Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law-Chapter 401: Sisters’ Conversation

"My husband mentioned in his letter that he has already departed from Huai State and will soon arrive in Xiangyang. He asked us not to worry." Wu Mi softly summarized the contents of the letter.

"Who’s worried about him." Upon hearing this, Xia Zhining pouted, but reached out to Wu Mi, wanting to see the contents of the letter herself, only for Han Anniang to take it first.

"Erlang mentioned in the letter he crossed the river and arrived in Linzhou at the end of September. Now it’s October 3rd, and since travel over land is quick, Erlang should reach Xiangyang by the 10th." Han Anniang said joyfully. Among the women, she accompanied Chen Mo the longest and naturally misses him greatly.

However, upon seeing the latter part of the letter, Han Anniang’s joyful smile slightly faded, and she looked at the women in surprise and said, "Princess Consort Huai and Princess Chu Juan have returned with Erlang."

After speaking, Han Anniang cautiously glanced at Wu Mi. After all, Wu Mi was the main wife, and if she were angry and disapproved, even though Chen Mo brought Princess Consort Huai and Princess Chu Juan back, they couldn’t enter the household.

While the world respects men, by law, the status of husband and wife is equal.

Wu Mi was not born into a small household either.

Moreover, Wu Mi did not mention this while reading the letter earlier.

Wu Mi’s expression remained calm, with a faint smile on her face. She said with composed amusement, "The Chen Family has few offspring. Currently, only Zhiqing is pregnant, and we don’t yet know if it’s a boy or girl. My husband’s estate is vast and cannot go unheired.

We, as my husband’s wives and concubines, have not contributed to the Chen Family’s lineage, which is indeed regrettable. Princess Consort Huai has given birth before; once she enters the household, she will certainly bear children for my husband."

Wu Mi was naturally not a contentious person, and if not succeeded to Lady Wu, she was only a concubine of the Wu Family, so she was quite tolerant towards the concubines, making her not prone to jealousy.

Moreover, being from the Wu Family, she knows that in this chaotic world, strength rules, not only now but since ancient times, it was common to take the wife and children of defeated enemies as one’s own.

Thus, regarding Chen Mo bringing back Xiao Yunxi and Chu Juan as described in the letter, Wu Mi did not find anything wrong with it.

Xia Zhining originally wanted to criticize Chen Mo.

Although she was not Chen Mo’s main wife, she was told "I only love you" by Chen Mo, and even though she knew it was sweet talk, she deceived herself into believing it, so she was rather resentful of Chen Mo’s actions.

But since Wu Mi did not object and even seemed pleased, as a concubine, she had to swallow her words.

...

Unable to speak in front of the other women, Xia Zhining couldn’t help but talk when with her sister alone.

"I heard he captured Princess Consort Huai. He stayed in Huai State for so long, I thought he just wanted to have some fun with Princess Consort Huai, but now he brought her home.

What’s so good about Princess Consort Huai? She’s over thirty, has given birth, her looks have faded, and yet he is so mesmerized? Ning Wan, though married, is only in her twenties and hasn’t had any children." Xia Zhining said with a furrowed brow.

"The Xiao Family is one of the Seven Great Noble Families, and their influence in the Great Song is greater than the Wu Family. Mo Lang bringing Princess Consort Huai back might have a deeper purpose." Xia Zhiqing said while touching her round belly.

"A deeper purpose?" Xia Zhining was stunned, then replied, "What deeper purpose could it be? Isn’t it just that he was offended by Prince Huai and is now taking revenge."

Saying this, Xia Zhining’s face turned red.

She remembered how she had whipped Chen Mo, and thereafter, when he attacked the county, he took revenge on her. They should have become enemies, but now she had given herself wholly to him.

"Zhining, don’t immediately think of matters of love between men and women when you hear about Princess Consort Huai being captured by Mo Lang. Consider the current times. The news also says Mo Lang returned three of Prince Huai’s wives and their children.

If Mo Lang were merely after beauty or revenge, the three wives as Prince Huai’s consorts would not lack in beauty, so why would Mo Lang return them and only keep Princess Consort Huai and Crown Prince Huai?" Xia Zhiqing, known as Qingzhou’s first talented woman, was rightly so reputed, considering issues comprehensively.

Upon hearing this, Xia Zhining was slightly startled and instinctively asked, "Why?"

"It is now a chaotic era, the entire Great Song has been dragged into the quagmire of war, and Longyou is facing external threats, while Jiangnan is a prosperous place, yet untouched by war. Among the noble families of Jiangnan, the Xiao Family leads; now Mo Lang controls Qing, Yu, Lin, and Huai Four States, and is allied with the Jiangdong Wu Family through marriage. The next step is surely Jiangnan. If the Xiao Family could be drawn in at this time, Mo Lang could take Jiangnan with minimal cost." Xia Zhiqing said slowly.

"..."

"But the Xiao Family belongs to Prince Huai. Can merely capturing Princess Consort Huai and Crown Prince Huai make the Xiao Family come over?" Xia Zhining felt this too "casual."

"Then Zhining, why do you think noble families support Prince Huai, and why do various noble families intermarry?" Xia Zhiqing asked with a smile.

"Enhancing power, maintaining status, and preserving various alliances." Xia Zhining replied almost reflexively.

After all, if it weren’t for the Celestial Master Army affair, and if her father were still alive, she and her sister would likely have been married off, and after a decade of development, the Xia Family would be a noble family.

"Exactly." Xia Zhiqing nodded, "The eldest legitimate son of the Xiao Family, Xiao Chongrong, died on the Support the King campaign, so the bond between the Xiao Family and Prince Huai hinges on Princess Consort Huai and Crown Prince Huai. Only by Crown Prince Huai inheriting Prince Huai’s title, and potentially the Emperor’s title, can the Xiao Family’s power be strengthened.

Otherwise, the Xiao Family’s standing will certainly decline, possibly falling out of the Seven Great Noble Families, which the Xiao Family definitely does not want to happen. And the current situation is developing in that direction."

Xia Zhining understood and said, "So his move is making the Xiao Family see no hope on Prince Huai’s side, and now by bringing Princess Consort Huai home, he is showing the Xiao Family they are welcome."

"Correct." Xia Zhiqing said with a smile.

"But can such a semi-threatening draw actually work?"

"Zhining, you underestimate noble families. Sometimes, noble families value face highly, and sometimes they don’t value it at all." Xia Zhiqing smiled.

Xia Zhining pursed her lips and said, "These conniving tactics can be attributed to him. He’s only twenty years old, how does his mind come up with all these twists and turns?"

"If you could think of them, you wouldn’t be so helplessly under Mo Lang’s thumb." Xia Zhiqing teased.