Huadie thought Baitao was being meddlesome. "I'm the Commandery Princess's person. If I'm pregnant, she should be happy." Baitao was at a loss for words. The Commandery Princess had just miscarried—how could she possibly be happy about this! The matter of Princess Rongjia's false pregnancy was known only to those in Wutong Courtyard and Qiushuang Zhai. The second and third branches of the family, as well as people like Huadie, only knew that Princess Rongjia had miscarried. Some people could sense something amiss, but Huadie was not among them. "Think about it—the Commandery Princess just lost her own child. How could she be happy for you?" Baitao said urgently. "Last time, the Commandery Princess even forced that medicinal brew down your throat. Do you really think she wants you to have a child?" Only when the matter of the medicinal brew was brought up did Huadie feel a belated chill of fear. "Then... then what do you suggest I do?" She had already told Wang Hechun's Wife, and by tomorrow morning, the Commandery Princess would know as well. She asked in a trembling voice, "Sh-shouldn't be a problem, right? If the Commandery Princess were to drug me, how would she explain it to the... to the Marquis?" "Better safe than sorry." Baitao sighed. If she could change masters, she truly wouldn't want to serve Concubine Huadie, whose wits were no sharper than her own. "You've always wanted a child, haven't you? Since the Commandery Princess will know anyway, why not let the Eldest Young Madam know too? The Eldest Young Madam and the Commandery Princess have never gotten along. If the Commandery Princess dares to do anything, the Eldest Young Madam can avenge you." "You're right, you're right—I'll go find the Eldest Young Madam!" Huadie made to leave for Qiushuang Zhai but was stopped by Baitao again. Baitao pointed out that it was already dark. "If you rush over there now, what will the Commandery Princess think when she finds out tomorrow? You're the Commandery Princess's person—you can't openly seek help from the Eldest Young Madam." "Then what am I supposed to do?" "Do it this way..." The next morning, when Huadie went to pay her respects to the Eldest Young Madam, she deliberately made a show of retching. Cui Lingrong could see that Huadie's vomiting was forced. Curious about her intentions, she asked what was wrong. "This concubine doesn't know either. I've been feeling nauseous and uncomfortable these past two days. It shouldn't be anything serious, should it?" Huadie was afraid the Eldest Young Madam wouldn't catch on, so she pretended to retch again. Cui Lingrong asked about Huadie's monthly cycle. "Could it be that you're with child? I'll summon a physician to take a look at you." The moment she finished speaking, she caught the undisguised delight in Huadie's eyes and immediately understood her purpose. Still, she found it strange. Huadie wasn't her person—for something like this, Huadie should simply go to Princess Rongjia. Why come to hint at her instead? Could it be that Huadie and Princess Rongjia had fallen out?