Phoenix Hairpin

A few days later, Concubine Meng Gui called the eldest concubine into the palace.

The Eldest Huángzi fēi was a little apprehensive.

The mother-in-law was neither cold nor hot towards her, and she was very picky on ordinary days and rarely gave her a good face. Today, she suddenly took the initiative to call her into the palace, no matter how she thought about it, it was not a good thing.

The Eldest Huángzi fēi’s intuition was very good.

After entering the Yanxi Palace, she met Concubine Meng, and after saluting, she didn’t say a few words. Then Concubine Meng called two palace attendants over: “Liang Shi, these are the palace attendants I specially picked. You can take them back today!” “

The two court ladies were about seventeen or eighteen years old. In terms of appearance, they were not particularly outstanding, they just had average appearance. But the figure was very slim, the waist was thin and the hips were wide which looked good for child-bearing.

The Eldest Huángzi fēi pinched the handkerchief in her hand tightly, her elegant face turned pale slightly: “What does Concubine Mother mean?”

Meng Guifei snorted softly: “What do I mean, don’t you know? A few days ago at the Sun Palace banquet, what the Emperor said, wasn’t it obvious he was worried that you have no good news?”

“Don’t say it is in the Royal family, even in the family of ordinary officials, if the daughter-in-law has not been pregnant for more than two years, the parents-in-law will have taken a concubine for their son. This is such a common occurrence.”

“The Emperor took care of the Liang family’s face and did not give a side concubine. I will pick two palace maids who are suitable for child-bearing, and you take them back to the mansion so that they can serve the Eldest Prince well. No matter who is pregnant, the offspring they have, will be by your side and raised as your own.”

Concubine Meng Gui said very directly.

In the imperial family, the prince’s concubines can indeed be recorded in the royal genealogy, and they also hold certain ranks. They are entitled to raise their own children.

Now she only rewarded two palace servants, the palace servants were nameless, and even if they were pregnant, they would not be able to threaten the Eldest Huángzi fēi one bit. The newborn child had to be raised in the yard of the Eldest Huángzi fēi.

The Eldest Huángzi fēi can’t bear children by herself, so it was good to be able to raise a shu child under her name.

Concubine Meng Gui felt that she was very generous. She didn’t let her son take concubines, just two palace servants serving as bedmates. [1]

The Eldest Huángzi fēi bit her lips hard and pleaded in her eyes: “The Concubine Mother has good intentions, and the daughter-in-law understands in her heart. It’s just…”

But, which woman would like her husband to have other women by his side so that other women can have children?

Concubine Meng’s face turned cold: “Liang Shi, don’t say that I am a mother-in-law who doesn’t care about you. Today I only let you bring two palace servants back. If there is no good news at the end of the year, I will pick two decent ladies and give them to you. The Prince will then have a side concubine.”

Concubine Meng Gui was aggressive, and the Eldest Huángzi fēi had to admit her defeat.

…

So, when the Eldest Prince returned home at night, he saw the Eldest Huángzi fēi leading two young women with strange faces to greet him.

The Eldest Prince took a second look: “Who are these two?”

For no reason, why are there two more unfamiliar faces?

The Eldest Huángzi fēi put on a thick face of makeup, and forced a smile: “I entered the palace today to pay my respects to my Concubine Mother, and I specially asked for two palace servants from my Concubine Mother. They were carefully trained by my Concubine Mother, and they understand the rules and are docile. From now on, let them serve in His Highness’s study.”

The Eldest Prince frowned and glanced away.

The two young court ladies both blushed slightly and lowered their heads, allowing the Eldest Prince to look at them. Looking at the rules, no one dared to wink.

“You both step back first.” The Eldest Prince ordered in a deep voice.

The two palace servants responded softly and quickly withdrew.

The Eldest Huángzi fēi smiled happily: “Concubine Mother is also thinking of me. If Your Highness takes a concubine, it will be a legitimate consort of the Prince. If she bears children, they will also be raised by the concubine. But now, if any of them gives birth, the child will be brought to my courtyard. Mother, she is so thoughtful of me, and I am truly happy about it…”

As she spoke, the circles of her eyes turned red, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

The Eldest Prince sighed helplessly and hugged the Eldest Huángzi fēi into his arms.

The Eldest Huángzi fēi snuggled into the arms of the Eldest Prince and cried hard.

When the Eldest Huángzi fēi’s mood calmed down a bit, the Eldest Prince opened his mouth to comfort him: “Don’t cry yet. I’ll go into the palace and tell my Concubine Mother that I am sending these two palace servants back.”

The Eldest Huángzi fēi said with sobs: “Master if you bring them back for no reason, Concubine Mother said that if there is no good news within half a year, she will pick a side concubine for you after the new year.”

The Eldest Prince couldn’t help but sigh.

The young couple had a very strong loving bond.

Liang Shi was considerate and gentle, he likes her very much. Concubine Meng made stabs from time to time, and he blocked them countless times, protecting Liang Shi every time.

But the matter of the heir…

The Eldest Prince thought of what Emperor Yongjia said at the palace banquet a few days ago, sighed again, and said in a low voice: “Father has always loved me the most. I am the eldest brother, and I was also the first to marry a wife. At the beginning of next year, Fourth Miss Lu and her cousin of the Meng family will also pass through the door. If the second and third brothers have children first, I, as the eldest brother, will really look ugly.”

The Eldest Huángzi fēi trembled and looked up at the Eldest Prince. [2]

The Eldest Prince was not handsome, with a slightly dark complexion, and tall stature, not to mention heroic. In those eyes similar to those of Emperor Yongjia, there was a trace of indescribable ambition.

For ordinary people, it was taboo to fight between sons and daughters.

In the Royal family, the difference between the shu and di children was actually not that big. They were all princes, and they all have the power to compete for the Crown Prince position.

The Eldest Prince occupied a good position. He had a capable maternal family, a father-in-law who was in charge of the imperial guards, and a mother who was the most favored concubine. It was quite normal to have ambitions for the Crown Prince position.

Under such circumstances, the Eldest Prince would want to overwhelm the Second Prince everywhere.

The Eldest Prince quickly made up his mind, gently stroked the back of the Eldest Huángzi fēi, and said softly: “Xiao’er, I know your heart for me. The same is true for you.”

“Those two maids, you don’t take them to heart. If they are pregnant and give birth to a child, they will leave the child and go back to Concubine Mother. The child will be mine and yours.”

A chill quickly spread from the bottom of her heart to her whole body.

The Eldest Huángzi fēi looked at her husband in a daze and suddenly felt that her beloved husband was so strange.

The Eldest Prince looked at the Eldest Huángzi fēi affectionately, and made an oath: “Xiao’er, no matter who comes, you are the only one in my heart”

…….

The Eldest Prince made up his mind, so he comforted the Eldest Huángzi fēi.

That night, the Eldest Prince went to the study and summoned one of the maids to serve him. The next day, another one was called. After more than half a month, he slept in the study.

Concubine Meng quickly found out about this, and she was quite satisfied. So she specially called the Eldest Huángzi fēi into the palace, praised her a few words, and rewarded a lot of clothing and jewelry.

After the Eldest Huángzi fēi returned to the mansion, she divided half of the reward and gave it to the two palace servants.

The two maids were so grateful that they knelt and kowtowed to express their gratitude.

Indeed, they are all blooming flowers at a similar age. Even if they are not peerless beauties, they still possess a charming and captivating allure, full of vivid and vibrant qualities.

What flashed through the mind of the Eldest Huángzi fēi was the picture of “keep the son and leave the mother” that the Eldest Prince said. For some reason, the Eldest Huángzi fēi’s stomach churned.

The Eldest Huángzi fēi turned her head and vomited in a daze.

References

References↑1In a way, I think she is right. When reading historical novels, we often see them through our modern eyes. But if you see it from the point of view of society then, I think Concubine Meng was not a bad mother-in-law. She hated Liang Shi but didn’t try to separate her from her son, and also just wanted the couple to have a child. She didn’t give a concubine which she could have. This shows how bad the third prince’s mother was!!↑2Again, this is why people in high society preferred wives from similar backgrounds. They knew the importance of having heirs and so took concubines or bedmates for their husbands themselves. We don’t know from our point of view what they thought about it. But we can’t assume that they all were sad. Most of such marriages were political marriages and love between couples, if you think, is a very modern concept.