"Have you met Baili— Mother Consort, how should I address this mighty warrior?" Prince Yu prepared to bow to Baili Rong Mo, but felt that no address was suitable. He turned to ask Consort Mei.
Consort Mei paused for a moment, a flicker of something unusual in her eyes, and then smiled, "Just... like Xiao Sheng and Xiao Ye, call him Third Uncle."
Upon hearing this, Prince Yu cupped his hands in a salute to Baili Rong Mo, "This Prince greets Third Uncle."
Third Uncle came back to his senses and smiled kindly, "This… commoner, greets Prince Yu."
Consort Mei instructed Prince Yu, "Yu'er, in this household, only Third Uncle, Uncle Ding, Xiao Sheng, and Xiao Ye know I am Consort Mei. In front of outsiders, call me 'Aunt Qing'."
Prince Yu chuckled, "As you command, Aunt… Qing."
"Aunt Qing!" Bai Sheng and Lu Ye walked over, smiling.
"Dark-faced fellow!" Upon seeing Bai Sheng, Prince Yu happily waved at her, much like a puppy greeting its owner.
Lu Ye shot him a sharp glance.
Prince Yu returned the glare.
As their gazes met, a flurry of invisible skirmishes ensued.
Seeing Bai Sheng, Consort Mei immediately stepped forward, took her hand, and said gleefully, "Xiao Sheng, I have some good news for you. Last night, the Zhou family caused a sensation throughout the capital. Minister Zhou became famous overnight."
Bai Sheng glanced at Lu Ye, suppressing the smile on her lips, and feigned surprise, "Oh? What important event happened that caused such a stir in the capital?"
Consort Mei clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling with amusement, "Last night, the Zhou family was having their New Year's Eve banquet. Minister Zhou's mistresses and several courtesans he kept outside, over a dozen women in total, all brought their children and stormed the gates, demanding to be taken in as concubines.
Minister Zhou was furious and refused to acknowledge them; Old Madam Zhou was so shocked she fainted on the spot; Madam Zhou nearly cried herself blind; the Zhou residence descended into utter chaos.
Furthermore, who knows who started spreading the news, but it was shouted all over the Imperial City streets, and people from all around came out to watch the spectacle at the Zhou family's. The Zhou family truly lost all face, haha..."
"Haha... ahaha...", Bai Sheng burst into laughter. She had no choice but to laugh heartily; if she didn't laugh with abandon, Consort Mei might think her reaction was too indifferent to hear such joyous news about her enemy.
Lu Ye and Prince Yu watched Bai Sheng laugh, their gazes inadvertently meeting, leading to another silent battle.
Third Uncle sneered, "That scoundrel Zhou Yanqing was always promiscuous in his youth, especially fond of courtesans. It seems he's finally met his match in a ditch."
"Hmph, men need to control their lower halves. If they can get excited by any woman, what's the difference between them and dogs?" Consort Mei scoffed.
San Gouzi, who had been lying nearby, suddenly perked up his ears and whimpered with a wronged expression: It's a misunderstanding; we dogs never engage in promiscuous relationships; it's for procreation.
Hearing Consort Mei's words, the three men's survival instincts exploded.
Lu Ye immediately placed his hand on Bai Sheng's shoulder, declaring his loyalty on the spot, "My heart belongs only to my precious one. No other woman catches my eye. I will not take concubines, patronize courtesans, keep mistresses, or visit pleasure quarters."
Such eloquent words! Lu Ye, this rascal, must utter these words frequently?
Prince Yu secretly marveled and quickly chimed in, "I also... I never engage in improper relationships with women. This Prince is still... a virgin." After saying this, he glanced at Bai Sheng.
Lu Ye glared at Prince Yu, your ambition is showing! You're a virgin, why must you say it in front of my precious one? Trying to appear pure and innocent!
Third Uncle blushed and said, "I... I also..."
"Third Uncle, could it be that you are still a virgin?" Bai Sheng exclaimed, seeing Third Uncle's face turn as red as a pig's liver.
"You... you girl, you have no qualms about speaking indecently!" Third Uncle glared at Bai Sheng, but then felt he was an old man and saying he was a virgin was too embarrassing. Moreover, he was indeed not a virgin. He lowered his head and said, "I am not a virgin!"
As he said this, he glanced at Consort Mei, who inexplicably blushed.
"You're not?" Bai Sheng asked with a mischievous look, determined to tease Third Uncle in front of Consort Mei. He had to confess truthfully, "But Third Uncle, you're not married yet."
Third Uncle was so embarrassed he wished he could burrow into the ground, "Aiya, aiya, you girl, Xiao Ye! Control your wife!"
Lu Ye shrugged, appearing unable to help.
Consort Mei's cheeks flushed slightly. She patted Bai Sheng's arm and chided, "Alright, stop teasing your Third Uncle. Your Third Uncle... he won't do anything bad."
Bai Sheng looked at Consort Mei, then at Third Uncle, and vaguely sensed something subtle between the two.
However, she suddenly realized a problem: if she wanted Consort Mei to completely escape the palace and be with Third Uncle, she still had to get past Prince Yu.
Even if Prince Yu hated the Emperor, that was still his biological father. As a son, he certainly wouldn't tolerate his own mother being with another man.
She needed to find an opportunity to gauge Prince Yu's thoughts first.
After chatting and laughing for a while, Consort Mei said, "Xiao Sheng, where is your master? I brought her a gift and wanted to thank her."
"Master is in the alchemy room in the back courtyard. Let's go, Aunt Qing, I'll take you to see her," Bai Sheng said, linking arms with Consort Mei.
In the alchemy room of the back courtyard, Granny Zhong was stirring the medicinal soup with a ladle in a steaming alchemy furnace.
"Master, look who I've brought to see you." Bai Sheng entered the alchemy room, holding Consort Mei's arm.
Granny Zhong turned around.
The moment she saw Consort Mei, Granny Zhong's ladle dropped to the floor, and her body trembled, "You... you..."
Seeing her master's unusual reaction, Bai Sheng said, "Master, this is Consort Mei. I used the assimilation technique you taught me to heal her face, so she wants to thank you in person."
Upon seeing Granny Zhong, Consort Mei also paused involuntarily. This elderly woman gave her a very special feeling. They had never met before, yet they felt exceptionally familiar and close.
Consort Mei regained her composure, approached Granny Zhong, and said with a gentle smile, "You must be Xiao Sheng's master. Thank you very much for helping me heal my face."
With that, she handed a small box in her hand to Granny Zhong.
Bai Sheng glanced at the small box and knew without guessing that it contained gold bars. Consort Mei and Prince Yu were cut from the same cloth when it came to giving gifts; they were indeed mother and son.
Granny Zhong held the small box, still staring intently at Consort Mei, "After the New Year, you will be 37 years old?"
Consort Mei exchanged a look with Bai Sheng and nodded, "Yes, I am 37."
"Where are you from? And who are your parents?" Granny Zhong continued to ask, without feeling she was being overly abrupt or violating etiquette.