Chapter 220: Is Xiao Fu Bao Disliked? The Whole City Loves Me With Their Lives
Chapter 220: Aunt Meng Is a Good Person
Concubine Wen had long suffered from poor blood circulation, making her health somewhat fragile.
Even with the warmth of the current season, her hands and feet remained cold. In winter, her hands were sometimes colder than ice, even while near a fire.
At this moment, as everyone comforted her, Concubine Wen smiled shyly and thanked them. Concubine Su was soon escorted out, and only after another firm reminder from Qi Wangfei did everyone begin to disperse.
Concubine Meng, though still concerned about Suisui, felt an even stronger desire to thank her. So, she followed the others back to her room and began rummaging through her personal collection.
“I remember the Empress Dowager once gifted me a pair of amethyst earrings. They may be a bit mature, but they'd be a nice addition to Suisui's dowry. Now, where did I put them?”
"And there’s that gemstone tree the Prince gave me for my birthday a few years ago.”
Concubine Meng searched through her belongings as if she wished to pack up everything she owned for Suisui. Besides jewelry, she pulled out various vibrant fabrics.
Since the brocade workshop was already busy, it seemed like a good time to keep them occupied a bit longer.
As Concubine Meng was tidying up, someone from the gatehouse came to inform her that someone from the Meng household had arrived. She quickly went to see, bringing Aunt Sun with her.
The visitor was the son of the Meng family’s head steward, who now managed some affairs in the household. Concubine Meng recognized him and, waving off formalities, smiled and asked if there was anything urgent.
The young steward had come to deliver gifts. After yesterday’s incident, Concubine Meng’s mother had felt uneasy upon returning home, so she had prepared a few things early in the morning. Remembering that Concubine Meng used to enjoy the roasted chicken from Wangyue Tower, she had someone line up to buy it, along with some other pastries.
With everything ready, the steward brought the items over to the Prince Qi's residence.
....
This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com
....
Seeing her mother’s thoughtfulness, Concubine Meng was touched. After chatting with the young steward for a while and asking after her sister-in-law, she learned that her sister-in-law had merely been startled. After drinking some calming tea last night and sleeping through the night, she felt much better now, which put Concubine Meng at ease.
The steward quickly returned to the Meng household to deliver the news of Concubine Meng’s well-being.
Concubine Meng, meanwhile, took the gifts back to her room. She enjoyed the roast chicken, though the pastries were more of Qi Wangfei's preference. After tidying up, Concubine Meng took the items to the main courtyard.
Qi Wangfei was busy watching Suisui enjoy her soup.
Having just woken up, Suisui looked much more spirited than the day before. Children sometimes fall ill for no apparent reason but often recover just as quickly.
Upon waking, Suisui immediately looked for her mother. Prince Qi, feeling a bit left out, pouted, "Why don’t you look for me?”
Qi Wangfei couldn’t help but laugh, then teased him mercilessly: "Because you smell.”
The Prince froze on the spot, almost heartbroken! After spending a little time cheering Suisui up, he left the house to address a matter concerning the coal mines in Qingzhou Prefecture.
Qi Wangfei played with Suisui for a while before giving her a bowl of sweet soup. Today’s dessert soup was a new recipe from Aunt Xiang and Aunt Qiu: a blend of red dates, longan, and goji berries. The sweetness from the longan made adding extra sugar unnecessary.
Suisui was thoroughly satisfied, occasionally looking up with eyes curved into crescents, smiling at her mother: “Mother, you smell nice, and you’re so beautiful.”
The young girl’s compliments were clumsy but genuine. Qi Wangfei’s heart melted, feeling even sweeter than the longan in her soup.
She occasionally helped adjust the little girl’s hat, and, after noticing it got in the way of eating, Qi Wangfei removed it with Suisui's permission.
At that moment, Concubine Meng arrived.
When Suisui saw her, she swallowed her longan and greeted her with a smile, “Hello, Aunt Meng.” The little girl not only greeted her but also hopped off her chair to perform a formal curtsy.
Seeing the small figure bowing so politely, Concubine Meng’s heart melted. She couldn’t help but step forward, pick Suisui up, and jokingly weigh her in her arms, “You’re too light! Suisui, you must eat more to grow big and strong. Otherwise, when the winter winds in the capital blow, we aunts and your mother will have to chase after you!”
Suisui understood her teasing and, knowing her thin frame, realized she needed to eat well to protect her mother and brother. Nodding obediently, she said, “I understand, thank you, Aunt Meng. You’re such a good person.”
Concubine Meng blushed at the little girl’s direct praise, feeling both pleased and shy. “No, no, it’s nothing. It’s what I should do.”
Soft-spoken by nature, Concubine Meng lacked the eloquence of Concubine Ren. At that moment, she was truly flustered and unsure how to respond.
Qi Wangfei, observing the interaction from her seat, felt a slight pang of jealousy but was mainly filled with joy and satisfaction. More people showering Suisui with affection was a blessing.
Moreover, Qi Wangfei had long known Concubine Meng’s temperament, so she was content to let them bond, trusting that Concubine Meng would never harm Suisui.
After a bit more playful banter with Suisui, Concubine Meng returned her to her seat and paid her respects to Qi Wangfei. The Princess casually waved it off, saying, “Sit, there’s no need for formalities here.”
Among the consorts, Qi Wangfei had spent the most time with Concubine Meng, and despite the occasional disagreement, their relationship was indeed warmer than with others. Thus, there wasn’t much fuss when they were alone.
Concubine Meng took her seat next to Suisui. Soon, Aunt Qiu had someone bring a bowl of sweet soup for her. After a sip, Concubine Meng smiled, “This must be Aunt Qiu’s handiwork?”
But Aunt Qiu shyly waved her hand, “Not today; Aunt Xiang made it.”
Aunt Xiang, a bit embarrassed, added, “No, it was thanks to Aunt Qiu’s guidance.”
Surprised that Aunt Xiang would take up such tasks, Concubine Meng glanced at Suisui, who was happily enjoying her soup. It was clear the child liked it, and knowing this, Concubine Meng felt reassured.
After a bit more small talk with Qi Wangfei, Concubine Meng had her attendants bring in a large assortment of gifts. Since Suisui would soon be moving to a separate room in the west courtyard, Concubine Meng had prepared a large chest of decorative items. Additionally, she brought a box full of various fabrics and paintings, and a smaller chest with some valuable jewelry and a few banknotes.
Knowing that Concubine Meng’s family background wasn’t as wealthy as Concubine Ren’s, Qi Wangfei worried that this might stretch her budget. She quickly raised a hand to stop her, “I’ll hold onto the decorations for Suisui, but keep the other items for yourself. Suisui has plenty and doesn’t need any extras right now.”
►►CLICK HERE FOR ADVANCE CHAPTERS◄◄
Comments
Post a Comment