Yuan Qingling felt a chill in her heart. If this was the case, the Emperor and the Dowager Empress would surely be enraged.
However, their anger would only be momentary. Dismissing the Queen and bringing peace to the household from then on, without having to endure Jing's harassment, would bring more benefits than harm in the long run.
"What do you think of marrying the second daughter of the Chu family, Your Highness?" Tang Yang asked.
Although weary of the topic, Yuwen Hao knew his father and mother kept pressing the issue, so it was unavoidable. He asked Tang Yang in response, "What do you think?"
Tang Yang analyzed, "From the overall situation, it is indeed advantageous for Your Highness. Although the Chu family married their eldest daughter to Prince Qi, Premier Chu has not fully declared his support for Prince Qi, due to the Dowager Empress. Premier Chu still has some reservations, and because His Majesty has always favored Your Highness, this has forced the Chu family to act conservatively. This is the current situation. But once Your Highness marries the second daughter of the Chu family, the Chu family will care more about Your Highness. If Prince Qi proves incompetent, Premier Chu will place all his power behind you."
Yuwen Hao said mildly, "It seems you agree with the Queen Mother."
Tang Yang shook his head. "No. The analysis makes strategic sense, but I know Your Highness has no desire to pursue her. Still, I hope Your Highness takes the second daughter of the Chu family as a concubine, if she is willing."
"Why the contradiction?" Yuwen Hao frowned.
"There is no contradiction. The Noble Consort wants you to marry the second daughter of Chu to vie for power, but I hope Your Highness gains the Chu family's care and protection."
"Does this Prince still need the Chu family's protection?" Yuwen Hao asked coldly.
"Your Highness," Tang Yang said explicitly, "There are some things you cannot do, but the Chu family can. For example, when Prince Ji made his move this time, if the Chu family was on your side, could they not discipline Prince Ji? Prince Ji is truly too arrogant now."
An arrogant army is doomed to fail, but before failure, it can still do great harm.
Yuwen Hao said mildly, "I understand your meaning."
"Then..." Tang Yang ventured, "What does Your Highness think?"
"There is no need!" said Yuwen Hao.
Tang Yang tactfully kept silent.
But Yuwen Hao asked another question, "Janitor Yuan Qingling, what do you think?"
Yuan Qingling hesitated and said, "I agree."
Yuwen Hao fell silent.
The next morning, Qingling had her aunt go to the storage room to pack some ginseng, bird's nest, and other items to take back to her maiden home.
She returned this time without her aunt or her wet nurse Granny Xi, only bringing the maid Lü Ye with her.
When the carriage arrived at Marquis Jing Manor, the gatekeeper welcomed them in.
Jing had already instructed that she would return today, so Second Madam led the women waiting in the main hall. Seeing Yuan Qingling enter, Second Madam smiled and stood up, "Qing'er, you've returned? Come, come sit."
By propriety, she should have respectfully addressed her as Queen and performed obeisance, but with one "Qing'er", their seniority was made clear.
Yuan Qingling was no fool. She understood, and looking at the people sitting in the room, it was only after Second Madam stood up that they rose, their manner not particularly deferential, lazily calling out "Sister" or "Younger Sister" instead of "Queen".
Yuan Qingling did not respond, walking directly over to sit down.
At a glance, she recognized that standing next to Second Madam was her eldest daughter-in-law, Madam Luan, wearing a green embroidered silk robe, light eyebrows, almond eyes, a flat nose, and almost imperceptible wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, indicating good maintenance.
Beside her was brother Yuan Lunwen’s wife, Madam Cui, wearing a yellow printed silk feather skirt, jade bangles on her wrists, and exquisite pearls and jade in her hair, indicating her esteemed birth. She was haughty in character, and looked at Yuan Qingling with arrogance in her eyes.
Next to her stood original host's sister Yuan Qingping, fifteen years old, just put up her hair, powdered and rouged, staring with two round eyes, the whites larger than the irises, making them look triangular, and somewhat thin lips, but still very pretty overall.
In addition were two illegitimate daughters of the second branch, standing demurely, heads lowered, dressed simply as was expected for children of concubines.
There were many more women in the household who had not come out, so it was clear Second Madam had only called out two illegitimate granddaughters to pad the numbers.
Yuan Qingling looked again at Second Madam. She was plumper now, round face with few wrinkles, hair apparently dyed without a white strand in sight. Her clothing and accessories were also lavish, satins and silks, an elegant hairstyle held with exquisite hairpins, bearing no resemblance to the shabby maidservant she once was. If one didn't know, they might assume she was born noble.
They all wore faint mocking smiles, clearly looking down on the disfavored queen.
Yuan Qingling asked, "A report from the manor said Grandmother's condition had worsened. How is she now?"
Second Madam glanced outside, seeing she had indeed only brought one maid and no chaperones from the royal manor, her manner cooled as she said, "Your grandmother has always been like that. But this time it was your father who called you back, go to the study to find him."
Yuan Qingling knew her thoughts. Bringing so few people meant no need to give the royal manor face or entertain her, so Second Madam simply dismissed her to the study.
Yuan Qingling frowned. If he wanted to see her, he could have come directly to the royal manor. Why lie that Grandmother was ill?
Since it wasn't that Grandmother was ill, she was in no rush either, saying mildly, "I haven't eaten breakfast yet."
She wasn't trying to put on airs, just that rushing back this morning before eating, she was feeling rather weak with hunger.
Second Madam looked at her, then said, "Go to the study first, this old woman will have someone prepare millet porridge for you."
"Now!" Yuan Qingling met her gaze directly.
Second Madam looked at her a moment before turning to order, "Come, bring millet porridge."
Eldest daughter-in-law Madam Luan sat down with a twist of her mouth. "Quite the imposing air, coming home demanding millet porridge. Don't they feed you well enough at the royal manor?"
At Madam Luan's words, the other women laughed.
As a county magistrate's daughter, Madam Luan was a minor family in the view of a marquis manor. Before her father held office, Madam Luan had helped her mother peddle embroideries since childhood to supplement the family income, accustomed to the common market, still carrying the airs of a petty merchant. Seeing Yuan Qingling putting on arrogance, she couldn't help ridiculing her.
Yuan Qingling didn't even lift her eyelids, saying, "Sister-in-law means the royal manor is so poor they can't even afford millet porridge?"
Madam Luan was taken aback. "I didn't say the royal manor was poor."
"Then you mean I'm a failure as queen, unable to even eat my fill at the royal manor and having to beg for gruel at my maiden home?"
Yuan Qingling's eyes flashed sharply at Madam Luan.
Madam Luan felt terribly wronged. What was this? Wasn't Yuan Qingling always fawning on her maiden family before? Why so imposing today?
Second Madam gave an insincere smile and said, "Now, you two, why argue over this? Where is that breakfast? Go take a look. And Zhang Ma made osmanthus cakes today, bring some for the Queen as well."
No matter how calm, it would still be millet porridge.
With some yelling, there would be osmanthus cakes to eat too.
