Four Seasons Brocade – CH 190

Chapter 190 ☆、

Seeing that Chu Mao did not even lift his eyelids after hearing this, Ah Wu knew he would not allow it.

“Those who achieve great things throughout history are not bound by trivialities; they will stop at nothing. Even if Your Highness and the Imperial Princess were not on good terms in the past, you are still aunt and nephew. Can you not put aside your prejudices? If Your Highness could gain the Imperial Princess’s support…” Seeing Chu Mao’s brows furrowing deeper and deeper, Ah Wu knew she was being too hasty. The usually composed Prince Qi was now deeply displeased, a clear indication of his displeasure.

Ah Wu lowered her eyes. Her only understanding of the conflict between Chu Mao and the Imperial Princess was that the Princess disliked Chu Mao and had spoken harshly to him, but she had never witnessed any actual harm done. Therefore, she did not believe there was any irreconcilable, deep-seated hatred between the two, which was why she was trying to win over Chu Mao and the Imperial Princess.

On the way back to the capital, Prince Qi did not speak again, his face devoid of any smile; even his usually slightly upturned lips were pressed into thin lines.

Upon entering the capital, Chu Mao rode ahead to the Forbidden City to meet the Emperor, while Ah Wu’s carriage slowly made its way into the city. The city was bustling with activity, a constant flow of people and carriages. While not everyone wore a joyful expression, their faces at least lacked the anguish and despair of war-torn civilians. This was because countless soldiers had risked their lives on the front lines to secure peace for the realm.

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Behind those unfamiliar, indifferent faces, who knew how much blood those soldiers had shed? The court’s indifference was chilling. In ancient times, meritorious officials returning to court were greeted with the Emperor’s personal welcome and the presence of all civil and military officials outside the city; at the very least, a prince or prime minister would greet them. But with Chu Mao, although he was greeted by Liu Jianyou, the Minister of War, his only request was that his troops return to the west, and that the imperial tally be handed over to the court. He could not even wait for Chu Mao to personally enter the court to meet the Emperor before returning the tally.

Afterwards, Chu Mao entered the city alone, without any of the grandeur of a victorious general. Ah Wu, watching Chu Mao’s lonely figure from the carriage, felt a sharp pain in her eyes and inexplicably shed tears.

Upon arriving at Prince Qi’s mansion, Ah Wu naturally could not enter openly. Knowing that Princess Qi was still in bed, Bing-Shuang put her arm around Ah Wu’s waist, climbed over the wall, and went straight into Yulan Hall.

“Master!” Zi-Yi was the first to see Ah Wu, rushing forward with joy. Hearing this, Zi-Shan, Zi-Zhui, and the others also came out, all overjoyed.

“You’ve lost weight, you’ve lost weight,” Nanny Sang said, tears welling in her eyes again as she reached Yulan Hall.

“Ah, it’s so much better in the capital,” Ah Wu smiled, letting Zi-Shan and the others help her bathe and change. She put on a worn, soft, close-fitting Songjiang cloth robe, let Zi-Shan wring out her hair, and after having a bowl of bird’s nest porridge, Ah Wu finally felt certain that she was back in her luxurious life. No wonder the riches and honors were so dazzling; life in the capital was so much better than the harsh conditions of Luobei.

“Has anything happened in the mansion while I was away?” Ah Wu asked, closing her eyes for a short rest.

Zi-Shan began, “A new cousin has arrived at the mansion. She says she’s the niece of the late Empress Xiaozhen. Nanny Hao has kept her at Hongyao Villa. She’s tried several times to see the Princess, but I’ve always refused, saying the Princess is ill.”

“Is there anything special about this cousin?” Ah Wu asked. Otherwise, why would Zi-Shan bring up a cousin who was just visiting relatives?

Zi-Shan did not answer. “I cannot say for sure. The Princess will know when she sees her in a few days.”

Ah Wu glared at Zi-Shan. This girl was really spoiled; she even dared to dismiss her so easily. However, Ah Wu did not press further. “Hmm, continue.”

“Gongsun Yi-niang is having an affair and is currently being held captive in Linglong Pavilion by Nanny Hao. They say they will deal with her once the Princess recovers,” Zi-Yi said.

Ah Wu’s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting such a thing to happen. “How did they discover her affair? Has she revealed who the lover is?”

“It was during her weekly pulse check that the physician detected she was pregnant, but she absolutely refuses to reveal the lover,” Zi-Yi added.

“She’s quite a devoted woman,” Ah Wu sighed softly.

“Is there anything else?” Ah Wu asked again.

“Lady He returned to the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion after the Prince left the capital and has not come back since,” Zi-Shan said.

Ah Wu nodded. It seemed the Duke of Zhenguo had chosen his side, and He Peizhen was still a virgin; there was much more to it than met the eye. Ah Wu rubbed her forehead, realizing that even a life of luxury was not so easy.

Then Zi-Shan said that Lady Cui had sent people to deliver things to her several times, and Second Madam Rong, knowing she was ill, had also come once, but Zi-Shan had turned her away. She added that Second Madam Rong was very angry. It took Ah Wu a moment to connect Second Brother Rong’s wife with Tang Yin. She sighed, rubbing her head, “Oh dear, I’ve offended Sister Yin.”

However, these were not Ah Wu’s biggest worries. Her greatest concern was whether Chu Mao could return to Prince Qi’s mansion unscathed that night.

As it turned out, Ah Wu’s worries were unfounded. Since His Highness Prince Qi had dared to capture and release Jinguo Erhan nine times, he had naturally already planned his escape. That very night, upon returning to Prince Qi’s mansion, Chu Mao went to Xu Xian Hall for a long talk with his advisors; even Nanny Hao did not see him until the next day.

Ah Wu hesitated for a moment, then only instructed Zi-Zhui to send a bowl of ginseng soup to Bingxue Forest. She desperately wanted to go there to personally inquire about Chu Mao’s situation in the palace the previous day, but ever since she had spoken well of the Imperial Princess, Chu Mao seemed to have become somewhat distant from her, and the two rarely spoke. Ah Wu feared that if she went to Bingxue Forest, she would likely be chased away by Chu Mao again, losing face in front of everyone.

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A few days passed, and Ah Wu still had not seen Chu Mao return to Yulan Hall. She figured he probably still harbored resentment, so she did not bother him. Meanwhile, Ah Wu’s “illness” gradually improved, and she sent someone to Tao Siyao’s and the others’ courtyards to express her longing, asking them to come and talk to her when they had time. Nanny Hao, understanding the situation, brought the cousin to Yulan Hall.

In Ah Wu’s memory, she had never heard of this cousin in her previous life. She heard that this cousin, Yuan Rongmeng, was the daughter of Empress Xiaozhen’s younger brother. After Empress Xiaozhen’s death, the Yuan family rapidly declined; both her parents died, and Empress Xiaozhen’s only brother was demoted and exiled to Liaodong, where he recently also passed away. This cousin had no relatives left, so she sent a message to Prince Qi’s mansion, which was why Nanny Hao sent someone to bring her here.

Therefore, Yuan Rongmeng could be considered the sole heir of the Yuan family.

“Greetings to the Princess Consort.” Yuan Rongmeng’s voice was soft and gentle, evoking a sense of pity. She was eighteen years old, two years older than Ah Wu, but her slender frame made her appear only fourteen or fifteen. At this moment, she was bowing her head, nervously wringing her handkerchief.

“We are all family, Cousin; do not be so formal. Sit down and let’s have a good talk.” Although Ah Wu could not bring herself to shed tears at a family reunion, she deeply sympathized with Yuan Rongmeng’s plight. Liaodong was bitterly cold, and Yuan Rongmeng was an orphan. Before Nanny Hao sent someone to fetch her, she had endured countless hardships.

Yuan Rongmeng looked up at Ah Wu gratefully. She was most anxious about her cousin-in-law’s attitude towards her. She had heard that her cousin, whom she had never met, greatly admired this Princess, but she had visited Yulan Hall several times without seeing her.

While Yuan Rongmeng was grateful, Ah Wu’s grip on the teacup tightened. Although Ah Wu did not show it outwardly, she had always been proud of her beauty. She never expected to meet Yuan Rongmeng today, and a sudden feeling of “Why did fate create both Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang?” arose in her heart.

Yuan Rongmeng’s face and her slender figure seemed like two completely different people. Judging from her voice, one might assume she was a sweet and innocent girl, but the moment she looked up, she radiated beauty and allure, a natural beauty, a peerless gem.

Yuan Rongmeng possessed willow-leaf eyebrows, a lotus-like face, and phoenix eyes that sparkled with life. Her slightly upturned eyes seemed to capture a fraction of the world’s allure, every glance a whisper of autumn’s passion. Her slightly full pink lips carried a hint of reproach even when not smiling, and a smile that bloomed like spring itself—truly a smile that could launch a thousand ships, making one’s soul melt.

Yet, Yuan Rongmeng was inherently gentle and sweet-natured, adding a touch of innocence to her allure. This contradiction made it all the more captivating.

Ah Wu finally understood why Zi-Shan had said she would know this cousin was different the moment she’d seen her. Ah Wu felt a sudden surge of suspicion but outwardly became even more amiable.

When Yuan Rongmeng looked at Ah Wu, her heart was not at peace. This cousin-in-law was exquisitely beautiful, with an elegant bearing and stunning looks. Her very presence alone commanded respect. Yuan Rongmeng had never seen such a beauty in her life.

Meanwhile, Ah Wu and Yuan Rongmeng admired each other in their hearts and even compared their beauty. In truth, they were both like a spring orchid and an autumn chrysanthemum, each with their own strengths, and it was impossible to say who was superior.

Ah Wu’s beauty was exquisitely refined, like a peony glistening with dew, a glimpse of spring, every inch and detail exquisitely beautiful. Yuan Rongmeng’s beauty, on the other hand, was alluring. Individually, one might find her lips too thick or her nose too hooked, but together they created a breathtaking spectacle, like the sunset on the horizon.

Ah Wu’s beauty was proper, while Yuan Rongmeng’s was natural. Therefore, Ah Wu admitted defeat to Yuan Rongmeng. Yuan Rongmeng, however, envied Ah Wu’s refined elegance and otherworldly grace, like a celestial maiden from the Moon Palace, distant and unattainable, while she herself was as lowly as dust.

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Ah Wu spoke with Yuan Rongmeng for a while, finding her knowledgeable, reasonable, and elegant in speech; her suspicions only intensified.

“My cousin is also pitiful. Now that you are here, just treat me as your own sister. If you have anything to say, just tell Nanny Hao or me,” Ah Wu said gently. “You are currently staying at Hongyao Villa; it’s spacious there, and you can talk to Sister Xiangsi. She’s getting married soon, and you will not see each other as often anymore.”

“Yes,” Yuan Rongmeng replied.

Nanny Hao was somewhat surprised. She had thought that Ah Wu would find a different place for Yuan Rongmeng to stay, separating her from Yuan Rongmeng and Prince Qi. Unexpectedly, Ah Wu, the Princess Qi, was quite generous.

“Meng-jie, you should go back to Hongyao Villa first. I have some things to discuss with the Princess,” Nanny Hao said to Yuan Rongmeng.

Yuan Rongmeng obediently got up and bid farewell to Ah Wu.

Ah Wu smiled and told Yuan Rongmeng to come and visit often when she had time. After seeing Yuan Rongmeng off, Ah Wu turned back to look at Nanny Hao, a hint of sarcasm on her lips. How Yuan Rongmeng had sent a message and how Nanny Hao had received her—the whole process was quite interesting. Moreover, someone like Yuan Rongmeng had never appeared in her previous life. Otherwise, given her status as the only daughter of the Yuan family, Ah Wu, who had hovered around Emperor Zhengyuan for so many years, should not have never known of her. She wondered what had happened in her past life. In this life, it was probably because she had become the Princess Consort Qi, and Nanny Hao’s domineering nature and Xiangsi’s jealousy were likely the reasons.

However, given Yuan Rongmeng’s tragic past, it was quite puzzling why Chu Mao had not sent anyone to care for his uncle’s family.