Chapter 263: The Complex Royal Family

 Chapter 263: The Complex Royal Family

After dinner, Dong Yuanyao took Daohua back to her courtyard. By this time, the maids had already prepared the toiletries and a change of clothes.

"We're about the same size, so you can wear my clothes later. Don't worry, they're all newly made."

Daohua smiled, "I don't mind wearing yours."

Dong Yuanyao clicked her tongue in mock disapproval, but her face showed a smile. She appreciated that Daohua was not formal with her. Having already recognized Daohua as a sister, she did not want her to be distant or too polite.

She had hosted many young ladies from other families, but they were either overly reserved or pretentious. After each visit, she would feel exhausted. But Daohua was different—straightforward, generous, and easy to get along with.

"Miss, the bath water is ready. You can bathe and change now."

Dong Yuanyao glanced at the bathing room, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She looked at Daohua, raising an eyebrow. "Shall we bathe together?"

Daohua chuckled. "Sure, let's bathe together, so the maids don't have to run back and forth."

Seeing Daohua walk into the bathing room without hesitation, Dong Yuanyao stopped in her tracks. Could she really go through with it? She had never bathed with anyone before! Daohua, however, had no shame.

Daohua peeked inside the room and saw that the maids had prepared two tubs. With her confidence reassured, she turned and looked at the frozen Dong Yuanyao, crossing her arms and grinning. "What's wrong? Not daring anymore?"

Dong Yuanyao froze for a moment. While she loved to joke around, she still felt uneasy about undressing in front of someone else. She hesitated, but seeing Daohua's challenging look, she blurted out, "Who’s afraid?"

Daohua smiled. "Then hurry up."

As she walked into the bathing room, Wang Man'er followed her. As they passed Dong Yuanyao, Wang Man'er suppressed a giggle.

Dong Yuanyao was stunned. Her young lady never followed the usual rules.

The bathing room was spacious. After Daohua entered, she instructed Wang Man'er to place a clothes rack between the two tubs. After looking over the clothes prepared by Dong’s maids, she began to undress.

Wang Man'er quickly arranged all the necessary items, including Daohua's personal clothes, and then exited the room, taking the maids with her.

When Dong Yuanyao arrived at the bathing room, she hesitated at the door. "Daohua, I'm coming in."

Daohua, already in the tub, called out, "Come in! If you don’t hurry, I’ll finish before you."

Only then did Dong Yuanyao step in, seeing the clothes rack between the two tubs. She couldn’t help but smile. She had almost believed that Daohua wasn’t shy at all.

She immediately summoned her maid to help her undress.

As Daohua played with the water, she casually said, "I tried your bath beans; they’re not bad. I have some special shower gel at home. When I get back, I'll bring some to you—it’s better for your skin."

Dong Yuanyao nodded eagerly. "Great, and the rouge and powder you gave me before are much better than what I bought from outside. How did you think of making these?"

Daohua shrugged. "When there’s a need, you find a way to solve it."

Dong Yuanyao smiled. "You really are smart."

Daohua chuckled but didn’t respond. It wasn’t about being smart; she was using modern methods, which were commonplace.

At this moment, Dong Yuanyao also entered her tub. She waved away her maid and smiled. "This feels so good! If it weren't for you, I would’ve been punished today. Did you see how my mother kept glaring at me during dinner?"

Daohua replied, "But when we leave, your mother will still punish you. You can’t escape it."

Dong Yuanyao smirked. "My grandmother’s protecting me. My mother will just make a big fuss and do some light punishment. It won’t be a big deal."

Upon hearing this, Daohua couldn’t help but ask her burning question. "Why did your grandmother come alone from the capital? Your grandfather and uncle didn’t stop her? Don’t they worry about something happening on the road?"

Dong Yuanyao sneered. "My grandfather might have worried a bit, but my uncle? He couldn’t care less."

Daohua was puzzled. "Why?"

Dong Yuanyao didn’t hide anything. She answered straightforwardly, "My uncle’s mother was his first wife. My grandmother is just his second wife."

Daohua was surprised. "What? I didn’t know that."

She had only heard from Zhou Jingwan that Dong Yuanyao's family came from the prominent Yongjia Marquis family in the capital. Lord Dong still held the title, and his eldest son was the elder brother of the Prefect Magistrate Dong.

Dong Yuanyao continued, "When my grandmother married my grandfather, my eldest uncle was already in his teens. Initially, my grandmother wanted to build a good relationship with him, but my eldest uncle was always wary of her, especially after my father’s birth. He always felt that my grandmother might harm him."

"As for their relationship, being a younger generation, I shouldn’t comment too much. Anyway, it’s always been a distant one. My grandmother’s trip this time is partly because she’s worried about me and my brother, but also to get away and relax."

"Now, my aunt is managing the Marquis House, and although my grandmother is the elder, she is a stepmother, so she doesn’t have much say in the matters. When my father was sent away, he wanted my grandmother to accompany him, but out of consideration for my grandfather, she didn’t."

"This time, my brother and I were trapped in Xingyun Mansion, and it gave my grandmother the opportunity to travel. Otherwise, with my grandfather around, she wouldn't have been able to go far."

Daohua sighed. "Your family is quite complicated!"

Dong Yuanyao smiled. "Our family is still pretty simple. My uncle inherited the title, but my father is capable too. He managed to secure an official position and is doing well."

"Unlike other noble families in the capital, with so many children and no ability, all they do is fight over titles. They’re always at each other’s throats. That’s what a real headache is."

Daohua thought for a moment, then curiously asked, "What about the Prince Ping’s residence?"

Dong Yuanyao paused for a moment. "The royal family, of course, is even more complicated."

Daohua leaned on the edge of the tub. "Tell me about it. Xiao Yeyang prefers staying outside rather than going home. Is the Prince Ping’s residence really that troublesome?"

Dong Yuanyao hesitated for a while. "I don’t mind telling you, but you can’t tell anyone else. After all, it’s royal family business, and we shouldn’t talk too much about it."

Daohua quickly nodded in agreement.

Dong Yuanyao continued, "The people in the old noble families in the capital all know about the Prince Ping’s situation. Xiao Yeyang doesn’t want to go home because, apart from the issues with the concubine and her son, his biological mother, the former Princess Guo, actually divorced Prince Ping."

Daohua’s eyes widened in shock. "Xiao Yeyang’s mother divorced his father?!"

Dong Yuanyao nodded. "Yes."

Daohua was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed, "Xiao Yeyang’s mother is really something! To divorce a royal prince—just that takes incredible courage!"

Dong Yuanyao smiled. "My mother admires the former Princess Guo too. She says there are few women in the world who are as decisive and brave as her."

"However, the Princess Guo had the backing to do it. The Dingguo Marquis’s family didn’t need the Prince Ping’s connection to survive."

"The Guo family has defended the frontier for generations, and only during the era of General Guo did they gradually retreat. But even so, the Guo family is still highly favored by the Emperor. General Guo is in charge of the military in the northern provinces, a position personally appointed by the Emperor."

"My mother often says that the greatest strength a woman can have comes from her maternal family. As long as her family is strong, even if she marries into the royal family, she doesn’t have to compromise."

Daohua nodded. In ancient times, a woman’s family really was incredibly important. After a moment, she asked, "But why did Xiao Yeyang’s parents divorce?"

Dong Yuanyao asked, "Have you heard of the ‘Divorce Record’?"

Daohua nodded.

Dong Yuanyao continued, "I’m not sure about the exact reason behind the divorce between the Princess Guo and Prince Ping, but it’s probably something similar to the events in the ‘Divorce Record.’ Xiao Yeyang has a half-brother who’s two years older than him."

Daohua suddenly understood. "No wonder Xiao Yeyang was so angry when he heard about the ‘Divorce Record.’"

Dong Yuanyao warned, "Just knowing about this is enough. You mustn’t mention it in front of Xiao Yeyang. The former Princess Guo is a taboo subject for him."

Daohua sighed. "Poor Xiao Yeyang."

His mother left home, and his father didn’t care for him. No wonder he was abducted by human traffickers to Zhongzhou.

Dong Yuanyao nodded in agreement. "But the Emperor still cares for Xiao Yeyang."

Daohua quickly asked, "What about the Empress? Doesn’t she treat Xiao Yeyang well too?"

Dong Yuanyao hesitated for a moment. "Well, the Empress does care for Xiao Yeyang, but she’s also kind to the son of Concubine Ma and even more so to the daughter of Concubine Jiang."

Daohua fell silent. "The Prince Ping has so many concubines?"

Dong Yuanyao shrugged. "Not that many. There are only two. Concubine Ma was taken by Prince Ping himself, while Concubine Jiang is from the Empress’s family. Since the former Princess Guo left, the position of the first wife has been vacant."

"People are gossiping privately, saying that Prince Ping wants to make Concubine Ma the main wife, but because of the Empress’s influence, he’s kept the position vacant."

Daohua shook her head in awe. "The royal family is really complicated. If I were Xiao Yeyang, I wouldn’t want to go back either."

Dong Yuanyao sighed. "It’s true. Life outside the capital is much more peaceful."

After a pause, she sighed again. "But this peaceful life won’t last much longer."

Daohua immediately asked, "Why do you say that?"

Dong Yuanyao smiled bitterly. "This is the fourth year my father’s been sent away. In two more years, he’ll have to return to the capital to report on his work."

Daohua asked, "Can’t he stay outside permanently?"

Dong Yuanyao shook her head. "No, he can’t. My father governs the affairs of an entire province, and his power is too great. After a while, the Emperor would start to worry."

Daohua fell silent.

At that moment, a maid knocked on the door.

"Miss, have you finished your bath with Miss Yan? Don’t stay too long, or you’ll catch a cold."

"Got it, got it. We’ll be out soon."

(End of this chapter)