Chapter 91: Isn't Feng Xuanrui Paralyzed?
Chapter 91: Isn't Feng Xuanrui Paralyzed?
These young girls were all born to their father's concubines.
Thus, the methods used to educate them were simple and pragmatic.
Find a good man, marry him, live a comfortable life, or become a concubine to a noble—either way, don't end up like your mother, a lowly concubine looked down upon by everyone!
Xu Yueying's mother had already briefed her on the identities of the eligible young men in the capital, so when Xu Yueyao asked, she eagerly began to dish out the details.
Xu Yueyao had been worried about how to steer the conversation towards the sixth prince of the Qi Kingdom.
But lo and behold, just as she wished for a pillow, someone handed her one.
Ignoring her cousin's infatuated ramblings, Xu Yueyao continued her subtle probing: "Is there anything special about the sixth prince?"
Hearing this, Xu Yueying glanced at her with even more satisfaction and said proudly: "He's the legitimate son of the royal family! Someone like us could never even dream of marrying into that family!"
Even though they had been acknowledged and brought back to the manor due to the elderly madam's influence, their status as daughters of concubines was still a notch lower than that of a daughter born to a wife of lower rank.
Not to mention the legitimate son of a royal family—they wouldn't even be considered for a son of a concubine.
But who couldn't dream?
What if...?
As Xu Yueyao listened, she thought to herself, 'So what if he's paralyzed? What does it matter if he's unattainable?'
However, she couldn't voice these thoughts aloud.
Xu Yuexiu, who had initiated the conversation, gently patted Xu Yueying's shoulder and said, "Just because we can't marry him doesn't mean we can't look, right? I heard that the young masters will be coming over this afternoon for their equestrian and archery lessons. Let's sneak a peek then."
Xu Yueying's eyes lit up at the suggestion, and she nudged Xu Yuexiu excitedly. "How do you know that?"
Xu Yuexiu lifted her chin proudly. "My mother told me last night. She said that the sixth prince had just returned from the south, and his brothers in the manor would definitely come to the outskirts for their equestrian and archery lessons to celebrate. It's spacious here, and they can have more fun."
As Xu Yueyao listened, something didn't sit right with her.
She clearly remembered that the sixth prince of the Qi Kingdom was paralyzed.
Because it involved an old incident concerning the royal family, many people dared not bring it up.
It was only after making discreet inquiries that she had learned the truth—when the sixth prince was young, he had accompanied the King of Qing on a trip to the south. On their return journey, he was struck by falling rocks during a mountain collapse, which damaged his legs.
Because of this incident, the relationship between the Qing and Qi Kingdoms, once close, had deteriorated rapidly and reached a freezing point.
Xu Yueyao had specifically asked about the timing and confirmed that it was the same year Su Su was recognized and brought back to the capital.
At that time, Xu Yueyao had even maliciously thought: 'Why didn't he take Su Su with him and get crushed to death together?'
Now, the timing matched, but according to Xu Yuexiu, the sixth prince wasn't paralyzed?
But how could that be possible?
Xu Yueyao was so shocked by this revelation that she broke out in a cold sweat, and her face paled.
Xu Yueying, noticing her reaction, laughed and teased, "Ai, Xu Yueyao, you're such a scaredy-cat! We're just going for a quick look. Why are you so frightened?"
"It's true that she's from the village and doesn't know any better."
...
The girls were never truly close to begin with, and their relationships were often fickle.
They could huddle together and whisper secrets when they were getting along, but they would just as easily turn on each other and become mutually disdainful.
Fortunately, their etiquette teacher arrived at that moment, sparing Xu Yueyao from further awkwardness.
She turned her head anxiously and saw that the official road was now empty—the luxurious carriage was nowhere to be seen.
The events of this life were diverging from those of her previous one.
This realization filled Xu Yueyao with unease.
Clenching her fists, she quietly followed her sisters and proceeded to the lesson, her demeanor subdued.
On the other side, Su Su had already arrived at the manor.
After disembarking from the carriage, Princess Qi helped her unwrap the oversized scarf. It was too bulky for Su Su, who might trip and tangle herself in it while walking.
Princess Qi gently inquired if Su Su was feeling warm enough, and upon confirmation, she removed the scarf.
The primary purpose of their visit today was to tend to the potted plants. Su Su, ever vigilant, kept a close watch as they worked.
"Is this temperature okay?"
"How tall will they grow?"
"Will they bloom?"
"When they reach a certain height, do we need to transplant them into the ground?"
"Do they need to be watered?"
...
The servants didn't know what these plants were either. Since they were already buried in the ground, it would be troublesome to dig them up for inspection.
Moreover, there were countless varieties of flora in the world, and just because they hadn't seen them before didn't mean they didn't exist.
As a result, they could only offer vague answers to Su Su's questions.
Su Su's unease grew as they failed to provide satisfactory responses.
Le Le had said that these plants were valuable, so she was determined to take good care of them.
Thinking of Le Le, Su Su quietly asked, 【Le Le, will these plants grow?】
【Of course, as long as you take good care of them, Su Su.】
【They're easy to care for. Don't worry, the current temperature is just right. Once the sprouts appear, we'll transplant them into the ground, and in two to three months, we can harvest them.】
【But remember, their fruits grow underground, so you'll need to be extra careful when digging them up!】
Su Su was familiar with fruits that grew underground.
Excitedly, she replied, "I know, I know! Just like peanuts, right?"
The system agreed that this understanding was correct: 【Yes, Su Su.】
Reassured that the plants would grow and bear fruit, Su Su felt much more at ease.
The temperature in the greenhouse remained high, and soon, Su Su began to perspire. She obediently stepped outside, staying close to her mother as they toured the vast manor.
Noticing Su Su's curiosity, Princess Qi gently held her hand and softly introduced the various areas.
"Over there is the farmland, and beyond that is the orchard. In summer, the trees bear abundant fruit. Mother will bring you here to try them."
"Those are autumn fruits. They ripen later than the summer ones but arrive just in time to fill the gap."
"And over there, we have a large number of cattle and sheep."
"Oh, and yesterday, several of the cows and sheep gave birth to adorable calves and lambs. Mother will take you to see them."
...
The mention of the animals' births reminded Princess Qi of the good news she had received from the steward earlier that morning.
As she hadn't witnessed these events herself, she felt a sense of unreality about them. Now that Su Su was here, she decided to take her to see the newborn animals.
The steward had been waiting and was ready to guide them wherever the princess wished to go.
Upon learning that the princess wanted to see the animals that had given birth the day before, the steward's face lit up with enthusiasm. "Your Highness will be amazed! Those little ones are so full of life, especially the piglets—they're eagerly competing for milk!"
However, as he spoke, the steward felt that such topics might be considered coarse and inappropriate. He paused briefly, opting to provide a simpler description of the lambs and calves instead.
The livestock breeding area was quite distant, located near the orchard. This placement was intentional, as the strong odors from the animals needed to be kept away from the manor, especially from the water sources.
As they approached, they could see several lambs wandering about leisurely.
The steward exclaimed, "Look, those are the lambs born yesterday! There are fourteen of them!"
Second Watch
(End of Chapter)
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