Chapter 26

Chapter 26 "So what if it's a boy?" "Ten months of pregnancy—who knows what might happen in those ten months before I give birth?!" There were only four Concubine Consort positions in total. First come, first served. No matter how favored the lower-ranking concubines were, they could only watch helplessly from below. Concubine Yun didn't even dare to hope that Prince Jing would promote her to Side Consort. Lady Ning was the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Weiyuan, and the Emperor himself had bestowed the marriage—that was how she obtained the Side Consort position. Prince Jing was neither lustful nor foolish. How could he possibly promote her directly to Side Consort? Concubine Yun had to scheme on her own. "Since Ruyi was poisoned last time, the Prince hasn't been coming to my quarters. Perhaps he's sensed something... I can only gamble on this child." Concubine Yun had always felt guilty about Princess Ruyi's poisoning, worried she had fallen out of favor because of it. When she suddenly heard that Noble Consort Rou was going to bestow new women upon Prince Jing, she burned her bridges and gambled on the child in her belly for a Concubine Consort position. Lady Ning had indeed plotted against her, but Concubine Yun hadn't survived all these years in the inner court without learning a thing or two. She had long suspected the calming pregnancy tonic was problematic, yet she still drank it without hesitation. She just hadn't expected Lady Ning to be so ruthless. The saffron in the tonic was far too heavily dosed. Had Fang Yuan'er not delivered the century-old ginseng in time, she might have died right there. It had been perilous, but she had narrowly won—finally securing the Concubine Consort position. Fangse's face was full of heartache. "But the imperial physician said... with your body, you can never conceive again." It wasn't just that it would be difficult to conceive—even if she beat the odds and became pregnant, her body couldn't withstand the strain of ten months of pregnancy. She was destined to never have children of her own. Concubine Yun's eyes flickered, then slowly closed. "No children, then. I already have Ruyi. I'll just protect her and watch her grow up safely." "A birth mother who is a Concubine Consort is still better than a lowly, easily-despised concubine." That was what she said, but only Concubine Yun knew she wasn't truly reconciled. Anyone bold enough to gamble her unborn child for advancement was inherently ambitious. To make her settle down and raise a child quietly, hoping for whatever scraps of affection Prince Jing might deign to give... perhaps for her, every day ahead would be torment. Right now she thought it was worth it, but that might not hold true in the future. Fangse sighed, then said after a moment, "Mistress, why do you suppose the Princess Consort suddenly became so kind as to petition for your Concubine Consort position on her own?" Concubine Yun slowly opened her eyes, her gaze dark and deep. "The Princess Consort never involves herself in disputes, but that doesn't mean she has no temper. Back then, Lady Ning relied on her child and the Prince's favor to act arrogantly—she'd long since thoroughly offended the Princess Consort." "The murkier the waters of the inner court, the more secure her position as Princess Consort. Helping me out lets her step on Lady Ning while staying clean herself... Why wouldn't she do it?" Lady Ning was only under House Arrest—she was still alive. What if Lady Ning regained favor one day? Don't forget she still had a biological son! As long as Concubine Yun remained in her Concubine Consort position, she would always block Lady Ning's rise. In certain respects, the one who benefited most this time was actually the Princess Consort. With just a few casually leaked words, she had crippled both Concubine Yun and Lady Ning in one stroke. "In the end, the Princess Consort plays the better game..." Concubine Yun shook her head as she spoke. "It's a pity our Princess Consort is too proud." "What do you mean by that?" Fangse asked, full of curiosity. Concubine Yun said calmly, "If the Princess Consort were to step forward now and propose adopting the Eldest Young Master under her name, no one could ever shake her position as Princess Consort again." A Princess Consort with a son and one without—the difference was immense. In the Great Yu Dynasty to this day, there were plenty of Princess Consorts who were divorced and sent home for failing to bear sons, but not a single case of one with children being cast aside. So what if she was a princess of the Xia Dynasty? Without a son, even with an imperial bestowal of marriage, Prince Jing could divorce her on grounds of the Seven Outs. It was a pity the Princess Consort was born of the imperial family and was far too proud. Even though she couldn't bear children herself, she had never once entertained the thought of adopting the Eldest Young Master under her name. Without a son, the Princess Consort's position would never be truly secure. —Linxuan Pavilion When Xie Run received the news that Concubine Yun had been promoted to Concubine Consort Yun, she was somewhat surprised but quickly accepted it. Having nearly died to carry the Prince's child, granting her a Concubine Consort position wasn't unreasonable. She took a taste of the newly delivered bird's nest porridge and frowned. "This stuff tastes so bland." She complained, yet still forced herself to finish it. After all, it was good for her health. Beside her, Xiaoshu said softly, "Mistress, I've heard that new people will be entering the household in a couple of days." Xie Run paused, feigning curiosity. "New people?" Xiaoshu nodded. "I heard that Noble Consort Rou specially selected daughters from official families for the Prince. She'd actually wanted to bestow them earlier..." Xiaoshu's voice trailed off. "Why did you stop?" Xie Run looked at Xiaoshu curiously. Soon, Xie Run got a taste of some stale gossip. It turned out that Noble Consort Rou had long been dissatisfied with the Princess Consort's inability to conceive. Had the Princess Consort not been a princess of the Xia Dynasty and the marriage bestowed by the current Emperor, Noble Consort Rou would have long since had Prince Jing divorce her. Noble Consort Rou found the Princess Consort displeasing to the eye, and since she couldn't have her cast aside, she could only find ways to make her life difficult. A mother-in-law making trouble for her daughter-in-law was easier than drinking a sip of water. Noble Consort Rou bluntly stated that the rear courtyard of Prince Jing's estate was sparse in offspring—first, because the Princess Consort couldn't bear children, and second, because the Princess Consort was jealous by nature and blocked Prince Jing from taking concubines. The most direct evidence was that other princes had wives and concubines in droves and children aplenty, while Prince Jing's estate had only three thin sprouts, with concubines and Side Consorts countable on one hand (deliberately exaggerated). Using this as her reason, Noble Consort Rou immediately sought to procure a Side Consort of noble birth for Prince Jing. The Princess Consort could admit to being childless, but she would never admit to jealousy. Nor could she possibly tell Noble Consort Rou that it was her son who didn't like taking concubines, which was why no children were produced. Moreover, the Princess Consort had suffered plenty at the hands of Concubine Ning in her early years and knew that these high-born ladies from prestigious families were the most difficult to deal with. She decisively chose to proactively take in two new women for Prince Jing to demonstrate her virtue. If she weren't afraid of Prince Jing being impeached by the censors for lechery, she would have directly taken in eight or ten for him. And so Xie Run and Fang Yuan'er were sent into Prince Jing's estate. Their arrival did keep Noble Consort Rou quiet for a while. But when the pregnant women in the estate began encountering mishaps one after another, Noble Consort Rou started finding fault with the Princess Consort again. This time, she directly selected two women of considerable renown among the young ladies of the capital, preparing to send them to Prince Jing's estate after the festival. So the entry of these two women was already a foregone conclusion. Xie Run knew that according to the plot, new women would enter the estate, but she hadn't expected to hear the full story behind her own entry. She earnestly enjoyed the gossip, sighing along with the maidservants beside her. What she didn't know was that the Princess Consort, with her well-connected sources of information, had already learned of the backgrounds of the two women Noble Consort Rou had prepared, and had formed a plan in her heart. The Princess Consort's eyes and ears were spread throughout the estate, and she was fully aware of Concubine Ning's covert machinations. Concubine Ning's move wasn't particularly flawed, but she had harmed Concubine Yun and then tried to frame the Princess Consort for it. A handle delivered right to her door—how could the Princess Consort not make good use of it? The Princess Consort subtly leaked the news of the women Noble Consort Rou was about to send to Concubine Yun, and quietly had information passed along to make Concubine Yun realize that Concubine Ning had designs on the child in her belly. The situation in the estate's rear courtyard was clear as day. Concubine Ning's position was secure thanks to her son. Once the new women arrived and took up the two Concubine Consort positions, with the favored Concubine Xie and Concubine Fang also in the picture, how could Concubine Yun possibly compete? The Princess Consort understood Concubine Yun's ambition well—she would never be content to remain a mere concubine for life. Now that Concubine Ning had made the move to harm others, Concubine Yun would certainly not let this opportunity slip by. Once the two of them started fighting, regardless of who won or lost, the Princess Consort would reap the benefits as the fisherman who catches the fish from the fight between the clam and the crane. And she would be able to fully grasp control of the estate's rear courtyard before the new women even arrived. Xie Run smiled and praised, "The Princess Consort is truly virtuous." But in her heart, she thought that the Princess Consort's life wasn't easy either—with that mother-in-law pressing down on her from above and being childless for so many years, it was truly difficult. Dantao and Xiaoshu stood to the side, not daring to voice their agreement. After all, those words felt a bit strange. After finishing the bird's nest porridge, Xie Run prepared to take a stroll in the courtyard. "The flower house has sent over quite a few fresh flowers recently. Perfect timing to go take a look." That their mistress loved walking around the courtyard was something both Dantao and Yuli knew well. Dantao said with a smile, "There are two pots of rare green chrysanthemums that are growing quite beautifully. I've had the servants place all the flowers under the corridor." "Then I must take a good look..." Xie Run had just finished speaking and was about to rise when her vision went black. Again?! Last time she fainted, it was when she saw Fang Yuan'er and the transmigration plot surged forth. What could it be this time? When she woke again, the first thing that met her eyes was Prince Jing's handsome face with his long brows sweeping into his temples, his bearing steady and indifferent, his emotions inscrutable. Dantao, Xiaoshu, and the others stood to one side, their expressions restrained, seeming both pleased and sorrowful. Xie Run's heart inexplicably skipped a beat, and her voice was slightly hoarse: "Prince, why are you here?" She then glanced at the blanket over herself. "What happened to me?" It couldn't be a serious illness, right?! Please no! Though Xie Run appeared calm on the surface, her heart was already racing up to her throat. Prince Jing spoke slowly, his voice also carrying a hint of suppressed joy. "The estate physician came and took your pulse. He says you're pregnant—already over two months along." Xie Run was stunned for a moment, and her first reaction was to clutch her belly and demand, "Prince, is this true?" "How could it be false?" Prince Jing frowned when he saw Xie Run's unusual reaction. Xie Run nodded seriously and said softly, "I've heard that some medicines can cause a woman to show symptoms of pregnancy for a short time..." Prince Jing's expression turned somewhat exasperated. "Where did you hear such things?" Xie Run answered quickly: "From storybooks." Xie Run's range of activity was limited to Linxuan Pavilion, and with nothing to do every day, she had read through the entire bookshelf of storybooks. Prince Jing gritted his teeth and said, "...I'll have someone burn those storybooks of yours right away." Xie Run's slender, jade-like fingers gently tugged at Prince Jing's hand. "Prince, why not have two more physicians come to take a look? Just to be safe." Prince Jing felt that Xie Run was being alarmist, but when he met her clear black-and-white peach blossom eyes, his heart softened involuntarily. "You're so fussy!" Though his words were dismissive, in the end he still sent for two more physicians from outside. Soon, the diagnosis was complete. Xie Run was indeed pregnant. Prince Jing glanced at the maidservants who were barely containing their joy and said calmly, "Your mistress's pregnancy is also thanks to your usual attentive service. You shall all be rewarded together." Dantao and Xiaoshu happily bowed: "This servant thanks the Prince, thanks the Mistress!" Prince Jing glanced at Xie Run and said with a smile, "Tell me, what reward do you want?" Xie Run's eyes lit up, quite surprised: "I get a reward too?" Prince Jing suddenly remarked, "You look just like the cat in Mother's palace, eyes gleaming every mealtime." Xie Run: "...Thank you for the compliment, Prince." She really couldn't hear any compliment in those words. Prince Jing noticed Xie Run's perfunctory tone but didn't mind. "Now that you're with child, rest well in the courtyard. I'll have the Princess Consort oversee your food, clothing, and daily needs." Xie Run nodded repeatedly. "Rest assured, Prince. I'll take good care of the pregnancy. I won't eat or drink recklessly, nor wander about." Prince Jing was a bit speechless and teased, "No need to be that extreme." As if his residence were a den of wolves and tigers. Xie Run quickly said, "I must! I must!" Prince Jing: "..." Prince Jing had the day off today and had been handling official matters in the front courtyard when he suddenly received word that Xie Run had fainted and rushed over. Now that he saw Xie Run was fine, he stayed for half a day before returning to the front courtyard. Before leaving, he instructed Xie Run, "I'll come to Linxuan Pavilion later. Rest well for now." "As for the reward, I'll have Shi'an arrange it shortly." It wasn't that Prince Jing didn't enjoy staying with Xie Run, but in ancient times, no proper man would spend an entire day in a concubine's chambers. It wouldn't sound good if word got out. Xie Run secretly squeezed Prince Jing's hand, then guiltily withdrew it, whispering, "Then this servant will await the Prince's arrival." Prince Jing nodded with satisfaction, his expression still perfectly composed. Within an hour, Eunuch Shian brought people over, saying they were to replace all the gauze window screens in Xie Run's courtyard with glass. In these times, paper was expensive—unlike novels where windows were pasted with paper, most used gauze. The quality of the gauze varied according to one's status and rank. Xie Run was currently quite favored, so she used the finest Xia Ying gauze. This treatment was top-notch even within the residence. But no matter how fine the gauze, it still affected the lighting in the room. Xie Run glanced at the glass the craftsmen carefully carried in, and the smile on her face suddenly froze. Wait—had she overlooked something?! If Xie Run remembered correctly, this era could fire glazed vessels, but there was still a technical barrier to producing large sheets of glass. She called Eunuch Shian over to ask, "Eunuch, I've never seen glass like this before. It looks quite rare?" Eunuch Shian said cheerfully, "This glass is a fine new item that's appeared recently. It's no surprise you haven't heard of it, Mistress Xie." "The Prince obtained an ancient formula not long ago, and his subordinates fired clear, bright glass according to it—very practical. It's become a rarity in the capital now; nobles and officials are all waiting to buy it." "I hear the kiln has also produced a new type of mirror, a hundred times clearer than bronze mirrors, able to reflect a person's likeness perfectly." At this, Eunuch Shian could hardly contain his smile. "Among the Prince's gifts is a half-person-tall mirror. Mistress Xie can go see it for yourself." Hearing this, how could Xie Run not understand? This was likely the real reason Fang Yuan'er had regained favor. No matter how well-made the soap was, it was still just something for bathing. But glass was different. Besides everyday use, glass could also be made into glazed jewelry. With good marketing, it would become a luxury item that the capital's elite would scramble to acquire, fully capable of sparking a craze.