Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

Grandma Song asked, "What do you need the doctor for?"

"Reporting to the old lady, Princess Rongjia had so many people serving her back then. Even if she twisted her ankle or lost her balance, with so many people around, any one of them could have helped her up, and she wouldn't have fallen. But which of Wang Shanxi's servants had any sense of propriety?"

Cui Lingrong sneered. She couldn't say that Princess Rongjia was faking her pregnancy because she didn't have concrete evidence, but for now, this was the only direction she could investigate. "The old lady and I have both been mothers. Pregnant women do need to be careful, but it's not that easy to miscarry. I wonder if the princess offended the doctor and had him tamper with her medicine?"

Hearing this, Old Madam Song felt it made a lot of sense. Wang Shanxi's wife said that Yu'er bumped into Princess Rongjia, but it was just a bump, how could it cause a miscarriage?

She had given birth to three children. The old Marquis also had a concubine who was pregnant. Once, she was given an abortion pill, but the concubine's child was not aborted.

Judging from Princess Rongjia's usual appearance, she is not a weak person.

"Madam, don't talk nonsense! The doctor who was protecting the princess's pregnancy was from the Rong Prince's mansion. How could he possibly harm the princess?" Wang Shanxi's wife shouted. "You're trying to exonerate Yu'er by dragging innocent people down with you. Is this the benevolence you used to talk about?"

"Whether it's nonsense or not, we'll find out by having a doctor come and take a look, won't we?" Seeing the strong reaction from Wang Shanxi's family, Cui Lingrong insisted even more on having a doctor come.

She looked at Song Shulan, "My lord, don't you want to get to the bottom of this? Even if you're going to convict Yu'er, shouldn't you at least do it clearly and thoroughly?"

Before Song Shulan could speak, Wang Shanxi's wife hurriedly interjected, "My lord, the princess has just lost her child and now she has to suffer this humiliation. You must consider the princess's feelings!"

Cui Lingrong glared at her, "Who's trying to humiliate the princess? Having another doctor take her pulse is for her own good. What if the princess is really harmed by someone else, and Yu-jie is used as a scapegoat? Wouldn't that just let the wicked get what they want?"

It's definitely not a bad thing to hire another doctor.

Sometimes, when one doctor can't cure a patient, another doctor might have a solution. Song Shulan frowned as she went to see Wang Shanxi's family. "Madam is right. This is also for the good of the princess."

Even after Song Shulan spoke, Wang Shanxi's wife still argued, "Shouldn't Your Highness ask the Princess's opinion?"

"What do you mean? I'm calling a doctor for the princess, isn't it all for her own good?" Song Shulan said impatiently.

Song Shulan could understand Wang Shanxi's eagerness to protect her, but did she even respect him as her master for repeatedly opposing his words?

On several occasions before, Wang Shanxi's family would interrupt, and he had long been annoyed by this.

"This old servant knows you mean well for the princess, but..."

"But what?" Song Shulan raised her voice, "Am I not the master of the Marquis's mansion? Can't I even make a decision on such a small matter?"

Yes, the princess is of noble status, and he has given her all the respect due to her. But no matter what, it is not up to a servant to boss her around.

Wang Shanxi's wife frowned deeply. She absolutely could not let the eldest mistress call the doctor, but the Marquis was angry, and she knew she could not argue anymore, otherwise she would be too suspicious.

She knelt on the ground and waited for the Marquis to enter the house before getting up, giving Qingxue a look, and then following him inside.

Cui Lingrong was about to enter the house when Old Madam Song stopped her and said, "Cui, you'd better persuade the princess to forgive you. I don't want the Marquis's mansion to be known for internal strife."

"This matter concerns Yu'er's reputation, so my people will naturally not say much. If the old lady is worried about the reputation of the Marquis's mansion, she should keep a close eye on others," Cui Lingrong said.

"What do you mean?" Old Mrs. Song didn't understand.

"I believe that you are a wise and intelligent old lady, and that you will understand." Cui Lingrong sat down in the house without going to the inner room.

When Grandma Song saw that Cui Lingrong was sitting upright, she realized that there might be something she didn't know.

What else could it be?

Grandma Song was completely confused.

It's obvious that Princess Rongjia would never use her own child to harm Yu'er; it's not worth it, and she doesn't think Princess Rongjia would be that stupid.

But Cui seemed to have a plan in mind, which gave Old Mrs. Song a real headache; she was truly annoyed.

What's with this talk of equal wives? In this world, the most difficult people to get along with are equal wives!

Old Mrs. Song was exhausted and unable to go back, so she could only sit down and stare at Cui Lingrong.

Inside, Song Shulan sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Princess Rongjia's pale face. He felt very sorry for her. "Princess, please rest well. Don't worry, I will definitely give you an explanation."

"My lord, what do you intend to do with Yu'er?" Princess Rongjia's eyes were slightly red, and her watery eyes were filled with tears, as if a clear spring was about to burst its banks. She looked at Song Shulan pitifully.

Song Shulan frowned and remained silent; he found it difficult to make a decision.

One was the woman he loved, and the other was the daughter he had watched grow up.

Song Shulan was very annoyed; this was the last thing he wanted to see happen.

Seeing that Song Shulan didn't answer, tears instantly rolled down Princess Rongjia's fair cheeks, her thin shoulders trembling. "I know, Yu'er is still young, it's normal for children to have some tempers. I also know that the Marquis dotes on Yu'er, but what about my child? Isn't he innocent?"

Princess Rongjia grew more and more heartbroken as she spoke, "It is my misfortune in this life that I am destined to have no children. I was hoping that if it were a son, I would make him as wise and brave as the Marquis. If it were a daughter, my daughter would surely be a beloved lady of Bianjing. But the Marquis, he was not even fully formed yet, he had not even had the chance to see the world."

At this point, Princess Rongjia choked with sobs and could hardly breathe.

Song Shulan's heart was breaking. "Don't worry, no matter how the Cui family tries to stop me, I will give you an explanation."

Princess Rongjia looked at Song Shulan quietly, waiting for him to continue.

Cui Lingrong and Old Madam Song, who were outside, both heard this, and their expressions were different.

Yu-jie was Cui Lingrong's first child, and naturally, her daughter excelled in everything she did. This child, whom she cherished dearly, was her greatest achievement in life, but then…

Cui Lingrong's hands were clenched tightly in her sleeves. Princess Rongjia knew that she valued her children the most, which was why she started with Yu Jie'er.

Old Mrs. Song had a different idea. No matter what, this matter should not be publicized, as it was a family scandal.

She had it all planned out: she would tell everyone that Yu-jie was sick and had been sent back to her hometown to recuperate. In a couple of years, she would marry anyone she could find locally.

As for Lady Cui, if she were smarter, she would have known to sacrifice a pawn to save the king, instead of harming herself for the sake of her daughter.

The people in the room each had their own thoughts, and they were all waiting.

Cui Lingrong waited for Aunt Qiu and the doctor first. Aunt Qiu whispered in her ear, "Yu'er is fine. Also, Ershun found some burnt ashes at the place where Qingxue buried things. There was a bloody smell in them. It should be the princess's menstrual blood. Madam, Princess Rongjia should not be pregnant."

Since she's not pregnant, that makes things much easier.

Cui Lingrong stood up and said, "Grandma, now that the doctor is here, let's go in together."

Princess Rongjia and Wang Shanxi's wife, who were in the inner room, were stunned by what they heard. Princess Rongjia panicked and looked at Wang Shanxi's wife.

We must find a way to delay this for a while longer; we absolutely cannot let the doctor take her pulse.

Wang Shanxi's wife also knew the situation was urgent, but she couldn't think straight. She expected that her great-grandmother would have many tricks up her sleeve, but she never expected that her great-grandmother would call a doctor.

What should we do?

As Wang Shanxi's family watched her grandmother and the others step across the threshold, her heart leaped into her throat.