Too high to reach

Chapter 229 The Most Poisonous Woman

Aunt Mei's courtyard was very quiet, and there weren't many people serving her.

The maid at the door saw Mo Yi, quickly bowed, and informed the maid inside.

When Aunt Mei heard that the Princess Consort had arrived, she was startled and hurriedly got up, tidied her clothes and hair, and came out to greet her.

"Your Majesty! If you needed anything, you could have just sent someone to summon me. Why did you come in person?"

"It's nothing, I just came to see you..."

"Thank you, Your Highness. Please come inside and have a seat. Quickly, pour some tea..." she instructed the maid.

"No need to bother, I can't stay here. Come in and sit down." Mo Yi entered the house unhurriedly.

After the princess sat down, Aunt Mei carefully sat down as well.

Mo Yi turned her head and looked around. The room was not big, but it was clean and tidy, with complete furniture and decorations, and it was decorated quite elegantly.

"I heard from the maid that you're not feeling well."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. My health has been fluctuating for several years now."

"What did the doctors say?"

Aunt Mei lowered her head and said after a long while, "I had a premature birth and lost too much blood, which damaged my vital energy and left me with chronic illnesses. I am afraid of the cold and heat, and I always feel like I don't have enough energy. I can't walk far either... You asked me to go see the lanterns with you, which is a great honor, but I am worried that if I go, I will cause you trouble."

"It's just a trip, nothing serious, it won't cause any trouble. If you can't walk, take a car. If you can walk, walk as much as you can, if you can't walk, sit down..." Mo Yi then remembered that the prince said there was no place to sit in Jingyuan.

"Your Majesty is so kind..." Aunt Mei said, somewhat agitated. "Your Majesty, though you are not old, you are compassionate and considerate in your dealings with others. This is my blessing. It's just that I am so useless..."

Mo Yi sighed softly, "There are many things that affect a person's health, and these thoughts are one of them. You should eat more, exercise more, and go outside to bask in the sun when the weather is nice. You will gradually get better. Thinking too much is not good for you."

She's said this twice already; if he still doesn't listen, there's nothing she can do.

"I understand, Your Majesty, you're doing this all for my own good. But..." Aunt Mei's tears streamed down her face. She looked at the basket on the table, filled with clothes, shoes, socks, and hats she had made for her unborn child. Actually, she had made many, but she had kept them all. These... were just left here, used for only two stitches a day. After so many years, it felt as if they could still be used...

Mo Yi sighed inwardly, then said, "The other day the Prince mentioned that his undergarments have been made by you for many years. The Prince is busy with official duties, but he still thinks of you..."

Aunt Mei nodded: "The Prince treats me very well."

"Even if you are injured and unable to have children in this life, you will still live a life of luxury, and no one in the mansion will dare to bully you. This is a hundred times better than the lives of most women in the world. You should cherish your blessings."

"I understand," Aunt Mei nodded, acknowledging that it was true.

"When I'm feeling better, I'll continue making small clothes for the Prince and me. Keeping busy keeps my mind at ease. Dwelling on the past is never a good thing for anyone..."

Aunt Mei was overcome with emotion, sobbing uncontrollably, "Your Majesty, you are right! I will do what you and the Prince should do. But, Your Majesty, I am so heartbroken..."

Mo Yi saw it all, but there was really nothing she could do.

"So... is there anything else you wish for? Like staying at a hot spring resort, or going back to your hometown?"

“Mei Niang was sold into this manor by a slave trader when she was young, and she doesn’t know where her hometown is. Thank you, Your Majesty. I’m quite content staying in this little courtyard and have no other thoughts. It’s just that… if I follow Your Majesty to see the lanterns and disturb everyone, I’ll feel even more uneasy.”

"Fine, then you don't need to go."

"Yes. Your Highness will listen to me. When the weather is nice, I will go outside for a walk and soak up some sun."

“That’s right. You can rest now…” Mo Yi stood up.

Aunt Mei saw her out and watched her departing figure.

“Auntie, Her Majesty is a good person!” the little maid said.

"Yes. I hope good people will be rewarded..." Aunt Mei murmured.

On the way, Mo Yi asked Hong Yan, "Isn't Aunt Mei a servant born into a family?"

"Yes. I heard from Granny Zhao that Aunt Mei was bought when she was six years old and followed Mama Qin. Mama Qin liked her very much. She said she was smart, diligent, skillful, and patient. She never talked nonsense with the young maids. When the Prince was young, he was often away from the capital. When he came back, he basically stayed at the Zhao family's house. She followed the head maid and served the Prince."

Later, when the prince established his own residence, she followed him. When the head maid was old enough to be released, she took over some of the prince's affairs. She made his clothes, socks, and so on. When the prince reached a certain age, after consulting with the prince and Consort Mei, Zhao Mama decided to take her as his concubine.

"What was her relationship with Consort Feng?" "Consort Feng arrived later than Aunt Mei. When Aunt Mei was serving the Prince, Consort Feng was still apprenticing under Granny Zhao. I heard they were quite close..." Hongyan recalled.

Mo Yi found it strange; the relationship between the two of them was quite ordinary at the moment.

Although there wasn't a cold shoulder, there was definitely a distance between them.

Is it because they all followed the prince?

Madam Song hurried into Changhui Pavilion. "Your Highness, that woman went to Aunt Mei's courtyard."

"Where did she go?" Consort Feng asked gravely.

"It's probably about the Lantern Festival. Didn't that woman say everyone should go to Jingyuan to see the lanterns? Aunt Mei said she wasn't feeling well and couldn't go. Did that woman go to see her?"

Consort Feng blinked and remained silent for a long time.

"Miss?"

"Aunt Mei...wouldn't have said anything to her, would she?"

Madam Song curled her lip. "What can she say? So much time has passed, there's no evidence left. What could she possibly say? Would she dare to?" A sinister look appeared on her face. "Besides, you've been quite good to her all these years, never using your power as the housekeeper to make things difficult for her. Someone like her, let alone being mistreated in terms of food and shelter… how many have died in the inner quarters of wealthy families in the capital?!"

Consort Feng remained silent.

Aunt Mei's child was lost because of her.

That was the first time she had ever done something like that, and it was for her best friend... The fear and inner turmoil she felt at the time kept her up at night.

There is no way!
After Princess Zhou gave birth to her daughter, Aunt Mei became pregnant. At the time, I was quite happy for her, but just three months later, I also became pregnant.

When she was seven months pregnant, a renowned gynecologist came to see her and said: they were both carrying boys...

That's when I panicked.

This is the prince's eldest son!

Although both were born out of wedlock, there was a clear order of seniority, and the difference was huge!
And also... Aunt Mei was the prince's first woman.

Therefore, even though she was gradually taking charge of household affairs, the prince still treated the two of them differently...

When talking to myself, I often discuss serious matters, and I rarely have a smile on my face.

But when it came to Aunt Mei… the prince was noticeably gentler, and even joked around with her.

Even his underwear was made by her!

Her skills are far superior to mine, and besides... my mind isn't on that!
But if she gave birth to the prince's eldest son, she would completely suppress him.

Even if I manage the household myself, I can't surpass her!

Even her own son couldn't surpass her son!
How is this possible?

At that moment, Song's mother had already come to her side. So, as soon as she had the idea, Song's mother urged her to do it.

Granny Zhao happened to be out of the manor on business. Everything was so perfectly timed…

Aunt Mei was completely unsuspecting. The deed was done…

She spent a fortune on that medicine; it's hard to spot any flaws. With the Prince away, even if someone noticed, no one would want to cause trouble…

Afterwards, perhaps Aunt Mei guessed something; although she remained silent after escaping death, she clearly distanced herself from her...

This event marked the beginning of her opening up her Ren and Du meridians, which led to her later meticulous planning when she took action against Zhou Li.

Although, now, the result is not what I expected...

“I haven’t been feeling well lately, so please keep a close eye on me. The key is to make sure that person doesn’t become suspicious and wary of us…”

What if Aunt Mei hinted at something and aroused Mo Yi's suspicion?

I regret it; I should have been more ruthless back then...