Chapter 59: The Old Prince Next Door 12

As soon as Nanny Cui spoke, Su Huandan, who had been dazed by the imperial decree¹ of marriage, snapped back to reality.

She turned her head to look at the old, wrinkled orange peel of a wet nurse still pinned to the ground. Upon hearing the decree, the woman was trembling all over, her face deathly pale. Tsk, at such an age, she looked quite pitiful, but the way she had pointed at Su Huandan’s nose earlier was exceptionally hateful.

“Let her go. She is just a servant, merely a messenger. Although I had her pushed out earlier, it was only because I was furious. Let her go!” It wasn’t as if she could actually kill her.

The wet nurse was certainly loathsome, but she definitely didn’t deserve to lose her life.

Nanny Cui and Nanny Bai exchanged a glance and nodded inwardly. Despite the sudden change in status, she hadn’t immediately resorted to violence or execution. This Princess Consort Chen was essentially level-headed.

Gui Xi waved his hand, and the wet nurse was released. She scrambled away, crawling and stumbling back to the Duke of Yi Household across the street.

At that moment, the Duchess of Yi was waiting at the gatehouse. She had barely entered her own front gates when the servants following her reported that eunuchs from the palace had gone to the Su widow’s house, and that even Manager Gui Xi had accompanied them with a bowing, fawning attitude.

Upon learning this, the Duchess of Yi was filled with suspicion and unease. Could that widow Su actually have connections with the palace?

After waiting for a long time, she finally saw her wet nurse return, looking as though her soul had left her body.

The wet nurse burst into tears the moment she saw her. “Miss, something terrible has happened! That widow has been granted a marriage by the Empress Dowager. She is now Princess Consort Chen! I fear that widow had a secret liaison with Prince Chen long ago. She is simply shameless…”

“Shut your mouth! You’re speaking more out of line by the second. Are these things you should be saying? Nanny, don’t stay in the household anymore. Go back home and enjoy your retirement.” With one stroke, the Duchess sent the wet nurse away.

She hurried back to the Main Courtyard, her mind racing with thoughts on how to proceed.

Damn it all. If only she hadn’t gone across the street today. She had offended the woman one moment, and the next, the person she offended had become Princess Consort Chen.

The Duchess wondered to herself, could the widow really have an improper relationship with Prince Chen?

Was there a secret pregnancy?

Otherwise, how could she be granted a marriage, and as Princess Consort Chen at that?

But Prince Chen’s health… he had been failing five years ago. It was said he couldn’t even sleep with women, essentially a eunuch with the parts still attached. Could he really have gotten a widow pregnant?

However, if she wasn’t pregnant, why would the palace find a widow to be Prince Chen’s consort?

Although Prince Chen was older and in poor health, he was the sole remaining Prince of the first rank in the imperial family. The Great Jing Dynasty’s imperial line was truly struggling when it came to offspring.

As the only remaining Prince, even if he didn’t manage affairs, his weight within the imperial family and the court was very significant.

What she needed to think about now wasn’t whether the two had a previous liaison, but how to repair her relationship with the widow.

As long as it benefited her son, what did it matter if she had to flatter a widow she previously looked down upon?

While the Duchess was plotting how to curry favor, the Duke of Yi was pondering the matter of the dowry.

Although he was disgusted that the widow had risen so high, as long as the connection wasn’t severed, his household could reap the benefits. Therefore, preparing a proper dowry befitting a Princess Consort of the first rank was a must.

As for the previous unpleasantness with the widow?

What of it?

Even if the widow was no longer his younger brother’s wife, she was still his cousin. With such a close blood relation, she would need a maternal family to back her up as a Princess Consort. Just let her try to manage without one.

This couple truly proved that birds of a feather flock together; when it came to grabbing benefits for themselves, they were exactly alike.

But Su Huandan had no intention of continuing any involvement with the Duke of Yi Household. That entire family was too disgusting.

When you have no utility, you are treated like a stray dog to be handled at will. Once you have value, they shamelessly try to pull strings?

Tsk, what a beautiful dream they were having.

“But a woman without a maternal family will ultimately be gossiped about.” Nanny Bai did not quite agree with Su Huandan’s line of thinking.

Su Huandan was amused. After she finished laughing, she looked at Nanny Bai. “Nanny, you probably aren’t clear on my background. My parents are both dead. Starting from my grandfather, the men of my Su family all died in battle on the Northwest border. My maternal family should be counted from a family of martyrs² like the Su clan. Why should I follow the Duke’s household? Even if the late Old Madam of the Duke’s household raised me, I have remained a widow for her son for all these years and nearly lost my life. That debt of gratitude should be considered paid in full, right?”

So stop being ridiculous. I’m already a Princess Consort. I’ll just live my life quietly; who would dare make trouble for me?

Why would I act like I have a mental illness? I’ve finally escaped that fiery pit of the Duke of Yi Household, so why would I want to maintain close ties with them?

Even someone with water on the brain wouldn’t do such a thing.

However, Su Huandan also knew that if the original owner of this body were still alive and in her current position, she would have made that choice, treating the Duke’s household as her maternal family.

Because the original owner was a local; her thought process was that of the women of this era.

But Su Huandan was not.

The original owner’s death was related to the Duke of Yi Household—closely related. Su Huandan would have to be insane to deal with them. Wasn’t she afraid of being plotted against?

That night, Nanny Cui looked at Nanny Bai with disapproval. “Elder Sister, we have served in the palace together for decades. As your younger sister, I have something to say. The Empress Dowager would like nothing more than for the Su lady to break off all relations with the Duke of Yi Household. Your advice today was quite unreasonable.”

Nanny Bai was speechless.

She felt quite wronged. She was only trying to plan more for her seemingly naive new mistress. Was she wrong?

Did the Empress Dowager not have a maternal family?

Over the years, the Empress Dowager had done plenty to pull her own family up.

The Princess Consort was also a daughter-in-law of the imperial family. Without a powerful maternal family, she would see if anyone in the imperial household would take her seriously in the future.

Su Huandan didn’t care what others thought. Now, she only wanted to live her life well.

Ever since the marriage was decreed, the Imperial Household Department³ had begun sending things to her place on a regular schedule. From food to clothing and daily necessities, if Su Huandan could think of it, the Imperial Household Department could deliver it.

The items in the house were increasing, and several empty rooms had been cleared out to serve as storehouses.

One day, the Imperial Household Department came to take her measurements for her wedding robes; the next day, they brought jewelry designs, saying the Empress wanted the Imperial Household Department to craft the latest styles of jewelry for her.

She spent most of her daylight hours learning etiquette.

The various rules of ancient etiquette were incredibly tedious to learn, but they were the kind of thing she simply couldn’t afford to skip. Su Huandan was worried that if she didn’t learn them now, she would lose face later when dealing with members of the imperial family.

Besides, she was bored out of her mind all day anyway, so she might as well learn.

Furthermore, one truly couldn’t underestimate these palace matrons. After a month of training, Su Huandan looked in the mirror and felt that her own aura was much stronger than before.

In the past, she had the vibe of a professional career woman. Now? Her every word and gesture carried an air of elegance and nobility.

To be honest, in her previous life, having come from the countryside, she had felt that Yu Zexiu was exceptionally noble when she first saw him. But how did Yu Zexiu compare to her now?

Su Huandan felt that once she finished her advanced studies in palace etiquette, she would leave Yu Zexiu in the dust.

Because she studied diligently and put in the effort, and never forgot to include Prince Chen’s portion in her three daily meals, the Empress Dowager found Su Huandan to be a truly likable… sister in law!

Translator’s Notes