The Favored Little Peasant Seizes the Heroine's Script!-Chapter 487 - 449: The Eldest Princess’s Suspicion
Originally, according to Wei Wushang’s thoughts, between husband and wife, there’s no need for such estrangement, but this time, he really owes Yuan Bao too much.
If not for Yuan Bao’s proper handling, something really significant would have happened.
"Uncle, are you distancing yourself from me?"
Upon hearing Wei Wushang’s thanks, Yuan Bao’s attractive eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Not at all!"
Wei Wushang’s expression showed a bit of awkwardness, "I just don’t know how to express my current feelings."
"By saying this, you understand, right?"
Wei Wushang seemed a bit melancholic.
Yuan Bao blinked, indicating that he understood.
"Uncle, then do I still need to go see Grandmother?"
Given what happened, we can’t determine if the Empress Dowager was behind it, so the subsequent attitude towards her is also a matter of concern.
"I’ll go with you!"
Wei Wushang pondered for a moment, then took Yuan Bao’s hand.
The two headed towards the Cining Palace where the Empress Dowager lived.
Nanny Xue and Mei Jiu followed behind them, keeping a sufficient distance.
...
Meanwhile, inside Cining Palace.
The Eldest Princess’s expression was somewhat unsettled.
According to time calculations, Yuan Bao should have arrived already, so why hasn’t she appeared after so long?
"Mother, I’m going outside for a walk!"
After waiting so long without anyone arriving, the Eldest Princess couldn’t sit still.
The Empress Dowager smiled upon hearing the Eldest Princess’s words and said, "It’s quite cold outside now, aren’t you the one who’s most afraid of cold?"
"Mother, I’m not a child anymore!"
The Eldest Princess indeed used to be very afraid of cold when she was little.
However, as she grew up, although still afraid of cold, she understood that some matters are more important than cold.
"Alright, it’s really hard for you to accompany this boring old woman all day long!"
"Go ahead, take a stroll in the garden, the plum blossoms are blooming beautifully now!"
The Empress Dowager looked dotingly at the Eldest Princess, a barely noticeable trace of guilt flickered in her eyes.
But that guilt vanished in an instant.
Those who achieve great things do not bother with minor matters.
The Empress Dowager quickly hardened her heart.
The Eldest Princess hurried out of Cining Palace, not in the mood to see any winter plum blossoms in the Imperial Garden. She led her people along the palace path, speeding towards the palace gate.
However, the Eldest Princess encountered Yuan Bao and Wei Wushang halfway.
"Mother...?!"
Seeing the Eldest Princess’s rushed figure, both Wei Wushang and Yuan Bao paused in surprise.
In their impressions, the Eldest Princess always maintained poise and elegance, but at this moment, she seemed to have lost her composure, not just jogging ahead, but with an expression of urgency on her face.
"Wushang? Jiaojiao?"
Upon hearing the voices of Wei Wushang and Yuan Bao, the Eldest Princess was momentarily stunned, but then her urgent expression faded, replaced by a relieved sigh.
"Thank heavens!"
The Eldest Princess had truly been frightened just a moment ago.
People always said Wei Wushang was unlucky for wives, having had three engagements, each one ending in an accident. But the nature of these accidents, where they happened, remained unclear to the world.
But as Wei Wushang’s mother, could the Eldest Princess not understand?
One of the young ladies had an accident while visiting the Empress Dowager in the palace, because her lively nature led her to wobble upon the edge of the lotus pond in the Imperial Garden while trying to entertain herself with a blooming lotus, resulting in her falling in and drowning.
The depth of the lotus pond in the Imperial Garden is unknown to outsiders, but the Eldest Princess knows, having once fallen into it herself.
How could such a pond drown someone?
Yet this incident further solidified people’s belief that Wei Wushang was unlucky for wives.
Although the Astronomical Bureau eventually gave Wei Wushang a fate evaluation, the Eldest Princess always had a suspicion she never voiced to anyone.
She felt that her son was not unlucky for wives, but perhaps someone wanted him to bear such a reputation, aiming to end his lineage. And she had a guess who this person might be.
But deep down, she was unwilling to believe her own suspicions.
The sudden summons for Yuan Bao to enter the palace, followed by her prolonged absence, sharply touched upon the Eldest Princess’s sensitive nerve.
"Jiaojiao, why did you come along with Wushang?"
"Where are Nanny Qu and Nanny Lan?"
The Eldest Princess looked around, not seeing Nanny Qu and Nanny Lan, and her troubling speculation grew increasingly oppressive.
"Mother, explaining this will take some time!"
Yuan Bao didn’t intend to hide the truth from the Eldest Princess, but now wasn’t the time to reveal it.
Thus, she recounted her discussion with Emperor Xia.
When the Eldest Princess heard there was an assassin attempting to murder Yuan Bao, her heart tightened instantly, forgetting that Yuan Bao was standing safely before her.
The Eldest Princess anxiously grabbed Yuan Bao’s hand and said, "Let me have a look, are you hurt anywhere?"
"Mother, I’m fine!"
"But, Nanny Qu and Nanny Lan, they gave their lives to protect me!"
"Silly girl!"
Seeing Yuan Bao’s sorrowful expression, the Eldest Princess gently tapped her forehead, "They just did what they were meant to do, if you feel guilty about this, then their sacrifice would be in vain!"
"You must realize, whether it be Nanny Qu or Nanny Lan, they sold themselves to us from a very young age."
"Also, don’t feel this is unfair!"
"Their parents sold them back then, and their entire family benefited from it."
"Mother, I don’t feel it’s unfair!"
Yuan Bao wasn’t foolish.
This is not an era advocating equality for all!
Even in later times, true equality for all doesn’t exist.
Between people, inequality is inherent from birth.
Some are born in Rome, while others are born to toil.
Born into a peasant family, if not for various opportunities and good fortune, Yuan Bao would now be a barely affluent farmer’s daughter awaiting marriage.
"Come, let’s go meet your grandmother!"
The Eldest Princess didn’t say much more to Yuan Bao but took her hand and turned towards Cining Palace.
Wei Wushang watched as his young wife was taken away by his mother, feeling a slight discomfort.
Enough, they’re all family; as a grown man, he should be generous.
Once the Eldest Princess brought Yuan Bao and Wei Wushang to Cining Palace and the Empress Dowager was notified, her originally kind face momentarily turned cold.
However, when she rose, her cold demeanor swiftly returned to normal.
"Go and tell them that my health is not well and I’m already resting; I won’t see anyone today!"
"Yes!"
Nearby, Nanny Shen serving the Empress Dowager answered quickly and left the bedchamber with hurried steps.
"Is my mother alright?"
"She was fine just now, have you called for an imperial physician?"
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager’s health was unwell, the Eldest Princess couldn’t help becoming anxious.
Nanny Shen quickly said, "Please be assured, Princess, the Empress Dowager is simply overly joyful today, a bit exhausted, and will be fine after resting for a night!"
