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Hong Chou came in and asked her what she’d like to eat for dinner. Yaoniang expressed that she didn’t care and that it was up to them.
After the dining table was set, Yaoniang and Xiaobao began to eat.
Looking at the time, she couldn’t help but ask, “Is His Highness still in the palace?”
Yu Chan nodded, “His Highness isn’t back yet. This servant thought that since madam didn’t ask, Hong Chou and the others must have told you already.”
Yaoniang waited until she was sleepy, but Jin Wang still didn’t return, so she went to take a bath then went to bed. Right as she was about to fall asleep, a slightly cold body slipped into bed behind her.
“Your Highness, you’re back?”
Jin Wang made a sound of assent, then Yaoniang felt a hand stroke her belly, and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, Yaoniang went to pay respects to Consort Jin.
When she got there, Side Consort Xu and Side Consort Liu were already present. The two of them looked reinvigorated, a rare sight to the eyes. Yaoniang guessed that it was because they were about to visit their maiden families.
She had guessed right. Not only were the two of them about to return to their maiden families, but for the next two days, Consort Jin was also not in the residence. She went to visit her natal home as well, Duke Xuguo Manor.
In the courtyard of Duke Xuguo Manor, lived Duchess Xuguo, who had been ill for a long time.
Duchess Xuguo’s health had always been poor, and Consort Jin also inherited her physique. It wasn’t a major problem, but whenever the seasons changed, there were bound to be some feelings of discomfort.
Seeing her daughter, Duchess Xuguo was very happy. Her pale face flushed, she reached out to touch her daughter’s cheek.
The maids in the courtyard were all beaming with joy as if it was a festive holiday.
“Mother, you must take care of yourself. Don’t be bothered with those people.”
“Mother isn’t bothered. I’m only worried about you. You must watch out for that temper of yours. Her daughter resembles her and I’m afraid you’ll suffer because of it.” Duchess Xuguo continued to scold, “Your father isn’t anything good. Mother begged him for a long time, but he still sent that little demoness.”
Call it scolding but it was more of a complaint. Duchess Xuguo had always been a gentle and docile person. Otherwise, with her family background, she wouldn’t have been reduced to such a sorry state by that pair of adulterers.
“Mother, don’t worry. If I were to fight her, she wouldn’t be my opponent. You’re probably not aware but she hasn’t even consummated her marriage with His Highness yet.” Consort Jin wanted to give her mother a peace of mind, so she told her such a secret.
Duchess Xuguo was surprised at first, then she was delighted. “You and His Highness Jin Wang are good now? I’ve always told you that you must change your temper after marriage. Few men want their wives to be opinionated. It’s a good thing to have self-confidence, but too much will affect the relationship between husband and wife.”
But being as meek as you, you were still unable to hold Dad’s heart and had let that bitch snatch it and reduce you to such a pitiful state. Naturally, Consort Jin wouldn’t reveal her inner thoughts to Duchess Xuguo.
This was also the reason why she disliked men so much. In her eyes, men liked pleasure, not virtue. Besides vying for power and influence, it was probably only under the skirts of women could they pour their time and effort. Staying here today, then staying there tomorrow. Despite knowing that the women were fighting like cocks in a ring, he still turns a deaf ear.
He may like this one today, but he could easily change his mind tomorrow. If you asked him why he would pose as a gentleman with high morals and use the womanly virtues to suppress you. He may even disregard seniority and status to allow the concubine to suppress the wife.
Consort Jin didn’t continue to think about it anymore and hid the complexity in her eyes. She whispered, “Mother, don’t worry about me. All you need to know is that I won’t suffer in her hands.”
Duchess Xuguo looked at her daughter with distress. “You’re still hiding from your mother? Mommy Zhou already told me that there’s still another vixen in the manor that makes people worry. She said that Jin Wang suddenly gained a shu son, who’s already a year old now and that the vixen is still pregnant with another one in her belly.”
This Mommy Zhou, she shouldn’t have brought her along for this trip. Consort Jin said, “You know how Mommy Zhou is, she likes to make a big fuss out of nothing. Don’t worry, that person is different from the one in this manor. She’s an honest one and treats me with the respect I deserve. Jin Wang also isn’t a man to spoil a concubine and suppress the wife. So long as I am Consort Jin, he will not treat me with anything less than what I deserve.”
Hearing this, Duchess Xuguo wiped her tears. “God knows why we’re so unfortunate. I encountered that bitch in this lifetime and ended up like this while you
”
Consort Jin felt uncomfortable in her heart, but she still comforted her, “Mother, daughter won’t suffer. Xu Yueru hasn’t been able to consummate her marriage with His Highness so far is all thanks to that concubine surnamed Su. I don’t care about others, but that bitch’s daughter I will definitely press to death. Don’t worry about me, I’m doing just fine.”
“But your belly
” Thinking of her daughter’s belly, Duchess Xuguo became worried again. She felt that this was her own fault, her daughter had inherited her physique.
“You’re aware of what my body’s like. Even if I get pregnant, whether I can actually give birth and live is unknown, so I might as well not get pregnant.”
“But you can’t have no one by your side. Since that concubine surnamed Su is so good at giving birth, why not take one back to raise yourself? By doing her and her son this favour, she will always be grateful to you. If one day her son inherits the position of Jin Wang, it’d all be because of you and she’d know to count her blessings.”
Consort Jin felt even more bitter. The crux of the matter was that Jin Wang must agree to it.
Jin Wang was an indifferent man with a temperament as cold as ice. When has he ever protected someone like this? But since he has made up his mind, of course, he will protect her to the best of his abilities. He didn’t feel at ease to leave her in the manor on her own, so he chose to take her with him, always keeping her by his side

This time coming to the capital, it was almost certain for her to be successfully conferred as side consort. Why would she need her to give her favour? Just relying on having birthed the eldest son of the manor was enough for her to live well, not to mention having another one on the way.
But she didn’t dare to tell her mother any of this. Her mother’s body wasn’t good, so if she worried about her, her health would only worsen. She could only appease her, “Mother, daughter remembers all that you’ve said. Don’t worry about these matters. Focus on your own health.”
After finally calming down Duchess Xuguo, Consort Jin was exhausted both physically and mentally, but things weren’t over yet. It wasn’t easy for her to finally come back. There were still many people in the manor for her to see.