Chapter 7

Chapter 7 After serving tea, Prince Jing did not forget to test Xie Run's skill at chess. Mostly because he had arrived early today, and if he didn't find something to do, he would be bored. Seeing that Xie Run had indeed solved the previous chess problem, Prince Jing deliberately set up an even more difficult endgame. Prince Jing held his teacup, sipping it unhurriedly, every gesture exuding noble elegance and charm. "If you solve this one, I'll come again tomorrow." He thought that with this promise given, Xie Run would surely be overjoyed. Who would have thought that Xie Run would pull a bitter face and bite her lip, saying, "Then could Your Highness come in a couple of days instead?" Prince Jing paused mid-sip, his brow twitching slightly. "What did you say?" Xie Run said with complete sincerity, "I definitely can't solve this one in a day or two..." After speaking, she even shot Prince Jing a wronged look. If he didn't want to come, then just don't come. He deliberately set up a difficult position for her, then promised that if she solved it, he'd come tomorrow. What was the use of making a promise that could never be fulfilled? Wasn't he just teasing her? Prince Jing understood the look in her eyes, and for a moment, he both wanted to laugh and felt a bit annoyed. This Xie Shi was clever when she shouldn't be, and not clever when she should be. If she truly couldn't solve it, she could just act coquettish and brush it off—would he really press the matter? The other concubines usually did exactly that. Who would have thought that with her, it would be different. But different was good. If Xie Run had actually done that, Prince Jing probably would have found it cloying and boring. Prince Jing also had the intention of teasing Xie Run, so he said with a serious face, "A gentleman's word is his bond. If you can't solve it, it means you don't wish for me to come." Xie Run: "..." So unreasonable! In order to solve the chess problem, Xie Run was distracted even while attending to him that night. Prince Jing noticed, and for some reason his interest grew even stronger, tormenting her all the more. This directly resulted in Xie Run not being able to get up the next day. She slept all the way until the third quarter of noon, and when she got up, she was still dazed. Dantao attended to her washing, while Yuli asked softly from the side, "Mistress, shall I bring over the chessboard?" Xie Run's eyes blurred. "Don't! I don't want to see a chessboard today! Last night I dreamed entirely of chess pieces, and I was trapped inside them, unable to get out—it scared me to death." Dantao covered her mouth with the comb and giggled softly. Yuli's eyes widened. "But yesterday His Highness said that if you couldn't solve the chess problem, it meant you didn't wish for him to come. If His Highness gets angry..." Xie Run helplessly spread her hands. "Even if His Highness gets angry, I still can't solve this chess problem. I might as well slack off today and solve it tomorrow." Besides, there seemed to be trouble brewing in the rear courtyard lately, and Xie Run felt it was better if His Highness didn't come too frequently. Yesterday she had heard word from the main courtyard that His Highness was dissatisfied with Consort Ning's inability to care for the child and was planning to give the Second Young Master to the Princess Consort to raise. Whether this news was true or false, once it spread, it meant trouble was coming. Xie Run had just arrived and didn't dare get involved in any disputes. That day, Prince Jing indeed kept his "gentleman's word" and did not come to Linxuan Pavilion. With the words he had spoken to Xie Run on his mind, Prince Jing deliberately avoided Linxuan Pavilion and instead went to the residence of a concubine surnamed An. Concubine An had entered the household two years ago and was of a simple, honest disposition. She was not favored by Prince Jing and hadn't attended to him for over half a year. Suddenly hearing that Prince Jing was coming to her place, she was so overjoyed that she became flustered and didn't know what to do. By the time Prince Jing arrived at Concubine An's residence, she was just preparing the evening meal. Seeing Concubine An standing by his side attending to him the whole time, he casually gestured. "Sit down too. No need to be so formal." Concubine An bowed, barely able to contain her excitement. "I don't need to sit. I'll just stand and attend to Your Highness." Prince Jing frowned slightly. Before he could say anything, Concubine An was already trembling with fear. "Your Highness, please calm your anger. I... I..." Prince Jing waited for a long time, but Concubine An couldn't even get out a full sentence of explanation, which made him even more displeased. He wasn't a ghost—was he really that frightening? Just then, there was some commotion outside the door. Prince Jing put down his chopsticks, annoyed. "What's going on out there?!" It was also because the servants attending Concubine An were incompetent that a maid was able to barge in. Qiulan wept piteously. "I am Qiulan, from Concubine Fang's side. I beg Your Highness to save my mistress!" Prince Jing's brows furrowed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "What happened to your mistress?" "I don't know what's wrong—as soon as night fell, she started vomiting, and she's been drowsy and confused, unable to speak properly." Though Qiulan spoke with a tearful voice, her words were very clear. "Please, Your Highness, go see my mistress quickly!" Prince Jing rose and walked out. "Shi'an, summon the household physician." Eunuch Shian quickly acknowledged and followed along. Qiulan walked behind, casting a smug glance at Concubine An. "Mistress An, I'll be going now." Concubine An pressed her lips together, her face pale as a sheet. His Highness had come for the first time in over half a year, and he was snatched away just like that. The next time he came, who knew when it would be. That night, Prince Jing naturally stayed at Concubine Fang's Jinxiu Pavilion. Concubine Fang calling Prince Jing away from Concubine An's place was a small matter, but using illness as an excuse to disturb the peace of the rear courtyard was a slap to the Princess Consort's face. When a woman of the rear courtyard was ill, she should request the household physician through the Princess Consort—not bypass her and go running to Prince Jing instead. This is simply not taking the Princess Consort seriously. Moreover, such blatant vying for favor was also a breach of proper conduct. The Princess Consort had always acted swiftly. The very next day, using Concubine Fang's illness as an excuse, she advised the Prince to visit his other concubines. As the Principal Consort, it was her duty to care for her husband's health and manage the household's concubines. Even Prince Jing could say nothing against it. The Princess Consort made her stance clear: "Concubine Fang is not to serve the Prince until she has fully recovered. If her illness worsens, she will be moved directly to the estate to recuperate." In truth, Concubine Fang had only suffered a mild heatstroke. She had deliberately exaggerated her condition to compete for the Prince's attention. Now that the Princess Consort had spoken, Prince Jing would not set foot in Concubine Fang's quarters for at least several days. This slap across Concubine Fang's face had effectively silenced her. There were two new women in the household. With Concubine Fang subdued, it was Xie Run who benefited. In the days that followed, Prince Jing spent three consecutive nights at Xie Run's residence. Having gained the Prince's favor, Xie Run began to feel uneasy, constantly worrying that someone might try to harm her. But before anyone could make a move, a momentous event occurred in the household. The Second Young Master had fallen into the lake! Xie Run had just woken from her afternoon nap when she heard the news. She hastily pinned up her hair in a simple bun and rushed out of Consort Ning's courtyard with Dantao and Yuli in tow. Along the way, she wondered aloud: "The Second Young Master is only two years old. How could he possibly fall into the lake? Could someone have plotted against him?" Dantao frowned. "This servant doesn't know either. But the Second Young Master is only two—who would be so heartless as to bring him to the lakeside?" Yuli, being timid, was extremely worried: "This won't implicate our mistress, will it?" Xie Run, unsettled by her words, replied, "It shouldn't, right?" Prince Jing's residence was quite expansive. To reach Consort Ning's Orchid Fragrance Courtyard, Xie Run had to cross a bridge. She had just reached the middle of the bridge when she saw a beauty approaching from the opposite direction—willowy as a swaying willow, radiant as a blooming rose. The beauty's skin was dazzlingly fair, and her attire was extravagantly noble, most eye-catching indeed. Xie Run froze for a moment, instantly recognizing her as Concubine Fang, who had entered the household on the same day as herself. But as she looked at Concubine Fang, a sudden sharp pain shot through Xie Run's head. Her vision went black, and she collapsed. Dantao and Yuli screamed: "Mistress!"