Fang Ling was completely speechless. She originally didn't believe that Prince Qing would agree to divorce for a foreign wife, but judging from the current development, the man seemed to be manipulated by the two women and turned into them. The battlefield of secret fighting.
Xu was feeling bored, so Zhao Chengyan did not go to the other hospital the next day.
Aunt Xue gave him an idea. She should keep Yanlan cold for a few days. Don't let her take advantage of him and catch him. The outer room is the outer room. It's a nameless thing. If it causes one body and two lives, it's a big deal. Find a woman again in life.
Although Zhao Chengyan couldn't bear it, he still did it.
Yan Lan in the other courtyard was not upset when she learned that he was not in the mood to visit.
She is not like other girls who only know how to play and cry. She knows when to be noisy, when to be considerate, and when to be restrained.
Sitting alone in front of the dressing table, Yan Lan gently rubbed the poorly made hosta. She is not afraid of King Qing, but is afraid of the Cui family. If she suddenly changes her mind and refuses to make peace with King Qing, it will really be a dead end.
Thinking of this, Yan Lan's heart turned over and over again, which was not a pleasant feeling.
He slowly placed his hand on his abdomen, which was now slightly swollen and not as flat as before. She usually restricts her diet because she is afraid that the fetus in her belly will grow too fast.
Gently stroking the little life in her belly, Yan Lan's eyes fell on the hosta.
Now her future is completely in Cui's hands. Only when Cui leaves Prince Qing's Mansion can she have a chance to break in, even as a concubine, and she can save her life.
But she was not willing to end up with two lives if she lost the bet. After thinking about it, she called Xiao Tao in and asked her to take the hosta to a perfume shop.
Xiao Tao did as she was told.
Three days later, Yan Lan took Mrs. Liu and Xiao Tao to the powder shop. Mrs. Liu thought she was in a bad mood because of the quarrel with Prince Qing two days ago and came to buy rouge and gouache to calm down, but she didn't take it seriously.
Guo Erniang enthusiastically took out the new rouge for Yanlan to choose from. Yanlan was in the warehouse at the back of the shop. Xiaotao came out and stood at the door and saw Mrs. Liu bragging with Mr. Huang in the shop.
Mrs. Huang was the mother-in-law of Guo Erniang. She was old and chatted with Mrs. Liu about some market gossip, which was very lively.
Yan Lan in the warehouse secretly lifted the door curtain and glanced outside. Then under the guidance of Guo Erniang, she quietly went to the backyard through another door. There was a man waiting there. He was tall and good-looking. It was Yan Lan. Lan's cousin Ma Yucai in Weizhou.
Seeing Yanlan come in, Ma Yu saluted her and called her cousin.
Yanlan glanced at Guo Erniang, who wisely went out to watch.
There were only two people left in the backyard. Yan Lan confirmed that nothing would go wrong, and then said to Ma Yucai: "Ms. Cui in the house makes things difficult for me everywhere. Life has become more and more difficult recently. My cousin has to make plans for me."
Ma Yucai lowered his voice and asked: "Where is Prince Qing, how do you treat him?"
Yan Lan snorted coldly and said with disdain: "You stinky men, none of you are good. If Mr. Cui changes his mind, I will be dead."
Seeing her distress, Ma Yucai quickly comforted her and said, "Don't worry, Yan Niang. If you have no way out when it comes to giving birth, I will find a way to take you out and we will leave the capital together."
Yan Lan nodded, gently stroked her belly and said, "You'd better make plans as soon as possible. When autumn comes, if King Qing hasn't broken up with Cui yet, I will run away."
Ma Yucai responded yes.
This woman is his cash cow, but he will listen to whatever she says.
Afraid of being noticed by Mrs. Liu outside, Yan Lan returned to the warehouse without standing for a while and continued to select her favorite rouge.
After waiting for a while, the group paid their bills and headed back home.
After hearing that the people in the other courtyard were no longer making trouble, Zhao Chengyan from the mansion came over to take a look. Although Yan Lan did not complain to him, she did not give him a good look either.
In the past, she liked to cling to him like a kitten, but now she is not clingy at all. She just sits in the courtyard and stares at the high wall in a daze.
Seeing this situation, Zhao Chengyan felt uncomfortable.
Although what Nanny Xue said was effective, he felt bitter in his heart. The person who was once so lively and full of life seemed to have been drained of his life overnight, like a walking corpse.
"Yan Niang."
He stood at the door of the yard and called softly.
Yan Lan slowly turned her head, stood up, bowed to him, and called his highness. She no longer called him Shiro, nor did she act coquettishly to him, and kept her identity straight.
This attitude hurt Zhao Chengyan, "Why don't you call me Shiro?"
Yan Lan said with a calm expression: "The slaves are just kept outside by His Highness in the outer room. They are nameless things and do not dare to overstep their bounds."
Zhao Chengyan’s heart tightened.
Yan Lan said calmly: "These days, this slave has thought clearly. In the past, it was not appropriate to commit crimes with one's belly. Even if the slave does not have children, Your Highness can let other women have children.
"This was originally my slave's blessing, but I still want to get something. I want His Highness's love and I want to earn a future at the same time. I am really greedy.
"From now on, Your Highness, please rest assured that I will keep to myself and not ask for things I don't deserve. Don't always run away to other courtyards, so as not to hurt the harmony between husband and wife.
"This slave has accepted her fate in this life. Since she was bought by His Highness, she was a slave. Your Highness is powerful, and this slave cannot resist. I can only ask Your Highness to prepare a thin coffin for this slave for the sake of her ten-month pregnancy. , Childbirth is originally a journey through the gate of hell. If the slave cannot come back, it will be a little more dignified."
After saying that, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed to him three times.
Those three heads broke his heart, and he said hoarsely: "Mother Yan..."
Yan Lan said coldly: "Your Highness, please come back. From now on, I will be very obedient and will not cause trouble to Your Highness anymore, nor will I put Your Highness in a dilemma anymore."
Zhao Chengyan couldn't stand her cold and distant attitude. When she left, he grabbed her wrist and said excitedly: "Why are you like this?"
As if hearing a joke, Yan Lan asked instead of answering: "Then, Your Highness, what can I do to satisfy you?"
Zhao Chengyan's throat rolled and he was speechless.
Yan Lan's eyes turned red, "I have accepted my fate and will no longer make noises or put His Highness in a dilemma. What else do you want?"
Zhao Chengyan: “…”
Seeing his struggling expression, Yanlan was extremely grateful for this man's indecisiveness, otherwise she would never have had the chance to dance in front of Cui.
Gently opening his fingers, Yan Lan regained her former tenderness and said softly: "Your Highness, please come back. I will take good care of myself and not worry Your Highness anymore."
Zhao Chengyan: “…”
He silently looked at the girl who was walking away. She was thin and had no support from her parents in this high-walled compound. She was just alone, unable to control herself, and full of sadness at being dependent on someone else.
He is her only support, but this support will kill her and cannot protect her for the rest of her life.
Thinking of this, Zhao Chengyan felt more and more that he was a bastard and no one.
After leaving the courtyard in despair, he didn't want to go back to Prince Qing's Mansion, so he went to the nearby river and sat alone for a long time.
When Cui Wenxi in the mansion heard that Prince Qing had gone to another courtyard, he became interested. He waved to Fangling and said, "Send someone over to keep an eye on him. If Prince Qing comes back today and looks bad, come and let me know." .”
Fangling didn't understand its purpose and asked curiously: "Madam, why is this?"
Cui Wenxi tilted his head and looked at her, "It's more interesting to add fuel to the fire."
Fangling: "..."
Cui Wenxi carefully outlined the peony pattern on the round fan and said thoughtfully: "Sometimes playing with men is much more interesting than playing leaf cards."
Fangling: "..."
I don't know if it was her misunderstanding, but she always felt that her master was different from before, a little more cynical.
No, when King Qing came back, the slaves from Yaoguang Garden hurried over to report that King Qing looked gloomy and was in a bad mood.
Cui Wenxi immediately came on stage, twisted his waist and walked to Tingxue Hall himself.
Zhao Chengyan sat at the dinner table, not thinking about food.
Aunt Xue couldn't bear him tormenting her, so she persuaded him, "Mr. Lang, you'd better use some. You've lost a lot of money these days because you don't think about food and drinks."
Zhao Chengyan said lifelessly: "I did what grandma said, and it really worked. Yan Lan was very understanding, but seeing her being so docile and obedient made me uncomfortable. Am I being too harsh on her?"
Nanny Xue said calmly: "She should have known better. It is not so easy for a country girl to try to climb a high branch with the seeds in her belly."
Zhao Chengyan didn't like hearing this and looked at her with a strange expression, "Mother Yan once saved my life."
Aunt Xue: "An innocent girl fell in love with a husband out of kindness to save her life, and secretly had a baby with her. Is this something done by a good man?"
Zhao Chengyan shut up and said nothing.
Aunt Xue said rationally: "The authorities are confused, but the onlookers know clearly. If the girl hadn't been ambitious, the husband would have just given her some money and sent her away. How would she be in the difficult situation she is today?" After a pause, "Since she has chosen this path, , she should bear the consequences, and now that the situation is not as she wanted, she has started acting like a monster, just like Yuanniang, who has never been so rampant."
Zhao Chengyan originally wanted to seek her sympathy, but unexpectedly he received a scolding, which was really unpleasant. He said upset, "Mommy, don't say anything anymore."
Nanny Xue knew that his indecisive temperament was no longer annoying.
Unexpectedly, after receiving a lesson just now, and then hearing that Mrs. Cui was here, Zhao Chengyan frowned and said impatiently: "What is she here for?"
Aunt Xue reminded: "Mr. Lang, please don't forget that this is Prince Qing's Mansion, not another courtyard."
Zhao Chengyan couldn't stand her anymore and said, "Get off now."
Aunt Xue withdrew somewhat depressedly.
After a while, Cui Wenxi entered the wing and saluted him with a smile. Seeing that the food on the table had not been touched, he said, "It's getting late, hasn't Shiro eaten yet?"
Looking at that gentle and beautiful face, Zhao Chengyan couldn't help but feel a little bored.
At a certain moment, he suddenly felt the envy that Yan Lan once felt.
Cui has a good family background, good birth, good conversation and knowledge, and is praised and loved by everyone around her. And she, Yanlan, had nothing and could be said to be helpless.
Yan Lan's situation is actually somewhat similar to his. Compared with the orthodox Zhao family with royal blood, he, Zhao Chengyan, is an anomaly.
Although he is in a high position, he is always careful and cautious. He cannot be as unscrupulous as the Zhao family for fear of being impeached and criticized.
On the surface he is a prince, but who knows how people view him behind the scenes
Thinking about her original marriage with the Cui family, if she didn't have a royal background, how could she, Cui, marry her
There are some words that I know are hurtful, but I still can't help but want to die. Zhao Chengyan stared at Cui Wenxi for a long time before asking: "Yuan Niang, if I had nothing, would you still marry me?"
Cui Wenxi was stunned and asked in confusion: "Why did Silang ask about this?"
Zhao Chengyan: "I suddenly felt something." After a pause, "If I didn't have the title of Prince Qing, would you have married me?"
Cui Wenxi smiled and asked instead, "If Silang had nothing, would he still have the guts to invite an official matchmaker to the Duke's palace to propose marriage?"
Zhao Chengyan was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to respond.
Cui Wenxi sat on the stool by himself, "Look, two people who are not from the same family have no chance of getting involved together, just like Shiro and Yanlan. If Shiro doesn't get her help, you won't give her a second look." , isn’t it?”
Zhao Chengyan was silent for a while, and then asked tentatively: "Why can't you tolerate her?"
Cui Wenxi still maintained the elegance and calmness of the mistress of the palace, and said calmly: "I, Cui Wenxi, am the eldest daughter of the Duke's family. I am talented, beautiful and knowledgeable. I am not talking big words. My status and background allow me to enter the palace. Why do you want to be married to a country girl?"
These words choked Zhao Chengyan.
Cui Wenxi continued to choke him and said: "I have figured it out. Since you don't want to reconcile with me, then I am too lazy to bother. If you leave the mother and leave the son, the mother will leave the son. Anyway, I can't tolerate Yanlan. After giving birth, I will I will personally deal with her, whether she lives or dies depends on what I say, Mrs. Cui. If Shiro regrets it when the time comes, don’t blame me for using all means to deny you face."
Zhao Chengyan twitched the corner of his mouth, holding back his anger without breaking out.
Cui Wenxi asked deliberately: "Why, Shiro is unhappy?"
Zhao Chengyan said disappointedly: "Yuan Niang has a vicious heart. Yan Lan is a weak woman, so why don't you leave her a way to survive?" He added, "She has already asked me to prepare a thin coffin for her. If there is an accident during the birth, she will be directly Just lie down in it. But after giving birth, you still cannot escape its fate. How cruel is this?"
Cui Wenxi's face turned cold, she deliberately slapped the case, and angrily shouted: "Is this the blessing I asked her to come to?! She asked for it herself, who can she blame?!"
These words made Zhao Chengyan angry, he pointed at her and said angrily: "Vicious woman!"
Fang Ling was afraid that the two of them would fight, so she quickly advised, "Madam, please stop saying a few words."
Cui Wenxi didn't want to, she had to be a foil. The more pitiful Yan Lan was, the more arrogant she had to be, in order to make Zhao Chengyan feel pity and protectiveness.
She had to add fuel to the flames and pave the way for Yan Lan's future. She immediately added fuel to the fire and said: "It was you who betrayed me and betrayed me, and now you are complaining about me. How can you, Zhao Silang, have the face to cry out for injustice?!"
The "treachery" stung his dignity, and he said angrily: "That's ridiculous! It's obvious that you, the Cui family, have had nothing to do for seven years. According to my Daliang family marriage law, you are childless and jealous, so you should get divorced!"
"you dare!"
"Don't bet on me!"
Aunt Xue outside heard the couple arguing in the side room and hurried in to persuade them to make peace.
Cui Wenxi was obviously gloating about his misfortune, but he was not forgiving. He pointed at him and said, "Zhao Silang, if you dare to divorce your wife, I will never be done with you!"
Zhao Chengyan said angrily: "Vicious woman! Prince Qing's palace cannot tolerate you. Believe it or not, I will let you go tomorrow!"
Aunt Xue hit him and scolded angrily: "Mr. Sir, don't do this!" Then she said to Fang Ling, "Hurry and help your master down, don't get hurt."
Fang Ling coaxed Cui Wenxi away as promised.
Zhao Chengyan in the side room was so angry that if it hadn't been for Nanny Xue's persuasion, he would have written a letter of divorce on the spot to divorce his wife.
Fang Ling on the other side was sweating, fearing that he would hit someone. Cui Wenxi, on the other hand, was extremely calm and secretly asked her, "How was my acting skill just now? Is it comparable to that little goblin in another courtyard?"
Fangling: "..."
She was really convinced!
Cui Wenxi: "If Nanny Xue hadn't stopped me just now, I would have written a letter of divorce."
Fang Ling didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "I'm a good lady, and the divorce letter has a bad reputation, so I have to get the divorce letter."
Cui Wenxi didn't care about this and said, "I've already gained a bad reputation anyway, so it doesn't matter." He added, "Whether he said he wanted to divorce his wife out of anger or not, as long as he has this idea, it's good."
Fang Ling didn't know what to say for a moment.
Cui Wenxi felt happy in her heart and walked in a arrogant manner, like a proud rooster.
No, Zhao Chengyan couldn't sleep that night and began to seriously think about whether to give up on the Cui family.
In the past, he wouldn't allow her to make peace with her, but now that she's not making peace with her, he can't tolerate her anymore.
He didn't know whether it was because the long Cold War had made him tired, or because Yanlan had really fallen in love with him. He felt increasingly guilty about her, and even had the idea of looking for a future for her.
Once some thoughts are started, they can no longer be stopped.
Just when the couple was fighting over Yanlan, the day for brother-in-law Feng Zheng's transfer came. On the day the couple left Beijing, the Cui family sent them out of the city, and Cui Wenxi also went to see them off.
When they were leaving, Cui Wenjiang didn't trust her at all, so he held her hand and said, "This time Sanlang can go to Song County only because I can find a way to help you, but I can't help you with anything."
Cui Wenxi's eyes were gentle and said: "It's good if you two mothers take good care of themselves. My eldest brother and I will take care of you in Beijing. You don't need to worry about your parents. When you and your husband go there, they must work together to move forward. Only then will Cui deserve it." Your family supports you."
Cui Wenjiang nodded, "I have remembered all the good things my sister has done to me. After we have settled down in the past, I will come back to visit you."
Cui Wenxi: "If you go over there, if you have anything to do, just write back. If I, the eldest sister, can help, I will take care of it for you. If not, you have to rely on yourself."
Cui Wenjiang was heartbroken and said coquettishly: "Eldest sister still loves me."
Cui Wenxi pinched her face and said, "A biological sister from the same mother, if you don't love me, who do you love?"
Cui Wenjiang called the three children over, and they all called aunt.
Cui Wenxi touched their little heads lovingly and said, "When we go to Song County, you three should be obedient and don't cause trouble for your mother-in-law, you know?"
The three children nodded.
Cui Wenxi brought them some gadgets and asked Fang Ling to take them out and give them to play with.
Everyone stayed outside the city for a long time before bidding farewell to Cui Wenjiang and his wife. After their carriage had gone further and further and there was no trace of it anymore, the group of people headed back home.
Cui Wenxi and Jin were riding in a carriage together. Jin was really reluctant to part with her, and said with red eyes: "This is the first time my mother has left Beijing since she was a child."
Cui Wenxi: "Don't be sad, grandma. She has grown up. I think her wings are stronger than mine. She doesn't have any stage fright when she goes to Song County."
Jin sighed heavily, "Yes, you have all grown up." After a pause, "I don't know when you will be like her, able to meet a person who knows the cold and heat, and raise two children under your knees. "
Cui Wenxi said disgustedly: "My mother-in-law only has this potential, you have to open your horizons a little bit. As you said before, I am a second wife after leaving Prince Qing, and I have no children. Which man of the right family can look up to me?" Why should I seek trouble for myself, and after finally jumping out of this pit, I end up falling into another pit endlessly?"
Hearing this, Jin couldn't help but become anxious, "Then what do you want?"
Cui Wenxi fancied: "I think life in Yongning is pretty good."
Jin said "Ouch" and spat: "The eldest princess is willing to eat, drink, whore and gamble. Why do you want to imitate her?"
Cui Wenxi disagreed, "She was quite happy in those days. Anyway, I won't be fooled again. If I fall into another trap like before, it's better to be alone."
Jin said sincerely: "You are young now and don't know the difficulties of a girl without a family and future generations to rely on. Even if you remarry and become a stepmother, it will be better than being alone."
Cui Wenxi: "I have no interest in becoming a stepmother."
Jin: "You can choose someone who is older. You don't have to raise a son for someone else. As long as the person has good conduct, no bad habits, and good appearance, it is best to be a widower with no concubines. It will save you a lot of worry."
Cui Wenxi pouted, "Why can't I choose the young man?"
Kim: "???"
Cui Wenxi thought of the young man who cooked tea for Yongning in Changyin Pavilion that day, and dreamed: "The young man is very good, docile and obedient, not too troublesome, he will coax him when he is happy, and put him aside when he is unhappy. He is much more interesting than being a stepmother. ”
Jin pinched her angrily, "You are not looking for a husband, you are raising a man to be your favorite, you are not serious!"
Cui Wenxi didn't answer, thinking that if a man likes a man, he should like him. Anyway, it would be impossible for her to jump into the trap again. Instead of relying on a man to be a stepmother and a second wife, it is better to raise a man yourself.
Of course, it is best to be young and fresh, because the inexperienced ones are easier to deal with and are not as annoying as the experienced ones.
After all, Mrs. Jin was worried that her daughter would not be able to handle the reconciliation with Prince Qing, so she said worriedly: "If Yuanniang needs support from her family, just come and let her know. The Duke's Palace will never hold you back."
Cui Wenxi smiled and said: "Only girls who have no ability will always run back to their parents' homes to complain. If I, Mrs. Cui, can't even deal with Prince Qing's Japanese-minded man, how can I live a good life in the future?" He added, "Auntie, please Look, I have to make Prince Qing kneel down and beg me to reconcile. Not only that, but I also have to win the support of public opinion from the Zhao royal family, so that I can continue to hang out in that circle in the future, do you understand?"
Knowing that she was smart, Mrs. Jin sighed: "I can't see you being wronged."
Cui Wenxi comforted her and said: "As long as there is no love, there will be no grievances." After a pause, "The Duke's office should not get involved in this matter. Once the summer is over, it will probably be settled."
Jin: "Okay, okay, you have had your own opinions since you were a child, and we all listen to you."
Cui Wenxi rubbed her affectionately, "It doesn't matter if I lose Prince Qing, but I can't lose the circle of the royal family. I will always need it in the future. Otherwise, why would I deal with him like this?"
Everything she said made sense, and Jin couldn't interfere too much. After all, she had to earn her own future. Her family could only silently support her and lend a helping hand when she needed it. This might be the only way. it's the best.
After returning to Prince Qing's Mansion, as soon as Cui Wenxi entered the mansion, his servant brought an invitation. It was originally a banquet in the palace during the Dragon Boat Festival.
In ten days, it will be the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of May, and after June it will be autumn. Cui Wenxi listens to the chirping of summer cicadas, which usually feels noisy, but now it feels more and more melodious.
During this period of time, she did not cause any trouble, and Yanlan in the other courtyard also kept silent with a tacit understanding, and both parties were very calm.
However, beneath the calm there is a storm brewing.
During the Dragon Boat Festival family banquet, the royal family members will gather together in Chaoyang Palace.
On the day she attended the family dinner, Cui Wenxi was as glamorous as usual. She wore an eye-catching pomegranate skirt and a rouge-colored gauze long-sleeved shirt. Pingting was graceful and graceful, and her whole body was dignified and elegant.
When everyone was chatting in the side hall of Chaoyang Palace, Prince Zhao Yue came over and looked through the crowd to Prince Qing and his wife. Remembering that Prince Qing had taken leave to accompany his wife a while ago, the corners of his lips were slightly curved and his eyes were smiling. .
Everyone saluted each other.
The young man was dressed in a red round-neck robe, which made his lips red and his teeth white, which was really eye-catching.
Cui Wenxi couldn't help but look at her twice more, but she saw that Zhao Yue was also looking at her. She didn't know if it was her imagination, but she always felt that there was some kind of violation in his eyes.