Chapter 117: Red Jade

  Chapter 117: Red Jade

  When you invite guests, this kind of thing is inevitable. With many people and servants around, as well as the maids and young men brought by the guests, coming and going, how can you catch who broke something? You can't catch them.

  However, it's broken and there are fragments left. The accountant in charge of the warehouse can barely make do. If not even a fragment is left, then it's hard to say. They're all delicate items, expensive ones too. Can't find any broken pieces, who knows if they were smashed or someone hid them?

  "What kind of guests did you invite today?"

  Auntie Li gave her a glance: "Strange, you're in charge of the study room, yet you ask me?"

  "The note was written by the bookkeeper in the outer study, I didn't see it."

  Aunt Li said: "Hmm, the male guests are seventeen, right? Including the eighth prince. The female guests aren't that many, about ten."

  "Many people..." Chao Sheng said about the person he saw in the alley just now: "I don't know how he got there, and the gatekeeper is also nowhere to be found, letting guests wander around."

  Li Aunt smiled: "Isn't it easy to guess? What's the benefit of guarding that door? They must have gone to where they can get rewards, right? It just so happens that the queen has been ill these days, and with the New Year, everyone is relaxed. Good, good, we need to tighten things up."

  Hehe, burst out laughing.

  Auntie Li's smile was the most terrifying when she was furious.

  But she wasn't afraid at all.

  Anyway, it's not because of her.

  "What was he like when you met him?" asked Aunt Li.

  "Oh, like a military man, even the way he walks is different." Chao Sheng bit his chopstick tip, tilted his head and thought for a moment: "He's tall, with broad shoulders, I didn't get a good look at his face, but it seemed dark. When he walks, it's big strides, but it doesn't give you the feeling that he's in a hurry, his footsteps are very steady."

  "That's absolutely right." Aunt Li said: "I remember there was one, a relative of the Wen family."

  Is there such a relative in the Wang family? Chao Sheng thought that all the members of the Wen family, from top to bottom, were scholars.

  This matter didn't take root in his heart and he soon threw that day's events to the back of his mind.

  It was lively for a while, and the people below had enough to collect for two or three days. Those unused household items were put back in storage, and the place was cleaned up. That patch of plum blossoms was appreciated this time, but at least 30% were damaged. It's not that everyone likes to run around and cut branches like the eighth prince, but since they invited people to come and appreciate the plum blossoms, and even wrote poetry, when it was time to leave, the host family would politely give each guest a branch of plum blossoms to take home and enjoy for a few more days. As a result, many flowers suffered. However, fortunately, these plum blossoms only bloom for one season a year, and the other three seasons are peaceful and undisturbed, with no one coming to bother them.

  The fourth prince's study also had one inserted.

  However, Langsheng didn't quite like putting plum blossoms in the house.

  The fragrance of plum blossoms is good just because of a "cold" word and a "distant" word.

  When walking past Merlin's side, the wind blows, and the fragrance is like a beautiful woman's hem, a glimpse of which is enough to stun. But if you try to smell it carefully, the wind direction changes again, and the fragrance disappears.

  Once inside the house, this fragrance can't escape, but it loses its original naturalness. Moreover, there are always other smells in the house that mix with the floral scent, making them all seem unattractive.

  She would never say such nonsense to others.

  The fourth prince didn't know if he had seen something or not, but the plum blossoms were only displayed for one day and then withdrawn.

  Chao Shengdao was somewhat puzzled: "Why can't I see the plum blossoms?"

  Xiao Shun said: "I don't know either, His Highness had me take it out, probably didn't like it."

  The plum blossoms have bloomed and withered again.

  The peach blossoms have bloomed and withered.

  The oriole flies and willows stretch far, after several spring rains, the weather suddenly turns hot. In the mansion, everything seems calm on the surface ——

  The Queen is pregnant.

  What a wonderful thing!

  The couple, Shou and Wang, can't wait to announce it to the world with drums and cymbals. We have no problem at all, we can have children and now I'm pregnant!

  No matter whether it's a boy or girl, the whole Shou Wang Fu is overjoyed. The pregnant Shou Wang Fei is still being low-key, can't be bothered with all the fuss. But Shou Wang himself is beaming with joy, almost bursting to share the news with everyone he meets. After others offer their congratulations, this matter cannot be considered settled just yet - Shou Wang has a whole long speech prepared. He says that someone has already calculated the child's destiny and it's definitely going to be a lucky one; what the imperial physician said; what gifts people sent to congratulate them...

  That's for sure.

  The Shou Wang Fu has been quiet for so long, not only is the Shou Wang Fei anxious, but the Shou Wang himself is even more anxious. The rumors outside say that there are those with noses and eyes, which are nothing but hints that he is not capable in a certain aspect.

  In this regard, um, it's still closely related to the lower body.

  The Old Master is very angry.

  No problem with that aspect of mine though, even if my legs and feet are inconvenient

  But what can he say? Others didn't ask for his opinion. Even if they did, could he prove himself by dropping his pants in front of them?

  Alright, even if you strip naked, it still can't prove anything. Others might say that you look good but are useless, like a silver spearhead with a wax handle...

  About Shou Wangfei, there were also a lot of rumors circulating.

  For example, how she was jealous, herself didn't make a move, but kept a close eye on the other attendants around Shou Wang, not letting anyone get ahead of her. If she didn't make a move, then why did others also not make a move? Anyway, there must be a problem here, either the man has a problem, or the woman has a problem, or both of them have a problem together...

  All's well that ends well.

  The couple finally handed in a perfect score: We're all fine, we can get pregnant and give birth...

  This is naturally a good thing.

  But good news came, and the atmosphere in the government became even more subtle.

  Alright...

  Currently, three of the brothers are married. The third prince Chang's family has a child who was born early, and the second prince Shou's is also imminent.

  But what about our own home?

  The queen of our own family hasn't made a sound.

  That tonic is said to have been taken all along, and the prescription has been changed.

  But no matter what, we should see some results, right?

  Originally, with Shou Wangfei by her side, the palace's own Wangfei wasn't very noticeable. However, now that Shou Wangfei has also removed the label of "infertility", the still silent Cheng Wangfei will probably not be able to hold back any longer.

  It's not a big deal if you can't give birth, but being jealous is a troublesome thing for an imperial consort.

  In March, Wen advised the fourth prince to take a new wife.

  There are many beautiful maids in the Wangfu, with healthy bodies and a clean family background. There are plenty of ready-made candidates to choose from.

  Of course, Mr. Wen's first choice was one of the two maidservants who had been married to him. Both were pretty and gentle in temperament.

  It seems that these two were originally prepared for a marriage of convenience.

  This is not uncommon at this time.

  Anyway, in this era, it's impossible for a man to have only one wife. Concubines come from all sorts of sources: given by elders, sent by colleagues, bought and taken in personally, etc...

  Since it's inevitable, and those people from unknown origins will inevitably become a major threat in the future, why not raise some at home? When the girls get married, they can just take them along. These people usually have their contracts in the hands of the mistress, or else they are being held hostage by the mistress' natal family, dare they disobey?

  She has won over her husband and is not afraid of them turning against her, the accompanying maidservant can be said to be a good card in the master's hand.

  Since it's a good card, it can't be easily played.

  Mr. Wen didn't rush into doing anything either.

  Now she has no choice but to do something about it.

  This kind of thing, from ancient times to the present, the routine is almost the same.

  Mr. Wen invited the fourth prince over, then ordered two well-dressed maids to come and pay their respects, saying a few words of courtesy, such as: "There's no decent servant by your side, I also feel that our home is too quiet and not like a proper household." The male host generally won't refuse, so this matter was settled. Except for the mistress herself, everyone else can be said to be overjoyed. The man got a beautiful concubine, and the maids also gained benefits. Even if there's no official status for the time being, in the future, they can curry favor with the male master, serve the female master, raise a child or two, and have a secure life.

  Mr. Wen did so too.

  The two maids beside her were named Cui Feng and Shu Hong.

  One red and one green, it's just right to complement each other. I don't know if the person who named them thought of the phrase "leaning on red and relying on green" at that time? The name is really fitting.

  But this beautiful thing that works everywhere else doesn't work here with the Fourth Prince.

  Mr. Wen ordered people to set up a banquet, no matter if he was secretly resentful or not, his face was full of smiles.

  Madam Wen was younger than the fourth prince, but she always dressed very solemnly. Probably afraid of being said to be frivolous and unpopular, so rarely wore some fresh and youthful colors, nor did she wear hairstyles that looked childish.

  This mentality is easy to understand.

  The princess should naturally match the identity of a princess and cannot dress up like an ordinary girl anymore.

  Madam Wen wore a silver-gray cheongsam with a purple skirt embroidered with gold thread that day. The skirt was luxurious enough and steady enough, but wearing it to sit there made her look old-fashioned and stiff.

  The fourth prince sat down, and Madame Wen personally poured him a cup of wine, then called out two maids.

  Cui Feng wore a soft green dress, Shu Hong wore a peach red one, with her hair styled in a bun and light makeup - even if she only had three points of talent, these seven points of dressing up really made her look radiant, completely different from her usual self.

  The two of them knelt down shyly and paid their respects to the Fourth Prince.

  The fourth prince's hand holding the cup hesitated for a moment before slowly putting it down.

  Xiao Shun was waiting outside the door, and he naturally knew what was going on inside.

  But later what the fourth prince and Wen said, Xiao Shun didn't know.

  He only knew that the fourth prince did not agree with Madame Wen's proposal, and after finishing dinner, he calmly and firmly walked out of the main house. Xiaoshun originally thought that his own king would definitely stay in one of the rooms in the east or west wing at night, but suddenly seeing him come out, he was stunned for a moment before hurrying to follow up.

  What's wrong with those two, didn't they catch the king's eye?

  It's still the queen's words that are not tactful. After all, the king is young and has a thin skin, so why didn't he take advantage of the situation to make things better?

  Xiao Shun cannot figure it out.

  Although he has been serving by the king's side for a long time and has a certain understanding of the king.

  But in some matters, Xiao Shun, as a eunuch, couldn't guess what Wang Ye was thinking.

  ——————————————————

  Uh... what's it...

  Anyway, around Lao Si, it's impossible to have no one else... Today there isn't, but in the future there will be... Sigh... If he really has none, that would be too idealized.