Chapter 232

Chapter 232 Returning to Spring Mountain Court, Taotao was still sleeping, drool running everywhere—too ugly to look at. Xie Run thought for a moment, then had someone grind ink. She picked up her brush, intending to paint. Dantao asked curiously, "Mistress, why are you in such high spirits so early in the morning?" Xie Run sneered coldly, "I'm going to paint his silly sleeping face. In the future, I'll show this boy how he tormented his own mother back then!" Xie Run decided to manually record Xiao Cong's embarrassing history. If her son ever dared to be unfilial in the future, she would dare to take out this stack of embarrassing records and recount them one by one! Dantao laughed helplessly, "Mistress, you're a grown woman now. Why are you still bickering with the young master?" Xie Run was silent for a long moment before saying, "I just will!" She was only halfway through the painting when someone suddenly announced, "Mistress, Concubine Wan requests an audience." Xie Run's hand holding the brush remained very steady. She only paused her movements and looked up, asking, "Who did you say requests an audience?" "Concubine Wan." Xie Run chuckled lightly, "The Prince isn't in my courtyard this time. What does she want by coming to see me?" "Concubine Wan said she has something she wishes to speak with you about, Mistress." Xie Run thought of how the matron the Prince Jing had brought back had already taken Sixth Young Master to the front courtyard to be raised there, and she understood clearly in her heart what Wan Linlang's purpose was in coming to her courtyard. Wan Linlang was deeply scheming and extremely patient. Xie Run couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't be swayed by her seduction and do something foolish. So it was better to refuse from the very start, giving Wan Linlang no chance to make contact with her. She waved her hand and said, "Tell her that I'm feeling slightly unwell and won't be seeing her." Xie Run added another instruction, "Even if she has any message she wants to leave behind, refuse it on my behalf as well." "Yes." Dantao was at the side, holding up her sleeve to grind ink for Xie Run. Only after the messenger maid had left did she ask curiously, "Mistress, is Concubine Wan coming to see you now to beg you to put in a good word for her, so she can raise Sixth Young Master?" Xie Run lowered her gaze, staring at the brush in her hand as she wrote with careful precision, "You're underestimating her far too much." "I have no relation to her. Why would I put in a good word for her? She's not stupid. She wouldn't foolishly come knocking to beg someone." "Then why is Concubine Wan coming to see you..." Xie Run smiled, "When you ask someone to do something for you, at the very least you need to have the bargaining chips that make them willing to do it." "She's probably realized by now that her situation is difficult. She wants to cooperate with me, or perhaps attach herself to me..." Xie Run smiled again. "Of course, no matter how you spin it, it's all really just to get me to help raise Sixth Young Master." "Cooperate with you, Mistress?" Dantao found it somewhat absurd. "Concubine Wan is just a concubine, and she's not even favored by the Prince. Where does she get the confidence to think she can cooperate with you?!" Xie Run straightened her back and looked seriously at Dantao. "Don't say that. She really does have that ability." Dantao was momentarily stunned. Xie Run held her brush and said seriously, "It's precisely because I know she has that ability, and I'm afraid I'll be persuaded by her and fall into her trap, that I'm not seeing her." Xie Run was rational. But no one in this world could guarantee one hundred percent that they wouldn't be seduced by another. As long as the benefits were great enough, even the most rational person could be seduced. Rather than agonizing and regretting later, Xie Run decided to eliminate any possibility of making a mistake from the very beginning! If Wan Linlang wanted to cooperate with her, she would inevitably have to bring out something attractive to her. Her own medical skills were already a sharp blade. The other thing would probably be the news that the Princess Consort was pregnant and would have difficulty delivering smoothly. After all, only Wan Linlang and Fang Yuan'er knew about this news. At present, the Princess Consort of the Prince's household had no son. One of the other concubine-born sons would sooner or later have hope of becoming Prince Jing's Heir Apparent. In the household, Fang Yuan'er and Xie Run were both Side Consorts, each with a son. But currently Xie Run was more favored, and her son was healthy, so it seemed her odds were better. But it only seemed that way—who knew what changes might occur in the future? Once news spread that the Princess Consort was pregnant, those with sons and those without would all find it hard to feel at ease. At a time like this, if Wan Linlang told Xie Run that although the Princess Consort was pregnant, the child would definitely not be born, how could any normal person not be tempted? If Wan Linlang then offered strategies to help Xie Run eliminate Fang Yuan'er, wouldn't the position of Heir Apparent fall securely onto Xie Run's son? Xie Run already knew the script in advance, so this news didn't hold that much allure for her. But Wan Linlang didn't know that she was also aware of how the future would unfold! After thinking it over, Xie Run chose to lie low and stay alive. If she were truly dragged into the storm of fighting for the Heir Apparent position and made a grave mistake, Prince Jing would never show her the slightest bit of pity! And to take it a step further—right now it was only the Heir Apparent position. If one day Prince Jing became Emperor, wouldn't what they'd be fighting for be another position entirely? If Wan Linlang said she could help Xie Run, would Xie Run's heart be moved or not?! If she was moved, that would be truly terrible. Dantao said softly, "Mistress, since Concubine Wan has this intention, she probably won't give up after just one attempt. She'll likely come again in the next few days." "Then I simply won't see her! If she has the guts, let her make a scene known to the entire household." Xie Run was determined to lie low, firmly refusing to give herself even the slightest chance of being seduced. Over on her side, Wan Linlang had been rebuffed and left empty-handed, yet her emotions remained very stable. As she was leaving, Suiyu glanced back at Spring Mountain Court, a trace of envy in her eyes. "Although the Prince didn't let Consort Xie move into Lanxiang Courtyard, Chunshan Courtyard has been expanded—even incorporating Qingzhu Pavilion where Consort Li used to reside. Its scale likely now surpasses Songya Courtyard where Side Consort Fang lives." "The Prince truly dotes on Consort Xie." Wan Linlang's gaze was calm and deep. Upon hearing this, she let out a light laugh, like a ripple spreading across water, vanishing in the blink of an eye. "That's not an inaccurate statement." "The Prince has favored many people, but she alone—from concubine to Side Consort—has remained equally unruffled by favor or disgrace..." Wan Linlang said, "I'm afraid even Fang Yuan'er regrets underestimating her by now, doesn't she?" Wan Linlang had been reborn into this life, and at first, her sole focus was on Fang Yuan'er—wanting to contend with her old nemesis for another lifetime. But because she had returned one step too late, everything had changed. Initially, she hadn't paid any mind to Xie Run, who should have died but was still alive. After all, aside from Fang Yuan'er, no one could hinder her from reaching the highest position—not even the Princess Consort. But as the days passed and she drifted through the depths of the Prince's household, Wan Linlang suddenly came to a realization. She shouldn't have focused only on Fang Yuan'er! While she and Fang Yuan'er were locked in their deathly struggle, Xie Run had been biding her time, climbing step by step to the position of Side Consort. When she suddenly looked back, Xie Run had already become a formidable opponent. "Last time, I deliberately chose to visit when the Prince was staying overnight in her courtyard—first, to ask the Prince to allow me to raise the Sixth Young Master, and second... to probe the true character of our dear Consort Xie."