Chongfei Manual

October 8th was Marquis Guang Xin’s grandson’s one month old birthday.

Wei Luo had sat in front of her mirror and vanity case for an hour to tidy up before changing her clothes. When she was leaving the residence with Zhao Jie, he stared at her for a long time before he slowly reached his hand out to hold her hand and said, “Let’s go.”

Once they were inside the carriage, Wei Luo curiously asked, “What were you looking at before?”

Zhao Jie was sitting across from her and leaning back against the carriage wall. He was smiling strangely as he looked at her. “I was looking at my beautiful Ah Luo. I was almost reluctant to bring her outside today.”

Wei Luo was wearing a captivating, short red top that was embroidered with a pattern of branching plum blossoms in Su style. The top was paired with a flowing, green skirt. Normally, pairing green and red together was very tacky. However, these colors were complementary when worn by Wei Luo. Not only was it not tacky, it showed lively delicateness. In addition, she had recently been eating herbal supplements every day to improve her health. She didn’t look like a married woman. If she said she was fourteen or fifteen*, people would believe her. When Zhao Jie stood next to her, it would make people suspect that he was a cradle robber.

* (T/N: Wei Luo is currently sixteen years old, so I’m not sure why this is noteworthy.)

When they arrived at the marquis’s residence’s receiving room and met the marquis and his wife, everyone’s gazes repeatedly moved back and forth between Wei Luo and Zhao Jie as expected. After the group of people greeted the prince, there was a delay before they finally greeted Wei Luo as the princess consort. They were afraid of addressing her by the wrong title.

After Wei Luo presented their congratulatory gift, she followed Marchioness Guang Xin to the inner court.

Marchioness Guang Xin was sixty years old this year. She was humble and respectful when she spoke to Wei Luo, “Princess consort, please follow me.”

As Wei Luo followed behind her, their conversation consisted of perfunctory words.

After they went through a corner of the corridor and passed through a small flowerbed, Chun Hui Hall was in front of them. The female guests were being received here today. When they arrived in the main room, there were already many people sitting down. There were unfamiliar faces and also familiar faces. One after another, they came forward to salute Wei Luo. Wei Luo greeted them with a smile. Unexpectedly, someone behind her suddenly said, “Greetings Your Highness.”

Wei Luo turned around and slightly froze when she saw Wei Bao Shan.

Wei Bao Shan’s hair was currently combed into a madam’s hairstyle. Her figure was also somewhat more full-bodied than when she had been an unmarried girl.

Wei Luo hadn’t seen her in long time and didn’t know that she was already married. She looked at Wei Bao Shan in surprise for a few extra moments. Wei Luo couldn’t be blamed for not knowing this information. No one in Duke Ying’s household had told her this news and there hadn’t been any rumors. She had been busy improving her health during the past few months and hadn’t left Prince Jing’s residence in a while. There was also no reason for her to deliberately ask about Duke Ying’s household’s state of affairs. It was normal for her to not know. She quickly returned to normal and said with her lips curved, “You?”

Wei Bao Shan politely half rose of out of her chair and explained, “Wei Bao Shan has become Second Young Master Chen’s person.”

Wei Luo had just recently greeted second young master Chen’s wife, Lin-shi. So, it seemed that Wei Bao Shan had become second young master Chen’s concubine. Wei Luo’s almond-shaped eyes were smiling. Her words had a deeper meaning as she said, “So, it’s Honored Concubine Wei.”

They both had the same last name of Wei, but one was Princess Consort Wei and the other was Honored Concubine Wei.

With her hand hidden inside her sleeve, Wei Bao Shan tightened her grip around her handkerchief. She pursed her lips and was able to force herself to smile as she said, “Bao Shan heard that the princess consort had come and specially came out to see you. Your Highness, you haven’t changed at all. You’re still so brilliant and captivating.” As she spoke, she imperceptibility glanced at Wei Luo’s abdomen. Seeing that it was still flat, a smile flashed through her eyes.

Wei Luo was scornful of Wei Bao Shan, who had jumped here and there as she tried her best to climb to a higher social status. In the end, she had still settled at household with an empty title of marquis and was falling apart. Moreover, in accordance to family hierarchy, second young master Chen had to call Zhao Jie maternal uncle and Wei Luo maternal aunt. Wei Bao Shan’s status would naturally follow second young master Chen’s status and be lower than Wei Luo's.

Wei Luo lightly laughed, “Oh, really? I married shortly after Honored Concubine Wei entered Duke Ying’s household. There shouldn’t be much of a connection between us. I’m surprised that you would specially come here to see me.”

Wei Bao Shan’s expression changed. She hadn’t expected that Wei Luo would speak so frankly.

Second young master Chen’s main wife was a shrewish person. Unfortunately for her and her husband, second young master Chen was a playboy. Every time he saw a beautiful girl, he would want to bring back home. He was a man that couldn’t control his lower body.

A few days after Wei Bao Shan had bumped into second young master Chen in Duke Ying’s residence and caught his eye, he had sent gifts to Duke Ying and said he wanted her as a concubine. After Second Madam Song-shi sent people to investigate about Marquis Guang Xin’s household’s situation, she agreed the next day. At the time, Wei Bao Shan was impatient to break away from Duke Ying’s household, so she didn’t disagree either. Moreover, Wei Bao Shan believed that she was beautiful woman and that she was special in Second Young Master Chen’s heart.

However, after she came to Marquis Guang Xian’s residence, she found out that her belief was completely wrong. Not only did the main wife make things deliberately difficult for her, second young master Chen would bring more women back to the residences at irregular intervals. The rear court was a complete mess. Her life back at Duke Ying’s household was more comfortable in comparison.

Wei Bao Shan had heard that Wei Luo had come here as a guest today, so she came here to see her. After all, at the very least, they had come from the same household. In the future, second young madam wouldn’t dare to make things difficult for her in order to give Prince Jing’s household face. However, Wei Bao Shan hadn’t expected that Wei Luo wouldn’t give her the slightest face and had spoken so unwaveringly.

Wei Bao Shan should have remembered that she had once called Wei Luo a hen that couldn’t lay eggs. Did she really think that Wei Luo would have good words to say to her?

Second young madam Lin-shi’s eyes showed her disdain. She covered her lips with a handkerchief and said, “Hurry and go back. Didn’t the doctor say you were pregnant? If something happens to the baby, don’t blame it on me.”

Wei Bao Shan lowered her eyes, “Yes.” At the mention of a child, her eyes showed a small degree of pride. No matter how noble Wei Luo’s status was, she was still someone that couldn’t get pregnant, while she was someone that became pregnant shortly after entering this household. If she had son, she could depend on him to raise her status.

After Wei Bao Shan left, Wei Luo didn’t think any further about this brief interlude.