Chapter 282: Chapter 263, The Complicated Imperial Family_2
Dong Yuanyao curled her lips and said, “My grandfather might be a bit worried, but my eldest uncle, he wouldn’t be worried at all.”
Daohua asked with confusion, “Why?”
Dong Yuanyao did not hide anything and directly said, “My eldest uncle was born of the former Madam, my grandmother is just my grandfather’s second wife.”
“Ah?” Daohua’s face showed surprise.
This, she truly did not know. She had only heard Zhou Jingwan mention that Dong Yuanyao’s family came from the Marquis Yongjia Residence in Beijing. The Marquis was still there, and the princely heir was Dong Yuanyao’s elder brother, the Provincial Governor.
Dong Yuanyao continued, “My grandmother married my grandfather when my eldest uncle was already in his teens. At first, my grandmother wanted to form a good relationship with my eldest uncle, but he was very wary of her, especially after my father was born, he always felt that my grandmother would harm him.”
“Their relationship, I as the younger generation should not say too much—after all, it has always been lukewarm. My grandmother came out this time not only to worry about me and my brother but probably also to take her mind off things.”
“Now the Marquis Residence is managed by my eldest uncle’s mother and, although my grandmother is the mother-in-law, she is, after all, the second wife and it’s not her place to meddle too much in many affairs. When my father was assigned to an external post, he wanted to bring my grandmother along, but considering my grandfather, she didn’t come.”
“This time, as my brother and I were trapped in Xingyun Prefecture, it actually gave my grandmother a chance. Otherwise, with my grandfather around, it would not be right for her to travel far.”
Daohua: “…Your family is also quite complicated!”
Dong Yuanyao smiled, “Our family is still okay. Although my eldest uncle inherited the title of the Marquis Residence, my father is capable on his own, securing an official post and being assigned to an external position isn’t bad either.”
“In other noble families in Beijing, with many children and no capabilities, each one of them eyeing the title, they fight like cocks every day, those families are truly troublesome.”
After thinking for a moment, Daohua asked curiously, “What about Prince Residence in Beijing?”
Dong Yuanyao paused, “…As for the Imperial Family, the relationships are naturally even more complicated.”
Daohua leaned on the edge of the bath: “Tell me, Xiao Yeyang would rather stay away from home than return, is the Prince Residence particularly troublesome?”
Dong Yuanyao was silent for a while, “It’s no secret, but you mustn’t tell anyone else, after all, these are the affairs of the Imperial Family and we should not discuss them too freely.”
Daohua nodded her head quickly.
Dong Yuanyao: “The affairs of the Prince Residence are known to all the old aristocratic families in Beijing. The Little Prince is reluctant to go home for reasons including the maidservant mother and son, and also because his birth mother, the former Guo Princess Consort, divorced Prince.”
Daohua’s eyes widened in astonishment, “Xiao Yeyang’s mother divorced his father?!”
Dong Yuanyao nodded, “That’s right.”
Daohua was stunned for a moment, swallowed hard, and marveled, “Xiao Yeyang’s mother is remarkable, to dare divorce a member of the Imperial Family! Not to mention anything else, just for this courage alone, she is worthy of admiration.”
Dong Yuanyao: “Yes, whenever my mother mentions the former Guo Princess Consort, she also admires her tremendously, saying that a woman as decisive and willing to let go as her is almost unique in this world.”
“However, the Guo Princess Consort also had the confidence to do so; the Duke Residence didn’t need the marriage with Prince as a reliance.”
“The Guo Family men have guarded the frontier for generations, and it was only during Governor Guo’s generation that they gradually stepped back. Even so, the Guo Family is still highly regarded by the Emperor. Governor Guo oversees the military affairs of three northern provinces; his appointment was personally made by the Emperor himself.”
“My mother often says that a woman’s greatest confidence comes from her paternal family. As long as her paternal home is powerful, even if she marries into the Imperial Family, she can live in full without being wronged.”
Daohua nodded. It was indeed so in ancient times; a woman’s natal family was really too important for a married woman. She grew silent for a while, then asked, “Why did Xiao Yeyang’s parents divorce?”
Dong Yuanyao: “Do you know the play ‘The Tale of Sending off the Husband’?”
Daohua nodded her head.
Dong Yuanyao: “I don’t know the specific reason why Guo Princess Consort divorced Prince, but it should be similar to the content mentioned in ‘The Tale of Sending off the Husband.’ The Little Prince has a half-brother two years his senior.”
Daohua’s face showed sudden understanding: “No wonder Xiao Yeyang was so angry when he heard the play ‘The Tale of Sending off the Husband’.”
Dong Yuanyao: “You should just know about these things. Don’t ever mention them in front of the Little Prince; the former Guo Princess Consort is a taboo topic for him.”
Daohua sighed, “Poor Xiao Yeyang.”
With his mother having left home and his father indifferent, no wonder he was kidnapped by traffickers and brought to Zhongzhou.
Dong Yuanyao’s face showed empathy: “However, the Emperor does really care for the Little Prince.”
Daohua quickly asked, “What about the Empress Dowager? Isn’t it said that the Empress Dowager is also very fond of Xiao Yeyang?”
Dong Yuanyao hesitated a little, “How should I put it, the Empress Dowager is indeed quite fond of the Little Prince, but she is also good to the son born of the maidservant Ma and even more doting on the daughter born of side consort Jiang.”
Daohua was silent: “There are so many side consorts for Prince?”
Dong Yuanyao: “Not many, just two, Maidservant Ma was accepted by Prince himself, and side consort Jiang is the daughter of the Empress Dowager’s paternal family. Since the former Guo Princess Consort left, the position of the principle wife in Prince Residence has always been vacant.”
“People privately speculate that Prince wants to elevate Maidservant Ma, but considering the Empress Dowager’s face, so the position remains empty on purpose.”
Daohua shook her head and sighed, “The Imperial Family is indeed too complicated. If I were Xiao Yeyang, I wouldn’t return either.”
Dong Yuanyao: “That’s for sure. In Beijing, where could he find the peace and ease he has here?” She paused, then sighed, “What a pity that these good days won’t last much longer.”
Daohua immediately asked, “Why do you say that?”
Dong Yuanyao smiled bitterly, “This year is already the fourth year my father has been assigned to an external post. In another two years, he’s supposed to return to Beijing to report on his duties.”
Daohua: “Can’t he stay on an external assignment indefinitely?”
Dong Yuanyao shook her head, “Of course not. My father is in charge of the political affairs of a province, and his power is too great. If he holds the position for too long, the Emperor will become uneasy.”
Daohua fell silent.
At this point, a maid knocked on the door from outside.
“Young Miss, have you and Miss Yan finished bathing? Don’t play in the water for too long, be careful of catching cold.”
“Understood, understood, we’ll be out soon.”