Chapter 5

Chapter 5 After Prince Jing finished admonishing Consort Ning, he went straight to the Princess Consort's Green Pine Court and told her about finding an experienced nanny. As expected, the Princess Consort did not agree. "I have no experience caring for children myself—where would I find an experienced nanny?" She glanced at Prince Jing's cold, stern expression and said unhurriedly, "In my opinion, why not ask Mother Consort for two people?" Prince Jing knew that his Princess Consort had always been cautious in her actions and never touched trouble. He did not press the matter. "Very well, then handle it as you see fit." During the evening meal, Prince Jing suddenly said, "I think Lady Ning cannot manage caring for two children. Why not have Ying'er brought to your courtyard to raise for a few days?" The Princess Consort was startled, then suddenly smiled. "Your Highness must be joking. It's not that I'm unwilling to fulfill my duties as the principal consort. First, I've never given birth and have no experience—I'm afraid I wouldn't care for the child well. Second, they say a child is the mother's heart and soul. If Ying'er were brought here to be raised, I fear Consort Ning would not sleep a wink at night." Prince Jing pressed his lips together but said nothing more. He had merely mentioned it in passing, but who would have thought the Princess Consort would refuse so readily. Seeing that Prince Jing was not pleased, the Princess Consort said magnanimously, "Your Highness, I hear that Concubine Fang has been feeling a bit unwell from the heat lately and has been complaining of discomfort. Why not go and see her?" Prince Jing wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. "If she's unwell, have the household physician arranged for her. I don't know how to practice medicine." Princess Consort Jing was renowned both inside and outside the palace as a virtuous woman—kind and magnanimous, cautious and meticulous in her conduct, with not a single fault to be found. Yet precisely because she was such a perfect Princess Consort, Prince Jing could never bring himself to like her. Prince Jing knew that his Princess Consort cared nothing for heirs, nothing for favor. The only thing she cared about was likely the dignity and authority of her position as Princess Consort. Their relationship was not like husband and wife, but rather like colleagues. After finishing the evening meal, Prince Jing practiced calligraphy for a while, then soon retired to bed. His Highness was in low spirits today, so he did nothing at all. The next day was a rest day, so Prince Jing did not need to attend the morning court and rose a bit later. After finishing his meal and preparing to go out, he happened to run into two young maids carrying a tray toward Green Pine Court. Prince Jing glanced casually. "What is this?" Qiulan replied cheerfully, "Reporting to Your Highness, our mistress has acquired something wonderful and has specially come to present it to the Princess Consort." Prince Jing raised an eyebrow. Looking at this maid, he vaguely remembered seeing her in Concubine Fang's courtyard. "What are these?" "They are the new cosmetics from Jiangnan Workshop, shipped overnight by water from Jiangnan. Only two sets were made—our mistress kept one for herself and specially presents the other to the Princess Consort." Jiangnan Workshop was the most famous cosmetics shop in all the south. It was said that a single box of powder was worth a tael of gold. The tray held exactly one set—twelve boxes in total—showing Concubine Fang's generosity. Prince Jing knew this so well because Jiangnan Workshop was an enterprise the Emperor had privately established for Consort Chen, registered under the name of the Eighth Prince, who was not yet thirteen. The Eighth Prince was also the Emperor's youngest son, greatly favored by him. Prince Jing only glanced at it. "Your mistress is quite generous in paying tribute to the Princess Consort." Qiulan said cleverly, "Our mistress heard that Your Highness loves tea, so she spent a fortune to buy fine tea from Jiangnan and has it prepared, saying she awaits the day Your Highness comes to have a cup." Prince Jing's brows lowered. "Your mistress certainly knows how to train her people." Qiulan's cheeks flushed at the praise. She wanted to say more, but Prince Jing had already left with his attendants. He did not say whether he would go to Concubine Fang's quarters or not. Quite a few people knew about the little scene at the entrance to Green Pine Court, but no one took it too seriously. The Princess Consort dismissed Concubine Fang's people, then sat languidly on the couch trimming flower branches. Noticing Nanny Li beside her hesitating to speak, she said calmly, "Nanny, if you have something to say, just say it." The Princess Consort was a princess sent to the Great Xia Dynasty for a marriage alliance. The current Emperor, with a wave of his hand, had bestowed her upon Prince Jing as his Princess Consort. The people around her had all come with her from the Xia Dynasty, so their bond was especially different from others. Nanny Li looked at the Princess Consort with heartache. "Princess Consort, since His Highness mentioned having the Second Young Master brought here to raise for a few days, why did you refuse? If you could truly raise him, you would have someone to rely on for the rest of your life." The Princess Consort gave a light laugh. "Nanny, do you even believe those words yourself?" Nanny Li fell into silence. The Princess Consort continued, "If His Highness wanted me to raise the child, he should have brought him to my courtyard the moment he was born. Now that Consort Ning has raised him until he's two years old, only then does he mention giving him to me. The child already knows his mother—what would it even mean for me to raise him now?" At this thought, the Princess Consort gave a cold snort. "Back then, His Highness pitied Consort Ning and, disregarding my dignity, made an exception to allow her to keep the child by her side. Did he think of me as the child's principal mother then?" "Now that Consort Ning cannot raise the child well, His Highness suddenly remembers me... I may not have children of my own, but I certainly have no interest in raising someone else's." The Princess Consort lowered her eyes, concealing the dark glint beneath. "Besides, the reason His Highness relies on me now is precisely because I have no children of my own and act with fairness and impartiality. If I truly raised Consort Ning's child, I'm afraid that heart of his would lean toward Orchid Fragrance Court again." Pitying the weak and sympathizing with the poor—such is the nature of men. Nanny Li sighed. "Consort Ning simply doesn't appreciate her blessings. She was fortunate enough to bear two young masters, yet all she cares about is scheming to secure the position of Heir Apparent for the Eldest Young Master, completely neglecting the upbringing of the Second Young Master... If only you could have a child of your own, even a daughter would be wonderful." Consort Ning had been bestowed upon Prince Jing at the same time as the Princess Consort. In the beginning, Prince Jing held the Princess Consort in high regard and made it clear that no concubine-born children would be permitted before the Princess Consort bore an heir. But when the Princess Consort failed to conceive after three years of marriage, and other princely mansions saw legitimate and illegitimate sons popping out one after another, Prince Jing finally allowed the Side Consorts and concubines to bear children. Consort Ning's womb proved fortunate—she gave birth to two sons in succession, holding in her hands the only two young masters of the princely mansion. This made her quite formidable, and in earlier years she had given the Princess Consort no small amount of grief. It was only later, when Consort Ning grew arrogant on the strength of her two sons and stirred up trouble time and again, that Prince Jing began to distance himself from her. The Princess Consort clipped the last flower, a trace of melancholy in her eyes, though she remained perfectly composed. "Matters of children have always been a question of fate. If fate does not grant it, it cannot be forced." "You're muddled, Nanny. Even if I have no children, who would dare to look down on me?" The Princess Consort set down her scissors, pride written across her features. "I was wed to the Prince by imperial decree, bound to the ties between two nations. So long as I keep to my proper place, even without favor or heirs, no one can make my life difficult." Nanny Li disagreed inwardly and wished to counsel her further. But the Princess Consort had already risen. "Since you have leisure, Nanny, find someone to pass along what the Prince said last night to Orchid Fragrance Garden. Though I won't raise the child myself, it does well to keep a sword hanging over Consort Ning's head." The Princess Consort cared little for the Prince's favor, but she had not forgotten the humiliations Consort Ning had inflicted upon her in years past. Now that an opportunity had presented itself, it was only natural to vent that old resentment. If Consort Ning were to hear that the Prince intended for her to raise the Second Young Master, she would surely be unable to sleep at night. Nanny Li's eyes brightened. "This servant will see to it at once."