Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 200 Collapse

Previously, Physician Sun had reported the truth, but Prince Jin did not say much, only instructing Physician Sun to do his best to protect the pregnancy.

After receiving the order, Jingming immediately took his leave, not daring to delay for even a moment.

Prince Jin's Mansion.

Consort Zhen forced herself to speak with the fifth and sixth young ladies, but when she glanced at her pregnant sister-in-law Su Wanwan out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't hide her envy.

On the other side, Madam Yun instructed Wei Mama to stand guard outside the study, and then summoned Hua Yan to her side alone, her expression solemn:

"Madam Su's divination has always been accurate. A year ago, I asked her to read Wan'er's face and tell her divination. She predicted that Wan'er would have a life-or-death crisis before she turned eighteen, which would happen during her pregnancy."

Upon hearing this, Hua Yan was shocked and turned pale. She suddenly looked up at Madam Yun.

Therefore, Wan'er will not be pregnant before the age of eighteen.

Madam Yun's tone was very confident.

"When you enter the palace in the future, with the head of the family and Lin Ge'er there, they will be able to protect you both no matter what. However, Wan'er is not very thoughtful, and the fact that the princess is pregnant is already causing her a lot of worry and depression... There are some things that I, as her mother, cannot say outright, so please comfort her."

Hua Yan had no time to notice the change in Madam Yun's attitude when she spoke to her. She took a deep breath, her face full of worry for the Second Miss.

"...Is it because of the jade cicada that Madam Su gave to the Second Miss?"

Madam Yun nodded, a hint of appreciation flashing in her eyes.

"We need to keep this from Wan'er for now. Once these next few years have passed peacefully, her temper should have softened."

Hua Yan was slightly taken aback, then solemnly nodded in agreement.

Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them. Madam Yun knows the Second Miss too well; if the Second Miss knew the truth, she would probably... abandon Yu Chan far away...

Regardless of whether Madam Su's divination was accurate, Hua Yan had spent the most time reading medical books over the years, taking advantage of the connections with the doctors in the Tang and Zhen families. 'Yang is often in excess, Yin is often insufficient', which means that if a woman conceives too early, it will deplete her Qi and blood, thus harming the mother's body.

Consort Zhen had just escorted Madam Yun to the gate of the mansion when Jingming dismounted and returned to the mansion. After bowing to Consort Zhen, Jingming hurriedly went to Ruyi Palace.

Hua Yan helped the concubine towards Yunyi Palace. On the way, Hua Yan said indifferently, "Why don't you guess what Eunuch Jing is going to Ruyi Palace for?"

After a moment of contemplation, Consort Zhen replied, "He must be visiting the Princess on behalf of the Prince."

Hua Yan pursed her lips, smiling without saying a word, but when she recalled what Madam Yun had just mentioned about the past of the Duke of Qing's mansion, she could no longer smile.

Half an hour later, Consort Zhen received a handwritten order from the Prince to manage the affairs of the Prince's residence in place of the Princess.

Although Hua Yan had not anticipated this, she was just as delighted as Aunt Mei.

How could it not be a joyous occasion to temporarily replace the princess?

Since the princess consort fell silent and was placed under house arrest, little news has come from the Ruyi Palace.

Thousands of miles away, Tang Xian met Wei Ying, the head of the guards serving Prince Jin, on the official road outside Guangyang Prefecture. One returned and the other came, the two groups of people faced each other from a distance, and Tang Xian looked thoughtfully at the dozen or so carriages in the guards' procession.

Led by Manager Gong, most of the managers of the Tang Family Trading Company had already left ahead of time, taking letters home or spoils of war with them. Chen Lin was taking care of Zhou Bai in the carriage. Zhou Bai's injuries had almost healed, and he was eager to return home.

Tang Xian and his companions were stranded at the border for more than a month, all because of Zhou Bai.

Having spent nearly a decade on the grasslands, he knew the Xiongnu tribes inside and out, making him no less knowledgeable than a top-notch spy.

Not only did he offer brilliant strategies in several battles against the Xiongnu cavalry, but he also instigated infighting between the Xubu clan and the Xiongnu royal Luandi clan, allowing the Northwest Army to use a strategy of divided advances and combined attacks to defeat them one by one. Even the proud Jiang Wei couldn't help but praise him highly, and all his suspicions disappeared.

Therefore, he was not allowed to return until the border war was nearing its end.

As August approaches, the summer heat gradually dissipates and the autumn breeze begins to blow.

The emperor has been unconscious for three days, and the atmosphere in the capital is becoming increasingly somber. Many wealthy and powerful families have quietly stockpiled white cotton cloth... Some have even arranged marriages for their children who are about to reach or are of marriageable age, waiting for the "national mourning" period to conclude before holding the wedding.

The Prince of Jin has been ruling in his place for several months, and everyone is silently waiting for that day to arrive...

With the help of Hua Yan, Consort Zhen gradually became adept at handling the affairs of the inner quarters.

Upon closer examination, managing the household affairs and running a shop are largely the same, involving nothing more than managing "people" and "finances," plus external social interactions. However, given Prince Jin's current power, everyone goes to great lengths to flatter Consort Zhen when she is out in public.

As for internal affairs, Guo Zhaoxun and others would go to Yunyi Palace to pay their respects every morning, and when facing Consort Zhen sitting at the head of the table, they would not dare to have any other thoughts.

The 4th day of the 8th month of the 49th year of the Qianyuan era.

The palace was silent, the death knell tolled, and the emperor passed away in the Ciming Hall of the Taiji Palace.

On the day of the Emperor's passing, the palace was draped in white mourning clothes, and cries of grief filled the sky. In the court, officials dressed in white, removed their hats and went barefoot, and wept in the palace.

Benefiting from the foundation laid by the previous two emperors, the late emperor reigned for forty-nine years and was a ruler who maintained the status quo. He dispatched capable generals such as General Lu to guard the borders and protect the people. Domestically, he reduced taxes and corvée labor, allowing the people to recuperate and the granaries to gradually fill up.

During times of national mourning, the streets and alleys are filled with solemnity, and each government sets up memorial services, burning incense and paper money.

On their way back to the capital, Tang Xian and his party immediately took out the plain clothes they had prepared and traveled day and night to the capital. In Guangyang Prefecture, the Duke of Qing, who had been exonerated, knelt on the ground with more than thirty members of his family, facing the direction of the capital.

Thanks to the great victory in the Northwest, the princess, though still under house arrest, was temporarily released thanks to the military achievements of her father and brothers.

Consort Zhen, following protocol, entered the palace with Hua Yan and Meng Zhu, knelt behind Prince Jin and his wife, and observed mourning rites, keeping vigil in front of the late emperor's coffin.

After the national mourning ceremony was completed, Prince Gu Yanchen of Jin, who was twenty-two years old at the time, ascended the throne in Taiji Palace and was paid homage by his ministers.

With a new emperor on the throne, everything awaits a fresh start.