Chapter 01
The whole capital was festive and bustling. Commoners and nobles of all ages were beside the road to watch the bridal procession. The whole capital was decorated in red to celebrate this grand wedding after a month of the mourning period.
3 months ago empress dowager became the matchmaker between the fifth prince and the third daughter of left prime minister Xiao, Xiao Feng. Empress dowager was in sick bed when she matchmade the two people.
In the first place, the empress dowager only wants to find Xiao Feng a good husband. Because Xiao Feng's fiancé since birth who is also the 8th prince, also the crown prince, the empress's only son went missing 2 years ago.
Empress adopted the fifth prince when he is young, after the fifth prince's mother, who is one of the good sisters of the empress passed away. So empress wanted to make the fifth prince the next candidate for Xiao Feng's husband.
That was how the marriage was arranged but the empress dowager passed away a month ago and the emperor announced one month mourning period without any celebrations or happy events. So the marriage also had to be postponed and it's finally the wedding day.
After all the rituals bride was escorted to the bridal chamber. Xiao Feng waited for 4 hours and finally asked a maid to go and look for prince Jing.
There was also senior maid Weining, who was gifted by the empress to help Xiao Feng to manage the manor. Linlin who is the bodyguard of Xiao Feng and her 4 dowry maids After few minutes maid came running and kneel and bowed her head down.
"Your highness the princess consort, have mercy" Maid answered while shivering.
"Where is his highness?" Weining asked.
"His highness, he departed from the banquet a few hours ago" Xiao Feng took off her veil and stand up from the bed. All the maids knelt.
"Weining?!" Xiao Feng look at Weining. She doesn't believe Weining knows nothing.
"Calm down, princess consort. This, this maid don't dare to reply" Weining said bowing and the rest of the maids also bow down.
Only Linlin was still standing up. Xiao Feng went to the dining table and sat down. 2 years ago when her fiance went missing she was still willful but she is now composed and calm when facing problems. She was like she is not the bride here and the person that the servant kneeling is not her. She pours the tea into a cup while spilling the tea.
"What was I even asking for? Who doesn't know about prince Jing's and Ms. Zhao's affair? Prince Jing must be accompanying Ms. Zhao" Xiao Feng said after drinking some tea.
It was a felony to have an affair before marriage but everyone kept quiet and never gossiped about prince Jing and Ms. Zhao. After all, it is the fifth royal prince and the daughter of the grand preceptor.
"Help me get change" Xiao Feng commanded and the maids quickly help her change and made the bed.
The next morning Xiao Feng was sleeping when she was forced to wake up and get ready to go to the palace. After getting ready she was in the carriage with prince Jing who made her wake up early in the morning and didn't even let her eat breakfast. She start eating some desserts packed by Weining.
"Where are your manners?" Prince Jing asked after getting enough of looking at Xiao Feng.
He has seen Xiao Feng many times before the marriage and even meet her with his 8th royal brother. She knows clearly about Xiao Feng. He doesn't like a girl with no manners and is willful. He likes the shy type who depends on him when married. If it's about beauty Xiao Feng is in a higher place but prince Jing no beauty can make one lose their ambitions.
Xiao Feng glared at prince Jing and turn to the other side and eat as she wish.
"Xiao Feng, I want you to know there is nothing between us. We are just nominally husband and wife. So you can stay in princess consort Jing as long as you mind your own business. So when the royal father or royal mother asked about your acceptance in taking Ming'er you have to agree" He said making Xiao Feng lose her appetite.
She put down the desserts and turn to prince Jing and dusted off her dress and sit mannerly.
"Are you asking for acceptance for a concubine?" Xiao Feng asked.
"Xiao Feng! Don't test my limits" prince Jing said with gritted teeth. Xiao Feng look at prince Jing to continue on his side. Prince Jing took a breath. Xiao Feng is only a child. He shouldn't get angry.
"You see, Ming'er is the daughter of imperial duke Zhao so I want you to accept her as the second wife"
"It's not that hard, but," Xiao Feng said and prince Jing smiled knowing it was done.
"Tell me what you want?"
"You know if you accept another one right after my marriage it may be bad for me. I will mind my own business in my courtyard. Everything in my courtyard belongs to me and no one meddles with my affairs too. It doesn't matter if you have a marriage going against the customs but she can only be a concubine"
"Okay," Prince Jing said after thinking.
Soon they arrived at the palace and after greeting the emperor and royal princes Xiao Feng was sitting in the middle palace. Empress, princess dowager, consorts, and princess consorts were sitting in their gossiping and teasing Xiao Feng.
It was evening when Xiao Feng came to the manor alone as prince Jing went to take care of some work.
Right after coming back, she starts to handle affairs as a maid. She has to make her place inside the manor. It was passed midnight when she finally slept after looking at accounts.
A week left after visiting Xiao Feng's parent's house prince Jing was again celebrating welcoming his second wife. Everyone was watching this joke and even prime minister Xiao and grand preceptor Zhao was having discords in the court. But the only one who don't care about this was Xiao Feng. She even herself organized the wedding and welcomed Zhao Ming.
The next day in the main hall Zhao Ming offered the tea to Xiao Feng. Xiao Feng gifted a box of jewelry. Xiao Feng didn't expect what was coming next. Prince Jing asked Xiao Feng to give household management to Zhao Ming. Xiao Feng was stupefied and smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. Ms. Zhao is older than me and can do better in taking care of the household. Then I have to bother Ms. Zhao" Xiao Feng said and turn and went to her courtyard.
Xiao Feng sighed for the hundredth time remembering the same scene. Weining finally decides to talk.
"Your highness, how about we tell empress or princess dowager about this? How does a concubine take care of the manor?" Weining asked.
"She is not a concubine but a wife and how can I face someone if I can't withstand a little issue?
Xiao Feng smiled suddenly and stand up from the fence she was sitting.
"Let's play" In a moment the whole courtyard was bustling with sounds. Xiao Feng together with maids and servant boys were playing games.
Another 2 weeks passed by when both Xiao Feng and Zhao Ming were invited to the middle palace. Empress had invited all the wives and concubines of the princes and royal princesses. It was a banquet for women.
Everyone enjoyed the banquet and various delicacies. Xiao Feng was talking with her sisters, empress and princess dowager. Suddenly the feast was disturbed by lady Zhao's trying to throw up. She apologized to everyone just to run outside to throw up.
So the empress ask an imperial physician to check on her and to everyone's surprise lady Zhao was pregnant. Empress was irritated a little bit, she knew about what happening in prince Jing's manor. Of course, Weining was a maid gifted by the empress to Xiao Feng.
After the banquet is over empress asked Xiao Feng to stay and accompany her for a walk. Empress hesitated a little bit and finally decided not to talk about it and instead she will take care of it herself. After Xiao Feng came to the manor she asked Weining to prepare some gifts for lady Zhao and ask to gift them.
The next day Empress sends a eunuch to ask lady Zhao to hand over the household back to Xiao Fen as lady Zhao is pregnant and needs to rest and take care of herself. After the eunuch went away prince Jing was a little furious but he also want her Ming'er, not to overwork. So he asked Xiao Feng to organize a banquet to celebrate the happy event.
The days passed as Xiao Feng had many works when she met a friend outside. He was a merchant but he always made Xiao Feng smile.
It was the fourth day of the fourth month and everything was prepared for the banquet in prince Jing's manor. 2 schemes were happening.
On the other hand, 3rd prince has planned to assassinate the Second prince may be all princes in the feast because it's a fact that he would become the crown prince and he is the highest rank prince among other princes. On the other hand lady, Zhao was trying to frame Xiao Feng for trying to kill her unborn child and make prince Jing divorce her.
Everyone sitting in their seats and Zhao Ming was the one sitting beside prince Jing and Xiao Feng was sitting in her seat. A beautiful performance was going on in the middle. Prince Jing and Zhao Ming were all lovely doweries and he was feeding lady Zhao.
"Sister-in-law, when are you going to give the good news?" The second prince asked.
Xiao Feng was stunned as she didn't give much focus to others and was enjoying food herself. She was stunned because someone call out her name. She barely heard what was said.
"Your highness, my sister is still young. You shouldn't just joke" Second prince married Xiao Feng's oldest sister, Xiao Qi.
Xiao Feng cleared her throat before answering.
"Older sister is right. I'm just waiting for my sisters to bring the good news" Xiao Feng answered and everyone didn't expect such an answer as they were waiting to laugh at the noblest woman in the country.
Especially the young misses from noble families everyone envied Xiao Feng. So, they were waiting to laugh at Xiao Feng.
"You're. You are just like your sister. Make other speechless" Second prince just laugh and tossed a wine cup to Xiao Feng and she smiled back and drink after tossing back to her brother-in-law and older sister.
Lady Zhao, Zhao Ming weakly smiled at Prince Jing who just comfort her by patting her hand. She thought it was time to her plan. She ate a piece of the dessert that was on the plate.
Lady Zhao start coughing taking everyone's attention to her as Prince Jing panicked and called for a physician in a few moments the physician came and checked on lady Zhao. Everyone was panicked in their heart.
"What wrong with Ming'er," Prince Jing asked.
"I think lady Zhao has eaten something she shouldn't" the Physician answered.
"How about the baby?"
"Nothing to worry about. Only a little bit has gone inside the body"
"It's the cake. I think someone must have put nuts in it" Lady Zhao pointed towards the desserts.
"Didn't the servants in the manor not know Lady Zhao is allergic to peanuts?" Prince Jing asked with a stern voice. It is his first child after all and he loves Ming'er. How can he let someone hurt something belonging to him?