Chapter 151 – Qing Transmigration Tale (60)
No one knew how the Directorate of Astronomy divined the date of Eighth Prince marrying his princely lady. It was very windy and snowy. What kind of good day was this?
Lin Yu Tong grumbled inside. She looked at the wind and snow outside the window and shrank back, a bit reluctant to go out.
Si Ye frowned as well. He looked at Lin Yu Tong’s belly. “The weather truly is…… Ye thinks that you should just not go.”
“I am just talking about it, how can I truly not go? If I truly dare to not go, how will Eighth Princess Consort talk about us? The couple likely hates us very much,” Lin Yu Tong said as she called for people to find non-slip boots.
Si Ye shook his head. “She can say whatever she likes, it is not as important as your health.”
Lin Yu Tong said with a smile, “I am not so delicate.” Then she turned back and smiled slyly at Si Ye. “I also want to see, what kind of beauty is this Nian-shi?”
Si Ye pointed at her. “You are so jealous, there is no saving you.”
They smiled as she prepared. The two were in harmony as they walked out of the courtyard.
In reality, no matter how heavy the snow was, the road that the masters walked on did not have much snow. In the morning, salt had been spread, and the eunuchs would have sections they were in charge of repeatedly sweeping.
Seeing the masters come, they would have to hide far away to avoid dirtying the eyes of the master.
Lin Yu Tong ordered Granny Yuan, “Granny, you do not have to go out with me. Later, go find the old granny, and tell her to add another set of cotton clothing for the sweepers, and let them use the charcoal for their bed-stoves as needed. Tell the servant girls to not be idle, and make cotton gloves for the people who go out. Have the kitchen prepare ginger and medicine soups each day, do not slack off.”
Granny Yuan acknowledged. Everyone knew that Princess Consort was generous to the servants.
These things were more practical than any reward of silver. People who had the duty of sweeping were honest people who had no way of toadying and climbing up. They were usually overseen by the higher ranked eunuchs. Even if they had silver, their superiors would take it. It was better to be like mistress and give them practical benefits.
Si Ye looked at Lin Yu Tong with an even more relaxed expression. He said to Granny Yuan, “Go send the order, do as the princess consort says.”
He then turned to talk to Su Pei Sheng, “In the future, follow the Princess Consort’s example in rewarding the servants.”
No matter what, practical was better than anything that was like a flower with no fruit.
The couple boarded the carriage at the second gate. After a while, they entered Eighth Prince’s establishment.
Eighth Princess Consort was dressed in a bright red riding robe and covered with a cloak of the same color. She stood by the second gate. Seeing Lin Yu Tong, she said with a smile, “I did not expect Fourth Sister-in-law would come.”
“Look at you, we live so close. It is just a matter of a few steps. If I do not come, you will talk about me,” Lin Yu Tong looked at Eighth Princess Consort and said in a joking manner.
Eighth Princess Consort choked. She had just said many bad things about this person, and now, the other managed to make her feel suffocated.
In the past, she had felt that Fourth Sister-in-law was a good person. Now, it seemed that she truly was a wife matching her husband, they were both so unlikeable.
“Fourth Sister-in-law is joking. It is cold outside, Sister-in-law come in.” Eighth Princess Consort smiled and called for a granny to lead Lin Yu Tong inside.
In the main hall, Ninth Princess Consort, Tenth Princess Consort, and Fourteenth Princess Consort had arrived. They were chatting together, holding cups of hot tea.
Seeing Lin Yu Tong come in, the three stood up with smiles. Ninth Princess Consort said, “Fourth Sister-in-law, you are so advanced in your pregnancy, how come you come out in such weather?”
Lin Yu Tong let the servant girl untie her rose red cloak as she turned and smiled at the others. “Isn’t it because I fear that Eighth Sister-in-law will have thoughts? So I came.”
Fourteenth Princess Consort laughed. She thought of what Eighth Princess Consort had just said, “right now, she is pregnant, we cannot compare to her, she is a thousand times more delicate. It is good if she does not come, if she does come, if anything happens……”
The words were not pleasant to hear. The other was pregnant, and such unlucky words were the most taboo. But you speak of something happening. When people heard such things, they would not feel at ease.
Who did not know what had happened a while ago? People looked down on others who vented their resentment on other people. This were no reason to blame a sister-in-law when your husband took a concubine.
Lin Yu Tong patted Fourteenth Princess Consort. In reality, regardless of how Fourteen was like, she liked Wanyan-shi. This was a person with a straightforward temper, a bit open and careless. She was different from a methodical person like Thirteenth Princess Consort. But they were both good, without any bad thoughts.
“Fourth Sister-in-law, how do you know that Eighth Sister-in-law is talking about you behind your back?” Fourteenth Princess Consort asked in a low voice.
Lin Yu Tong rolled her eyes and changed the topic. “Yesterday, I did not come when the dowry was displayed. How was it? With the Nian Family’s significance, there must be a lot of dowry.”
Tenth Princess Consort said first, “We were just talking about it now, it is a lot. While they say it is two chests less than Eighth Princess Consort, even the furniture is stuffed full, and all made of rosewood. The fabrics are better quality, and in number, it was more than twenty chests than Eighth Sister-in-law.” In reality, she had heard it from the grannies of the establishment. She had never seen Eighth Princess Consort’s dowry with her own eyes.
Lin Yu Tong’s memories contained Eighth Princess Consort’s dowry. It appeared to be of the same standard as the other princess consorts. But in reality, it just looked good. An orphan like her was limited in her dowry.
But there was no way about it.
While the Nian Family appeared to yielded a step on the surface, in reality, they had embarrassed Eighth Princess Consort. The Nian Family likely still felt slighted about becoming a princely lady of Eighth Prince. Regardless of how popular Eighth Prince was right now, it was the truth that he was just a beile.
Not just compared against the princes of blood, he could not even compare to a commandery prince.
“Eighth Sister-in-law and Nian-shi will have a lot to fight about.” Ninth Princess Consort sighed.
Just as they were talking, Third Princess Consort, Fifth Princess Consort, Seventh Princess Consort, Twelfth Princess Consort, Fifteenth Princess Consort and others came in. Once there were more people, it was not good to gossip.
They could only murmur in low voices in small groups of three or so.
Lin Yu Tong thought in the past the processes to marry a princely lady just lacked the ritual of bowing to the heavens compared to marrying a princess consort, and the bride would just be sent into the marriage bedroom.
In reality, it was not the case.
When the servant came to remind them it was time to view the ceremony, she had the good fortune to watch a special marriage ceremony.
First, Eighth Prince would receive the bride from outside the gates. Then, Eighth Prince and Eighth Princess Consort would sit in the main hall.
The veiled bride would bow to the couple.
After the greeting, Eighth Prince would stand back up and see the bride into the wedding rooms.
Lin Yu Tong watched Eighth Prince, dressed in his beile robes with a big red flower made from ribbon, hold a ribbon in his hand. The other end of the ribbon was held by a woman dressed in cotton robes but who still had a fine figure. Her veil was true red, embroidered with dragons and phoenixes. Her clothes were a pale red near true red. But because the sky was gloomy, it was dark, and at a glance, people would think she was dressed in true red.
The robes were covered with pearls the size of knuckles. When she walked, the tips of her shoes that occasionally appeared had precious gems.
This was still in the case that the wedding was held hurriedly.
Lin Yu Tong looked at Eighth Princess Consort. She was dressed in true bright red, but the red, compared to the red of the bride, appeared dim and faded.
She saw the other had a smile on her face, but she was gripping hard on her handkerchief. She looked at Eighth Prince, and then her smile seemed to freeze.
Lin Yu Tong followed Eighth Princess Consort’s gaze and looked at Eighth Prince. She saw that Eighth Prince was looking in the direction of Si Ye.
Eighth Prince was not just looking at Si Ye. His gaze even looked a bit smug.
Smug?
Smug about what?
That he had a beautiful bride? Or for something else?
She suddenly realized that the Nian Family making this so important was not for Nian-shi to slap Eighth Princess Consort in the face, but that they wanted to use this wedding to slap Si Ye’s face.
They wanted to show off these things so that Si Ye would regret it.
Thinking of the Nian Family’s goal, Lin Yu Tong did not know what to say. In reality, they truly dug a hole for their daughter.
You want to slap Si Ye in the face, it is just the wishful thinking of you and Eighth Prince. Even if Si Ye understood the meaning, he would just smile scornfully. When did he care about such things? When people reached his level, wealth was never a problem. A bit more, a bit less, it did not mean much.
Was this a slap to the face? Lin Yu Tong just wanted to say that they had the wrong target. Such trivial matters could not form a slap to Si Ye’s face.
Regardless of the intention, objectively speaking, these matters slapped Eighth Princess Consort in the face first. She likely was certain now that Nian-shi was challenging her, the di princess consort right after her marriage.
Pitiful Little New Year Cake. How are your abilities?
Thinking of her results in Si Ye’s inner courtyard in history, Lin Yu Tong felt that she could not dismiss such a person.
The di princess consort naturally would not go to the princely lady’s courtyard. So she would have to wait for another day to see Nian-shi‘s appearance.
Lin Yu Tong was just curious. In reality, it did not matter if she saw or not.
After eating a banquet that was not truly comfortable, Lin Yu Tong made her farewells. Even the best food, when watching Eighth Princess Consort’s face that looked worse than if she cried, would not taste delicious.
“I do not like Eighth Princess Consort. But looking at her now, I feel she is pitiful.” Lin Yu Tong changed clothing, and Si Ye shoved her onto the bed under the blankets to warm up. She rolled in the blankets as she sighed.
“You like to worry about things not of your concern.” Si Ye took off his shoes and shoved his feet into the blankets. “If Gololo-shi is not willing, even if Eight is involved, Nian-shi would not have married so soon. Why do you think the marriage is so hurried? It is because Eight fears a change if time goes on.”
This was a matter of another family. Lin Yu Tong was just talking about it.
Si Ye’s feet were icy. Her attention immediately changed. She pressed on Si Ye’s feet with her own legs, wanting to warm his up. He hurriedly pulled his feet back. “You will be cold! Just lie down.”
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