Chapter 159: The Qi Prince Consort's Doubt
Chapter 159: The Qi Prince Consort's Doubt
Before Lady Tang could even take a bite of her meal, she had to first apologize to the two tables of worshippers.
Tang Lingheng, the troublemaker, instead of showing any remorse, took off and then circled back to make faces at the others.
Lady Tang: ...!
What kind of trouble had she brought upon herself!
Among these worshippers were some ordinary commoners. Upon seeing Lady Tang and Tang Lingheng's attire, they could tell they were from a wealthy background, so naturally, they didn't want to cause any trouble.
It was already very considerate of them to offer an apology.
However, there was one table of guests from the Qiao family.
The Qiao family was related to the Noble Consort's maternal clan through marriage.
And the Tang family was the Empress's maternal clan.
The tension and discord between the two families were palpable.
Now that they had collided, the Qiao family was not going to back down.
Moreover, the Qiao family had brought along a child who was over three years old, and he was currently wailing in fear.
Not only did Tang Lingheng fail to realize his mistake, but he also continued to provoke them, "Crybaby, shut up! You're so annoying. Can't you cover his mouth?"
...
Lady Tang: ...!
She regretted bringing this little brat out today because of her soft heart!
The Qiao family was naturally unwilling to give any face to Lady Tang, and they didn't intend to back down even half a step!
Lady Tang felt utterly embarrassed and ashamed.
Even so, she still subconsciously shielded her young son.
"Children don't understand manners, it wasn't intentional."
"Let's not be too calculative, considering the friendship between our two families. Let's be more open-minded as adults."
"He's still a child."
...
Such words made even the Qi Prince Consort want to shake her head.
How could the Qiao family give Lady Tang any face?
In the harem, the Empress and the Noble Consort might not be like fire and water, but their relationship was indeed strained.
Extending to the outside world, the relationship between the two families was undoubtedly tense.
The fact that they hadn't come to blows yet was already giving each other face.
Moreover, Tang Lingheng was truly unreasonable.
His mother was apologizing, yet he was still provoking them.
Witnessing this scene, the Qi Prince Consort sighed silently in her heart.
If this child wasn't disciplined properly, who knew what other shocking things he would do in the future.
However, judging by Lady Tang's attitude...
Discipline?
She probably wouldn't even bother.
The Qi Prince Consort had no intention of meddling in other people's family matters, especially when it involved a dispute between two influential families.
Even if it was just a verbal dispute, she was too lazy to get involved.
The Qi Prince's Manor was noble, but it was also sensitive.
As the young princes gradually grew up, there would inevitably be competition for power and profit.
The Qi Manor did not want to get involved in such muddy waters.
Seeing that Su Su had finished eating, the Qi Prince Consort held the child and quietly left.
When Lady Tang was being scolded by the Qiao family to the point of being at her wits' end and wanted to seek the Qi Prince Consort's help, she discovered that the other party had already left.
Witnessing this, Lady Tang secretly gritted her teeth.
Su Su was a little sleepy after her meal.
The Qi Prince Consort planned to stay at Lanruo Temple for a few days, and she had already informed the temple when she came to offer incense earlier.
During the meal, the leftovers had been cleared away and arranged into the west courtyard's guest room.
The guest rooms in Lanruo Temple were arranged in a square courtyard with a central courtyard and rooms on all four sides.
The abbot was casual and hadn't given each guest room a name, only hanging identifiers like 'A', 'B', 'C', and 'D' in front of each door to facilitate the identification of the worshippers.
The Qi Prince Consort had come early in the morning and had already informed the temple that she wanted a quiet place when she met Lady Tang.
So, the temple arranged for her to stay in the easternmost room, marked 'A', in the outer courtyard of the square courtyard.
Room 'A' consisted of three large rooms. The Qi Prince Consort slept in the middle room with Su Su, and her attendants slept on either side.
The temple's dining hall had simple brick beds, so there was no worry of feeling crowded even with many people around.
The spacious brick beds could easily accommodate five or six adults.
Autumn Auntie and the others had eaten earlier and had since returned to tidy up the room.
The room was spotlessly clean, with not a speck of dust to be found even in the corners.
Holding little Su Su in her arms, the Princess of Qi gently patted her back and said, "My little Su Su, you must have endured a lot."
Su Su, half-asleep, looked at her mother with confusion, tilting her head to the side.
The little girl was already too sleepy to think straight, and after a moment of contemplation, she snuggled back into the Princess of Qi's embrace.
Seeing the adorable little girl, the Princess of Qi's heart melted, and her voice became even gentler. "Sleep now, my dear. Mother is here with you."
The Princess of Qi sat in a chair, holding Su Su as she slept, intending to wait until the little girl was in a deep sleep before putting her down on the bed.
Although Su Su was half-asleep, she still craved her mother's warmth, but she also didn't want to tire her mother, so she struggled to get down. "I'll sleep by myself. Holding me like this will make your arms sore, Mother."
Hearing these words, the Princess of Qi felt both proud and heartbroken.
She thought that if she and Little Liu couldn't appease the Empress Dowager, she would turn to the Prince.
She would have this son of hers plead with the Empress Dowager!
No matter what, she would fight for Su Su's identity and ensure she wasn't looked down upon.
With a confirmed identity, Su Su would finally receive the respect she deserved!
As these thoughts ran through her mind, the Princess of Qi gently laid Su Su down on the bed, removed her shoes and hat, and took off her outer garment.
Then, covering Su Su with a small blanket, the Princess of Qi skillfully lifted her hand and began to gently pat her back.
Under her mother's tender pats and the familiar faint fragrance, Su Su slowly drifted off to sleep.
Once the child was asleep, the Princess of Qi stepped back, asking Xiang Auntie to keep watch while she and Autumn Auntie left the room.
Although the morning had been tiring, the Princess of Qi wasn't sleepy. Moreover, she had some doubts she wanted to discuss with Autumn Auntie.
Stepping out of the room, the Princess of Qi glanced in the direction of Lady Tang, who seemed to have just finished arguing with the Qiao family. Now, she was walking back toward the dining hall while reprimanding her young son.
Unfortunately, Tang Lingheng paid no heed to his mother's words.
Lady Tang must have said something he didn't like, as Tang Lingheng turned around and ran off, ignoring his mother's shouts to stop.
Seeing this, the Princess of Qi shook her head.
Ever since she had encountered Lady Tang earlier that morning, the Princess of Qi had been filled with questions.
It was because of this encounter that she had made a mental note to be cautious.
When she had asked the young monk to prepare a dining room for her, she had requested a quiet place, preferably close to the frequent visitors of the temple, so that she could absorb some of their serene energy.
The Princess of Qi's intentions were clear—she wanted to stay away from the Tang family.
The Tang family was related to the Empress.
If the two families became too close, it might drag the Qi Manor into future disputes, which would not bode well for the children of the manor.
The manor was already wealthy and influential and didn't need to vie for anything more.
If they didn't handle things carefully, they might end up losing more than they gained.
Lady Tang and her family were staying in the Geng rooms of a square courtyard with a central courtyard and rooms on all four sides. It was located at a distance from the Princess of Qi, which brought her great peace of mind.
Seeing that they were alone, the Princess of Qi turned to Autumn Auntie and quietly asked, "Has something happened in the Tang family recently? I believe we've run into them a couple of times these past few days."
(End of Chapter)
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