Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 155

The person who had come was clearly a steward of the prince’s palace. His tone was calm and courteous, without a trace of arrogance or impatience. Aunty Li maintained a stern expression.

After being thoroughly angered by Du Xia and Wang Yan earlier, she was now determined to assert some authority as a nanny. Otherwise, all her years of experience would have been wasted.

“Haha, since Miss Xia wishes to stay in the palace, His Highness has instructed that the young miss may temporarily reside in the Guest Pavilion,” the steward said with a polite smile.

“What is your name, Steward?” Aunty Li asked, her voice cold though her expression grew even more serious.

“This humble one’s surname is Mo,” Steward Mo replied politely.

“Steward Mo, the lady in this sedan is the rightful princess consort of this palace!” Aunty Li gave a frosty smile. “Is the Guest Pavilion a suitable residence for the princess consort?”

“Haha, no need to be upset, nanny. The ‘Guest Pavilion’ is merely a name. If nanny dislikes it, this servant can have the plaque changed,” Steward Mo said with a smile. Aunty Li almost fainted from anger.

What kind of response was that? She had meant that the princess consort ought to be housed in the official residence of the prince’s primary consort, not in some guest quarters! And now this Steward Mo was suggesting they just change the plaque. Change it to what? No matter what name they gave it, the place was still not worthy of the status of the prince’s legitimate consort! Even that foxy Consort Rou had been placed in the luxuriously named Tong Xin courtyard. Surely the residence of the main wife should be named after a grand hall or something like that!

“Nanny.” A soft, weak voice emerged from inside the sedan.

“Your Ladyship,” Aunty Li immediately bent forward respectfully, her sharp eyes still flicking toward Steward Mo.

“It doesn’t matter what sort of place it is. Let’s settle there for now,” Xia Ying used all her strength to utter this sentence. She had already endured enough humiliation for one day and had been sitting for so long in the bridal sedan. She had no desire to listen to more bickering between Aunty Li and the steward of this palace.

“Yes,” Li Momo could only respond. She shot a glare at Steward Mo, “Let’s go!”

“This way, Miss Xia,” Steward Mo said with the same smiling tone as before.

Left with no choice, Aunty Li helped Xia Ying out of the sedan, supporting her carefully as they followed Steward Mo toward the Guest Pavilion.

Although it was called the Guest Pavilion, the place turned out to be a rather elegant and charming courtyard that looked warm and inviting.

However comfortable it might be, it was still just a guest house. It was not a place where the legitimate primary consort of the palace should reside.

After being helped inside, and once the people from the prince’s palace had left, Xia Ying abruptly tore off her bridal veil and threw herself onto the bed, bursting into tears uncontrollably.

It was too humiliating, she had never been treated so badly before!

Yun Ke had gone too far!

Aunty Li stood silently to the side, letting Xia Ying cry her heart out. Finally, she instructed the maids from the Xia residence who came as part of her dowry to fetch clean water and silk towels to help her wash her face. They carefully helped Xia Ying remove her makeup, wash up, and change into a more comfortable, though still celebratory, red gown. Xia Ying was so anxious she wanted to tear the garment from her body.

“Nanny, what should I do?” Xia Ying asked, dismissing the others before tightly gripping Aunty Li’s hand, her face filled with helplessness.

“Do not panic, Your Ladyship,” Aunty Li said softly, patting Xia Ying’s hand reassuringly, “Regardless of how the Imperial Prince An treats you, you’re still the princess consort of this palace, formally conferred by imperial decree and recorded in the ancestral temple. Your Ladyship, we must endure this indignity for now. There’ll be plenty of opportunities to settle the score in the future. Your Ladyship, you’ve already married and there’s no turning back now. The only path before you is to establish your position in the palace. That’s right, there’s a little prince in the palace. Why not start with him? No matter how cold His Highness Imperial Prince An may be, surely he cares about his own son.”

Xia Ying straightened up slightly. Aunty Li was right. She had already left the An Le Marquis’ residence, and the only way for her to go was to secure her footing in Imperial Prince An’s palace.

“Should we go and visit the little prince now?” Xia Ying asked hesitantly, following Aunty Li’s suggestion.

“We must go,” Aunty Li nodded firmly. “Let His Highness hear that you’re with the little prince, then His Highness will surely come to see you.”

Xia Ying frowned and bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before finally nodding. “I will follow Nanny’s advice.”

She called for her servants and selected two gold ingots and a pair of small gold Buddha figurines from her dowry to use as gifts. After Aunty Li asked where the little prince lived, Xia Ying led her entourage in a grand procession toward Weiyang Pavilion.

After examining Gu Yu Qi’s pulse, the imperial physician respectfully reported to Yun Ke, “Your Highness, Consort Rou is in good health and there are no serious issues. However, over worrying and insufficient food intake over the past few days has led to stomach pain. It is nothing serious. Her Ladyship just needs to eat light, nourishing meals to warm her stomach. This servant will prescribe a soothing, stomach-warming remedy. Her Ladyship will immediately feel better after taking it.”

Only then did Yun Ke relax. He rewarded the physician and instructed Wang Yan to escort him out.

He sighed silently and sat down on the edge of the bed, quietly gazing at Gu Yu Qi’s tightly closed eyes. She had truly frightened him just now.

He had already wiped away the trace of bl00d at the corner of her lips with his sleeve. Even now, his shoulder throbbed faintly. This girl had bitten him hard. If she had not started retching, she might very well have bitten off a piece of his flesh.

But no matter how much pain he felt now, it could not compare to the pain she had endured in the past.

Gu Yu Qi knew Yun Ke was watching her. Even without opening her eyes, she could sense the weight of his gaze lingering on her.

She had acted impulsively and said things she should not have. Gu Yu Qi sighed inwardly. Impulsiveness truly was a demon. She could not afford to let things deteriorate between her and Imperial Prince An now, not when her mother’s illness still depended on him.

With that thought in mind, she shifted slightly and slowly opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Yun Ke’s near-perfect face. It was this very face, combined with his cool and aloof demeanour, that had drawn her to him in her past life, like a moth to a flame. She had fallen for him deeply and hopelessly, unable to extricate herself.

“Does it still hurt?” Yun Ke asked cautiously. However, he was so accustomed to his usual aloofness that he could not change his tone overnight, so his voice remained cool and detached.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Gu Yu Qi tried to sit up, but Yun Ke gently pressed her shoulder, guiding her to lie back down. “This consort deserves to die,” she said with a frown.

“No harm done,” Yun Ke said, startled for a moment, a trace of misery flashing in his heart. She was apologising, but in truth, she no longer owed him any apologies. It was he who had wronged her in their past life. However, he had definitely not intended to disrespect her in the slightest just now.

She had been undressing, and he had been unable to resist glancing a few more times. He had not expected her reaction to be so intense. He was not a pervert, but he was not a saint either. When faced with the woman he held in his heart taking off her clothes in front of him, any normal man would have found it hard to look away, especially since she was now his wife.

“This consort will not make the same mistake again,” Gu Yu Qi said coolly. “This consort will remember her place.”

“Hm,” Yun Ke made a noncommittal sound, uncertain of how he truly felt.

Nevermind. The fact that she was speaking to him so calmly after venting her anger was already something rare and precious. Yun Ke did not want to push Gu Yu Qi to do anything reckless.

He had already hurt her enough.

Even a small action might be interpreted with deeper meaning in her eyes.

Only with twelve times the amount of his usual patience could he slowly coax her into lowering her guard.

“About Princess Xia…”

“Your Highness should go and see her.” She was subtly trying to get rid of him again. Fine, if that was what she wanted, he would take a brief walk outside and then come back.

After all, Yun Ke had already made up his mind. Tonight was their wedding night, and no matter what happened, he intended to stay with her.

As for Xia Ying, she had best be sensible enough to go back home on her own, or go sulk quietly in a corner and not bother him..

After speaking, Yun Ke rose to his feet and walked out of the room slowly.

As soon as Yun Ke left, Dai Mei entered with a bowl of millet porridge she had fetched from the prince’s palace’s kitchen.

Seeing Gu Yu Qi’s desolate expression, Dai Mei’s eyes reddened, but she bit her lip to hold back her tears.

No matter what had happened, today was still supposed to be her mistress’s wedding day. How could they cry?

“Where is Miss Xia?” Yun Ke asked as he exited Tong Xin courtyard.

“Your Highness, they seem to be heading toward Wei Yang Pavilion,” Wang Yan answered with his fists cupped in salute.

Hearing this, Yun Ke frowned deeply, “They certainly know where to make their move.” Then he said to Wang Yan, “Stay here and protect the Consort Rou. This prince will go and take a look.”

Wei Yang Pavilion was where the little prince and Yun Ke’s only son, Yun Luo, lived.

In his past life, Yun Luo had been his sole crown prince. With no need to fight rivals for the throne, Yun Ke had handed him a unified Qi dynasty, free of interference from aristocratic clans. It had been his way of fulfilling his duty as a father. In this life, Yun Luo was as obedient and well-behaved as in the previous life, which made him very relieved.

Yet he was also a bit worried, unsure whether Gu Yu Qi would be willing to accept Yun Luo.

After all, in their past life, she had longed to have a child of her own.

If he and Gu Yu Qi were to have a child someday, and if that child were a boy, would his empire still be passed on to Yun Luo, or to the child born of him and Gu Yu Qi?

Along the way, Yun Ke thought about this as he walked.

Suddenly, he felt that pondering such matters might be a bit premature.

Considering Gu Yu Qi’s current hatred for him, it would be a long time before he and Gu Yu Qi could have a child.

It was only because he cared that he had started planning so far ahead.

Still, the idea of having a child with Gu Yu Qi was a rather beautiful thought.

Without even noticing it, he had already arrived at Wei Yang Pavilion. Before he even stepped inside, the sound of laughter drifted out from within.

Yun Ke tilted his head slightly and glanced toward the courtyard. There, he saw Yun Luo sitting on a swing, giggling happily, while behind him stood a young girl in a red palace gown, gently pushing the swing.

The girl’s features were soft and delicate, exuding a gentle beauty. At that moment, she was also smiling, her face glowing with youthful radiance in the golden afternoon sunlight.

So, that was Xia Ying?