Chapter 152

Chapter 152 Songya Court was a fine courtyard. When Prince Jing had originally ordered it thoroughly renovated to welcome Jiang Baobao into the household, how could rats and night owls suddenly appear there? This wasn't some remote mountain wilderness. The only explanation was that Consort Jiang was being retaliated against by someone she had offended in the past. Xie Run could have done such a thing too. But Consort Jiang's fate would not end well regardless. To vent a bit of anger by getting tangled up in Consort Jiang's mess—Xie Run had no desire to do something so foolish. Concubine Lu smiled and said, "The maids and matrons of Songya Court have had six months of their monthly wages docked. I'm afraid they must hate Consort Jiang to death." Servants relied on their monthly wages to get by. Especially those who had to support their entire families—those wages were their lifeline! Consort Jiang had courted disaster again and again, costing everyone in Songya Court half a year's income. Those people's lives had become difficult. If someone wanted to deal with Consort Jiang, those servants would probably be more than happy to take money and eagerly lend a hand. As things stood now, the gate of Songya Court might as well not exist. Seeming to think of something, Concubine Lu suddenly laughed. "The Princess Consort does seem rather fond of docking people's wages." "Just from Consort Jiang's several rounds of trouble-making alone, the wages the Princess Consort has docked must have saved the household no small amount of expenses." As she said this, a hint of awkwardness crept onto Concubine Lu's face. Because when Xie Run had gone to Songya Court to make trouble for Consort Jiang last time, she too had been docked wages. Seeing her suddenly fall silent, Xie Run knew Concubine Lu was afraid of her. She smiled and said, "We're just chatting. There's no need to be overly cautious or guarded in every word." "If we can't even speak freely, wouldn't that make me seem too overbearing?" Concubine Lu's face showed gratitude as she smiled and said, "It's my loose tongue. Sister Xie is truly kind-hearted and broad-minded." Concubine Lu sometimes felt that Concubine Xie and Concubine An had similar temperaments—quiet, dignified, gentle, and calm, not fond of contending with others. But the feeling of being with the two of them was completely different. Being with Concubine An was exhausting, even somewhat repulsive. But being with Concubine Xie felt like clear skies stretching for miles, a spring breeze brushing one's face—a joy that was hard to contain. That lightness and delight came from the very bones. This wasn't merely a matter of Concubine Xie being bolder than Concubine An. But if Concubine Lu had to articulate the exact difference, she couldn't quite put it into words. She could only say that when she was with Concubine Xie, both her heart and her mind felt open and bright. As they chatted, the two noticed how nice the sun was outside and decided to take Taotao out to bask in it. Xie Run enjoyed taking walks, and there happened to be plenty of open space near Spring Mountain Court, so she often took Taotao out for strolls. She wasn't the type to keep Taotao cooped up indoors all day out of fear that someone might harm him. Even though Xie Run had never raised a child before, she knew that little ones needed to go outside regularly to build up their immunity and adaptability to their environment, lest their resistance be too low and even a minor illness turn into something serious. Just as the two stepped out of the main gate of Spring Mountain Court, Concubine Lu raised a hand to shield her eyes and laughed. "Finally cleared up. The sun today is simply wonderful." Xie Run adjusted the swaddling around the grinning Taotao. She too glanced up at the sun and smiled. "Isn't it?" "The sun isn't too strong—it feels warm and cozy on the skin, and it lifts the spirits along with it." Concubine Lu leaned in, her eyes fixed on Taotao as she studied him, her heart nearly melting into a puddle of water. "Our Fifth Young Master is so fair and plump, truly adorable. And he hardly ever cries—he's always smiling at people. Who wouldn't love him?" Xie Run pinched Xiao Cong's cheek and watched as he went from grinning a moment ago to scrunching up his face like a wrinkled little old man. "I wonder who he takes after, being so fond of smiling?" Several times Xie Run had wanted to sleep in, only to be woken by this little rascal's laughter. Actually, "laughter" wasn't quite the right word. It was that when he laughed, he liked to shake the little toys in his hands, making quite a racket. "Being fond of smiling is a good thing." Concubine Lu said with partiality, "I hear that because the Third Young Master was born premature, he's always crying and fussing. To care for him, the maids and matrons of Summer Pond Court have all suffered no small hardship." As for Concubine An's Fourth Young Master, Concubine Lu was unwilling to mention him. The grudge between her and Concubine An was already set. Concubine Lu wouldn't go so far as to harm Concubine An, but she was waiting to see her meet misfortune. Coming to Xie Run's place to mock Concubine An would be far too lacking in character. If Concubine Lu wanted to build a good relationship with Xie Run, she wouldn't do something so foolish. Xie Run used a little tiger toy to coax Taotao. "You're right. I should count my blessings." "He was well-behaved enough to stay until full term, doesn't cry or fuss much, and isn't difficult about eating or drinking. I must have been blessed three lifetimes over to have gotten such a treasure." The Third Young Master was now being properly raised. But that child truly was difficult to care for. A little too cold, a little too warm, and he'd start making trouble—either crying endlessly or falling ill, or else not eating and not sleeping well. Everyone in Summer Pond Court would have to run around after him, and the Princess Consort was often disturbed as well. Since giving birth to him, Fang Yuan'er had visibly thinned out considerably—she must have expended no small amount of effort. Concubine Lu nodded in agreement. "I once had the fortune to see the Third Young Master. Though he's a month older than our Fifth Young Master, he's noticeably thinner by a full size." Xie Run thought to herself, when the mother commits sins, the child has to suffer the consequences. While they were chatting, they saw two elderly maids carrying food past them. Concubine Lu glanced in their direction and said with a smile, "That must be the midday meal for Songya Courtyard." "Why are they only sending it now..." At this point, more than an hour had already passed since the midday meal time. Xie Run stood to the side watching, saying nothing. Concubine Lu suddenly waved her hand. "You two, come here!" The two elderly maids carrying the food were startled. But since a mistress had summoned them, they obediently approached. Concubine Lu asked, "Is this for Consort Jiang?" The two elderly maids quickly replied that it was. Concubine Lu said, "Open it and let me see." The two elderly maids immediately looked hesitant. One of them plucked up her courage and said, "To answer Mistress Lu, this... there's no such rule. This old woman still needs to deliver the meal to Consort Jiang. If we're late, I'm afraid we'll be scolded." "What, Consort Jiang is under house arrest and still scolds people?" Concubine Lu said this with an obvious look of someone enjoying the drama. The two elderly maids immediately nodded. "Exactly. She throws things and curses. Once she even lashed out with her hands and nearly scratched this servant's face!" "She's still that arrogant now?" "Not quite. She's been much quieter lately, but she still curses." "She certainly has energy." Concubine Lu smiled. "Open the box. We won't hold you up." With that, Ying'er beside Concubine Lu stepped forward and gave them some loose silver. The two elderly maids accepted the silver, and seeing that Mistress Xie standing nearby showed no displeasure, they immediately opened the food box. Inside the large meal box was only a bowl of burnt rice, accompanied by a plate of greens. Standing closer, one could faintly detect a sour, spoiled smell. Xie Run, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. "Whose idea was this?" People in the main kitchen might want to target Consort Jiang, but they would never dare go this far. Jiang Baobao was still a Side Consort, and as long as the Prince and Princess Consort had not ordered her punishment, the main kitchen would exercise some caution. In response to Xie Run's question, the two elderly maids answered honestly, "To answer Concubine Xie, it was Concubine Wan."