The Ministry of Rites was really busy. Officials of all levels in the ministry didn't even have time to eat or even drink a sip of water. They had to prepare the betrothal gifts for the marriage proposal in Daliang, and the dowry for the Grand Princess. Although they had the help of the Imperial Household, the Ministry still had to go through many red tape.
Murong Jie also started to leave early and come back late, while Zi'an waited patiently for the arrival of Doctor Wen Yi. It was said to be two days before, but now four days have passed and the doctor has not arrived yet.
Early that morning, the Empress Dowager ordered Zi'an to enter the palace to give the emperor a preliminary examination and diagnosis. The specific treatment would be decided after Doctor Wen Yi arrived.
Originally, the county lady said she would come over today, so Zi'an had to send someone to tell her to come over in the evening.
The county lady had been recovering from her injuries in the mansion since the last time. When Zi'an came back, she said she wanted to come over, but Prince An didn't let her go, saying that nothing was more important than recovering from her injuries. Zi'an didn't go either, because Prince An said that if the county lady saw Zi'an, she would be excited and it would affect her injuries. How could the relationship between mother and daughter be more important than her injuries? Therefore, she was forbidden to visit him.
After breakfast, Zi'an took Lingli out. Di Shui and He Yun had to follow. The two of them rode their horses behind the carriage. Their group was not conspicuous, just like the usual wealthy family's outing, even a little shabby.
Zi'an never cared about ostentation; being the least conspicuous possible was the best.
The street began to come alive as horse-drawn carriages made a "clattering" sound on the bluestone road. In the morning, the most crowded streets were breakfast shops, with the aroma of steaming buns and noodles and a strong smell of fireworks.
Zi'an lifted the curtain and looked at the busy people, feeling very real in his heart.
"Oh, isn't that Madam Linglong?" Lingli suddenly said from the other end, "She seems to be having a quarrel with someone."
Zi'an hadn't heard this name for a long time and almost forgot about her.
Lingli laughed strangely, "It's Xia Wan'er."
She asked the driver to stop the carriage and leaned over the window to look out.
Zi'an didn't want to watch it at first, she always thought that Xia Wan'er and Madam Linglong were dead.
However, hearing the sharp curses coming from outside, Zi'an also became interested. He moved closer and looked over with Lingli.
It was indeed Chen Linglong and Xia Wan'er. Xia Wan'er's face was no longer visible, with scars all over it. She was wearing a brocade pleated skirt that had been washed to a pale color. The waist was wrinkled. It was an old piece of clothing that no one knew where it came from.
As for Madam Linglong, her complexion was fine, though she was a little thinner than before. She wore a dark blue cotton dress embroidered with small floral patterns, which was very plain, and a dirty apron. She was standing in front of a pork stall, and next to her stood a burly man with a face full of flesh.
Zi'an remembered that Chen Linglong followed a butcher in the end, probably the one standing next to her. Now he was full of impatience, holding up the bone-chopping knife, and said in a rough voice: "Go away, go away, don't interfere with my business. Look at your shabby appearance, you are not someone who can afford to buy meat, get out!"
Then he raised the knife again, and the minced pork on the blade flew out and almost stuck to Xia Wan'er's body.
Xia Wan'er frowned, looked at the butcher with disgust, and said to Chen Linglong, "Look at what kind of person you found? Isn't it embarrassing?"
Chen Linglong said unhappily, "Yes, I know you are marrying up to the prince, then you can go back and enjoy your life, why are you looking for me? Let's go."
"If you give me the silver, I will leave immediately. Do you think I like staying in this dirty place?" Xia Wan'er snorted.
Chen Linglong frowned, "Where would I get the money? Don't bother me with your nonsense and interfere with my business."
"Why not?" Xia Wan'er said unwillingly, "My brother gave you 100 taels of silver that day. I calculated it all. We only spent 50 taels at most. The remaining 50 taels must have been taken by you. Even if you and I split the remaining 50 taels, you have to give me 25 taels."
Chen Linglong was furious and said angrily, "You are talking nonsense. You have already spent all the 100 taels of silver. How much did you spend on your rouge and powder? You want the best food and drink, but you refused to listen. Now that the silver is gone, you are blackmailing me, right? Let me tell you, our mother-daughter relationship is gone. When you thought you could enjoy yourself, you kicked me away. I found a way out and wanted to take you away, but what is your attitude?"
"Don't say such harsh words. You had all the money at that time. I didn't spend much on the rouge and powder. As for how much money I spent, you know it in your heart. I have inquired about it. You said that the rouge cost three taels of silver per box, but in fact it only cost one penny of silver. The rest was deducted by you."
Passersby gradually gathered around and, upon learning of the two men's identities, they began to point and talk.
Chen Linglong is now with a man. She has no shame, but her man also has his. Seeing so many people watching and the butcher's face was already ugly, she got angry, "The silver was given to me by my son. Not to mention that I spent all the silver on you, even if I used it myself or hid it, it would be natural. Why should I give it to you? If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have ended up like this. I finally had a few days of good life and you come to blackmail me? Do you have a conscience? If you don't leave, believe it or not, I will tear your mouth apart?"
Xia Wan'er was probably crazy because of poverty. She was not frightened at all. She stood on one foot and cursed angrily, "Tear it. See if I tear my mouth to pieces and ask you to pay compensation? Anyway, I won't leave without getting the money today. Do you want your lover to chop me up? I have never seen a woman as shameless as you. You don't care about your own daughter and children and run after a wild man. After all, your father is the prime minister. You humiliate his face like this. You must die a horrible death."
Chen Linglong lost her mind after being scolded by her. She ignored the presence of so many people and blurted out, "Do you think your biological father is Xia Huaijun? I told you a long time ago that your father is Chen Er. You are just a stinky bastard born of a ruffian."
Everyone was shocked. Although this matter had been circulated in Beijing, it had never been confirmed. Now that Chen Linglong said it in person, everyone was shocked.
It turns out that the deceased prime minister had been cuckolded for many years without even realizing it.
When everyone was shedding tears of sympathy for the Prime Minister, Xia Wan'er heard these words and her face turned purple with shame. Without saying a word, she rolled up her sleeves and rushed forward with a clattering momentum, wrestling with Chen Linglong.
This Xia Wan'er was just a frail girl in the past, but unexpectedly, after a period of training, she became extremely powerful. With one pounce, she knocked Chen Linglong to the ground.
Chen Linglong was not someone to be bullied. She grabbed Xia Wan'er's hair and pushed her with her knee. Xia Wan'er rolled to the side. Chen Linglong then rode on her and slapped her left and right, making her cry for help.
(End of this chapter)