But if they were truly filial, why make such a show of calling physicians for the old dowager lady outside the mansion, using the excuse that Physician Li from Huichun Hall was skilled? It was merely for convenience in putting on a show for outsiders.
And Physician Li from Huichun Hall was tight-lipped. Even if he went to the mansion to take pulses and knew that Old Dowager Wang had pent-up emotions in her heart, he wouldn’t say much to outsiders. So, how did everyone outside know about it? Wasn’t it because this couple spread the word themselves?
Old Dowager Wang refused to move out of the Wang mansion, so Fourth Madam Wang Shi would always be controlled by that couple. Old Dowager Wang knew this too, repeatedly telling her daughter not to worry about her anymore, even having her nanny tell her daughter not to return to the mansion. But Wang Shi had grown up depending on Old Dowager Wang since childhood—how could she be so heartless as to ignore her mother?
After listening to Chun Tao’s indignant account, Bai Qingyan already had some plans in mind.
Her Fourth Aunt couldn’t go against her mother’s wishes. Although Bai Qingyan was now the Great Zhou Emperor and could solve that black-hearted couple’s problem for Fourth Aunt with a single imperial decree, as a junior, Bai Qingyan couldn’t use force. Otherwise… if this matter truly caused Old Dowager Wang to suffer some mishap due to unhappiness, that would be doing a disservice with good intentions.
She glanced toward Fourth Aunt’s direction and saw Wang Liu Shi speaking anxiously to Fourth Aunt about something. Bai Qingyan said, “Chun Tao, personally go tell Fourth Aunt that I’m inviting her to come chat with Mother. Personally escort Fourth Aunt over here, and don’t let irrelevant people say unnecessary things to Fourth Aunt.”
“Yes!” Chun Tao responded.
After Chun Tao left, Bai Qingyan leaned over to whisper a few words in her mother, Dong Shi’s, ear. Dong Shi glanced toward her sister-in-law Wang Shi’s direction and nodded to indicate Bai Qingyan should rest assured. Who dared bully her sister-in-law? If Dong Shi hadn’t known about her sister-in-law being bullied, that would be one thing… but knowing about it, with her protective personality, she absolutely wouldn’t let Wang Liu Shi make things difficult for Wang Shi.
Turning around, Dong Shi immediately had Nanny Qin personally go escort Wang Shi over.
As soon as Chun Tao approached, she smiled and bowed to Wang Shi, cheerfully saying that Bai Qingyan was inviting Wang Shi to come chat with the Empress Dowager.
Wang Liu Shi was shrewd—seeing that Chun Tao was Bai Qingyan’s personal maid and now a head palace lady in charge of palace affairs, she quickly stood up smiling: “Aunt Chun Tao, our family’s lady is truly blessed to have His Majesty’s attention…”
Chun Tao’s lips curved slightly as she stepped sideways to block Wang Liu Shi, bending down to help Wang Shi stand and walk toward the high platform.
Seeing this opportunity, Wang Liu Shi was unwilling to give up. She hurriedly grabbed her daughter, wanting to follow. If her daughter could show her face before the Empress Dowager and His Majesty and receive rewards, perhaps even receive an imperial marriage decree… then her daughter wouldn’t be relying on Loyal Nation Prince Bai Qingjue’s merit to gain the title of county princess.
Wang Liu Shi’s nieces also had active minds, wanting to follow. But they, including Wang Liu Shi, were all stopped by eunuchs that Chun Tao had brought.
Wang Liu Shi panicked and quickly called out: “Aunt!”
Wang Shi’s heart fluttered, and she was about to turn back when she saw Nanny Qin also approaching with a smile, supporting Wang Liu Shi: “Fourth Madam, the Grand Madam has been waiting for you for quite a while without seeing you come over, so she specially sent me to escort you…”
“Aunt! Aunt…” Wang Liu Shi called to Wang Shi, but didn’t dare shout for fear of disturbing the banquet and being thrown out. She could only watch as Nanny Qin smiled while escorting Wang Shi farther and farther away.
“Aunt…” Wang Liu Shi’s niece approached and called quietly to her aunt, inevitably complaining: “How could cousin’s aunt not bring you and cousin to meet His Majesty? She doesn’t take you and your cousin to heart.”
Hearing her niece’s words, Wang Liu Shi only felt she had lost face and harbored even more resentment toward Wang Shi. Angrily throwing down her handkerchief, she then smiled ingratiatingly at the eunuch who had blocked her, lifted her skirt hem, and sat down with her daughter and nieces. But she couldn’t help glancing at the high platform, seeing Wang Shi sitting on an embroidered stool beside the Empress Dowager and Bai Qingyan. Her fists clenched, and the dancing and delicious food before her lost all appeal.
She picked up the wine cup before her and thought that afterward, she would need to urgently find ways to make Wang Shi quickly petition the Empress Dowager or His Majesty for an imperial marriage decree to settle her daughter’s marriage with Loyal Nation Prince.
Wang Liu Shi took a sip of cold wine and suddenly thought that His Majesty had always doted on her younger brothers and would certainly feel that Loyal Nation Prince’s in-laws’ status was too low, which wouldn’t be good for Loyal Nation Prince. Either she would elevate her daughter’s status or promote her husband’s official position. In any case, for Wang Shi and Loyal Nation Prince’s sake, His Majesty certainly wouldn’t treat the Wang family poorly.
Once Loyal Nation Prince returned and her daughter married into the family, the Wang family’s prosperity would be just around the corner.
After drinking two cups of wine, Wang Liu Shi’s spirits soared, and her face showed a smile.
Xiao Rongyan watched as Bai Qingyan turned her head to speak with Wang Shi, her overlapping collar slightly open, revealing the fair and graceful curve of her neck—pleasing to the eye no matter how he looked.
Not only did it captivate Xiao Rongyan, but even those unmarried young men couldn’t look away. However, Bai Qingyan’s royal aura was extremely strong. Even if they felt romantic interest, it was three parts admiration… seven parts respectful love. They only dared to watch from afar, not daring to harbor inappropriate thoughts.
Those ambitious young gentlemen who weren’t afraid of gossip and were still unmarried tried various ways to attract Bai Qingyan’s attention, composing poetry and creating couplets. Unfortunately, they were too far from Bai Qingyan on the high platform, and those flowery poems and essays couldn’t reach Bai Qingyan’s ears for the time being. No matter how much they dressed like Xiao Rongyan, it was useless.
Fourth Madam Wang Shi, who was chatting with Dong Shi and Bai Qingyan, noticed that the Great Yan Ninth Prince’s gaze seemed constantly fixed on Bai Qingyan. She whispered to Bai Qingyan: “A’Bao, now that… brother-in-law has been gone for so long, has A’Bao considered establishing another Imperial Consort? Fourth Aunt sees many outstanding young talents come today…”
Wang Shi truly loved Bai Qingyan like her own daughter, which was why she said these words.
Xiao Rongyan was Wang Shi’s savior. Back then, Bai Qingyan hadn’t minded Xiao Rongyan’s severe illness and married him, making him Imperial Consort, and they even had two children. She feared Bai Qingyan would always be trapped in her feelings for Xiao Rongyan and unable to emerge, just like herself… suffering through nights, missing her husband every night.
Regardless, Wang Shi still hoped Bai Qingyan could have a companion by her side.
Especially now that Bai Qingyan occupied the supreme position, she inevitably felt the loneliness of heights. As an aunt, she couldn’t help Bai Qingyan solve problems and worries, so she always hoped someone could comfort Bai Qingyan’s heart at all times.
Moreover, this Great Yan Ninth Prince looked at A’Bao without any concealment. Wang Shi felt that an enemy nation’s prince wanting to become Great Zhou’s Imperial Consort was out of the question. This person was ruthless and deeply scheming, so it was better to make arrangements early to prevent the Great Yan Ninth Prince from harboring designs.