by Ning er
After Hai wangfei’s words fell, Hai Tian stood up from her seat in a dignified manner and moved before Yun Qian Meng with a kind face. She sincerely said, “Really, many thanks for Yun xiaojie on that day!”
As soon as she said that, laotaijun’s eyes suddenly turned cold even though she continued to smile. Ji Shu Yu also couldn’t help but make a slight frown, while Qu Fei Qing tightly clenched her handkerchief and watched the two people from Hai wangfu continue their act.
“junzhu is too polite!” But at this moment, a polite and modest reply resounded in the room in Yun Qian Meng’s quiet and steady voice.
Everyone turned to look, finding Yun Qian Meng with a light smile on her face. She looked at Hai Tian with a good-natured expression, not showing the slightest rage in her actions. Instead, she was releasing a mild and gentle aura, momentarily causing Hai wangfei to narrow her eyes. Hai Tian’s eyes also flashed with shock before she reattached her smile and returned to her seat.
“I didn’t expect Yun xiaojie to be so well-mannered and sensible! Tian’er, you must make sure to get along well with Yun xiaojie in the future. Properly learn from Yun xiaojie’s calm demeanor! Don’t always act like a wild horse that will frighten away other men!” Since Yun Qian Meng managed to adapt to the circumstances, Hai wangfei only smiled and said to Hai Tian. Then, sending a look to the mama beside her, she waved in a few of her servants to present some gifts that were tonics of the highest quality.
“Since Yun xiaojie fell into the lake at our Hai wangfu, Hai Wang has had a poor appetite. He told me to bring these gifts over, so laotaijun, please don’t reject them!”
Glancing at the gifts, laotaijun once again understood that Hai wangfu’s wealth really could rival the entire country’s. These gifts that had been casually taken out were all invaluable and priceless goods!
Hai Wang has been living a sedentary life for the past years. Even though he lived in the capital, it was as if he had nothing to do with anyone, and only continued to receive his pension and pass the days.
Even if the emperor often bestowed gifts to Hai wangfu, those things were all precious objects and didn’t seem like things that Hai wangfu could easily pull out.
Hai Wang had sent his main wife to send these gifts today. If she didn’t accept them, then it was clearly saying that Fu Guo gongfu and Hai wangfu were enemies. But if she accepted them, it would mean that she had some relationship with Hai Wang. If this matter made the emperor suspicious against them, the losses would outweigh the gains!
It had to be said that Hai Wang who had not shown his face for a long time was not just a soldier, but also a cunning politician!
“chennü thanks wangye and wangfei for their great kindness! However, chennü has mostly recovered and cannot accept such precious gifts! That day, chennü saw that wangye’s legs are not too well, so please bring these gifts back to wangye! If chennü ignored wangye’s condition and selfishly accepted these gifts, it would really crush chennü inside!” At this moment, Yun Qian Meng leisurely stepped over and knelt on her knees towards Hai wangfei. She answered in a neither servile nor overbearing fashion, helping laotaijun break out of the tight situation.
Hai wangfei didn’t expect that it was Yun Qian Meng who refused her. Even though her words claimed that the gifts were for Yun Qian Meng, the real intent was to fish out laotaijun’s inner thoughts.
But before laotaijun had said anything, Yun Qian Meng had stepped forward bravely. From her words, Hai wangfei also couldn’t find anything to criticize, and could only clench her teeth and glare coldly at Yun Qian Meng.
“This was what father personally instructed us to do, mother and I must give these gifts to Yun xiaojie. Please do not reject them! Besides, Hai wangfu still has many……” Hai Tian was extremely calm. Perhaps because Chu Fei Yang was not present today, she was able to properly control her emotions.
However, at the last sentence, she suddenly reacted and glared hatefully at Yun Qian Meng.
Yun Qian Meng had used the excuse of rejecting their gifts to lure her into trapping herself with her words!
If she had continued to say that there were plenty of similarly precious goods in Hai wangfu, wouldn’t it be the same as announcing that Hai wangfu’s wealth rivalled the country?
The reason they came today was because her father wanted to sound out the intentions of Fu Guo gongfu. If her careless words caused Fu Guo gongfu to become suspicious of Hai wangfu, then her father would not let her off easily!
As she thought about this, Hai Tian’s hatred towards Yun Qian Meng only grew.
But Yun Qian Meng only continued to smile. She withdrew to stand behind laotaijun and didn’t continue to speak.
Gu laotaijun also went with the flow and rejected by saying, “For wangye to be concerned about Meng’er is already a great fortune for her in this lifetime! How can we let wangye spend so much money on her? Please, you don’t need to trouble yourselves over such a small matter.”
Hai wangfei could only watch as the old and young pair teamed up perfectly. Thinking that their stubbornness was backed by the Empress Dowager, she felt that she couldn’t even force them to accept the gift with her status as a wangfei. She only waved for her servants to back off and then stood up and said, “Since that is the case, Yun xiaojie should rest well! benfei will not disturb you any longer!”
Everyone saw that Hai wangfei had gotten up and immediately followed to stand up to send her off. As Qu Fei Qing let out a sigh of relief, Hai wangfei who had stepped out of the door suddenly turned around and gently reminded Gu laotaijun, “laotaijun, please carefully consider the matter benfei discussed with you before! benfei brought Chen Xi here today also to let him familiarize himself with the route between our fu!”
After that, Hai wangfei’s calculative eyes seemingly unintentionally met with Qu Fei Qing’s before she went ahead and left Fu Guo gongfu.
However, her words were like a stone that caused many ripples in the pond, casting many doubts especially in Qu Fei Qing’s heart. Her face gradually paled as she looked nervously towards her mother and grandmother. Her heart pumped nervously as she feared that they would both agree to join their families!
Yun Qian Meng carefully observed laotaijun and Ji Shu Yu’s expressions and saw that neither of them looked happy at all. Instead, their eyes showed worry, telling her that they really weren’t willing to go ahead with Hai wangfei’s suggestion. Hence, she pulled Qu Fei Qing and brought her outside Rui Lin Yuan.
“biaojie should relax for the time being. Meng’er can tell from wai zumu and jiumu’s expressions that they won’t promise this marriage with Hai wangfu!” When they reached Ting Yu Xuan, Yun Qian Meng finally told Qu Fei Qing her opinion.
Qu Fei Qing was really at a loss when she heard her say that. Her heart immediately felt lighter and her worried expression slightly faded away as she nodded while grasping Yun Qian Meng’s hand, showing her full trust and dependence on Yun Qian Meng.
Yet Qu Fei Qing was also somewhat puzzled. She might be cousins with Yun Qian Meng, but the number of times they had met over the years were barely significant. It was only recently when they had begun to come in contact with each other more frequently. Yet for some reason, Yun Qian Meng just had a soothing quality about her. Especially when she saw how calm and steady she was, Qu Fei Qing truly felt that Yun Qian Meng was someone she could rely on.
However, Yun Qian Meng had only told her half the story. laotaijun and jiumu’s decisions would obviously lean in favor of Qu Fei Qing, but there was no way they could be sure of the Empress Dowager’s plans!
Hai wangfei had brought Hai Wang’s fifth son to visit Fu Guo gongfu with great fanfare. With such a show of activity, and so many residences of other families around Fu Guo gongfu, this news was probably a hot topic that will quickly be passed on to the Empress Dowager’s ears!
Hai Wang’s intentions were unclear, his loyalties were also unclear. Whether the Empress Dowager and Yu Qian Di would choose to rope him in or eliminate him was
also something no one could predict!
If the Empress Dowager thinks that a connection by marriage would suit her purposes, then Qu Fei Qing would become the sacrifice for a political marriage!
Yun Qian Meng looked at the kind and naïve Qu Fei Qing, suddenly feeling sorrowful. Yet there was also a feeling of unbounded rage, as she quickly worked her brain to try to think of a way to face the situation.
Outside Fu Guo gongfu, Hai wangfei’s earlier smile immediately vanished as she prepared to enter her carriage with a cold expression in her eyes.
“Why are you here?” However, just as she was about to enter, she found Hai Chen Xi sitting in her own carriage and drinking some hot tea, looking at her with a mocking expression.
“wangfei niangniang must be exhausted! For my marital affairs, you actually went through so much trouble, I really can’t express how touched I am!” Hai Chen Xi raised his teacup to give Hai wangfei a toast before he drank the tea by himself.
“Did brother go to the wrong place? This is mine and mother’s carriage!” Hai Tian who came in later looked at Hai Chen Xi with surprise before she asked with a hateful tone.
But Hai Chen Xi seemed not to feel any of their hatred and continued to drink from his cup, occasionally looking up to glance at the two of them sitting opposite to him. He made an odd smile as he answered, “xiaomei, did you forget? This is Hai wangfu’s carriage! Everything here belongs to father, when did you become the owners? If father heard this, you might make him angry again!”
Hau Tian saw that Hai Chen Xi was purposely going against them and also remembered how she had been scolded just the other day. She suddenly felt a stifled feeling and stopped caring about Hai Chen Xi, quietly sitting at one side.
Hai wangfei however, had already held back too much of her anger in Fu Guo gongfu. When Hai Chen Xi continued to be so impudent in front of her, she immediately scolded coldly, “Don’t think that just because your father asked the emperor to confer the title of junwang to you means that you can act like one already! Don’t forget, I am the main wife in Hai wangfu, you still have to call me mufei. Don’t let outsiders see us as a joke and lose face for our Hai wangfu!”
But Hai wangfei’s words had no effect on Hai Chen Xi. He smiled when he saw Hai wangfei clench her teeth at the mention of ’junwang’, replying in a cruel, mocking manner, “wangfei niangniang must be really reluctant for father to let me become junwang! If that’s the case, why didn’t wangfei niangniang obstruct him at the time?”
“You!” Hai wangfei was so pissed that her face suddenly changed color. The handkerchief she was holding had also been completely distorted by her hands.
If she could have stopped it, would she need to sit here and get angry over this evil creature, Hai Chen Xi?
Hai Wang had never given anyone the chance to argue or stop him before he directly passed his word straight to the emperor!
Before anyone could react, the matter was already set in stone. It had already caused Hai wangfei to become bed-ridden from anger for a few days! If it wasn’t because she had no other choice, she wouldn’t have come to Fu Guo gongfu today either!
She didn’t expect that Qin shi, Hai Chen Xi’s mother was still in Hai Wang’s heart after so many years after her death. He not only allowed Hai Chen Xi to choose his own bride in the future, but also passed on the only title of junwang in the family to Hai Chen Xi!
Hai wangfei only felt restless because of this, feeling that Hai Chen Xi was being given the chance to spread his wings and gradually gaining the opportunity to surpass her in power!
But still, Hai wangfei was still relieved that Hai Wang had not taken notice of Yun Qian Meng at first. Otherwise, if Yun Qian Meng was married to Hai Chen Xi, with her wits and cunning, perhaps even Hai Tian could not be her opponent, and Hai Chen Xi would be like a tiger that had grown wings!
Qu Fei Qing, on the other hand, was not much of a schemer. She was easy to deal with!
Hai Chen Xi lifted his chin and finished off his tea. Watching all of Hai wangfei’s expressions, his lips curled into an unbridled smile and thought in his heart, it seemed that he would have to disappoint her and her plans!
Chapter 73: The eldest miss returns due to yiniang's miscarriage | Chu Wang Fei
In the blink of an eye, Yun Qian Meng had stayed in Fu Guo gongfu for over two months. In between, Yun Xuan Zhi and the old madam only sent several people to make token visits once or twice. After that, they didn’t seem to show any further concern for her!
On the other hand, Liu yiniang and Yun Yan came to spend time with her every now and then. Liu yiniang, worried that Yun Qian Meng would find it inconvenient to stay at Fu Guo gongfu, even especially invited a tailor shop owner from Jiangnan over to make a few sets of fashionable summer clothes for her!
These actions left Gu laotaijun very satisfied with them. Hence, whenever Yun Yan went over, Fu Guo gongfu’s servants didn’t obstruct her very much, happily letting her pass.
Currently, Yun Qian Meng only had one maid, Mu Chun, by her side. Mi mama was busy at the xiangfu, taking care of everything in Qi Luo Yuan. However, she still came every day, reporting all the happenings in the xiangfu to Yun Qian Meng. This way, even though Yun Qian Meng stayed at Fu Guo gongfu, she still knew the xiangfu like the back of her hand.
From early spring to early summer, the weather in June already started to become scorching hot. Yun Qian Meng, wearing thin summer clothes made of ice silk, sat around the loft in Ting Yu Xuan. Looking peacefully at the lush water lilies in the garden pond as she lightly fanned herself with a flowery circular fan, the atmosphere she gave off caused others to feel that she had a certain dynamism within her quiet peace, showing off a unique charm.
“Oh my, the weather today is really vicious! I just went out for a bit, but my body is already covered in sweat. This sticky feeling is just so uncomfortable!” With the sound of light footsteps, a dripping wet Qu Fei Qing appeared before Yun Qian Meng, vigorously fanning herself with a circular fan as she complained about the heat.
Yun Qian Meng saw that she couldn’t endure the heat and smiled, passing her a bowl of iced pickled plum soup that Mu Chun made to her, “Who asked biaojie to be blessed with such great fortune? Even Han xiaojie didn’t forget to bestow some antiques to you after she entered the palace.”
But Qu Fei Qing only felt the scorching heat at the moment. She immediately picked up the ice-cold porcelain bowl and drank all of the pickled plum soup in one go. Finally feeling the heat dissipate from her body, she answered with a helpless expression, “Han xiaojie is really too kind, even bothering to remember me with her busy schedule! Not just that, the emperor just gifted these antiques to her, but she turned around and passed them on to us sisters from the former days. It really made us feel embarrassed to accept her gifts.”
Seeing that Yun Qian Meng felt cool and refreshing, Qu Fei Qing sat down beside her and looked at the lotus pond downstairs, lightly saying, “Han xiaojie has already received the Emperor’s favor. It’s already fixed, on the ninth of September, there will be an official ceremony to confer her the title of Jieyu!”
Hearing this from Qu Fei Qing, Yun Qian Meng slightly raised her eyebrows, finding the matter slightly surprising.
Even though Han Ying Bo was the daughter of the Minister of Personnel, getting raised to a third-rank Jieyu after just serving the Emperor in bed one or two times seemed somewhat against protocol. She couldn’t help but find this matter unusual.
“Han xiaojie really does have a saintly heart, no wonder the Emperor seems to favor her so much!” Yun Qian Meng lightly exclaimed as she lightly fanned Qu Fei Qing with her circular fan.
Only, this caused Qu Fei Qing to frown slightly. She waved her hands for the other servants to leave before whispering, “When we were receiving the imperial decree, I heard the palace gonggong tell zumu that this time, the Emperor is planning to confer the title of guifei to the eldest miss of the Rong family! The rest of the chosen candidates all skipped several ranks too!”<
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When she heard this, Yun Qian Meng also felt that something fishy was going on.
However, what she didn’t expect was that the Rong family’s eldest miss, raised in Rong fu since a young age and had never taken part in any feasts or parties, had suddenly climbed to the position of guifei overnight! It really seemed that Yu Qian Di was willing to spare no effort to strengthen his rule over the country!
In order to attract the wealth of the Rong family, he actually promised to take an imperial consort. It was exactly like the way the previous Emperor, Xi Jing Di, who granted the title to Rong Xian taifei. Sure enough, this was the path of a monarch!
However, she wished that the Rong family’s eldest miss won’t share the same fate as Rong Jian taifei. Back then, she was given a medicine to make her infertile by her husband, the Emperor. From then on, she was never able to be blessed with children!
Of course, young ladies like themselves didn’t have much to do with the matters of the inner palace. Seeing that Qu Fei Qing’s emotions were unsteady, Yun Qian Meng asked with concern, “biaojie, what happened? Why do you look so ill-at-ease?”
Qu Fei Qing had originally been warned by Gu laotaijun and the others not to tell Yun Qian Meng about some things in order to allow her to recuperate in peace. But Qu Fei Qing couldn’t help but feel extremely worried about the matter. She sent even Mu Chun and her closest servants away before whispering, “According to the reports from one of the generals that used to work under Hai Wang, the Bei Qi country at the north seems to be undergoing some strife. The Emperor privately wants to send dage to investigate the situation!”
