NABC Chapter 333 Contraceptive Soup
Chapter 333 Contraceptive Soup
While massaging the Empress Dowager's legs, Qingruo said, "Empress Dowager, those who marry princesses are always of noble birth. The Shen family is a noble family, but not to mention, they are extremely poor. The princess is a golden branch and jade leaf, a child who grew up in a world of wealth and honor. Do you think they can live together?"
The Empress is known for her intelligence and understanding; whether she will agree is truly uncertain.
The Empress also heard immediately that Consort Liu and her daughter had gone to the Empress Dowager's palace. Soon, news came that the Empress Dowager had almost arranged a marriage between Shen Shiyu and Princess Xian'an.
When Li Yuanke arrived, Shen Shixi got angry. "What's wrong with your mother? Does she have Alzheimer's or something? Why is she getting more and more confused?"
"My second brother is capable of marrying a princess? If he were, wouldn't I have thoroughly examined all your sisters and chosen a good one for you to marry long ago? Would it be any of that Consort Liu or Consort Yang's turn to pick and choose among my brothers?"
Li Yuanke hugged her and said, "Alright, alright, you're still in your postpartum period. Why are you in such a hurry? Even if an imperial decree is issued, so what? As long as the decree doesn't leave the palace, it's fine."
"Come, let me sleep with you for a while. Today is your third-day celebration, and everyone's been coming to see you. What's the matter that has to come up now? Listen to me, don't tire yourself out!"
Shen Shixi wouldn't go against her own body, so she closed her eyes and said, "Li Yuanke, why don't you arrange a marriage for your sister Xian'an? A daughter grows up and leaves home!"
"Understood!" He patted Shen Shixi on the back, then called out to Li Fude, "Send a decree to Sun Qingcheng, tell him to find a suitable marriage for Xian'an as soon as possible, as long as all four parties are in order!"
Inside the Changning Marquis's residence, Xu Wanyi, the chimpanzee, finished bathing in the front courtyard and returned to the back. Shen Shiwan's courtyard was already closed. The nanny came over to pay her respects and said, "My lord, the madam has already retired for the night. Would you like to arrange for the young ladies in her room to serve her?"
The old woman was very respectful, but the distance in her words was very obvious. She was also very indignant on behalf of her daughter. Before the wedding, she thought it would be a happy marriage, but what was the scene when she came in?
She even suspected that the Marquis of Changning's family had entered into this marriage out of greed for the Empress's power.
Xu Wanyi, a man of dark complexion and straightforward mind, asked with concern, "Is Madam feeling unwell? Or did you tire yourself out today at the palace?"
Even the old woman didn't want to talk to him. It's pointless to get angry with someone like that, because he has no idea you're angry, let alone why you're angry.
The old nanny heard that that very night, the maid named Chunxing had been serving in the study in the front courtyard. She was furious and said to Shen Shiwan the next morning, "Madam, this won't do. Aren't you just giving those lowly women a chance?"
Shen Shiwan drank a bowl of bird's nest porridge and laughed, "What's wrong with that? Whoever wants to serve can serve, I'm not going to!"
After dressing up, Shen Shiwan went to the Grand Madam's room to pay her respects and mentioned, "I've noticed that Chunxing and Chunliu have been with the Marquis for many years and are very affectionate towards him. The Marquis also likes them very much. Now that I'm married into the family, it's time to have concubines in the household. Why don't we just propose that they be made concubines? What do you think, Mother?"
Last night, her son was again unable to enter his wife's room, and the old lady felt that this was not quite right. Now, staring at Shen Shiwan's face, she asked, "Aren't there any good maids among your dowry maids?"
Shen Shiwan said, "The Shen family has never interfered in the life affairs of its servants. The two maids that your daughter-in-law brought have no intention of marrying into a higher social class, so your daughter-in-law naturally cannot force them."
Surely the Marquis wouldn't be eyeing his daughter-in-law's two dowry maids, would he? If Chunxing and Chunliu aren't enough, his daughter-in-law could find a way to buy two better ones from outside.
"That's not what I meant! I meant that a concubine is not the same as a maidservant; she must be someone you truly care about. You're still young; I don't know if you understand this."
It means that the concubine must be someone you can control.
Shen Shiwan smiled and said, "Thank you for your advice, Mother. I don't care about such things. Chunliu and Chunxing are both good. Since the Marquis likes them, I will naturally do my best to support them. If I can give birth to a son or daughter for the Marquis in the future, it will sound better to have the status of a concubine!"
After Shen Shiwan left, the Grand Madam became even more confused and asked those around her, "What do you think she meant?"
The old woman hesitated for a moment, but finally had to say, "Madam, in my opinion, the Lady of the Marquis has probably fallen out of love with the Marquis."
This is exactly what the Dowager Lady fears. "Didn't Wan Yi say she was magnanimous and didn't care?"
The old woman said, "Madam, it's not a good thing for a wife to not care about her husband! Besides, the Shen family are all scholars, and they're all cunning."
Lady Hou is the Empress's younger sister. She may appear gentle, but she's not one to be easily bullied. Those two in the Marquis's quarters have really gone too far; how can they not respect their mistress?
The old lady quickly summoned someone to inquire, only to find out that neither of the two maids who had served her had taken any contraceptive soup.
Xu Wanyi was also confused. "Didn't you always drink it before? Why aren't you drinking it anymore?"
The old nanny in charge of this matter in Xu Wanyi's courtyard said, "This servant has consulted with the madam, and the madam said there's no need for any force-feeding. Anyone who wants to give birth can do so, whether it's a boy or a girl, as long as they have served the Marquis!"
Even Xu Wanyi felt there was a problem at this point.
The old lady waved her hand, dismissing everyone below, and kept her son behind to speak. She sighed, "You stubborn fool, why are you so inflexible and unable to think things through?"
You've only been married for a month, and those two maids in your room... you can't wait that long?"
Xu Wanyi felt more wronged than Dou E, "Mother, they used to be the people who served me, this... Wanwan knows that too, I haven't touched anyone else!"
"Is that so?" the Grand Madam said. "Let me tell you, there's not a single one of the Shen family members who's easy to deal with. Look at how the Empress handles things. Ever since the Emperor returned from his personal campaign, he hasn't summoned any of the women in the inner palace."
"Empress is pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl, and the Emperor hasn't asked anyone to serve him in bed! Yesterday was her third-day celebration, and your wife came to the palace and talked to the Empress for quite a while. I thought she was going to complain, but look what happened!"
"Did Her Majesty the Empress say something to her?"
"What can she say?" the Dowager asked. "If you have a clear conscience, what can even the Empress say? Today she even kindly suggested that she promote your two maids to concubines, but I did not agree."
Tell me, isn't every single thing she does impeccably virtuous? Yet, every single one of them is like a thorn in one's side!
Xu Wanyi said, "If she doesn't like it, I can just not do that... When Chunxing and Chunliu talked to me, I didn't see any aversion from her, so I assumed that she... didn't mind."
"You're happy because she doesn't mind?" the old lady roared. "Are you out of your mind? Just because she doesn't mind doesn't mean you can put all sorts of things, fragrant and foul, into the house?"
"Mother, how can you say that to your son? I would never do such a thing. It's only Chunxing and Chunliu!"
"Think about what I'm saying carefully. Let me tell you, the Empress of the Shen family is no pushover. Look at the woman Han Xiao married."
There are countless suitors in the capital who want to marry the Shen family's daughter. If it weren't for Shen herself being willing to marry you, the Shen family might not even look at our family. If we manage to alienate this daughter-in-law, even your sister might not get a good match!