Lady Kelpi Translations

Chapter One Hundred and Four:
Rosy

Shaoshang withdrew from the banquet with a head full of worries, walking along the palace alley towards Changqiu Palace. She just rounded a row of towering cedar trees when she saw the Crown Princess and the Second Prince’s wife standing opposite of each other by Jingxin Lake in the Northern Palace. Shaoshang immediately stopped in her tracks, raising her hand to hush Lian Fang and Sang Guo, who had just entered the palace that day.

“…You don’t need to say those words to provoke me, Crown Princess.” The Second Prince’s wife looked contemptuous. “You and I have been in-laws for many years now. You’re right, Shaoshang’s background is far inferior to yours and mine. You’re right, she is now more powerful than both of us. But what about it? She’s able to win the favor of our parents!”

“Haven’t you always wanted to transfer your cousin back to the capital from the northwest?” the Crown Princess said in a soft voice. “You’ve been pleading with the Empress for months, but she’s refused to do anything. Cheng Shaoshang doesn’t even have to say anything and His Majesty transferred her third uncle from a remote, small county to be the prefect of a larger, wealthier county. And just watch, once we’ve taken back Shouchun, her father will return and be rewarded for meritorious efforts.”

“A few days ago, you also begged the Empress to betroth your cousin to the eldest son of Prince Ruyang,” the Second Prince’s wife sneered. “Although Mother didn’t agree to my cousin’s matter, she didn’t completely block the way. But as for you, she refused without any hesitation! Looking at the Crown Prince’s appearance, I’m afraid both the Emperor and the Empress do not want to have another family member as you as a daughter!”

The Crown Princess’s face immediately changed and she pointed a trembling finger at her. “You…”

“If it’s really about one’s background, do you remember when I was young and saw one of your uncle’s visit my father at home?” the Second Prince’s wife continued, adding another log to the fire. “Before he even stepped up and took off his shoes, he had to bow respectfully to my father. But after getting married, you are both the eldest sister-in-law and the wife of the Crown Prince. Do I have to bow down to you every time I see you? I feel at peace. Why are you trying to use Shaoshang to provoke me?”

The Crown Princess’s face turned ugly. She felt incredibly humiliated.

Hearing this, Shaoshang felt quite satisfied. Before the Crown Princess had the chance to speak again, she quickly walked out and appeared in front of the two women. The Crown Princess and Second Prince’s wife were both stunned. It was the Second Prince’s wife who was the first to react. She smiled. “It’s Shaoshang. Have you finished toasting everyone?”

Shaoshang bowed respectfully. “Replying to Your Highnesses, I have finished.”

The Second Prince’s wife was immensely pleased with how pale the Crown Princess’s face was. “Shaoshang, did you hear what we were talking about just now?” she deliberately pointed out.

Shaoshang also glanced at the Crown Princess. “I heard some of it, some… some I didn’t hear quite clearly,” she said, smiling.

The Second Prince’s wife chuckled lightly.

The Crown Princess finally calmed herself down and gave a stiff smile. “Shaoshang, you’ve been staying in the palace for days now. You and Zisheng have even attended two banquets at Second Brother’s mansion but still haven’t come to the Eastern Palace. It’s winter and you have more time now. You’ll come to my residence tomorrow no matter what!”

“Tomorrow won’t work because it’s my rest day,” Shaoshang said solemnly.

“The day after tomorrow, then!” The Crown Princess pulled a face.

“The day after tomorrow won’t work, either. Master Ling and I are visiting Madam Huo.”

“Then the day after that!” The Crown Princess gritted her teeth. She knew she had used the wrong attitude towards Cheng Shaoshang at first and wanted to find any opportunity she could to change that.

Shaoshang had whetted the other’s appetite and couldn’t help but say, “Fine. The day after visiting Madam Huo.”

The Second Prince’s wife kept smiling. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that the Crown Princess was collecting debts instead of inviting guests over. Alright, but with sincerity… Oh, isn’t that…” She suddenly shouted out. “Sister Ling! Sister Ling!”

Shaoshang and the Crown Princess followed her gaze and saw a group of eunuchs and palace maids walking on the opposite side of Jingxin Lake. They surrounded a man and woman in splendid attire, and behind them were two palace maids holding children.

The man had an ordinary face and looked to be about thirty, looking like an ordinary young master from an aristocratic family. The young lady in splendid attire, however, was not ordinary. She looked to be about twenty-six or twenty-seven, was graceful and beautiful with fair and beautiful skin. As she approached, Shaoshang felt that even her demeanor was elegant and noble, her eyes were warm, but her expression wasn’t good and her frown was deep.

Without waiting, the Second Prince’s wife warmly stepped forward and pulled the young woman’s arm. “Sister Ling,” she said excitedly, “it’s really you! I thought I was in a dream! Why are you back in the Capital? Weren’t you in Hedong? Why did you come to the palace? How come you didn’t come and see me?”

The young woman laughed at the series of questions, but still bowed to the Crown Princess and the Second Prince’s wife with her husband. While bowing, the young man called himself ‘Foreign Minister Liang Shang.’

“My husband and I have always been in our Hedong,” the young woman said. “Recently, the governor of state came to the capital to report our work, so he asked us to come together. We arrived only a few days ago. Today, the Empress announced that we should enter the palace.”

“You won’t leave this time, will you?” the Second Prince’s wife held her hand tightly. “Every time we gather, we miss you! Mother has been talking about you for years and wants to see your child!”

As she spoke, her gaze turned to behind the young woman. The two palace maids had already placed the two children on the ground. The girl was about six or seven years old while the boy was about four or five.

The young woman whispered to her children to greet them, but the Second Prince’s wife quickly stopped her. She bent down and grinned at them. “So, these are your children. You gave birth to a precious jade tree and a lovely jade snowflake. Are these the only children you have? I have two sons and one daughter. Let’s have the children play together…”

Shaoshang didn’t know who this newcomer was at the beginning. Then she saw the Crown Princess’s sinister expression, ten times uglier than when she had just been ridiculed and mocked by the Second Prince’s wife. She had a vague idea who this ‘Sister Ling’ was now.

The Second Prince’s wife began to say several things in a row, until the young woman’s husband became impatient. “Shaoshang,” she said, smiling, “come over and let me introduce you. This is my sister whom I’ve been good friends with. Her last name is Qu and her courtesy name is Ling Jun. Ling Jun, this is the future bride of Zisheng, Cheng Shaoshang. Don’t let her young age fool you, she’s very intelligent and interesting!”

Qu Ling Jun greeted Shaoshang with a smile and then carefully examined her. “In the blink of an eye, Zisheng is all grown up. I remember when he was only ten-years-old and His Majesty planned his marriage and children.”

The Second Prince’s wife hid her laughter in her sleeve. “What you said is true. Father has been hoping that Zisheng would get married soon. Little did he know that now Zisheng is in such a hurry!”

“Good food isn’t afraid of being late,” Qu Ling Jun said. “Zisheng has always been mature since he was a child and has great success. It’s better for him to marry when he is willing rather than being forced to be married…”

At this moment, the man named Liang Shang couldn’t stop himself from saying, “Why don’t you talk with the nobles? I’ll leave with the children.” As he turned around, he made an attempt to take the children. However, the two children seemed to be afraid of their father and both took a step back.

Liang Shang’s face showed his displeasure. He coldly called for the palace maids to pick up the children.

The Crown Princess stared at her coldly, then put on a fake smile. “Master, there’s no need to rush away. We haven’t seen your wife for many years and we all miss her very much. Madam Qu, since you’ve returned to the capital, why don’t you send a letter to the Eastern Palace? Since you’re back, you’ll have to visit.”

When she said the words ‘Eastern Palace,’ she deliberately added a bit of emphasis to them. Shaoshang inwardly frowned as she witnessed a hint of evil energy surge on Master Liang’s face.

“A woman should follow her husband in whatever he does,” Qu Ling Jun was neither humble nor haughty as she spoke. “The governor of state sees that my husband has achieved success in his studies in recent years. He wants to introduce him to several officials in the city and teach him about government affairs. If he wants to leave one day, I, as his wife, will definitely follow him.”

“I haven’t seen you in years,” the Crown Princess said softly, glancing at this ‘Master Liang.’ “Looking back on the days when you were considered sister of the Empress in our palace, you spoke without hesitation. But now you’re calling yourself a wife and bend your knee. Time does change people…”

Qu Ling Jun saw her husband’s expression and quickly said, “There are many things that change in the world, people are one of them. Although our identities have changed, our relationship will not change.”

“Sister Ling is right!” the Second Prince’s wife immediately said. “No matter what changes, I will always treat her as my sister!”

“Everyone is here, why don’t you visit the Eastern Palace for a few days?” the Crown Princess said lightly.

‘Master Liang’ snorted coldly and stood to the side with a flick of his sleeve.

“I will not go to the Eastern Palace,” Qu Ling Jun angrily said, lifting her head. “Crown Princess, please stop saying these vapid words. It isn’t good for anyone, or yourself, to know if someone is interested.”

Shaoshang was taken aback after hearing the merciless refusal. She thought to herself, ‘She’s gentle on the outside and tough on the inside. She has a good personality.’

The Crown Princess’s face turned ashen. She forced a smile. “That’s good. I recently received some fine silk from Jiang Jin in the south. I’ll send it to you later. I’ll head back first so you can reminisce about the past.”

“The Crown Princess must be joking,” Qu Ling Jun respectfully said. “This is the palace, we can’t chat casually. I’m also going to Changqiu Palace. Since Your Highness is going back, I’ll send you off first.” As she spoke, she bent her knees and gave a proper bow.

The Crown Princess glanced at her and then left with a cold snort. As she walked away, Qu Ling Jun turned around and said to the Second Prince’s wife, “This isn’t the place to talk. We’ll meet again later.”

The Second Prince’s wife nodded and watched as Qu Ling Jun and her group left. After a long time, she sighed. “Back then, I thought I’d get to be a sister-in-law with her… Well, Shaoshang, I see you aren’t surprised. I’m sure Zisheng told you about that past.”

“Your Highness guessed wrong this time,” Shaoshang said, smiling helplessly. “It wasn’t Master Ling who told me.” It was the Empress who had said it. Ling Buyi was very tight-lipped.

The Second Prince’s wife raised her eyebrows but didn’t question any further. She looked towards the direction that Qu Ling Jun and her group had gone. “Back then, Sister Ling often came to the palace to play. It’s a pity…” She sighed and turned her head to Shaoshang. “Shaoshang, if Sister Ling Jun became the Crown Princess, our lives would definitely be better than it is right now. Don’t you think?”

“Your Highness, please be cautious of your words,” Shaoshang said, smiling gently. “Besides, I don’t dare to say whether it’s good or bad. However, I see that Madam Qu is doing well now. Her husband is probably from a good family and they’ve raised such a lovely pair of children. Let’s not mention the past.”

Ling Buyi had once said that although the Second Prince’s wife appeared straightforward, she was actually meticulous and talented in managing the Second Prince’s household without anything leaking out.

“An equal match marriage is an equal match marriage,” the Second Prince’s wife said with disdain. “You’ve also seen this ‘Master Liang.’ Not only is he impatient, he is also very mediocre. Aiyo, it’s a pity that Sister Ling Jun has talent and knowledge. It’s also a pity that I have to be a sister-in-law to such a mediocre woman and not be recognized for my talents…”

Shaoshang snorted. “Again, please watch your words, Your Highness… also, how can you praise yourself so much?”

The Second Prince’s wife turned towards the direction that the Crown Princess had gone. “I never dare to underestimate people from backgrounds that aren’t as good as mine. When I was young, I saw the chaotic world outside with my father, as well as the heroes that came from rough backgrounds. But our Crown Princess… hmm… if she really has the ability to coax the Empress and Crown Prince, I can also admire her. However, she is neither talented nor knowledgeable. She lacks tolerance for others. She even lacks the ability to argue. Apart from using social etiquette to suppress me, she has never won against me. You’ll know if you really get to know her in the future. It’s not that I don’t have virtue, I’m being truthful…”

Shaoshang was reluctant to condemn her in both speech and writing, so she decided to change the subject. “Forgive me for my ignorance, but which family is Madam Qu married to? Have I seen any relatives of his family?”

The Second Prince’s wife smiled and turned around. “Didn’t you see? It’s Master Liang Wuji from the banquet. The husband of Sister Ling Jun is the future head of the Liang family.”

Shaoshang nodded. “Thank you for your guidance. Marquis Liang is very reasonable and kind. With her father-in-law being like that, I don’t think Madam Qu’s life will be difficult.”

The Second Prince’s wife gave an exasperated laugh as she beckoned Shaoshang to walk with her along the lake. “It would be great if he was her father-in-law. No, Marquis Liang is Liang Shang’s uncle. His father is his brother and is one year older. Back then, Marquis Liang’s mother passed away soon after giving birth to a son. His brother, Liang Shang’s father, wanted to adopt his nephew and personally raise him since he had no children. It took twenty years for Liang Shang’s father and his new wife to give birth to Liang Shang and his younger brother. But then Old Master Liang fell seriously ill and his days were numbered.”

Shaoshang’s gaze drifted over to the withered willow branches by the lake. “Well, this should have happened twenty or thirty years ago. The world wasn’t peaceful at that time. Not to mention a big family like the Liang family, even a small family would need a young and strong person to take charge.”

The Second Prince’s wife’s eyes shined with admiration. “Precisely! Old Master Liang is a wise person, especially since he already regarded his nephew as his own. Before his death, he passed on the position of head of the family to Marquis Liang, who was only in his twenties. Old Master Liang didn’t entrust the wrong person. The previous Emperor searched and plundered everything. He was ruthless and unscrupulous. The Hedong aristocratic families, which were once on par with the Liang family, fell and became unknown. The Liang family has always been stable and reliable.”

Shaoshang knew that if it weren’t for that, the Lou family, who originally was a second- or third-class aristocratic family, wouldn’t have been able to have the opportunity in Hedong to emerge.

“If Old Master Liang could see it through, others might not. His widow was still young when she was widowed and refused to remarry. She couldn’t forget her old relationship. While Governor Liang was busy in the front, she went out to find people to cry to in the back. She either complained about his orphan and widowed mother’s pitiful feelings, or talked about Old Master Liang’s ‘tremendous’ kindness to Governor Liang . When I was young, I heard many people say that Liang’s mother was foolish and despicable! Well, I don’t know if that’s what happened. I don’t know if it was the secret curse of Aunt Liang. The Governor of Liangzhou seems to have followed his uncle with a shallow life. After his old wife passed away, only a few daughters born to his concubines were left. Just before Sister Ling got married, the Governor of Liangzhou appointed Liang Shang as the next head of the family in front of the elders and relatives of the Qu family.”

“If Governor Liang were like Old Master Liang, he would have a son in his later years.” Shaoshang frowned.

The Second Prince’s wife didn’t care about that. “It’s useless to have a son in later years. Is it a joke to make a vow in front of our ancestor’s tablets and relatives’ marriage?”

“Just now, you said that Liang is still very mediocre. If someone says he cannot bear the position of the head of the family and wants to change it to someone else, what should Madam Qu do?” A person who could marry the Crown Prince was already at a disadvantage as the head of the family. In the end, she didn’t even get this.

“Hmph, are the Qu family a vegetarian? Back then, the Liang and Qu families turned against each other and it’s easy for their past grievances to be resolved, leading to a friendship between Qin and Jin. Besides, with the world being peaceful as it is now, as long as Liang Shang doesn’t lose his head and cause trouble, the situation won’t get worse.”

“Your Highness, you truly know about the world. Whether it’s the old stories of other families or the values of the world and its people, you know it all. Your words are clear and accurate, I admire it to the fullest.”

“That’s because I married a husband with a firecracker personality. If I didn’t elongate my ears and widened my eyes, the royal family would know what my mansion is like. If I married a husband like Zisheng, I could ignore everything. Well, not only that, but he’d also make up his mind about how the daily facial wash should be.”

The two of them stopped at the same time, glanced at each other, and then laughed.

Everyone thought that Ling Buyi was an immortal who couldn’t be blamed. It was rare for someone to complain about him and that made Shaoshang especially happy.

After laughing, the Second Prince’s wife turned solemn. “Sister Shaoshang, I have something to entrust you with. Yesterday, my older brother wrote a letter saying that my father is sick and has been thinking about me. Therefore, I plan to set out tomorrow to visit him. Although Pingyang County isn’t far, it will take at least a month to return home. If there’s anything wrong with the Second Prince, please ask Zisheng to take care of him. When I come back, I will compensate you heavily… Whether Zisheng agrees or not, I thank you for your kindness.”

Shaoshang readily agreed. She inwardly sighed, although the Second Prince was reckless, he really had great luck in marrying her. His Highness the Crown Prince was so kind, but unfortunately, he was married to someone he clearly couldn’t handle.

…

The next day, Shaoshang slept soundly at home for the entire day. The day after that, she followed Ling Buyi to visit Huo Junhua at the Apricot Courtyard and once again met Uncle Cui You. He not only came to visit Huo Junhua but also brought his two sons with him.

The eldest Cui son was thirteen years old this year and his younger brother was two years younger. The two were very similar to their father, both with slender hands and feet and a thin, monkey-like appearance. They were very clever and energetic. When Shaoshang arrived, the two of them were gathered around Huo Junhua, one pounding her shoulders and the other carrying in soup and medicine. Both of them called her ‘Sister Huo’ with bright smiles on their faces.

That’s right. Considering Huo Junhua’s mind was stuck in her teenage years, Brother A’Yuan was naturally unmarried and childless. Cui Da and Cui Er pretended that their biological father was their ‘distant cousin.’

“With your appearance and family background, that’s the Moon Empress, Wu Yue, and Xi Shi. It’s more than enough to be married to a nobleman. How can you marry so casually?” Cui Da said.
[These are various beautiful women in ancient China.]

Cui Er said, “No, that’s not true. Sister Huo, you have to be modest and not be so amiable, otherwise any eight monsters will dare to secretly admire you!” As he said this, he very obviously looked at his own father.

Huo Junhua drank her medicine in one gulp, not even noticing its bitterness because of the boys’ praise. “Although you two are young, you have good eyesight,” she said proudly. “I also feel that I’m easy to talk to and I have a soft heart. Because of that, any regular person has the courage to think of me that way. I need to be strong!”

Cui Hou’s angry face turned pale. Shaoshang shifted so as to not show her hidden smile.

The two Cui boys pushed their father aside, coaxing Huo Junhua into a dazzling smile, resembling a pair of sycophants. Unexpectedly, when they saw Ling Buyi, they immediately became obedient and docile. The respect shining in their eyes nearly blinded Shaoshang. Ling Buyi also liked them very much. He picked them both up and carried them out to the courtyard to teach them martial arts.

After his two unfilial sons left, Marquis Cui took the opportunity to approach the goddess and flatter her by proposing to have lunch together.

Huo Junhua put on a stern expression and a reserved tone. “This is not possible. Since we are unmarried, even if we grew up together, we still have to adhere to etiquette. Also, don’t always call me ‘Sister Junhua!’ Neighbors will start to gossip!”

Marquis Cui nearly lost his breath he was so angry. Shaoshang had been sitting by the window about to take a drink of water when she heard this. She sprayed out a cheerful rainbow in the sunlight.

…

On the third day, Shaoshang finished her schoolwork in front of the Empress as usual. After lunch, she took a brief nap and woke up to tidy up her clothing in front of the mirror. She then walked confidently towards the Eastern Palace.

“Young Mistress, why are you going?” Liang Fang asked worriedly as they walked along the path. “The Eastern Palace is their territory. What if the Crown Princess bullies you?”

Shaoshang’s stride was confident and fearless. “Back then, I didn’t know her background, so I never went to the Eastern Palace. Now… first, I know in my heart that the Crown Princess can’t hold onto me. Second, I can’t always avoid her.”

“Young Mistress, she is the Crown Princess,” Sang Guo whispered. “If you offend her, what will she do to set you up in the future?”

“You’re talking like if I don’t offend her, she wouldn’t have tripped me up,” Shaoshang sneered. “She’s what the world calls an ignorant person. Whether you offend her or not, she will step on you a few times.”

They entered the Eastern Palace just as they finished speaking. The Crown Princess had set up refreshments and fruit wine in the inner hall. At the same time, she took several girls from her mother’s family to accompany her.

How many steps were needed to win someone over and subdue them for personal use? The Crown Princess calculated several times in her heart, only using the word ‘benefit’ to intimidate and offer the pros and cons. Then it was natural.

She planned to first point out Cheng Shaoshang’s potential difficulties, intimidate her into an unpredictable future, and then generously promise various benefits after expressing her willingness to support her in the palace. The plan would be a success.

After eating some refreshments, the Crown Princess saw that the first two were polite when they exchanged greetings. She let out a long, drawn out sigh, waiting for Shaoshang to ask, ‘Why is Your Highness sighing?’ Unexpectedly, the young girl only lowered her head and continued to eat and drink, occasionally commenting on the glossy shape of the lacquerware.

The Crown Princess held her breath and glared to her side. Her younger cousin understood and said, “Crown Princess, why are you sighing?”

Finally, the Crown Princess could speak. She let out a fake sigh. “I sigh because Sister Shaoshang is in trouble. She’s right in front of me, yet she’s ignorant.”

According to the original plan, Shaoshang should have been very nervous and ask, ‘Why am I in trouble?’ However, the Crown Princess was afraid that she wouldn’t understand the charm, so the task was taken on by her younger cousin.

“Mistress Cheng is about to marry a noble husband and is loved by the Empress. How difficult can that be?” her cousin asked.

Shaoshang’s interest seemed to be piqued and she looked up from the food table.

“Sister Shaoshang,” the Crown Princess lamented. “You are young and sometimes your concerns are not comprehensive enough. The last time you offended the Fifth Princess, you caused her to be detained and now her estates have all been taken back. Now that you’ve become enemies, if she’s allowed out in the future, will she not retaliate against you? As for the Empress, she was angry at the time and could say nothing. But, in the future, if she starts to feel sorry for her daughter and begins to blame you, what should you do?”

Shaoshang thought for a moment and asked, “What clever plan does Your Highness have to help me out of trouble?”

“I’m thinking for your sake,” the Crown Princess said. “As the saying goes, if you’re distant, the Empress and Princess are actually mother and daughter. For the sake of the future, you may as well plead with the Empress to have her release the Fifth Princess from her mansion and return her estates. This way, she’ll remember your feelings and the resentment between you two will be resolved. Maybe you can still be close as sisters in the future.”

Shaoshang smiled. “There are two things that the Crown Princess should understand. First, when the Fifth Princess accused me of murder, I didn’t do anything to offend her. The reason why she was angry with me is clear to you. Therefore, unless I terminate my engagement with Master Ling, the princess will not be as close as a sister to me.”

“That’s why if you can repay your kindness with resentment and rescue the princess from her mansion, she’ll surely be grateful to you,” the Crown Princess urgently exclaimed.

Shaoshang’s smile grew as she continued. “Secondly, five days ago, Master Ling told me that the Fifth Princess bribed a guard a few days prior and asked her maid to secretly leave the mansion with gold, silver and jade to go to the Eastern Palace to persuade the Crown Princess to speak for her. “

Caught off guard, the Crown Princess’s face turned purple, feeling like she had just been manipulated. It took a while for her to force a smile and said, “Fifth Sister is also eager to come up with a solution. As a noblewoman, I always have to deal with her. I’m in charge of those gold, silver and jade temporarily…”

Seeing Shaoshang’s smiling eyes, the Crown Princess couldn’t continue.

“However, your words are also reasonable,” Shaoshang said. “So, since the Fifth Princess was punished, I have been pleading for her in front of His Majesty and the Empress every now and again. As for whether to let her go or not, the two elders have their own opinions.” Who wouldn’t be a good person and wait for the Crown Princess to persuade them.

The first plan had failed and the Crown Princess’s face went dark. She still remained strong, however, and continued to fight.

“Alright, let’s put this matter aside for Fifth Sister. Since we’re speaking about your marriage to Zisheng, I am older than you and have to persuade you. Over the years, why did His Majesty persuade Zisheng to get married earlier? Wasn’t it just to spread the branches and leaves and produce offspring? But you’re still young, and having children at an early age is not good for your health. When His Majesty sees that raising a son isn’t fruitful, he will secretly blame you. What should you do? In my opinion, it’s better to plan early. Look for a few trustworthy sisters to become concubines in the future, who can serve as confidants and also share the burden of childbirth with you. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“I have told the Emperor and Empress before that I am a jealous person and won’t allow Master Ling to take concubines,” Shaoshang said, tilting her head. “If he dares, I’ll kill one of them and cripple the others.”

The girls next to the Crown Princess had originally been shy and bashful. Hearing those words, their faces all turned deathly pale.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness,” Shaoshang smiled, stopping the Crown Princess from speaking again. “Your words are also reasonable. After all, it’s not easy to have children.”

The Crown Princess wiped her sweat from her forehead and smiled. “As long as you listen, it’s all for your own good. Look at these sisters of mine Each one has a gentle temperament and is knowledgeable and rational…”

“However,” Shaoshang interrupted, “if I wanted to find a concubine, why not find one in my own family? Not to mention that there are many daughters under my father’s command, even the Cheng family in the country have many daughters. Wouldn’t that be more reliable and trustworthy?”

“How can those clumsy women be worthy of Zisheng?” the Crown Princess exclaimed in anger.

“Why can’t they be worthy?” Shaoshang’s eyes flashed with mockery. “It’s just for producing offspring. It’s better to be thicker. What can those water-spirited and enchanting women do? Are they going to try to alienate me from Master Ling in the future?”

The Crown Princess, once again, was left speechless because what the other girl had said was truly reasonable. Like herself, since she couldn’t bear children, the concubines recommended to the Crown Prince were all strong and unattractive.

“The days ahead will be very long.” Since this little slut couldn’t listen to good advice, the Crown Princess’s face turned cold. “Now that Sister Shaoshang has the favor of the Emperor and Empress, she naturally doesn’t take me seriously. But the days ahead are long. Why aren’t you willing to befriend me and form a sisterly alliance? If you accept me, I will treat you like a sister in the future.”

Oh, she was threatening, now. Shaoshang happily said, “I thought that having Master Ling and His Highness the Crown Prince as good friends and a brotherly relationship was enough. Your Highness the Crown Princess, forgive me for not daring to climb high.”

The implication was that your old glory and wealth still hung on the Crown Prince, so it was better to please him directly than to please you… Besides, a thought had already formed in her heart.

The Crown Princess was indeed, as the Second Prince’s wife had said, greedy, hypocritical, and foolish.

In fact, she didn’t know that the existence of the Emperor and Empress was the greatest protection for her. The Emperor made a solemn promise and the Empress was kind. If those two pillars were gone, she would have no favor, no children and no family background. There was no need for Ling Buyi to come forward and for Shaoshang herself to pull her down. Shaoshang didn’t even have to do it herself. Were those meritorious officials and nobles who coveted the Empress’s throne and the benefits of their relatives eating dry rice? The ridiculous Crown Princess was still looking forward to a better life after the passing of the Empress in the future.

The Crown Princess no longer wanted to pretend to be kind. “Okay. Since you are so bad and won’t listen, I will discuss etiquette, law, and filial piety with you! Since you’ve been engaged, you have never been to Marquis Ling’s mansion and you even ignored his wife! No matter what, she is the stepmother of Zisheng and you shouldn’t ignore all the formalities. Let’s see if the court officials don’t care…”

At least she was the wife of the Crown Prince. She could even command a few small Imperial Censors. It’s just a matter of balancing inside and out, whether she could deal with Cheng Shaoshang or not!

Unexpectedly, her words not only didn’t scare her, but the rebellious girl slapped the food table with a heavy hand, her eyes hardened and she slowly stood up.

“It seems the Crown Princess has nothing to do in her free time. I suggest you should read more books or take some lessons if you don’t understand things. Madam Chunyu is not the biological mother of Master Ling, nor has she ever raised him, even for a day. She has no kindness in raising him, but she has a deep hatred towards Madam Huo. How dare she put on the airs of a stepmother!

“Although Madam Huo has a bad temper, she not only has the kindness of nurturing Master Ling, but also worked so hard to protect him during the chaos of war. At that moment, where was Madam Chunyu? She was seducing Marquis Ling!

“They are all old enchantresses who have been around for years, pretending to be kind and compassionate. My legitimate mother-in-law wishes that Madam Chunyu would die, and everyone knows this! If it were up to me, and my mother had a life-or-death grudge against someone, I’d be unfilial if I didn’t splash her with golden juice on the street! The fact that Master Ling is still polite to Madam Chunyu is just for the face of his father, Marquis Ling. Find me someone else who is lacking enough to provoke this mess!
[Golden juice is another term for the poop water that Shaoshang used on the Fifth Princess’s friends.]

The Crown Princess’s face was choked with anger as she was stripped up and down and almost turned away. However, as the Second Prince’s wife said, she lacked even the ability to argue and could only shake a finger at her, murmuring, “You, you… how dare you…”

Shaoshang achieved a landslide victory and didn’t intend to pursue this. She smiled with satisfaction and was planning to withdraw her troops to return home victorious. At this moment, an old woman stumbled in from outside the palace door, shouting at the Crown Princess. “Madam! Your Highness… something’s wrong. Just now, A’Hei rushed to the palace door to report…”

Shaoshang didn’t know who it was, but the Crown Princess knew that A’Hei was sent by her to watch over the Liang Mansion (to be more precise, Qu Ling Jun). As soon as she heard that it was her rival in love’s family, she didn’t care about Shaoshang’s presence anymore and asked anxiously, “What’s going on? Tell me quickly!”

The old woman kowtowed and shouted loudly, “A member of the Liang family has died! It’s said that Madam Qu murdered her husband!”

Shaoshang and the Crown Princess looked at each other in dismay.

…

I hated most of this chapter. The reason? The Crown Princess. I hate her with a fiery passion. Every single time I see that she has lines in the chapter I have to brace myself for the stupidity that’s about to spew out of her petty, jealous mouth. The only time I’m okay with her presence is when she’s getting smacked down by Shaoshang. Bah!

EDIT: So going back and reading the chapter without my hate-colored glasses on, it’s a good chapter. My point about the Crown Princess still stands.

Thanks again as always for reading, liking, commenting, and donating! 2024 has started with a bang and I hope we can keep the momentum going!

Also, look out for The Story of Kunning Palace to start next week…

Next Chapter: Set the Stage