Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Meeting the New Arrival Prince Jing: "I told her to speak the truth, and she actually did just that?!" Just as Prince Jing was about to speak, a pair of soft arms wrapped around his neck, and she gazed at him with deep affection and a smile in her eyes. Xie Run's naturally alluring fox eyes were practically radiating charm at this moment, ceaselessly bewitching Prince Jing. In the night's darkness, the atmosphere grew even more ambiguous. Prince Jing's Adam's apple bobbed, and his gaze darkened by several shades. He raised his broad palm, pulling Xie Run closer by the waist. "This prince will play along in your little act—what's in it for me?" Xie Run looked at him with innocent eyes while inwardly feeling disdain. Protecting your own woman and child, and still demanding a reward—isn't that a bit much? Prince Jing's large hand gripped Xie Run's slender waist, drawing her near as he leaned down close to her ear. His thin lips parted slightly, releasing low, magnetic words. His breath crept into Xie Run's ear, burning her until her face flushed and her heart raced, a mist of moisture instantly veiling her eyes. Xie Run's voice softened several degrees, her cheeks red enough to drip blood. "My Lord, this... this concubine doesn't know how." Prince Jing said lazily, "No matter. This prince will teach you." Xie Run's hand was taken, and she nervously slipped it inside his white underrobe. A single candle flame flickered gently outside the bed curtains, accompanied by low, muffled groans. The candle had burned more than halfway when Prince Jing rose and called for water. Seeing Xie Run hiding shyly in the corner of the bed, he reached out, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her, his voice languid and husky. "Something like this—only this once!" With that, he had his attendants help him dress and left without a backward glance. Xie Run's heart was pounding rapidly. Not because of Prince Jing's favor, but because she was delighted that everything had gone so smoothly?! Having Prince Jing pretend to storm off in anger had been a spur-of-the-moment idea—Xie Run truly hadn't expected him to cooperate so fully. Because of the night's activities, Xie Run woke up somewhat late the next morning. By the time she was up, news that Prince Jing had swept out of Linxuan Pavilion in the middle of the night had already spread like wildfire. It was the first time such a thing had happened in the prince's household. Everyone now assumed that Xie Run was eight or nine parts likely to fall out of favor. Upon further inquiry, it turned out that a maid in Linxuan Pavilion had been caught stealing, and Xie Run's maidservant had dragged her out in the middle of the night to make a scene, which had angered the prince. Everyone's first reaction was that it was a lack of propriety. The servants lacked sense, disturbing their master in the dead of night. And the mistress lacked ability, failing to discipline her own staff. In short, the matter became a joke throughout the prince's rear courtyard. Especially since Prince Jing indeed did not visit Linxuan Pavilion the next day. The joke was now thoroughly confirmed. Because of this incident, many concubines specially drilled their own maidservants, absolutely forbidding anything like what happened at Linxuan Pavilion. Even the Princess Consort sent someone specifically to ask what had happened. Xie Run tearfully poured out her grievances and managed to suppress the matter, though from the time Prince Jing swept out until he left the residence, he never saw Xie Run again. Rumors flew throughout the rear courtyard, but Xie Run simply pretended not to know. Even if she had "fallen out of favor" by angering Prince Jing, she still had a child in her belly, and she had been promoted to Concubine Consort—her days would never be difficult. For now, she only thought about how to contact the Xie family. It was Dantao who reminded her that since Prince Jing had been away for so long, she should do something to let him know she was thinking of him. Xie Run was thinking on a different level. For Prince Jing to condescend to play along with her act, she had to show some appreciation. Otherwise, this petty, grudging man would hold a grudge and refuse to cooperate next time. After thinking it over, Xie Run decided to personally sew a set of undergarments and pick out some practical, thoughtful items. After fussing over the undergarments for two days, Xie Run sighed as she looked at the blood-pricked holes on her fingers. Coaxing a man was harder than coaxing a child. Dantao said with concern, "Mistress, why not let us do it? Then you can embroider a couple of stitches at the end—the thought is what counts. I'm sure the prince will appreciate it." Xie Run said through gritted teeth, "After those two pouches last time, the prince probably knows exactly what my skill level is. If you make it, he'll see through it at a glance, and then he'll blame me for not putting in the effort. In that case, I might as well not do it at all." Since she was doing it, she had to do it well. This was Xie Run's own doing, so she had to bear it herself. Who told her to have poor needlework, yet still get a hot-headed impulse to sew undergarments for Prince Jing? She had truly dug her own grave and buried herself in it. While Xie Run was frowning in distress, Yueya'er came forward to report: "Mistress, the Princess Consort says the new arrival will enter the residence in about an hour. She asks that you be prepared." "Finally, it's here." Xie Run set down the undergarments, looking rather like she was settling in to watch a show. It had been said long ago that Noble Consort Rou would bestow a new woman, and the matter had stirred up a storm of bloodshed in the prince's rear courtyard—yet the new arrival had been nowhere in sight. Two days ago, Prince Jing left the residence. Today, the Princess Consort was summoned to the palace early in the morning, and now word suddenly came that the new arrival would be entering the residence. Xie Run felt a moment of sympathy for the Princess Consort. She had likely endured no small amount of hardship in the imperial palace. Xie Run rose and let Yuli and Xiaoshu attend to her dressing. Now that she was a Concubine Consort, she could no longer dress with the same low-key restraint as when she was a concubine. Especially on an occasion like meeting a new arrival—she could not afford to lose any presence. Xie Run changed into a sunset-hued gauze robe embroidered with orchids, paired with a light tangerine pleated skirt below. The edges of both the robe and the skirt were embroidered with exquisite patterns in silver thread, flowing like a river of silver as she moved. Her hair was styled in the Zhaoyun Jinxiang bun, adorned with a complete set of gold-inlaid pearl and jade butterfly hair ornaments, with a tasseled necklace hanging at her chest—truly an appearance of nobility without vulgarity, elegant and refined. Her brow tips were elongated and upturned, lending a slight sharpness that tempered her pure beauty with three parts more allure and charm, making her strikingly radiant. Dantao finished applying the final touches to Xie Run's makeup before remarking with feeling, "Mistress is usually too plain. Dressed like this today, how lovely you look!" Xie Run smiled nonchalantly. "This sort of dress is beautiful, but with all these pearl hairpins and ornaments on my head, it feels like my skull weighs ten extra catties." Dantao and Xiaoshu couldn't help but laugh. "It can't be that exaggerated." Amid the banter, Xie Run led her two maids to the Princess Consort's Green Pine Courtyard, where the senior maid Tinghe guided them inside to take their seats. Counting it up, this was Xie Run's second visit to the Princess Consort's Green Pine Courtyard. The first had been when she first entered the household to offer tea to the Princess Consort. But at that time, she had just transmigrated and fallen ill, not yet fully accepting the reality of her situation. She had gone through all the formalities in a daze, with no mind to take in the surroundings of the Green Pine Courtyard. Now, returning to the Green Pine Courtyard, her state of mind was entirely different, and she had the leisure to observe. Looking around, she was genuinely a bit surprised. The furnishings were not ostentatious or luxurious, but rather arranged with pleasing irregularity, carrying a quiet simplicity and elegance. To be honest, it didn't quite match the Princess Consort's status. Xie Run suddenly recalled the name of the Green Pine Courtyard. Though the Princess Consort was born of the imperial clan, her manner of conduct resembled that of a proud scholar of this era—possessing considerable integrity and backbone. Just as she was pondering this, she turned her head and saw Fang Yuan'er approaching with a beaming smile, accompanied by two maidservants, dressed in such elaborate finery that it somewhat exceeded the regulations for a Concubine Consort. Consort Yun was also supported by her maidservant, entering from behind. All three had been elevated to Concubine Consort, but since they hadn't moved to new courtyards, they hadn't yet been assigned additional attendants. After all, there was nowhere to house new people at the moment. This way, the scene wouldn't appear too grand. Once the three were seated, Fang Yuan'er smiled brightly at Xie Run. "Sister Xie is truly dazzling today." "In the past, you didn't care for dressing up, yet you were still fresh and lovely. Now that you've adorned yourself, you seem even more exquisitely beautiful—truly stunning." Xie Run smiled modestly. "Sister Fang flatters me. How could I compare to Sister Fang's peerless radiance? Today's fine dress is merely for the sake of meeting someone new." She caught the wariness in Fang Yuan'er's eyes, but ultimately couldn't say much about it. If she spoke too weakly, she'd seem easy to bully; if she spoke too falsely, it would be better not to speak at all. When they were concubines, with many competitors, everyone could still amiably play at being sisters. Now that they were all Concubine Consorts with clear competing interests, showing weakness wouldn't dispel anyone's hostility. In Fang Yuan'er's eyes, she and the Princess Consort were likely already threatening rivals. Concubine Yun seemed not to notice the tension between the two. She gave a light cough and curved her lips into a somewhat pale smile. Concubine Yun: "In my view, both sisters are exceptionally beautiful—otherwise, how could the Prince dote on you so?" Fang Yuan'er accepted the compliment with a light laugh, while Xie Run feigned embarrassment. When the Princess Consort had originally selected concubines for Prince Jing, her first requirement was beauty, followed by virtue and family background. Xie Run and Fang Yuan'er had both been chosen through rigorous selection. Not just within Prince Jing's household—their looks were among the finest in the capital, though their styles differed somewhat. Fang Yuan'er was a classic radiant beauty, with a curvaceous figure and delicate, striking features. When fully adorned, she was the most dazzling of all, yet also highly aggressive. Especially her dark eyes, which betrayed no attempt to hide her ambition—all sharp edges, capable of cutting those who met her gaze. In comparison, Xie Run's features were far more harmless and gentle. With light makeup, she seemed fresh and elegant, like a lotus emerging from water. In full dress, she lost some purity but gained allure and charm, yet it remained half-concealed, inviting admiration rather than provoking threat. When the two stood together, most eyes would first be drawn to Fang Yuan'er, yet Xie Run's presence could not be ignored either. Looking longer, it was like beholding twin flowers on one stem, each displaying their own grace. Fang Yuan'er: "I recall the last time I came to the Princess Consort's courtyard was three and a half months ago." Fang Yuan'er surveyed the furnishings of the main hall, a hint of nostalgia surfacing. "At that time, Sister Xie and I had just entered the household, nervously offering tea to the Princess Consort, with Consort Ning standing by... Now, in less than four months, it feels like so much time has passed. Consort Ning has become Concubine Ning, and I can't help but feel a sense of things changing and people moving on." After speaking, Fang Yuan'er's gaze settled on Xie Run, carrying a subtle pressure. "Don't you think so, Sister Xie?" Xie Run answered honestly, "I was in a daze back then; I'm afraid I don't remember." But inwardly, she felt somewhat speechless. Consort Ning had fallen because she schemed against Consort Yun, and Fang Yuan'er had personally added fuel to the fire at the time. Coming from Fang Yuan'er's mouth, it sounded rather like gloating? Now both Consort Yun and Fang Yuan'er, the two principals involved, were right here, yet she was asking an unrelated party? Xie Run only felt mentally exhausted, with no desire to play word games with anyone. Fang Yuan'er's red lips curved slightly as she smiled. "Ah, I forgot—Sister Xie had just recovered from an illness at the time. Your health probably wasn't very good then." When Xie Run heard the word "illness," her mind immediately jumped to the elopement. Her body tensed, but her face feigned ignorance as she nodded. "Indeed." Seeing her sweet and innocent attitude, Fang Yuan'er lost interest. She was somewhat puzzled inwardly. Prince Jing was, after all, a mature and elegant man—how could he be fond of this type? Soon, the Princess Consort finished changing and emerged with a group of maids and matrons. The three of them rose and bowed in unison. "This concubine greets the Princess Consort." The Princess Consort waved a hand casually. "Rise, all of you. Today is a joyous occasion, and you sisters all look radiant." As the Princess Consort took her seat, the three followed suit and sat down. The Princess Consort looked at the three below her and suddenly smiled. "In the past, there was only Lady Ning alone, and it always felt a bit cold and quiet. Now seeing the three of you, it finally feels livelier." In the past, with only Consort Ning alone, she would always argue until the Princess Consort's heart, liver, and lungs ached. Now, if these three came together to pay their respects, it would be a three-way clash—the Princess Consort would have quite a show to watch. No wonder it felt livelier. Fang Yuan'er smiled meaningfully. "And now two more sisters are about to arrive? The estate will only become even livelier." Consort Yun couldn't hold back and coughed twice. The Princess Consort immediately showed concern. "That's my fault—I forgot that Consort Yun is not in good health right now." "Very well, prepare the tea." Since tea was being prepared, the newcomers should come up to be introduced. Soon, two beauties of stunning appearance were led in, both bowing to the Princess Consort at the same time. The one dressed in pale blue embroidered with moon and bamboo carried an air of scholarly refinement, her voice clear and light. "This servant, Lady Li, greets the Princess Consort." The other, wearing a crimson skirt with a bright, alluringly beautiful face, followed with her bow, her voice soft and melodious. "This servant, Lady Han, greets the Princess Consort." The moment the second voice sounded, it felt as though one's ears had been electrified—tingling and numbing. Xie Run thought to herself, Prince Jing truly is blessed with good fortune. With such a voice, even Xie Run, a woman, felt her bones go weak. Yet she saw the Princess Consort above frowning, and Consort Yun beside her also holding up a handkerchief to feign embarrassment. Xie Run pondered for a moment and immediately understood. Lady Han's voice was pleasant, yes, but to ancient women, it was highly improper. Especially paired with her enchanting, seductive face—she looked exactly like... a fox spirit. Both the Princess Consort and Consort Yun were thoroughly traditional, and they could not stand such behavior. The thought that this "fox spirit" was personally chosen by Noble Consort Rou, Prince Jing's birth mother, filled them with a sense of unease. The Princess Consort shared aligned interests with Prince Jing, and now she couldn't help but darken her face, like a mother-in-law encountering a fox spirit seducing her son, beginning to suspect that Noble Consort Rou harbored ill intentions—what scheme was she plotting? Consort Yun feigned embarrassment on the surface, but in her heart, she looked down on it. With such behavior, even if Prince Jing doted on her, she could never affect Consort Yun's position. Xie Run lowered her head and also feigned embarrassment, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught Fang Yuan'er's gaze full of wariness, staring straight at Lady Han—and in that instant, she understood something. Fang Yuan'er didn't grasp what bothered the Princess Consort and Consort Yun. Instead, she felt that the newcomer Lady Han shared her own style, and her looks and allure were in no way inferior to hers. This woman had been personally bestowed by Noble Consort Rou and possessed a voice that could bewitch the soul... All of Fang Yuan'er's alarms went off. If Noble Consort Rou hadn't never met Fang Yuan'er, Fang Yuan'er would have suspected that Noble Consort Rou wasn't trying to make things difficult for the Princess Consort, but was targeting her instead. Of the two newcomers, Lady Li was cold and ethereal, while Lady Han was seductive and free-spirited. One clashed with Fang Yuan'er's style, and the other was the complete opposite extreme of it. This... how should one put it? Xie Run couldn't help but glance at Fang Yuan'er again. But Fang Yuan'er had just withdrawn her gaze and caught her in the act.