A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 1344 - 1342: Turning Point 2

"Don’t think about the past anymore!""What do you plan to do in the future?" Consort Zheng asked.

The Eldest Princess bit her lip in hesitation for a long time and whispered.

"I don’t know either!"

Consort Zheng, unwilling to give up, asked again.

"Do you still want to go to the Tao Family?"

The Eldest Princess continued to be conflicted.

Consort Zheng thought for a moment and then said.

"It’s still the same words!"

"You are a Princess. If you are unwilling, you can separate from the Prince Consort!"

"I will find another marriage for you!"

Although for a woman to separate and then remarry is truly not a glorious thing, and the second marriage often does not compare to the first.

However, such limitations are only in common society.

As for a princess in the Royal Family, it’s not uncommon to separate from a Prince Consort and remarry, no matter the era.

Moreover, due to their status, no one dares to say anything.

Those families selected to have a Prince Consort dare not say anything (though they might secretly complain).

The Eldest Princess’s cheeks instantly turned red.

"Find another marriage?"

She had never considered this.

Her mother had once taught her that a good woman does not serve two husbands!

The women’s precepts and teachings were full of such words, urging women to be steadfast in loyalty and to remain pure.

She had learned this from childhood to adulthood, and now suddenly being told to separate and remarry, she couldn’t wrap her mind around it.

Consort Zheng felt a bit impatient but still tried to control herself as she spoke.

"You are the Emperor’s eldest daughter, of noble status!"

"Your marriage should naturally be happy and fulfilled!"

"Otherwise, you should consider the reputation of your father, the Emperor!"

"The Tao Family behaves so outrageously, if word gets out, where would your father’s face go?"

Her tone lost the patience from earlier, adopting a more stern demeanor.

"You represent the entire Royal Family, not just yourself!"

The Eldest Princess was even more conflicted.

The words were correct, but...

She had long accepted Tao Prince Consort as her husband.

How could she possibly marry another? How could she casually accept another man?

Wouldn’t that be shameful? Unfaithful? Disgraceful?

She wanted to resist, but what her mother consort said made sense, and she didn’t know how to refute it.

She bit her lip, her cheeks flushed red.

Seeing this, Consort Zheng didn’t press further, merely waving her hand.

"I am also tired, I want to rest for a while, you go back and think it over!"

"If you are willing, come find me at any time!"

"Yes!"

The Eldest Princess rose and respectfully bowed, then retreated out.

...

Consort Zheng watched her leaving figure with a complex expression.

Hong Yun advised her.

"Your Highness, don’t take it to heart!"

"Isn’t there a saying among the common folk: each child has their own fortune?"

"Even the parents don’t control this much, you needn’t..."

Consort Zheng let out a long sigh.

"Do you think I want to meddle?"

"If she were truly my daughter, I would force her to separate, and find her another match!"

"The hardest part now is that she is not my daughter, yet the Emperor has entrusted her to me!"

"If I don’t manage it, I cannot account to the Emperor, but if I do... it seems like I’m doing her harm!"

"What’s there to linger on such a family?"

Hong Yun handed over a cup of tea with a smile.

"Your Highness, just do your best! If it can’t be helped, there’s nothing else we can do!"

"The Emperor is busy with state affairs, surely he wouldn’t mind this small matter!"

The Eldest Princess was never favored, married for so many years and the Emperor never inquired!

He didn’t care before, and he likely won’t care in the future!

Consort Zheng sighed again.

"It can only be this way, what else can be done?"

Saying this, she leisurely drank her tea and comfortably lay back down.

...

In the Tao Family.

Old Master Tao called his son to the study and gave him a good scolding as soon as he returned.

"You brat! Do you want to anger me to death?!"

"Or is it that you think your old man’s official cap is too high; you want to strip it down a few layers?"

Tao Prince Consort felt quite aggrieved.

"Father, what did I do wrong?"

"She is my wife. Not only does she refuse to give me a son, but she also refuses to accept Tao Hong’s son!"

"Is she trying to make me have no heirs?"

Old Master Tao was heartbroken.

"What do you understand?"

"Not having now doesn’t mean never!"

"You are both still young, what’s the hurry?"

"It’s not that she can’t give birth, wait a few more years, if that doesn’t work, adoption is not too late!"

"No matter legitimate or illegitimate, you already have a son, why fuss over titles?!"

Tao Prince Consort was still a bit sullen.

"But..."

Old Master Tao harshly scolded.

"No buts!"

"Do you think our family could have progressed so smoothly without the Princess?"

"Even if she isn’t favored in the palace, the Emperor has never mistreated our Tao Family!"

"And talk about the Princess herself!"

"Compared to the Second Princess, Third Princess, and even the Fourth Princess, how virtuous and gentle is the Eldest Princess!"

"You take concubines, you have a chamber maid, and she doesn’t complain, yet she humbles herself to greet your mother every day!"

"Even your concubine bore a child, and she hasn’t overly minded, only refusing to adopt!"

"What virtue do you possess to marry such a virtuous princess?!"

"And look at the Second Princess!"

"She may be favored, but look at how her Prince Consort’s family lives?"

"In the Princess’s Mansion, but not living there, the Prince Consort can only see her when summoned by the Princess!"

"Otherwise, even if not summoned, he doesn’t dare have any illicit affairs."

"No concubines or chamber maids, don’t even think about it!"

"It’s said that the Second Prince Consort’s family is heartbroken but dares not speak a word!"

Old Master Tao’s earnest words awakened Tao Prince Consort considerably.

They all mingled in the capital, so he knew well of the Second Prince Consort’s ’unfortunate affairs’.

He had even once been smug about it.

But gradually, when superiority became a habit, he no longer felt it was superior.

Now thinking about it, his father had indeed got the point.

"Then..."

Gradually, he began to feel some regret.

Memories of how he and the Princess shared such love, and how virtuous she was, began to surface.

He regretted it even more.

"Father! I know I was wrong! What should I do now?"

Seeing his son’s remorseful expression, Old Master Tao felt relieved.

"It’s good that you know you were wrong!"

"Now, the only way is to stabilize the Eldest Princess and win back her heart!"

As long as there is affection between the couple, no one can separate them!

Tao Prince Consort felt a bit scared.

"What do you mean? Could it be... she’ll separate from me if I can’t win her back?"

Old Master Tao snorted coldly.

"What do you think? Aren’t Princess separations common?"

"Didn’t you see Consort Zheng’s expression?"

Tao Prince Consort said nothing.

Suppressing the tumultuous panic in his heart, he made a firm decision.

"Rest assured, Father, tomorrow I will visit the palace again!"

Old Master Tao breathed a sigh of relief, urging.

"Just go, but avoid Consort Zheng’s people!"

"As for your mother and Maternal Aunt Tao, try persuading them too!"