Chapter 376 You Yue’e Stirred up Trouble in the Bridal Chamber
Some unmarried ladies and girls were all in the bridal chamber, watching the new bride boisterously. And seeing Princess Royal and Mo Xuetong coming, they hurried to stand up and greeted them respectfully.
“Consort King Xuan, didn’t you go to see Consort Yu? Why can you come here so fast? You Yue’e took a glance at Mo Xuetong, since she was never agreeable with Mo Xuetong and found any chance to make Mo Xuetong uncomfortable. Mo Xuetong did not understand why You Yue’e still detested her so much as You Yue’e had been imprisoned with King Yan.
What You Yue’e meant was that Mo Xuetong was driven out by Consort Yu.
Mo Xuetong just overlooked You Yuecheng’s frame-up again and again. However, You Yue’e always made a fuss about Mo Xuetong. Did she think Mo Xuetong was the one she could bully?
Mo Xuetong sneered inwardly and said indifferently, “Consort Yu knew that the King is injured, and there is no capable second consort in the Manor to preside over the whole situation, so she asked to come back earlier. If our King could marry two second consorts, I can feel a sigh of relief now and don’t have to run around here and there in a hurry.”
You Yue’e got embarrassingly red by the remarks. As for the two second consorts in the King Yan’s Manor, if You Yuecheng had not stopped her and told her that it had no alternative, she would have definitely made a scene. Two second consorts entered the manor before the main consort. How could You Yue’e, the main consort, have any face?
And what kind of people those two second consorts were?
Thinking that the trouble-maker in her manor was Mo Xuetong’s younger sister, You Yue’e got more annoyed now.
It was a really raw punch on her face!
At that moment, her hands trembled slightly with anger!
So You Yue’e answered back sarcastically, “There is no any capable master in the King Xuan’s Manor indeed. But His Majesty, King Xuan, is so lucky that he has so many beautiful women in the back garden. Consort Xuan, as long as you ask one of them to help you, you can serve the King happily. Well, you don’t need to do it hurriedly. I think, the King does not want the Consort to be too tired.”
You Yue’e satirized Mo Xuetong with the women kept in the backyard by Feng Yuran. To mock Mo Xuetong, there was even no need to make a fuss about Feng Yuran, as a lot of beautiful women in the backyard of the King Xuan’s Manor could be talked. With Feng Yuran’s temper, he was probably happy to see Mo Xuetong did not return home. Thinking about Feng Yuran’s romantic fame, You Yue’e was full of momentum.
She raised her head and chin up, took a glance at Mo Xuetong and said with gloat, “But anyway, you should be careful. It is well-known that King Xuan loves beautiful women. You should keep an eye on him. Otherwise, any carelessness will…”
She did not finish her words, but everyone knew what she meant and could not help fixing their eyes on Mo Xuetong, seeing her pink tender face glittering with bright and excellence, big limpid eyes and slightly curve-up long eyelashes. What a stunning little beauty from head to toe! Everyone there took on a pity expression all at once.
What a pity that such a beautiful woman would marry the notorious King Xuan. The beautiful woman as tender as a flower was ruined in King Xuan’s hands. Although the people present were women, they could not help whispering “a reckless waste”.
Everyone looked at Mo Xuetong with pity, and of course with relief!
Fortunately, she had been married!
“My Lady, you’re very emphatic. Since the King was injured, he has reported the matter about the backyard to His Majesty, and the Majesty imperatively ordered to restrain the women in the backyard. When the King feels better, he will rearrange the backyard.” Mo Xuetong said lightly with a smile, as if not understanding the irony in You Yue’e’s words.
With soft eyes and childlike expression that could not be found on a married woman, she looked amiable and extremely decent.
Princess Royal stood beside and smiled gently, without speaking.
The emperor paid attention to the backyard of a prince. What a great favor it was! Everyone then remembered that the King Xuan’s Consort did marry a dissipated person, but the person was the Emperor’s deeply-loved son. And some well-informed people remembered that it was heard the King Xuan’s Consort was beloved and cherished by King Xuan since she married into the King Xuan’s Manor.
She had the final say on all the matter in the Manor, even the dissipated master seldom went to his back garden. In other words, she won the King Xuan’s heart, and could tame the King. An obedient prince did meet the Emperor’s satisfaction, and she was bound to get all she wanted, accordingly. No wonder though she got married, she could still have a childlike streak in her. Obviously, she did have a good life.
After making some judgments on Mo Xuetong, all the people could not help looking at the other one. Before marrying, You Yue’e was a real lady with a capable whole brother. She did not bother to worry about anything and led a leisure life. However, she married King Yan who was grounded on the second day of their wedding ceremony. It was said that the restriction this time was rather meaningful.
All the masters of different noble families understood that King Yan was actually under house arrest and not allowed to take part in fighting for the throne, which meant he had been kicked out directly. So as for the King whom You Yue’e married, the Emperor would not spare any pity to him. By contrast, King Yan could not compare to King Xuan. At least, King Xuan not only looked remarkably handsome, but also won the Emperor’s favor. As long as the prodigal could return to be good, it would be a great blessing.
Some ladies who had seen Feng Yuran with their own eyes even assumed that if they could be loved by him for a while, they were willing to die!
The thought of his handsome and admirable appearance did make their face flushed and their heart beat faster.
Seeing everyone enviously looking at Mo Xuetong and seldom looking at her, with some even deliberately stepping back to keep a distance, You Yue’e felt her chest ache with anger and pressed hard down her fury. In the past few months, she had seen the decline of the manor and the fickleness of the world. She was no longer the overbearing first miss of the Mingguo Manor.
She gritted her teeth to suppress the hatred in her heart, squeezed a faint smile and said, “His Majesty does care about the King Xuan. But now, Consort Yu is the most loved by His Majesty now, because she is conceiving the most precious son of His Majesty. Just now, King Xuan’s Consort didn’t upset Consort Yu, did she?”
She seemed to ask a question but just shifted the topic to Consort Yu. You Yue’e heard of the relationship between Consort Yu and the Mo Manor. Although the two parts were not like water and fire, they did had a terrible relationship. Today, Consort Yu held Mo Xuetong deliberately and spoke to her warmly, which seemed to be something fishy. Didn’t Consort Yu felt an ache on her belly?
It was good that Consort Yu had a miscarriage since Mo Xuetong would be to blame for it. Mo Xuetong was the Prince’s Consort. If the miscarriage did happen, she would be accused of killing the imperial son, which was a serious crime, and her life as the King Xuan’s Consort really came to an end.
Therefore, You Yue’e shifted the topic on Consort Yu intentionally or unintentionally.
“Does Consort Yu feel well or not?” Duchess Ding took up the topic first and asked with great concern. In fact, she had wanted to ask just now, but You Yue’e was so aggressive that Duchess Ding had no chance to interrupt. And she showed her concern immediately this time and took a dissatisfactory look at You Yue’e. If something happened to Consort Yu, King Ning Manor could not escape the blame as well.
“Consort Yu felt her belly ache… So she asked for hot water and ointment. When I came out, I still heard her painful voice. Is she all right now?” With a serious look, Mo Xuetong said with an assumed worry. Her eyes were slightly blank with some flurry and helplessness.
Just now she still contrasted sharply with You Yue’e, but now she took on such an expression, which made all the people present worried about Consort Yu’s belly. If there was something wrong with Consort Yu, not just one or two would be involved, because several people approached Consort Yu deliberately to flatter her. If the thing was really looked into, none dared to foresee what would happen.
“She looks like having been pregnant for four or five months. Nothing will happen!”
“Who knows? There are seldom sons in the imperial family. If there is any…”
A lady asked Duchess Ding worriedly, “Shall we go to see Consort Yu together?”
They had left Consort Yu alone in the cold parlor; if something really happened, what should they do? All the people present might take the responsibility.
“Let’s go and see her together. Consort Yu seldom comes out of the palace and always feels weak. We should come to see if we can help her.” You Yue’e answered before Duchess Ding and shot an arrogant glance at Mo Xuetong, because she knew that Consort Yu and Mo Xuetong were on bad terms. And she, together with Consort Yu, could humiliate Mo Xuetong there.
Duchess Ding hesitated. “Well…”
You Yue’e stood up and whispered to the ears of Duchess Ding, “Just go to have a look. If something happens, it will have nothing to do with us.” And the Duchess Ding’s eyes flashed immediately, but she still stood up and took all the people to the yard beside.
The moment Consort Yu entered the manor, she felt an ache on her belly. No one knew what happened. The backyard of King Ning Manor was now chaired by Duchess Ding. If anything really happened, she was the first one to carry the responsibility. But she was unwilling to bear the burden for nothing. Moreover, it was not a common burden that she could afford to shoulder.
It was good to have so many people to come with her. At least, they could serve as witnesses.
Princess Royal walked in front, as she held Mo Xuetong’s hands and said with concern, “Tong’er, if you want to return to take care of Old Eight, just return to your manor.”
“Mother, don’t worry about me. I have sent a message back to the manor that I will go back when Consort Yu returns to the palace. Besides, I am still worried about Consort Yu. When I left there, she felt really uncomfortable.” Mo Xuetong knew Princess Royal was concerned about her, though Princess Royal said she would take a look at Consort Yu who was feeling uncomfortable. All in all, Princess Royal was the Emperor’s younger sister.
But Mo Xuetong was different, since she was the junior and had seen her before. It was not rude even Mo Xuetong left.
The real reason why Mo Xuetong was unwilling to leave was that the interesting part of the show was yet to come. So she wanted to see it anyway. Mo Ye had come back to her side and helped her to walk slowly behind Princess Royal. Mo Ye tipped Mo Xuetong a wink to show that everything was done, and just to wait for the show to begin.
Mo Xuetong concealed the smile at the bottom of her eyes. At this moment, she would not leave even if Feng Yuran came to drag her away.
Moreover, if Consort Yu claimed her belly hurt at this time, or pretended to be injured by Mo Xuetong, Mo Xuetong was easier to defend for herself in her presence. Consort Yu never showed kindness to her, so perhaps she would blame everything on Mo Xuetong. If so, there would be no room for Mo Xuetong to defend herself. And she did not intend to bear such a charge!
“Okay, let’s go together. It is good, otherwise, others will think you’re scared.” Princess Royal raised her volume up rather than lowered down, as her cold eyes fell on You Yue’e’s face. As the first imperial princess, Princess Royal was always domineering. No matter how indulgent You Yue’e was, she knew that she could not provoke Princess Royal, so she just lowered her head, pretending not to see the anger in the Princess Royal’s eyes.
Anyway, no matter how Consort Yu would stump or frame Mo Xuetong later, it had nothing to do with her, You Yue’e, since You Yue’e just brought Mo Xuetong there.
Knowing that Princess Royal got the idea, Mo Xuetong stretched out her hand and held Princess Royal’s hand in a childish way. Then, Mo Xuetong said with a smile, “When I left there, Consort Yu looked not bad. I think, she is okay.”
Before the man left, Consort Yu still glared at Mo Xuetong. But after that, Consort Yu behaved so gently. That man was audacious in the extreme, even dared to commit adultery with the Emperor’s consort. Mo Xuetong felt a flash of intuition, as she thought about the arrogance and indifference flashing in Consort Yu’s eyes when she said that the baby in Consort Yu’s belly was not easy to get.
Did it mean she could conceive a child anytime anywhere?
The Emperor was too old and there was no more new child born in the imperial harem these years. Besides, Consort Yu did not enjoy the Emperor’s favor alone. How could she not care about the child so much, as if it were not difficult for her to conceive a child? And she was allowed to be released from the Cold Palace after she was pregnant.
At that time, Consort Yu got close to Empress Dowager when Feng Yuzhen had returned to the capital secretly. The time was so…