Lin Nong looked at Zi Sangli and, as expected, saw her expression turn sour.
“I have been frail since childhood, and the second day of my little days is always particularly painful. Please do not misunderstand, Wangfei.”
Zi Sangli froze. “Your little days?”
Did that mean that Chengyan and she had not consummated their marriage last night?
Lin Nong feigned surprise. “Did the Wangye not tell you beforehand? He only stayed the night to deal with the senior palace maid from the Empress’s side. If the Wangye had left last night and word got back to the palace, Her Majesty the Empress would surely have been angry.”
“Furthermore, my father has always been doting and protective. If he knew I was not faring well in the Wangfu, the Lin and Zi Sangli families would surely fall into discord, no matter how much they fear it. Wouldn’t that just make us a laughingstock for outsiders and give those with ill intentions an opportunity to exploit?”
Xiao Chengyan was vying for the position of crown prince.
Lin Nong’s father was the Minister of Personnel, a trusted confidant of the emperor with great power over the appointments of officials. It could be said that half the officials in the court had good relations with the Lin family, making them a target the Empress was trying her utmost to win over.
To treat Lin Nong harshly was to offend the Lin family! Not only would it bring no benefit to herself, but it would also cause her own father and brothers to face difficulties at court.
The Zi Sangli family had no foundation whatsoever in the imperial court.
At this thought, a thin layer of sweat broke out on Zi Sangli’s back.
She had been so consumed by jealousy and anger that she had forgotten this crucial point!
She waved her hand.
The sharp-tongued serving woman was dragged out.
“I am usually too good to them, and it has spoiled them to the point where they don’t know their place and dare to be insolent before their masters. Please don’t be angry, younger sister.”
Lin Nong smiled gently. “Wangfei, you exaggerate. There will always be vile servants everywhere. It is enough to discover and deal with them in a timely manner.”
Zi Sangli’s expression softened slightly. “Actually, you didn’t have to tell me.”
After all, a man’s one-sided explanation was always the flimsiest of excuses.
Over time, discord was bound to arise!
Lin Nong shook her head gently. “Two people who are truly in love cannot be broken apart by schemes. My father has only one wife, my mother. What I have been accustomed to seeing since I was young is one couple for a lifetime, growing old together without parting. I cannot do something that would destroy the affection between a husband and wife.”
Zi Sangli had heard of this.
Lord Lin had only one official wife and had never taken a concubine.
But she did not believe Lin Nong.
After all, the one enjoying her husband’s complete affection was her mother, while the one now trapped in the Wangfu, condemned to a life of widowhood, was her!
“A lifetime is very long.”
Lin Nong’s smile was light and relaxed. “Days without affection, without respect, and being bullied are very long. But if I am favored in the eyes of outsiders, and if the Wangfei and I are on harmonious terms, then what I will receive is respect and reverence. Who would dare to make me unhappy?”
“If one is in a good mood, the days will not feel long.”
Zi Sangli’s eyes flickered.
There was indeed truth in that.
Moreover, if Lin Nong could be “favored,” then the pressure to bear children would all be on her, and she herself could get some time to breathe.
So, regardless of whether Lin Nong was sincere or not, she had to maintain a harmonious relationship with her. More importantly, she had to gently and attentively hold on to her husband’s heart and absolutely not let him be seduced by the beauty right at his fingertips!
Half a year! At most, another half a year, and her body would be sufficiently conditioned. By then, she would definitely be able to bear a healthy son for His Highness!
Zi Sangli put on a smiling face, took her hand, and said, “Younger sister speaks with reason. From now on, we sisters shall live in harmony, so that His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress can be at ease. If there is anything you need in your daily life, just tell me, and I will arrange everything for you!”
At that moment, these words had already reached Xiao Chengyan’s ears, verbatim.
He was surprised by Lin Nong’s magnanimity and clarity.
If she had married someone else, with her beauty and temperament, she would surely have been deeply favored, and the couple would have been loving and affectionate.
Unfortunately, he already had A Li. All he could compensate her with was a bit of dignity and respect!
Lin Nong was kept by Zi Sangli for a while longer. When she rose to take her leave, she happened to run into Xiao Chengyan coming in.
After curtsying, she left without another word.
Zi Sangli stared at their eyes.
Seeing not the slightest trace of ambiguity, she finally relaxed and threw herself into the man’s arms. “Your Highness! I was so afraid, so afraid that you would betray me!”
Xiao Chengyan held her gently. “Since I have made you a promise, I will naturally keep it. You just focus on recuperating. When you turn eighteen, we will consummate our marriage and have a healthy son, which will also be a proper account to give to Father Emperor and Mother Empress.”
On the day Zi Sangli was born, a monk had passed by her family’s gate.
He told her parents that she was destined for a noble life but fated to have many misfortunes. To resolve this, she absolutely had to remain a virgin before the age of eighteen.
Otherwise, a sudden calamity would befall her.
Therefore, although they had been married for nearly two years, they had never actually done that sort of thing.
That was why Zi Sangli was particularly worried that her husband, unable to taste meat, would be seduced by a fox spirit.
“Younger sister Lin is magnanimous and intelligent. We should also give her equal respect and protection. Tomorrow is the three-day homecoming visit. Your Highness must accompany younger sister Lin back. We must not let her be mocked and ridiculed by others because of us.”
Xiao Chengyan was very pleased that she could be so mindful of the bigger picture, and his gaze towards her grew even more tender.
“Alright, I will follow your arrangements. You just focus on recuperating. Once you give birth to the eldest son, Father Emperor and Mother Empress will no longer keep such a close watch on us.”
…
The three-day homecoming visit.
Xiao Chengyan had personally promised to accompany her back.
But when it was time to depart, she was informed that he had been called away on urgent business.
Lin Nong knew he must have been deliberately sent away by Zi Sangli.
Because she had anticipated it, she showed no expression.
She returned directly to the Lin Residence.
The Lin family’s old matriarch was still alive, so the family had not been divided.
Several branches of the family lived together.
Lin Nong’s father held the highest official rank, and her brother was a young Jinshi scholar, which made many people jealous.
Especially the Third Branch!
Now that Lin Nong had become a side consort, which was to say, a concubine, while their daughter had become the official daughter-in-law of a Duke’s residence, they were incredibly smug. They had not missed an opportunity to mock her to her face ever since the engagement was set.
Seeing her return home alone, how could they not seize the chance to mock and taunt her in person?
“Oh! Where is the Wangye? A matter as important as the homecoming visit, how could he not accompany you?”
“His Highness Chen Wang and the Wangfei are as devoted as a pair of lovebirds. How could they possibly allow a third party to ruin it? He probably finds the very sight of her disgusting! In the future, the marriages of the young ladies in our residence will surely be dragged down a level because of her. To have such a sister, what terrible luck for eight lifetimes!”
“Lin Nong, you really are a jinx!”
…
Though there were only a few mouths, it was as if they were putting on a play, their chattering voices eager to belittle Lin Nong into the dust!
Lin Nong endured it, not because she was good-tempered.
It was because, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the corner of a purple robe stop at the right side of the hall entrance.
“No matter what, I am still the Wangye’s side consort. How can you be so cruel to me?”
The Third Madam’s sneer was sharp and piercing. “A favored side consort is called a consort. What do you count as? You were sent over, and the Wangye probably hasn’t even touched you, right? And you still have the gall to flatter yourself! Lin Nong, you are truly shameless!”
“If I were you, I would have ruined my own face and gone off to die long ago!”