A strange feeling welled up in Mei Zhenguo's heart. After the court session, he waited specifically for the Sixth Prince but didn't see him. The little eunuch said that the prince had gone to pay respects to Concubine Qin, so he had no choice but to return to the Prime Minister's Mansion first.
"Is the master back?" Xia Ruolan's face lit up with a smile when she saw Mei Zhenguo walking in.
"Ruolan, during the court session today, our son - in - law stopped me. Do you know what he told me?" Mei Zhenguo sat down dejectedly. Xia Ruolan had already handed him a cup of tea.
"Most likely it's something Xue'er did?" Xia Ruolan looked at her husband suspiciously.
"How did you guess it right away? It's still our daughter..." Mei Zhenguo thought his wife was going to say that their daughter had some real problems.
"What did the Sixth Prince say?" Seeing her husband's hesitant look, Xia Ruolan's heart skipped a beat. Could something have happened to their daughter?
"The prince said that Xue'er was reorganizing the affairs of the mansion..." Xia Ruolan nodded. Her daughter was capable and could do this without any instruction.
"...and she replaced the cook with the manure - digger."
"Ah?" Hearing the second half of Mei Zhenguo's words, Xia Ruolan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What could a manure - digger cook? Immediately, she felt a knot in her heart. She quickly asked:
"Surely not? Are you kidding me?" She looked at Mei Zhenguo with her watery eyes, thinking her husband was just trying to make her happy.
"When have I ever lied to you? The prince said it clearly himself!" Looking at his still - beautiful wife, Mei Zhenguo sighed silently that time waits for no one. Now he no longer had the passion of his youth.
"Didn't you think of waiting for the prince to ask him in detail?"
"I originally planned to wait for the prince after the court session to ask him more details, but I didn't wait for him. The prince went to pay respects to Concubine Qin." Mei Zhenguo said, then looked at his wife. Since his wife had spent the most time with their daughter, she should know something.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Xia Ruolan looked at Mei Zhenguo strangely. "Looking at me won't help. Send a message to the prince's mansion and call Yue Ru back to ask her."
"What the lady said makes sense. I also thought you knew something I didn't."
"All in all, Xue'er was trying to reorganize the mansion affairs. Although it's a bit... strange, at least she's concerned. Right, master?" Xia Ruolan really didn't know whether to praise or scold her daughter.
"Did you see the prince looking angry or not?" As long as the Sixth Prince didn't mind, it would be fine.
"I didn't notice. Alright, my dear wife, let me take a rest. I'm getting old, and my body gets tired easily." Mei Zhenguo yawned and gave up the idea of being intimate with his wife. He just went to sleep on his own.
"This man..."
Xia Ruolan shook her head gently. She sat at the table and couldn't figure out why her daughter would do such a crazy thing. Her daughter used to be an independent girl, but she wouldn't act so recklessly. Now that she was married into the royal family, she couldn't make any mistakes. Thinking of this, Xia Ruolan's heart tightened.
After the court session, Du Gu Qing went to pay respects to Concubine Qin. When Xiao Yue saw Du Gu Qing, she happily said to Concubine Qin, "Your Highness, look. The prince's complexion is getting better and better."
"I think so too. Qing'er, how are you and your little princess?" Concubine Qin looked at her son with a smile. Since the imperial doctor said last time that Du Gu Qing's condition had improved a bit, she had been in a good mood.
"Thank you, mother, for your concern. The daughter of the prime minister is naturally good. She is well - educated, and her appearance and figure are both excellent."
"I'm just looking forward to having a grandson soon. Xiao Yue, you useless girl. Why don't you serve the prince his favorite longan honey water?" Concubine Qin pretended to scold Xiao Yue.
Xiao Yue smiled and curtsied. "Yes, Your Highness. I'll go right away!"
"Qing'er, bring my daughter - in - law with you next time you enter the palace. I want to have a good chat with her. The walls of this palace are too high. I've been locked up here for my whole life." Concubine Qin sighed.
"Mother, I'm in poor health and incompetent. Naturally, I have no ambitions for the crown prince position. I'm just sorry for you, mother. I can't take you out of the palace casually." Du Gu Qing said a bit dejectedly.
"Let's not talk about this anymore. There are many eyes and ears in the palace. If others hear this, it won't be good. They might think I have some other intentions. Now my biggest wish is for my daughter - in - law Mei Qing..." She gently patted her forehead, a bit unable to remember her daughter - in - law's name.
"Mei Qingxue!" Du Gu Qing quickly reminded her.
"Look at my memory." Concubine Qin laughed. The name was on the tip of her tongue, but she just couldn't remember it for a moment.
"Your Highness, this is the honey water that Her Highness specially prepared for you. She's been looking forward to your coming every day." Xiao Yue brought a pot of honey water, took out a silver cup, and poured a cup for Du Gu Qing. The light - yellow liquid gave off a clear longan fragrance.
"Mother, I'll drink this cup and then return to the mansion. After all, I'm already married and have my own mansion. If I always stay in the palace, it will attract criticism."
"Yes, what Qing'er said makes sense. Remember to bring your wife next time."
"Yes, mother. I'll take my leave now." Du Gu Qing stood up and slowly walked away. His health had improved a bit, but he still couldn't walk as vigorously as others.
Concubine Qin looked at Du Gu Qing's back, wanting to say something but holding back. She wanted him to stay a while longer, but due to various reasons, she couldn't say so. She could only watch her son's back longingly.
"Your Highness, you can call the princess into the palace more often to pay respects. Then you can see the prince more often." Xiao Yue picked up a feather fan and gently fanned behind her.
"Don't I want to? If the princess is pregnant, I can keep her in the palace openly." Concubine Qin's eyes were full of hope. It all depended on whether her daughter - in - law could get pregnant.
Xiao Yue covered her mouth and snickered. "Your Highness, the prince has only been married for a few days, and you're already looking forward to a grandson? If the princess knew, she'd be so embarrassed!"
"You're just glib. I heard from Xiao Su that she's been basking in the sun these two days. Otherwise, you go and call her?"
"Don't, Your Highness. It's best for me to serve you. I'm the most considerate. Right, Your Highness?" Xiao Yue quickly flattered and came up to massage Concubine Qin's legs.
"You're just good at making me happy. I'm used to having you around. Otherwise, when the Third Prince asked me for you last time, I would have sent you to him and gained some favor from the prince."
Xiao Yue quickly knelt on the ground. "Your Highness, I'd rather die than go to the Third Prince. If you want to get rid of me, you might as well give me a three - foot white silk and let me end my own life. Or I'll shave my head and become a nun in the temple." As she said this, her eyes turned red.
"Get up quickly. Go and make some of your best red - bean pastries for me. If you don't make them well, I'll send you away immediately."
"Okay, I'll go right away!" Xiao Yue quickly stood up and wiped away her tears. The Third Prince liked beautiful women the most, but all the sisters who had followed him said they had no good endings. She'd rather be a nun than go with him. Fortunately, Concubine Qin was kind to her. She knew the princess was just joking with her, but that was a place she didn't even dare to think about.
"Princess, the prince is back."
When Yue Ru was strolling in the garden, she saw the prince and his bodyguard Han Zhao. Immediately, she ran to Mei Qingxue to report.
"Let him be. Why are you so flustered?" Mei Qingxue looked at her maid strangely. Being so flustered was unseemly.
"The prince's study..." With that mess, wouldn't the prince fly into a rage? Otherwise, he might think there was a thief.
"The prince's study? You went in? I don't even know about it, but you, Yue Ru, are well - informed?" Mei Qingxue's words made Yue Ru confused. But it seemed that the princess meant for her to play dumb?
"Alas, after eating and sleeping well, I've gained some weight on my waist. I'll send the prince to the study to sleep tonight. It's time for me to inspect my property."
"At midnight?" Yue Ru was shocked.
Mei Qingxue knew she had said the wrong thing and immediately covered it up. "I can do it whenever I want. What, Yue Ru, do you want to control the princess?"
"No," Yue Ru said with a bitter face. She looked at her princess, hoping she wouldn't remember that incident. Yue Ru lowered her head guiltily. She didn't really use the towel to wipe the garden ground. The bluestone slabs could never be shiny. To make them shiny, one would have to pour water and freeze it into a layer of ice.
Yue Ru was already seen by the sharp - eyed Han Zhao when she left. He pointed at the quickly - leaving maid. "Your Highness, look."
"That's the princess's dowry maid. I'll go to the study first," Du Gu Qing also saw the figure and knew she must be going to report to the princess. Immediately, he felt happy. He could be intimate with the princess again tonight. He had a hard time sleeping without holding her in his arms for two nights. But now he had some business to deal with, so he had to go to the study first. Besides, he also had to find the masterpieces from his early days for the princess. Those were the paintings he was most proud of, and he would give them to her.
"Your Highness, you've walked a long way. Do you want to stop and rest?"
"Um," Du Gu Qing responded softly. He didn't know how long he had to pretend to be a sick person. In fact, he wasn't weak at all. It was just that his lifespan was limited. The cold poison in his body was devouring his life, but he couldn't find any way to deal with it.
"Those stone chairs over there. Let's go there," Du Gu Qing pointed casually. It was shadier there. Han Zhao gently supported Du Gu Qing over and sat him down. Just as he sat down, he saw two beautiful maids with aggrieved faces looking at him resentfully around the corner. "Who are they?" Du Gu Qing knew at a glance that these two were the two women ordered by the princess to bask in the sun. When his mother sent them, she only said they were to serve him, but he knew at a glance that they were carefully selected.
"Who are they?"
Du Gu Qing had to pretend to be stupid. Otherwise, if he intervened in this matter, there might be even more problems. This morning, his third elder brother had laughed at him mercilessly, saying that he was a useless person and that the woman he married was also strange.