Chapter 381.2: Leaving Unsettled, Illness
n.o.ble Consort Su’s ability to endure wasn’t comparable with Empress Sun. Even if things weren’t that great lately, her spirit weak, listening to her cousin-in-law, the Right Commander-in-Chief’s Madam, along with the Shen family’s other two daughter-in-laws tearfully complaining, her temples can’t help but pulse, feeling awfully painful.
Getting annoyed by the crying, she just directly smashed the teacup. The sound of crying instantly came to a halt in Yucui Palace.
“What exactly does this Luo-s.h.i.+ want to do? Causing trouble one after another, on and on without end, huh?”
The women below slightly relaxed a breath. They’d thought that n.o.ble Consort Su was going to get angry at them. But, this while, they didn’t dare to continue crying.
“Your Highness, how should this matter be handled? If it continues like this, don’t need to do anything else anymore.”
n.o.ble Consort Su rubbed her temples, “Someone come, summon Jin w.a.n.gfei into the palace, no, summon Luo Old Madam into the palace.”
Recalling herself getting angered to the point of nearly vomiting blood by old six’s wife, and yet her son even sided with his wife, these days all unable to see her son, n.o.ble Consort Su didn’t want to see that daughter-in-law either. As such, she’ll just look for someone that can absolutely control her, and without a doubt, Luo Old Madam was the best candidate.
These last few days, Luo Old Madam although had been sitting at home the whole time, towards the matters outside, she was still very clear about. However, she was rather composed, not the least bit worried, and at the same time, also prepared in getting invited into the palace. That’s why, when the people of Yucui Palace came, she wasn’t surprised at all, changing her attire and bringing along a servant girl, just that exceptionally carefree as she entered the palace.
Luo Old Madam was a t.i.tled madam of the imperial court after all, and her husband was even the Head Minister of Appointments that held great power, so n.o.ble Consort Su naturally needed to be polite and courteous, letting someone provide a seat and serve tea with a warm smile on her face. After going through the perfunctory greetings, she finally had the purpose in having the person invited into the palace explained.
Luo Old Madam was full of astonishment, “Wasn’t it said that it was Jin Qinw.a.n.g that sent the people? How come it got pushed onto Jin w.a.n.gfei? Jin w.a.n.gfei was singlehandedly raised by this subject. What kind of personality she has, this subject can’t be more clear, and absolutely wouldn’t do this kind of thing that lacks in propriety. As for Jin Qinw.a.n.g, just based on this subject’s knowledge, in the past, he seemingly frequently did this kind of thing. This time certainly must be the same.”
n.o.ble Consort Su suppressed the old blood in her chest, “For Yuan’er, that was merely sending one or two occasionally, and that for the most part was all between the imperial family. Even if it’s those of different surnames, at most it’s just the fumas and junmas[1]. He is indeed a little improper, but disdains having people given to those low ranking official families. At the time, old six’s wife had personally said in Kang Qinw.a.n.g Manor that this matter wasn’t over with.” n.o.ble Consort Su stirred the tea, “This consort doesn’t mean anything either, just wanting to let old madam urge old six’s wife. Kang Qinw.a.n.g may have offended her, but just let it be over with after venting a little. Women having a bit of a temper, having a bit of jealousy, that is very normal, but one needs to stop before going too far. Don’t make it where everyone’s face all look bad.”
“In other words, your Highness also thinks that Kang Qinw.a.n.g sending Jin Qinw.a.n.g a catamite is just the same as sending an ordinary beauty, and doesn’t have other meaning? And that Jin w.a.n.gfei was purely jealous, thus looked for an excuse to make a fuss? Can your Highness be sure that Kang Qinw.a.n.g really doesn’t have any bad intentions? If Jin w.a.n.gfei doesn’t have them taken care of, and if something bad happens in the end, whose fault will it be? Jin Qinw.a.n.g Manor right now just has Jin w.a.n.gfei this one female master. If something happens, does she still want her face or not, does she still want to live or not? Could it be that for the sake of the imperial family’s face, all the fault will be pushed onto her head, saying that she didn’t abide by the ways of a wife, the red apricot leaning over the garden wall? Jin w.a.n.gfei is a daughter of the Luo family. How will the Luo family stand in all this? This subject even suspect that this simply is just a scheme targeting Jin w.a.n.gfei and the Luo family. Never mind that your Highness won’t stand up for one’s own daughter-in-law, to instead come criticize Jin w.a.n.gfei’s faults, you………….” This while, Luo Old Madam wasn’t that amiable as before, being deferential towards n.o.ble Consort Su. Her tone right now carried a bit of coldness.
n.o.ble Consort Su got stifled to the point of speechlessness, and somewhat stiffly tugged the corner of her mouth, “Unlikely to go that far……….”
“Your Highness, as the saying goes, ‘one cannot have the heart to harm others, but one cannot lack the heart to guard against others’. What the state of affairs is like right now, everyone is all clear. For some things, to wait until it happens first, and then look into, even if some people receive punishment, it’s still unable to turn the situation around.”
This reasoning, everyone all understood, but this matter, this matter………..
“Luo Old Madam, right now, we’re talking about the matter of Jin w.a.n.gfei sending beauties.” The Shen family daughter-in-law to the side, upon seeing n.o.ble Consort Su at a loss for words, opened their mouth.
“And I already said, it was Jin Qinw.a.n.g that sent the people. If you want to argue, shouldn’t you look for Jin Qinw.a.n.g?”
“But this matter was simply just done by Jin w.a.n.gfei.”
“Where’s the evidence?” Luo Old Madam lightly casted the other party a glance, “All things rely on definitive evidence, don’t speak without thinking.”
“Jin Qinw.a.n.g simply doesn’t have a reason to do this.” The other party persisted.
“Heh…………” Luo Old Madam lightly let out a laugh, yet it contained an indescribable mockery, “Jin Qinw.a.n.g has done many things in the past, does he have a reason for every single thing he’s done? If not, then just directly have Jin Qinw.a.n.g and Jin w.a.n.gfei called into the palace to question.”
In other words, with Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s tainted reputation outside, regardless of what, pus.h.i.+ng onto him, for the most part, all can hold ground. He can be said to be a professional pot bearer. Of course, he will only ever bear the pot for his own wife. If others want to try letting him bear the pot, the outcome definitely will be very miserable.
This time, the room fell silent again. The people below all tacitly looked towards n.o.ble Consort Su. n.o.ble Consort Su just felt her head aching even more. Her son was simply unwilling to meet with her, and if one were to forcibly have him summoned into the palace, perhaps the unresolved lump from before will end up increasing. This absolutely wasn’t something that n.o.ble Consort Su wanted to see. Moreover, even if questioning, if he were to say, it was indeed done by him, then what? Those matters in the past were much more shameful than this, yet in the end, they still were just left unsettled.
“Your Highness, this subject has no choice but to say, this matter appears to be big, but inherently, it’s also nothing more than some trivial matters. For the various families that received beauties, because the beauties were given by Jin Qinw.a.n.g, it wasn’t good for them to refuse, but Jin Qinw.a.n.g didn’t forcibly have the person shoved onto those masters’ beds. They can just randomly find a place to raise them. As the saying goes, if the cow does not drink water, can one even forcibly press their heads into the water? In the capital, there are numerous officials, and every day, it’s possible for someone to be sending people, and someone to be accepting people, yet one doesn’t see those people’s rear court breaking out into chaos. At present, for those families that are in a mess, in the end, it’s still those masters’ own problem. To just look for excuses on others, yet never facing one’s own problems, it’s really unreasonable.”
Luo Old Madam’s words can be said to be nailing the root of the problem, making the Shen family daughter-in-laws flush red with her words, including the Right Commander-in-Chief’s madam. Originally, this had nothing to do with her, but because of her zhoulis, unable to stand their pleading, she thus took this trip. Yet, this while, it made her ashamed and unable to show her face.
“This subject sees that your Highness appears to be tired. If there’s nothing else, this subject will take one’s leave first, so as to avoid delaying your Highness’s rest. Regardless of what one encounters, one’s body is still the most important a.s.set. If the body collapses, then one won’t be able to do anything.”
Luo Old Madam’s words actually came from a sincere place, because she herself was just the best example. Right now, there wasn’t anything for her to worry over, and can be considered to be enjoying her later years. Jing Wan has married, and her husband treats her extremely well. Now, she just wants to see Jing Wan’s children be born. She didn’t want to let Jing Wan worry, so she has always very much paid attention to her body.
n.o.ble Consort Su nodded, “Many thanks for old madam’s concern. This consort will let someone send you out of the palace.”
Luo Old Madam gave her thanks, turned around, and calmly departed.
The Shen family daughter-in-laws that remained looked to one another in dismay, “Your Highness…………”
n.o.ble Consort Su waved her hand. Having Luo Old Madam as a contrast, she also increasingly felt that these people lacked perceptiveness, “You all also heard, no matter how this matter is disputed, it’s all unreasonable. Why don’t you all just go back, and properly look after your own man. If unable to, that’s also your own problem. This consort is tired.”
It’s not like they can really go look for Jin Qinw.a.n.g, so this matter could only just end unsettled like this.
Thus, they sullenly bowed towards n.o.ble Consort Su and took their leave.
However, after hearing Luo Old Madam’s words, n.o.ble Consort Su also realized something. The Empress won’t give her trouble.
[1] Fuma(驸马) is the husband of an imperial princess, and junma(郡马) is the husband of a junzhu.