Capítulo 1600: Chapter 1607: Grievances Redressed (2)
Cai Wei has been living quite a fulfilling life recently, spending her days with the three milk buns, singing to them, playing games, and watching them grow day by day. There is endless joy in this routine…
Two months ago, Liu Xi had already taken leave from Cai Wei and headed north to sell his down products. He also went there to gather goose feathers and duck feathers as preparation for next year’s production. Before he departed, Cai Wei entrusted him to send a blue-based cassia rabbit-patterned flower satin to Shen Juhua as a New Year’s gift. This satin is a tribute, with only four bolts available throughout the entire palace. Its luster shines gloriously, as magnificent as clouds in the sky. Shen Juhua is one of her few close friends, but due to her obligations with the children, Cai Wei cannot travel to Qing County at the moment. Instead, she sends her thoughts through this gift.
She also asked Liu Xi to deliver five hundred taels of silver to Third Uncle Mu in Mu Family Village. Her mother had mentioned when entering the palace that Third Uncle Mu’s family isn’t doing well these days. Originally, Third Uncle Mu and Third Aunt Mu wanted Lian’er to divorce Ji Wanfu, but they discovered that Lian’er was already pregnant. Not wanting the child to be born without a father, the couple abandoned the idea of divorce and continued to bear the burden of providing for the Ji family’s three members.
Although the business of selling Five-spice peanuts and Five-spice sunflower seeds in Third Uncle Mu’s household remains thriving, feeding three freeloaders has become increasingly challenging.
The three Ji family members became terrified when Third Uncle Mu and Third Aunt Mu were arranging for Lian’er to divorce Ji Wanfu. They feared that if Lian’er truly divorced Ji Wanfu, they would have no place to stay and might end up begging on the streets. After the divorce turmoil subsided, the trio calmed down significantly.
Lord Ji now understands how to lend a hand by picking peanuts and chopping firewood; Lady Ji knows to help with washing bowls and chopsticks, and feeding chickens and ducks; even Ji Wanfu has stopped drinking and gambling and occasionally chats and jokes with Lian’er.
Lian’er is extremely satisfied with Ji Wanfu’s transformation. Even though Ji Wanfu now has neither wealth nor status, his noble demeanor as a former marquis house’s young master stands unmatched in comparison to the affluent children from her modest family. Now, he belongs solely to her, and no one else can take away her affection…
As for Lian’er’s self-deprecation, Cai Wei feels speechless and no longer wishes to see or hear about her. However, regardless of feelings, she will never forget the care Third Uncle Mu and Third Aunt Mu showed her family over the years. Seeing Third Uncle Mu’s household in distress now, Cai Wei takes out a few hundred taels of silver to help them, as a token to repay the couple’s kindness.
Soon, the eve of the New Year arrived. On this day, inside the Xianbei Empire’s palace, Helan Qi’s most favored Concubine Xue gave birth to a princess. The little princess was healthy and beautiful, adorably pure like jade and snow. However, because she was born a princess and not a prince, Helan Qi felt a deep sense of disappointment.
Having already passed his forties, Helan Qi’s yearning for heirs far outweighed his desire for women. After Queen Jia’s death, he had sought out many virtuous women to enrich the imperial harem, but despite having many concubines, only Concubine Xue became pregnant. He had pinned all his hopes on her, wishing for her to give birth to a prince. Alas, in the end, it was only a princess, leaving Helan Qi thoroughly disheartened.
When Queen Zhao Gui visited the little princess along with the concubines, she took advantage of Helan Qi and the gathered members of the harem to casually remark, “What a lovely little princess. If only it were a little prince, it would be even better. Tomorrow, all the younger sisters should ask Concubine Xue for a recipe for fertility, so we can bear more princes and princesses to make the harem lively…”
Concubine Xue froze for a moment, her expression stiffened before she replied, “What is Madam saying? I have no such recipe for fertility. It’s merely His Majesty’s favor—he has graced me with the opportunity to serve his bed more often, and I was lucky enough to conceive and give birth to the princess.”