Chapter 250

Chapter 250 How could it be such a coincidence? Why did that tile have to fall at that very moment, and right at Xie Run and Taotao? Xie Run let out a soft laugh. "So the hidden arrows in this residence have failed, and now they're resorting to open attacks?" Prince Jing was finally about to leave. And then suddenly this had to happen? Xie Run had only just brought Taotao back to Spring Mountain Court when a servant came to report the news. "Reporting to Consort Xie, someone climbed up to check—it was the outermost tile that wasn't laid properly. It should be the craftsmen being lazy, which is why the tile fell." "All the rooms in the courtyard have been searched, and there are no traces of anyone having been there." Xie Run listened and smiled. "Then it was an accident." "You've all worked hard today—you may go now." After dismissing everyone in the room, only Dantao, Xiaoshu, and Zihu remained by her side. Dantao asked softly, "If the mistress says it was an accident, does that mean she doesn't intend to investigate further?" "But this incident—if it had gone wrong, it could have cost the mistress her life..." Xie Run only asked, "Did you find anything?" Dantao fell silent at once. Xiaoshu said quietly, "Mistress, are you truly not investigating?" "Of course I'll investigate, but there's no need to make a fuss that the whole residence knows about. Just have people look into it discreetly." "Discreetly?" Xie Run smiled. "At the very least, I need to know who wants my life." In truth, guessing back and forth, it could only be a few people within the residence, and at most, Prince An. But Prince An was currently being reprimanded by the Emperor, so he shouldn't have the leisure to scheme against a Side Consort of Prince Jing's household. Xie Run said, "This matter is as hard to investigate as it is easy." "There are no other hiding places near Spring Forest Court. Just quietly send people to ask the maidservants and matrons on duty near Spring Forest Court today whether they saw anyone pass by." "If it truly was deliberate, then that person must have run out from Spring Forest Court. There are people on every path—it's impossible for them not to have left some trace." Fortunately, Spring Forest Court was not in a remote location—it was closest to the small garden. The small garden was the most central position in Prince Jing's rear courtyard, with the greatest number of maidservants and matrons on duty around it, and people stationed on every path. Xiaoshu immediately said, "Then I'll arrange for someone sociable to go ask around right away." Xie Run nodded and added, "Dantao, go to the study and fetch me a map." Dantao immediately complied. Soon, a simple map of the Great Yu Dynasty was brought over. The map was truly very basic—just a rough outline, enough for one to recognize the positions of the various prefectures and counties of the Great Yu Dynasty. Maps were important strategic secrets in ancient times; anything slightly more detailed could never fall into the hands of ordinary people. The map in Xie Run's hands was one that Prince Jing had drawn for her when he returned from Yunzhou. At the time, Xie Run had asked Prince Jing about the customs and culture of Yunzhou. During the conversation, the topic of maps came up, and Prince Jing casually sketched an outline for her so she could learn the locations of the various places in the Great Yu Dynasty. Xie Run had kept it afterward, thinking she would use it to teach Taotao about maps in the future. Now that Dantao had brought it to her, she spread the map on the heated kang and looked around, following the direction of Yunzhou. Suddenly, Xie Run's finger stopped at Qiangwu, near Yunzhou, and trembled involuntarily. In an instant, she guessed the reason Fang Yuan'er had persuaded Prince Jing to leave. The Qiangwu earthquake! Xie Run's heart tightened, and her expression grew several shades more solemn. The Qiangwu earthquake was a devastating disaster for Qiangwu itself. But within the midst of the struggle for succession, it was so small it couldn't be smaller—like a single soft snowflake falling. Yet at the time, no one knew that this soft snowflake would, after Prince Jing ascended the throne, turn into a blizzard of winter, causing Prince Jing's first year on the throne to be buffeted by storms, crushing everyone until they could barely breathe. The earthquake itself was a minor matter, but Qiangwu gave birth to the Red Lotus Army because of it. Under the banner of restoring the previous dynasty and carrying out heaven's will, they rapidly raised a force among the common people. In Prince Jing's first year on the throne, a black stone fell from the sky, and when it was dug up, they found the character for "injustice" carved in blood-red beneath it. Soon after, rumors arose in the capital, saying that Prince Jing had taken the throne illegitimately—that he had murdered his elder brother and poisoned his own father, and was unworthy to sit on the imperial seat. That army was the main force behind the rumors. They created countless troubles for Prince Jing, and in the end, they even made their way to the border, colluding with the Xia Dynasty, coordinating from within and without, luring Xia troops through the passes and causing the first massacre since the founding of the Great Xia Dynasty. Even if the Princess Consort hadn't died back then, facing such a situation, she would likely have been forced to death on a hot stove. This lifetime's plot was moving too quickly, and many timelines were different. Xie Run hadn't thought of the Qiangwu earthquake at all. Because according to the normal plot, the Qiangwu earthquake should have come two years later. But now, the struggle for succession had entered its climax early, shortened by more than half a year compared to the previous lifetime. So the Qiangwu earthquake might also come early? Fang Yuan'er bringing up the earthquake at this time... was she gambling with her life? Xie Run slowly folded up the map on the couch, her thoughts somewhat unsettled. Suddenly, a maid under the corridor passed on a message: "Mistress, the Prince has a message." Xie Run snapped back to attention and went out to ask, "What message?" "The Prince said that on this trip to Yunzhou, he will bring Side Consort Fang along, and he wants you, Consort Xie, to arrange the carriages and horses." Xie Run nodded slightly. "Understood." She paused, then suddenly smiled. "Did the Prince only mention bringing Side Consort Fang alone to Yunzhou?" The maid nodded. "Yes. The Prince only mentioned Side Consort Fang, no one else." Xie Run thought for a moment. "Send word of this throughout the rear courtyard. The first places to go are Concubine Wan's and Consort Jiang's courtyards." "Yes." After the maid left, Xie Run said to Dantao, "Tell Consort Jiang's maidservants not to watch over her too strictly." "A woman with child should also come out and take some air from time to time." Then she added with a smile, "The two matrons haven't seemed to rest since entering the residence. Take some pastries over later and invite them for a few cups of tea, so they can relax a little." Dantao immediately understood Xie Run's meaning. "This servant will see to it at once." After Dantao left, Xiaoshu spoke up. "Mistress, the Prince suddenly agreeing to bring Side Consort Fang to Yunzhou—isn't that disadvantageous to you?" Xie Run smiled. "Not necessarily." "It's just... I want to know what scheme she's plotting, and I don't want her scheme to succeed so quickly." Informing Wan Linlang and Jiang Baobao first was precisely to have them go make a fuss before Prince Jing. Of these two, Wan Linlang would certainly think of the Qiangwu earthquake matter. If Fang Yuan'er could go, couldn't she also go? When spear meets shield, who ruins whose scheme remains to be seen. Jiang Baobao was the most disruptive. Hearing that the Prince would bring Fang Yuan'er when he left, she would surely feel uncomfortable. She would go make a scene and blow things up. With her taking the lead, Hua Yu would likely be eager to try as well. Then all the women of the rear courtyard would want to follow the Prince, and with all the commotion, they could at least gauge some of the Prince's attitude. Xiaoshu looked at Xie Run seriously. "This servant has never seen you take the initiative to do anything before, but today you suddenly made so many arrangements... This servant is quite surprised." Xie Run's smile was faint. "Because I've roughly guessed who wants mine and Taotao's lives." Xiaoshu's expression hardened, with a hint of indignation. "Who could be so vicious?!" Xie Run shook her head. "I need to wait for the reactions of the rear courtyard." Xiaoshu immediately said, "If you have any other instructions, this servant will carry them out at once." Xie Run smiled. "Stay with me for now. There will likely be plenty of matters to handle in the coming days." The advantage of managing the Prince's household affairs was obvious. Once Xie Run's orders went out, the servants in every department immediately carried them out for her. Her reach could extend anywhere at any time, allowing her to gather news from every courtyard. In less than half an hour, Xie Run heard a maidservant report that Wan Linlang had taken people to the front courtyard. "She said she wanted to visit the Sixth Young Master, but this servant could see clearly—her expression was very grave, as if she'd encountered something major." "The maidservants beside her also looked confused, as if they knew nothing." "The Sixth Young Master is being well cared for in the front courtyard, with nothing wrong at all. Concubine Wan's visit to the Sixth Young Master is likely just an excuse." Xie Run asked again, "What about Jiang Baobao? Any movement there?" "After Sister Dantao went to visit the two matrons, Consort Jiang suddenly said she felt stifled and wanted to take a walk in the small garden." "The two matrons didn't follow. She took her own maidservants and suddenly turned off midway, also heading to the front courtyard." Xie Run took a shallow sip of her tea. "Go gather more news." No sooner had she given the order than Xiaoshu hurried in. Xie Run dismissed the other maidservants and asked Xiaoshu, "What have you learned?" Xiaoshu said softly, "This servant sent someone to ask the young maidservants on duty near the Spring Forest Courtyard. They said they saw Consort Hua's maidservant Zhiqiu go to the Fallen Spring Garden to pick flowers, and Sister Qiumeng from Side Consort Fang's courtyard went to the main kitchen to fetch nourishing soup..." "Wait." Xie Run suddenly said, "From the small garden to the main kitchen, what routes are there?" Xiaoshu's eyes lit up. "Two routes. One is the main road, going around Summer Pool Courtyard to reach the main kitchen. The other is a shortcut, passing behind Spring Forest Courtyard." "This servant sometimes takes that route when bringing meals." Xie Run's calm eyes met Xiaoshu's. Xiaoshu barely contained her excitement. "Mistress, could today's falling tile incident have been the work of Side Consort Fang?" "But she's been so well-behaved for so long—why would she suddenly make a move against you?" "And in the past, when Side Consort Fang made moves, she did so secretly. Now she dares to be this bold, directly attempting to take your and the Fifth Young Master's lives?" Xie Run said calmly, "Because she has backing now. She's confident she can render great service to the Prince, and even if she killed me, the Prince wouldn't do anything to her." Xiaoshu's expression changed instantly upon hearing this. "Mistress, is this true?" Xie Run looked up at her. "It's about ninety percent certain." Wan Linlang wanted to deal with her, but lacked the means. After all, she had no power or influence now, couldn't even win people over. Hua Yu and Jiang Baobao didn't have the brains for it, and the newly arrived Consort Sun didn't have the ability, nor any reason to. "I knew it—with Fang Yuan'er's temperament, how could she stay so well-behaved for this long." As Xie Run had expected, after being confined for so long, Fang Yuan'er grew anxious.