The Rebel

Good mother-in-law

Princess Consort Xi Yinghua stares at her husband with an obvious triumphant expression on her face. Empress Dowager Long Shanding notices this but she nods in approval showing that she is on her third imperial daughter-in-law's side.

Consort Jing Ruyi stands next to Third Prince Li Henxin as she gently touches on his injured arm, "Wangye, you are injured. Why did not you say anything?"

Third Prince Li Henxin then says, "Even if I say anything about my injury, will anyone care enough about my condition? Seems like everyone is fawning over my beloved wangfei."

Princess Consort Xi Yinghua chuckles and walks over to where he is currently standing before she gently pulls him to a nearby marble bench.

"Muhou, do you have anything to dress this wound? I will personally tend to His Royal Highness's injury."

Empress Dowager Long Shanding smiles and instructs one of her maids to take a bottle of powdered medicine for wounds and dressing material.

"Hold on... Please get me a basin of hot water as well with a small towel. I need to clean his wound before I apply for any medicine."

The maid curtsy before she immediately leaves them accompanied by another maid.

Princess Consort Xi Yinghua is no longer smiling as she usually did as she checks on her husband's injury.

"Looking at your wound, it seems to be just an ordinary wound which is a good thing as the intruder did not laced any poison on his sword. The wound itself is not too deep but it needed to be cleaned first."

As she is talking while checking on his wound, the two maids have arrived. One is carrying a small bronze basin with hot water in it while the latter is carrying a wooden tray where a small white-coloured porcelain bottle, dressing linen, small towel, and a scissor can be seen on it.

Princess Consort Xi Yinghua then says, "Meimei, holds onto Wangye's sleeve as I clean his wound."

She takes the small towel, immerses it fully into the hot water before she takes it out and wrings it partially dry from the excess water. She directly puts the wet small towel directly on top of his wound.

Due to the heat of it, Third Prince Li Henxin immediately takes a deep breath as he feels the high heat. He wanted to lash out at his wife but when he looked at his wound, all he can see that her fingers and part of her delicate hand are reddish in colour. This sight alone makes him sits there in silence as he lets her tend his wound.

After a few seconds, she then wipes off the bloody mess on his arm. She gently puts the bloody towel aside before she takes the dressing linen and the scissors from the tray. She cuts a small piece of it and dabs the dressing linen surrounding his wound and the wound itself.

"It is slightly dry now."

She then takes the small porcelain bottle and opens it, she hesitates for a moment but continues to gently tap the small over his wound as a small powder sprinkled out from it. She then closes back the bottle and puts it back on the tray. She then takes the dressing linen, uses the scissor to cuts the end of it into half.

As she calmly wraps his arm with the dressing linen to cover his injury, she yawns unceremoniously in front of Third Prince Li Henxin who cannot stop himself from smiling as he continues to look at her.

Consort Jing Ruyi notices this but she keeps herself focus on what she is currently doing. Inside her mind, she thinks that it will be a good thing if the Third Prince and the Princess Consort can meet the half-way. After all, the Princess Consort is the mistress of the residence, the Third Prince has to somehow have some sort of feeling towards Princess Consort Xi Yinghua.

Empress Long Shanding who is sitting near them is watching the three in silence and feels much better knowing that her third imperial son will not be living in an environment where the main wife and the concubine will fight to their death just so they will gain more power and favour from him. But, she is still worried due to the glaring fact that her third imperial daughter-in-law is obviously not in love with her third imperial son. If that is the case, when will she be having legitimate grandchildren from both of them? Consort Jing Ruyi is a good and virtuous woman but she still hopes that there will be a day that she will be able to see her third imperial daughter-in-law's children running around in her palace.

"Yinghua... Come sits next to me."

Empress Long Shanding gently calls her as she smiles. Princess Consort Xi Yinghua who has just done tying the dressing linen stands up and goes to her side.

"Muhou..."

Empress Long Shanding smiles and gently touches on her fair and smooth cheek.

"You must have been so tired with today's incidence. Once you are back at the wangfu, take a good rest and let Jing'shi shares the burden of managing the wangfu."

Princess Consort Xi Yinghua turns her head to look at Consort Jing Ruyi who is gently smoothing Third Prince Li Henxin's sleeve with careful manner.

"Muhou, meimei has been a great help at the wangfu and has been managing it as well. I am fine with it. Wangye... Wangye has been treating me well too. He never stops me whenever I wanted to go out."

Empress Long Shanding smiles and says, "Is that so? Then, you can go out whenever you wanted to but remember to be accompanied by a maid and a guard whenever you are out of the wangfu. This is for your own safety."

Third Prince Li Henxin is grinding his teeth and thought, "When did I ever allow you to go out? You never even asked when you wanted to go out earlier this morning?"

"Yinghua, all this old woman ask from you is that for you to live a good and happy life. Little Third is a good man, try to accept him with an open heart. From your eyes, I can see your stubbornness but alas we are living in a world where women have to live in a world ruled by men. Make sure that you live a good life by being a good wife okay... This way no one will look down on you."

Princess Consort Xi Yinghua smiles as she looks at Empress Dowager Long Shanding, women in ancient times are living in a restricted lifestyle. She may not love the Third Prince but she knows that she needed him, for now.