Chapter 101

Chapter 101 Xie Run: "That depends on what the Prince finds out." "Someone that capable isn't easy for just anyone to win over." Just as Xie Run wanted a bodyguard skilled in martial arts and medicine, only Prince Jing could arrange such a person for her. "I'm afraid those were people Concubine Ning left behind for her!" "Even in death, she won't let things rest!" Dantao rarely harbored such disgust toward a dead person, but Concubine Ning had successfully earned herself countless curses from the grave. Speaking of this, Dantao brought up another matter: "Mistress, Sui Jin has been transferred out of Embroidery Moon Pavilion and is now guarding the courtyard at Winter Snow Court." "She sent someone to pass along a message earlier, saying her health is much better now, and she's quite satisfied with her duties at Winter Snow Court, but she couldn't properly thank you in person." Sui Jin had quietly sent word to Xie Run. Xie Run had pulled some strings through the Princess Consort to have Sui Jin transferred. This was all done behind the scenes, never brought into the open, so naturally Sui Jin couldn't openly come to thank Xie Run. "No need for thanks. Just let her serve well at Winter Snow Court. I'm afraid her new mistress will be moving in soon." Dantao's eyes lit up. "You mean, Mistress, that the Prince will promote Concubine Li to Concubine Consort?" "It's a done deal. What's there to question?" Xie Run said calmly. Prince Jing had personally stated that whichever of Concubine Han and Concubine Li became pregnant first would be promoted to Concubine Consort. Now that Concubine Han's false pregnancy had been exposed and she'd been stripped to commoner status, the position of Concubine Consort she'd usurped naturally had to be returned to Concubine Li. Dantao: "But I see it's been over half a month now, and the Prince doesn't seem to have any intention of bringing it up?" Xie Run picked up a book from beside her and casually flipped through it, smiling. "Silly Dantao, that's because the Prince is protecting Concubine Li by deliberately not mentioning it." "With that fall Concubine Li took, her pregnancy was shaken. If the promotion to Concubine Consort were brought up now, she'd inevitably become a target for others." "By not mentioning the promotion, everyone overlooks Concubine Li's existence, and she can safely nurture her pregnancy." It was fortunate that Concubine Li had already passed the three-month mark and her pregnancy was stable. Otherwise, with that fall, the child surely wouldn't have survived. Prince Jing's deliberate neglect of the promotion matter actually showed that he didn't dote on Concubine Li enough. If Concubine Li had his favor, there would be no need to consider so many things—he would simply do whatever was best for her. A man's like and dislike were always straightforward and clear. Xie Run understood and said, "In a while, once things settle down in the household, I suspect we'll have a new Concubine Consort Li." Neither of them knew that the decision not to mention the promotion wasn't Prince Jing's idea, but the Princess Consort's suggestion. Prince Jing didn't dote on Concubine Li, so he wouldn't consider things deeply for her sake. His thinking was simple and direct. If he made a promise, he would keep it. As for whether Concubine Li becoming Concubine Consort would make her a thorn in others' eyes, leading to someone harming her and causing a miscarriage— Prince Jing didn't care much about that. He gave what he should give. If Concubine Li couldn't protect the child in her belly, that was her incompetence. And he wouldn't dote on someone incompetent. It was the Princess Consort who made thorough arrangements for Concubine Li, managing to persuade Prince Jing to hold off on the promotion. Though because of this, Prince Jing also saw clearly that Concubine Li had probably aligned herself with the Princess Consort. Hmm... he didn't dote on the Princess Consort, nor did he dote on Concubine Li, so it made little difference. Since Sui Jin had been mentioned, Dantao couldn't help but ask about Wan Linlang's attempt to frame Xie Run. "Now that the storm has passed, should you tell the Prince what Sui Jin said?" Dantao explained, "I was thinking of how you warned Concubine Li before—you also told the Prince about that." Xie Run shook her head. "Dantao, do you really think the storm has passed?" Dantao was taken aback, not knowing how to respond. Half a month had passed since Princess Ruyi's birthday, so naturally she felt the storm had passed. But her mistress's words clearly indicated it hadn't. Xie Run said with a gentle smile, "The matter at Stillwater Pavilion—though it was ultimately traced back to Concubine Han, how many people were implicated in it?" "Concubine Yun, Concubine An, Concubine Li, Concubine Wan, Concubine Lu... and me." One could say that throughout the entire Prince's residence, aside from the Princess Consort and Fang Yuan'er under House Arrest, every other consort and concubine had been more or less dragged into it. She asked seriously, "Tell me, why should the Prince believe I'm innocent?" "If the Prince believes I'm innocent, then he'd likely also believe Concubine Yun, Concubine An, and the others are innocent." "But among these people, no one knows who is truly innocent and who is falsely so." Most importantly, Prince Jing wouldn't trust anyone! "Bringing up this matter inevitably drags you back into it. Going around in circles only pulls you in deeper." Xie Run said calmly, "I am the Prince's concubine. What I need to do isn't tell the Prince every day how innocent I am." "What I need to do is let the Prince know I won't cause him worry and that I can serve him well." "Bearing children and staying in my place—that's what I should be doing." The more intense the household struggles became, the clearer-headed Xie Run grew. Dantao was also enlightened by her words. "I was the one who was too attached to appearances." They chatted in the room for a while, and when Xie Run heard the sounds of play outside, she knew the maids in the courtyard were having a snowball fight again. In the idle winter days, one could only find ways to amuse oneself. Yueya'er said with great enthusiasm, "Mistress, with your condition, it's not convenient to go out. I've picked some plum blossoms for you to put in a vase. What do you think?" Xie Run smiled gently, her peach-blossom eyes brimming with warmth, making her appear even more tender and elegant. "Beautiful!" After Yueya'er eagerly helped Xie Run arrange the plum blossoms in a vase, Xie Run suddenly said to Dantao, "It seems the Prince hasn't visited in quite a while." Dantao thought carefully for a moment. "Since the twentieth day of the first month, the snow has been falling heavier and heavier, and the Prince has been getting busier and busier." "At first, he came every two or three days, but this time..." Dantao counted on her fingers. "It's already been five days since he last visited Spring Mountain Courtyard." Dantao didn't understand politics or the people's livelihood, but she could tell from the young maids around her that a major snow disaster was likely this year. "Just as you said, Mistress, the Prince's official duties are becoming more and more demanding." Xie Run said, "Hasn't the small kitchen just made some fresh fish soup? Have someone deliver it to the Prince at the front courtyard." "If the Prince is busy with official matters, just deliver the soup and come back. If he's not busy and asks about you, tell him I've acquired some new plum blossoms and am admiring them." Dantao silently glanced at the vase on Xie Run's table. In the slender-necked white porcelain vase stood a few branches of plum blossoms—indeed quite lovely. But "admiring plum blossoms"... that was a bit of a stretch. Dantao thought for a moment. "Mistress, should we only send the soup?" "I've heard that Consort Yun, Consort Fang, and Concubine Wan have all sent people with soup. If we only send soup, I'm afraid it won't stand out enough." Xie Run said, "...The newly carved seal—put it in the food box and send it along as well." "If the Prince asks about it, say that I was idle and wanted to paint, but the moment I took out the seal, I grew lazy, tossed it aside carelessly, and it accidentally ended up in the box." Xie Run added a special reminder, "If he doesn't ask about it, then don't mention it!" Dantao said, "...Yes." Wasn't her mistress's explanation a bit too flimsy? The Prince was shrewd and wise—surely he wouldn't fall for her mistress's trick? Even as Dantao thought this, she hurried off to make the arrangements. Xie Run let out a sigh. "At this rate, even more people will be calling me a seductress." But let them talk. At least she had gained favor—she had to allow others to be envious, didn't she? Sure enough, when Prince Jing received the fish soup, he didn't have much of a reaction. He wasn't actually busy with official matters at the moment—just weary and idling away in his study. When Eunuch Shian mentioned that someone had brought soup, Prince Jing was silent for a long while before saying, "Refuse them all from now on. Three deliveries in a single morning—do they really take me for a water bucket?" Eunuch Shian said with an apologetic smile, "I was about to refuse, but since this was sent by Mistress Xie, I didn't dare make that decision on my own." Prince Jing said, "...Is soup sent by Concubine Xie somehow not soup?" Even if it were sent by a celestial maiden, he couldn't drink another drop.