Yes, I Do(n't)

Chapter 29: The arrival of Xiao Ke Ai (The Dumpling) [1]

The very next day, for the first time ever, the only daughter of the Xiao family has woken up on her own in the hour in the morning. She even wakes her personal maidservant so that she can take her shower early. She excitedly picks personally on which outfits and accessories she should bring to the Shen manor while humming happily. The other servants are smiling seeing their excited young mistress who is obviously over the moon.

When the rest of her family members arrived at the eating hall, there she was, sitting on her seat with a wide smile on her face. Prime Minister Xiao Zhengzhi feels somewhat sad seeing his beloved daughter looking so happy to leave her own home. His wives, on the other hand, each gives her pocket monies to spend while she is staying at Shen manor. Each of them even prepared a brand-new outfit for her to wear. His (ungrateful) sons are gently patting her head while giving her various candies and desserts for her to eat. He just sits on his seat in silence. Madam Jing Lanhua seeing her sulking husband giggles before she is giving a sign to Madam Hua Meili to do her 'thing'.

Madam Hua Meili nods in agreement and sits next to the right side of her husband with Madam Jing Lanhua sitting on the left seat. Madam Li Meigui gracefully sits next to Madam Jing Lanhua with Madam Feng Wen sitting next to her. Madam Zhao Qingrou is sitting in between Madam Hua Meili and Xiao Ke Ai. Xiao Zhuangyan sits next to his sister (he used his authority as the oldest son so that he can sit next to her) with Xiao Fuyuan sitting in between him and Xiao Yingyong.

The father and sons are not willing but, facing the five madams in a confrontational situation is never an option. Seeing their dumpling looking so happy somehow made them somewhat willing to let her go. After all, the banquet is just around the corner. But, letting her stay there means that she will be indirectly involved with the current development of the brewing conflict between the former and the current crown prince.

***

In their kingdom, there are only three princes; Second Prince Nangong Heshan, Third Prince Nangong Zhixiang, and Fourth Prince Nangong Yingjun.

Though Empress Mu Jianrui married to the emperor as his crown princess first, he then had to take Da Li Hua as his main consort to gain support from the House of Da in order for him to become the emperor without any unwanted incident. When he was coronated as the emperor, he made Da Li Hua as his empress due to the pressure from her family and the ministers. The current empress has been bestowed with the first rank imperial concubine title. On the same year, Imperial Concubine Li Meigui entered the harem as a second rank concubine. A year later, Imperial Concubine Baili Xin Ai entered the harem as well and been given the same rank title as Imperial Concubine Li Meigui.

With each passing year, only one concubine will be accepted into the harem, but none of them has been bestowed with a second rank title. Most of them only managed to become third rank concubines who rarely been summoned to serve the emperor. But they are happy because the late Empress Da Li Hua, the current empress, and the two imperial concubines have treated them kindly. They are given a comfortable courtyard to live in with their own maidservants, guards and a personal eunuch. They are always given more than enough for their allowance. They are able to eat good food. They are given beautiful outfits and accessories to be worn.

Even as an empress, the late Empress Da Li Hua never bothers with the matters of the harem and let the current empress handled everything. As much as House of Da being such a pressing and influential family in their kingdom, the empress is quite a carefree individual. She knew that she will never gain the love of the emperor, so she concentrates on her own matters. The late empress, the current empress, and both imperial concubines then got pregnant in the same year; Imperial Concubine Li Meigui gave birth to First Princess Nangong Rouran, Imperial Concubine Baili Xin Ai gave birth to Second Prince Nangong Heshan, Empress Da Li Hua gave birth to Third Prince Nangong Zhixiang and Imperial Concubine Mu Jianrui gave birth to Fourth Prince Nangong Yingjun. It was such a happy occasion for the emperor that year but sadly, his empress died soon after as one of his lower ranking concubine had poisoned her. Because of that tragic incident, the emperor refused to take another concubine. Imperial Concubine Mu Jianrui then elected to be the next Empress.

But, despite all the benefits enjoyed by the lower ranking concubines, one concubine blamed the late empress because the emperor had only summoned her once. Because she comes from a family with a background in medicine, she has secretly given the late empress a controlled dosage of slow acting poison. No one noticed this including the late empress and the imperial doctor who attended to her every need during her pregnancy. The full effect of the poison only showed after she had given birth. Her health declined fast soon after she had given birth to her only child. Due to the effect of the poison, the third prince too grows up as a sickly individual and it worsens as the years gone by. The only cure is for him to live in a warmer climate area. And, he moved for the sake of his health. Despite the current empress's objection, the crown prince title has been bestowed to the fourth prince. And, eldest miss Shen too has been engaged to the fourth prince soon after she has been borne.

Prime Minister Xiao Zhengzhi and his sons understand that the third prince grew up as a bitter young man for all that had happened to him. But the current empress never slighted him. Though he lives in a faraway district, the district is actually one of the richest districts in their kingdom. And, he has been given full control over the district. His main wife is the only daughter of the neighbouring kingdom's emperor who is their ally. She is also well known for her beauty and graceful manner. But, despite all that blessings granted to him, he had taken two concubines at the same time coming from influential military families. His main wife accepted his decision but moved out from their official manor to another manor within the same district. She let both concubines served him without any interference from her part. Empress Mu Jianrui feels sad seeing how the third prince ignored his main wife, but she does not want to make it worse by interfering. After all, her oldest daughter-in-law assured her that she is just fine and warned her father to never interfere with her married life.

But, now... The third prince wanted to go back to the imperial city because his health is no longer a huge concern on his part. Both of his concubines are following him, but his main wife decided to stay in the district. Seems like Empress Mu Jianrui knows something, but she did not let anyone know what's what, but she has sent her trusted senior maidservant to the district to assist her daughter-in-law for the time being. The third prince has even boldly spread the rumour that eldest miss Shen will be one of his concubines. The royal couple seems to be against this because they no longer wanted to burden the Shen family. After all, the eldest miss Shen nearly dies because of the current crown prince.

***

Once she has bid her goodbyes to her father and mothers. Xiao Ke Ai happily enters the horse carriage together with her fourth brother. Xiao Yingyong is mounting on his own horse. Her older brother is sitting next to the driver. Her personal maidservant, Xingxing sit next to her and cannot help but to feel excited too. Xiao Fuyuan smiles as he looks at the mistress-servant pair. Their happiness is too obvious indeed. Seems like both of them are quite taken the young misses of the Shen family and that feisty maidservant. He smiles as he thought of Moli.