Baring Her Heart
After Zhao Ruxi bowed, she stepped forward and personally helped her up, smiling, "Tong'er has always praised you for being smart and capable. Seeing you today, it's certainly true."
Zhao Ruxi had assumed that the Princess of Zhennan wanted to see her to give her some instructions. However, after only a few pleasantries, she said, "Alright, go see your Master Xiao."
Princess of Zhennan had originally come to visit her daughter, but upon hearing that Zhao Ruxi had arrived, she decided to stay and meet her. After Zhao Ruxi went with the old woman to Xiao Ruotong's room next door, Princess Zhennan returned to the main courtyard.
Zhao Ruxi was startled when she saw Xiao Ruotong.
In just a few days, Xiao Ruotong had lost a lot of weight, her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked haggard, completely different from before.
Thinking back to the Princess of Zhennan she had just met, Zhao Ruxi vaguely guessed that it wasn't something that happened at the Prince of Zhennan's Residence, but rather a conflict between Xiao Ruotong and her husband's family.
Nanny Yun sighed softly and patted Xiao Ruotong, who was reclining on the bed, saying, "Miss, please speak with Miss Zhao properly. I'll go out for a moment."
Xiao Ruotong nodded slightly.
Not only did Nanny Yun go out herself, but she also took all the other maids in the room with her. Seeing this, Matron Zhou also wisely pulled Qingfeng along and followed.
After Zhao Ruxi sat down on the stool in front of the bed, only she and Xiao Ruotong were left in the room.
"Master, what's wrong with you...?" Zhao Ruxi sighed, recalling what the system had told her about Xiao Ruotong's situation.
Xiao Ruotong gave a wry smile, "I'm fine. Thank you for coming to see me."
Zhao Ruxi smiled and said, "That's only right."
She advised, "No matter what, our bodies and hair are gifts from our parents, and we dare not damage them; this is the beginning of filial piety. Your condition will cause the Prince and Princess great worry. You must relax and get well soon."
Xiao Ruotong nodded. "You're right. I shouldn't have caused my parents so much worry over a man."
Zhao Ruxi's heart stirred, and she looked up at Xiao Ruotong.
"Xiaoxi, although you are young and not yet engaged, I have observed that you have many insightful views in your words and actions, far surpassing mine."
Upon seeing Zhao Ruxi, Xiao Ruotong suddenly felt a desire to talk to her.
In the past two days, many kind elders and peers have come to visit her, but she can't listen to a single word they say. Even her mother advises her to swallow her anger. This is definitely not what she wants to hear.
As for Zhao Ruxi, the two had a lot of contact because of the jewelry store, and she found that although the child was young, her words and actions were unconventional, and the two got along very well. Therefore, she had an urge to confide in her.
"Tell me, should I even continue this marriage? He actually... hid it from me and let the maid have a child. He didn't come to take me back for a while, he was waiting for the baby to be born. Now he says he's going to remove the mother and keep the child, and that I should raise the child as my own. He even said it's for my own good." Xiao Ruotong's tears fell again.
"I've known him since we were four or five years old. We played together and grew up together. He said he only had eyes for me and would never take a concubine or mistress. But now..."
She shook her head. "My mother, the other elders, and my former sisters all advised me to take a step back, return to the Duke of Ying's Residence, and raise the child properly. They said he had no choice but to do this. After all, of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring. If I weren't infertile, why would he have taken this step? It's all for me. The fact that he could leave his mother and keep the child is the greatest kindness he can show me."
"But I'm not reconciled." She shook her head and covered her mouth with a handkerchief. "The vows we made are still ringing in my ears, and in the blink of an eye... he had a son with another woman. And he kept it from me for so long."
Seeing Xiao Ruotong crying uncontrollably, Zhao Ruxi patted her hand comfortingly.
Xiao Ruotong continued, "Everyone tells me to endure it, saying what if I don't? Even if my family is powerful and the Duke of Ying's Residence agrees to a divorce, what will I do then? Will I have to remarry? I can't have children, so am I supposed to marry someone and become a stepmother? Rather than being a second wife or a stepmother, it's better to raise this child. At least I'm the first wife, and that child has no mother and doesn't even know his own mother. I just need to raise him as my own child, and the young master will feel guilty towards me and treat me even better."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Ruxi sighed inwardly.
Xiao Ruotong's family is wealthy and powerful, and the Princess of Zhennan dotes on her daughter; she must have certainly hired the best doctors of the time to examine her. If, even so, Xiao Ruotong still cannot conceive, she is most likely infertile.
Even in the 21st century, an era where women are expected to be strong, mothers-in-law would still tell Xiao Ruotong to be patient and would advise her to reconcile rather than separate. A woman without a husband and children, no matter how successful she is in her career, would still be pitied and sympathized with. Let alone in ancient times.
It all depends on how you think about it.
Take, for example, Madam Cui of the academy. Her husband died, her mother-in-law was unkind, and she had no children of her own. Instead of remarrying, she went to the Women's Academy to work as a teacher and manager. Who knows if she wasn't suffering in the quiet of the night while others were enjoying family happiness? But when she changed her mind and decided to marry, and life became difficult, did she miss the freedom she had at the academy, and regret her decision to marry?
Such matters truly vary from person to person and from time to time, making them more complex than anything else. Even the person themselves cannot understand them, so how can outsiders offer advice? Those who advise reconciliation rather than separation are well aware of the difficulties involved. But they fear that if they advise separation, the person will regret it later and blame them, while they themselves will feel that they have ruined someone else's life by being too talkative.
Fortunately, Xiao Ruotong was just feeling down and confided in Zhao Ruxi, without needing her advice or comfort.
She cried for a while, then poured out her heart. Wiping away her tears, she forced a smile and said, "Look at me, I'm so confused, telling you all this. You're just a young girl, you're not even engaged yet, there's no need for you to be afraid of engagements and marriages."
She paused, then added, as if to explain, "Not all men are like that."
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face again.
Seeing her like this, Zhao Ruxi couldn't help but speak up, "Master, you and the Crown Prince must still have feelings for each other, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't be so heartbroken. If you do have feelings, then try again. If it doesn't work out, it's not too late to get a divorce."
Xiao Ruotong was stunned, then looked up at Zhao Ruxi with teary eyes.
"If he has broken your heart and you have no feelings for him anymore, then it doesn't matter whether you divorce or not; as long as you are happy, that's all that matters. But if you still have deep feelings for him and feel you can't forget him after a divorce, then wait and see. Don't rush into a conclusion, lest you do something you'll regret."
"Whether your marriage lasts or not, don't think about anything else, just look at your own heart," Zhao Ruxi added.