To be a Virtuous Wife

019

Choices

He Heng wasn't the most favored by the Emperor of the four wangs but there were still many invitations that were sent on a daily basis to Duan Wang Fu. Today there would be somebody presenting tea, tomorrow somebody would offer the new fruits from their farm, then the day after somebody would send over a famous piece of art.

All invitations for the females of the household would be given over to Qu Qing Ju. Some people, she would meet. Some people she would put aside the invitation and could be satisfied by a meeting with those under her.

It was truly "the gatekeeper of the Prime Minister's residence was a fourth rank official." Not just her as a wang fei, there were many who wanted to ingratiate themselves with the maternal families of the qieshi. So when she saw the card that the family of Han Qing He sent in, Qu Qing Ju hesitated before saying: "Let somebody meet this person, then tell him the rule of the fu is the qieshi can receive their family during the festivals or if pregnant, but not otherwise." This wasn't just that this was a wang fu, even in normal families, there wasn't the tradition of a qieshi's family being invited if it wasn't festival time.

"This family is very rude. Wang fei, even your relatives know to not ask for an invite when there are no important matters, but this aunt has to be special," Yin Liu looked disdainfully at the unremarkable card, "This servant still remembers that attitude that Lady Han had in the beginning, just because she was the first ever to serve wang ye."

"Alright," Qu Qing Ju looked calmly at Yin Liu, "Get somebody to send the gifts this person presented to Han shiqie. Tell Han shi, it isn't that I am not accommodating, but the rules of this house has to be respected."

Presently, several of the wang ye were all thirsting for that position. It would be best for the wang fu to not interact with strangers. If something went wrong, Duan Wang might just strangle her to death. Her arrogance could lead to her death but that was better than being strangled by somebody else.

In Xi Yuan, Han Qing He looked at the things on the table. It was just a few playthings that wasn't worth much. She didn't know how hard those watching from the doorway were laughing on the inside. She forced out a hint of the smile and said to Shu Kui in front of her: "My thanks to Shu Kui guniang, and please give my thanks to wang fei ."

"Yiniang doesn't have to be so polite. Before this servant came over, wang fei had said that it was a woman's good fortune if her relatives thought of her. It is just that the wang fu has rules and cannot allow you to meet them so hopefully, you can understand." Shu Kui had originally been one of the wang fu's servants. She was now a first-rank maid serving wang fei and was well respected by other servants in the fu. So upon seeing the respectful attitude of Han shi, her expression was normal, but her actions still carried the appropriate level of subservience for a servant as she kept her head lowered in respect of Han shi.

"Wang fei is too kind. It is truly this servant's family who is nagging and wang fei was benevolent to keep their things. Wang fei's virtues, this servant will remember in her heart." Han Qing He was quieter now. She understood very well. Originally, these things wouldn't have been brought in front of her. Wang fei was able to let her keep these things. Regardless if wang fei was true or false in her intentions, she had to admit she felt gratitude towards wang fei.

Her maternal family was of low status and could never sent over anything good. These things were plaything she had liked before she had entered the palace. But when she had followed wang ye into the wang fu, she had never received anything from home. Looking at it now, her family most likely sent something every year, but the servants never delivered it inside. Remembering that before wang fei had married in, the most favoured had been Feng Zi Jin, Han Qing He laughed icily inside.