Chapter 247

Chapter 247 Xie Run glanced at them: "Now everyone in the estate knows my embroidery is poor. If I only stitch a few lines, the Prince will see at a glance that I'm not being sincere." Xiaoshu: "But can you finish in time, mistress?" Xie Run wasn't just bad at embroidery—she was also slow at the work. Xie Run was silent for a moment, then said firmly: "Worst case, I'll stay up two nights." Xiaoshu and Dantao covered their mouths and giggled on the side. After all, their mistress loved sleeping in, so staying up late was already a great hardship for her. After lunch, Eunuch Shian suddenly arrived with people carrying things for Xie Run. Xie Run received them and found it was a set of green jade tea ware. She couldn't help but suspect Prince Jing was hinting at his teapot-and-teacup theory. Eunuch Shian introduced it on the side: "Don't underestimate this jade teapot, mistress. Under sunlight it appears almost translucent, and at night when placed in a room it even glows—rarer than glass." "The Prince just acquired this set of tea ware and immediately had this servant deliver it to you, Mistress Xie." Xie Run held the teacup up in her palm and examined it. Sunlight penetrated the thin walls of the cup, and the entire teapot emanated a faint green glow—quite beautiful. Xie Run rather liked it: "It truly is lovely. Thank you for making the special trip, Eunuch Shian." Dantao immediately pulled a pouch from her sleeve and pressed it into Eunuch Shian's hands. Before Xie Run could even admire it a moment longer, a young maid came running in: "Mistress, Consort Jiang and Consort Hua have gotten into some kind of quarrel—it's become quite a mess..." Xie Run raised a hand and rubbed her brow. "Go tell Consort Sun about it. Say I have a headache, and ask her to handle it first." She had absolutely no desire to get involved in those two's nonsense. Might as well take the chance to be lazy for once. It wasn't until dinner that Xie Run received word that Consort Sun had resolved the matter. Jiang Baobao and Hua Yu had both been punished with copying several passages of scripture and given a good scolding. That would probably keep them quiet for half a day? Xie Run was eagerly picking up the fabric Dantao had cut when she'd just sewn two stitches—a young maid under the corridor brought news. "Mistress, something seems to have happened at the Princess Consort's Green Pine Court. Someone has harnessed a carriage to go to the palace, and several estate physicians have been summoned." This was the advantage of holding the reins of household management. Eyes and ears were placed everywhere—any stir within the estate could be known at once. Xie Run sat up straight, forgetting the needle and thread in her hands. Xiaoshu asked: "Mistress, shall we go see, or pretend we know nothing?" Dantao immediately asked the young maid: "Is there any commotion from the other courtyards?" "Consort Li and Consort Sun have both gone to Green Pine Court. The others probably haven't heard the news yet." Consort Li was under the Princess Consort's protection, so it was natural she'd learn the news first and rush over. As for Consort Sun hurrying over... whether she was truly worried about the Princess Consort or wanted to probe the state of her pregnancy remained to be seen. Xie Run thought for a moment, then set down the garment in her hands. "Since Consort Sun has gone, I can't very well not go." She could normally stand by and watch coldly, but now that it concerned the Princess Consort and the child in her womb, if Xie Run kept pretending ignorance, the Prince might think her cold-hearted indeed. Dantao moved to help Xie Run change clothes, but Xie Run refused. "No need for such fuss. Just fetch me a cloak to throw over my shoulders—we'll go directly." "Yes." On the way, the cold wind stung her face, leaving Xie Run's cheeks somewhat pale, yet her eyes were especially calm and composed. If nothing was amiss, the Princess Consort's discomfort at this hour was most likely spotting. In the early stages of an ectopic pregnancy, aside from physiological reactions, the most common occurrence was spotting. For a woman in ancient times to experience spotting in early pregnancy was a very serious matter—there was a strong chance the child could not be saved. So it was entirely understandable that Green Pine Court was summoning estate physicians and sending for imperial doctors in the middle of the night. Most of the women in the estate were hoping the Princess Consort's pregnancy would go badly. Arriving at Green Pine Court, the place was brightly lit. The matrons and maids appeared composed, each quietly at their posts. Listening Frost guided Xie Run into the main courtyard, speaking softly: "The mistress is unwell and fears she cannot receive Consort Xie properly." Seeing Xie Run's plain attire—wearing only a half-worn padded jacket and a cloak thrown over her shoulders as she braved the night to come—Listening Frost knew Xie Run wasn't here to gawk at her mistress the way Consort Sun was, and her manner became considerably more respectful. Xie Run said: "I heard the Princess Consort was unwell, so I came specially to pay a visit." "The child in the Princess Consort's womb is the Prince's legitimate heir—at a time like this, who cares about formal reception?" Entering the main hall, she saw Consort Li and Consort Sun drinking tea off to one side. Both rose and bowed to Xie Run in greeting. Xie Run didn't exchange pleasantries, getting straight to the point: "How is the Princess Consort?" Consort Li lowered her head without speaking. Consort Sun smiled gently: "I've only just arrived myself. The maids and matrons here are tight-lipped—we don't know how the Princess Consort is faring." Xie Run drew her cloak tighter around herself and smiled: "In that case, we'll just wait patiently. Let us hope the Princess Consort is well." Consort Sun raised her eyes and studied Xie Run carefully, somewhat surprised inwardly. Though she and Consort Xie had been managing the estate together these past days, all their communications had been through underlings. The two of them had never really interacted, so naturally there was no basis for understanding. Everyone in the household said Consort Xie had a good temperament—lenient with servants, respectful toward the Princess Consort, and never bullying lower-ranked concubines. Those three words, "good temperament," were something Consort Sun had heard used to praise people plenty of times back home. And in her experience, those who got praised that way... rarely actually had good temperaments. She had originally assumed that Xie Run, as a Side Consort with both favor and children, would be quite wary of the Princess Consort's pregnancy. Who would have thought, judging by her words now, that she was genuinely worried about the Princess Consort rather than here to fish for information? Could it be that Prince Jing's household had struck lucky and truly possessed a Side Consort who was detached from worldly affairs and had a good temperament? Whatever she was thinking, Consort Sun at least managed to keep her composure outwardly. Time passed bit by bit, and the night deepened. Before long, Prince Jing also arrived. He had spent the whole day in the palace, and upon returning had lodged in the front courtyard study. Only now, upon hearing news of the Princess Consort's discomfort, had he hurried over. The moment he entered the courtyard, Prince Jing's expression darkened as he said coldly, "How is the Princess Consort?" The maids and matrons of Green Pine Courtyard might fob off Consort Sun, but they would never dare to fob off Prince Jing. Tinghe lifted the curtain and came out from the bedchamber to bow, her expression grave and solemn. "Reporting to the Prince, the Princess Consort suddenly felt unwell tonight. Not long after she settled down to rest, she began to show signs of bleeding..." Prince Jing's face grew even darker. "What happened?" Tinghe's eyes reddened. "The household physician is still taking her pulse and applying acupuncture." Prince Jing went to the bedchamber at the back. Since Xie Run hadn't followed, Consort Sun and Consort Li beside her found it awkward to follow either. Xie Run suddenly spoke up. "It's already quite late now. These matters shouldn't be spread to the other courtyards, lest everyone crowd together and disturb the Princess Consort's peace instead." She glanced at Consort Sun. "What does Consort Sun think?" At a time like this, if Jiang Baobao or Hua Yu came running over, chattering away, who knew what kind of trouble might stir up. Consort Sun smiled gently. "That's true enough. But when the mistress of the household is unwell, if the other sisters don't come, word spreading outside wouldn't sound good—as if they showed disrespect to their mistress." "Then they'd only blame Sister Xie for withholding the news and not letting them come to visit the Princess Consort."