Chapter 234

Chapter 234 "Then why is Your Ladyship still helping her?" Suiyu asked curiously. "I thought Your Ladyship was planning for the future. If Consort Xie won't deal with us, Consort Jiang is at least a Concubine Consort—perhaps she could be of some use..." The smile gradually faded from Wan Linlang's lips. "If you wish to destroy someone, you must first drive them to madness." "I remember every grudge from those years. Now it's time to seek revenge." Hearing this, Suiyu fell silent, not knowing what to say. She always felt that behind all her mistress's actions, there was deeper meaning. Even though she was the only person her mistress could still use now, her mistress still didn't trust her. The next day, Wan Linlang went to seek an audience with Xie Run again, and was refused once more. Not only that, when Wan Linlang tried to leave a message for Xie Run, Xie Run refused to hear it. She was clearly determined not to take Wan Linlang's bait. Wan Linlang had anticipated being rejected, but she hadn't expected Consort Xie to be so resolute—refusing to give her even the slightest opportunity from start to finish. Truly cautious. After the third rejection, Wan Linlang gave up the idea of cooperating with Xie Run. On her way back, she ran into Consort Hua, who was taking a stroll in the small garden. Hua Yu glanced at her. "Who do we have here? It's Concubine Wan." "Now that you have no child to look after, you're so idle you visit Spring Mountain Court every day. Have you developed a taste for eating closed doors?" Wan Linlang bowed to Hua Yu. "This servant greets Consort Hua." Wan Linlang had no intention of chatting with Hua Yu, knowing that Hua Yu was foolish, couldn't tell good from bad, and couldn't control her own mouth. But in an instant, something seemed to occur to her, and she smiled. "This servant indeed is not favored by Consort Xie. But I'm curious—with Consort Sun about to enter the household, how does Consort Hua still have the mood to stroll in the small garden?" It was still the end of the first month, with snow everywhere. The small garden didn't even have a single flower. The only reason Hua Yu would be wandering here with her maidservant, Wan Linlang thought, was sheer idleness. Hearing Wan Linlang's words, Hua Yu became displeased, and a hint of doubt rose in her heart. She asked directly. "Why wouldn't I have the mood to stroll in the small garden?" "So what if Consort Sun enters the household? What does that have to do with me?" Wan Linlang gave her a deep look, then shook her head as if greatly helpless. "Hasn't Sister Hua's maidservant ever reminded you?" "Stop being so mysterious!" Consort Hua scolded in a low voice, though she felt a faint unease. "If you have something to say, say it directly. Going back and forth like this, who knows what you're trying to say?" Wan Linlang's expression was indifferent as she spoke unhurriedly: "In this prince's household, the Prince currently dotes only on Consort Xie. Everyone else gets only an occasional visit." "I've heard that the new side consort comes from the Duke of Ying's household—a prestigious family for generations—and she has a reputation for virtue. Once she enters the household, she's sure to win the Prince's favor..." Hua Yu listened with confusion. "So what if she gains favor? If the Prince wants to dote on her, can I stop him?" The corner of Wan Linlang's lips twitched slightly, then she suddenly smiled. "If this servant remembers correctly, Consort Hua hasn't yet served the Prince, has she?" Consort Hua's face instantly turned red, and she lowered her head. "So what if I haven't?" Wan Linlang continued: "When Consort Sun enters the household, two new women will also be entering together..." "There's only one Prince, and only so many women who can win his favor. Does Consort Hua think she can outcompete Consort Xie or Consort Sun?" Knowing that Hua Yu couldn't understand hints, Wan Linlang became more direct. "Don't wait until Consort Hua finishes her mourning period and wants to serve the Prince, only to find that the Prince can't even remember you exist." Hua Yu's face turned pale. She finally understood Wan Linlang's meaning. The Prince rarely came to the inner court to begin with—seeing her three or four times a month was already difficult to manage. Now only Consort Xie was favored. If a favored Consort Sun came along as well, how much time would Prince Jing have left for her? Familiarity breeds affection. If she couldn't even see him, what was there to talk about regarding favor? When the time came and she could finally serve Prince Jing, would he still treat her as well as he did now?! Seeing that Hua Yu had finally stopped her foolish smugness, Wan Linlang casually dropped another remark: "I almost forgot—there's also Side Consort Fang in the household." "Although she's currently under house arrest, the Prince still goes to see her every few days... If Consort Hua doesn't secure the Prince's heart, even if the Prince takes turns favoring people, you might only see him once a month in the future, right?" Hua Yu stood rooted to the spot, dazed, as if she had been struck a heavy blow. Before, she never thought about things—she only felt that as long as Prince Jing occasionally came to see her and treated her well, that was enough. Now Wan Linlang's words forced her to face reality and think about the days ahead. Wan Linlang asked—who could she outcompete? Never mind the unseen Consort Sun; even now, Consort Xie and Side Consort Fang had seniority, higher status, and children to rely on. She couldn't outcompete any of them! Hua Yu returned in a daze, utterly lost and at a loss. Her maidservants saw this and were all deeply worried. Unable to hold back, one comforted her: "Your Ladyship, you are different from them!" Hua Yu asked blankly, "Different how?" "You haven't even served the Prince yet, and you're already a Concubine Consort. Your father saved the Prince, and your elder brother serves him as well... The Prince will not neglect you." "You're not serving the Prince now because you're in mourning for your father. Once you get through the mourning period, the Prince will have to praise you for your filial piety—how could he treat you poorly?" "If you follow the rules, outsiders will only praise your filial devotion and loyalty, and your reputation in the household will be even better." Although Hua Yu was naive, she occasionally had some sense. Once Wan Linlang pointed this out, she suddenly saw things clearly and asked seriously in return: "I'm already a Concubine Consort without having served the Prince, but even if I do serve the Prince, I'll still be a Concubine Consort!" "The Prince won't treat me poorly out of consideration for my father and brother's loyalty, but he hasn't treated me especially well either. Consort Jiang and Wan Linlang both helped the Prince, and aren't their days still hard?" "Even if I get through the mourning period and earn a good reputation, what use is it? Can that reputation make the Prince favor me?" The maidservant was left speechless. She thought to herself that a good reputation might not make the Prince favor you, but it could make the Prince forgive your small mistakes and keep your days comfortable. If you ever fell to the state of Concubine Wan, at least you wouldn't be loathed and despised by everyone, struggling even to eat and drink. But the maidservant didn't dare say such things. After all, the Prince still thought highly of Consort Hua these days—how could Consort Hua be willing to hear such discouraging words? Hua Yu sat up straight and complained, "Concubine Wan is right. With so many people serving me, not one of them reminded me about Consort Sun's matter." "Is it because I haven't treated you well enough in the past that you're not being conscientious with me?" The serving maids had difficulty speaking their minds. They wanted to advise her but couldn't, and dared not speak up, so they could only lower their heads and admit fault. Hua Yu had originally wanted to ask her attendants for advice, but seeing them all just bow their heads and admit mistakes, she grew disgusted and began to think things through on her own.