The Prince of Dingnan and the Prince of Ding'an were both princes, yet separated by two generations, a fact that evoked endless sighs.
Their grandfathers had once achieved great deeds together and earned their noble titles. One had persevered and lived to the present day, while the other was buried for decades, with their grandsons now shouldering the family's legacy.
The Old Grand Consort was deeply moved upon seeing an old acquaintance. She and the Prince of Dingnan had known each other since their youth. Decades had passed in the blink of an eye; the girl had become an old woman, and the young lord had become a weathered elder.
Time truly flew by like a fleeting white steed.
The Old Grand Consort recalled her youthful days and the Old Prince of Dingnan, her heart overwhelmed with emotion, her eyes reddening.
After reminiscing about the past, the conversation naturally turned to Xiao Mo and Feng Jiangduo.
"Originally, I was against it," the Prince of Dingnan boomed. "Duanjing is too far from Nanzhou. Leaving home and hearth, and then being bullied without being able to return to her maternal family. Moreover, your Xiao family had that darn curse. Fortunately, it's resolved now. If it hadn't been, I would have absolutely refused. My precious granddaughter cannot be a widow!"
Recalling the rumors about the Xiao family's curse that she had heard recently, the Old Grand Consort couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
Wang Qingyao and Xiao Yun, knowing that the Wei family was behind the rumors, remained quite composed.
The Prince of Dingnan then addressed Wang Qingyao, "The Princess of Ding'an is not being honest; she's always tricking this old man. Didn't the Princess say that they would grow tired of each other as they spent more time together? Yet, in less than a year, they are discussing marriage! You deliberately lured Duo Duo away for Xiao Mo back then, didn't you?"
Wang Qingyao laughed heartily, "Your Highness is incredibly wise. How could I possibly trick you!"
Xiao Yun chimed in, "Exactly. Your Highness deliberately facilitated Ah Mo's happiness."
Xiao Mo and Feng Jiangduo exchanged a gentle glance and smiled faintly.
However, Consort Fang felt a pang of discomfort upon hearing this.
So, Wang Qingyao and Xiao Yun knew about Xiao Mo and Feng Jiangduo's relationship when they were in Nanzhou, and hadn't revealed a single word to her.
She was Xiao Mo's mother!
Consort Fang felt both sad and angry.
She felt like a complete failure as a mother. Whether it was her biological son or adopted son, she felt like a distant relative, someone no one bothered to take seriously.
She had told the Old Grand Consort long ago that she did not agree with this marriage.
Although the Old Grand Consort had analyzed for her that the marriage between the Xiao and Feng families would bring nothing but benefits. She had also spoken highly of Feng Jiangduo, saying that the two children were deeply in love, which was rare.
At the time, she had not argued with the Old Grand Consort out of filial piety, but her opinion had never wavered.
A wife should be virtuous. What was the use of mere affection?
Men also liked girls from brothels, yet how many did they marry?
A virtuous wife leads to fewer misfortunes for her husband.
How could a wife who was constantly practicing martial arts and appearing in public possibly raise children and manage the household?
Consort Fang held a knot of resentment in her heart. Seeing Wang Qingyao, her daughter-in-law, chatting so happily with the Prince of Dingnan, her resentment only grew.
If the mother-in-law hadn't spoken, how could the daughter-in-law dare to interject?
Look at her, she hadn't spoken much in front of the Old Grand Consort!
Thinking of this, Consort Fang reviewed Wang Qingyao's background again, and naturally became angry for a while.
She raised her eyes and said leisurely, "I also think it's quite far. It's inconvenient to send gifts during festivals. It will also be difficult to visit when children are born in the future, and the County Princess will inevitably be wronged."
Consort Fang still had a sliver of reason. Knowing that the Prince of Dingnan was not to be trifled with, she did not speak directly, but instead, under the guise of acting for Feng Jiangduo's well-being, she spoke a string of high-sounding words.
"The County Princess is accustomed to the freedom she enjoys in Nanzhou, like a princess. But Duanjing is the capital, with many strict rules. I fear the County Princess will not be accustomed to it after marrying in."
As soon as these words were spoken, the previously lively flower hall fell into a deathly silence.
Consort Fang, believing she had spoken well and prompted everyone to ponder, continued, "The Princess of Ding'an has a humble background, while the County Princess is of noble birth. After marrying in, although they will be sisters-in-law, she will have to defer to her elder brother and sister-in-law in all matters. This is also unfair to the County Princess."
Ha, she was even stepping on Wang Qingyao.
Consort Fang had not experienced palace intrigue. Although she had been widowed young, her life had been smooth sailing, and she actually lacked much cunning.
But she did not think so herself.
She delivered these words with a smile, believing them to be exceptionally clever, tactful, and giving both parties ample face.
If the Prince of Dingnan's manor was sensible, they should have taken the hint and dropped the matter, no longer mentioning the marriage.
But she forgot that her targets were a transmigrator with modern thinking and a hot-tempered, narcissistic, and fearless old prince.
And so...
Wang Qingyao: "Mother, do your words imply that you look down on my humble background? Why didn't you speak out against it when His Majesty bestowed the marriage? What's the point of saying this now that I already have a child? Or do you think that now that the Xiao family's curse is resolved, I'm no longer useful? Are you discarding me after I've served my purpose?"
Prince of Dingnan: "What does Consort Fang mean by her words? Is she implying that my Duo Duo doesn't understand etiquette? Do you disagree with this marriage?"
The Prince of Dingnan was actually quite shocked.
Firstly, the Old Grand Consort had already sent a marriage proposal letter, so how could he have known that Consort Fang disagreed.
Secondly, someone dared to look down on his granddaughter, the Princess of Dingnan! That person was either blind or mentally ill!
The Old Grand Consort tried to salvage the situation: "Prince of Dingnan, you misunderstand. Consort Fang did not mean it that way."
Consort Fang also threw caution to the wind: "That is exactly what I meant."