Yuwen Hao turned sideways to avoid facing her with concealed anger, and calmly said, "Three or five."
Yuan Qingling was very shocked. She had thought that one or two would already be too many, but she did not expect that there were three to five.
As a modern person, she could not understand doing it for the sake of propagating offspring.
She also turned her back to him, feeling very angry on behalf of those girls.
But under his power, they could only submit. Their social status was low.
Those pitiful girls, would they just let scoundrels like Yuwen Hao defile them?
But now if she sent them away from his residence, in this feudal society, which good family would they be able to marry into?
Yuan Qingling was very angry, and Yuwen Hao was also very angry.
What was the implication of her words? That she saw him as what kind of person? He didn't even have concubines or consorts, only her as the primary wife, but she was averse and unwilling.
Both of them were furious, and as a result neither of them fell asleep.
Closing their eyes, they silently cursed at each other in their hearts. By the time the sky grew light they had awakened.
Yuwen Hao got up first and went out to instruct Tang Yang with a few words, telling him to go back to the manor and say that today he would not return until after noon.
Yuan Qingling also got up. She did not have Lv Ya help her change clothes, instead taking her own clothes behind the screen to change.
His Amah brought over Yuwen Hao's clothes, taking them off one by one, then putting them back on him piece by piece, tying and fastening them. Yuan Qingling watched this while sitting at the dressing table, and could not help but say: "You're not disabled, so why can't you dress yourself?"
At any other time, she absolutely would not have said this, knowing that these young masters hated having to do anything for themselves, and would have disliked even being hand-fed while eating.
But after stewing all night with a bellyful of anger, she really needed to vent it.
Yuwen Hao did not say anything. His Amah was stunned for a moment, "Princess, this is what I should do."
Yuan Qingling blurted out, "Those poor girls, would they just let scoundrels like Yuwen Hao defile them?" Then she regretted it immediately. Those girls were so innocent, and she had pitied them all night, yet today she uttered malicious words towards them.
His Amah laughed, "Look at what the Princess is saying. What does the Prince have?"
Lv Ya came over to do Yuan Qingling's hair and gently said, "I asked Amah last night, and she said the Prince does not have any."
Yuwen Hao coolly asked, "Why are you so concerned about whether or not I have any?"
Yuan Qingling had no words to defend herself.
But the heavy stone weighing down her heart suddenly lifted.
She realized that she cared about Yuwen Hao.
"Curiosity!" Yuan Qingling said lightly.
"Curiosity?" Yuwen Hao, fully dressed, came over. His reflection in the bronze mirror showed his features, the horizontal scratches on his face looking quite silly, marring his handsome appearance.
Yuwen Hao also noticed this and angrily said, "What will you do if I claw your face like this?"
"Just say a cat did it," Yuan Qingling said guiltily.
"How will I show my face to others now?"
Yuan Qingling hurriedly made him sit down, pressing on him, "It's fine, I'll put some rouge and powder on you to cover it up."
"I don't wear rouge or powder!" His anger grew. This was a matter of face, and this vicious woman just would not let this matter with his face rest.
"It was my mistake, I shouldn't have drank alcohol or threw a drunk tantrum. There won't be a next time. Prince, please bear with it for two days. The wounds will fade and probably be invisible by tomorrow. My powder is high quality, it makes the complexion look natural. No one could tell I had it on. Look at me..." As she spoke, she grasped his hand and rubbed it against her own face, "Can you tell I have foundation on?"
Her face was delicate, refined, and supple, with an abundance of elasticity. Grabbing and pinching it gave a feeling of fullness.
That kind of feeling made one eager to pinch again, and again.
Faced with the choice of wearing makeup or going out with cat scratches on his face, Yuwen Hao chose the former.
But he had wrongly trusted Yuan Qingling.
Her powder was not good quality. Once applied to the face it became blotchy, clinging in uneven patches, looking as if he had contracted leprosy.
In the end, it was the imperial doctor who applied a medicinal liquid that made the red marks disappear, but his face became sallow and yellow, looking as if he had suffered a major illness.
However, this was still the best outcome.
After a simple breakfast, they departed by carriage, arriving at Prince Huai's manor after the time it takes to burn two incense sticks.
The carriage had to stop at a relatively far alley entrance, because the main and rear gates were packed full of carriages.
The Imperial Palace had sent over several carriages, Concubine Lu had already arrived last night.
Princess Jing had been staying at the manor for several days already, as well as Yuwen Ling whom Yuan Qingling had greeted before.
The imperial uncles had also been taking turns keeping night vigil at the manor, for fear that Prince Huai would have some accident during the night. People were always by his side, with Prince Ji and Consort Ji being the most diligent. Before Concubine Lu's arrival, the couple had handled practically all matters themselves.
The manor's serving women and steward were also keeping watch at Prince Huai's manor, and following yesterday's decree, today after the Princess Consort arrived, all imperial doctors would withdraw.
Yesterday Concubine Lu had instructed the imperial doctors to prescribe enough medicine for several days before allowing them to leave.
Today was Yuan Qingling's first day at Prince Huai's manor, so the attending eunuchs were also very nervous.
Emperor Ming Yuan had ordered Gu Si to protect Princess Chu, ensuring absolute safety as Yuan Qingling traveled between the two manors.
Naturally Gu Si understood the gravity of the matter, selecting two attendants of superb martial arts skill to accompany him out of the palace.
By the time Yuan Qingling arrived at Prince Huai's manor, Gu Si had also just arrived. He explained the Emperor's intentions, then entered together with her.
Prince Huai had contracted an infectious disease, so ordinary people were generally not allowed to go in and out of his quarters. Even visiting relatives kept their distance, standing briefly with their hands covering nose and mouth, then washing hands and changing clothes when leaving.
Only Prince Huai's personal manservants attended to him inside.
However, Consort Ji had also gone inside to care for him these last two days. She took care of Prince Huai's matters meticulously and earned herself the reputation of a virtuous sister-in-law. The Emperor had also praised her for this.
Today Yuan Qingling had come to treat his illness by imperial decree, so many imperial family members were waiting for her at the courtyard entrance.
Consort Ji stood on either side of Concubine Lu, smiling as she looked at Yuan Qingling and said, "Sister, hearing you had come instantly put my heart at ease."
Yuan Qingling had some medical knowledge and had inadvertently cured the retired emperor, at least that was what people outside believed. So Consort Ji implying her medical skills were so amazing, and that Prince Huai would certainly be cured, was quite calculating in front of so many people.
Yuan Qingling did not act modest either. She and Yuwen Hao stepped forward to greet Concubine Lu.
Concubine Lu did not look at her, only looking at Yuwen Hao and saying, "Concubine Lu believes you can watch your consort and prevent her from acting rashly. I do not know why the Emperor let her come. This is an imperial decree that cannot be defied, but if she makes mistaken diagnoses and wrongly prescribes medicine due to inadequate medical skill, harming my Huai'er, I will say this in advance—I will not let the matter rest easily."
Yuwen Hao bowed with hands clasped, "Mother Concubine, please be assured my lady will do her utmost."
Concubine Lu did not actually know about the circumstances of Prince Huai contracting the illness, so she did not hate Yuwen Hao. She also knew she could not offend Consort Xian and Yuwen Hao, but this concerned her son's life, so she had to be cautious.
"Let me go in and see Prince Huai," said Yuan Qingling, feeling very uncomfortable with everyone's stares.
Consort Ji eagerly said, "Sister, I'll go in with you."
Yuan Qingling had prepared masks, keeping them in her sleeve pocket. She took some out and distributed them to Yuwen Hao, Consort Ji and the others.
She put one on herself as well.
But unexpectedly, after she put on the mask, Concubine Lu trembled all over in anger.
Pointing at Yuan Qingling, she angrily said, "If you disdain my Huai'er, you needn't have come. He is already despondent from his grave illness, and seeing you come in wearing this, seeing you all harbor disdain for him, how will he not feel awful?"
