The Survival Rules of a Concubine's Daughter 100: Please calm down and take care of the matter with Xiang Niang.

  On the second day, early in the morning, a soft and gentle voice was heard outside, like a lover's call. She let out a pained "sigh" and suddenly felt an overwhelming nostalgia for her days in the boudoir. Although being a lowly-born daughter had its unfairness, at least she could sleep until dawn. Now, as a princess, she couldn't even do as she pleased. Heaven was cruel - if time could be turned back, she wouldn't want to be a princess anymore.

  Li Xue slept late last night, although his eyes were sore, but after many years of following his father to fight wars, he had long been prepared to wake up at any time. The soft voice was light, and he opened his eyes in the first moment. And Ruo Xin stretched out her waist painfully and discontentedly, seemingly still wanting to sleep, seeing her like a small dog burrowing into the quilt, also felt quite pitiful. However, thinking about today's many tasks, he could only harden his heart and pull her out of the quilt, "Good girl, later you still have to pay respects to Father King and Mother Queen, and then enter the palace to meet with Empress Dowager and Empress, when we return tonight I'll let you sleep enough, okay?"

  As soon as Ruqin heard that, she still had to pay respects to her parents-in-law and also had to enter the palace, so where would she dare sleep? She could only force herself to sit up with sour eyes. Li Xiu got out of bed and went straight to the bathroom in the partition to take a bath, while Ruqin let Zhou Mama and others serve her.

  When Madame Zhou saw the dark circles under Ruo Xing's eyes, her swollen lips and the purple bruises on her neck, she couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. When no one was paying attention, she leaned over to Ruo Xing's ear and asked: "Did the princess and the prince... last night?"

  Just as the mood was getting comfortable in the bath, suddenly such a sentence came out, and her face turned bright red. But the people surrounding the wooden tub serving her were all eunuchs, so she whispered: "It's not convenient for my body, no." Lowering her head to look at the shameful and shocking mark on her chest, she felt both ashamed and angry. That Li Xiao was indeed a beast.

  Mrs. Zhou felt slightly relieved, she was afraid that the young lady would be too charming and King Wang, being young and vigorous, wouldn't be able to hold back and would force himself on Queen Wang. But seeing the suspicious marks on Ruo Xue's body, her old face flushed with anger.

  After washing up, Li Xiu came out of the inner room wearing a crimson robe with yellow silk embroidery, his arms and chest adorned with red gold thread patterns. The bright and cheerful color suited him well, without making him look effeminate, but rather majestic and powerful. Rong couldn't help but sigh in admiration, putting aside all his flaws, this guy indeed had the capital to make a girl throw herself at him.

  She discovered that Li Xue was looking at her with a smile, wearing a bright red dress with golden embroidery on the sleeves and shoulders, a light yellow skirt with a crescent moon pattern, her hair styled in a high bun, a white ermine forehead band two fingers wide, with a bright red gemstone embedded in the center, which made her jade-like face even more radiant and dazzling.

  In his memory, Ruoqing had always been a simple and unadorned beauty, but now she was dressed to the nines, suddenly radiating a dazzling brilliance that left Li Xiao stunned, unable to help but exclaim: "You look great with your hair styled like that."

  In the house with so many people, but there was little shyness, only a faint smile: "King Wang is just praising. It's just that people need clothes."

  Like a beautiful brocade, she wore a magnificent dress with golden phoenix and jade decorations on her head, which slightly swayed back and forth, casting a cold light. It seemed that the sparkle in her eyes was also as cold as this.

  Li Xue's smile froze, eventually turning into silence.

  As she secretly gazed at herself in the mirror, dressed in her magnificent attire, she was quite satisfied. Indeed, people need clothes and Buddhas need gold decorations; with this outfit, she truly had the demeanor of a princess.

  ……

  After dressing properly, I went to my mother-in-law's courtyard to pay respects.

  The year-end is approaching, the winter in Beijing is cold as ice, the house is heated with a kang and charcoal fire, not feeling cold at all, but once out of the house, the chill is immediate.

  Like a romantic, she wore a large red silk embroidered with golden thread and decorated with ermine fur edges, the snow-white ermine fur and bright red color made her face even more radiant and delicate, like a freshly emerged water lily.

  Li Xiu also wore a cloak with the same color and pattern as Ruxue's, walking side by side with her.

  But I don't know if it's an illusion, no matter how much he slows down his pace, the distance between them is always half a step away from him. Even if he intentionally gets close to her, there is still a fist-sized distance between them.

  The residence of Old Master Wang and his wife is located in the center of the backyard of the Wang Mansion, a extremely luxurious and elegant courtyard called "Jiaxin Wan".

  As they entered, several maids and young ladies were already standing solemnly in the outer hall. Seeing Li Xun and Rong Yu, they hurriedly bowed down to pay their respects, "Greetings to His Highness, greetings to Her Highness."

  As if following Li Xiu's lead, she walked into the hall with her head slightly tilted and her eyes cast downward, maintaining a demure and elegant smile on her face.

  As they entered the hall, Old Master Jing and Madame Jing were already seated in the high hall. Next to them sat several middle-aged women who appeared to be Old Master Jing's concubines. On the other side sat two young men and two young women, likely Li Xiao's older brothers and their wives. Further down, a little girl with double buns on her head, wearing a pink skirt, was probably Old Master Jing's youngest daughter, rumored to be not well favored.

  Li Xiu and his wife entered the hall, except for Old Master Wang and his wife, everyone else stood up. Some shouted: "Oh, the new daughter-in-law has arrived." "The king and queen have arrived."

  Also called "Second Brother, Second Sister has arrived", "Second Brother-in-law and Second Sister-in-law have arrived". With a gentle smile, looking around, indicating a greeting. Then with a nervous heart, looked at Old Master Wang sitting in the middle.

  King Jing was about fifty years old, also wearing a bright red embroidered dragon robe, although his hair had some white spots, but he was energetic and spirited, with sharp eyes and a strong jawline, three inches of beard under his chin, dark complexion, dignified without being angry, upright posture, no signs of aging, with a few wrinkles around the corners of his mouth and eyebrows, which did not affect his mature appearance.

  To be honest, in terms of facial features, Li Xu really resembles his father, only that his features are more delicate than Old Master Wang's. Having looked at the well-maintained and elegant Queen Jing, it can be seen that she has inherited excellent genes.

  A neatly dressed maid brought in a silver-rimmed jade tray with two tea cups on it, and Ruqing carefully picked up one of the cups and walked towards the intricately embroidered cushion that had already been laid out in the center of the room. She knelt down and handed the cup to Old Master Wang, who stroked his beard while examining Ruqing, and from his warm gaze, she saw a hint of delight, which made her feel slightly more at ease. Old Master Wang took the tea and, as if symbolically, took two sips before rewarding Ruqing with a pair of sheep-fat white jade hairpins.

  Ru Qing knelt down to offer tea to Jing Tai Wangfei, who smiled and accepted it. After taking a sip, she said in a gentle tone, "Yesterday's grand wedding must have been tiring for you too, please get up." Then, she took the brocade box with golden and silver silk sea beast pattern from Song Jiang's hands and handed it to Ru Qing, saying, "This is a gift I prepared on behalf of my daughter-in-law. You can keep it well, wear it yourself, or pass it down to your future daughter-in-law, whichever you prefer."

  The heavy box was enough to prove the queen's recognition of Jing Tai, and with a slight relaxation of her expression, she thanked her sincerely and handed it over to Xiang.

  The gentle Queen Jing Tai looked at her warmly, seeing the fatigue hidden beneath her thick makeup, and spoke in an even warmer tone, "You must have been exhausted yesterday, and yet you got up early today to pay your respects. I'm truly grateful. However, no matter how tired one is, they still need to fulfill their duties. First, let's go see Rong Er's older brother and sister-in-law, as well as Third Brother and his wife."

  Then he walked to the left, and bowed to a man about thirty years old who was wearing a long gown with dark embroidery, "Uncle." Then he also bowed to a woman in her thirties who was wearing a crimson jacket with two fingers of velvet edging and six embroidered flowers on the lapel, "Aunt."

  The master of Jingwangfu, Guan Qisheng, has a national character face, and he also looks like Old Master Wang in some ways. He appears to be astute and upright, but his attitude towards Yu is quite casual.

  This Guan Qi was the one who had been serving the old master for the longest time, born to a concubine. He didn't have the surname Li but instead had the surname Guan because when the old master was young, his mansion in the border town was attacked by bandits. At that time, the old master was seriously injured and bedridden, unable to command or deploy troops. Fortunately, General Guan Yutang fought desperately to defend against the enemy's superior numbers. In the end, Guan Yutang had no choice but to order his men to hide the old master in a wardrobe, while he himself suffered severe injuries, including a broken arm. Although reinforcements arrived soon after and repelled the enemy, Guan Yutang, a weak scholar, suffered greatly from his injuries and eventually died from excessive blood loss. The old master only managed to see him one last time and wept uncontrollably. In front of Guan Yutang's corpse, he made a vow, swearing that for three generations, the Guan family would have only one descendant, and he couldn't let the Guan family line die out because of him. The old master promised that his firstborn son would be adopted into the Guan family.

  Guan Qi was the eldest son born to Lao Wangye and his concubine, and after his birth, he was indeed adopted into the Guan family as promised. Although the Guan family was not extremely wealthy or prestigious, their ancestors had once been prominent and illustrious, and they still had a considerable inheritance. After being adopted into the Guan family, Guan Qi received support from the Jing Wang Fu, and over the years, he managed to make a name for himself. Currently, he is serving as a provincial governor in the Tianjin Wei Xunfu government, holding the position of Si Dao. He was not an outstanding official, but for a provincial governor, his role was still significant.

  Guan Qi rushed to Li Xi and laughed a few times: "Second brother has finally settled down, now Father King and Mother Queen can finally put their minds at ease. I believe that by this time next year, they will definitely be able to hold a big fat grandson."

  Li Xiu gently looked at Ruolan with a soft expression and laughed loudly, "I'm glad to hear that, Big Brother Cheng."

  Guan Qi spoke straightforwardly, while Li Ji was much more gentle. As Li Xiong was the second in line, both husband and wife stood up to greet him and also returned a courtesy, "Second Aunt."

  Yu Ru nodded, blushing and said: "Third Uncle, younger brother and sister." Then she took a glance at Li Qi, who was about 22 or 23 years old, with rosy lips and white teeth, and an air of dignity. As for her younger brother and sister Chen, they had a melon-seed-shaped face, with delicate eyebrows and phoenix-like eyes, very beautiful. She wore a high bun adorned with a golden hairpin in the shape of a phoenix, and a bright and shiny lily flower on her temple, which made her face even more lovely and charming.

  The third lady, Madame Chen, who was about twenty years old, also looked up and down with a flirtatious expression, covering her lips with a smile: "Second sister is really beautiful, no wonder second brother would stop at nothing to take you as his queen."

  If you're not satisfied with the situation, your gaze is cold and shot over there. You dare to be a broken household with her, really don't know life or death. Thinking of Er Ge's intelligence report on her, this Li San Ye was just the illegitimate child of Zhu Wang who died early in the year. Although Zhu Wang's mother was lowly born, she was still enfeoffed as a king, but it didn't matter much. There were no legitimate children under Zhu Wang's knees, only one illegitimate child, Li Ji. The old king pitied him and adopted him into his own name. Although he couldn't inherit the throne, he had no worries about food and clothing, and was also enfeoffed as a general with the title of Feng Guo Jiang Jun, enjoying the greatest kindness in the world. The old king was still lenient towards him, and now he is still in the position of Five Armies Supervisor, getting a not-so-bad job. Li Ji's wife's family background is also not high, her biological father was originally a hereditary thousand-household of Jin Yiwei, but unfortunately, he committed a crime later and was executed, and was raised by his uncle. Ruoxin, this newcomer in the palace, should indeed be careful and cautious, but if she dares to slap him in public like this, then it's not polite.

  Her expression changed from gentle to cold, and she said lightly: "It's not a glorious thing, it's better for younger siblings not to mention it. The Li family shares honor and shame together, the king's absurd behavior has already been criticized by parents in every way, if younger siblings bring it up again, I will think that younger siblings think that father king punished the king too lightly."

  Chen was taken aback, looking at Ruqing's suddenly cold expression. She didn't expect Ruqing to have such a temper and for a moment, she didn't know how to retort. It was Third Master Li Kai who rebuked her harshly, "Second Aunt is Second Brother's formally married queen, what's the point of bringing up past matters? Speak less and do more, no one will take you for a mute."

  Madam Chen shot a cold glance at everyone, secretly regretting it, and retreated behind her husband, not daring to make another sound.

  Finally, there was Old Master Wang's illegitimate daughter Li Li. Li Li was eleven or twelve years old, with a timid and awkward appearance that wasn't bad to look at, but seemed to have a soft and weak personality, with a face full of constraint. She glanced at Ruqing with a faint gaze, her voice as thin as a mosquito hum: "Greetings, Second Aunt."

  Ru Qing also knew that being a concubine's daughter was not easy, especially since Li Li's mother had climbed into Old Master Wang's bed with little glory, and even after becoming pregnant, her circumstances hadn't changed much. On the contrary, after giving birth to Li Li, she was sent into the inner courtyard.

  Old Master Wang also secretly resented Li Li's mother for her misdeeds, and didn't have much affection for Li Li. A girl who wasn't favored by her father was already not in a good position, even if her stepmother treated her relatively well, but thinking about it still felt unpleasant.

  Yu gently helped Li Li up and gave her a thick purse, "From now on, we are all one family. Little sister, don't be polite to me."

  Li Li's expression changed to one of delight, and she glanced timidly at Old Master Wang, but seeing that he didn't even give her a glance, she dejectedly lowered her head.

  With a sigh of emotion, although pitied her, she is not the Virgin Mary, at most treat her better in the future, as for the matter between them father and daughter, it's none of my business.

  Next were Old Master Wang's several concubines, the first of whom was Mei, Old Master Wang's secondary wife. Mei was somewhat older, her age impossible to guess, with a withered complexion; although she had applied thick makeup, her aged appearance was still evident, and it seemed that she had already fallen out of favor.

  According to the rules, Li Xiao was the legitimate son and the prince who inherited the title. His father's aunts could only be considered half-slaves. There was no need for Ru Qing to pay respects to them, but instead these aunts had to present gifts to Ru Qing.

  Feng Niang gave a jade bangle with golden and silver threads, saying awkwardly: "It's just a small gift, I hope the princess won't despise it."

  Looking at her wrinkled face and restless expression, he smiled and said, "Auntie's kindness is all in good faith, how can I possibly dislike it?"

  Madam Mei saw her with a gentle and affectionate expression, without any hint of dislike, only then did she put her mind at ease.

  Next is Feng Niangniang, also known as the birth mother of Qing'an Princess and the concubine of Old Master Wang. As for why she can only be called "Niangniang", there's another story to that.

  Qing'an Princess was also a beautiful woman, and this Phoenix Auntie was not much worse off. However, time had taken its toll, and the corners of her lips and eyes were etched with many wrinkles. Even with thick makeup, she couldn't hide them. As the saying goes, "like mother, like daughter," Qing'an Princess was also arrogant and willful, and this Phoenix Auntie was not much better. With a sarcastic tone, she said: "No matter how lowly my status may be, I am still an old person in the household, having spent half my life by Old Master Wang's side. Don't I deserve some respect? How can this young daughter-in-law be so inexperienced? I've heard that the Fang family values poetry and books, but it seems they've even forgotten basic etiquette! In front of her elders, she doesn't even offer a cup of tea as a sign of respect."

  As soon as she turned her head to look at Princess Jingtao, Princess Jingtao frowned and coldly scolded: "My legitimate daughter-in-law, the princess of the royal family, how can a lowly servant like you dare to speak out of turn? Shut your filthy mouth for me. If you dare to spout nonsense again, I'll tear your mouth apart."

  Feng Niang's neck shrunk, and she said indignantly: "Even if the status is lowly, Feng Niang was still bestowed as a concubine by the late emperor to Wang Ye. Having served Wang Ye for most of her life and having given birth, how can she be considered inferior to even a slave in the eyes of the Grand Consort?"

  The Empress Dowager Jing Tai said disdainfully: "You were originally a slave in the palace of the former emperor, and now you have become a slave in my Wang Fu. Am I supposed to lie?"

  "Feng Niangniang stayed, and pitifully looked at Jing Lao Wangye, 'Old Wangye, Feng Niang is not worthy, but after all, she has borne you sons and daughters. This may not be a merit, but it's hard work. Moreover, Qiang'er also made an effort, kneeling under the Empress Dowager's knees to become her adopted daughter, and didn't bring shame to you either.'"

  Old Master Jing glared at her impatiently, his eyes also filled with disgust. "There are many servants attending to me, do you think you're the only one who's dignified? Get out of my sight! If you continue to speak nonsense, be careful or I'll send you to the Zhuangzi."

  Feng Yiniang's face was displeased, but she didn't dare to make another move, and sullenly retreated to the side. Then she fiercely glared at Ruqing again.

  Another aunt, slightly younger than the previous two, gave a slight courtesy and smiled warmly at Ruo Qing. She handed over a thick envelope and said in a soft voice: "The princess is really well-born, it's the good fortune of the old king and the queen."

  Ru Qing's face turned red as she said, "Aunt Mei is overpraising me, I'm actually quite crude and unrefined."

  The last one was a young and pretty imperial concubine, only a few years older than Ruo Qing. It was said that she was bestowed by the current emperor. She had a charming and elegant demeanor, but her expression was melancholic and her face was pale. When Ruo Qing paid his respects to her, she hastily stood up and repeatedly said "I dare not". In the end, she also gave Ruo Qing a purse as a gift.

  After finishing the ceremony, King Jeongtae's queen told the ladies-in-waiting to go down and said to Yujeong, "Alright, after having breakfast, we still need to enter the palace to meet Empress Dowager Taehwa, so be prepared."

  The dining hall is located on the left side of the main hall, and the light in the room is very good, with plenty of sunlight. Outside, the plum blossoms are blooming, and on the windowsill, there are many precious artificial potted landscapes, a room full of greenery, making the dining hall particularly elegant and tasteful.

  On the large round table next to the elephant ivory, all kinds of exquisite dishes had been laid out. Old Wang Ye and Jing Taiwang Fei sat down separately, with a gentle smile. The first lady, Lan Shi, and the third lady, Chen Shi, stood on either side, holding chopsticks and serving dishes, pouring tea and water, bustling about.

  King Jing's wife enjoyed the service of her three concubines, but Li Xiu felt a little uncomfortable. He glanced at Ruqing several times, wanting to speak up, but hesitated and just ate a few mouthfuls before losing his appetite.

  The Empress Dowager looked at Li Xiong, her mouth slightly raised, but she didn't say anything. She took a closer look and saw that she was standing respectfully by her side, serving dishes and tea with great propriety. Her movements were not quick, but she was extremely careful, without any stiffness, as if she was familiar with it. The thick and complicated sleeves of her clothes were not suitable for serving the elders, but she carefully avoided getting the cuffs stained with oil. She couldn't help but turn to Emperor Jing and say: "After all, a daughter from a scholarly family is indeed capable. As a new daughter-in-law, she can already do so well." After a pause, she continued: "But Qian'er has been reading poetry and books since childhood, yet in the Ningguo Gongfu, she couldn't even do this basic task properly. Emperor, I'm afraid I've failed as her mother."

  The old king's expression turned solemn, looking at Ruoxi who was serving him with her head down and being very cautious in her movements. He also became displeased and said: "It has nothing to do with you, Qian'er is spoiled by me." Suddenly thinking of something, he looked around and asked: "Where is Ying'er? On such an important day, why can't I see her?"

  The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "This child has been fond of sleeping in since she was young. She made a big fuss last night, and I'm sure she's still sleeping soundly now. Thinking that her days at home are numbered, let's just indulge her for a few more days."

  Although she heard it, she curled her lip in her heart. Even the kind-hearted Princess Jingtao couldn't help but fall into a cliché, feeling sorry for her own daughter who would marry into another family and lower her head and obey, yet enjoying her own pampering with a clear conscience. Alas, she said, her stomach was so hungry, when could she finally eat?

  The Empress Dowager Cixi had finished eating, and then said to Rongyuan: "I'm full, thanks. It's early in the morning and we haven't rested yet. Let's all sit down and have a meal together."

  Lan's and Chen's families all expressed their willingness to serve their mother-in-law as a matter of course, and also looked at Ruqing with expectation, wanting to see how she would speak.

  As she looked at the full table of dishes, she smiled and said: "What's wrong with this? Serving one's parents-in-law is a matter of course. After serving her mother-in-law lunch, it won't be late for the daughter-in-law to eat too."

  The Empress Dowager Jing Tai smiled and said: "You really are a child who understands the rules. Sit down and have a meal, our family doesn't have so many rules."

  As if still hesitating, Old Master Jing also spoke up, "Your mother is right, Eldest Brother and Third Brother usually don't live in the mansion, it's not easy for everyone to see each other, now that you've entered the door, it's better for everyone to have a meal together."

  Finally freed from his emotions, he sat down beside Li Xiu and elegantly picked up his bowl and chopsticks.

  At first, when having dinner with parents-in-law and sisters-in-law at the same table, even if I was still hungry, I didn't dare to enjoy myself fully, so I only ate until I was 50% full before putting down my chopsticks.

  The queen of Jing Tai Wang was elegant and refined, with a gentle demeanor. She held her chopsticks with poise, paid attention to details, and savored each bite with relish. What's more, when eating together, she would even use the public chopsticks to serve others, displaying such elegance and composure that it seemed as if she had been doing this for years.

  Lan silently observed and admired, "Indeed, it's a family that transmits poetry and books, they understand the rules so well."

  Chen thought to herself, "I didn't expect that a mere concubine would have such abilities." She put aside her disdain and carefully observed the way she ate. But the more she looked, the more inferior she felt, and she no longer dared to move her chopsticks carelessly.

  The way he eats is neither fast nor slow, savoring each bite with elegance, his movements unpretentious yet possessing a subtle charm that is soothing to watch, like a serene landscape painting, as if refinement has become second nature.

  The Empress Dowager Jing also noticed, and she put aside her preconceived notions about Ruoxi. She turned to Li Xiu and asked, "I heard that the concubine in your residence is pregnant, is this true?"

  As if the movement of the dish had paused for a moment, it quickly returned to normal. But a pair of ears were extremely sensitive and listened to Li Xiao, waiting to see how he would speak.

  Li Xiao's face fell, "Obviously, I had already asked the old woman who was in charge of the medicine to prepare a cleansing bath."

  "The Empress Dowager said, 'This is not the time to investigate the responsibility of the soup medicine. I only ask you, the mistress had just entered the door and was already pregnant, and on the day of the grand wedding, she ordered her subordinates to rush into the bridal chamber to stop the newlyweds from consummating their marriage. This kind of unscrupulous concubine, I have never met before.'"

  Is she speaking on behalf of Princess Jeongtong?

  Li Xiu was also extremely angry, especially last night when he severely interrogated the imperial physician who had examined Liangxiang. The physician had already revealed a lot of truth to him, and now that his mother had scolded him again, he felt that Liangxiang could not be kept any longer. He said: "Liangxiang has always been obedient and well-behaved, but unexpectedly at this critical moment she dares to act so recklessly. Mother, this person can no longer be kept."

  The Queen of Jing Tai looked at Ruo Qing with a gentle smile, "You're already married and it's your own family matter. Why ask me instead of asking your wife?"

  Everyone's eyes were on Ru Qing, while Lan Shi felt a pang of sympathy in her heart, and Chen Shi was secretly gloating.

  Li Xiwang's expression turned cold, and he said lightly: "As soon as Ruoqing entered the door, she encountered such a troublesome thing. Xiang Niangniang is even more unforgivable. If we don't give her some slight punishment, other niangniangs will follow suit, and that would be unbearable."

  The Queen of Jing Tai was slightly surprised and asked Ru Xiang, "What do you mean?"

  Li Xiao frowned, "Mother, this has nothing to do with Ruoqing. It's all the son's fault, the child in Xiangniang's belly can't be kept."

  "Regarding the private matters of the inner house, Second Brother, as a grown man, what are you getting involved in? This matter, no matter how you look at it, should be handled by Second Sister," Chen said with a delicate voice. Then she smiled and looked at Ru Qing, "Second Sister, regarding Xiang Yiniang's affair, how do you plan to deal with it?"

  Li Xiao didn't look at her either, but instead glanced over at Li Qi.

  Li glared at Chen's wife fiercely, "What business is it of yours, a sister-in-law, to interfere with the affairs of your brother and his wife? If this gets out, people will say that my wife, Li, has no upbringing."

  Mr. Chen was stuck, his face looked extremely unpleasant.

  As Ru Qing took a deep breath, the matter of Xiang Niang could be either big or small, but if it was not handled properly, she would be at a disadvantage in the future in the Wang Fu.

  She glanced at Chen Shi and said quietly, "Although Xiang Niang has been a bit arrogant, it is a fact that she already has the king's flesh and blood in her belly. If we follow the rules, Xiang Niang only has one way to go - miscarriage. But after all, it's a life, and it's the king's flesh and blood. I think it would be better for mother or the king to handle this matter themselves."

  The Queen of Jing Tai's eyes flashed, and she unexpectedly looked at Ru Qing with a hint of surprise, smiling steadily: "You child, your calculations are indeed precise."

  Her face turned red, she lowered her head and said in a low voice: "The daughter-in-law has just entered the door, how dare she arbitrarily handle King's concubine?"

  "So, you think, should Xiang Yiniang's child be born or aborted?"

  "Ah, Second Sister-in-law, now that you've entered the family, don't you have the right to manage the concubines? This matter with Xiang Niangniang should indeed be handled by you."

  As if she had been scolded by the old woman, Chen Shi thought that she was not in good intentions, but her mouth said: "Xiang Niangniang is a concubine who entered the house before the daughter-in-law, whether it's punishment or reward, it should be up to the empress dowager or the king to decide. The daughter-in-law can't intervene." What she cares about now is to protect herself. As for Xiang Niangniang's matter, it can be handled or not handled, depending on Li Xiao's attitude.

  King Jing's eyebrows were deeply furrowed, seemingly displeased. Li Xiu gazed deeply at Ru Qing, his brow slightly uneasy.

  Lan also slightly unexpectedly, looked at the expression of Jing Lao Wangye, and hastily pulled Ruoqing's sleeve, lightly scolding: "Younger sister, no matter how bad this Xiang Niang is, after all, she has given birth to Second Brother's flesh and blood. Younger sister should consider Second Brother's descendants and take good care of her."

  Chen also smiled and said: "Elder sister-in-law is right, second sister-in-law, no matter how wrong Xiang Niang is, after all, she is carrying Second Uncle's flesh and blood in her belly. As the mistress of the house, how can you just stand by and do nothing?"

  Lan's mouth opened, but she didn't know what to say. Instead, Li Qi furrowed his brow and scolded her, "This is Second Brother's business, if you interfere again, I'll deal with you."

  Suddenly, with a loud "bang", Old Master Jing slammed his hand on the table and sternly scolded Yu like this: "Although Xiang Niang is hateful, what fault does the child have? Speak with decorum, keep quiet for peace. I think you're just jealous and can't stand others."

  Everyone was shocked and hastily said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. My younger brother and sister are young and inexperienced, how can they handle these things?"

  As she bit her lip, she knew that this way of handling things would indeed be subject to criticism and blame, but she was not afraid. Instead, she stood up, knelt down in front of the table, and calmly faced Old Master Wang's accusing gaze. "Father King, please calm your anger and listen to me," she said, taking a deep breath. Her tone was stern and determined. "Father King has been fighting on the battlefield for many years, with a strong and decisive character, which is truly admirable. You have a compassionate heart towards the weak, which is even more precious." She paused for a moment, then continued in an even stronger tone, "As for my previous broken engagement with the Wang family, I'm sure Father King and Mother Queen are also well aware of the reasons behind it?"

  The queen of Jing Tai and the two ladies, Lan and Chen, were slightly surprised. Normally, when a woman is jilted, it's a great loss of face, so why would she bring it up herself?

  King Jinglao originally didn't like his uncle's indecisive and henpecked ways, now hearing Ruoqin say this, he snorted, waiting for her next words.

  Li Xiang also had misgivings about the marriage between his cousin and Qing, although he hadn't participated in it, but every time he thought about it, it was still like a lump in his throat, extremely unpleasant.

  With a sullen expression, she slowly said: "In the past, when it came to the marriage between my wife and the Tuo family, Mother was well aware of it. I ask you, Mother, in that situation, should I have agreed to let Tong's daughter enter our household or refused?"

  The Queen of Jeongtae was taken aback.

  As she bit her lip, her eyes sparkled with tears, but stubbornly refused to fall, and instead turned to Old Master Jing and said: "If I refuse to let Miss Bao enter the house, it would be because I am jealous and intolerant. If I accept her, then it would be because I am weak and can be deceived, losing face for the Fang family. Father, what do you want me to do about the matter of Xiang Yiniang?" The matter of Xiang Yiniang was similar to being forced into marriage with the Xiang family, both were cases where uncooked rice had been cooked into a meal, and both were decisions that would not satisfy either party.

  Agreeing to let Tong Qingwen enter, she is weak and can be bullied. Disagreeing, she is jealous and intolerant of others. If she pretends to be magnanimous and agrees to let Xiang Yini give birth to the child, she will suffer internal injury. If she refuses, she will be labeled as ruthless and poisonous. No matter what she does, it's all wrong.

  Old Master Jing was stunned into silence, and for a long time he didn't say a word.

  The Empress Dowager Jing Tai also fell silent, sighing: "Good child, it's indeed hard on you."

  As if ashamed, she lowered her head, took a corner of her sleeve and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. When she lifted her head again, her eyes were already red.

  Li Xue helped her up with a pained expression, and a flash of remorse and regret crossed his face. He looked up at King Jing and Queen Wang, his tone firm, "Father, Mother, the child in Xiang Niang's belly must not be kept."

  The old king Jing looked at Li Xiao and said in a deep voice: "That is always your flesh and blood."

  Li Xiu said categorically: "The rules of birth cannot be abolished, we cannot lose the big picture because of a small matter."

  The old king Jing was silent.

  "Father, this matter is the son's fault, how can you let Ruxue deal with this mess? You always teach me that a man should take responsibility, at least. Xiangniang was my mistake, I should be the one to clean up after myself, not let Ruxue, who just entered our household, deal with this mess. It's also very unfair to Ruxue." He paused and continued: "If you really want Ruxue to handle Xiangniang, isn't it the same as forcing her to accept my cousin?"

  Old Wang seemed to have been moved, and the warm intention in his eyes returned as he gazed at Ruo Qing. Meanwhile, Jing Tai's queen consort looked at the old man and the young girl with a relieved expression, and her gaze towards Ruo Qing also carried some deep meaning.

  Lan seemed to have an epiphany, while Chen stared blankly at Ruoxi, his face a picture of complexity.

  ……

  As I came out of my in-laws' place, a sudden gust of cold wind blew over, making my face and cheeks ache with the chill, and I couldn't help but shiver.

  Li Xue glanced at the maid behind her, and Chen Xiang hastily put the cloak on Ruqing's shoulders.

  The thick woolen coat finally kept the cold wind at bay, like a deep breath of air. She felt the slightly sweaty palm of her hand, and earlier in the dining hall, she had only felt as if she was walking on thin ice, and any slight misstep would have led to an irreparable disaster.

  Suddenly, as if she had a moment of confusion, was it because she was inexperienced and shallow, unable to take on the role of queen, or was being a queen inherently a high-risk profession?

  Li Xiu saw that Ruxue's face was filled with emotions, and he knew that he had hurt her again. He said softly, "I'm sorry, I was wrong earlier." He almost made the same mistake as Yun Han, pushing her into a difficult situation. Previously, he had always despised Yun Han's weakness, but just now, he had almost followed in his footsteps, pushing Ruxue to the edge. Thinking about his father's anger and his mother's dissatisfaction, Li Xiu also broke out in cold sweat. It seemed that Zhiyi's harsh words still lingered in his ears...

  As the emotions run deep, countless thoughts are entangled in my heart, a mix of bitterness and gratitude. Gazing at the two pots of orchids by my feet, which are growing luxuriantly, even such precious treasures have to endure the invasion of wind and dew.

  "After turning over countless thoughts in his mind, he finally regained his composure and said to Li Xiao in a low voice: 'Thanks for what happened just now.'"

  Li Xiang fell silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice: "This matter was originally my fault. I've caused you trouble."

  He was about to pay the price for his pride again.

  Ru Qing shook her head, "Brother is right, although you won't be a good husband, but you're a man with guts." She looked into his eyes, which were filled with hidden shame, and said sincerely: "In the past, Hua Po-po once told me that no matter how unbearable a man is, as long as he takes responsibility, such a man is a good husband. Now thinking about it, what Hua Po-po said really makes sense."

  Actually, Hua Niang had never said such a thing, these words were spoken by Old Lady An to comfort Ru Qing. But thinking about it now, Old Lady An's words do make some sense. No matter how disappointed she was with Li Xun, today he took responsibility for everything himself, and she wasn't unmoved.

  Li Xiu gazed at Ru Qing, although she was still a maiden in name, her hair was already styled like that of a married woman. Her expression, however, was genuinely filled with gratitude towards him.

  Suddenly, Li Xiu felt a heat in his chest, and his blood began to boil.

  He didn't care about others, holding her hand tightly, he solemnly promised, "Your brother is not entirely right, I, Li Xiao, may not be a good person, but as a husband, I still have the most basic responsibility."

  She nodded slightly, turned his hand over and whispered: "Mm, I believe you."

  It seems that this little wife is not difficult to get along with, but he has always used the wrong way.

  Li Xiu let out a sigh of relief, gazing at his little wife's pale and tender face. From this angle, he could just see her delicate features, so enticing and lovely. If she were to add a gentle and charming smile, it would definitely be utterly captivating.

  But this kind of smile seems to have disappeared for many days.

  Suddenly, Li Xiao became depressed again, "Don't get me angry anymore, okay?"

  "What makes you say that, Your Highness?"

  He had a look of impatience, "You're getting angry with me." He said it with certainty. In fact, if there's an older brother, there must be an older sister. Knowing that he was angry and not talking to him was also normal. Although it couldn't be seen on the surface, but after years of being together, he could already guess from his tone and behavior. And as for Ruo Xin, she was just like Zhi Yi, looking calm on the surface but with a sense of detachment emanating from within that would suffocate him to death.

  "It's my fault about what happened with Xiang Yiniang." He said in a low voice, "Believe it or not, that day I got drunk and dreamed of you..." In his memory, she who had never given him a good face was extremely affectionate and leaned against him, he couldn't help himself and made a huge mistake.

  As the emotions subsided, she wanted to say wisely and magnanimously: "It's common for men to have three wives and four concubines; Your Highness doesn't need to apologize." But then she felt too stifled, so she changed her words. "Your Highness doesn't need to explain. Whether a man is responsible or not isn't about what he says, but about what he does." Looking at Li Xiao's expression, she added in a low voice: "The young master of the Xiang family is also very good, but when you took the initiative to stand up just now, compared to you, I only then knew what it means to be a real man."

  This man has many shortcomings and even more bad habits, with a strong feudal dandy air, fortunately, he is not thoroughly bad.

  She can't just conclude because of his poor performance last night, after all, still need to work hard.

  If it's really hopeless, she'll find her own way out of it anyway.

  For a man who gets what he wants whenever he wants it, being gentle and good-looking may not have much effect on him. However, for a man who often boasts about being a "real man", giving him a sweet phrase like "you're a real man" is definitely a double-insurance sugar-coated bullet.

  The survival rule for women in ancient times, apart from pleasing all parties, also requires flattering to the right degree. A man's three-point advantage, after artistic packaging, has an absolute effect of doubling the result.

  She had previously been involved with the Xiang family, and everyone knew about it. As for the relationship between the Xiang family and the Jing Wang Fu, they would inevitably meet again in the future. Rather than beating around the bush, it was better to be open and honest, and express her true feelings at the same time. This way, she could avoid potential troubles that might arise later on, comfort Li Xiao, and also achieve a double insurance effect.

  Li Xiuming knew that Li was giving him a high hat, but he couldn't help being moved by her previous words of congratulations and blessings. Then, with her gentle and watery apricot eyes looking at him with complex and helpless gaze, half of his body suddenly went soft. He regretted that it was daytime now, and there were still many people around, otherwise he really wanted to hug her tightly into his bones...

  Digression

  "This man has many shortcomings and even more bad habits, with a strong feudalistic air about him, but fortunately, he is not thoroughly bad."

  She can't just conclude because of his poor performance last night, after all, still need to work hard.

  "If it's really hopeless, she'll find her own way out."

  This is a sentimental idea, and it's also an explanation to those who are dissatisfied with Li Xiao. As for whether Li Xiao should be abandoned or worked hard on, different people have different opinions, and wise people will see it differently.

  In real life, I still tend to reform. I have been married for seven years, read countless marriage magazines, and realized that in reality, men can only be tolerated, not killed. When quarreling, never bring up old accounts, nor get stuck on trivial matters, even if you're angry, it's best to stop at the right time. Except for the principles and bottom line that should be insisted upon, take a step back in everything else, and also learn to open your mind.

  I've said too much, let me stop here