Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

Chapter 839: Chapter 839: Princess Consort Luo Seeks Help

Only after a while did Liu Sisi, frustrated, recall that she had been waiting for Di Yelei to decide on hiring people yesterday, but had somehow completely forgotten about it.

It wasn’t yet noontime when Di Yelei returned.

He also brought back countless boxes, both large and small.

“These are all rewards from His Majesty. He said that getting drunk is harmful to the body and these are to help nourish my health. Additionally, some rewards are for you.”

Liu Sisi casually opened a few brocade boxes and saw that they were all filled with pearls, agate, jade ware, and some valuable medicinal materials.

These items weren’t meant to counteract alcohol; it was clear that His Majesty had simply found an excuse to reward Ye Lei.

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“Since it’s a reward from His Majesty, let’s store them carefully.”

Thinking of the recently soaring prices, Liu Sisi became even more concerned about the matter of purchasing servants.

“That’s right, there’s a shortage of personnel in the mansion lately—we lack staff at the gatehouse, kitchen, storehouse, and in cleaning… every place is short-staffed. My idea is to take advantage of the current chaos to buy some manpower. Once things have completely stabilized, we can bring the children back. That way, it won’t be such a mess.”

“Eldest Uncle’s residence was burned down in the chaos, so when moving into the Marquis Mansion it was all disordered. Whatever the mansion lacks or needs, you can just see what needs to be added. However, the avenue is still chaotic nowadays, so let’s leave the purchase of servants and the acquisition of items to the servants.”

“Eldest Uncle’s residence was burned down? What about… Eldest Uncle and the others? How is their situation now?”

No wonder she hadn’t heard any news about Di Hongyuan and the rest.

“Big brother is not in the capital city now. His Majesty has sent him with an Imperial Decree to Tongzhou Prefecture. He probably won’t be back so soon,” Di Yelei said with some hesitation.

“If you have something to say, just say it directly. Don’t hem and haw.”

“It’s about Prince Luo’s Mansion. I overheard today that His Majesty seems to be sending people to investigate Luo Mansion. Didn’t you discuss with Princess Consort Luo the matter about Xuan’er and Prefecture Princess Luo a while ago? I was thinking…”

“There’s no issue now!”

Liu Sisi didn’t wait for Di Yelei to finish and interrupted him, then carefully recounted the contents of the letter from Princess Consort Luo. “Since Prefecture Princess Luo has already been matched with someone else, naturally it has nothing to do with our Xuan’er anymore. It’s just a pity for Thirteen—such a good child.”

Liu Sisi was, of course, extremely satisfied with Thirteen Luo as a child. What a pity…

“Matters of affection ultimately depend on fate. Perhaps Xuan’er’s fate has not yet arrived. There’s no rush.”

Di Yelei, on the other hand, seemed quite philosophical about this issue.

“So, does that mean that something happened to Luo Mansion…?”

“Prince Luo is deeply trusted by His Majesty. During the recent quelling of the Yang Family’s rebellion, Prince Luo certainly didn’t spare any efforts. However, it seems there were some oversights on the side of Princess Consort Luo… There’s nothing you and I can help with in this matter, we’ll just watch and see how it unfolds.”

Di Yelei looked solemn as he spoke.

In the following days, Di Yelei claimed to be ill and stayed idly at home in the mansion.

He also developed an interest in the two pieces of land in the back garden of the Marquis Mansion, spending his days together with Liu Sisi and Niuniu, Chou Chou, planting flowers and vegetables on those lands. Occasionally, he was also summoned to the palace. His days were rather leisurely.

It was just one thing that was bothersome, causing Liu Sisi a great deal of irritation.

She hadn’t felt it before, but now there were many officials waiting outside the door every day seeking an audience, even coming every day.

It wasn’t until today, when Princess Consort Luo forcefully barged into the Marquis Mansion, that this peace was shattered.

“Wait… Princess Consort Luo, you can’t go in there, Princess Consort Luo, Princess Consort…”

The manager at the gatehouse was nearly crying, following behind the Princess Consort Luo who had barged straight through the gate and into the back garden.

As soon as the Princess Consort Luo saw the two, she knelt down with a thud, “Princess Ruyu, Princess Ruyu! I was blind and could not recognize the golden inlay jade, please, for the sake of my home’s Old Master, save me, Princess!”

Di Yelei’s eyebrows knit imperceptibly; he had the intention to stay but felt it would be unreasonable. So, he turned around and left through the nearby bushes, leaving everyone with his resolute back.

At that moment, Liu Sisi had one hand covered in mud and the other clutching a bunch of vibrant green vegetables; it really wasn’t a good time to meet guests in this state.

“What’s going on here? Why are you all standing around dumbfounded? Hurry and help the Princess Consort Luo up.”

She made a gesture with her eyes to the little maid Ding Xiang standing beside her, Ding Xiang was one of the new maids recently purchased.

But the Princess Consort Luo, instead of getting up, knelt forward two steps and grabbed hold of Liu Sisi’s dress.

“Princess, I really had no other choice but to beg for your help. If Your Highness pleads for me, I will repay you even if it means working like an ox or a horse…”

“Princess Consort Luo, although I do not know what it is you ask for, I, Ruyu, am just a married woman of the inner courtyard, I truly cannot assist Her Highness the Princess Consort…”

“You can, just a few words to His Majesty from you and surely he won’t mind such a small matter. My Feng Family truly hasn’t done anything that defies heaven and harms reason!”

The Princess Consort Luo cried even more fiercely, clutching onto Liu Sisi’s skirt hem and refusing to let go.

Liu Sisi, no longer caring about her dirty hands, grabbed her skirt hem and yanked it back, “Madam, I, Ruyu, am just a married woman of the backyard, I really can’t learn to forgive those who have betrayed me without any qualms, like a saint.”

Having said that, she no longer cared about the change in the Princess Consort Luo’s complexion and turned to leave.

Not to mention she wasn’t clear why the Princess Consort Luo had come to find her, the fact that Ye Lei turned around and left the moment he saw the Princess Consort Luo indicated that whatever she was begging for was probably not a trivial matter. She couldn’t help Di Yelei with resolving his worries; the least she could do was not to hold him back.

Watching her retreating back, the Princess Consort Luo, stunned for a moment, couldn’t help but burst into loud sobs.

In the small courtyard.

Di Yelei was playing football with Chou Chou—a game the two children had recently taken a liking to. Liu Sisi also felt it was good for the children to be active and naturally did not refuse.

“You’re back, go wash your hands so we can have a match; whoever loses tonight will be punished to write a page.”

Liu Sisi knew how to write, having never shirked from writing with a few children since she was young.

The children, influenced from a young age, naturally did not resist writing, especially in recent days when Di Yelei had some idle time at home, he frequently used various methods to teach the two children to strengthen their body and practice writing.

Liu Sisi naturally didn’t refuse. She quickly cleaned up and changed into clothes suitable for physical activity, and the family played together.

It wasn’t until everyone was tired of playing and Niuniu slumped in the chair, complaining under her breath, “It’s so unfair. Chou Chou wouldn’t let me win. If Little Bit were here, he would definitely let me win.”

The Little Bit mentioned by Niuniu was naturally referring to little Xiao Xiao.

As soon as these words came out, the smiles vanished from the faces of Di Yelei and Liu Sisi.

“Has there been any news from Xiao Xiao’s side… yet?”

“Yes, there has been news from Taoist Master Zhu, but…”

“But what?”

Liu Sisi’s attention was instantly captured by Di Yelei’s words.