Chapter 203: Making Trouble

When Che Lingzhi approached, Xiang Gugu also felt uneasy.

She wanted to dissuade her, but Qiaozhi came over, holding a pattern, and whispered, "I've heard you're skilled at embroidery, Aunt. May I ask how to adjust the stitch here? I've studied it for a long time, but no matter how I embroider it, it's not smooth. Please teach me."

Xiang Gugu glanced worriedly in Sui Sui's direction, then lowered her head to look at the pattern in Qiaozhi's hand.

Unlike Car Maid, who relies on favor to offend everyone in the manor, Qiaozhi is not like that.

Seeing that the other party's attitude was not bad, Xiang Gugu didn't directly give a cold shoulder and ignore them.

After all, they'll have to interact in the future; openly breaking relations would look bad no matter how you say it.

Besides, it's just giving some embroidery pointers.

Xiang Gugu thought, It should be fine, right?

Thinking of this, Xiang Gugu lowered her head, carefully answering Qiaozhi's question, and from time to time she would lift her eyes to glance toward Sui Sui.

Sui Sui was embraced by Che Lingzhi at her side, and she still felt a bit uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Che Lingzhi didn't insist too much; after embracing her briefly, she left Sui Sui where she was, withdrew her hand, and pointed at the fish in the pond, saying, "Look, isn't that fish especially long?"

"And that one, its tail is still two colors."

……

Che Lingzhi began talking about the fish in the pond.

Sui Sui also quite liked watching these fish, so she would occasionally respond with a few sounds.

The two children, seen from afar, seemed to be getting along quite well.

In another part of the palace, Princess Consort of Qi brought this morning's chicken soup to the Empress Dowager's palace and had the imperial physician examine it carefully.

Because there were no medicinal residues, they could only rely on the old doctor's experience to smell it.

The old imperial physician smelled it for a long while, then gave a rough prescription.

One of the herbs in the prescription, after Princess Consort of Qi and the Empress Dowager heard it, they fell into silence.

That herb promotes blood circulation, dispels stasis, unblocks the meridians, and relieves pain.

Safflower.

Because safflower hinders conception, neither the Empress Dowager nor Princess Consort of Qi is unfamiliar with this herb.

Precisely because they were familiar with it, when they heard that the chicken soup Car Maid sent this morning actually contained safflower, Princess Consort of Qi felt a mix of emotions.

The Empress Dowager's expression turned even uglier: "What is this? Relying on your favor, you openly poison? Really impressive!"

As for Car Maid's open poisoning, Princess Consort of Qi held a different view.

After thinking, she said, "According to Che Shi, she drinks it regularly too; her family obtained a prescription from an old doctor, specially prepared for her."

After she said that, the Empress Dowager fell silent again.

So, what kind of natal family is this?

Upon marrying into the Wangfu, instead of hoping her daughter would bear children for the manor early and secure her position, she actually thought of cutting off her daughter's fertility?

This move, the Empress Dowager said: I can't make sense of it!

A concubine in the Wangfu who wants some standing, aside from the Prince's favor, must bear children.

Sensible people know the Prince's favor doesn't last; offspring are the most secure.

Especially when the Prince is obsessed with having a daughter, if one could add a girl to the manor, that concubine's status would naturally rise, and she would later have considerable standing in the Wangfu.

But……

Direct sterilization—what kind of maneuver is this?

Princess Consort of Qi had already been mentally prepared since Sui Sui said the chicken soup didn't smell good.

Now, after hearing the imperial physician's diagnosis, it merely confirmed her suspicion.

She had originally been laying groundwork for the Prince's affair.

Now she thought, Perhaps I can speak up now?

Thinking of this, Princess Consort of Qi hesitated a moment, then lowered her voice: "The Prince returned from his villa this time, much weaker in body. Earlier I had Liu Dafu take his pulse, and Liu Dafu said he needed careful nourishment. I wasn't entirely at ease, so I thought, since the Prince happens to be in the palace today, I might as well have him examined again."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager immediately guessed there was something else going on.

Otherwise, given Liu Dafu's medical skill, Princess Consort of Qi wouldn't need to say such things.

Not knowing what it was, the Empress Dowager thought it over and then had someone summon the Emperor and Prince Qi; at noon they came together to her palace for a meal, where she would have Prince Qi and the Emperor take a peaceful pulse, counting it as a check‑up.

Hearing the Empress Dowager's arrangement, Princess Consort of Qi felt somewhat relieved.

At this moment in the Wangfu, Che Lingzhi felt she had become familiar with Sui Sui, occasionally stroking the tassel on Sui Sui's hat or lightly tapping the little girl's shoulder, showing great intimacy.

Xiang Gugu watched for a while, finally felt reassured, steadied herself, and carefully explained embroidery to Qiaozhi.

Che Lingzhi had been laying groundwork for a long while, and from time to time she would quietly turn her head to see Xiang Gugu's reaction.

After several turns, seeing no one lift their head, Che Lingzhi thought, Xiang Gugu must be at ease with her, so she didn't need to look much further, right?

That would be fine.

Thinking of her plan, Che Lingzhi rolled her eyes, then smiled narrowly and approached Sui Sui.

Though the other smiled cutely, Sui Sui felt a chill run down her spine, a vast malice like a cold wind that directly covered her head.

Before Sui Sui could react, she saw Che Lingzhi grinning especially brightly at her, and at the same time the latter's words, low and low, reached her ears: "If there must be a lady in my uncle's manor, that person will definitely be me, and no one else!"

As she spoke, Che Lingzhi's body lurched toward the pond and, in passing, grabbed Sui Sui's hand.

Sui Sui, unprepared, was directly pulled into the water by her.

Meanwhile, Qiaozhi happened to lift her head at that moment, saw the scene, and instinctively screamed, "Ah ya, Sui Sui pushed Lingzhi into the river!"

Hearing that sound, Xiang Gugu swiftly lifted her head and rushed toward the pond.

Unfortunately, her speed still wasn't fast enough.

Both Sui Sui and Che Lingzhi fell into the river.

Sui Sui kept struggling, but Che Lingzhi, sturdier, held her and kept pressing her down into the water.

Xiang Gugu rushed over, and upon seeing this scene, she shouted angrily: "Che Lingzhi, try pressing Sui Sui into the water again!"

Che Lingzhi pretended innocence, crying out 'ah ah', and then also struggled along.

Xiang Gugu was fast; after rushing over, she shouted loudly and then jumped into the water.

She swiftly pulled Sui Sui up.

As for Che Lingzhi, she didn't pay much attention.

Qiao Zhi watched from the side, hesitated a moment, then jumped into the water and pulled the person up.

Actually, the pond isn't that deep, but it's still quite deep for a child.

Sui Sui couldn't swim, and she had bad memories of river water before; plus, being pressed by Che Lingzhi, she had swallowed several mouthfuls of water, and now her head felt dazed.

When Xiang Gugu pulled her up, Sui Sui instinctively grabbed Xiang Gugu's sleeve, her voice faint and weak: "Brother... save me."

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