After she knelt down, other people of the Sikong Family who kept silent also knelt down. They all said, âPlease administer justice for Yiluo!â
How could people of the Wei Family do nothing at this time?
They also knelt down to ask for punishment. At this time, Side Concubine Cui chuckled and said slowly, âYour Highness, can I talk about my thoughts about it?â
The Crown Prince was annoyed at present and always spoiled her. So after hearing her words, he said casually, âWhat do you want to say?â
âIn fact, itâs caused by me!â Although Side Concubine Cui said that, she didnât look guilty on her face but her tone was a little proud, âIf I hadnât been pregnant recently, Her Highness the Crown Princess wouldnât have held a feast for me to congratulate and Miss Wei wouldnât have persuaded Miss Sikong to drink. So Miss Sikong would be fine now and the Sikong Family wouldnât need to lose their daughter.â
Song Yixiao used her handkerchief to press on the corner of her eyes and said nothing. But she thought, âI was confused why Cui Jianlian came here today. Now I know she wants to trap the Crown Princess.â
Side Concubine Cui blamed herself because she was pregnant at the wrong time. But her fetus was the offspring of the royal family. Who dared to blame it came at the wrong time?
So she wanted to remind them that it was the Crown Princessâs fault actually!
After all, there was no precedent to follow about the feast yesterday. The Crown Princess held it because she wanted to show that she treasured Side Concubine Cui. After such a bad thing happened, how couldnât they blame the Crown Princessâs superfluous behavior?
As expected, the Crown Prince frowned suddenly after hearing that. Although he didnât scold the Crown Princess in public, he obviously had agreed with Side Concubine Cuiâs words.
The Crown Princess also responded quickly, âDonât talk nonsense! The fetus in your belly is our royal familyâs noble offspring. How can you say it came at the wrong time? You are a mother. If your kid knows it, how sad your kid will be? This is your first kid! Besides, itâs not only your kid, but also the Crown Princeâs kid!â
Then she said, âThe feast yesterday was held for you. But Iâm here. How can I let you take responsibility of it?â
Her words reminded the Crown Prince two things. Firstly, your beloved concubine who was also your cousin was not qualified to be a mother. Secondly, the feast held yesterday was for her. How could she blame me at present without appreciation? Was it reasonable?
She also warned Side Concubine Cui. You were only a side concubine and werenât qualified to be responsible because I was the Crown Prince!
âIâm not good enough to accept your kindness!â Side Concubine Cui narrowed her eyes after hearing that with a faint smile. She said, âIâm really unlucky. The feast should have been happy. But Miss Sikong passed away soon, and Miss Wei is also in an awkward situation. What makes me more upset is thatâ¦â
Song Yixiao put down her handkerchief and looked calm.
Sure enough, Side Concubine Cui mentioned Song Yixiao, âMadam Song, I heard that you had become intimate with Miss Wei at the first meeting and the Crown Princess always cares about you. Today you are invited to come to describe the process. You must be so sad in your heart, right?â
âMadam Song always contacted with my daughter after the birthday party of Dowager Consort of Hengshan this year.â Unexpectedly, before Song Yixiao said, Madam Zhu flashed her eyes and said first, âMadam Song, please restrain your grief after my daughter passed away!â
Then she thanked to Side Concubine Cui, âIf you donât remind me, I will forget that Yiluo isnât only my daughter, but also Madam Songâs friend! We all feel sad due to her death.â
Side Concubine Cui was speechless. She just wanted Madam Zhu to doubt that Song Yixiao showed partiality for the Crown Princess and her younger sister.
Song Yixiao stood up and curtsied to Madam Zhu, âThanks for your attention! Yiluo is really close to me and she is like my sister. But she is also your beloved daughter! Hope you care about yourself and donât let Yiluo worry about you after she passed away!â
Madam Zhu wasnât stupid at all!
Before coming to the Eastern Palace, people of the Sikong Family had asked Sikong Yiluoâs maid about the truth. Besides, although the Sikong Family had something on Wei Yinlian, it was still hard to punish her. How could the Sikong Family create difficulties to Song Yixiao who was the daughter-in-law of the Grand Princess?
Side Concubine Cui wanted to make use of the Sikong Family. But sheâd better be clear whether they were willing to be used by her!
âPlonk!â Jian Xubai put the empty tea bowl on the table casually at this time and said flatly, âYour Highnessâ¦â
âI know. You just told me that your third uncle was not fine recently. You and your wife have made an appointment to visit him at noon.â The Crown Prince instantly nodded his head and looked at people of the Sikong Family and the Wei Family kindly, âDo you have anything else to ask Madam Song? If you donât ask her, I will let them go to visit the elder.â
The two families had a look at each other and all shook their heads. Song Yixiao had already described it clearly. It was meaningless to let her stay here.
Then the couple stood up and left together. But Yuguo stayed here because she had to report to the Empress Dowager. So she couldnât go before there was a result.
Jian Xubai was too familiar with the Crown Prince to stand on ceremony. So he didnât ask servants to send them off.
Song Yixiao and Jian Xubai didnât talk with each other on the way. After getting out of the gate, Song Yixiao thought of the girl who called herself âthe second daughter of the Sikong Familyâ. She looked around and didnât find that girl. Seeing the eunuch talking with Jian Xubai familiarly, Song Yixiao asked, âDoesnât the young lady who wanted to come in belong to the Sikong Family?â
The eunuch smiled, âDid you also hear her words? She is definitely the second young lady of the Sikong Family. But before I reported, the servants of Great Grand Princess Zhenyang had let her back.â
âIt is a big trouble. Even Grandmother will be annoyed to deal with it.â Jian Xubai always rode a horse to court. But to talk conveniently, he went on the carriage with Song Yixiao. After they left the Eastern Palace for a moment, he said, âYou have a good relationship with both two families and itâs not proper to support one of them. Youâd better not interfere in it.â
Song Yixiao had a look at him and said, âI went to the Sikongâs mansion once and didnât see that girl. So I asked about her.â
Seeing Jian Xubai keeping silent, she pondered for a while and then asked, âIs Uncle Limiao fine?â
âItâs just an excuse to leave because I didnât want to stay with them.â Jian Xubai said casually, âWell, what did you say with Grandmother today?â
âJust after we said polite formula, the palace maid reported that Yiluo had passed away.â Song Yixiao looked dark, âHow can I be in a good mood to talk about other things?â
Then she said, âI went to Motherâs mansion and told her that we wanted to let servants in the kitchen leave. But Mother said that she needed them because she bought some real estates. She asked us to send her some extra servants. So we didnât need to send these servants to serve grandfather in hometown.â
âMother wants them?â Jian Xubai was angry rather than happy after hearing that, âThey really havenât given up and even persuade Mother!â
But he returned to be normal soon and only sneered by curling his red lips. He closed his eyes and said, âSince Mother has decided, you just let the Chief House Steward do it. He is clear what kind of people Mother wants!â
Song Yixiao thought about his words and was shocked secretly, âDo you mean that Mother doesnât use these servants to serve herself?â
âThese servants all belong to Grandfather when he was powerful.â Jian Xubai opened his eyes without any emotion in his eyes. He said, âMother isnât interested in political affairs. How can she want them?â
âWill she give these people to Jian Yiyou?â Jian Pingyuâs trusted subordinates must be introduced by Jinguo Grand Princess to Jian Yiyou because they didnât give them to Jian Xubai. Song Yixiao was confused, âWhy do they live in the dukeâs mansion for so many years? When I suggested sending them to serve Grandfather in the hometown last time, Mother also agreed with me and even asked people to negotiate with Grandfather for us!â
A satire flashed in Jian Xubaiâs long eyes. He said, âThey live in the imperial capital for decades to pay attention to the political affairs and to contact with the old friends of Grandfather. After Mother sends them to Jian Yiyou, they will be useful immediately. They are in the dukeâs mansion because itâs not easy to arrange hundreds of people. When I was sent to the palace to grow up, Grandfather asked them to manage the mansion for me. Then they could live there.â
âI see!â Song Yixiao finally realized, âThey give title of nobility to you and give subordinates to Jian Yiyou, right?â
Was it a distribution about the political resource?
But Jian Xubai just wanted to let them leave and didnât want to give them to Jian Yiyou. He just said that they really hadnât given up. Did it mean that these subordinates didnât belong to Jian Yiyou at the beginning?
âAnyway, many people should leave this time.â Jian Xubai didnât want to explain more and just said, âYou brought some servants when you get married. If they are proper, you can let them get the empty positions.â
Song Yixiao understood his meaning that she could decide the domestic affairs and didnât need to care about other things.
In fact, she had no way to care about other things because the servants she brought here were not excellent enough. So she didnât feel uncomfortable about his words.
She just thought secretly in her heart, âItâs no wonder that Chief House Steward and Second House Steward listen to me so easily. Even Jian Xubai felt them so sly. How can they be obedient to me? They didnât want to go so that they created difficulties to me. Now they are eager to go back to serve their own master. So they wonât waste time to argue with me any more!â
The servants in the kitchen intentionally ignored her yesterday, in order to let Song Yixiao tell it to Jinguo Grand Princess. So the Grand Princess could ask Song Yixiao to give them to her!
At present, these people might have gone to Grand Princessâs mansion and prepared to serve in Princess Changxingâs mansion after Jian Yiyou married Princess Changxing!
The carriage arrived at Jian Limiaoâs home. But when they got out and knocked the door, the servant said that although Jian Limiao asked for sick leave, he went out for something unexpectedly happened and would come back later.
âLetâs wait a moment.â Jian Xubai told his wife after he knew that his uncle would come back soon, âIf youâre bored, you can go upstairs to have a look. I remember that there are many collections upstairs.â
Song Yixiao wasnât in a good mood to see them because of Sikong Yiluoâs death. But Jian Xubai said that again. Obviously, he wanted to send her away with an excuse. So she had to stand up and said, âLet me have a look.â
The house steward hurried to ask a maid to guide her.
After going upstairs, Song Yixiao opened the door and saw collections inside in shock. The place was small but had many wonderful collections. Each of them was ancient and had a long history.
âEven the collections in this room are priceless.â Song Yixiao looked up at an ancient painting of the previous dynasty on the wall and sighed with feeling secretly, âI only know the place Uncle Limiao lives is not large. But I didnât expect that this place was so luxurious!â
The maid who guided her to come here saw that she stared at the painting all the time. The maid thought Song Yixiao was interested in it. So she introduced, âThis is Elder Ladyâs dowry. Other paintings arenât hung out because of the limited space. They are put in the boxes over there. Shall I go to unlock the boxes for you if you like them?â
âDonât do that!â Song Yixiao hurried to say, âThese paintings on the wall have already widened my vision!â
The maid puckered in a faint smile and was about to say something. Then she heard that some people were talking outside. âIs master back?â The maid asked.
Although Song Yixiao didnât know why Jian Xubai sent her away with an excuse, she should go downstairs to pay respects after the elder was back. But the maid was not sure about it. So Song Yixiao went to the balcony to have a look. She saw that Jian Limiao in green long gown talked with two people and entered into the yard.
Before she stopped seeing, that two people had found her sensitively and suddenly looked toward her!
There were dozens of steps between them but Song Yixiao could feel their cold eyes clearly. Song Yixiao stepped back unconsciously and palpitated with fear!
âYou are also here?â Fortunately, Jian Limiao also found her and seemed to scold these two people in a low voice. He asked them to turn around and then nodded slightly to his nephewâs wife. He called her loudly, âThe cook makes a new style of pastry. Would you like to stay here and have a taste together with Xubai?â