Full House Spring

Chapter 61 War of words
Xia Li raised his eyes and glanced at Lu Qinghe, as if he could see through her thoughts.

Gao Mingyu smiled faintly and said, "It is indeed time to go. I still have to add makeup to the bride."

Xia Li took a step back and followed the two of them. At this moment, the second girl's boudoir was full of people who came to join in the fun. In addition to the women of her family, there were also the daughters of Beppu.

As soon as Lu Qinghe entered, her eyes met with Yao Dizhu's. She cursed inwardly, and then raised her eyebrows slightly, a faint smile appeared on the corners of her mouth, and she walked straight towards Lu Zhiyao, saying loudly:

"My second sister is dressed really beautifully today. She looks very elegant."

The people around him quickly followed suit. Lu Zhiyao blushed and smiled shyly. Gao Mingyu took the prepared box from the maid and said to Lu Zhiyao, "I don't know what the second young lady likes. I hope you will appreciate this little gift."

Everyone in the mansion knew that Miss Gao was in the process of getting married to the prince, and she would most likely become the head of the family in the future. Lu Zhiyao naturally thought highly of her. She smiled and said, "It is an honor for Miss Gao to come. I will be happy with whatever you give me."

Lu Wanqiao, who was accompanying Lu Zhiyao, said jokingly, "I've heard that Sister Gao has a good eye. The dowry you gave me may make us sink into the mud."

Gao Mingyu smiled and said angrily: "Look at what you said. Adding makeup is just a token of your thoughts. How can you compare them like this? In the heart of the second young lady, the gifts from her sisters are more meaningful."

Lu Zhiyao raised the corners of his mouth inadvertently, and said calmly: "I cherish everything you give me. The friendship between boudoirs is the most precious."

Yao Dizhu, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but sneer:
"You are so hypocritical. Some of you were originally unknown people whose names no one cared about. I don't know what tricks you used to seize the position of princess, and now people are scrambling to curry your favor."

The room fell silent as soon as these words came out. Lu Zhiyao had a helpless smile on her face and whispered softly:
"I know that I am of low status and unworthy of the prince. I have been obedient and cautious in the mansion all these years and have never done anything out of line. Even if I don't mention it, you all know what happened in the Dongyang Marquis Mansion. Why does the county lady have to make things difficult for me?"

Yao Dizhu didn't expect Lu Zhiyao to confront her face to face. She said in a bad tone:

"Don't try to throw dirty water on me. I have never used any mean tricks on you. You are just a low-class concubine. I didn't even know you before this. How could you have such a coincidence and get into an accident?"

Lu Zhiyao's inner heart was stable, and he said calmly: "The county lady also said it was an accident. How could I have known that such a thing would turn out to be so? It is unreasonable for a victim to explain to the offender."

Yao Dizhu has always been arrogant and domineering, and her reputation is not good. Suddenly, all the women in the room began to whisper and looked at her with unfriendly eyes.

Lu Qinghe's lips curled up with a faint sneer, and she raised her voice slightly and said, "Today is my second sister's big day. Since the county lady is not here to sincerely bless her, please move out, so as not to ruin everyone's mood."

Yao Dizhu had suffered a lot of grievances recently. She had been repeatedly humiliated by Concubine Shu and the Third Prince. She also knew that Lu Qinghe had entered the palace, and she was feeling very upset. Now that she saw the other party had bumped into her, how could she let him go?

Yao Dizhu raised her chin and said angrily, "You are so bold. It's ok that you didn't show courtesy to this county lady, but you even spoke wildly. Do you have the final say in this Duke's Mansion?"

When Lu Qinghe encounters something now, she will subconsciously think about how Xia Li would handle it, and then she will calm down. She walked forward and bowed to Yao Dizhu.

"Greetings to the county lady. It was indeed my fault just now. My attention was focused on my second sister and I didn't notice you. My grandmother and father are still alive, so it is not my turn to make decisions in the mansion."

Yao Dizhu looked at her suspiciously, as if she didn't expect her to be so calm, and said coldly: "Since you can't make the decision, don't talk nonsense here. If you don't know your position, you will be in big trouble."

Lu Qinghe was not afraid at all. She chuckled and said, "How could a servant not know her position? Even the Concubine Shu praised me for being sensible and knowing when to advance and when to retreat. Could it be that the county lady didn't see it?"

Yao Dizhu could no longer bear it and said, "Don't show off in front of me. What's wrong with Concubine Shu praising you? She is just a concubine in the harem. The emperor has to make the final decision on major matters. The Third Prince doesn't take you seriously at all. As long as I don't give in, you won't get what you want."

Lu Qinghe sucked in a breath of cold air. No wonder Princess Yongxin had so many dissatisfactions with her. She could say such arrogant and presumptuous words, which showed that she did not take Concubine Shu seriously and did not even treat the Third Prince with much respect.

Lu Qinghe pretended to be puzzled and asked, "How does the county lady know my wish? Could it be that my visit to Aunt Shufei and my cousin the Third Prince would also bother you?"

She deliberately emphasized the word "aunt" and did not follow Yao Dizhu's line of thought. Yao Dizhu's eyes were filled with disgust. She said helplessly:

"Why are you pretending to be stupid? Everyone knows that you have deep feelings for the Third Prince. If you want to be the Third Prince's consort, just say it openly. Why hide it?"

Lu Qinghe secretly complained in her heart. She thought she was simple-minded, but she didn't expect Yao Dizhu to be even more stupid. She said with a wronged look:

"How can the county lady slander me like this? My aunt has loved me since I was a child, and I respect the Third Prince very much. I don't have any improper thoughts about him. Besides, marriage is a matter of parents' permission and matchmaker's words. You must not talk nonsense."

Lu Wanqiao said in a bad tone: "Please be careful with your words and actions, and don't ruin the reputation of our young lady."

Yao Dizhu was about to open her mouth to refute when a maid came in to say that Princess Yongxin had arrived. Lu Zhiyao was now adopted by the eldest wife and was considered a cousin of Princess Yongxin. It was normal for her to come to congratulate on behalf of Concubine Shu.

Although Princess Yongxin was wearing a pink palace dress, she looked imposing. When she appeared, everyone bowed to her, including Yao Dizhu. The princess raised her hand to signal everyone to excuse themselves, and then passed by Yao Dizhu and said to Lu Qinghe:
"Cousin, I can hear the noise in the house from a distance. What are you talking about?"

Yao Dizhu was so arrogant just now, but now she is as quiet as a chicken, which shows that she is not really fearless. Lu Qinghe smiled and said, "Replying to the princess, we are praising the second sister's beautiful wedding dress."

Princess Yongxin was also a smart girl, so how could she not notice that the atmosphere was different? She came here just to congratulate, so there was no need to get to the bottom of things. So she continued the conversation following Lu Qinghe's words and ignored Yao Dizhu.

How could Yao Dizhu be happy being treated so coldly by the princess? She flicked her sleeves and turned away. Princess Yongxin saw her but ignored her and pretended she didn't see anything.

Gao Mingyu stood quietly aside, watching the whole farce calmly, with a faint smile on her lips all the time. In her heart, she felt that the girl from the Lu family was much better than her mother said.

A maid like Xia Li was standing in an inconspicuous corner. It was not her turn to speak in such an occasion. When she saw that the house had returned to normal, she was about to go back and report to the old lady, but she saw Man Qing winking at her, motioning her to go out and talk.

Manqing is the head maid serving the Second Young Lady. She is very busy all day long. She will accompany the Second Young Lady to get married soon and will have few opportunities to return home. Xia Li thought she was saying goodbye to him, so he went out with her.

The yard was crowded with people, and there was no quiet place. Manqing had no choice but to pull Xia Li to the pavilion. After they stood still, Manqing said bitterly, "I'm so sorry. I'm leaving soon, and I need your help." Xia Li said calmly, "If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to be so polite to me."

Man Qing lowered his head and said in a hoarse voice:

"Zi Fu was taken in by Master Chen. Seeing that she was honest and dutiful, Mrs. Hong made her a concubine. I'm worried that she would give birth to a son out of wedlock and the master would hate her, so I wanted to ask you for help..."

Xia Li was stunned and said helplessly, "How can I interfere in the affairs of Master Chen's courtyard? I'm afraid you are desperate and are trying all kinds of methods."

Man Qing shook her head and said, "That's not what I meant. I didn't explain myself clearly. I wanted you to get some contraceptive soup for Zi Fu that won't hurt her body. She won't be able to have sex until Second Madam Chen comes into the family and gives birth to a child. Do you understand what I mean?"

Xia Li frowned slightly and said in a calm voice: "Any medicine that works will hurt your body."

Man Qing turned her face to the side and said in a tearful voice: "It was Master Chen who forced Zi Fu to sleep on the bed regardless of her will. She had no choice at all. I am leaving the house today. I beg you to help her in the future. She looks strong but is actually weak inside. If no one is by her side to guide her, I am afraid she will end up in a miserable state..."

Xia Li just found it unbelievable that Master Chen was such a hooligan and beast at such a young age. If it were in modern times, Xia Li would have arrested him and put him in jail, but now Zi Fu could only endure it miserably.

She said in a heavy voice, "Don't worry, I will keep a close eye on her. I'll ask grandma to get the medicine for her, so you don't have to worry."

Tears fell from Manqing's eyes, and she said sadly:

"It's okay for Madam Xie to know. Zi Fu is acting this way in order not to break the rules of the mansion. I'll let Zi Fu come to you tomorrow. Please persuade her."

Xia Li nodded slightly and said in a deep voice: "Don't cry. Today is the second girl's big day. It will be unlucky if you cry."

Man Qing wiped her tears and forced a smile, "Yes, I should be happier today."

The two did not chat for long, as Manqing still had a lot of things to do. Xia Li stood there and watched Manqing's back as she left, feeling a sense of depression in his chest.

After calming down for a while, she walked towards Leshou Hall with steady steps. When she arrived in front of the old lady, her complexion had returned to normal.

She reported the situation of the second young lady to the old lady, and even repeated word for word what the girls had said in the quarrel. The old lady did not take these trivial matters to heart, and waited for the news from the front that King Hui's wedding procession had arrived, and then she helped her to the front yard.

Xia Li did not stay by her side. Ever since Xiangru was promoted, she was always active in showing off in front of the old lady, wishing she could show up all the time. Although Shi Mi and others looked down on her behavior, they were also happy and relaxed, so they just let her do what she wanted.

Xia Li was afraid that meeting King Hui would arouse his suspicion again. Although he had fooled him last time, he could not guarantee that King Hui would not recover his memory. It would be better to avoid appearing in front of him as much as possible.

The Duke's Mansion was bustling all day long. Even the servants were rewarded with feasts. It was not until the moon was at its highest point in the sky that the place finally quieted down. Xia Li did not feel tired. She ate her feast and went back to rest. She also slept soundly.

Zi Fu came at noon the next day. She was wearing a half-new short jacket with dark orange and yellow patterns on the front and a button-down collar. Her hair was tied up high in a bun, and she had the charm of a virgin.

She stood outside the house a little awkwardly, no longer as bright and cheerful as before. Xia Li said kindly, "Why are you standing there like an idiot? It's windy outside. Come in and talk."

Perhaps it was because the memory of being taught a lesson by Xia Li when he was a child was too deep, even now that he had grown up, he would still be subconsciously scared when he saw her.

But the only sister Zi Fu trusted had already left the house. Before leaving, she repeatedly told her to come find Xia Li. Even though she felt uncomfortable, she still came.

After entering the room, Zi Fu sat on a round stool. Xia Li poured her a cup of tea and said calmly, "The medicine has not been obtained yet. It will be delivered to you two days later."

Zi Fu blushed when she heard this and said uncomfortably, "Do you look down on me too?"

Xia Li said solemnly, "You don't have to belittle yourself like this. I am much more noble than you. What right do I have to look down on you? We are both poor people who have no choice."

The words "I have no choice" made Zi Fu burst into tears. She choked up and said:
"I have long given up the idea of being a concubine and just wanted to be a good servant. But things did not go as planned... Now I just hope that Second Madam Chen is kind and generous. It would be a blessing if she could tolerate me."

In Xia Li's impression, Zi Fu was the most competitive and strong-willed person. Even though she wasn't that smart, she never suffered any loss when doing things. Now it seems that her temperament has changed drastically. She asked tentatively, "Now that things have come to this, have you ever thought about winning over Master Chen's heart and asking him to show you more favor?"

Zi Fu sneered, "Mr. Chen is irresponsible and weak. His favorite girl got pregnant, was drugged and dragged out to be sold, and he didn't say a word. What hope can there be for him in the future? Instead of competing for his favor, you might as well listen to Miss Hong."

Xia Lilue thought for a moment and said, "Er Ye Chen is still the son of the Duke, and he will have no worries about food and clothing in the future. However, he has taken in a maid at such a young age, and I'm afraid he will have many girls around him in the future. It would be a good idea for you to go to Hong Xiao Niang and help her look after Er Ye Chen."

Zi Fu thought so too. She lowered her voice and said:
"I followed Mrs. Hong's instructions and always advised Master Chen to study hard. I'm afraid that if I advise him too much, he will get tired of me sooner or later."

Xia Li sneered, "Do you think you can win his favor just by following his lead? No matter how old a man is, he only likes young and fresh girls. No matter what you do, it will only be fresh for a while. He has no shortage of women to warm his bed."

Zi Fu's eyes dimmed. She had no other choice. She smiled sadly and said:

"This is all I want in my life. I just hope to have a son or daughter to rely on in the future. I don't dare to think too much about other things."

Xia Li couldn't utter any feeble words of comfort, and said in a low voice: "The road is made by people, if you keep your feet on the ground, you will eventually succeed..."

Zi Fu nodded slightly, and the two of them sat in silence. After setting the date to pick up the medicine, she said goodbye and left.

(End of this chapter)