Chapter 101: Xu Yue Yao Won

The children chattered while eating lunch; Princess Consort of Qi, uneasy, gave them digestive soup again, let them play outside for a while, and only then sent them to nap.

The conditions here at Zhuangzi are a bit poorer, but they're fine enough for a short rest.

Princess Consort of Qi chose a more comfortable room, had it tidied carefully, and then took Sui Sui to rest.

Sui Sui doesn't mind the place; in the past she slept either in a chicken coop or a firewood shed.

The rooms here at Zhuangzi are better than even the main chambers of Shen Shen's family.

So, why can't she sleep?

Moreover, Mother Consort is by her side!

Princess Consort of Qi stays beside Sui Sui, coaxing the little girl to sleep.

Sui Sui obediently snuggles to Mother Consort and gradually drifts into dreamland.

Seeing the little girl asleep, Princess Consort of Qi carefully tucked the blanket, sat for a while, then signaled Haitang to keep watch, and she left.

After Princess Consort of Qi went out, she saw Steward Liu already waiting there.

She brought Aunt Qiu over, whispered, "What's the matter?"

Earlier at the meal, she saw Steward Liu hesitate several times, clearly having something to say, but because the children were present, he held back.

When the Princess Consort asked, Steward Liu first bowed respectfully, then replied, "Princess Consort, the steward of the Jin Yang Marquis's annex sent over some goat milk and dried fruit, saying that a few young ladies from the manor, upon seeing the royal carriage pass by, were quite delighted, so they thought to send some snacks for the young masters and ladies to try."

Hearing "Jin Yang Marquis's manor," Princess Consort of Qi felt a headache.

She truly didn't want to deal with people from that household.

At this moment, the other side sent gifts, and she couldn't outright refuse nor return them.

Moreover, they were quite measured, sending nothing valuable, only food commonly found around Zhuangzi.

There's a flattery in it, yet not obvious.

It's aimed at one thing: sincerity makes it hard to refuse.

Princess Consort of Qi, after listening, waved her hand, "You handle the return gift; the rest need not be dealt with."

Who in the whole Jing Cheng doesn't know what's going on with the few young ladies living in the Jin Yang Marquis's annex?

They are all girls taken in from outside, and it's said there's also a young master.

Sometimes, without comparison, there's no sense of happiness.

Princess Consort of Qi thinks that with such a scoundrel as Jin Yang Marquis as a comparison, the ladies of other residences in Jing Cheng should feel happy.

After all, the masters of each household may truly take concubines, but they won't keep countless secondary wives, producing a swarm of offspring, only to make their own wives clean up the mess.

Princess Consort of Qi doesn't want to meddle further in the Jin Yang Marquis's messy affairs.

Especially…

Sui Sui still has ties to that household, and Princess Consort of Qi would rather keep far away from them, lest they notice Sui Sui!

At this time, after a morning of etiquette lessons in the Jin Yang Marquis's annex, the young ladies finally could take a noon break.

Though the morning was tiring, the little girls weren't sleepy yet, so they simply gathered to gossip.

Xu Yuexiu knows a bit about these big figures in Jing Cheng.

At this moment, listening to the sisters chatter, she proudly lifted her head, "Do you know whose luxurious carriage passed by at the end of the morning? Say it, and it'll scare you!"

Xu Yueying, beside her, chimed in, "Whose? Whose? Sister Xiuxiu, just tell us, open our eyes."

Xu Yue Yao, listening nearby, suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and muttered inwardly, "Sycophant!"

While cursing, there was also a bitterness she hadn't even realized herself.

Xu Yuexiu, being praised, lifted her head even higher, "That's the Tang family's carriage, the Empress Dowager's Tang family, you haven't seen it, have you?"

After speaking, Xu Yuexiu gave the sisters a smug glance.

Xu Yue Yao, who had been cursing Xu Yueying in her mind, felt her heart jump at the mention of the Empress Dowager's Tang family.

The Empress Dowager's Tang family is also…

Sui Sui's Tang family.

In her previous life, Sui Sui married the Fifth Young Master of the Tang family, the renowned handsome talent of Jing Cheng—Tang Lingheng.

He treated Sui Sui with utmost gentleness and meticulous care.

The two are a famed celestial couple in Jing Cheng.

Xu Yue Yao has been jealous of Sui Sui more than once.

How could she be so fortunate?

When she was young, life was a bit hard, but she was soon taken back by the Jin Yang Marquis's manor, pampered into a cherished darling, and even the legitimate daughters of the manor couldn't match Sui Sui's standing in the old matriarch's and the Marquis's hearts.

After coming of age, she splendidly married into the illustrious Tang family, becoming the principal wife of the Fifth Young Master of Tang.

Xu Yue Yao, even after understanding through her past life's experience, knows that girls like them, taken back to a manor midway as secondary wives, have low status and find it hard to marry a suitable husband.

However, Sui Sui seems to have broken that tradition and rule, allowing the prestigious Tang household to proudly welcome her back as the principal wife of a legitimate son.

Xu Yue Yao just thinks about it and clenches her teeth in jealousy!

She asks, "What does Sui Sui have to justify it?"

By that flirtatious, pre‑marital child‑bearing, reckless mother?

Thinking of the handsome, considerate Fifth Young Master of Tang, Xu Yue Yao can't help blushing repeatedly.

She thinks, if Sui Sui can, why can't she?

Upon further thought, in her previous life she clearly had a beloved, but Sui Sui wouldn't help, spouting lofty words that essentially meant her low status made her unfit.

She is unworthy, yet Sui Sui is?

In the end, Xu Yue Yao married a poor scholar.

Sui Sui said the match was good.

She was just about to point at Xu Yue Yao's nose and say, "You only deserve such a penniless scholar!"

Thinking of these, Xu Yue Yao was both angry and unwilling to accept.

Looking at Xu Yue Yao's face, sometimes green, sometimes pale, Xu Yueying exclaimed in surprise: "Yao Yao elder sister, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell? Or are you dissatisfied with the Tang Family?"

Xu Yueying is good at putting hats on people, Xu Yue Yao, hearing this, gritted her teeth in anger, she quickly composed herself, smiling and said: "How could I be dissatisfied with the Tang Family? I just heard you say that this family must be extremely noble, and I couldn't help but feel envious."

Xu Yuexiu heard, pursed her lips: "Just know your own status, we people like us can't even step over the threshold of the Tang Family, so don't fantasize about whether they are noble or not."

Xu Yueying smiled and replied from the side: "If I could marry into a decent family as a proper wife, even if we are poorer, I would also be willing."

Xu Yuexiu, beside her, tapped her little head: "At such a young age you're already thinking about marriage, aren't you ashamed?"

Several sisters made a fuss, intentionally or unintentionally excluding Xu Yue Yao.

Xu Yue Yao coldly snorted in her heart: "Wait and see, after I marry into the Tang Family, I hope you can still laugh so wantonly."

However, thinking of the person she admired in her previous life, Xu Yue Yao felt a bit shaken.

She thought: "If the Wei Family were as illustrious as the Tang Family, that would be great."

Then she could choose her beloved without hesitation, rather than choosing the Tang Family for wealth and status.

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