Chapter 175: Is Xiao Fu Bao Disliked? The Whole City Loves Me With Their Lives
Chapter 175: Madam He Descends the Mountain
After Feng Xuanrui returned to the capital, Qi Wangfei had considered returning to her maternal home. However, with the Prince absent from the manor, it wasn't ideal for her, even as a princess consort, to visit her family frequently, as it might attract unwanted gossip. Moreover, news from the palace could arrive at any time, which delayed her visit.
Now, listening to her sister-in-law, she chuckled wryly, "Let's go together tomorrow to visit."
Zhou Shi immediately understood that discussing Suisui's situation openly wasn't appropriate. Without prying further, she chatted about Feng Xuanrui's condition and inquired about Feng Xuanzhe.
After exchanging some pleasantries, Zhou Shi stayed a while longer to play with the children. Since marrying into the Song family, she had given birth to two sons. Now, looking at Suisui, such a cute little girl, she couldn’t help but feel an uncontrollable fondness.
When it came to the matter of the Prince's illegitimate child, Zhou Shi was tactful enough not to bring it up.
Their conversation was interrupted when Auntie Qiu entered, announcing that Madam He had come to bid farewell.
It wasn't just a farewell; Madam He had prepared gifts as well, insisting on properly thanking Suisui.
Although Qi Wangfei felt uncertain, she welcomed Madam He with a smile.
Madam He was in a hurry to descend the mountain, as her priority was to find life-saving medicine. However, before leaving, expressing gratitude and saying goodbye were necessary formalities.
She hadn’t brought many gifts up the mountain, so she had her people rush home to retrieve a full box of jewelry and two rolls of brightly colored brocade—both top-quality fabrics.
If Suisui hadn’t offered that critical hint, Madam He wouldn’t have been willing to part with such valuable items!
Madam He sincerely expressed her gratitude, which made Qi Wangfei feel a bit embarrassed. But since all the credit belonged to Suisui, she let the child decide whether to accept the gifts.
Suisui, having heard from Lele that accepting the gifts would ease the He family’s mind and bring joy to Sister Shuruan , decided to accept them. Besides, she liked the beautiful items.
He Shuruan also came over, clutching Suisui’s hand, unwilling to leave.
She had finally made a friend she liked, but now she had to return home, which left her feeling sad.
Seeing her daughter’s reluctance, Madam He smiled and said, "Once you’ve recovered, we can visit Suisui again."
Although there was a social gap between the two families, if the girls maintained a close relationship, visiting each other wouldn’t be a problem.
Hearing this, He Shuruan felt slightly better and whispered to Suisui, "Suisui, I’ll come visit you later. Wait for me, okay?"
Suisui, standing across from her, let her sister hold her hand and nodded earnestly, "I’ll wait for you. Mother said the estate is especially fun in the summer. We can go pick apricots together!"
He Shuruan loved apricots—sweet and sour—but due to her health, she often had to avoid them. Hearing Suisui mention them, her mouth watered, and she quickly nodded, "Alright!"
After the children said their goodbyes, Qi Wangfei and Zhou Shi escorted Madam He for a short distance before returning inside.
Zhou Shi, impressed with Madam He, tactfully refrained from asking when Qi Wangfei had become so close to her.
The two women continued chatting, discussing some amusing stories. Zhou Shi then brought up another matter: "In half a month, it’ll be Brother’s birthday. In previous years, Aunt didn’t make much of it, but this year it’s his coming-of-age ceremony, which carries more significance. The invitation arrived at our manor this morning. You’ve likely received one too. So..."
Zhou Shi trailed off, glancing in Suisui’s direction. Her meaning was clear: should they bring Suisui along?
Brother, full name Lu Yincheng, was the eldest grandson of Qi Wangfei's aunt. His birthday was on the second day of the fifth lunar month.
Bringing Suisui to this family event was something Qi Wangfei hadn't considered yet.
Zhou Shi's question made her frown slightly.
The aunt had married marquis Lu, the Senior Minister of War. Because of this connection, and the ability of Qi Wangfei's father, marquis Lu had often helped promote her father’s career. Currently, her father served as the Assistant Minister of War, and barring any unexpected events, he was expected to succeed marquis Lu as the next Senior Minister.
However, the political landscape in the capital was always changing, and royal power struggles could complicate things.
For now, it was too early to discuss such future matters. Qi Wangfei focused instead on the prospect of taking Suisui to the ceremony.
Lu's family was honest and kind-hearted. If she brought Suisui, the event could go smoothly.
But Suisui still didn’t have a formal name, nor an official status in the family. Qi Wangfei had expressed her intent to raise Suisui as part of the family, but her husband hadn’t confirmed it yet. And even if he agreed, without a formal banquet to publicly acknowledge Suisui’s status, people would still gossip.
Taking her could invite trouble.
While Qi Wangfei wasn’t afraid of causing trouble, she worried that Suisui might get hurt.
On the other hand, leaving Suisui behind when all the other children were attending felt unfair and heartbreaking.
This was indeed a dilemma that required careful consideration.
Seeing Qi Wangfei hesitate, Zhou Shi softly suggested, "I’m someone who speaks my mind, as you know. Don’t take offense if I say something unpleasant. I think it might be best not to bring her for now. After hosting the identity banquet and receiving recognition from the royal family, we can proudly introduce her to society. With a legitimate status, those who look down on others will have no choice but to respect Suisui."
Zhou Shi’s words, though blunt, were reasonable.
Qi Wangfei nodded, "I’ll think it over. I’ll think it over."
Zhou Shi didn’t press further. She had said everything she needed to. She understood her sister-in-law’s conflict; who wouldn’t want to show off such a lovely daughter?
But without a proper status, many would pretend to accept Suisui publicly while gossiping behind her back. This world was full of people with double or even triple faces, and if that caused Suisui to suffer, it wouldn’t be worth it.
As the two women fell into silence, Auntie Qiu quietly entered the room.
Seeing her, Qi Wangfei quickly set aside her thoughts and asked softly, "What is it?"
End of Chapter
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