Chapter 9: Sincere Persistence and Secret Rivalry

The Marchioness of Weiyuan pressed her palms together, chanting under her breath, "Thank you, Bodhisattva, for your protection. I only hope he can turn misfortune into blessing and wake up soon."

"It must be Mother's sincerity that moved the Bodhisattva, which is why Second Brother was saved." Yuwen Qingshuang's face bore signs of fatigue, yet a faint smile hung at the corners of her mouth.

The Marchioness of Weiyuan looked at Yuwen Qingshuang and naturally understood her thoughts. This disaster involved the Prince of Jin's Manor, and Yuwen Qingshuang was the most uneasy. However, since it was her own brothers who had erred, she couldn't be blamed. Moreover, as soon as this matter broke, she had rushed to her maiden home to settle the matter with vigor; the Marchioness was quite satisfied with this daughter-in-law.

"I see it as the good fortune brought by the Consort. The Consort's sincerity moved the Bodhisattva; Shiqi will surely wake up." The Marchioness of Weiyuan followed Yuwen Qingshuang's lead, which happened to align perfectly with Yuwen Qingshuang's intentions.

Li Yanshang naturally understood the subtlety behind this. The fact that the Marchioness could say such words meant she didn't seem intent on tearing faces with the Prince of Jin's Manor, but as for the Marquis of Weiyuan...

The Marchioness of Weiyuan continued, "Consort, the weather is cold and the dew is heavy, and the Prince's Manor has auspicious matters to attend to tomorrow. You should head back first. Once Shiqi wakes up, I will immediately send someone to the Manor with word."

Yuwen Qingshuang also added her persuasion from the side, "Sister-in-law, there is no other way at this moment but to wait. Mother is likely anxious as well, so please head back first."

Li Yanshang, however, shook her head. She called Jinzhi over and instructed, "Take Nanny Qiao and head back first to report to the Princess Consort. Tell her to be at ease and say that I will return only after Second Master wakes up."

Jinzhi was slightly surprised, not knowing why the Consort was being so stubborn, but in front of the Marchioness and the Commandery Princess, it was not her place as a mere maid to comment. Thus, she accepted the command and took Nanny Qiao back to the Prince of Jin's Manor.

Seeing that Li Yanshang was dead set on staying at the Marquis's manor, the Marchioness of Weiyuan was momentarily at a loss. She felt that Li Yanshang staying here was not a good thing, but since the woman was staying out of pure sincerity, she couldn't exactly drive her out. She looked at Yuwen Qingshuang with some helplessness.

Yuwen Qingshuang's mind worked extremely fast, and she instantly understood Li Yanshang's intention. She shot a highly approving glance at Li Yanshang, feeling a trace of gratitude in her heart, and said, "Mother, it is getting late. You should at least rest for a while. Sister-in-law refuses to leave out of her sincerity for Second Brother; perhaps she truly can move the Bodhisattva and Second Brother will wake up. Why don't we let Sister-in-law go to my courtyard for now? It just so happens that Shuyuan is not here either."

The Marchioness of Weiyuan could only nod in agreement; after all, they were sisters-in-law, making conversation much more convenient.

Watching the two leave the main hall, the Marchioness waved someone over and whispered an instruction, "Quickly go to the inner gate and have someone enter the palace to send word to the Marquis. Tell him the Consort is guarding the Marquis's manor and ask him to return quickly." She paused and added, "Tell the Marquis that the Consort has come to apologize."

After the turmoil of this day, she was originally exhausted, but the Consort's visit suddenly cleared her mind. The Prince of Jin's Manor had sent the Consort herself to apologize personally, showing an attitude of not hiding or avoiding, but rather taking responsibility for this mess with an open and upright manner. If the Prince of Jin's Manor had avoided seeing them or even refused to admit it, then the Weiyuan Marquis's Manor would have had the moral high ground. But now, it made it look as if the Marquis's Manor was the one refusing to let the Prince of Jin's Manor go.

The Prince of Jin was a high-ranking official who had helped the Emperor establish the empire, and a person of great prestige within the imperial family. For the Marquis to act this way... The Marchioness felt there was deep mystery behind this matter, but she did not dare to think any deeper.

The lights were also bright in Yuwen Qingshuang's courtyard. Several maids were guarding the courtyard; seeing her return, they hurried to greet her, "The Commandery Princess has returned."

Those using such a title were naturally the maids who had come as part of the dowry from the Prince of Jin's Manor; they all recognized Li Yanshang and hurried forward to bow in unison.

Yuwen Qingshuang waved her hand and led Li Yanshang into the room, casually asking, "Is Rui-ge'er sleeping peacefully?"

A maid nearby replied, "I just went to check; he is sleeping very soundly. Please rest assured, Commandery Princess."

Yuwen Qingshuang nodded. "You all may leave. I wish to speak with the Consort."

Yuwen Qingshuang gripped Li Yanshang's hand tightly. "Sister-in-law, you have worked hard."

Li Yanshang smiled slightly and patted her arm. "We are all family, there is no need for such words. Besides, your eldest brother also bears responsibility for this. My coming here is also for his sake. He is still in the palace at this moment."

A layer of thin anger appeared on Yuwen Qingshuang's face, and her jade-white complexion instantly flushed. "If one is to blame, blame Third Brother. Eldest Brother's temperament is the most detached; he only enjoys romance and poetry, seeking only a connection of the soul in matters of women, and would never have involvement with those performers. It is Third Brother who has been spoiled and indulged by Mother. If he had even a shred of regard for me as his eldest sister, he would never have caused such a mess."

As she spoke, her eyes turned red, and she used a handkerchief to wipe the corners of her eyes.

This was indeed someone who did not protect her own family's faults; Li Yanshang immediately felt more goodwill toward her and said, "Third Brother is still young. As for your eldest brother, facing such a matter, he should have managed it." She sighed and added, "I hope Second Master Fan can pass through this crisis safely; otherwise, this will become a matter of life and death. If it truly escalates, it will not be good for you either."

Yuwen Qingshuang's eyes grew even redder, and she felt a surge of emotion in her heart. She hadn't expected that Li Yanshang would still be thinking of her at a time like this. Thinking of how Mother had treated her eldest brother and how she had instigated against her sister-in-law over the years, she felt truly ashamed.

She looked up at Li Yanshang and murmured, "Sister-in-law, you have truly changed." Being a wife herself, she still felt some sympathy for Li Yanshang's situation.

Hearing such words again, Li Yanshang no longer felt fear and replied candidly, "You were originally the little Commandery Princess held in the palm of the Prince of Jin's Manor. Now that you are married, haven't you changed as well?"

Yuwen Qingshuang was slightly stunned. It was true; although she was a noble Commandery Princess, she was ultimately a wife of the Fan family. Once married, she had to follow the ways of a woman—dealing with parents-in-law, sisters-in-law, and a husband; these various relationships forced her to change.

Seeing her somber expression, Li Yanshang squeezed her hand and said softly, "There will always be a way when the time comes. Don't think too much. Besides, you still have Rui-ge'er; what is there to fear?"

Rui-ge'er. A wave of warmth surged in Yuwen Qingshuang's heart. Rui-ge'er was the apple of her eye; no matter how she changed, her love for Rui-ge'er would never change.

She suddenly remembered something and, after a moment of hesitation, said with implication, "Sister-in-law, Eldest Brother still has feelings for you in his heart. What he liked originally was you as a person—your temperament and your talent. You should understand this, Sister-in-law."

Li Yanshang's gloomy mood suddenly brightened. She had always found the marriage between Yuwen Ye and herself strange, but looking at it now, it seemed to be a beautiful tale of a talented scholar and a lovely lady. The romance Yuwen Ye pursued was released the moment he met Li Yanshang, leading to love at first sight, followed by the Emperor's marriage decree.

It was just that he hadn't expected that the Li Yanshang who married into the Prince's Manor would change completely, losing all that romantic inclination, which ultimately caused the two to drift further and further apart.

A gust of cool wind blew in, the door curtain fluttered, and a maid walked in, reporting in a low voice, "Commandery Princess, the Marquis has returned, and the Heir is also here. The Marchioness requests the Consort to go to the main hall."