Chapter 476: Chapter 477: Tired Heart_1 Chapter 476: Chapter 477: Tired Heart_1 But it was not appropriate to say more, so all that was said was, “It’s best that you are aware of these things. The Lady has no mind to concern herself further with your affairs for now, and besides, it is difficult. However, once there is a way, the Lady will surely help you.”
“Hmm.”
After Qingya left, Qingi’s smile faded, and a tinge of guilt surfaced in her heart. Mu wished so much for a child, yet Qingi was about to end the life of her child. If Mu knew she was pregnant, she’d probably be overjoyed.
But then she rembered Lu Ziquan’s fierce face, “If you dare to ss this up or tell Qiao Muniang the truth, your life from now on will be even more pathetic than it is today. Wang Qingi, your entire life is in my hands. Do you still have the courage to stir up trouble?”
Qingi shuddered violently, not daring, nor wanting such a life. Determination fird in her eyes. True glory lay just ahead—she needed this sole opportunity to turn her fate around.
As for Mu, even if she miscarried this pregnancy, there would be another child. It wasn’t as if the drug was lethal—just sothing to cause a miscarriage. Surely, it wouldn’t be too terrible. With this thought to comfort herself, Qingi silently slipped the dicine into the tea.
Muniang could never have anticipated the arrival of an unexpected visitor today. When the servant introduced Steward Chen, Muniang was genuinely startled. Considering Steward Chen’s long service to the Marquis Chen Mansion, Muniang knew she had to offer him the proper respect.
“Why has Steward Chen co? Did you make the special trip from Qinghua City?”
The complexion of Steward Chen was rather poor as he said in a deep voice, “May I have a word with the Lady in private?”
Muniang felt a pause, then nodded her head.
Upon entering a private room and sending away the other servants, Muniang asked, “What brings you here, Steward Chen?”
Steward Chen bowed and said, “Old servant pays respects to the Princess.”
Muniang hurriedly said, “You need not stand on ceremony.”
“Today, I rely co to convey words from the Marquise of the capital.”
“What words?” Muniang felt in her heart that it wasn’t likely to be good news.
Steward Chen’s voice deepened as he said, “The Prince recently sent soone to summon Imperial Doctor Wen posthaste to the capital. Only then did the Marquise learn that the Princess, you, still have fertility issues. My Lady, the old servant does not wish to ddle in what kind of free-spirited person you were in the past. As long as the Prince likes it, and it is this personality that has won the Prince’s favor, the old servant has turned a blind eye, letting my Lady act according to your nature.”
The way Steward Chen spoke was particularly offensive to Muniang—the Prince’s favor, winning the Prince’s favor—seed as if she was just a favorite, with an undertone of disdain. Muniang’s gaze grew colder.
Yet Steward Chen was not the least bit intimidated by Muniang, and with a shift in his tone, he directly said, “But the Lady must rember that she is a daughter-in-law of a prestigious noble family and she should at least keep to her basic duty! Knowing full well that the Prince is the legitimate son of Marquis Chen Mansion, since she lacks the ability to bear a legitimate grandson for the family, she should have the sense to propose taking on a consort for her husband! Instead of forcing the Prince to not take concubines, I’ve never seen such a domineering and unreasonable person before. It would be one thing if it were just my temper but the Marquise is even angrier than I am. Lady, don’t think that being far from the emperor grants you the freedom to do as you please. The mont you married into the Marquis Chen Mansion, you beca one of its people! You must adhere to the basic rules!”
Muniang’s face turned utterly dark as she tugged at the corner of her mouth, “Since Steward Chen keeps using the respectful term ‘Lady’ and keeps reminding that I am the legitimate eldest daughter-in-law of Marquis Chen Mansion, why are your words devoid of any respect? What, do you think that a country girl like should feel honored to have climbed up to Marquis Chen Mansion and just comply with the responsibilities and rules — that other due respects are unnecessary?”
Stung by her words, Steward Chen retorted imdiately, “This old servant was specifically sent by the Marquise…”
Muniang scoffed, “So it was the Marquise who sent you. No wonder then. It seems indeed like I, a girl from the countryside, am ignorant, not knowing that in prestigious families, the slaves by a mother-in-law’s side can disrespect her daughter-in-law.”
Steward Chen’s face turned the color of a pig’s liver. For many years, no one dared to call him a slave, not even the Prince, who would address him respectfully as Steward Chen. Having spent his whole life in the Marquis Mansion, he had earned the trust of both Lord Marquis and the Marquise, and it was that which granted him his current status. But when it ca down to it, he was nonetheless a servant, and such talk was a challenge to Steward Chen’s bottom line, so he said sternly:
“Lady, don’t think that because you currently enjoy the Prince’s favor, you can act without any restraint. This old servant has lived a lifeti among noble families and has seen all kinds of won. Do you think today’s favor will last forever as it is now? When Lord Marquis first married the Marquise, he doted on and pampered her just the sa, but still, there are three concubines living in the inner courtyard! If you’re smart, Lady, you’d think about how to secure your current status. If you can’t bear children, at least strive to gain a reputation for being virtuous, instead of being narrow-minded and prone to jealousy!”
Muniang clenched her teeth, clearly heavily provoked, and with a furious yet mocking laugh, she said, “Steward Chen is really considerate. Let’s save these concerns for when I fall out of favor. Since the Prince adores right now, why should I care? I’ll tell you one thing — as long as I’m here, the Prince won’t take a concubine!”
“You!”
Steward Chen had thought that Muniang would at least give him so face, but the conversation had reached this point, and she was not backing down in the slightest, in fact, she was escalating!
“How could the Prince fancy a woman like you!” Steward Chen was so angry he could have spat blood.
Muniang smiled faintly, “If Steward Chen doesn’t mind, go ahead and complain. As it stands, I’m the one in favor. Just today, Steward Chen has been so disrespectful to — if Steward Chen complains, then I might as well do the sa and see who has more influence now.”
Steward Chen glared hatefully at Muniang and stord out, angrily sweeping his sleeves, absolutely livid.
The smile on Muniang’s face vanished as she slumped, limp and exhausted, into the Taishi Chair. The Marquise actually knew about this, what should she do next? She had not wanted to provoke her mother-in-law, so she had been acting compliant and clever, but now that she couldn’t have children, how could she keep pretending?
Yu Ze had promised not to take any concubines, but what if Marquis Chen Mansion’s pressure beca too much, and the Marquise simply forced a few on him?
After all, this matter of continuing the family line, in her view as a person from the 21st century, wasn’t particularly important, but in this era, it represented a woman’s greatest value — how could she stand tall and face those tricky situations?
Muniang felt utterly drained.
No sooner had Steward Chen left, Wang Qingi entered carrying tea. Seeing Muniang’s weary look, she felt a twinge of pity, but she bit back her sympathy and went forward. Today’s events might only affect Muniang for the mont, but for Qingi, it was a lifeti’s concern, and so she steeled her heart.
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