Princess Qi's wet nurse saw that all her hard work had been stained with dust, and was suddenly panicked. Madam Xu Yi came out and said, "Wet nurse, get up. Her Highness the Virtuous Imperial Concubine is not angry with you, she is upset with the Prince."
The wet nurse did not dare to ask questions, she just picked up the pastries on the ground and retreated.
On the way back to the palace, Princess Qi thought more and more angrily. She summoned her confidante and said, "Go and pass a message to my father, just say that there are obstacles to taking a concubine, and ask him to speak a few words with Marquis Jing."
"Yes!" The confidante wet nurse left to pass on the order.
Recently, Marquis Jing had been very annoyed. The other day, the Princess Consort of Qi had sent someone to tell him to go to the Prince's mansion to wait, but he went for two consecutive days and the Princess Consort did not see him.
He did not want to go again, but now his own situation was unbearable. He had to go to the mansion gate as usual and waited for more than half a shichen before seeing the Princess Consort's palanquin returning.
He concealed the resentment in his heart and went forward with a smiling face to pay his respects, "Greetings to the Princess Consort of Qi!"
Chu Mingcui lifted the curtain and looked at him coldly, "It's you, Marquis?"
"Yes, yes!" Seeing her unfriendly tone, Jing Hou did not dare to say much.
Chu Mingcui said lightly, "Marquis Jing, please go back. The doorframe of the Prince's mansion is low, I'm afraid it's beneath you and will displease Princess Chu. She might then complain about me to His Majesty, which would not be good. Please leave."
After speaking, she lowered the curtain again and the palanquin continued forward, leaving Marquis Jing standing there.
Marquis Jing was from a marquis's residence after all. After waiting for more than half a day and being driven away, this was an extremely humiliating disgrace. His face turned purple with anger, unable to leave or enter.
It was only when he saw the mocking look from the steward at the Prince's mansion gate that he finally turned and left angrily.
"Marquis Jing!" A shout came from behind him.
Jing Hou angrily turned around and saw Princess Qi's maid walking over with a faint cold smile on her face, "The Princess says she was rude just now and asked me to apologize to you on her behalf."
Marquis Jing was slightly angry in his heart. Apologizing by sending a maid? Wouldn't that diminish his status? This Princess of Qi looked down on him too much.
The maid said, "Marquis Jing, don't be angry. The Princess was wronged in the palace."
Hearing that it involved palace affairs, Marquis Jing was shocked and carefully asked, "I don't know what grievance the Princess Consort has suffered?"
The maid said lightly, "It is not suitable to say too much. Marquis should go back and ask Princess Chu. The Empress Mother said that one should leave some room in dealing with matters. His Majesty does not necessarily favor her, he just can't go against the royal family's face. Marquis should consider for himself, don't let Princess Chu implicate your own future in the end. Alas, it's a pity, the Princess Consort originally wanted to take Marquis to meet the Prime Minister..."
After speaking, the maid bowed and went back inside.
Hearing these words, Marquis Jing was both shocked and angry. What exactly did Yuan Qingling do to anger Princess Qi so much?
He knew that Princess Qi had called him to the prince's mansion with the intention of supporting and drawing him over. He didn't expect it to be ruined by Yuan Qingling.
This rebellious girl didn't help him at all, but kept ruining his affairs, which was absolutely infuriating.
After thinking about it, he sent someone to Prince Chu's residence to pass on a message, saying that the Old Madam's illness had worsened and asked Princess Chu to return home for a visit.
After entering the mansion, Chu Mingcui slowly drank tea and saw the maid return. She asked lightly, "Did you pass on the words?"
The maid replied, "Rest assured Princess, I passed them on word for word without omission. Marquis Jing is very angry."
Chu Mingcui hmm-ed and said no more.
Before leaving the palace this time, His Majesty had ordered Prime Minister Mu to admonish her to get less involved with affairs within the harem in the future.
Her aunt had also severely reprimanded her. If her grandfather hadn't been mentioned, her aunt probably wouldn't have let her off easily.
How could Yuan Qingling see everything so clearly? It was completely beyond her expectations.
This person could not be underestimated. The only one who could control her was Marquis Jing's residence. If Marquis Jing still wanted a future, Yuan Qingling would have to toe the line.
Yuan Qingling was not favored in Prince Chu's residence, and Brother Hao didn't take her seriously at all. She couldn't lose the support of her natal family, so she had no choice but to listen to Marquis Jing and do as he said.
However, Chu Mingcui couldn't help wondering in her heart, not only was Yuan Qingling's medical skills completely unexpected, but she was also so perceptive. Could it be that she had been pretending all along?
It seemed that if Marquis Jing could not control her, Yuan Qingling could not be kept any longer.
When Marquis Jing's people arrived at Prince Chu's residence to report that the Old Madam was unwell and asked Yuan Qingling to return home to visit her, Yuan Qingling's mind raced to recall the situation in Marquis Jing's residence.
Marquis Jing's Old Madam, Mrs. Lu, was of county lord descent. When she was young, she had been a vigorous and resolute figure. During her time managing the household, Marquis Jing's residence prospered and his position as Vice Minister in the Ministry of War was also obtained through her efforts.
However, eight years ago, the Old Madam had suffered a serious illness since which she had been bedridden. The doctors had said several times that she wouldn't make it, but she was stubborn and bit her teeth to barely cling to life time and time again.
Now that the Old Madam was bedridden, Marquis Jing's original main wife, Yuan Qingling's mother Mrs. Huang, was indecisive. All the affairs of the residence were handled by the Second Madam, Mrs. Zhou.
Speaking of Mrs. Zhou, she could also be considered a figure.
She had originally been the Old Madam's accompanying maid. Following the usual pattern, she might have ended up as the old master's concubine. But she was beautiful and capable, and somehow got entangled with the second young master resulting in her pregnancy. Under normal circumstances, the second young master would have taken her as a concubine to serve him after this situation happened. But she was unwilling to be a concubine and would rather die, hanging herself in suicide which made the second young master very heartbroken and moved - after all a woman was willing to die for him, satisfying the man's vanity.
After being saved, he married her as his official wife against his family's opposition.
After the Old Madam fell ill, Mrs. Zhou was basically in charge of everything in the residence. The Madam of the Marquis Jing Residence, Yuan Qingling's birth mother Mrs. Huang, had to listen to her.
Marquis Jing trusted and respected this aunt very much. Nowadays, nobody in the residence remembered the bedridden old Madam. They only knew Second Madam. Even when attending social occasions outside, it was Second Madam who supported everything.
The original hostess seemed to have had quite good feelings toward her grandmother, because when Yuan Qingling heard of the deterioration of her grandmother's condition, her heart tightened first of all.
She arranged to return home to visit her the next day.
As usual, Qi Amah informed Tang Yang of Yuan Qingling's whereabouts, and Tang Yang went to inform Prince Chu.
Yuwen Hao heard this and smiled coldly, "It seems my father-in-law can't hold back any longer."
"Actually, the Prince could forbid the Princess Consort from going back." Tang Yang felt that the current situation was precarious. Once the Princess Consort went back, there was no telling what trouble Marquis Jing would stir up. After all, the Princess Consort listened most to Marquis Jing. When she previously had such a bad relationship with the Prince, it was under pressure from Marquis Jing that the Princess Consort would make troubles to pester the Prince.
Recalling those things made Tang Yang feel disgusted.
"The Old Madam is critically ill, so she has to go back. When she returns, no matter how much trouble she causes, I'll just pretend I don't see it. She is also not allowed to come to me anymore." Yuwen Hao said coldly.
"I'm just afraid Marquis Jing will teach her some other tricks to cause more trouble, like threatening another suicide, which would reflect badly. After all, His Retired Majesty still cares about her and has sent Granny Xi out of the palace to accompany her." Tang Yang said worriedly.
Yuwen Hao recalled her previous crying, making trouble and pretending to hang herself, and a look of disgust flashed in his eyes. "If she does that again, even if Father reproaches and punishes me, I will divorce her."
