Chapter 20: Intimacy
“All of you, withdraw!”
Family shame should not be aired publicly. Xue Qingzhi could not lash out in front of everyone, so he waved his hand, watching the household guards and servants disperse. Only the Xue family members remained before he pointed at Fu Jinghui.
“Fu Shi, you will immediately send this scoundrel back to the Marquis’s Mansion, and by the way, ask Marquis Yongding how he raised his son!”
Fu Jinghui’s face turned ashen. He quickly knelt on both knees, “Aunt, save me.”
He already had a family, married to the second daughter of the General of Huaihua. His father-in-law and several brothers-in-law held positions in the military, and they had fiery tempers. If this matter were to escalate, it would be disastrous.
Fu Shi’s face darkened, “If you don’t explain clearly, no one can save you.”
Don’t be fooled by Prince Duan’s gentle demeanor; that’s just for show. Such a simple prince could not be raised in the Imperial City. If this matter reached his ears, would he wear this cuckold’s hat or not?
“Tell me, who instructed you?”
Fu Shi wanted to find a scapegoat, but she didn’t expect Fu Jinghui to be so clueless. Terrified, he confessed immediately, “Aunt, you sent me a message saying Cousin Yuechen was returning home and invited me for a chat. You also said… to use the path by the stable, and you specifically left a door for me, telling me not to alert anyone and to go directly to Bi Tong Courtyard to find Cousin…”
“Absurd!” Fu Shi was so enraged she felt like she was burning from the inside out.
This nephew of hers was simply an idiot.
“When did I send a message? Where is it?”
“Aunt, you said to burn it after reading, so as not to leave any evidence…”
Fu Shi was so angry she almost fainted. She said hatefully, “How could my elder brother have such a fool? You are the Heir Apparent of a Marquis’s Mansion, and coming to your aunt’s home, it would be fine if you were seen by the night watch. But you had to sneak around furtively, only to be mistaken for a thief. Whose face are you trying to lose?”
Fu Jinghui lowered his head, “Aunt, I, I was just flustered for a moment…”
Flustered? More like guilty conscience.
He thought he was coming for a rendezvous with Xue Yuechen, and when discovered, he panicked and fled.
Fu Shi glared at him and then looked at Xue Qingzhi’s ashen face. For the first time, she spoke in a softer tone.
“My lord, there must be something strange about this. Jinghui is young and ignorant, and I fear he was schemed against…”
Although Xue Qingzhi was displeased, he didn’t believe Fu Shi would do something so foolish. He snorted and said, “Your good nephew! If he ruins the Princess Consort’s reputation, I will not let him off lightly.”
Fu Shi felt she was in the wrong and said softly, “I am Big Sister’s mother, how could I harm her? It must be some damned soul playing tricks in secret…”
She added, “Only people from the mansion were here tonight. I’ll tell them to keep their mouths shut. I doubt it will spread outside. If anyone asks, say Jinghui came at dusk, had a few too many drinks at night, and took the wrong path.”
Xue Qingzhi’s head ached. He said impatiently, “Who would believe such a story? I think your nephew had ill intentions…”
He said this while glancing at Xue Yuechen, letting out a soft hum.
“From now on, he is forbidden from setting foot in the Xue Mansion again!”
“You!” Fu Shi flicked her sleeve, also getting angry, “Are you trying to sever this kinship and antagonize the Marquis Yongding’s Mansion?”
Considering the situation at the Imperial Court, Xue Qingzhi’s expression softened slightly.
“Fine. You handle it. If even a single word of slander gets out, I will not let this scoundrel off.”
Xue Qingzhi snorted coldly and left with a flick of his sleeve.
Fu Shi’s chest heaved with anger. Nanny Liu quickly stepped forward to support her and whispered a few words in her ear.
Fu Shi’s expression changed. She glared fiercely at Xue Yueying, who was standing nearby, and then asked Fu Jinghui sternly, “Say it again, where did you enter the mansion from?”
Fu Jinghui said, “The back corner gate by the stable…”
“Was there really a letter?”
Fu Jinghui felt very wronged, “Aunt, it’s absolutely true.”
He then turned to look at Xue Yuechen, “Cousin, I am truly wronged…”
Xue Yuechen said coldly, “You should address me as Princess Consort Duan; that would be proper.”
Fu Jinghui’s face turned red. His childhood sweetheart cousin had now become someone of vastly different status. He was extremely embarrassed and slowly lowered his head, “Princess Consort Duan.”
Xue Yuechen stood on the steps, watching him.
She pondered how she had ever fallen for such a person back then, and almost married him.
She was naturally proud and didn’t deign to say another word. She turned and entered, then pulled Xue Sui’s hand, and took a breath.
“Sixth Sister, if you hadn’t arrived in time tonight, my reputation would have been ruined…”
Li Huan knew about her and Fu Jinghui. He hadn’t said anything, but over the years, he had been lukewarm. To put it nicely, it was a marriage of mutual respect; to put it bluntly, he had never truly cared about her.
Their marital affection was already weak. If her reputation were damaged, how could she maintain her standing in Prince Duan’s Mansion?
She was still trembling with lingering fear.
She once again affirmed that Master Jing Kong’s magical powers were boundless.
Xue Liu could indeed protect her from disaster.
“Sixth Sister, you helped me greatly. I will surely not treat you poorly in the future.”
Xue Sui said softly, “Princess Consort also helped me greatly. We sisters should stand together.”
Xue Yuechen didn’t understand what she meant by “greatly helped,” and assumed she wanted to get closer to her. She smiled and said, “You are truly my lucky star, protecting my peace. From now on, I will call you Ping An, is that alright?”
Xue Sui lowered her eyes obediently, “As the Princess Consort wishes.”
At this moment, Xue Yuechen found everything about Xue Liu pleasing. She smiled and escorted Xue Sui out of Bi Tong Courtyard. As if afraid no one would see, she deliberately brought several maidservants, holding the lanterns brightly, and spoke loudly many words of care for her.
Thus, everyone in the mansion knew that Sixth Miss Xue was favored by the Princess Consort Duan.
Their sisterly affection was far superior to that of other concubine-born siblings.
–
In Li Xiang Courtyard, Ru Yi was laughing so hard she was shaking.
“First Madam has lost so much face this time. I wonder who she’ll take it out on. No one dares to speak of this openly, but who knows what rumors are spreading behind closed doors.”
Xue Ji frowned slightly and sighed, “The Princess Consort has always been kind. It’s just that the Heir Apparent of Marquis Yongding’s Mansion, after so many years, how can he still be so persistent?”
Whether Fu Jinghui was still persistent or not, Xue Sui didn’t know.
But the letter inviting him to the mansion was sent by her.
Before Xue Yuechen married into Prince Duan’s Mansion, she had some flirtatious exchanges with him. After their marriage, she avoided Fu Jinghui.
However, the more he couldn’t have her, the more he craved her. Upon receiving the letter, Fu Jinghui came running. He was too confident in Xue Yuechen’s feelings for him and didn’t even suspect foul play.
When Xiao Zhao was making the bed for Xue Sui, she whispered with a smile, “Miss is still one step ahead.”
Xue Sui gave her a meaningful look, “This is just the beginning.”
Xiao Zhao said, “Why doesn’t Miss take this opportunity to eliminate those clowns, to save future trouble?”
A flame seemed to flicker in her eyes.
Ru Yi brought a copper basin to wash Xue Sui’s hands, smiling, “Miss’s hands are fair, tender, and beautiful. They are clean, so they must not be dirtied.”
Xue Sui heard this and smiled at Xiao Zhao.
“Hands must not be dirty, that is the right principle.”
Xiao Zhao made a sound, pouted, and mumbled, “Letting them off so easily is not satisfying.”
Seeing her full of thoughts of killing, Xue Sui couldn’t help but smile, “The good show has just begun, why the hurry?”
First Madam would not give up after this setback.
Fourth Miss Xue would inevitably suffer some hardship.
–
Fu Shi sent Fu Jinghui away in the middle of the night without alerting outsiders.
However, the matter spread throughout the Xue Mansion the next day, with embellishments, making it unrecognizable. But everyone in the mansion was silenced and dared not speak of it loudly to the outside.
Xue Yuechen forced herself to remain calm, but her heart was churning like oil.
She had returned to her maternal home for a few days of peace, only to stir up such a mess.
Xue Yuechen had no way to express her bitterness and showed a cold face to everyone except Xue Sui.
Early in the morning, with bruised eyes, she got up. Without even having breakfast, she took her maids and servants and set off to return to her mansion.
The entire Xue family came to the manor gate to see her off.
The spring chill had not yet dissipated, and the cold wind cruelly whipped at their faces, chilling them to the bone.
Fu Shi felt a pang of sadness. She tried to explain a few times, but Xue Yuechen cut her off.
“Father, Mother, please take care of yourselves.”
Fu Shi held her hand, “Big Sister, Mother loves you the most and would never harm you… You must take good care of yourself. If anything happens, send someone to tell me, and Mother will handle it.”
Xue Yuechen softly replied, “Daughter understands.”
She looked up and surveyed her younger siblings standing behind her parents, nodding slightly, “Serve your elders well and manage the household with propriety.”
Everyone responded in unison, “Yes.”
Xue Yuechen turned her gaze to Xue Sui and gave her a private instruction.
“From now on, if anyone in the mansion dares to bully you, just send word to Prince Duan’s Mansion. I will support you!”
Xue Sui curtsied, “Thank you, Princess Consort!”
The faces of the Xue family members were varied, each with their own thoughts.
Xue Qingzhi stroked his long beard and had just called out “Big Sister” when Xue Yuechen indifferently turned away, as if she hadn’t heard, and directly boarded the Prince’s Mansion’s carriage with the help of her maids.
She blamed her mother for not controlling her nephew, but she hated her father even more for making such a scene last night by bringing so many people to “catch a thief,” causing her to lose face.
Even though Sixth Sister was in her room, which could prove her innocence, Fu Jinghui’s appearance meant that people in the mansion would inevitably mock her in private. She couldn’t get over this awkwardness.
Fu Shi had no words to express her hardship and walked to the carriage to say a few comforting words.
Xue Yuechen finally looked at her properly, “Mother, don’t mistreat Sixth Sister. The Prince values rules, so the mansion should be well-prepared. Don’t lose your etiquette.”
Bearing children for the Prince was the Xue family’s intention and also showed her magnanimity as the principal wife.
Fu Shi’s sigh lingered in her throat. She wanted to give a few more instructions, but Xue Yuechen didn’t want to hear them.
She glanced at Xue Sui, who was lowering her head in the crowd, and ordered the coachman to depart.
After the carriage had driven away, the handkerchief in Fu Shi’s hand was almost twisted into a piece of salted vegetable.
With red eyes, she said to Nanny Liu, “Big Sister came out of my womb. I know her temper best. My daughter, who has never given me a black face, has now developed a rift with me.”
Nanny Liu comforted her, “First Madam, please be at ease. How can a mother and daughter have grudges that last overnight? In a couple of days, when the Princess Consort’s anger subsides, she will understand First Madam’s good intentions. In this world, who would care for her more than First Madam?”
Fu Shi suddenly thought of something and gritted her teeth.
“Go and summon Fourth Miss to my room. I will interrogate her thoroughly today.”
Xue Sui: Hey, melon-eaters, sunflower seeds, peanuts, popcorn, delicious and free, want some?
