Chapter 1310: Princess Consort
“She is merely the daughter of a concubine, raised in humble surroundings. Her audacity knows no bounds!”
Auntie Fu. “….”
“Don’t be upset,” Auntie Fu offered tea with a smile. “Madame Shao and Officer Shao are a young couple, and it’s natural for them not to tolerate interference. Moreover, the Fourth Princess Consort’s gratuitous gifts are an attempt to force Madame Shao into submission in front of so many witnesses. It’s excessively ostentatious! Madame Shao’s refusal would indeed be a blow to the Fourth Princess Consort’s pride, but it would spare you a great deal of trouble. It could even impact Officer Shao negatively.”
The Princess Consort sighed. “I understand that Fourth Sister-in-law has ulterior motives, but I cannot disregard the royal family’s dignity. If someone suggests that Ms. Qiao is humiliating Fourth Sister-in-law due to my influence or approval, how can I defend myself? Aunt, you know how challenging these years have been for the Crown Prince and me.”
“Ms. Qiao is impulsive. She’s just a maid, and we can find a way to manage her without confronting Fourth Sister-in-law like this.”
“She is not a virtuous person, and she might cause trouble for Officer Shao in the future.”
Auntie Fu’s eyelids twitched as she asked, “Princess Consort, are you suggesting…”
The Princess Consort pondered for a moment and replied, “In a few days, I will assign someone to her, thus quelling the rumors. We should act preemptively to prevent others from exploiting this situation.”
“If she were more virtuous, she would have taken a concubine for Officer Shao. She’s quite short-sighted.”
Auntie Fu had no words to offer in response to the Princess Consort’s statements.
Madame Shao’s public rejection of the Fourth Princess Consort had exposed her character. The Princess Consort didn’t see much difference between her and the Fourth Princess Consort. If Madame Shao refused again, it would reflect poorly on everyone.
If Officer Shao remained silent regarding Madame Shao, what was the point of the Princess Consort’s intervention?
Auntie Fu did not perceive any bias in the Princess Consort’s attitude towards Madame Shao. Madame Shao treated people kindly and displayed great politeness and gentleness, which contradicted any notion of frivolity.
However, the situation had unfolded primarily due to the actions of the Fourth Princess Consort.
Nonetheless, it was evident that the Princess Consort was still quite upset about the events of the day. Auntie Fu chose not to dissuade her directly but contemplated for a moment before suggesting, “Princess Consort, considering Officer Shao’s involvement, should we inform the Crown Prince first? Officer Shao’s standing differs from that of the other officers, given his refusal of the Tian Family. Addressing this matter with the Crown Prince beforehand might help preserve Officer Shao’s relationship with him…”
They were all well aware of how deeply the Crown Prince valued Officer Shao, a sentiment not solely rooted in Minister Old Yun’s influence. Officer Shao possessed notable capabilities, and the Crown Prince had spoken highly of him on numerous occasions.
The Princess Consort consistently prioritized the interests of the Crown Prince. Upon hearing Auntie Fu’s suggestion, she hesitated momentarily before nodding and agreeing, “You’re right. I’ll discuss it with the Crown Prince tonight.”
The Princess Consort promptly instructed the kitchen to prepare dishes that the Crown Prince favored and extended an invitation for him to join them for dinner, as she had something important to discuss with him.