Chapter 70 The Difficult Mother-in-law

“Just do it!” “Oh, I see. You want us to stay calm and remain what we are.” “Yes, do it well.” Reflecting on Meng Xi’s words for a while, the owner of the cloth shop suddenly thought of an idea. “I got it, Miss Meng. Our cloth shop has built a good reputation and has always sold high-quality products. I’ll attract the customers by giving away some free stuff for a few days. When there are more visits, we can play the victim in front of them and let them see how the other cloth shop bullies us. If the customers get to know their tricks, no one will go to the Wangs’ anymore. Then, we just have to wait for them to close up. To kick them out of the industry, we have to stay calm first. Miss Meng, I’m impressed!” The owner of the cloth shop finally had a smile on his face. Miss Meng surely deserved the fame. She had just solved the problem that had bothered him for over a month. Excusing himself, he went back to get prepared. With blushes, Meng Xi was still daydreaming about kissing Crown Prince Yun and absorbed in her own world... Under such circumstances, their experienced parents soon became aware! Since the birth of her son, the Noble Consort had always been a manipulative mother. After listening to the Crown Princess’ complaints and observing her son, she quickly drew the conclusion that Crown Prince Yun was having an affair. As the future king, it would be natural for her son to have multiple women, but her instinct told her that Crown Prince Yun had loved the woman so much that he was getting out of control. That was something she couldn’t tolerate. On the other side, Master Meng was completely sure about what his daughter had done, including kissing a man by force in the brothel and on the street. After all, he had spies all over the city! Of course, he got reports about his daughter on a daily basis. But in his eyes, Meng Xi didn’t do anything improper. She was, in his own words, a sincere girl! Anyway, Master Meng would never be disappointed by Meng Xi. Not only did he fully support her, but he was also waiting to see his son-in-law and hold in arms his grandchildren as soon as possible. Even if Meng Xi got pregnant before the wedding, he would probably celebrate it in delight. Yet Master Meng had no idea his so-called future son-in-law was Crown Prince Yun, his best friend’s son. It was impossible to bring him home. Even worse, that man would bring misfortune to his family. How unlucky that Meng Xi picked such a person as her future husband! For Crown Prince Yun, the more obstacles he had, the more motivated he became. Now that the Noble Consort had been aware of her son’s secret, she sent servants and guards to him everywhere except the imperial court and the classroom. During his free time, she even locked Crown Prince Yun in his palace to copy books. Even the Crown Princess and their son Yun Su were forbidden to see him. But the Noble Consort didn’t make her son waver at all. On the contrary, he loved Meng Xi, the carefree and unrestrained girl, even more. Crown Prince Yun still managed to escape to meet Meng Xi, but now it took much more to do that. First of all, someone must copy the books for him. Therefore, his chief eunuch, the one he grew up and learned to write with, became his best ghostwriter. In addition, he also found a vocal mimic to pretend to be him in the Crown Prince Palace. As for Crown Prince Yun, he disguised himself as a eunuch to get out of the palace. But dressed in the same uniform every day, he was afraid of being suspected. A few days later, he impersonated as a palace maid, and then a guard, and then an imperial physician, and then a wet nurse... Day after day, he was having fun playing the game! After the imperial court session finished, Crown Prince Yun went to attend his tutor’s class immediately. Since the class was just for him, he had every reason to end it ahead of time! Once the class was over, Crown Prince Yun rushed back, changed clothes, and sneaked out. Together, he and Meng Xi couldn’t stop making out. Especially after the sweet deep kiss that day, they got more and more attached to each other. Just like that, Meng Xi’s lips were always red and swollen every time they met, but they did not go any further. This was probably what people in love for the first time would do. The only thing in their mind was sticking together and kissing whenever they could. In the evening, Crown Prince Yun would sneak back into the palace. A life like this was actually a lot of fun for them. However, a lie could last for days, weeks, or even months, but not forever. Sooner or later, the truth would be revealed. The Noble Consort was quite pleased with her well-behaved son recently. Yet, with him locked in the palace all day long, she also missed him a lot. Since he was grounded, he hadn’t contacted the woman outside. She believed that he must have let it go. So that day, the Noble Consort went happily to visit her son with all her palace maids and eunuchs, ready to let him out. Little did she know that her son wished to be locked like this for the rest of his life! “The Noble Consort arrived,” reported the eunuch at the door of the Crown Prince Palace. In the locked room, the mimic as Crown Prince Yun was so scared that he quickly got under the desk and kept shivering. He was just an ordinary street performer. It was true he could do some vocal mimicry, but he didn’t look like Crown Prince Yun at all! Beside him, the chief eunuch who was copying the books was also terrified. The brush on his hand fell straight down and soiled the bamboo slips on the desk that hadn’t dried. He didn’t know what to do. How could he get Crown Prince Yun back now? Just when the two of them were completely at a loss, the Noble Consort walked in as the servants pushed the door. Immediately, she saw the vocal mimic with a big butt exposed outside the desk and the chief eunuch of Crown Prince Yun, who stood still next to the desk. Then her chief palace maid showed her the dirty bamboo slips on the desk. Touching the handwriting that had not yet dried, she had figured it all out. “Where did Crown Prince Yun go?” The Noble Consort was gnashing her teeth in anger, but she still kept her manner. As soon as she finished her words, the mimic and the chief eunuch were pulled out and forced to kneel in front of her. Sitting down behind the desk, the Noble Consort asked the same question, “Tell me, where did Crown Prince Yun go?” Growing up with Crown Prince Yun, the eunuch was loyal. Biting his lips, he refused to say anything to betray his master. “Slap him.” Furiously, the Noble Consort ordered her servants to slap him. But when blood dripped from his mouth, the eunuch still did not speak. Frightened by what he saw, the mimic hurriedly begged for mercy, “Your Majesty, forgive me. I’ll tell you everything I know.” Regardless of the pain, the chief eunuch with a swollen face mumbled to him, “Craw Prinsh Yun dreeted you wall. (Crown Prince treated you well.) Ao ca you bitry him? (How can you betray him?) If ich wash not for hee, you wad have shtav to deash on the shtrit. (If it was not for him, you would have starved to death on the street.)” Few understood his speech, but they knew what he meant. The Noble Consort did not look at the eunuch at all. “Tell me everything you know, and I’ll spare you,” said she directly to the mimic. For the sake of his life, the mimic completely sold Crown Prince Yun out. He even told her how he got dressed and sneaked out every day. “You ungrashful bashard! (You ungrateful bastard!)” cursed the loyal eunuch angrily. ... Quickly, Crown Prince Yun was caught back with Meng Xi. This was the first time Meng Xi had seen her future mother-in-law! Thanks to her skincare care, although the Noble Consort was over 30, she looked like she was still in her 20s. Rather than Crown Prince Yun’s mother, she was more like his sister. But this beautiful future mother-in-law didn’t seem to like Meng Xi. “Are you the woman who seduced my son?” “Mother, how can you say that to Xier? Xier is...” Crown Prince Yun wanted to speak for Meng Xi. “Plug Crown Prince Yun’s mouth and grab him tight. I don’t want him to make a scene here.” “Mother? Crown Prince...Crown Prince...” Meng Xi was stunned for a moment. This was the first time for her to know the identity of her lover. She was shocked. Looking at Crown Prince Yun caught by the servants, she was mad that he lied to her. With his mouth plugged, Crown Prince Yun couldn’t talk, nor could he move, but his eyes were full of worries about Meng Xi. He knew that his mother could be very merciless. And he hated how powerless he was. Meng Xi was still lost in her own thoughts. She knew that Crown Prince Yun had got married and had a son. Yet, they had already fallen in love. Now, Meng Xi really didn’t know how to deal with the situation. She just muttered to herself, “I don’t know he is Crown Prince Yun. I really don’t. If I knew it, I would never be with him.” “Do you think Crown Prince Yun doesn’t deserve you?” The Noble Consort now disliked her even more. “No, no, you misunderstood me. I mean, I have no idea he is the Crown Prince. I don’t...” “As a commoner’s daughter, you’re not even qualified to be a concubine. How dare you look down on Crown Prince Yun?” “I’ve never thought about being a concubine.” “Oh? You don’t want to be a concubine. Then what do you want to be? A palace maid? That is a good match for you,” said the Noble Consort sarcastically. “I-I just want to be with my lover for my entire life.” Though she had always been a smart girl, Meng Xi didn’t know what to say faced with the Noble Consort. Raised up as a boy, she was used to the casual lifestyle of leading a peaceful life with someone she loved. “You want to replace the Crown Princess and be the only woman by the side of Crown Prince Yun? I’m telling you. I won’t allow that to happen as long as I’m still alive!” “That’s not what I mean. Really.” Why was the Noble Consort so difficult to communicate with? It was true she loved Crown Prince Yun very much, but Meng Xi was also the eldest daughter and was responsible for the future of her family. Most importantly, she was the one being deceived! But now, nothing could break their bond. Even though Meng Xi was mad at Crown Prince Yun, she couldn’t let him go. She had no choice but to find a way to get around with the situation.