Chapter 276

Chapter 276 Consort Sun nodded. "I'm afraid it's partly because the Princess Consort is unwell, and partly because they're worried the imperial guards might charge in and cause harm." In the entire rear courtyard of Prince Jing's mansion, when it came to safety, Qingsong Court was naturally the best. Mama Du said worriedly, "Mistress, if that's the case, why don't we go to Qingsong Court to take shelter as well? If there's danger, at least we'll have company." Consort Sun shook her head. "No, I can't go." "The Princess Consort's pregnancy has been unstable from the start. With all this commotion in the middle of the night, and the imperial guards causing trouble, there's a nine in ten chance she'll lose the child." "If I go there, I might easily become a scapegoat and end up taking the blame for nothing." Tao Yao said worriedly, "Mistress, the imperial guards must have come prepared. If Guard Jin can't hold them off, we'll be in danger." Consort Sun gazed out the window at the pitch-black darkness. A faint glint flickered in her eyes, and a hint of ruthlessness crept into her heart. "Even if the imperial guards do come in, they'll head to the front courtyard to search for the Prince's correspondence." "Those who truly can't show their faces won't dare to take lives—they'll just use the lives of the concubines and children in the rear courtyard to threaten the Prince." Consort Sun knew in her heart that as long as she stayed put in her own courtyard, her life wouldn't be in danger. Tao Yao and Mama Du both felt reassured. Consort Sun looked toward the front courtyard. "Tell me, what do you think is happening in the front courtyard right now?" Tao Yao was confused, but Mama Du's expression changed instantly. Consort Sun had been raised by Mama Du since childhood—she could tell what Consort Sun was thinking from a single sentence. Mama Du quickly said, "Mistress, you can't!" Consort Sun looked at Mama Du with tears in her eyes. "Didn't you say you would help me? This is a godsent opportunity!" "The Prince isn't in the mansion, all the guards in the front courtyard have been deployed to the main gate to block the imperial guards, and the Princess Consort in the rear courtyard is unwell... When else could be more perfect than now?!" Mama Du fell silent at once. But after hearing Consort Sun's analysis, she too realized this was a godsent opportunity. "If I can help you avenge your grievances, Mistress, I'm willing to try!" Consort Sun gripped Mama Du's hand. "Mama, you're the only ones I can trust." She leaned close to Mama Du's side and whispered a few instructions. Mama Du lowered her eyes in thought for a moment. "I'll go make the arrangements right away." "It's dark out, and everyone is too busy looking after themselves to notice. It shouldn't be too difficult." Tao Yao, who had overheard everything, immediately stepped forward. "Mistress, if there's anything you need me to do, I'll give it my all." Consort Sun patted her hand. "As for today's matter, pretend you know nothing. Mama Du will handle all the arrangements." Though Tao Yao was somewhat hot-tempered and sharp-tongued, she was tight-lipped and utterly loyal to Consort Sun. In the deep darkness of the night, a figure quietly slipped out of Songfeng Court and made her way toward the front courtyard. In less than half an hour, someone quietly returned to Songfeng Court. Mama Du received the news and immediately came to report. "Mistress, it's done." "Nanny Mu, who was in charge of the Eldest Young Master, has been severely punished. The new nanny has no mind of her own—when she heard that the imperial guards were about to storm the mansion, she panicked and quietly took people to carry the Eldest Young Master into the rear courtyard." "When they reached Wangyue Pavilion, she wasn't paying attention and stumbled—they all fell down together." A rare smile appeared on Consort Sun's face. "And then?" "The imperial guards outside the courtyard were shouting and making a racket, and the maidservant following along was afraid of being exposed, so she hurried back." Consort Sun lowered her eyes, a hint of regret in them. Just a fall—it wasn't anything significant. With so many things she had to be careful about now, she didn't dare strike directly. Consort Sun said, "Forget it. We'll find another opportunity later." Mama Du pulled Consort Sun into the inner chamber for a private conversation. "Mistress, there's something else." "What is it?" "The maidservant who carried out the task ran into a few people on the way." "Who?" "Qiuxiang, the one by Side Consort Fang's side!" Mama Du lowered her voice. "She had a maidservant with her, and there was someone she was carrying in her arms." Consort Sun said in a low voice, "The Third Young Master?" Mama Du nodded. Consort Sun let out a cold laugh. "She's walking straight to her death!" Mama Du agreed. "Exactly. They were heading toward the east corner gate—she must have heard the news too and, fearing danger, thought she'd slip out through the side gate." Consort Sun had been trained by her grandfather since childhood and had heard the Duke of Yingguo speak of many cases of families being wiped out and clans exterminated. She knew clearly that the more dangerous the moment, the less one should run around. With the princes fighting for succession, in order to legitimize their claim to the throne, they would never casually slaughter the women and children of the rear courtyard—at most, they'd use them as leverage. Staying put in one's own courtyard meant safety. But wandering around recklessly and running into the army—that was truly walking straight into death. Consort Sun said coldly, "Side Consort Fang is truly bold." "To compete for favor, she abandoned her son and traveled thousands of miles to Qiangwu." "No matter how great her merits in Qiangwu, if something happens to her child when she returns, what use would any of it be?!" It was so late, and chaos reigned outside. Once Qiuxiang took the Third Young Master out of the mansion, it would be like an ant dropped into a frying pan—danger at every turn. Consort Sun couldn't understand Fang Yuan'er's reasoning. She only thought her foolish, walking straight into her own demise. Mama Du asked, "Mistress, this matter..." "Pretend we know nothing," Consort Sun said calmly. "It has nothing to do with us after all." Not a single word could be revealed about her people having seen Qiuxiang going out in the middle of the night. Otherwise, once Eldest Young Master launched an investigation, she would be in danger. Pretending to know nothing about this matter was the best choice for Consort Sun. Ever since Fang Yuan'er left the capital with Prince Jing, the people in her courtyard had become well-behaved, all keeping their heads down and treading carefully. Precisely because they were too well-behaved, and since the principal mistress Fang Yuan'er was absent, Xie Run had not specifically assigned anyone to keep watch over them. Who would have thought that in a single moment of oversight, these people would stir up trouble? The news that Qiuxiang had taken the Second Young Master out through the East Corner Gate only reached Xie Run's ears half an hour later. At the same time, two other pieces of news arrived. "A military force suddenly appeared in the front courtyard, blocking the Imperial Guards for Guard Jin. After a bloody battle, they repelled the Imperial Guards." "Our residence is safe now!" Before Xie Run could even feel relieved, more news came. "Physician Xie says the Princess Consort's miscarriage is not going smoothly, with symptoms of heavy bleeding. It seems she might..."