Chapter 474

Chapter 474 That should not happen. Concubine Fang had served Consort Yun for many years and knew her temperament well. She was ruthless to others, and even more ruthless to herself. Once she made a decision, she never regretted it. Fangse both respected and feared her mistress. Princess Ruyi was four years old, which by nominal age made her six—just the age for beginning her education. But Concubine Fang was of low status and had no say whatsoever in such matters. Recently, the Princess Consort had been unwell, and Fangse had tried several times to seek an audience but had been unable to see her. In the meantime, a maidservant by Princess Ruyi's side had grown restless and actually tried to sow discord, inciting the young princess to resent her. The princess was still young and easily misled. Fangse could only hate those who stirred up trouble with their wicked hearts! These people, relying on their status as former attendants of Consort Yun, saw that Fangse had a gentle disposition and never made trouble for others, so they grew arrogant. They had never shown her much respect, and now they even tried to win over the princess's heart, hoping to gain her favor. Even Fangse's good temper had its limits. These people failed to realize that she was not a maidservant—she was a mistress. It was indeed difficult for a maidservant to dismiss another maidservant. But for a mistress to dismiss a maidservant was merely a matter of a single word. Concubine Lian was with child, and Fangse sent that maidservant to deliver a bowl of nourishing soup to Concubine Lian. "Why does mistress keep sending nourishing soup? Every time it's nourishing soup—all that effort and expense, and Concubine Lian won't even appreciate it." "Concubine Lian is nothing but a concubine, and of such lowly origins besides. Why should mistress bother to curry favor with her?" Fangse seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying, "What you say is reasonable." "But the soup is already made, and it cost me no small amount of silver..." "Let your servant take it to the princess instead—wouldn't that be better than giving it to Concubine Lian?" "That's true. Take it to Ruyi then." "Your servant will go at once." Before long, the maidservant Fangse had sent returned, complaining, "Mistress, she said she was taking it to the princess, but she carried it into her own room and drank it herself!" "A nourishing soup worth over ten taels of silver—Concubine Lian never got to taste it, but she did?!" Fangse said calmly, "What's the hurry?" She raised her hand. "Go quickly and deliver the nourishing soup to Concubine Lian." An hour later, the maidservant returned in tears with news: "Mistress, the nourishing soup was somehow swapped—it turned out to be dishwater! Concubine Lian flew into a rage and was so angered she disturbed the fetus. She called for the household physician, and it alarmed the Princess Consort." Fangse remained as quiet and composed as ever, as if she had no temper at all: "Is that so? What is to be done then?" "Naturally, we must find out who swapped the soup you prepared, mistress, and punish that thief severely!" "Everyone saw you go to the main kitchen at dawn to simmer the soup. They can't very well pin this on you." Fangse also put on a worried air: "Then go find out quickly. If it's someone from our own courtyard, I must take blame for not managing them well and for disturbing Concubine Lian." Afterward, the Princess Consort sent her senior attendant, Stewardess Li, to investigate. The thieving maidservant was caught and made every excuse for herself. Fangse voluntarily took responsibility upon herself, but Stewardess Li dismissed her: "Mistress Fang must not be so weak-willed. To shield a maidservant who betrays her mistress and steals food—are you trying to harm the princess?" "For such a creature to appear by the princess's side not only drags down the princess's reputation, but who knows how she has been mistreating the princess behind closed doors, or whether she has stolen the princess's own food." When a wall is collapsing, everyone gives it a push. The moment Stewardess Li said this, maidservants attending the princess immediately stepped forward, each lodging their own complaint. In the end, the Princess Consort sent word: thirty strokes of the cane, then banishment to a remote residence for hard labor. Fangse pleaded with compassion: "Please show mercy, Stewardess. She has already reached a marriageable age. Since she has erred, why not simply release her and send her home? That punishes her without drawing blood and harming the harmony of heaven." The Princess Consort was now with child, but as she had been unwell, the news had not yet been announced. Stewardess Li thought of the Princess Consort, and upon hearing Fangse's plea, reported it to the Princess Consort, who immediately had the maidservant expelled. As night fell, Fangse coaxed Princess Ruyi to sleep before returning to her own room. She stared blankly at the lamp on the table. Now, she too had learned to scheme. This one pot of soup was all she knew how to make. But one pot of soup had saved herself and removed those who vied with her for the princess. Just as her mistress used to say: tricks need not be new—what matters is that they work. [THE END]