Chapter 205

Chapter 205 A hint of anger gathered in Prince Jing's eyes. "But I've heard that Consort Hua fell ill precisely because she was angered by Concubine Lian?" "And now your mistress sends someone to this courtyard—is she here to flaunt her victory?" Yuyan hastily explained, "That's not how it is!" "This morning, my mistress found the pastries sent from the main kitchen quite agreeable, so she specially had a plate delivered to Consort Hua. Who would have thought that Consort Hua has been brooding over the master's words and mistakenly thought my mistress was urging her to move courtyards? In her agitation, she fainted." "When my mistress received word, she was deeply troubled as well. Had her condition not made it inconvenient, she would have come in person to see Consort Hua. As it stands, she sent me here with a good deal of fine medicinal ingredients..." "Pah!" Jishu, Consort Hua's personal maid, stepped forward to defend her mistress. "This girl is twisting the truth and calling white black! I beg the Prince to uphold justice for my mistress!" "This morning, Concubine Lian sent someone to see my mistress, claiming to deliver pastries. But between the lines, she was saying that Concubine Lian has been feeling unwell in her pregnancy lately and fears she's being suppressed by Autumn Maple Court." "That maid even brazenly said my mistress doesn't know her own place—that she's never even served the Prince, so she doesn't take the Prince's offspring seriously." "After all that talk, if my mistress refused to move courtyards, it would seem she'd committed some grave offense." Jishu was not as sharp-tongued as Yuyan, and she trembled with anger as she persisted in defending her mistress: "My mistress is still an unmarried maiden—how could she endure such humiliation? Being of a shy disposition, she worked herself into a fit of rage." "Who would have thought Concubine Lian, soft on the surface, harbors such venom in her heart!" "When she heard the news, she sent her maid over again, blaming my mistress's collapse on the master's words, using that as an excuse to make my mistress move courtyards or change the courtyard's name..." "She simply can't bear to see my mistress doing well—she's determined to hound her to death..." Consort Hua's mind finally caught up, and she put on a proper show of scolding: "Jishu, who gave you leave to speak ill of a mistress?!" Jishu knelt tearfully on the ground. "This servant has erred and accepts punishment, but this servant cannot bear to watch Concubine Lian bully my mistress so." "A mere concubine, relying on her pregnancy, can freely oppress a Concubine Consort? That has never been the rule of this household!" Yuyan panicked as well and quickly looked to Prince Jing. "My Prince, they are slandering us!" "My mistress acted out of pure goodwill with not a trace of malice. It's their own guilty consciences that make them..." "Silence!" Prince Jing swept a cold glance at Yuyan. Yuyan was frightened out of her wits and dared not say another word. "Your mistress is pregnant. Instead of properly nurturing the child, she grows increasingly arrogant by the day. Does she think being with child exempts her from the rules?" Yuyan's face drained of color, and she didn't dare speak again. After all, Prince Jing had already set the tone for the matter with his opening words. Even if her mistress Concubine Lian were here, she wouldn't dare say anything more either. Prince Jing had no patience for such trivial squabbles. He said to Yuyan, "Go back and tell your mistress—if she feels suppressed in this Prince's household, shall I send her out of the manor altogether?!" Yuyan kowtowed repeatedly in supplication: "Spare me, my Prince! Spare me!" "Tell your mistress to stay quietly in her courtyard!" "If there's a next time, she can go back to where she came from." By the time he said this, most of Prince Jing's anger had dissipated, and he merely looked coldly at Yuyan. "Yes, this servant will go at once!" Yuyan's legs gave way from fear as she stumbled and staggered out of Autumn Maple Court. Consort Hua saw that Prince Jing had upheld justice for her, and a hint of a smile finally appeared in her tearful eyes. She recalled how her mother had once taught her to appear virtuous and magnanimous before her husband. She hesitated before speaking: "My Prince, Concubine Lian does carry your child after all. For the safety of your offspring, this concubine... is willing to move courtyards." Prince Jing heard this and lifted his eyelids. "If you wish to move courtyards, then report it to the Princess Consort. She will handle it." Consort Hua was stunned. She had thought Prince Jing would feel sorry for her being forced to move by Concubine Lian's pressure—who knew he would actually agree? Consort Hua stammered, "My Prince, this concubine, this concubine..." Prince Jing looked at her indifferently. It was the quick-witted young maid who stepped forward. "My Prince, my mistress has been unwell lately, and moving courtyards is an exhausting matter..." Consort Hua immediately nodded along, saying plaintively, "My Prince, it's not that this concubine doesn't want to move, but this concubine has been made ill by Concubine Lian's behavior. I beg the Prince's understanding..." Prince Jing only asked, "So you don't want to move?" Consort Hua was rendered speechless, but having already opened her mouth earlier, she now dared not agree either. Prince Jing couldn't be bothered to listen to more nonsense. He waved a hand. "Whether you move or not is between you and the Princess Consort. This Prince won't meddle in this matter!" Consort Hua pressed her lips together. "But the Princess Consort said to let this concubine and Concubine Lian discuss it between ourselves..." Xie Run: "..." Prince Jing also fell silent. Suddenly, both of them felt the helplessness of punching into cotton. Xie Run could sense that Prince Jing's hard-won calm was beginning to stir again. She spoke slowly, "Given the current situation, isn't it that Consort Hua and Concubine Lian cannot reach an agreement? Since you cannot agree, you should first inform the Princess Consort, lest any further trouble arise." Consort Hua's eyes lit up. "Thank you for your guidance, Consort Xie!" After expressing her thanks, a layer of dejection clearly settled on her face. She timidly stole a glance at Prince Jing's gloomy expression, feeling immensely wronged inside, along with a trace of jealousy. Consort Xie was so clever—was that why the Prince doted on her so much? Consort Hua could not conceal her emotions; all her thoughts were written plainly on her face. Watching from the side, Xie Run found it... quite amusing. By the time the newly arrived Physician Ba arrived, Xie Run's lapel had already dried, leaving only a small, slightly darker stain visible. Consort Hua stood nearby, uneasy, only now belatedly remembering that her medicine bowl had just struck Xie Run, and she feared Prince Jing would grow angry again. After listening to Dantao's account, Physician Ba steeled himself to take Xie Run's pulse, then said in a low voice, "The mistress's pulse is strong and vigorous—there is nothing amiss." Prince Jing did not believe it. "Are you certain?" Physician Ba's scalp tightened. Xie Run had no choice but to step forward. "My Prince, that great cloak was very thick. I was merely startled a moment ago, but I am already perfectly fine now." Prince Jing pressed on, "Is that so? You suffered a fright—truly nothing at all?" Physician Ba added a few more words in a low voice. His general meaning was that Xie Run had an excellent disposition, and consequently her qi and blood were flourishing; a slight fright was of no consequence. It was only because Physician Ba was new and did not yet understand the conventions. Had it been the other two seasoned physicians, they would have diagnosed some minor ailment even without one, then solemnly prescribed a prescription to match. From the side, Consort Hua said with no small envy, "No wonder Consort Xie could bear the Prince a healthy Fifth Young Master—it turns out Consort Xie's own constitution is very robust." These words were meant as praise, and Xie Run naturally felt pleased to hear them, but they were far too offensive. Did her words imply that Fang Yuan'er and Concubine An had poor constitutions? The rear courtyard would surely see more offspring in the future, and if any child were born unhealthy, it would mean the mother's body was not healthy enough. This was, in effect, digging a pit for those who came after.