Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

Song Mingjin accepted the bracelet, while Cui Lingrong found Song Shulan.

Before she could speak, Song Shulan said, "Both Xuan-ge'er and Jin-ge'er are going to pursue official careers through the imperial examinations. Don't think like a woman. It's their honor to be on good terms with the Rong Prince's Mansion. Otherwise, how far can they go on their own?"

A woman's kindness?

If she gets along well with Princess Rongjia, she would be willing to have her sons receive more guidance and support.

"Does Your Excellency believe that the Rong Prince's Mansion will truly treat Brother Xuan well?" Cui Lingrong asked.

"What do you mean?"

"If Princess Rongjia could frame Yu'er, how could she let Xuan'er and his brothers go?" Cui Lingrong didn't need to beat around the bush. "Princess Rongjia will have her own children in the future. When she has a son, do you think she won't want to inherit the Marquis's mansion?"

Seeing Song Shulan frown, Cui Lingrong continued, "My lord, don't say that Princess Rongjia wouldn't do such a thing. You can't judge a book by its cover, especially since she has a history with me. I won't easily trust her."

"Lingrong, why are you so vengeful?" Song Shulan said in an unreasonable tone, "The princess has already repented and reformed, and Yu'er wasn't hurt at all. Why are you still holding a grudge? Don't you want harmony in the Marquis's mansion?"

Cui Lingrong was almost laughing in anger. "Is it that I don't want harmony, or is it that Princess Rongjia keeps bothering us? Take today at Shou'an Hall, for example. I was disciplining Jin'er, and she had to interrupt. Spoiling a child is like harming a child. Doesn't she, someone who has never given birth, understand this? Doesn't Your Highness understand?"

Song Shulan said, "The princess just wants to make Jin-ge'er happy. You're overthinking it."

Unable to reason with Song Shulan, Cui Lingrong quietly observed Song Shulan for a while before finally saying helplessly, "I also hope that Brother Xuan will be successful. Rather than hoping for others to help them, it would be better if Your Excellency rose to a high position yourself, so that no one would dare to look down on them in the future. As for Princess Rongjia, Your Excellency would better tell her not to get too close to my children, otherwise no one will be able to live in peace."

Seeing Cui Lingrong leave like that, Song Shulan felt a tightness in his chest and threw down the calligraphy brush in his hand.

This is utterly unreasonable!

This is absolutely unreasonable!

Song Shulan stormed off to Wutong Garden and told Princess Rongjia to stop interfering with Xuan Ge'er and his brothers. "If she wants to, let her handle it herself. Don't get involved, lest your good intentions be misunderstood."

"I understand that Sister Cui still harbors some resentment towards me, but I believe that time will tell, and one day she will let bygones be bygones. As for Xuan-ge'er and Jin-ge'er..." Princess Rongjia paused, then held Song Shulan's hand gently and considerately, "They are Song Lang's children, which means they are my children. If anything were to happen to them, how could I stand by and do nothing? Don't you think so?"

Song Shulan sighed, "You're the one who understands the bigger picture."

He couldn't understand why Cui Lingrong had become so unreasonable. She used to be such a considerate person, but today she was arguing with him.

"Don't worry, Song Lang. Since Sister Cui has said so, I will keep my distance from Brother Xuan in public from now on, so as to avoid any arguments between Sister Cui and Song Lang," said Princess Rongjia.

The more Song Shulan looked at Princess Rongjia, the more satisfied he became.

He embraced Princess Rongjia, saying, "I long to have a child with you. With a mother like you, the child is sure to amount to something."

As he spoke, Song Shulan moved closer to Princess Rongjia's neck.

The touch of the tongue against the skin creates a tingling and numb sensation.

Princess Rongjia was very pleased and took the initiative to help Song Shulan take off his clothes.

Before it was completely dark, Chen De's wife and the maids came out. Seeing Hua Die approaching, they blocked her in the courtyard. "Is there something you need, Madam?"

"I...I want to talk to the princess." Hua Die knew that the Marquis was in Wutong Garden, so she came over specifically.

"The princess and the marquis have already retired for the night. You may come and speak with the princess again tomorrow," said Chen De's wife.

"So early?" Hua Die clearly didn't believe it. It must be that the princess herself wanted to keep the marquis here, which was why she had someone say this. She refused to leave. "Mama Chen, I just want to say a few words to the princess. I'm just a concubine, how dare I snatch someone from the princess's room? Don't be so wary of me. When Mama Wang was here, she wasn't like this."

She said this on purpose to curry favor with Wang Shanxi's daughter-in-law. Ever since Wang's mother died, the princess had arranged for Wang Hechun's wife to be the manager of Wutong Garden.

Upon hearing this, Wang Hechun's wife immediately stepped forward, "Thank you for remembering my mother-in-law, Auntie, but it's really not convenient today. It's dark and inconvenient, so I'll escort you back."

Upon hearing this, Huadie knew she would not see the Marquis again, so she followed Wang Hechun's wife.

Chen Dejia watched the two figures as they walked away, his eyes narrowing.

Two tigers cannot share one mountain, and the same applies to her and Wang Hechun's family. The princess cherishes old friendships, but she was sent by the Princess Consort. Many people in Wutong Garden are from Wang Shanxi's family. After Wang Hechun's family came to Wutong Garden, it became much more inconvenient for her to get things done.

After Wang Hechun's wife and Huadie left the Wutong Garden, she said, "Auntie, don't be angry. The Marquis and the Princess did indeed rest today. If you have something to say, why don't you tell me? I promise I can let the Princess know first thing tomorrow morning."

Hua Die had just opened her mouth when the maid beside her tugged at her hem. She clicked her tongue and said, "Why are you pulling me? Wang Hechun's wife isn't like Chen Mama. She looks like a good person."

As she spoke, Huadie couldn't hide her excitement. "It's like this, my period is a few days late, and I'd like to ask the princess to invite a doctor to take a look at me."

Wang Hechun's eyes widened slightly, and she immediately congratulated him, "Auntie, you are truly blessed. If you are pregnant, the Princess and the Marquis will surely be overjoyed!"

"Don't tell anyone, I'm not sure yet," Hua Die said, too happy to notice the scheming look in Wang Hechun's eyes.

Back in the courtyard, her maid Bai Tao thought she was too hasty. "Aren't you afraid that you were in such a hurry to have the princess fetch a doctor?"

"What are you afraid of? What's there to be afraid of?" Hua Die thought Bai Tao was being nosy. "I'm the princess's woman. I'm pregnant. She should be happy."

Bai Tao was speechless. The princess had just had a miscarriage, how could she be happy!

Only the people in Wutong Garden and Qiushuangzhai knew about Princess Rongjia's false pregnancy. The second and third wives, as well as Huadie and others, only knew that Princess Rongjia had miscarried.

However, some people could see something amiss, but Hua Die could not.

"Think about it, the princess just lost her child, how could she be happy for you?" Bai Tao said anxiously. "Last time, the princess even forced you to drink herbal medicine. Do you really think the princess wanted you to have a child?"

When the topic of the herbal medicine came up, Huadie belatedly realized she was scared. "Then... what should I do?"

She has already told Wang Hechun's family, and the princess will know first thing tomorrow morning.

She asked tremblingly, "There...there shouldn't be anything, right? If the princess drugged me, how will she explain it to...to the marquis?"

"Better safe than sorry." Bai Tao sighed. If she could change her mistress, she really wouldn't want to serve Aunt Hua Die. She wasn't even as smart as her. "Don't you want a child the most? Since the princess knows, why don't you let the eldest mistress know too? The eldest mistress and the princess have always been at odds. If the princess dares to do anything, the eldest mistress can avenge you."

"Yes, you're right, I'll go find Grandma!" Huadie said, heading towards Qiushuangzhai, but was stopped by Baitao.

Bai Tao said it was already dark, "You're rushing over here now. What will the princess think when she finds out tomorrow? You're the princess's person, you can't openly ask the eldest mistress for help."

"Then what do you suggest I do?"

"You're like this..."

The next morning, when Huadie went to pay her respects to her grandmother, she pretended to vomit.

Seeing that Huadie was deliberately vomiting, Cui Lingrong wanted to know Huadie's purpose, so she asked Huadie what was wrong.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, but I've been feeling nauseous for the past two days. I hope it's nothing serious?" Hua Die was afraid that the eldest mistress wouldn't notice, so she pretended to feel nauseous.

Cui Lingrong asked Hua Die about her pregnancy, "You're not pregnant, are you? I'll get a doctor to take a look."

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the undisguised joy in Huadie's eyes and immediately understood Huadie's intention.

However, she found it strange. Hua Die wasn't one of her people. Hua Die could have just gone to Princess Rongjia for this. Why was she hinting at it to her?

Could it be that Huadie and Princess Rongjia have fallen out?