Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved

Chapter 222: Chapter 222: The Refreshing and Exhilarating Maid Chapter 222: Chapter 222: The Refreshing and Exhilarating Maid Three quarters of noon had arrived.

Despite Lady Wang’s bellyful of curses she wanted to hurl, the executioner did not wait for anyone. Her head was chopped off, and she ended her life full of hatred.

Those hateful eyes had not even closed, staring in the direction of Wang Baozhu.

It was unknown whether Wang Baozhu, during her midnight reveries, would remember the hatred in Lady Wang’s eyes today.

Wang Baozhu indeed got a startle, Young Master Chen had pushed her too close to the execution platform, she felt blood splatter on her face. She had been the sheltered daughter of an affluent family for sixteen years, well-protected by the Fu Family, when had she ever witnessed such a bloody scene?

She collapsed right there on the spot, and Young Master Chen had his servants drag her out of the Market Entrance with chains, as if dragging a dead dog.

Murong Jiu did not rush to leave.

She had rented out the entire teahouse, watching as Murong Man, clothed in a grey robe, hastily departed. She swept through the crowd and did not see anyone from the Murong Family.

That was normal, those people probably hated Lady Wang to death, how could they come to send her on her last journey?

Without Lady Wang, they would no longer have to live in that cramped and dilapidated courtyard, where even having three meals a day was a problem.

Murong Jiu withdrew her gaze from the window and felt much of the stuffiness in her heart dissipate.

Lady Wang was only the first one, after all.

Once the crowd had dispersed, Murong Jiu left from the back door of the teahouse and got onto an ordinary carriage.

Her departure from the mansion today could not have escaped the attention of those with a keen interest; the Second Prince even had people watching outside.

She had arranged for a carriage early on, and it stopped outside her silk shop. Even if the Second Prince wanted to “accidentally” meet her, he couldn’t break into a place that only welcomed female clients and had to wait outside.

But she had already left from the back door and headed to the Market Entrance.

The Second Prince and his people probably never imagined that she, a frail woman, would have the courage to witness an execution.

However, she did not return to the shop but went out of the city to the Fu Family’s cemetery, to offer incense to her birth mother and inform her that Lady Wang’s head had fallen to the ground and gone to the Underworld, surely to descend to the eighteenth level of hell.

After spending a long time by the grave, Murong Jiu finally left.

Once aboard the carriage, Chun Tao quickly placed the hand warmer in her hands.

Murong Jiu couldn’t help but smile, “Winter isn’t here until tomorrow, and it’s not that cold yet. Why are you using the hand warmer already?”

Chun Tao laughed, “The outskirts are not like the Capital City, with its chilling winds. I was afraid you might catch cold, so I prepared it early. You’re quite far along with your pregnancy now, so we can’t afford any negligence!”

Murong Jiu held the hand warmer for a while and quickly felt much warmer.

She praised Chun Tao for her thoughtfulness and brought up the matter of finding her a good marriage.

Chun Tao’s face turned red at once, too shy to say a word.

Murong Jiu stopped teasing her and turned to ask Hong Yi, “Hong Yi, do you have a young man you admire? If mutual affection exists, you can also marry early. I am not one to stand in the way of love, you know.”

Hong Yi was startled for a moment, then shook her head:

“Before disaster struck my family, there was a betrothal set since childhood, but after the unexpected death of my parents and the usurpation of our property, the engagement was annulled by the other party.”

She was not like Chun Tao, always smiling; her expressionless face seemed rather stern, not by nature but circumstance. When her family met with disaster, she was merely eight years old, with a clueless younger brother beneath her. Such burdens, placed on anyone, would change a person’s disposition.

Murong Jiu comforted her, “The Prince said you’ve avenged your parents. A heroine like you will definitely find a better and more suitable husband in the future, and he will surely regret his actions deeply.”

Hong Yi actually showed a smile, “Princess Consort, that family was the one that colluded with my clan’s uncle to kill my parents. Last year, my former fiancé married my cousin. On their wedding night, I severed his lineage and sold him into the palace to be a eunuch.”

Murong Jiu’s eyes widened in shock. Jun Yuyan hadn’t mentioned this to her; he’d only said that Hong Yi was straightforward, intelligent, loyal, and highly skilled in martial arts.

But this was really cool, and she couldn’t help but laugh, “You really do take revenge to heart, which is good. I like that kind of spirit.”

Chun Tao also felt a sense of satisfaction, “That’s exactly what you should do. Killing him outright would have been too easy on him. And what about the others? What happened to them?”

“Their whole family, along with my clan uncle’s family, are now in jail. Some have already died from illness, and others are still suffering. I owe it all to the Prince; without him, I wouldn’t have had the chance to take revenge. That’s why I don’t plan on marrying anyone now. Being able to see my brother settle down and start a family will be enough for me.”

Murong Jiu smiled, gently patted her on the shoulder, and said:

“Hong Yi, you’re still young, in the prime of your life, and you haven’t yet met a man who moves your heart. When you do, be sure to seize the opportunity. As for me and the Prince, don’t worry about us. My safety is certainly important, but your happiness, as well as Chun Tao’s, is also very important.”

Hong Yi was deeply touched. In fact, when she had come to serve the Princess Consort, she had prepared herself to protect her for a lifetime and never thought of anything else, nor did she dare to hope for much. Yet, the Princess Consort genuinely wished for her happiness, as well as Chun Tao’s.

The Princess Consort was not as demanding as other ladies and madams, never uttering a harsh word, and even maintained no distinction of rank between master and servant, being kind, vibrant, and unique. No wonder the Prince was so deeply in love with the Princess Consort.

Hong Yi thought if she were a man, she would certainly fall for a woman like the Princess Consort.

Chun Tao, with a sniffle, said, “Even if I were to marry, it would have to be someone from the Prince Mansion, so I could continue to serve the Princess Consort and eventually the Young Heir and young misses too!”

Hong Yi nodded, “That would indeed be possible.”

However, neither of them considered it an urgent matter, and after the conversation, they didn’t give it much further thought.

Only Murong Jiu quietly observed the eligible bachelors within the mansion, looking to see if there were any suitable matches to perhaps set them up with the two women.

Upon returning to the Prince Mansion, they indeed heard from the guard that the Second Prince had personally waited outside the silk shop for a long time, and only after hearing that the Princess Consort had returned to the Mansion did he leave in such a rage that he smashed all the teacups inside his carriage.

Murong Jiu scoffed. How could she not know the Second Prince’s intentions?

Ridiculous!

“Princess Consort, the Second Prince has stationed even more men around the Prince Mansion. It seems he’s furious with embarrassment.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t be long before he loses such thoughts.”

For the time being, she would stay indoors.

The second day marked the beginning of winter, and one has to say, the ancestors were truly miraculous; it seemed that every year, on the day of the start of winter, the temperature would plummet.

In the Great Yan Dynasty, it was customary to eat dumplings on the beginning of winter, the winter solstice, and the last day of the year.

Murong Jiu thought of the hardships at the Frontier Pass and felt a loss of appetite, wondering if her father and brother in Hexi and Jun Yuyan could enjoy a meal of dumplings.

“Come! Time for dumplings! Food is scarce at the Frontier Pass, but it hasn’t snowed yet and there’s plenty of wild greens. Add in the smoked meat the Princess Consort sent us, chopped into small pieces and mixed with the greens to make dumplings, and it’s truly a unique flavor!”

Su Kai came in carrying dumplings, smiling at Jun Yuyan and General Fu, who were looking at the sand table.

Several plates were brought in by the attendants following him.

The dishes were steaming hot and filled with a rich aroma that whetted the appetite.

General Fu gazed at the steam and thought of Murong Jiu in the Capital City, “I wonder if Xiao Jiu has had dumplings in the capital.”