Fan Zehao, listening to the conversation between mother and daughter, had his own little plans.
Using the excuse that it was too dark outside and he was worried about Yumeng returning to her courtyard alone, he volunteered to escort her back.
As soon as they were out of the house, Fan Zehao whispered to her, "Your mother says she won't bring the child, but she's actually very happy. It's just that she's afraid of corrupting the child if she helps you raise it. Think about it, you and your two siblings, your mother beat you quite a bit when you were young, and yet none of you ended up in official careers."
Recalling how their mother used to chase them with a big stick, and they would run away frantically, made her chuckle.
"That's true," Yumeng indirectly agreed with her father, but then shifted the topic. "To put it bluntly, mother just pities us. Otherwise, with her fierce temper, how could she have let us be so unruly?"
"Fortunately, none of us went astray. Although we weren't interested in books, we all learned a skill, and it won't be a problem to support ourselves in the future. And we are truly happy. Compared to those sheltered ladies, I'm like a happy little bee."
Embroidery, etiquette, music, chess, calligraphy, painting, bookkeeping, managing the household... the thought of it made Yumeng feel that it would be more exhilarating to wield a chopping knife and hunt wild chickens and rabbits in the mountains.
They truly had a happy childhood. Although they were often beaten, they also received a lot of love from their parents.
Along the way, father and daughter were like confidants, with endless things to say. Even though he was so tired his eyes could barely stay open, he didn't feel that escorting her back to her courtyard was a chore.
After sending his daughter back, he returned to his own courtyard. A bathing tub had been prepared in the inner room. His wife stood by the tub, tidying his clean inner clothes. Her quiet, gentle, and virtuous demeanor warmed his heart even more.
To have such a wife, what more could a man ask for?
In the latter half of the night, the scattered light snow grew heavier and denser, turning into heavy snowfall.
After a night, the entire prince's mansion was covered in white. The snow on the ground was thick, and the weather grew colder.
When it was broad daylight, Zhao Jiaqi reluctantly got out of her warm bed.
Seeing that her husband was still sleeping soundly, she didn't disturb him. She went out of the inner room, where Su Ya had already prepared the washing water and was waiting to serve her, but her expression was not good.
Looking as if she had something to say but couldn't, Zhao Jiaqi frowned and said, "You're not old, why do you act like an old nanny all day? Just say what you have to say."
Su Ya replied, "Miss Xueyao attempted suicide by hanging herself last night."
With a plop, the sweat towel fell from her hand into the washbasin, splashing water onto her skirt and creating a wet stain.
Zhao Jiaqi looked at Su Ya in shock. "Attempted suicide by hanging?"
"Ah!" Su Ya nodded vigorously, then continued, "But she didn't die. A maid saved her."
That dramatic pause almost sent Zhao Jiaqi away.
After a simple wash, without even having time to eat, she put on her cloak and went to Minghe Yuan.
No matter how wrong Xueyao was, she was still her own niece and a child. She couldn't not check on her after hearing about her failed suicide attempt.
Before she even entered Minghe Yuan, she heard weeping and wailing from the courtyard. Servants and maids stood outside the courtyard, heads bowed, unsure whether to go in and serve or not. They were all in a state of indecision.
When Zhao Jiaqi arrived, she saw this scene.
"Princess Consort."
The servants, as if seeing a savior, rushed to greet her.
"All of you go about your business. Do what you need to do," Zhao Jiaqi instructed, then walked straight into the courtyard.
She wasn't afraid that these servants would spread news of what happened today. She would never keep servants who couldn't keep their mouths shut.
These people, who knew how to read the room, understood the importance of discretion.
Main room.
Wang Zhaodi was holding Xueyao, both weeping profusely. Fan Guangping sat to the side, dejected and sighing mournfully.
The door curtain was lifted, startling the three people in the room.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Fan Guangping sighed again. "Is Yumeng well? Was she injured?"
Zhao Jiaqi shook her head. "She's fine. I heard Xueyao attempted suicide by hanging last night? What's going on?"
Her question was direct, without any pleasantries. She directed it at her elder brother but her eyes were on her sister-in-law and Xueyao, hoping to find answers from them.
She couldn't understand why Xueyao, after being swapped back, would attempt suicide instead of living well?
Abandoning her life, what was she trying to achieve?
Was it inferiority, or a sense of guilt towards Yumeng, a tormented conscience that made her impulsively choose such a short path to end her life?
How did she not know this girl was so daring?
Wang Zhaodi met Zhao Jiaqi's gaze, hesitated for a long time, and choked out, "Yanluo doesn't like her. The child couldn't take it and..."
"What?" Zhao Jiaqi was somewhat dazed, even disbelieving what she had heard.
So, her suicide attempt wasn't what she had imagined, but for an old man.
My heavens, how did this child go wrong? She wasn't like this before.
She wanted to reprimand her, but then she thought that if she said harsh words to a child who was caught in a mental block, it would be like pushing her to her death.
Alternatively, she was Xueyao's confidante. Saying too much or too harshly wouldn't be good.
Never mind, she would just assign more people to guard her.
"Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister-in-law, I'm here to tell you something. Don't be too surprised when you hear it."
Zhao Jiaqi changed the subject, no longer dwelling on the child's matter. She also gave the couple a heads-up, so they wouldn't be too shocked and faint again.
As expected, the crying in the room gradually stopped, and everyone waited for Zhao Jiaqi to speak.
Three people, six eyes fixed on her.
Zhao Jiaqi calmly and slowly revealed the truth: "Mother was fed a false death potion by Uncle Qi at my request, to avoid spies in the mansion. It was a last resort."
After her simple statement, the room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Before they could ask any questions, Zhao Jiaqi continued.
"Mother's poison has been cured. I heard from Zehao that the person who poisoned her has been found, and there are no more spies in the mansion. Mother will be brought back this afternoon. I'm telling you two in advance, so you won't be too startled when you see her."
She had said so much in one breath that her mouth was dry. But seeing the stunned expressions of the family of three, she figured she wouldn't even be offered a cup of tea to moisten her throat.
With her matter concluded, she didn't want to linger and affect their tearful mourning. After all, she didn't have that hobby, and she was starving, her stomach rumbling.
"You two tidy yourselves up. Don't let Mother know about these troubles. Her health hasn't fully recovered yet and she needs rest."
There was a lot of meaning in that one sentence. Wang Zhaodi and Fan Guangping were not fools, and they naturally understood the implied message.
The couple nodded profusely, promising, "Sister-in-law, don't worry, I will handle it."
Zhao Jiaqi didn't respond, but she thought to herself, hoping you can handle it.
Not long after she left Minghe Yuan, she heard that Fan Guangping had beaten Xueyao and, before their mother's return, had gone out to find a matchmaker to arrange her engagement, so she wouldn't embarrass them further.
He was also afraid that something else might happen and cause a complete mess.
When Yumeng learned of this, she went to Zhao Jiaqi's residence and took Xueyao to her own courtyard, declaring that no one could decide Xueyao's marriage.
By the time Zhao Jiaqi heard about these events, a long time had passed.
She sighed deeply. Women in this era had very little freedom.
Obey the father at home, obey the husband after marriage, obey the son after the husband's death. How tragic.
Conversely, she felt her daughter was fortunate, as she and Zehao were not so stubborn.
"Fine, let Yumeng mess around. At least it's not the right time for Xueyao to get married."
Su Ya didn't quite understand this. She thought that since Miss Xueyao's reputation had been tarnished, it would be best to arrange a marriage before the news spread further. Why was it not a good time for her to get married?