Chapter 150

Chapter 150 Xie Run watched, inwardly shaking her head. This house arrest was completely different from the last time Prince Jing had punished her. When Consort Jiang was punished last time, Prince Jing had at least left her two servants and hadn't restricted her food or movement—he hadn't wanted to drive her to death. But now, within Songya Court, there was no one left who had served her since childhood. She had dragged down all the maids and matrons of Songya Court with her. If the Princess Consort managed things even slightly strictly, until Prince Jing returned, she would likely be confined to eating, drinking, and everything else within a single room. If the servants withheld her food and supplies, she would have nowhere to cry for justice. To put it nicely, it was called house arrest. To put it bluntly, it was imprisonment. Seeing Consort Jiang in this state, everyone secretly laughed, all waiting to watch her fall from grace. Consort Jiang was taken away, and Nanny Huang, Xing'er, and Dong'er all suffered the same fate. The Princess Consort added, "Everyone in Songya Court will have three months' wages deducted. If there is any further aiding of wrongdoing, you will all be sent to the estate to live out your days." The show was over. The Princess Consort swept her gaze over the concubines and consorts seated around her. "You may all disperse." "Your servant takes leave!" Fang Yuan'er stood up first, with Xie Run following behind, and the others gradually filing out. Once outside the gates of Songya Court, Fang Yuan'er and Xie Run walked side by side, maintaining a distance neither too close nor too far. Fang Yuan'er suddenly spoke. "Sister Xie, do you think Consort Jiang this time... will she be demoted?" Xie Run seemed lost in thought, only reacting after a moment. "Demoted?" She smiled modestly. "That depends on how His Highness handles it." "But these are troubled times, and Consort Jiang is the daughter of the Jiangzhou Prefect, personally betrothed by His Majesty. His Highness probably won't punish her too severely, will he?" As she said this, Xie Run's face showed obvious hesitation. Fang Yuan'er noticed and smiled. "Sister Xie, even you don't quite believe what you're saying." Xie Run gave a faint smile, which served as tacit acknowledgment. Fang Yuan'er paused for a moment, then suddenly asked, "If Consort Jiang is demoted, wouldn't Sister Xie want to rise a rank yourself?" "I heard that your elder brother passed the imperial examinations this spring and is now awaiting appointment from the Ministry of Personnel. He has a bright future ahead." "Right now I call you 'younger sister,' but in a few days, perhaps the roles will be reversed." This time Xie Run didn't demur. She only lowered her head with a shy smile. "All of this depends on His Highness's arrangements." Her eyes were filled with adoration for Prince Jing. Fang Yuan'er felt a bit disgusted at the sight. You treat her as a rival, probing and testing her in every way, only to find out she's a lovestruck fool, her heart entirely devoted to Prince Jing. Against such an opponent, Fang Yuan'er felt she didn't even need to lift a finger. A concubine with a lovestruck heart—was she afraid of living too long? Xie Run had been blinded by Prince Jing's favor. Fang Yuan'er smiled ambiguously. "That's right. When it comes down to it, everything depends on His Highness's wishes." "I wonder when His Highness will return?" A hint of worry appeared in Xie Run's eyes. "I heard the people of Yunzhou are fierce and bandits run rampant... I wonder if His Highness is suffering." Fang Yuan'er curled her lips, too lazy to waste words on a lovestruck fool. "I need to go back and look after Qiong'er. I won't chat with you any longer." Xie Run nodded, still seemingly worried about Prince Jing. Fang Yuan'er walked off with a brisk stride, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Only after confirming Fang Yuan'er was gone did Concubine Lu, who had been following behind, dare to step forward. "Sister Xie, does Consort Fang want to become a Side Consort?" She had overheard much of their conversation. The worry on Xie Run's face lessened somewhat, her gaze clear and shallow. "Probably." "But her family background is ordinary, and the Third Young Master she bore is frail and not particularly favored by His Highness. How could His Highness possibly promote her?" Speaking of it, Prince Jing was truly pitiable. If one carefully counted the statuses of the consorts and concubines in Prince Jing's household, the highest-ranking was Consort Jiang, who had a father serving as Jiangzhou Prefect. It sounded impressive, but the Jiang family had no deep foundation, and Prefect Jiang held no particular favor in the Emperor's eyes. In the capital, a place teeming with nobles and high officials, that truly wasn't enough to matter. Take Prince Su's, Prince Wei's, and Prince An's households—their consorts and concubines numbered at least twice as many as Prince Jing's. Those who could become Side Consorts were either legitimate daughters of meritorious nobles or titled families, daughters of powerful ministers holding significant court positions, or those connected to the imperial bloodline... In comparison, Prince Jing's household had no one who could compete. This also indirectly showed that neither the Emperor nor Noble Consort Rou held Prince Jing in any regard. Fang Yuan'er's background was considered the best among the mediocrity in Prince Jing's household. But a wealthy merchant from Jiangnan—even if their wealth rivaled a nation's—was ultimately still the daughter of a lowly merchant family. Being made a Concubine Consort was already the ceiling. Few in the household believed Fang Yuan'er had a chance to become a Side Consort. Xie Run, on the other hand, though her starting point was low, at least came from a respectable family. As the men in her family rose in status, her own position would gradually rise as well. When Xie Jing passed the imperial examinations this spring and the news reached Prince Jing's household, Xie Run had not made a fuss about it. After Xie Jing became a jinshi, the Xie family had already made their first leap across class lines. A young man like him, with a hint of marital connection, was the easiest to cultivate. He naturally bore the mark of being Prince Jing's brother-in-law. Unless he severed ties with Prince Jing, he would belong to Prince Jing's faction no matter where he was appointed to serve in the future. Prince Jing would also fully cultivate him, helping him rise step by step. Xie Jing's future was clearly visible. Once he received his official post—whether he was nurtured in the capital or sent to the provinces to gain experience—after three to five years of accumulating merit, he would be promoted again, and might well become Prince Jing's trusted confidant. By then, if Xie Run endured and persisted alongside him, her chances of becoming Side Consort were indeed not small. Fang Yuan'er's question this time was also probing Xie Run's ambitions. After hearing Concubine Lu's words, a hint of amusement appeared in Xie Run's eyes. "As long as the Prince favors you, anyone can become Side Consort." "I heard that Consort Liang of Prince Wei's household was originally a dancing girl." "How can that be the same?" Concubine Lu disagreed. "That's because Prince Wei's household has no rules, and Prince Wei himself is... any family with even a shred of propriety would never do such a thing." "Moreover, Consort Liang was appointed by Prince Wei himself. The Zongren Mansion refused to recognize her because the number of Side Consorts in his household exceeded the regulations—she wasn't even registered on the Jade Plate." "Since Consort Liang isn't on the Jade Plate, strictly speaking, she's still just a concubine." Xie Run said with a smile, "But that doesn't stop Consort Liang from dominating Prince Wei's household alone—she lacks neither favor, nor children, nor power." "Rules only bind those who choose to follow them. The Prince is the master of this household; he doesn't need to act according to rules in everything." Hearing this, Concubine Lu suddenly understood. "Sister Xie means... Consort Fang has hope of becoming Side Consort?" Xie Run smiled but said nothing. If Fang Yuan'er had truly used the power of 'premonition' to send Prince Jing to Yunzhou to earn merit, then the first thing Prince Jing would likely do upon returning to the mansion would be to promote Fang Yuan'er to Side Consort. Seeing how confident Fang Yuan'er was now, Xie Run felt she was probably all but certain. All that remained was to wait for news from Prince Jing's side.