The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 114

When they had arrived the previous day, it was to the grand halls of the outer court; the towering palace walls had struck them with awe and fear. Today, they were led to the inner palace where the scenery was a tapestry of interwoven beauty. The commoners relaxed slightly, peering curiously at their surroundings.

A commoner rarely finds an opportunity to enter the palace, and a sense of pride naturally welled up within them. The scenery of the Imperial Garden, in particular, was unique in all the world. People said the palace was magnificent, but their imagination had not even begun to touch the reality of this spectacle.

Auntie Wu nudged her husband, her voice a mere whisper: “Look at that, dear.”

“I see it, I see it!”

The villagers only dared to speak in hushed tones, terrified that their voices might carry too far. However, once the children began running wild through the stone forests of the garden, the adults finally started to ease.

Xiao Beitang watched the frolicking children and said, “There is truly no need for restraint. The Empress treats you as family and friends, so you are naturally my family and friends as well. Firstly, my word is my bond; I promised to invite you on our wedding day, and I intended to keep that promise. Secondly, Yi’er constantly talks about her childhood playmates. That is why I invited you to the palace today.”

She led them to an open-air viewing platform in the garden where tables and chairs had already been arranged. She sat first, then lowered her hand in a gesture of welcome: “Sit.”

Song Qingqian smiled and pointed to the seat closest to her: “Auntie Wu, please sit here.”

The villagers took their seats with lingering hesitation. Xiao Beitang asked, “Have you grown accustomed to life in the capital these past few days?”

“Yes, yes, quite accustomed,” the Village Head replied, wiping sweat with his sleeve while nodding rapidly. His tone was respectful, but it was clear he was overwhelmed. Even though the weather was no longer hot, he was perspiring as if he were in a furnace. The highest official he had ever seen before this was a County Magistrate; this was nearly more than his nerves could bear.

“Very accustomed,” the others chimed in. They remained stiff, a far cry from their boisterous selves back in the village.

Xiao Beitang signaled for the Imperial Guard to withdraw even further. This was the first time such a diverse group of commoners had entered the palace, and the guards were understandably wary, but once they moved away, the villagers’ postures finally relaxed a little.

When palace attendants presented a variety of exquisite pastries, Auntie Wu stared at them longingly but didn’t dare move.

“Auntie Wu, try this one.” Song Qingqian signaled for Xiao Tao to pass the plate she had pointed out. Xiao Tao was now the Empress’s Chief Attendant; her attire and bearing were no longer that of the simple girl she had once been.

Auntie Wu gave a shy laugh as she took a piece. Her eyes lit up: “Mmm, it’s delicious!” Soon, others couldn’t help but take pastries, and the atmosphere improved further.

“Mama, look at me!” Xiaoyu waved from atop a rock formation.

“Oh, goodness! Be careful, dear!” Sister-in-law Li blurted out in worry before quickly covering her mouth.

“Mama!” The children waved, their laughter ringing through the garden. The adults followed suit with smiles.

Song Qingqian took the opportunity to say, “The children are the same as they were before, and I feel the same way about all of you. To be honest, seeing you all so stiff makes me feel as if I’ve done you a disservice.”

Auntie Wu, having been her neighbor for years, felt a pang of sadness at those words. She was the first to speak up: “Xiao Your Majesty, we are just village folk who haven’t seen the world. Please don’t take offense.”

Song Qingqian smiled. “Auntie Wu, you can still call me Xiao Song, just as you did before.”

Auntie Wu gathered her courage and said boldly, “Alright, Xiao Song. I don’t know what I’m afraid of; we were neighbors for years, after all—that’s a life-and-death bond! Right, Xiao Song?” She spoke with a sudden burst of confidence, as if she were slightly tipsy.

“It is,” Song Qingqian replied with a smile.

The tension broke, and the others began to laugh. Sister-in-law Li chuckled and said, “Speaking of which, Auntie Wu truly is Xiao Song’s savior. When Xiao Song was pregnant, the birth was so perilous! It was all thanks to Auntie Wu.”

“It’s true,” the villagers agreed. “Everyone in the village knows about it.”

“Isn’t it! Looking back now, it still makes my heart skip a beat.”

Xiao Beitang’s heart sank. She frowned as she looked at Song Qingqian. Qingqian had never told her about the birth of Yi’er; it was as if, aside from Song Qingxu’s treason, everything else was a triviality that had passed with the wind.

Xiao Beitang hadn’t thought to ask, either; having such a large child suddenly appear before her felt like a gift dropped from the heavens.

Xiao Beitang asked tentatively, “Giving birth to Yi’er, did something happen?”

“Your Majesty, you have no idea,” Auntie Wu began. “A Kunze giving birth is like walking through the gates of hell. When Xiao Song first arrived at our village, she was barely four months along. She was so frail; it was clear she hadn’t been cared for during the early stages of her pregnancy. Plus, she was overwhelmed with grief, and the pregnancy was unstable. Later, Xiao Song provided the money and we found some craftsmen to build that house. I took one look at her, so fragile and thought, ‘this won’t do.’ She was nearing her time, and if her body couldn’t hold out, she wouldn’t make it.”

Sister-in-law Zhang chimed in: “Yes, yes! we sent her eggs and goat’s milk every other day. Auntie Wu’s hens were stewed into soup for her for an entire month!”

Song Qingqian laughed. “To this day, the thought of chicken soup still makes me a bit nauseous.”

Everyone laughed, but Xiao Beitang’s brow remained furrowed.

Auntie Wu continued, “Eventually, she filled out a bit and regained some color. But on the day she went into labor, there was a torrential downpour. A few of us thought it best to be safe and hired a midwife from the city, but the rain was too heavy and the midwife couldn’t make it. Little Yi’er was in a breech position. We were terrified, and Xiao Song was screaming in agony. We just had to steel ourselves and deliver the child ourselves.”

“The rain was so loud that day, but the moment Little Yi’er came out, her first cry was louder than the thunder outside. Shortly after, the sky cleared completely.”

Auntie Wu looked at Xiao Yi and felt that the omens were truly accurate; Xiao Yi was never meant to be an ordinary child.

“But the labor took too much out of her. Xiao Song fell unconscious. Xiao Tao was all alone and didn’t know what to do, yet she didn’t dare leave her side. I had the men in the village rush into the city to find a doctor.”

Xiao Beitang’s brow tightened further. Even listening to it now, her heart hammered against her ribs. If she had been there, she would have been frightened out of her wits. She stared blankly, her fists clenched tight. She had known none of this.

“The rain had stopped, but the ground was a muddy mess. The round trip took so long. Xiao Song’s breathing became so weak; it looked as if the life was fading from her. I suddenly remembered Xiao Song had some money—I wondered if she had some life-saving medicine. Xiao Tao, shaking with fear, turned the house upside down, but found nothing only a jade pendant she kept under her pillow. I thought, if she had something to hold onto, perhaps she could hang on, so I pressed that jade into her hand.”

Xiao Beitang almost broke. Her hands trembled, as if she were experiencing the scene herself.

Auntie Wu sighed and smiled, coming back from the memory. “Fortunately, the doctor arrived in time, and Xiao Song was strong enough to pull through. We took turns looking after her and the baby. Little Xiao Yi was a hungry baby from the start, but Xiao Song was too weak, her milk.” Auntie Wu glanced at Xiao Beitang, wondering if such talk was improper, but she saw that the Emperor was listening with intense focus. “her milk was insufficient. Our family’s goat suffered back then; we milked her dry every day.”

“Later, that goat’s milk even fed Sister-in-law Zhang’s granddaughter. She truly was a blessed goat,” Auntie Wu said with pride.

Sister-in-law Li teased, “She was, wasn’t she? And the meat was delicious too, right?”

“Well, if we didn’t eat her, she would have gotten too old.”

The group erupted in laughter, but Xiao Beitang suddenly rose and said, “I have matters to attend to. I shall take my leave.”

Before anyone could react, she strode away. After only two steps, the tears she had been holding back finally fell. She walked faster, not knowing where she was going, only that her heart was in turmoil and she could not find a moment of peace.

Song Qingqian watched her departing figure and sighed. She knew Xiao Beitang would be pained by these details, and she knew she didn’t want to lose her composure in front of others.

“Xiao. Did the Emperor leave because I said something improper about milk?” Auntie Wu asked Song Qingqian worriedly.

Song Qingqian smiled and shook her head, telling her not to worry. “Village Head, please continue eating. The garden is beautiful; feel free to wander as you like.” After speaking, she rose and followed in Xiao Beitang’s direction.

Song Qingqian followed her all the way until she saw her enter Zichen Palace.