Chapter 223

Chapter 223 "To be honest, I should be the one holding a grudge against her first." Xie Run sometimes felt she was a bit too good-tempered. If this had happened to Fang Yuan'er, she would have at least slapped Wan Linlang across the face, then launched a vicious round of revenge, seizing the chance to trample Wan Linlang underfoot. Xie Run thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "In that case, I suppose I ought to do something after all." Dantao was somewhat surprised and couldn't help advising Xie Run, "Mistress, please don't act in anger and lose your composure. The situation in the household is clear now. Anyone who steps out of line has received the Prince's punishment and cold shoulder." "You currently enjoy the Prince's favor—why bother contending with someone like Concubine Wan? She's not worth you gambling away your future..." "What are you thinking?" Xie Run laughed. "I naturally won't do anything to anger the Prince." Dantao: "Then mistress, you..." Xie Run said softly, "I can roughly guess what Wan Linlang is planning." "Even if the Prince doesn't give her the child to raise, she's raising him now. Once she's nursed Sixth Young Master back to health and sent him to the front courtyard, she'll visit him every few days to check on him." "Sixth Young Master has no birth mother. If she shows him warmth and care, sooner or later he'll treat her like his own mother... In time, she'll be closer than a real mother." By then, whether Prince Jing gives her the child to raise or not wouldn't really matter. Dantao asked curiously, "What does mistress intend to do?" Xie Run said calmly, "She came to my Spring Mountain Courtyard in the middle of the night to curry favor—I should at least uphold the dignity of a Side Consort." "Send word to Concubine Lu that Sixth Young Master is delicate, and the maids and nurses attending him may not be thorough enough. Have her go check on him regularly, as a gesture of my own concern." She paused. "Also, take a peace lock from my box and have Concubine Lu deliver it on my behalf when Sixth Young Master's third-day bathing ceremony takes place." Dantao immediately smiled. "Concubine Wan has always been vigilant." "If Concubine Lu goes to see Sixth Young Master a couple more times, she'll probably think Concubine Lu is trying to compete with her for the right to raise him—she won't be able to stay calm." Xie Run said, "They're both concubines. If she can raise him, then Concubine Lu can too. And Concubine Lu's only problem is a bad reputation, while hers is dirty hands." "If someone competes with her, how can she not panic?" Once she panicked, Wan Linlang wouldn't have the energy to extend her reach into Spring Mountain Courtyard. Dantao laughed. "Mistress's plan is brilliant—it both warns Concubine Wan and distracts her so she has no time to stir up trouble." Just as she finished speaking, a maid outside announced the Prince's return. Dantao quickly fell silent and attended to helping Prince Jing change his clothes. Xie Run hadn't expected that Fang Yuan'er had thought of the same idea! There was now only one concubine left in the household—Concubine Fang—and she had Princess Ruyi in her care. Fang Yuan'er naturally couldn't get Concubine Fang to compete. But somehow, she'd managed to persuade Consort Jiang. The next day, when Concubine Lu went to visit Sixth Young Master with gifts, she happened to run into Consort Jiang's maid delivering things. When she returned, Concubine Lu said to Xie Run with a laugh, "Sister Xie, you should have seen how ugly Concubine Wan's face was when I went in." "Like mistress, like maid—even though Consort Jiang has been punished by the Prince several times, she and her maids still act haughty in front of us concubines. She must have said some unpleasant things to needle Concubine Wan." "Concubine Wan used to be such a smooth operator, wasn't she?" "But when she saw me fussing over Sixth Young Master, she directly put on a sour face and stopped talking—you can tell how furious she was." Xie Run took a light sip of tea and said gently, "There's no need to provoke her, lest she hold a grudge against you." "Sixth Young Master is the Prince's child—all the women of the inner court have a duty to look after him." "Just treat him with sincerity, and perhaps you'll reap unexpected rewards." Concubine Lu's eyes brightened briefly, then dimmed again. If she could, she would naturally want to be as bold as Wan Linlang and beg the Prince to let her raise Sixth Young Master. But Concubine Lu knew her place. She had no favor, no power or status, no ability... and on top of that, so many shameful memories she'd rather forget. Prince Jing would have to be bewitched to entrust Sixth Young Master to her care. Concubine Lu sighed. "I understand what Sister Xie says. I don't covet anything else—I'll just treat it as atonement for the sins of my past, plant a good seed now, and take good care of Sixth Young Master." Xie Run smiled. "That's more than enough." "Just be careful when you go to Embroidery Moon Pavilion—don't let Wan Linlang set her sights on you." Concubine Lu nodded. "I'm not a fool either; I can see through all her scheming." "Aside from visiting Sixth Young Master, I won't have any contact with her." Just then, someone came in to deliver a message. "Mistress, the Prince has sent rewards—he says it's to commend your quick wit in saving Sixth Young Master." Xie Run was slightly surprised, only then remembering that Prince Jing had said last night he would reward her. But Xie Run had taken it as a joke. She hadn't expected the Prince's rewards to arrive early this morning. She looked at Concubine Lu, and Concubine Lu looked back at her. After a long moment, she said, "Sister Xie, for the Prince to praise you so openly—is he making it clear he's displeased with Concubine Wan?" Xie Run thought for a moment. "Perhaps... the Prince simply wants her to back down on her own." She remarked that Prince Jing remembered such a trivial matter so clearly this time. It turned out that giving a reward was one thing, but making a statement was another. Concubine Lu smiled and said, "This is truly good news." "Perhaps." Xie Run rose and followed Concubine Lu to receive the reward. It was Eunuch Shian who came personally with his attendants, holding a small box made of purple sandalwood in his hands. Upon seeing Xie Run, Eunuch Shian approached with a smile and said, "Mistress Xie, the other rewards are nothing special, but what's in this box was personally instructed by the Prince to be handed to you." Xie Run said, "Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch." She opened the box curiously and saw four Imperial Green jade bracelets laid out inside. The translucent, vivid green seemed like a piece of emerald piercing into her eyes. So exquisite that even Xie Run, who was accustomed to rare treasures, was somewhat astonished. "Such jade bracelets—a single one would already be priceless, yet the Prince sends four at once..." Xie Run really wanted to ask if Prince Jing had struck it rich, being so generous. Eunuch Shian smiled and said, "This servant was curious as well, so I asked on your behalf, Mistress Xie." "The Prince said, since he was gifting them to Consort Xie, he naturally had to send the finest. If others had the same things, what would be so special about that?" Xie Run was amused and said, "Eunuch, you truly are one who serves the Prince well—no one by my side can compare." After exchanging a few pleasantries, Eunuch Shian left with his attendants. Xie Run was about to return to her room when she suddenly saw Nanny Li leading a group of people, carrying chests and boxes behind her. Nanny Li said with a beaming smile, "This servant greets Consort Xie. The Princess Consort said that thanks to you yesterday, Sixth Young Master's important matter was not delayed, so she specially instructed this servant to select many fine things from the storeroom for you." She leaned in closer and said, "Regarding the incident at the Lantern Festival palace banquet, the Princess Consort also knows that you covered for her, so she added extra gifts to thank you, Consort Xie."